Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CHAPTER XL THE SAVING OF GUATEMOC Xow, after this dreadful day I was kind ly dealt with by the people of Tabasco, who gavo me the name of Tculc, or Span iard, and no longer sought to put me to sacrifice. Far from it indeed, I was well clothed and fed and suffered to wander where I would, though always under caro of guards who, had I escaped, would havo paid for it with their lives. I learned that on thc morrow of my res cue from tho priests messengers were dis patched to Montezuma, the great king, ac quainting lum with the history of my cap ture and seeking to know his pleasure con cerning 3ne. But the way to Tenoctiilan was far. and many weeks passed before tho messengers returned again. Meanwhilo I filled the days learning the Maya languago and also something of that of thc Aztecs, which I practiced with Marina and others, for Marina was not a Taboscan, having been born at Palnalla, on tho southeastern borders of thc empire. But her mother sold her to merchants in order that Ma rina's inheritance might como to another child of hers by a second marriage, and thus in the end the girl fell into tho hands of thc cazique of Tabasco. Also I learned something of the history and customs and of the picture writing of tho land and how to read it, and, moreover, I obtained great repute among the Tabas cans by my skill in medicine, so that in timo they grew to bclievo that I was in deed a child of Quetzal, the good god. And tho more I studied this people the less I could understand of them. In most ways they were equal to any nation of our own world of which I hud knowledge. Xonc are more skilled in thc arts; few are better architects or boast of purer laws. Moreover, they were brave and hod pa tience. But their faith was tho canker nt the root of tho tree. In precept it was no ble and had much in common with our own, such as tho rite of baptism, but I have told what it was in practice. When I had lived a month In Tabasco, I had learned enough of the language to talk ?with Marina, with whom I grew friendly, though no more, and it was from her that I gathered the most of my knowl edge, and also many hints as to the con duct necessary to my safety. In return I taught her something of my own faith and of the customs of the Europeans, and it was the knowledge which she gained from me which afterward made her so useful to thc Spaniards and prepared her to ncccpt their religion, giving her insight into the ways of white people. So I abode for four months and more in thc house of thc cazique of Tabasco, who carried his kindness toward mc to the length nf offering mc his sister in mar- ' riage. To this proposal I said no os gen tly as I might, and he marveled at it, for tho girl was fair. Indeed so well was I treated that had it not been that my heart was far away, and because of thc horrible rites of their religion, which I was forced to witness almost daily, I could havo learned to love this gentle, skilled and in dustrious people. At length, when full four months had passed away, thc messengers returned from thc court of Montezuma,having boen much delayed by swollen rivers and other acci dents of travcL So great was tho impor I had Teamed cncntnJi of tlic language io talk with Marina. tancc that the emperor attached to the fact of my capture, and so desirous was ho to see me at his capital, that he had sent his own nephew, tho Prince Guatemoc, to fetch me and a great escort of warriors with him. Xever shall I forget my first meeting with this prince, who afterward became my dear companion and brother in anns. When thc escort arrived, I was away from thc town shooting deer with tho bow and arrow, a weapon in tho usc of which I had such skill that all tho Indians wondered at mc, not knowing that twico I had won tho prize at tho butts on Bungay common. Our party being summoned by a messen ger, wo returned bearing our deer with us. On reaching thc courtyard of the cazique's house, I found it filled with warriors most gorgeously attired, and among them ono more splendid than the rest. He was young, very tall and broad, most handsome in face and having eyes Uko thoso of an ca plj, -hilo his whole aspect breathed maj cscy and command. His body was incased in a cuirass of gold, over which hung a mantle made of the most gorgeous feath ers, exquisitely set in bands of different colors. On his bend he wore a helmet of gold surmounted by tho royal crest, an ea gle, standing on a snake fashioned in gold and gems. On his arms, and beneath his knees, he wore circlets of gold and gems, and in his hand was a copper bladed spear. Bound this man were many nobles, dressed in a somewhat similar fashion, except that thc most of them wore a vest of quilted cotton in place of the gold cui rass and a jeweled panache of tho plumes of birds instead of tho royal symbol. This was Guatemoc, Montczuma's