St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-18
ALL FOR LOVE.

DeduLlIul DIS AllHea, IHe udugnLer OF
Beleses, yet her lot was far from happy.
She had fallen in love with Balinea
who had nothing to recommend him but
| a face like woman's and voice like
| lark in the morning
Her father would have her wed the
rich ArbaceS, and because she refused
he vowed she should be sold at the year
! ly auction of maidens and perhaps bs
bought up by some h0rrid dwarf
But Althea was true to her poor lover.
and even the prospect of being sold at
auction did not cause her to swerye in
| her allegiance.
| Time passed and the day for the year
| ly sale of maidens was at hand. All
| Babylon was stirred by the news that
| the peerless Althea was to be placed on
| sale.
The girls were ranged on long stone
bench, closely yelled, and saying not
word. Anxious parents whispered to
their children. An old man with a
white beard CHI cllled to himself over
bag of gold. A poor man. whose ne
ceSSltleS were known to all Babylon,
though he was virtuouS and of good
character, solemnly stared at the lit
| tie crooked figure of GiSSa. who had
come to be sold of her own accord, and
who doubtless would bring the great
est sum with her.
The green and white robe, belted with
embossed silver about the taper waist of
Altbea; the white hands, the gorgeous
armlets, the long earrings of rich gold,
distinguished Althea from her cOmDan-
ions, though she was closely yelled.
Those who were buyers were permit
ted to speak to the maidens. Arba-
ceS approached Althea first.
If all my fortune must be paid for
| thee | will win thee, beautiful Aithea,"
| he whispered.
She answered with a bitter laugh.
Then, trembling and pale, Balinea came
forward.
''Althea, best beloved" he whispered,
81 have sold all have, but the sum is
mere tritle. / shall lose thee. for thou
art fairer than all the women of Baby
Ion, ArbaceS will have thee. Fare
well. When thou art his [ will kill my
self" but Althea caught him by the
wrist.
Listen, Balinea,'' she said. ''When
the time comes Arbaces will have none
of me. Then thou also mayest refuse
to take me. 1t is possible. Remain, but
swear that thou wilt keep silence until
| place my hand thus upon the other.
Then, if still thou wouIdst have me cry
out: Give me Althea.' If not, 90 thy
way, and | will live a maiden in my
fathers home forever"
wv hat dOSt thou mean, Althea?' cried
Balinea; but she made no answer.
And now the crowd was hidden to ST.
lence and driven back to certain dis
tance-and the crier spoke thus:
The rulers of Babylon, believing
that women should be wed, for that they
are feeble, helpless creatures, unfit to
labor for themrelveS, unlearned and
weak of will. so that they need protect
Ors and directors, have instituted this
auction of maidenS, that no woman in
Babylon need lack husband. For the
beautiful must great price be paid for
the others, that each man may have
some advantage. To-day, our highest
price is asked for Althea, daughter of
our good citizen Beleses and his wife
Mascara. Althea, unVeil myself
Althea, at this bidding, arose and adj
vanced. She lifted her white hand and
tore the veil from her head. A shrek
arose as she did so, and l0okers-on stood
petrified. Instead of the beautiful face
they expected to see, they saw torn
and bleeding cOuntenance; and head
destitute of every hair. Two great
braids, which she cast on the stones at
her feet, alone remained of her plen-
teOuS treSSeS.
"PeOple of Babylon," she cried,
man hate! How now, Arbaces? Wilt
thou bid for me?"
A roar arose from the crowd, and Ar
baces fell forward in swoOn, and was
borne away by his friends. Balinea
started forward but was checked by the
soldiers.
Agaid the crier spoke:
''She who was lOvelieStiS how become
the most hideous, veil myself, Althea."
Then another name was called. The
sale proceeded. Vast sums were paid
for two beauties; moderate prices for
others. Even Gissa, with her little,
pointed face and pretty hair and eyes,
was not too ugly in the eyes of the man
who received fortune at her hands.
Only Althea remained unsought-tOo
hideouS for any to desire. And now she
lifted her hand, and at the signal Bal
inca strobe forward.
Give me Althea," he said-"Althea,
who has done this for me-AIthea beau
and keep your base gold. I'll none of
it,
But Althea. giving him her hand, and
still remaining yelled, spoke, quickly:
Il claim my portion" she said. ''Such
is the law of the Babylonish sale of
maidens." And she gathered the gold
into her veil as her lover led her away.
And. so Sayeth tradition, the gods
smiled upon the lovers; and all Althea's
beauty returned-the lovely hair grew
long again, the wounds healed without
scar. and the constant Balinea had a
lovely wife as well as fortune. And
though old Beleses might vex himself,
he could alter nothing, for the woman
who was sold at the yearly auction of
maidens could not be taken from her
husband. And they lived and loved for
many happy years in the old city of