San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-04-15

none of you aid met" the king exclaimed.
20 kingm said at length one of the sages
"there is something mightier far than iron.
In the early days of creation, when light and
darkness struggled for the mastery, the AL
mighty called into life a tiny worm, Shamir,
which possesses the property of splitting the
hardest rock"
"And where turks this worm" Solomon
impatiently asked
"Ah, your majesty" the sage exclaimed,
there is the difficulty. No mortal spirit has
yet discovered its hiding place"
THAT shall not battle me-" Solomon re-
joined. Il am more than mortal"
He dismissed the assembly. The courtiers
and sages departed. But no sooner had their
footsteps died away than solomon, arising
from his throne and gazing at his dazzling
signet ring, upon which was written the in
effable name, summoned TO his presence two
genii. With a rushing as of a mighty wind
and a rumbling as of an earthquake they
bowed before him.
What is thy will, o MASTER" they ex-
claimed
Tell me where can find the shamir."
The geni trembed. Ask us not, o
master. 1t is our king alone, Ashmodai,
who knows its secret abode"
Anu W ueIt NlOeS [ASlltlIDNltil llNCs cOlOlhOh
inquired.
Far, far from here" they replied. "Our
monarch dwclls upon the crest of lofty
mountain. He has dug out a deep pit,
which he has filed with water and covered
with a huge stone securely sealed to the
ground. Daily he ascends to heaven and re-
turns to earth Then he closely examines
the seal to see whether any one has touched
II MI ,,p5DN-aral tho uyall Aftarurarl hp
opens it himself, quencheS his thirst, covers
it again and reafliXes the seal"
Enough" cried Solomon. Eye can gon
And with rushing as of fierce hurricane
and a rumbling as of a mighty earthquake
the genii departed. In a moment Solomon
called his trusty captain Benaiah, the hero of
| hundred battles. He told him what he
wanted, gave him certain directions, chain,
| and a seal upon which was stamped the in
effable NAME and in addition some wool, and
various skins filled with wine He then babe
| him farewell, with many q secret prayer for
| his success.
The warriors journey was long and toll
some When Solomon Travelled he rode upon
| the wind. Seated on his mantle and green
| silk, sixty miles in breadth and sixty in
| length. the king would journey with the
rapidly of lightning. He could breakfast in
| Damascus and enjoy his evening meal in
| Media, so swift was his flight from east to
west. No so Benaiah. Many days passed be-
| fore he reached the designated path. And
| how desolateth mountain, how profound the
stiffness, how steep the ascent!
Nothing daunted, Benaiah set to work.
He dug out second pit little to the right
| of Ashmodai's, drained OFF the water, and
plugged the opening with wool. Then he
| dug out another pit higher up, whose chan
mel led to the emptied pit Of Ashmodai, and
therein he poured the wine.
His work completed, Benaiah looked around
with satisfaction, and hid himself behind a
stump of wood while he awaited, full Of i'm
patience, Ashmodaiis arrival
The sun sank the shadows Of evening be-
gan to fall, and the stars shone out In their
inches in the armament. Ashmodai few
down from heaven, examined the seal, and
| finding it untouched, raised the stone and de-
scended into the well What fragrance as
sailed his senses! 1t was wine, Joy dispensing
wine Shah he taste it, or spurn the tenpta-
ton!
wine is a mocker," he exclaimed, and
was about to fly from the spot. "But wine
rejoiceth the heart" was his next thought,
and he could not fee. A great burning thirst
overpowered him. He quaffed whole mouth
fuls of the intoxicating drink. Again and
again he strove to break from the spell, but
the fumes Of the liquor were too enticing.
His brain became confused; he staggered and
fell Deep sleep claimed him for its own
Like flash Benaiah sprang from his con-
| cealment and fastened the chain around
Ashmodai's neck.
Ashmodai awakes at length. He perceives
the chain, and in his terror and anguish utters
so wild lamentation that the mountain
trembles. In vain he strives to free himself.
His eyes emit sparks of fire, his lips are white
with foam, his corvulsive struggles are
frightful in their agony. The birds fly from
the scene; the stars fade in the distant sky
BE patient, o mighty spirit, Benaiah ex-
claimed. Thy struggles are useless. The
| ineffable Name is upon thee. Be still"
Ashmodai heaved sigh so profound that
| all creation heard and tremhled; and the
genii of the sea and the air flew into their
innermost cayerns, where they bewailed the
fate of their master.
Il am calm" said Ashlnodai at last. 81
shall obey thy will"
Benaiah babe him folloy, but, wherever he
went, destruction seemed to be his compan-
ion. Uprooted trees and overturned houses
marked his path, as if he wished to wreak
vengeance on nature He passed a wedding
party, and he wept at their joy. In three
days, said he, the bridegroom will die. They
hear man bid shoemaker make his shoes
last for seven years, and Ashmodai bursts
into laughter. In seven days" be said,
that man may die, and he orders shoes for
seven years."
King SolOmons palace was gained at