neph ew and afterward tho last emperor of An ah nae. So soon os I saw him I saluted him in tiie Indian fashion by touching tho earth with my right hand, which I then raised to my head. But Guatemoc, hav ing scanned mo with his oyo as I stood, bow in hand, attired in my simple hunt er's dress, smiled frankly and said: "Surely, Tculc, if I know anything of tho looks of men, WO arc too equal in our birth, as in our tige, for you to salute mc asa slave greets his master.'' And he held his hand to mc. And I took it, answering with tho help of Marina, who was watching this great lord with cager eyes: "It may bo so, prince, but though in my own country I am a man of repute and wealth hero I am nothing but a slavo snatched from the sacrifice." "I know it," he said, frowning. "It ls well for all here that you were so snatched before the breath of life had left you, else Montczuma's wrath had fallen on this city." And he looked at thc cazique, who trembled, such in those days wiis tiie ter ror of Montczuma's name. Then ho asked mc if I was a Tculc, or Spaniard. I told him that I was no Span iard, but ono of another whito race who had Spanish blood in his veins. This say ing seemed to puzzle him, for he had never 6o much as heard ol' any other white nice, so I told him something of my story, at least sn mut >: of it ttl had to do with my being east away. When Iliad finished, ho said: "If I have understood aright, Teulc, you say you aro no Spaniard, yet that you have Spanish blood in you and came hither ina Spanish ship, and I lind this story strange. Well, it is fur Montezuma to judge of these mat ters, so let us talk of them no moro. Come and show me how you handlo that great bow of yours. Did you bring it with you, or did you fashion it horc't They tell mc, Tculc, that there is no such archer in tho *? ( COPYRIGHT! 1830, BT THE AVTHOK.. ) Q rana.-* So I came up and showed him tho bo j which was of my own make and wot ? shoot an arrow some GO paces farther th any that I saw in Anahuac, and wo f into talk on matters of sport and war, A rina helping out my want of langua? and before that day was dono wo h grown friendly. For a week the Prince Guatemoc a h'1; company rested in the town of Tab; co, and all tho timo wc thrco talked mu together. Soon I saw that Marina loot with eyes of longing on tho great loi partly because of his beauty, r;mk a might, and partly because she wearied her captivity in tho houso of tho caziq and would share Guatemoc's power, 1 Marina was ambitious. Sho tried to TV his heart in many wuys, but he seemed B to notice her, so that at last she 6pc more plainly and in my hearing. "You go hence tomorrow, prince," s said softly, "and I have a favor to ask you, if you will liston to your handmaid "Speak on, maiden," he answered. "I would ask this, that if it pleases yi you will buy mo of tho cazique, my mt ter, or command him to givo me up to yo and take me with you to Tenoctitlan. " Guatemoc laughed aloud. ''You p things plainly, maiden," he said, "b know that in the city of Tenoctitlan n royal wife and cousin, Tecuichpo, awai mo, with her three other ladies, who, as chances, are somewhat jealous." Now Marina flushed beneath her brov skin, and for tho first and last timo I su her gent?o eyes grow hard with anger sho answered: "I asked you to tako mo with yo prince. I did not ask to bc your wife love." "But perchance you meant it," he sa dryly. "Whatever I may have meant, prince, is now forgotten. I wished to see thc gre city and the great king, because I wea: of my life hero and would myself gro great. You have refused mc, but perha; a time will como when I shall grow gre in spite of you, and then I may remcmb the shame that luis been put upon n against you, prince, and all your roy house." Again Guatemoc laughed and of a sui den grew stern. "You aro overbold, girl," he said, "fi less words than thew many a one mig! find herself stretched tipon tho ntono i sacrifice. But I will forgot them, for yoi woman's pride is stung, and you kno not what you say. Do you forget tho also, Teule, if you have understood. " Then Marina turned and went, lu bosom heaving with anger and outrage love or pride, and us she passed mc I bea: her mutter, "Yes, prince, you may forge but I shall not." Often since that day I have wondered some vision of tho future entered into tl girl's breast in that hour, or if in lu wrath sho spoke at random. I have woi dcrcd also whether this scene between lu and Guatemoc had anything to do wit thc history of her after life, or did Marlin as she avowed to me in the days to conn bring shame and ruin on lier country fe tho love of Cortes alone? It is hard t say, and perhaps these things had nothin to do with what followed, for when gret events have happened wc aro apt to scare out causes for them in tho past that wei no cause. This may have been but a pasi ing mood of hers and one soon put