Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-26

found In a cave in the Canary islands. 1t
was written upon a peculiar substance,
each sheet made up of two parts. one side
resembled tale, and over the other side
was spread coating Of dark coffee col
ored material that resembled wax A lib
sTal translation gives tho following story:
CHAPTER I.
MY RECALL
The public official reception was
over. The sentence had been read,
the name Of Phorcnice the empress
adored, and the new viceroy installed
with all that vast and ponderous
ceremonial which had gained it's
pomp and majesty from the ages.
Formally, I had delivered m the
rens Of my government: formal lily.
Tatho had seated himself on the
snake-throne. and had put over his
neck the chain Of gems which sym
holized the supreme Office; and then.
while the drums and the trumpcts
made their proclamation of clamor.
re had risen to his feet for his first
state progress round that gilded
council chamber, as viceroy OF the
Province of Yucatan.
With folded arms and Bonded head
followed him between the glitter
fnC lines Of soldiers. and the brilliant
throng of courtierS. and chiefs. and
statesmen. The ruof-beHms quivered
TO the cries of Long live Tatho!"
"Flourish the empire ss." which came
forth as in duty bound, and the new
ruler acknowledged the welcome with
stately inclinatious of the head. ~
l..
thrones Of the lesser governors--in
the east, the north. and the south,
and received homage from each as
7he ritual was; aud 7. the man whom
his coming had deposed. followed
with the prescribed meekness in his
train.
1t was n hard task. but we who
hold the higher offices learn to carry
before the people a passionlesS face.
Once, 90 years before. these same
fine obeisances had been made to me;
now the gods had seen fit to make
fortune change. But as | walked
bent and humblv on behind the heels
of Tatho. though etiquette forbade
noisy salutations to myself, il could
not inhibt kindly glances. and these
came from every soldier, every cour-
tier. and every chief who stood there
in that gilded hall and they fell upon
me very gratefully. 1t is not often
that the fallen meet such tender
looks.
Then, one behind the other. the
new viceroy and the old, we marched
with formal step over golden tiles of
that council hall beneath the pyra-
mid, ard the great officers of state
left their stations and joined in our
train; and at the farther wall we
came 10 the door of those private
chambers which an hour ago had
been mine own.
All. WELL had no home now in
any Of those wondrous cities of
Yucatan, and I could rot help feeling
bitterness, though in sooth / should
have been thankful enough to return
10 the continent of Atlantis with nv
head still in its proper station.
Tatho gave his formal summons OF
"Open We 10 the Niceroy" which the
ritual commands, and the slaves with
in sent the massive stone valves Of
the door gaping wide. Tatho entered,
al his heels; the others halted,
sending valedictions from the thresh-
Old: and the valves of the door
changed on the lock behind MS. We
passed on TO the chamber beyond,
and then. when for the first time we
were alone together, and the forced
etiquette of courts was behind MS,
the new viceroy turned with moeklv
folded arms, and bowed low before
me
"Deucalion." he said. "belicve me
that ] have not sought this Office. II
was thrust upon me. Had not ac-
cepted. my head would have paid for
felt and another your enemy
would have been sent out as viceroy
in your place. The empress does not
permit that her will shall ever he
questioned"
My friend" 7 made answer. my
brother in all but blood, there is no
man living in all Atlantis or her tor
ritories to whom ! had licfer hand
over my government For 20 years
now have ! ruled this country of
Tucatan, and Mexico beyond. first un-
der the old king, and then as minis
ter to this new empress. | know my
colony like a book am intimate
with all her wonderful cities. with
their palaces. their pyramids. and
their peoples. ! have hunted the
beasts and the sayagcs in the for
osts. ! have built roads. and made
the rivers SO that they VIA carry
shipping. | have fostercd the arts