Morning journal and courier., 1889-07-03


 bade him farewell, with many secret pray CT for his success.
 The warriors journey was long and toil- 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 rapidity of lightning. He could breakfast in Damascus and enjoy his evening meal in Media, 50 swift was his flight from east to before he reached the designated path. And how desolats the mountain, how profound the stiffness, how steep the ascentl
 Nothing daunted, Bensiah set to work. He dug out seco,d pit little to the right of Ashmodai's,/ drained of the water and plugged the opening with wool. Then he drained out another pit higher up, whose and therein he poured the wine.
 His work completed, Benaiah looked around with satisfaction and hid himself be- hind a stump of wood while he awaited, full of impatience, Ashmodai's arrival.
 The sun sank, the shadows of evening be- gan to fall and the stars shone out in their inches in the Armament. Ashmodai flew down from heaven, examined the seal, and finding it untouched, raised the stone and descended into the well. What fragrance as- sailed his senses! It was wine, joy dispen-
 
 temptstiona
 "Wine is mocker," he exclaimed. and was about to fly from the spot. "But wine rejoiceth the heart," was his next thought, and he could not flee. great burnin. thi-st overpowered him. He quaffed whole mouthfuls of the intoxicating drink. Again and again he strove to break from the spell, but the fumes of the liquor were too enti- cling. His brain became confused; he stag gered and fell. Deep sleep claimed him for it's own.
 Like flash Benaiah sprang from his con- cealment and fastened the chain around Ash modai's neck.
 Ashmodai awakes at length. He perceives the chain, and in his terror and anguish ut- ters so wild lamentation that the mountain trembles In vain he strives to free himself. His eyes emit sparks of fire, his lipa are white with foam, his coavulsive 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 exclaimed. :'Thy struggles are useless. The tneHable name is upon thee. Be still!"
 Ashmodsi heaved a sigh so profound that all creation heard and trembled; and the genii of the sea and the air flew into their innermost caverns, where they bewailed the fate of their master.
 q am calm," said Ashmodai at last. 'I shall obey thy will"
 Benaiah bade him follow, but, wherever he went destruction seemed to be his com- panion. Uproted 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" he said. sthat man may die, and he orders shoes for seven years"
 King Solomons palace was gained at length and Ashmodai was brought face to face with the monarch.
 "I ask bat this of thee," Solomon ex- claimed. "I am to build the holy temple and need the shamir. Tell me where 1t is concealed"
 "I have 1t not" Ashmodai answered. "It Is intrusted to the Prince of the Sea, and by him confded to fowl, who is bound by Q most solemn oath to retain it unharmed for all time. High on solitary mountain top the fowl has made his nest. He never for sakes the spot. Seek for him, o, king" ! Again Benaiah was summoned, and agair ! he set out on toilsome journey. Over hil ! and sea he wandered, across forest waste ! and painless meadows; and at last, upon th l summit of a mountain so near the sky tha | the star gleams seemed reflected on it's rock, ! sides, Is discovered the fowls nest. With cry of joy he started forward and placed glass over the nest so that the fowl could se but not touch its brood. He then concealed himself behind rock.
 He had not long to wait. Soon the flow 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 Ben aiah uttered & startling cry. in alarm tho fowl dropped the shamir, which was caught | IL T. r. H. ! course to Solomon.
 The temple was completed, and Ashmoda still was held in bondage. Solomon rioted | in his glory and strength. What treasures did he gather, what palaces erect, what mag. l nifcent cities establish? The world was ran ] sacked to add to his pleasures, yet he wal l never satisfied. His ambition, his pride, hil ! love of grandeur and extravaganza, were un. | quenchable.
 70 king" said Ashmodai one day, as hs l noticed Solomon in a restless mood, "thor art become, thanks to my help, the mighties ! of mortsls. But, chained as am, my DOW. | CTS are limited. Set me free, intrust to mt 1 but for moment 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 palac, ' pale. Ashmodai rose to an immense height His feet touched the earth, but his heat reached the sky. He hurls the ring into th sea; he casts Solomon 6 thousand mile away. Then, with the utmost unconcern, h dons Solomon's robes and assumes the mon arch's privilege.
 Thus began the tragedy of Solomon's wan 1 derings. As beggar, unknown and un cared for, he travelled from land to land. l., | palace gate, despised and rejected, Solomon turned in despair from Jerusalem; and on evening as it's towers were bathed in tn moonlight he began his wanderings anew. Toward the royal city of Ammen he be took himself, and soo on arrived at the palace at whose gate he knocked as humbly as th lowest slave in the realm.
 "Take pity on me-" said he, in tones ( entreaty, as the gate was opened "I al starving and foot sore from travel. I al | willing to do any service for little shelter. sT do need help," the royal cook el claimed. "Enter, and thou canst abid with us."
 It was Solomon's duty to carry wood, t draw water and perform other menial SCI vice, but the cook quickly noticed that th man was superior to such work, and th cook made him his assists nt
 The dishes that Solomon prepared please | ard. How the household rejoiced at his ad vancement, but none with greater pride tha Ma ana, the lovely daughter of the king, fair and stately maiden, whose heart ha gone out to Solomon. And Solomon reef procated her affection; he sang to her thrill ing songs of love He compared her beaut to Jerusalem, and bade her turn away he eyes lest they might undo him In their spleI dor. He prayed for the shadows to flee an ! the day to dawn-the shadows of servituJ ! and the day of restoration to his thron l Then, as his tones of sadness made her coul tenance troubled, he changed his mood sI exclaimed:
 Set me a seal upon thine heart, | As seal upon thine arm,
 For love is as strong as death
 The secret of their love could not long r main concealed. Despite Naama's entrea ies, Solomon was condemned to death, and I was only her mothers tears that influence the king to sentence him instead to life Tor ] exile in the desert. In the solitude of the wilderness Sol :, mons heart was chastened at last, his prou , boastfnl spirit purified. God seemed near to him in his loneliness than when he re , eled in Jerusalem. Was it his pure love f Mama which had worked the change, or. | 2 long continued wanderings and suffering | He felt different man. Hope sprang ane F ] in his heart, not of power or earthly aggra
 dizement, but hope of higher things whi
 are deathless like the stars-wiedom, To, l. l righteousness.
 0 ''I thank thee, my Creator" he cried, l he bowed in prayer "Thou hast taught I