Beadle's Dime Novels No. 119: Blackeyes — page 40: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

42 BLACKEYES, source, it could be perceived that the temple, or whatever it was, had been repaired and kept in n order by the labor of modern times. The padre then showed the way to a small recess, shut off from the great hall, and lighted by asmall lamp. Here a col- Jation was set out on a stone table, consisting of tortillas, fried beans, and a very tender and juicy kind of meat. He sat down and commenced to eat, inviting his companion to do the same, and Bent found the breakfast very much to his taste. During the meal he again expressed his curiosity, asking by whom this strange and semi-subterranean edifice had been erected, for what purpose it had ‘originally been designed, how it had been preserved from ruin, and to what use it was then applied. “This was a temple of the Sun,” sliewelea the Satire “Many such, and many greater temples, have crumbled and are lost, but a few have been saved, protected by the spirit of - Montezuma. Many of our people Heller’ that he will return, to free them from the yoke of the strangers, and this is kept in order, to be ready for his coming. You will soon see how it is used in these days,” As soon as the repast was finished they went out into the hall, the upper end of which was suddenly illuminated by means of a circular aperture, through which the beams of the sun poured without interruption, falling upon a large stone altar. Behind the altar was a life-size statue of 2 man, dress- ed in the garb of an Indian monarch pan the light was so arranged that the statue seemed to” stand in it and be envel- oped by it, As the young’officer was drawn by his companion into the shadow of a pillar, two dark-robed priests approached the altar, followed by about twenty Indian men and women clo! in white, who fell on their knees, with their faces toward the altar and the statue. After remaining in this position for a few moments, they sprung to their feet, and commenced chant- ing, in a tongue with which Bent was unacquainted, a wi and barbarous hymn, their shrill voices being accompanied by sharp-toned drums and stringed instruments which were no visible from where he was standing, At the close of the song they fell back, and two ta COmclooks.conn