The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-03-27
A DAUGHTER OF BABYLON.


"Althea! Altheai Where art thoua''
1t was Bcleses who called, in stern
and angry voice; and his daughter
yainly strove to check her sobs, in or
der that she might answer him; for the
tears of maidens fell as easily then as
now. and young hearts were as soft,
ana old heads as full of plans for world
ly gain and as forgetful Of the power
of love, as in this year of our Lord
1884; though the scene was Babylon,
and the time five hundred years before
the infant Jesus opened his eyes in the
manger at Bethlehem.
"Althea! Althear' called Beleses
again; and Althea drew the veil of sill
yer tissue across her face, and entered
the presence of her father,
She stood before him, her willowy
figure clad in rich stuff, her face family
outlined beneath her veil, the dusky
plaits of her long hair reaching to her
knees, and with bent head made him
the reverence a girl always made to
her father. But she could not speak;
sobs still choked her voice.
Beleses looked at her with mingled
emotions. She was lovely as dream,
graceful as q willow branch; but she
had resisted his command, opposed
herself to his will. He stretched out
his hand in parental caress, but ere
he touched her, anger overcome affec-
ton, and he struck her. though lightly,
upon the shoulder,
"Again a dropping headp" he cried.
A N
as though | had given command thai
thou should's be put to death, instead
of ordering all things well for thee ?
Why, girl, thou art seventeen, and un.
wed! In year or two thy beauty will
fade. Thou wilt be a maiden in the
house of thy father and reproach to
thy parents, And Arbaces is a man OF
might, and rich beyond compare. Thou
wilt have slaves, and jewels, and hon
or. Go to thy mother, girl, and tell
her thou hast listened to my words,
and bid her see that thy robes are OF
the finest and richest stuff. / grudge
nothing when ! give my daughter to
Arbaces, for he will be a son to be
proud of, a fitting spouse for thee, and
thou must wed him."
But Althea at this uttered little
scream.
Father" she cried, 81 will never
marry Arbaces. Rather l will take NV
own life. Arbaces is rich and powerful
and not i'll to look upon, but he is moth
ing to me. Father, love Balinea, and
shame would be my portion should ]
wed one man while | loved another.
And my Balinea would die-he has told
me so. Father, have pity on mel"
But the old man only laughed sar-
castically.
THY Belinea would diep" he an
swered. 1.-The pirate of a fortune hun
ter, who has made silly girl believe
that he loves her For the sake of this
Belinea who has neither money nor
the esteem of men-nothing but the
face of woman and the gift of song,
which he shares with the wild birds,
thou hast refused to wed more good
men than can now recall by name.
This time will be obeyed. / will con-
suit an oracle as to the day of thy we'd
ding, and on that day thou shalt be-
come the wife of Arbaces."
Not while there is poison in Baby
lon, or a river about its walls,n said
Althea. II will live unwed rather than
disobey my father, but l will be the
wife of no one but Belinea.n
She spoke as only those speak who
have formed unalterable resolutions,
and her father listened with an angry
comprehension of the fact.
Thou canst be resolute, Althea,' u
said he, ''but so can l. Mark me, for
what 7 say shall be so. If by to-mor.
rows dawn thou dost repeat what thou
| hast but just uttered, | will send thee
this year to the auction of maidens, anC
there thou wilt be sold-thou, the love.
liest maiden to-day in Babylon, to who
SO bids for thee. Thou wilt bring 6
fine prico-a portion for some ugly OF
| deformed woi. an who has no wooers
! for at this auction of maidens, wisely
instituted that the women of Babylon
should all have husbands, while for
beauties rich men pay great sums, poor
ones receive money to take to wife un.
| comely creatures, apd so become rich
Thy Belinea may 90 thither if he pleas.
es and bid for the hunchbacked Gissa
He would gain fortune so; bat he viii
not be able TO bid Tor thee, his purse is
too short for that"
Father! Father!" screamed Althea
But old Beleses flung her from hin
as she clung to him, and left her lying
PROSTATE on :he floor. Sobbing ant
weeping she crouched there until day
faded and twilight fell. Then female
slave, bearing a silver lamp, entered
the room, ushering in Althea' mother
Nasara, who, much alarmed, had beer
searching everywhere for her child
She bent over the weeping girl, liftet
her up in her arms. and bore her away
to her own chamber. There, among
the silken pillows, she soothed her t.
rest. and to dreams of love and Belinea.
But Nasara had no power to induce
her husband to forgive this beautifu
daughter, or to give her with suita
BILE dowry to the man she loved.
Time passed on and brought the day
of the year on which the auction O
maidens was held in Babylon in thos,
days. There were fifteen maidens t.
be sold to the highest bidder tina
day, and a great concourse had gath
cred in the open space devoted to tha
purpose, not only those who wanted tc
pay for lovely wives or receive mucl
needed money with unprepossessins
ones were there, but many came from