out c mind, for it is certain that few build u tho temples of their lives upon some fin foundation of hope or bute, of dcslro o despair, though it has happened to mo t do so, but rather take Chance for their arel] itect, and indeed whether they take hir. or no ho is still the master builder. Stil that Marina did not forget this talk know, for in after time I heard herrcmim this very princo of tho words that ha? passed between them-aye, and heard hi noble answer to her. For a whole month wc traveled, for th way was far and the road rough, and some times wo must cut our path through forest and sometimes wc must wait upon th banks of rivers. Many were thc strang sights I saw upon that journey, and man; the cities in which wc sojourned in mud state and honor, but I cannot stop to tel of all these. One thing I will relate, however, thougl briefly, becauso it changed thc regard tba the princo Guatemoc and I felt ono to tb other into a friendship which lasted til his death and indeed endures in my hear to this hour. One day wo were delayed by thc bank; of a swollen river, and in pastime wen out to hunt for deer. When wc had hunt ed awhile and killed three deer, it chancee that Guatemoc porccived a buck Btandl&f on a hillock, and wc set about to sta] k lt five of us in alL But tho buck was in thc open, and thc trees and bush ceased a ful 100 yards away from whore ho stood, ? that there was no way by which wc niighi draw near to him. Then Guatemoc bogar to mock me, saying: "Now, Teule, thej tell tales of your archery, and this deer ii thrice as far as we Aztecs can make sure of killing. Lot us seo your skill. " "I will try," I answered, "though thc shot is long." So wo drow beneath the cover of a ceiba tree, of which tho lowest branches droop ed to within 16 feet of thc ground, and having set an arrow on thc string of the great bow that I had fashioned after the shape of those we usc in England I aimed and drew it. Straight sped the arrow.and struck tho buok fair, passing through its heart, and a low murmur of wonderment went np from those who saw tho feat. Then, just as wo prepared to go to the fallen deer, a male puma, which is noth ing but a cat, though 50 times as big, that had been watching the buck from above, dropped down from thc boughs of thc cei ba tree full on to tho shoulders of tho Princo Guatemoc, felling him to tho ground, where bc lay face downward, while thc Aereo brute blt and clawed athis back. Indeed had it not been for his golden cui rass and helm Guatemoc woulel never havo lived to bo emperor of Anahuac, and perhaps it might have been better so. Now, when they saw tho puma snarl ing and tearing at the person of their prince, though brave men enough, tho three nobles who were with us were seized with sudden panic and ran, thinking him dead. But I did not run, though I should have been glud enough to do so. At my side hung ono of the Indian weapons that 6ervo them instead of swords, a club of wood set on both sides with spikes of ob sidian, Uko tho teeth in thc bill of a sword fish. Snatching it from its loop, I gavo thc puma battle, striking u blow upon his hoad that rolleel him over and caused thc blood to pour. In a moment he was up and at mo roaring with rage. Whirling tho wooden sword with both hands, I smote him in midair, the blow passing be tween his opened paws and catching him full on the snout and bead. So hard v.- ?? this stroko that my weapon was shattered Still it did not stop tho puma, lu n .sec ond I was cast to tho earth with II rn .?I shock, und tho brute was on me, tearing and biting ut my chest und neck. It was well for mc at that moment that I wore n garment of quilted cotton; otherwise 1 must havo been ripi>ci?. open, and even with this covering I was sadly torn, und to this day I b^ur the marks of the beast's claws upon my body. But now when I seemed to bo lost tho great blow that I had struck took effect on him, for one of tho points of glass had pierced to his bruin. Ile lifted his head; his claws contracted themselves in my flesh; then ho howled like a dog ii pain and fell dead upon my body. So I lay upoi. t..e ground unable to stir, for i w. > much hurt, until my com panions, having taken her.rt, came back anel pulled tho puma off me. By this time Guatemoc, who saw it all, but till now was unable to move from luck of breath, had found his feet again. "Teule," ho gasped, "you are a bravo man indee d, and if you live I swear that I will always stand your friend to the death, as you have stood minc.'' . ^-?-?