Prey For Me Ch. 13

Pt. XIII: The Yellow Rose of Texas

"So what's the scoop, Jorge?" asked Jack.

"Ah, Senor Davis, it is a long story, 'er I mean scoop. Let me get you two dinner, and then I will tell all. What would you like?"

Kim and Jack perused the menu. "I'll try something different, Jorge, not my usual. Love your orange roughy but let me have the Camarones Abuelito Timo."

"What's that?" asked Jack.

"Large shrimp filled with cheese, wrapped in bacon, deep fried and served over rice. What are you having?" Jack pointed to his selection on Kim's menu and she said, "He will have the Lengua en Pipian."

"Kim, that beef, right?" Jack inquired somewhat uncertainly.

"Yes, Jack, it sure is. Fresh beef tongue cooked in Jorge's special green mole." Jack looked shocked.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. It's sirloin steak," Kim responded as she winked at Jorge.

After dinner, as they continued to work on the bottles of Jose Cuervo and the Sharaku sake, Jack commented, "That sirloin steak was delicious."

"That was beef tongue, Jack, you moron!" Kim declared and went into a fit of girlish mirth.

"Well, it doesn't matter now, Kim, does it? It still was delicious. I'm glad you lied to me."

"Men!" Kim shrugged. "Of course you know that the cannibalistic Aztec and Iroquois men craved to eat the tongue of their sacrificial captives." Jack didn't react. "And you also must know that the cannibalistic Aztec and Iroquois women craved to eat the penis of their sacrificial captives." He still didn't react.

Jorge approached their table again when he noticed they were finished. And he had his guitar. "Kim, please do The Yellow Rose of Texas again. I'll play and sing with you."

"You got it, Jorge."

"There's a yellow rose in Texas

That I am going to see,

Nobody else could miss her,

Just half as much as me.

She cried so when I left her,

It like to broke my heart,

And if I ever find her

We never more will part.

She's the sweetest rose of color

That Texas ever knew,

Her eyes are bright as diamonds,

They sparkle like the dew.

"You can talk about your Clementine

And sing of Rosa Lee,

But the Yellow Rose of Texas

Is the only gal for me.

When the Rio Grande is flowing,

And the starry skies are bright

She walks along the river

In the quiet summer night

She thinks if I remember,

When we parted long ago,

I promised to come back again

And not to leave her so.

O, now I'm going to find her,

For my heart is full of woe,

And we'll sing the songs together,

That we sung long ago;

We'll play the banjo gaily,

And we'll sing the songs of your,

And the Yellow Rose of Texas

Will be mine forevermore."

When Kim and Jorge had finished Jack commented knowingly, "Why would I think you two have done that song together before? What's going on here?"

Kim looked sheepish. "Jack, I didn't tell you everything. I didn't tell you how and why I really became interested in your case. I didn't tell you about 'The Yellow Rose of Texas.' She was my great, great, great grandmother. On my father's side."

"OK, Kim, so tell me," Jack implored.

"My father and I found the diaries of my great, great, great grandmother, Emily Wright, one day several years ago as we were cleaning out the attic of my grandfather's house. We sold his house and he came to live with my father and I. He was in a wheelchair and very ill and passed away soon thereafter."

"Emily Wright, sometimes mistakenly known as Emily West, sometimes mistakenly known as Emily Morgan was 'The Yellow Rose of Texas.' She had an important place in history as a result of the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. Emily is portrayed in histories as a mulatto."

"The handwritten apparently original version of this song is dated back to 1836, the year of the Battle of San Jacinto, and can be found in the archives at the University of Texas in Austin. The word 'darky' appears several times in the original version. The words I sang are from Mitch Miller's rendition from the 1950's. Confederate soldiers of General Hood's army added a few verses as they retreated, thinking the war would soon be over." Kim sang a few more verses.

"And now I'm going southward

For my heart is full of woe.

I'm going back to Georgia

To see my Uncle Joe.

You may talk about your Beauregard

And sing of General Lee.

But the brilliant Hood of Texas

Played hell in Tennessee."

Jack commented sincerely, "Like Caitlin, you have a wonderful voice, Kim. I mean, awesome. You and Caitlin should form a duet, the Horny Girls or some such thing. Both of you play the flute quite well. Now how about getting back to the story?"

