The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-06-10
SCRANTON. MISSISSIPPI, FRIDAY, @,
night wolf was upon them.

"a htile patience, love-" said the
unconscious Lean. Moor, "and all
will be well. Flight which you
counsel would he fatal, and blight
in their full blossom, the ambition
aud honor!' replied Azila-"My
soul revoIts at them. What are
they? A light dazzling The eye
and mocking The heart. Fly. my
bird, fly with me TO the sunny re.
gions of The South, where millions
OF race precede us. We shall find
food enough there for our ambition
and liberty, our happiness in each
other. Never. never! Le.an-Noor
will hever consent to such a sacri.
flee OF thy generous heart. will
90 10 the Queen tomorrow, and
crave dispensalon from her ser.
vice. | will tell her our story
she cannot refuse so light a favor
to the maiden who is beloved by
the noblest warrior of her nation" ="
Thou knowest her not" replied
Azila; "thou may'st we'll sue to
The Eagle"
"lhou say'st WE'LL" hoarselv, but
calmly whispered the Queen.
Chou say'st well. The guard to
his posi-, and the false priestess 10
her dungeon"
Months passed by, months Of
solitary imprisonment for Lean.
Moor, months of heart breaking
suspense to Azlla, till one morn.
ing an unusual buslle was observ.
ed, and procession of priests
slowly entering the gates. announc.
ed that a Virgin of The San was 10
meet accusation of fearful import.
Soon the innocent victim who was
no other than she who forms the
subject of this sketch, was dragged
from her prison, and he who ap.
peared TO be judge began: lie.
an-Noor," said he, "Le-an.Noor, an
attendant of the Queen, and ap.
pointed 10 minister in the temple
ofour God, is accused of violating
her vows, as a witness here pres.
ent is willing TO testify. Will she
deny the accusation and demand
an accuserl What is her answery'
II demand no accuser," she said
firmly, NOR any witness. 1t is
enough for me to know that from
this ordeal there Is no escape nor
any refuge. save in The funeral
hills of my fathers. | am uncon.
scious of any crime, unless that OF
love, faithful and unchapgeable be
a crime"
Thou art young, maiden," re.
>umed the first, SHY years are few
but thy crime is heavy; and we
only condemn thee on Thy own ad'
missions"
"Never, Priest! l make no all.
mission of guilt. am innocent
but innocence | feel in it's prolec-
ton here. II is expected that
should die. | await The dawn"
sour duty IS complete" rejOined
the Judge. "Thy mistress awards
the punishment"
The assembly now dispersed, and
the prisoner was re.cOnducted 10
her dungeon. The fatal day ar
rived. The guard formed three
sides of a hollow square, the fourth
was the line of precipice, by which
rescue or escape was impractical
BILE. Oa a temporary throne in
the center, surrounded by the min
isters Of her tyranny, sat the
Queen, while the unhappy priso-
ner, clothed in a coarse and un
seemly garment, stood before her.
Near was a warrior clad in wild
splendor of that barbaric age,
borne by a war horse of nagnifi
cent action, with fint.like hool
that spurned the earth in very
pride. 1t was Azils, awaiting the
orders of his masters. The sen
tence was now proclaimed. lie
an.Noor, a Virgin Of The Sun, late
ly consecrated to the services oI
the temple, attached to the house
hold OF our mighty sovereign, the
Queen, is found guilty Of sacrilege
and treason, and as appropriat.
retribution for her frailty, con
demned TO be scourged by The
doolhsnan."
A thrill Of horror ran through
the assembled multitude. Lean
Noor's frame shuddered, but shs
commanded sufficient seli.contro
to cast herself at The loot of III,
throne. Death, my sovereign,
she gasped, death! For the Iov.
of our God, whose pure spiri
would revolt from such a scene q
shame. Spare, o! spare me thi'
bitter degreda,ion." And sh,
swooned in the abandonment o
sorrow. Again she. raised he'
dropping head, gazed wildly upo,
the bristling lines and, seeing All
Ia, clasped her hands toward hin
and cried: "Wilt thou not inter
cede for me I"
Ayila. who, until nov had stoot
as one bereit Of reason, FRUSTRATED
himself before his sovereign in al
} agony Of duplication; but Oh,
whom he addressed turned her un
relenting countenance upon him
|, but relaxed not in ber pnrposs
J "You may % we'll sue TO The Ea
} gle, she said, quoting his own q
.. preston. ssASila, the doom Il Il
revocable."
:. All this. both he and Lean Moo
: had read IN The counlensnce II III
; speaker. which they had inienssl,
regarded. The poor girl whose su