-.. - Thus ho spoke to mc, but to tho othi he said nothing, casting no reproaches them. Then I fainted away. CHAPTER XIL TEE COURT OF MONTEZUMA. Now, for a week I was so ill from i wounds that I was unable to be mov( and then I must bo curried in a litter t wo carno to within three days' journey tho city of Tenoctitlan, or Mexico. One night we camped in a rest hom of which there wero many built along t roads for the use of travelers, that w placed almost on the top of tho sierra mountain rango which surrounds the v ley of Tenoctitlan. Next morning ? took the road again before dawn, for t cold was so sharp at this great height tl we, who had traveled from thc hot lar could sleep very little, and also Guatcm desired if it wero possible to reach tho ci that night. When wo had gone a few hundred paci tho path carno to the crest of the mou tain range, and I halted suddenly in wc dor and admiration. Below mo lay a vi bowl of land and water, of which, howe er, I could seo nothing, for tho shado1 of the night still filled it. But before rr piercing tho very clouds, towered tho cres of two snow clad mountains, and on thc tho light of the unrisen sun played, alreai changing their whiteness to tho stain blood. Popo, or tho Hill that Smokes, tho namo of thc one, and Ixtac, or t Sleeping Woman, that of tho other, ni no grander sight was ever offered to t eyes of man than they furnished in th hour before tho dawn. From tho lof summit of Popo went up great colum: of smoke, which, what with tho fire their heart and tho crimson of tho sunris looked like rolling pillars of flame. Ai for tho glory of tho glittering slopes beloi that changed continually from tho myst ry of white to dull red, from red to crlr 6on and from crimson to every dazzlii huo that tho rainbow holds, who can tc it, who can oven imagine it? Nono indc< except thoso that have soon the sun ri over tho volcano of Tcnoctitla?. When I had feasted my eyes on Popo, turned to Ixtac. She is not so lofty as hi "husband," for 60 tho Aztecs namo tl volcano Popo, and when first I looked could sec nothing but tho gigantic sha] of a woman fashioned in snow and lyir like a corpso upon her lofty bier, whoi hair streamed down tho mountain sid But now the sunbeams caught her als< and she seemed to start out in uiajcsl from a veil of rosy mist, a wonderful an thrilling sight. But, beautiful as sho wi then, still I love the Sleeping Woman bei at eva Then she Hes a shape of glory c tho blackness beneath and ls slowly swa lowed up into the solemn night as thc dar draws its veil across her. Now, ns I gazed tho light began to cree down thc sides of tho vol?anos, revealin tho forests on their flanks. But still tl: vast valley was filled with mist that la in donso billows resembling thoso of th sea, through which hills and temples tor started up Uko islands. By slow degree as we passed upon our downward road th vapors cleared away and thc lakes of Te; cuco, Chuleo and Xochicalco shone In tb sunlight like giant mirrors. On the! bank6 stood many cities. Indeed th greatest of these, Mexico, seemed to flor upon the waters. Beyond them and abon them were green fields of corn and ale nnd groves of forest trees,! while far awa towered thc black wall of rock that hedge In thc valley. All day wc journeyed swiftly throug this fairjiand. Wc passed through th cities of Ainaqucm and Ajotzinco, which will not stay to describe, and many a love ly village that nestled upon the borders c Lake Chalco. Then wo entered on th great causeway of stone built like a roa> resting on thc waters, and with thc aftei noon wo came to the town of Cuitlalumc Thence we passed on to Iztupalapan, am herc Guatcmoc would have rested for th night in tho royal house of his uncle Cuit lahua. But when we reached thc town w found that Montezuma, who had been ad vised of our approach by runners, had sen orders that we wero to push on to Tenoc titian, and that palanquins had been mad ready to bear us. So wo entered tho palanquins, and leav lng that lovely city of gardens were born swiftly along tho southern causeway. Ol we went past towns built upon piles flxci in the bottom of tho lake, past gardon that were laid out on reeds and floatet over tho waters Uko a boat, past tcocalli and glistening temples without number through fleets of light canoes and thou sands of Indians going to and fro abou their business, till at length toward sun set wo reached the battlemented for that is called Xoloc, wu ich stands upoi the dike. I say stands, but, alas, it stand no moro! Cortes has destroyed it, ant with it all thoso glorious cities which rn; eyes beheld that day. At Xoloc wo bi'gan to enter thc city o Tenoctitlan, or Mexico, thc mightiest cit; that ever I had seen. Thc houses on tin outskirts indeed were built of mud o: adobe, but thoso In tho richer parts wen constructed of redstone. Each house sur rounded a courtyard and was, in turn surrounded by a garden, whllo botweor them ran canals, having footpaths on cl ther 6ldc. Then there were squares, anc in tho squares pyramids, palaces and tem pies without end. I gazed on therm till ] was bewildered, but all seemed as noth lng when at length I saw tho great tem plo, with its steno gateways opening tc the north and tho south, thc east and the west, Its