The Irish standard., 1890-05-10

Il
side, and, with silent prayer to God,
fell asleep. The elements ragged With
out. but he cared not for the storm. He
forgot his cares and sufferings in
blessed, restful sleep.
While the traveller thus slept, all un-
conscious Of what was preparing for him,
Q huge bird with mighty pinions alighted
from the distant hills, and lifting up
the skeleton with the youth at rest,
bore them aloft to the very top Of Solo
mons tower. The burden then proving
too heavy, it was set down on the roof
before the door OF the beautiful Prin-
cess. Then the bird few away with q
shrill scream that awakened the young
traveller. He arose in terror, gazed
about him, and began to walk up and
down the roof, from which he could
descry only the rocks below and the
clouds above. In the distance he saw
the fast-disappearing pinions Of the
bird that had brought him there, and 9
sharp pang smote his heart as the full
measure OF his wretchedness was re-
| allied.
| Suddenly he describes woman adj
vancing toward him. She is young and
beautiful, and with commanding air,
yet gracious and kind. 1t was the
Princess taking her daily stroll on the
roof, who, astonished at the sight OF the
youth, exclaimed: ''Who art thou?
How earnest thou here?''
clam Jew of Acco," was the reply.
cit was bird that brought me-"
'sBut you are tired and tattered," She
continued. "Your face bears the marks
of misery. You look troubled and
suffering. Come, tell me your history"
He told her of his wanderings and
how he had sunk to rest in the skeleton
of an OK, and then of his flight through
the air. And she listened entranced to
his story, admiring his courage and
sympathizing with his sorrows. She
| had him clothed in new garments. Her
servants bathed and Amounted him.
Then his eyes shone with new radiance
and his whole being assumed lovelier
| aspect. As they spoke and strolled to-
gether kindred tastes were revealed.
For the first time the Princess realized
the beauty in her fathers words
which he had written decades before:
! 'sMy friend is mine and am his;'
while the youth, as he contemplated
the solitary tower and the imprisoned
maiden, exclaimed with Solomon: "a
locked-up garden is my sister-bride, q
locked-up spring, a sealed fountain!''
The north wind blew and the south
wind blew. They loved, for both were
beautiful to zach other and the world
was before them. What should they
do? Fly, and seek happiness in some
distant spot far away from the King?
SHAY, my beloved!' she exclaimed.
envy fathers wisdom would discover
our hiding place, and his chieftain Be-
| naiah would drag us back to Jerusa-
| lem"
''There is one resource, dearest" he
replied, after a pause. Marry me
here"
"Marry you? Yes, that will; but
how can we marry according to the law
of Israel? Where is the ink with which
to write the marriage certifcate?"
"Despair not, beloved. am prepared
for every emergency He barred his
arm, and opened a small vein, used his
! blood as ink and the marriage was
! secretly solemnized, with the words:
s'May God be my witness to-day, and
| the angels Michael and Gabriel"
Their spell Of happiness was brief
The custodians of the Princess were
! thrown into the widest CONSERVATION
| when they discovered what had taken
place. They stormed, they ragged; they
! threatened. But it was too late to
argue with the pair. No more time was
to be lost, so they hastily sent the
| swiftest-footed Of their number to the
royal palace, and the story was soon
| told.
! Solomon at once ordered his mantle to
| be brought. 1t was of green silk, inter
! woven with fine gold and embroidered
with images OF all kinds. He sat upon
| it, and swiftly was borne ON the wind to
| the solitary tower.
! .sWhere is the youth, he cried, as he
gained entrance, ''who has dared marry
my daughter?" ..
''Nay, father" the Princess pleaded,
t'be not angry with him. Reproach me,
but spare him, for love is our master,
and thou didst write in thy Song Of
Songs:' Love is as strong as death. -
| $50 thou art the man who has pre-
sumed to marry Princess!'' he ex-
claimed, scornfully, as the youth was
brought to him.
80 King, be not too severe. l but
obeyed the words OF Solomon: MAN.
! waters are not able to quench love, nor
| can the rivers flood it away"
| s'Who is thy father, and where thy
dwelling placer" inquired the King.
81 am the son Of a poor Jew Of Acco, >
! was the answer. ''Altamar is his name. y
And the youths heart grieved as he
thought of his family's poverty.
| *.What!'' quickly rejoined the King
ssThe son of Altamar OF Acco, the poor
est man in Israeli"
eyes, 0 King;' and the youth trem
bled, but regained his courage as he saw
the Princess step forward and take he1
| place proudly at his side.
''He is my husband" She exclaimed
according to the laws OF Israel. Witt
his blood he has sealed our troth."
/ s'He is indeed thy husband and my
son." said Solomon, reckoning both t.
approach his throne. Thou art the