The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1911-04-28
The Fires of Montezuina
Legends Of the Aztecs.
BY
JAMES JOHNSTON DAVENPORT.


i-. and that. centuries ago, a
. rrfain man Of their tribe, fond
~. solitude. was one day repos-
nag beneath the boughs 81 very
large tree. when his slumber WAS
Interrupted by strains Of the
-..se atcst mEsic Soon he perceI. ed
Ihaf these strains We're the eA
t.uisire warnings Of bird, perch
rd upon one Of the top most
branches Of the tree. His ear
drank IN the delicious drdnghts
f.ll MS soul became enraptured
iri. tile celestial mleodv. \
strange fascination was in the 20
Ice Of the bird. and i1s song he
ii.teaprcted to BE- q revelation
ade 70 him nv thc gods d his
ibe He announced that the
cane 81 It's song was the exc
dr> OF his people TO q distant
land where they should dwell
IN flowerv wales. amid towering
mountains. Burning with zeal.
ne flew from wigwam to wiewam
and drew such glowing pictures
Of their promised home that be
:, ,on induced the whole tribe to
-f0igrate
Tie history oil their exodus,
80 given by themselves, la. that
ate wandering for many moons,
avrr vast daserts. crossing large
s'.eea. and toiling up the high
rlotfrt-ainS. they reached the
Inks vi the ella river. up which
they made their way. and near
tie source al which they hnilt
heir village: that roaming over
the s,lrro ending rugged heights
they found thai widest and most
untamabIe race III the red man,
the Apaches, 10 whon they
rave the appeliation. children
of volcanoes and earthquakes,
rom the circumstance that this
-ntire region had seemingly un-
,tcrgone the action Of fire; and
hat. after many severe battles
With their ferocious nelghborS
they established themselves ia
their new home. and ultimately
became prosperous and powerful.
In the midst OF their prosper
tv> and power the history CONT
nues-their people waxing proud
and self-sufficient, abandoned all
the gods Of their fathers. when,
lhereupon 4 heavy and severe ed
itn,itv befei them. For two moons
the heavens were covered with
litchN clouds. charged with terri
n!r lightning and deafening thun
derS. accompanied with torrents
Of rain. The winds were unchain-
~. anvil rhe warning clements
We're turned loose TO fight with
one another. The waters covered
tho valleys. and heir people
were ur'NeE upon n projecting
rock on high No ntain to e>-
cape the deluge Then did they
illly awake to the belief that
their gods were incensed with
them. because they had become
4 mindful Of the religion Of their
ancestors. They besought their
angry deities to spare them. and
offered up sacrifices TO appease
their wrath; hut III vain It nc
rain floods descended. and the
deluging waters rose higher and
higher. At last when every ray
IL hope had we'll nigh fled, when
they were reduced to almost ut
ter despair. one Of their priests,
who had tasted and prayed an
iiaunced that nothing could as
sliaee the wrath of their gods.
beings. One to be a male. under
the age of eighteen years; the
other feIaale under fifteen.
s.e%. two We're 10 be chosen
by lei ont of all the children of
the Zuni tribe: arrayed "a vic
linus. and taken 10 the edge of
the projecting rock, and east in
to the angry waters beneath
This sad announcement br0ugh
sorrow TO all--to children and
their parents superadded oonsicr-
nation aud aiarin. From the high
character which the priest bore
Tor piety. all regarded the an
holmcemeu is direct reve
i.t:0a, and s.rsishtw2. prepared
10 carry it into execution The
children of the tribe were assem-
hlcd. and the lots drawn; they
Tell upon Montezma. the son Of.
and only child of their aged gov
aor. and Gaiinirina the daught
O. arr! only child of the pious
priest.
Monrezuma was sixteen years
81 age. and Colindrina fourteen.
They had haen reared fn1efher-