walls carven everywhere with serpents, its polished pavements, its teoc allis decked with human skulls, thousand; upon thousands of them, and Its vast sur rounding tlanqucz, or market place. ] caught but a glimpse of it then, for thc darkness was falling, and afterward wc wero borne on through tho darkness, I did not know whither. Awhilo wont by, and I saw that wo had left tho city and were passing up a steep hill beneath tho shadow of mighty cedar trees. Presently wo halted in a courtyard, and hero I was bidden to alight. Then the Prince Guatcmoc lcd mo into a won drous house, of which all the rooms were roofed with cedar wood nnd its walls hung with richly colored cloths, and in that houso gold seemed as plentiful as bricks and oak aro with us in England. Lcd by domestics who boro cedar wands in their hands, wo went through many passages and rooms till at length wo carno to a chamber where othor domestics were awaiting us, who washed us with scented waters and clothed us in gorgeous ap parel. Thence they conducted us to a door, where wo were bidden to remove our shoes, and a coarse colored robe was given to each of us to hide our splendid dress. Tho robes having been put on, wc were suffered to pass the door and found ourselves in a vast chamber in which were many noblo men and some women, all standing and clad in coarse robes. At the far end of this chamber was a gilded screen, and from behind it floated sounds of sweet music. Now, as wc stood in thc great chamber, that was lighted with sweet smelling torches, many men advanced and greeted Guatcmoc, thc prince, and I noticed that all of them looked upon me curiously. Presently a woman came, and I saw that * her beauty was great, She wa? tull and stately, and beneath her rough outer robe splendidly attired in worked and Jeweled garments. Weary and bewildered as I was, her loveliness seized me, as lt were, in a vise-never before had I seen such love liness, for her eye was proud and full Uko tlic eye of a buck, her curling hair fell upon her shoulders, nnd ber features were very noble, yet tender almost to sadness, though at times she could seem fierce enough. This lady was yet in her flrsi youth; perchance she may have seem somo 18 years, but her shape was that of a full grown woman and most royal. "Greeting, Guatcmoc, my cousin," sho said In a sweet volet!. '"So you are como at last. My royal father has awaited you for long and will ask questions as to your delay. My sister, your wife, has wondered also why you tarried." Now, as she spoke, I felt rather than saw that this lady was searching me with her (?yes. "Greeting, Otomle, my cousin," answer ed the prince. ''I have been delayed by tho accidents of travel. Tnbaseo is fur uway; also my charge and companion, Tcide," und ho nodded toward me, "mot with an nccldcnt on the rond." "What wan the accident!"1 she asked. "Only this-that he saved mc from thc jaws of n puma at thc risk of his life when all the others fled from me and was some what hurt In thc deed. Ho saved tue thus," -ft?d in a few words lie told the story. rjno listened, ana I saw tnac ncr eyes sparkled at thc talo. When it was done, she spoko again, and this time to mc. ''Welcome, Teule," she said, smiling. "You are not of our people, yet my heart goes out to such a man. " And, still smil ing, she left us. "Who is that great lady?' I asked ol Guatemoc. "That is my cousin Otomle, thc prin cess of the Otomle, my uncle Montezu ma's favorite daughter," he answored. ' She likes you, Teule, and that is well for you for many reasons. Hush!" As he spoko tho screen at the far end of the chamber was drawn aside. Beyond it a man sat upon a broidered cushion, who was inhaling tho fumes of tho tobacco ?weed from a gilded pipe of wood, after tho Indian fashion. This man, who was no other than the monarch Montezuma, was of a tall build and melancholy counte nance, having a very palo faco for one of his nation, and thin, black hair. Ho was dressed in a white robe of tho purest cot ton and wore a golden belt and sandals set with pearls, and on his head a plumo of feathers of the royal green. Behind him woro a band of beautiful girls somewhat slightly clothed, some of whom played on lutes and other instruments of music, and on either side stood four ancient counsel ors, all of them barefooted and clad in the coarsest garments. So soon as tho screen was drawn all the company in tho chamber prostrated them selves upon their knees, an example that I hastened to follow, and thus they reinain A man sat upon a broldcrcd cushion in lulling the fumes of thc tobacco. ed till tho emperor made a feign with the gilded bowl of his pipe, when they rose to their feet again and stood with folded hands and eyes fixed abjectly upon tho floor. Presently Montezuma made anoth er signal, and throe aged men, whom I understood to bo cmbassadors, advanced and asked somo prayer of