The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1901-10-11

fell a prey to the wiles Of a demon.
and, falling, dragged the king down
with her, for he could not bear to see
the idol Of his heart yearn for a pleas
ure within his power to purchase and
not grant 1t; and so, the deed was
done-the gates of the city were for
ever closed, and the inhabitants re-
joiced as they partook Of the immortal
elixir.
But ere long the evil effects Of the
dreadful contract were sensibly felt.
and the king beheld with inward ter
ror and contrition that in depriving
men of the salutary fear Of death he
had trampled under foot the only
enectual barrier against immortality.
And he Peheld much more. and the
sight filled his honest bosom with
establishment and regret. He could
not prevent the natural increase of his
people, but alas! the limits to which
he and they were confined did not be-
come enlarged in proportion to the &C
emulation Of the populace. To these
horrors were added a thousand loath-
some diseases, and whilst we suffered
all the agonies Of mortality death re-
lieved us not.
AT last, driven to desperation, some
bold spirits attempted to unbar the
gates Of the city, to find them held fast
by som supernatural power, and the
dreadful lightnings which flashed from
wall and tower when they attempted
to scale them proved that the city was
guarded and a vigilant watch kept over
its inmate by beings not Of this world,
Recognizing this terrible fact, a
public council was called, in which II
was decided to beseech the gods to
grant the promised relief. On the ap-
pointed day the wretched people as
sembled in the streets and squares, i'm
ploring the deities to spare them fur
Their misery. About noon a darkness,
darker than the deepest night over
spread the city, and, suddenly, in the
very midst Of it. the high walls, towers
and ponderous gates appeared alive
with blue and livid flames. Upon the
summit OF these we're seated, in sol
emn conclave, the living forms Of our
hideous gods. Many fed, and many
tainted. while others cried for mercy,
and praises and confessions and
curses were strangely mingled.
"'And So cried a terrific being
whom We recognized as Ator, the
tempter, 'ye are wearied Of life eter-
nal?'
MOI exclaimed a man, holder than
the rest; not of life eternal, but Of
eternal suffering
"ThereuDon the demon-gods raised
a CHASTITY peal of laughter which rolled
like a mighty thunder through the
city.
" 'Reief!' continued the monster,
Ator; 'ye shall have it, an but your
king. who hath dehed us by uttering
prayers to the God called Almighty.
Yes l answered, and 1 call upon
Him again " (for know you, O mortal,
that / am the spirit Of Komar). "A
frightful yell Of terror and despair fol-
lowed my confession Of faith, and the
vision vanished from u walls.
Il tried to prevail upon Maya to ac-
eept the God called Almighty, but
though / entreated her with tears. she
remained hrm to the faith CT her an
cestors. Alasl that she did.
early next morning, while we were
Ot2olding a review Of the troops, the
terrible darkness again enveloped the
land, and a wonderful voice came from
Heaven, saying, Peace to the soul OF
Komar, for the Lord God Almighty
loveth him. An awful d~eath-like
silence followed. and an intense cold
dinused itself throughout our doomed
and guilty land. And as my soul sped
upward / realized that the stone i'm
ages Of the inhabitants Of shor must
burden the world forever and ever
and that Maya was among them"