"You are such a smart ass, Jack. I bet you didn't even know a musician participated in the Battle of San Jacinto. Dick the Drummer was one of the two free blacks at the scene. Well, three, counting Emily. Dick was part of the four-piece band that played the love tune Will You Come to the Bower as the Texans stormed the napping Mexicans, screaming 'Remember the Alamo' and such."

"Kim, Kim, I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to set you off on a rant and rage."

"Oh yeah, Jack, and speaking of flutes, tell me everything you know about Mozart's The Magic Flute. Tell me everything you know about the Masonic music of Der Holle Rache. I'm sure you know about that coloratura aria; talk about crying icily about revenge."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Kim."

"Yes, I know you have no idea, Jack. Meanwhile, back to the story. You are not going to believe this. Emily was a descendant of Marina, the interpreter for and mistress of Hernando Cortes. Caitlin made mention of Marina when she told us of Cortes and Montezuma. So you see, I am not only African-American, and Vietnamese, I am Aztec, and Spanish, and Mexican. A real mutt. And would you believe, part Comanche, but I’ll get to the rest of that story later.

"Marina, called La Malinche by her fellow Indians, loved Cortes, called Malinche, which means Marina's Captain. The son she had with Cortes, baptized as Martin Cortes and known as Don Martin, was perhaps the first Mexican, mixture of Indian and Spanish blood. La Malinche of course spoke Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. She also spoke Mayan dialects. Eventually, because of her pillow talk with Cortes, she became fluent in Spanish. Jeronimo De Aguilar, Cortes' other intertreter, had to assist with translations initially. Without her, Cortes likely could not have communicated very well at all with Montezuma.

"Marina ultimately married Don Juan Xaramillo which was arranged by Cortes because his wife came over across the ocean to New Spain to join him. I won't bother to trace all her genealogy but let me just say that Emily Wright's mother was a Mexican courtesan and her father was a black scout named George Wright who took part in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

"All of this my father and I found in Emily's diaries. She spoke of Marina and how her stories were passed down from one generation to another. Marina came from southeastern Mexico, Painalla in the province of Coatzacualco. When her father, a noteworthy cacique, died when she a child, her mother remarried. Not only did her mother conceive another a son, she conceived a sordid plan to rob Marina of her inheritance and give it to her son. Marina was sold into slavery.

"I might add that not only are these events documented by Emily in her writings about Marina, they are also substantiated by a Spanish soldier, Bernal Diaz, who was there, and also by numerous authors who have written books and other accounts of the conquest of Mexico.

"But here is the most interesting part. Emily wrote that Marina in later years spoke of the 'leshonah' to her children and grandchildren. She spoke of the 'leshonah' and that it was given to Cortes by Montezuma. Right, our Golden Wedge of Ophir. Marina told tales of how she saw and held the 'leshonah' and many other treasures of gold and jewels Cortes was given by Montezuma. Marina told her family of how the 'leshonah' and other riches were lost in the water during 'noche triste.' Now, for yet another incredible coincidence. Emily also saw the 'leshonah' of which Marina spoke. It was in the possession of Santa Anna more than 300 years later!

"The story of Emily known as 'The Yellow Rose of Texas' is that Santa Anna was mesmerized by the young Latin looking beauty when he came across her working on the plantation of Colonel James Morgan. Santa Anna persuaded Emily, with promises of gold and jewels, to become part of his entourage. What is often said that Emily was a slave is not true. She was a free woman.

"Some say Emily was responsible for Santa Anna and the Mexican's being defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto. Did you know that Sam Houston lived among the Cherokees? He was quite partial to Indians and Emily was one of his favorites, for reasons that are rather obvious. She was his secret weapon. After the Alamo he became leader of the Texas forces. On April 21, 1836, the Houston led forces defeated Santa Anna and the Mexicans and as a result Texas won independence.

"On February 15, 1836, one Erastus 'Deaf' Smith carried William B. Travis' message from the Alamo to General Houston. On March 13th Houston sent Smith and Henry Karnes back to the Alamo to find out what happened. Deaf Smith returned with Susanna and Angelina Dickinson and the report of the tragic events.

"Again, the Battle of San Jacinto happened April 21, 1936. Emily's diaries and corroborating evidence indicate she met and left with Santa Anna and his army on April 18, 1836, just four days before the famous battle. Now, here is the kicker. Just a few days earlier, Colonel James Morgan's plantation was visited by Deaf Smith, Sam Houston’s chief spy and a man deaf because of a childhood disease. Deaf married a Mexican widow and one of their three daughters married Hendrick Arnold, a free black who was one of the other spies under Deaf's authority. Hendrick Arnold accompanied Deaf on the visit to Colonel Morgan's plantation on April 18th.

