The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-03-13

master.
81 am calm" said Ashmodai at last.
81 shall obey thy will"
Benaah babe him follow, but wher-
ever he went, destruction seemed to
be his companion. Uprooted trees and
overturned houses marked his path, as
if he wished to wreak vengeance on
nature. He passed wedding party,
and he wept at their Joy. In three
days, said he, the bridegroom will die
They hear man bid shoemaker make
make his shoes last for seven years, and
Ashmodai bursts into laughter. i" In
seven days" he said, "that man may
die, and he orders shoes for seven
years"
King Solomon's palace was gained at
length, and Ashmodai was brought face
to face with the monarch.
" ask but this of thee" Solomon
exclaimed. 81 am to build the holy
Temple, and need the shamir Tell
me where it is concealed"
81 have it not" Ashmodai answered.
I" 1t is intrusted TO the Prince of the
Sea, and by him confided to a fowl,
who is bound by most solemn oath to
retain it unframed for all time. High
on a solitary mountain-top the fowl has
made his nest. He never forsakes the
spot. Seek for him, . king"
Again Benaiah was summoned, and
again he set out on toilsome journey.
Over hill and sea he wandered, across
forest wastes and painless meadows;
and at last, upon the summit of noun
tain, so near the sky that the star
CLEANS seemed reflected on its rocky
sides, he discovered the fowls nest.
With cry of Joy he started forward,
and placed glass over the nest so that
the fowl could see but not touch its
brood He then concealed himself be-
hind a rock.
He had not long to wait. Soon the
fowl came to the spot, and finding the
hard glass, was about to apply the
shamir to split it, and thus gain access
to his brood, when Benaiah uttered
startling cry. In alarm the fowl
dropped the shamir, which was caught
in triumph by Benaiah, and given in
due course to Solomon.
PART II.
The Temple was completed, and Ash
modal still was held in bondage. Solo
mon rioted in his glory and strength.
What treasures did he gather, what
palaces erect, what magnificent cities
establish! The world was ransacked to
add to his pleasures, yet he was never
satisfied. His ambition, his pride, his
love of grandeur and extravaganza,
were unquenchable.
60 king" said Ashmodai, one day,
as he noticed Solomon in a restless
mood, "thou art become, thanks to
hnl, l,o ;rhi oc al Dat
chained as am, my powers are limited.
Set me free, intrust to me for a mo-
ment thy signet-ring, and shall make
thee still mightier."
The king heard, and full of boastful
pride, handed him the precious ring,
and struck off the chain that bound him.
The air grew black without the pal
ace hall. a huge Kissing made Solo
mon turn pale. Ashmoda rose to an
immense height. His feet touched the
earth, but his head reached the sky.
He hurls the ring into the sea; he casts
Solomon a thousand miles away. Then,
with the utmost unconcern, he dons
Solomon's robes and assumes the mon
arch's privilege.
Thus began the tragedy of Solomon's
wandering. AS beggar, unknown
and uncared for, he travelled from land
to land.
d" Good people, kind people "-this
was his constant cry" do not pass me
by. | am Solomon, King of Israel"
"Thou art king of beggars, d" was the
answer, and he turned from the jeers
and imprecations that followed him
like a plague.
Tortured by the memories of past
grandeur, and stung by the spectacle of
present neglect, he resolved to visit his
capital once more. Hope sweetened
every privation and converted each hill
that he climbed into the smoothest sward
of green. The stars that shone above
seemed to utter songs of unspeakable
| joy. The trees whispered fresh cour-
age. The nearer he approached Jeru-
salem the more eXultant his mood,
until, as he entered its busy streets, he
flung himself to the ground and kissed
the sod at his feet.
" am Solomon, King of Israel" he
exclaimed to the people hurrying by.
chorus of jeers was the rejoinder.
Spurned by the populace, thrust from
his palace gate, despised and rejected.
Solomon turned in despair from Jeru-
salem; and one evening as its towers
were bathed in the moonlight he began
his wanderings anew.
Toward the royal city of Ammon he
betook himself, and soon arrived at the
palace, at whose gate he knocked as
humbly as the lowest slave in the realm.
"Take pity on me- said he, in tones
Of entreaty, as the gate opened. 81
am starving and foot-sore from travel.
| am willing to do any service for
little shelter"
" l do need help" the royal cook ex-
claimed. ENTER, and thou canst abide
with US"
1t was Solomon's duty to carry wood,
to draw water and to perform other
mental service, but the cook quickly
noticed that the man was superior to
such work. He loved to talk of higher
things, and would gather the royal re-
tainers in the twilight and discourse to
them of nature in its beauty and power,
| of DlantS and their pbnnUaS of animate