The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-03-31


There queen was Maxtella.
Her skin was as white as the snow
ON wonder mountain peak, her lips
we're as scarlet as the flaming loco
blossom, her ey es were as blue as the
calchuites in the Minas de las Perdi-
das, and from their liquid depths
beamed truth and purity of soul.
She was virgin queen. Her court
iers wooed her in vain. The richest
of them all laid his wealth Of calchuites
and beautiful shells at ber feet. The
mic htiest hunter brought her trophies
of the chase. To all she spoke words
of wisdom and beauty, but her love
was for no one man. 1t was for all
her people. Her virtue and her
beauty were the marvels of those days.
Her counselors were wise beyond
their generation. Many things they
knew that were unknown to tho sub
jeets of Queen Maxtella. They knew
of the eastern ocean, of a great coun-
try beyond to which their ancestors
lad gone years before.
| The northern hordes were at peace.
So powerful were they that the tribes
in the south did not dare to make war
with them, nor would the queen suffer
her subjects to make war upon those
weaker hordes who dwelt in rocks and
caves high up in the cliffs that bor-
dered on the green canyons. There
was a vassel chief, Azul, of lowly
birth and evil ways. He saw the
beautiful Maxtella, and the sig ght OF
her touched bis black heart. He low
ed Maxtella not for her virtue nor her
wisdom. He loved her that he might
| rule the land and that from his blood
and hers might come race of savage
kings aud that the northern hordes
might make war upon the tribes Of the
south and despoil them of their treas
ure.
Azul knew the black magic art. He
brought his richest treasure to Max
tella's court. He used his black art
that he might appear pleasing in her
sight. His arms and throat were
bare. On his head was snowy wLite
helmet, and his dress was Of green
feathers. His breastplate of feather
work cleaned like jewels when the sun
shown upon it. Tall and straight was
this vassal chief, and mighty was his
stride. Great blue and blood red
stones shone in the middle of his
sword.
But the counselors were wise men.
They could see his black heart and
read his evil mind, and they spurned
him with scorn. They would have
driven him from the court. The vas
sal chief held in bis hand wand,
sharp pointed like knife, by which
be worked his magic art.
When the queen appeared he looked
at her aud turned pale. Azul's eyes
pierced her, but his magic was not
strongh enough to make her love him.
Until then she knew not fear, but now
the evil spirit was upon her. All OF
Azul's power was exerted to subdue
her gentle heart.
When she went to walk wolf sprang
up in her path, sharp stones cut
through the deerskin and wounded
her feet.
Nearby was spring of healing wa
ter, but when Maxtella went to drink
of it foul odor of poisonous gases
arose.
She sought her couch, but Azul had
driven sleep away. When she was
alone the black hearted vassal chief
would suddenly appear and with
throngs of the deer would beat her
white body until his savage lashes
drew drops OF blood.
All things could he make Maxtella
do but love him. False words she
spoke TO her cuunselors and did un-
holy deeds that made her courtiers
bow their heads in shame. No moro
was Maxtella Just, or merciful. Cru
city, pitiless cruelty, turned her love
Of her subjects to hate.
Of her attendants who remained
faithful none was more so than little
page. boy Of not more than score
of years. These two sat one eve with
in the palace. The dusky shadows
were gathering without, but the night
could only bring added wretchednsss
to Maxtella. The boy sang to her,
and as his sony died away a black
shape entered the loom. 1t was
Azul.
"Thy song is sad," he said to the
page. "Why doyou not weep, Max
tella?"