him. Ho an swered them with a nod tho head, and they retreated from his presence, making j obeisance and stepping backward till they mingled with the crowd. Then the emper or spoko a word to one of tho counselors, who bowed and carno slowly down the hall, lookir to thc right and to tho left. Presently his eye fell upon Guatemoo, and indeed ho was easy to sec, for he stood a head tailor than any there. "Hail, prince," ho said. "Tho royal Montezuma desires to speak with you, and with tho Tculo, your companion." "Do as I do, Teule," said Guatemoc, and lcd thc way up thc chamber till wc reached tho place where the wooden screen had been, which, ns we passed it, was drawn behind us, shutting us off from the hall. Here wo stood awhile, with folded hands and downcast eyes, till a signal was made to us to advance. "Your report, nephew," said Montezu ma in a low voice of command. . "I went to the city of Tabasco, O glo rious Montezuma. I found the Teule and brought him thither; also I caused the high priest to be sacrificed according to tho royal command, and now I hand back tho imperial signet, " and he gave tho ring to a counselor. "Why did you delny so long upon tho road, nephewV "Because of the chances of tho Journey. WTiilo saving my life, royal Montezuma, tho Teule, my prisoner, was bitten by a puma. Its skin is brought to you as an offering." Now Montezuma looked at mo for the first time, then opened a picture-scroll that ono of tho counselors handed to him and read in it, glancing at me from time to tima "The description ls good," ho said at length, "in all savo one thing-lt does not Bay that this prisoner is the handsomest man in Anahuac. Say, Teule, why have your countrymen landed on my dominions and slain my people?" "I know nothing of it, O king," I an swered as well as I might, with the help of Guatemoc, "and they are not my coun trymen." "Tho report says that you confess to hav ing tho blood of theso Teules in your veins, and that you carno to these shores, or near them, in one of their great canoes." "That is 60, O king, yot I am not of their people, and I carno to tho shore floating on a barrel." "I hold that you lie, "answered Monte zuma, frowning, "for tho sharks and croc odiles would devour one who swam thusi" Then ho added anxiously, "Say, aro you of tho descendants of Quetzal?" "I do not know, 0 king. I am of a white race, and our forefather was named Adam." "Perchance that is another name for Quetzal," ho said. "It has long been prophesied that his children would return, and new it seems that tho hour of their coming ls at hand. " And he sighed heav ily, then added: "Go now. Tomorrow you shall tell mo of these Teules, and tho coun cil of tho priests shall decide your fate." Kow, when I heard the names of the priests, I trembled in all my bones and cried, clasping my hands in supplication: "Slay me if you will, O king, but I be seech you deliver me not again Into the bands of tho priests." ''Wo aro all in tho hands of tho priests, who are the mouth of God." he answered coldly. "Besides I hold that you have lied to rae." Then I wont, foreboding evil, and Gua temoc also looked downcast. Bitterly did I curse the hour when I had said that I was of tho Spanish blood and yet no Span iard. Had I known even what I knew that day, torture would no* have wrung those words from mo. Rut- now it was too late. Now Guatemoc led mo to cor tain apart ments of this palaoo of Chapoltepec, where his wife, the royal Princess Tecuiohpo, was awaiting him, a vury lovely lady, and with her other ladies, among them the Princess Otomle, Montczuma's daughter, and some nobles. Hore a rich repast was served to us, and I was seated noxt to tho Princess Otomie, who spoke to me most graciously, asking mo many things con corning my land and tho people of tho Teules. It was from her that I learned first that thc ompcror waa much disturbed at heart because of these Teules, or Span iards, for ho was superstitious and 'held them to be thc children of tho god Quet zal, who, according to ancient prophcoy, would como to take tho land. Indeed so gi jclous was sho, and so royally lovely, that for the first time I felt my heart stir red by any other woman than my betroth ed whom I hud left far away In England, and whom, as I thought, I should ncvor see again. And, an I learned In after days, mino was not the only heart that was stir red that night. Near to ns sat another royal lady, Pa pantzln, tho sister of Montezuma, \>ut BIIO was neither young nor lovely, and yot most sweet faced and sad, as though with the presago of death. Indeed she died not many weeks after, but could not rest quiet in her gravo, as shall be told. When tho feast was done and wo had drunk of thc cocoa or chocolat? and smok ed tobacco In pipes, a strange but most soothing custom that I loamed in Tabasco, and of which I have never been able to break myself, though the