"Both Deaf Smith and Hendrick Arnold knew Emily. She referred to Smith in her diaries as 'my uncle.' Deaf Smith's wife was Guadalupe Ruiz Duran who he married in 1822 where they lived near San Antonio. Guadalupe was married previously, her first husband had died. Her first husband's sister was Emily's mother.

"Deaf Smith, the master spy, apparently persuaded Emily to spy on Santa Anna. To do that she needed to entice him to take her with him and his army, which he did. Exactly how that enticement transpired is not clear. One can only guess. A ravishing beauty, some say her feminine charms ultimately caused Texas, and later California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Kansas to become part of the United States."

Jack interrupted, "Get real, Kim. You must know how Emily infatuated Santa Anna. Spit it out."

"That’s just it, Jack," Kim retorted. "She didn’t spit it out. I’m rather shy about talking about such graphic sexual details. I’ll let Jorge tell that part when it’s his turn to talk. Meanwhile, back to where I was before you so rudely interrupted me.

"It was the middle of the afternoon on that fateful April 21, 1836 when half the Mexicans were killed and most of the rest, including Santa Anna, were captured. The Mexicans had numbered around 1,500 and the Texans about half as many. The Mexicans except for all but a few, could not escape during the surprise attack because Deaf Smith burned the only exit route, a bridge. Santa Anna enjoyed the oral skills of Emily as Vince’s Bridge burned.

"After the Battle of San Jacinto and Santa Anna was captured in his silk pajamas, Deaf Smith thought it best to send Emily off to parts unknown because of her role in the Mexican army's defeat. The 'leshonah' was not found at the scene of the battle. Santa Anna hid it safely away elsewhere before he and his army entered San Jacinto. Jorge will shed some light on that."

"Yeah," Jack interjected, "I wondered when we would get around to what he knows about all this. Jorge, let's hear it. What happened to the 'leshonah' we know as the Golden Wedge of Ophir?"

Jorge began, "Santa Anna never saw it again after the Battle of San Jacinto which certainly was a major defeat for the general but one from which he did recover. He was like a cat with nine lives. Let me tell you his story and what happened to the treasure which so concerns you.

"First of all, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was a Mason. After he was captured and brought before Sam Houston, Santa Anna proffered the Master Mason secret distress signal. I know this because my great, great grandfather Diego was Santa Anna's private cook and was also captured at the Battle of San Jacinto. Sam Houston and Santa Anna became rather friendly and shared opium while they determined the fate of southwestern North America.

"Let me speak of Emily’s seduction of Santa Anna, Jack, of which you asked Kim about a moment ago. Diego told a rather bawdy story that was passed on from generation to generation.

"When Diego brought Santa Anna lunch on that fateful April 21, 1836, the general, well, let’s just he was standing at attention. Emily did not stop performing fellatio on the general when she saw Diego enter the quarters. Her breasts were bared and she did not bother to cover them. It later became rumored she learned such oral techniques at a brothel frequented by some rather well known Texans who died at the Alamo.

"Speaking of Mexican Masons, one of the most important figures in Michoacan history is Vasco de Quiroga, one of his ancestors being a Knight of Malta. Remember the Maltese Falcon? Of course you do, Jack. Vasco de Quiroga became a close confidant of Charles V of Spain. I mention this just to point out that Masonry was and is fairly common in Mexico.

"Back to Santa Anna, I won't bore you with much of his history after the Battle of San Jacinto. He lived for forty years after the battle and my great grandfather remained with him as personal cook for all those years. Santa Anna became ruler of Mexico again many times and was again removed from office many times.

"According to the stories my great, great grandfather told both his son and his son's son, Santa Anna had a meeting with Sir Richard Francis Burton and Albert Pike in late 1860."

"Jack," Kim interrupted, "Do you remember what Caitlin told us about the relationship between Burton and Pike? She said they became acquainted during the time Sir Richard was visiting with Brigham Young in 1860."

"Yes, Kim, I do recall that. Please continue, Jorge."

