Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

176 our stay. We wish to conform to all laws, regulations and customs, and ask your friendly help in enabling us to do so.” The mayor welcomed them, as did Col- onel Agramonte and Padre Francisco, the last named inviting them to stay at his house until they made other arrangements, for visitors were so few at La Paz there was no hotel, Juan Alegre and Pedro were sent for the baggage and then, in the presence of the padre, the debt to Juan was discharged, with ten pesos extra; and Pedro was paid the five pesos agreed upon, and five more for his services as fishermen and aide on the camps. Old Juan told the little knot of townsfolk at the gate that the visitors were “ finas Americanos; buenos caballeros, y muy sim- patica.” No higher recommendation could have been given them. ‘¢ Come and walk with me about our little town, and get acquainted,” suggested the padre. “Tt is a very old place,” he continued as they strolled up the street. “ From the first, when Pedro Alvarado conquered the Indian nation of Guatemala in 1424 and es- tablished his capital at Ciudad de Guate- mala at the foot of the volcano Agua, his reign as captain general was most cruel and oppressive. “ Te wanted gold, and he caused much blood to be spilled to obtain it. The church itself was not less greedy than Alvarado, and perhaps it was 4 judgment that the capital city was destroyed by hot water from the volcano in 1541. “The capital was moved and rebuilt as Santiago de los Caballeros at a different site. Cruelties of church and state persisted, and that city was also destroyed by an earth- quake, a magnificent city. One can see the ruins now near Guatemala; it is called Antigua. “So, tired of oppressing the Indians; convinced there had been too much blood- shed and cruelty and lust of gold mixed in along with anxiety for the welfare of the Indians’ souls, Fray Antonio de Toledo slipped away from the new city and with half a dozen or more gentlemen and their wives and families, determined to find some ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, place where there could be peace and the real spirit of the meek and kindly Lord. “They wandered hundreds of miles over mountains; endured many perils and, final- ly, some Indians, really convinced of their good intentions, guided them to this spot. It was founded in 1690, named La Paz— and ‘ The Peaceful ’ it has been ever since, thank God!” “A beautiful and inspiring beginning,” commented Clay. “They sent back word after a while to other friends who they knew were tired of the intrigue, the vanity, the strife and god- lessness of the capital city, and these slipped away to join them, and so the little settle- ment grew. The Indians of these remote districts trusted the Spaniards, and the lat- ter were kind and considerate. In the years they intermarried and, although other Span- iards came, the place became more Indian in blood than Spanish. And so, that is the history of La Paz!” They had come to a rushing, tumbling, strong stream of water which came down from the mountains, ran alongside and back of the little town, and emptied somewhere down in the bay. “Rio Frio,’ commented the padre. “This is the reason La Paz was located here—fine water, never failing. A bold, beautiful stream, is it not? It comes from far up on the mountains, and is cold always, even in the hottest days.” Where the party stood was three hundred feet above the surface of the bay; the stream rushed and tumbled along its rocky bed, with a tremendous fall. : “And what sustains the people here?” inquired Clay. “ They are self-sustaining,” replied Padre Francisco, smiling. ‘“‘ And they have few wants. Up above us on the first wide plateau is our farming land; there grows the corn, and further up the mountain on the next shelf, the wheat. Our coffee, choco- late and vanilla grow wild on these slopes. There are abundant plantains, yams, bana- nas; oranges grow wild, so do avocados and a dozen other fruits. “Then there are the gardens for each house, and the fields of beans. There are deer, bear and other game in the mountains: 1 A MICELOOLK<S, (C@) (E@)