Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-07-08
WAYS OF sIrNrxa pRoMorERs..
How Schemes Arc Worked to Get
Funds to Open Mines.

INNING man from mexico tnied
to interest an Eastern capitalist tn
his proposition, but was turned down
politely, but firmly A shade Of dis
appointment crossed his face. He
half arose from his chair and reached
for his hat. He hesitated for a mo-
ment as IL debating some momentous
step. Then he dropped back into his
seat and leaned forward confidently.
as though he had decided to impart
some weighty secret.
Supposed should tell you" he be-
gan. that l know where the long
sought treasure of the Aztec kings
Is buried, that within an hour after
go to the place where 1t lies, the vast
store Of gold and Jewels that Guate-
nlotzin hid when the little band of
lConquistadores, 'Cortez's conquering
Spaniards, appeared before his capt.
tai?
"How do i DO this? Listen!' The
promoters voice sank to tense
whisper. "Can any one hear? Don't
let us be Interrupted. l have never
told this to soul before. May lock
! the door?
suppose tell you how mozo, ),
one who had served me faithfully for
many years, had left my employ at
the mines and had gone to the City
of Mexico, there to take service with
| one Of the old Spanish families who
live in street little back of the
great Cathedral, which, as you know,
was built on, the site of the ancient
| temple, where they used to sacrifice
thousands of human captives each
year? You can see huge sacrificial
stones in the National Museum there
to-day.
"This family went to the terra
caliente, to their hacienda there. in
the winter months, when there is no
| rain, but the air Is chill in the city.
Before they left the master told this
| Indian servant to take up the stones
in the patio the interior court around
which the house is built--the resi-
| dence has been In the same family
for two centuries and half--and to
clear out the ancient drain that had
become half choked and unservice-
able, also to relay all the paving
stones fiat and level.
THE soil Is soft there. There are
no cellars in the houses, for the city
Is built on an ancient lake bed and
almost anywhere you strike water
| within ten feet from, the surface.
"In due time the family departed,
| leaving this Indian in charge Of the
other servants In the empty house.
These Mexican poems, by the way, are
slow, but faithful and sure. With
out undue haste the work began and
proceeded. .' N \
Sometimes Juan worked alone,
digging In the damp soil; at other
| times some of the other men helped
him, carrying out the dirt of lifting
| hn hnp II Nf ,fo Inf
the courtyard. Juan Que night had
a dream that If he should dig In
certain spot in the patio he would
| find a vast treasure.
| "The next day was the Fiesta Of
All Souls-a great religious holiday,
| when every one goes to the Dolores
Cemetery, decorates the graves of
his dead and gets stupid with pulque.
Juan made some excuse, pleaded ILL
ness, l suppose; the rest Of the SER
wants went away and left him alone
In the great house. AZ
"The moment they were gone and
the outer door fast bolted, Juan
commenced to dig, with a feve,ish
haste such as he had never shown
before In the spot indicated by his
dream. He was standing in a pit
as long and as narrow as grave
when a chance thrust of his shovel
into the black, reeking soil touched
a stone.
| Now there are no stones in the
City Of Mexico except what have been
| brought there from the quarries,
miles away, so Juan knew thatbwhat
| he had encountered was either an
ancient idol of the AZtecs or else the
forerunner of what he sought. He
stopped to take drink. Of pulque.
and went back to WORK. With inf1n-
ite labor he uncovered what appear
ed to be great square stone, and
finally, l don't know how, succeeded
in lifting 1t from the place 1t had
rested for nearly three centuries.
1.-TWO weeks later-I was in the
mountains Of Durango, at Topia, at
the time-I received a letter from
Juan. 1t was written by one of those
public letter writer's, who sit in the
plaza before the Cathedral, for Juan,
like nearly every one Of his class,
cannot read or write. 8
THE letter urged me to come to
Mexico at once and to see him imme-
diately on my arrival, that he was in
great trouble, that he had news of
personal interest to impart. In short
gathered from the letter, aided by
my Intimate knowledge OF Juan's
character, that there really was
something urgent. He had saved my
life once, and, as l had intended
going to Mexico soon, / decided to
hasten my trip and start immediate
ly.
"Its weeks journey by mule,
horse and rail from the mines to the
capital. On my arrival / sent for
| Juan, and he came to my room at
the Iturbide, where he was well
known as my former mozo.
What would you say If | told you
i hnf Ii. tnl 10 l,n hnd Il