"The story goes that Santa Anna talked of the 'leshonah' at that meeting with Sir Richard Francis Burton and Albert Pike. And did so for a great sum of money. Need I remind you that all three of these men had a significant connection to the Masonic Order? In Santa Anna's case, if not for Sam Houston's consideration of his Masonic oath, Santa Anna would have been executed.

"After that meeting," Jorge continued, "Albert Pike went to great lengths to silence all those who knew of the existence of the Golden Wedge of Ophir. Santa Anna was silent for many years. He was silenced by money. Only upon his last return from exile to Mexico in 1874 did he again speak of it on occasion until he died in poverty two years later.

"My great, great grandfather Diego was present during parts of that meeting with Santa Anna, Sir Richard Francis Burton and Albert Pike. First, Diego was quite fearful of Pike's imposing presence but he was totally in awe of Burton, who he said reminded him of death personified.

"Diego recalled that Santa Anna bragged to Burton and Pike of his dalliance with Emily on that fateful day, April 21, 1836, and said that if she had not distracted him the history of the United States would be very different. He even asked Diego to corroborate that when he brought lunch that day Emily was on her knees ministering to his member. Talk about arrogant!

"Jack," Kim pondered, "I'm recalling here what you said Caitlin told you about Sir Richard and Bram Stoker. She told you Stoker was obsessed with vampires and was also impressed with Burton and his dagger-like teeth and almost supernatural aura."

"Yeah, and don't forget Kim, Burton was also obsessed with sex just like you. Please continue Jorge. He did.

"According to Diego, the three men discussed a letter between Cortes and Charles V. I’m not sure ‘discussed’ is the right word. Burton and Pike had a copy of the letter and confronted Santa Anna with it. They read from it. I have since obtained my own copy of that letter and I would like to point out what Burton and Pike were particularly interested in. This is from the second letter to Charles V from Cortes, written in 1520:

‘The figures of the idols in which these people believe surpass in stature a person of more than ordinary size; some of them are composed of a mass of seeds and leguminous plants, such as are used for food, ground and mixed together, and kneaded with the blood of human hearts taken from the breasts of living persons, from which a paste is formed in a sufficient quantity to form large statues. When those are completed they make them offerings of the hearts of other victims, which they sacrifice to them, and besmear their faces with blood. For everything they have an idol, consecrated by the use of the nations that in ancient times honored the same gods. Thus they have an idol that they petition for victory in war; another for success in their labors; and so for everything in which they seek or desire prosperity, they have their idols, which they honor and serve … For, as I have already stated, what can be more wonderful than a barbarous monarch, as he is, should have every object found in his dominions imitated in gold, silver, precious stones, and feathers; the gold and silver being wrought so naturally as not to be surpassed by any smith in the world; the stone work executed with such perfection that it is difficult to conceive what instruments could have been used.’ Burton and Pike were interested in a particular idol that they believed once was given to Cortes by Montezuma and somehow ended up in Santa Anna’s possession."

Jorge continued, "According to Diego, another subject the three men discussed at length were Qlippoth; evil demons of the female variety. They talked about Lilith, the woman of the night, the queen of Malkuth. In the same breath as Lilith, they referred to Samael, the false accuser, who has been placed in Hod. I have little idea what this means, and neither apparently did Diego, but he was very frightened by how fanatic and crazed Burton and Pike became when they ranted and raved about these subjects."

"Now isn’t that just too interesting," Kim piped up. "Sir Richard Francis Burton, Albert Pike and Lilith."

"Yeah, Kim, and who can make any sense out of all this?" Jack asked.

"Caitlin I would imagine, Jack, you know, your other girlfriend. Go on Jorge. Keep talking."

"Pike kept referring to a sacred word, Abaddon, and every time he said it, Burton would nod in affirmation. Diego said Santa Anna seemed confused when they used this word. Burton and Pike, both Masons, kept talking about idols and gold and jewels and phallic symbols."

"Right, Jack, Abaddon. Remember that word?" Kim asked. You told me Joshua Marshall and the young girl Rachael used that word. They got it from Revelation 9:11, ‘And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Appollyon.’ Abaddon, the angel of the bottomless pit. Also known as Appollyon in the Greek. Oh yeah, and also in the ninth chapter of Revelation are our locusts who have associated with our women who have mysteriously disappeared. And, didn’t you tell me, Jack, that the husband of the first woman who vanished, Laurie Johnston, gave Joshua and Rachael a book called Apollyon?"