weed ls still hard to come by here in England, I was led to my sleeping pince, a small chamber, paneled with cedar boards. For awhllo I could not sleep, (|>r I was overcome by the memory of all tho strange sights that I had seen In this wonderful now land, which was so civilised and yet BO barba rous. Thon my thoughts flow to tho vision of that most lovely maid, tho Princess Oto mle, who, as I believed, had looked on me so kindly, und I found that vision sweet, for I was young, and the English Lily, my own love, was far away and lost to mo for ever. Was lt then wonderful that I should find this Indian DODDS falrf Indeed whore ls tue man who would*not have been over come by her sweeetness, her beauty and that stamp of royal grace which comes with kingly blood and tho daily exercise of power? Like the rich wonders of the I robe she wore, her very barbarism, of which now I saw but the better side, drew and dazzled my mind's eye, giving her woman's tenderness some new quality, somber and strange, an eastern richness which is lacking in our well schooled Eng lish women, that at one and the same stroke touched both the imagination and the senses and through them enthralled the heart. For O torr, ie seemed such a woman as men dream of, but very rarely win, seeing that tho world has few such natures and fewer nurseries where they can be reared. At once pure and passionate, of royal blood and heart, rich natured and most womanly, yet brave os a man and beauti ful as the night, with a mind athirst for knowledge and a spirit that no sorrows could avail to quell, ever changing In her outer moods, and yet most faithful and wLth the honor of a man, such was Oto mie, Montozuma'u daughter, princess of tho Otoinle. Was it wonderful then that I found her fair, or, when fate gave me her love, that at last I lovod her in turn? And yet there was that Ln her nature which should have held me back had I but known of lt, for, with all lier charm, hor beauty and her virtues, at heart she was still a savage, and, strivo as she would to hido it, at times her blood would master her. But as I lay in the chamber of the pal ace of Chupoltepec tho tramp of the guards without my door reminded mo that I had little now to do with love and other de lights, I whoso lifo hung from day to day upon a hair. Tomorrow the priest? would decide my fate,, and when tho priests were judges tho prisoner might know tho sen tence before it was spoken. I was a stran ger and a white man, surely such a one would provo an offorlng moro acceptable to the gods than that furnished by a thou sand Indian hearts. I had been snatched from the altars of Tabasco that I might grace tho higher altars of Tenoctltlan, and that was all. My 'ate would be to perish miserably far from my home, and in this world never to be heard of more. Musing th UK sadly, at last I slept When I woke, the sun was up. Rising from my mat, I went to the wood barred window placo and looked through. The palace whence I gazed was placed on the crest of a rocky hill. On one side this hill was bathed by tho bluo waters of Tozouco; on the other, a milo or more away, rose the temple towers of Mexico. Along the slopes of tho hill and In some directions for a mile from Its base grew huge cedar trees, from tho boughs of which hung a gray and ghostly looking moss. These trees are so large that tho smallest of them ls bigger than the best oak in this parish of Dltch inghain, while tho greatest measures 23 paces round tho base. Beyond and between these marvelous aud ancient trees were tho gardens of Montezuma, that with tholr strnngo and gorgeous flowers, their marble baths, their aviaries and wild he ase dor. i wore, as I believe, the most wonderful in the whole world. [Tho gardens of Monte zuma have been long destroyed, but some of the cedars still flourish at Chapoltepec, though tho Spaniards cut down many. One of thom, which tradition says was a favorite* tree cf tho great emperor's, meas ures-according toa rough calculation the author of this book made upon tho spot about 00 feet round tho bole. It ls strange to think that a few ancient conifers should alone survive of all tho glories of Monte tuma's wealth and state?) "At tho least," thought I to myself, "even if I must die, lt ls something to have seen this country of Anahuac, ito king, its customs and its people." _TO IIP. CONTINL'HP. HUMPHREYS' Dr. Humphrey*' SpeclUcs are scientifically nnrt carefully prepared Remedies, used for years In private practice and for over thirty years by the people with entire success. Every single Specific a special cure for the disease named. They cure without drugging, purging or reducing the system and are In fact and aced the Sovereign Remedies of the World. SO. crass. PBICIK. 1- Fevers, Congestions, Inflammations.. .25 2- Worms, Worm Fever, Worm Colic.25 3-Teethlug? 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