Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-02-19
SELECT STORY
A PEE-IAN D5fA-E'
FROM EoDRAS l., AP0CRIPHA.

Now when Darius reigned, he made
great feast unto all bis subjects, ant
unto all his household, and the prin
ces Of Media aud Persia.
And to all the governors, and cap
tains. and lieutenants that Were under
him. from India unto Ethiopia, Of 8
hundred, twenty and seven provinces
Then three young men that were Of
the guard, that kept the kings body
spa'se one to another.
Let every one of rs speak sentence:
be that shall Owe come. and whose
sentence shall seem wiser than the
others, unto him shall the king Darius
give great gifts, and great things in
token of victory.
The first wrote, Vine is the strong
est
The second wrote, The king is the
strongest.
The third wrote, Women are toe
Strongest But above all things tru,n
beareth away the victory.
Now when the king was risen IN,
hey took ,heir writings, and delivered
them unto him, and so he read them:
And sending forth he c4lled all lie
princes Of Persia and Media, and the
governors, and tbe certains, and the
lieutensuts, and tie clief ohic.rs;
And sat him down in the royal sea-
of Judgement; and the vikings were
read before them.
and he said, Call the young men,
aad they shall declare their own
sentences. So they were called, and
came in.
And he said unto them, Declal
unto us your mind concerning lie
Writings. Then began the first, VINO
had spoken Of the strength of wine;
And he said tius, O We men, how ex-
ceediug strong is Wine! it causeth all
men 10 cir that drink it:
1t maketh ;he mind Of the king, and
Of the ia he'eSs Guild, 70 be all one ::
Of the hondnan and Of the .ree mat,
of the poor man, and Of the rich:
1t turneth also every thought into
.jo|lity and MI til, so that man remem>
hereth neither sorrow nor debt:
And it maketh every heart ,io1, So
that a man Ie,nembereth neither king
nor governor; aud ii maLeth TO speak
all things By talents:
And when they are in heir cups.
they forget their love both TO friends
and brethren, and a little after draw
out swords:
But when they are from the wine
they remember not what have dose.
o ye men, is not wine the strongest,
that enforceth to do thus? And "a
he had so spoken, he held his peace.
Dye men, do not men excel in
strength, that, bear rule over sea and
and, and all things in them?
But yet the king is more migLs ::
for ne is lord Of AL these things, and
hath dominion over them; and whatso
ever he commanded them they do.
If he bid them make war the one
against the other, they do it: if he
send them out against the enemies,
they go, and break down mountains.
walls, and towers.
They Stay and are slain and trans
gress not the kings commandment:
if they get the victory, they bring all
to the king, as well the spoil, as all
things else.
Likewise for those that are no soldiers
and nave not to do with wars, but use
husbandry, when they have reaped
again that which they had sown, they
bring it to the king, and compel one
another to pay tribute unto the king.
And yet he is but one man if
he command to kill, they kill if he
command to spare they spare:
If he command to smite. they smite;
if he command to make desolate, they
make desolate; if he command TO build.
they build;
If he command to cut down, they cut
down; if he command to plant, they
plant.
So all his people and his armies obey
him: furthermore he lieth down, be
u IA