Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-09-14

some twenty centuries ago sailed up it
and was minded to look upon IT again.
And So looked. and there | saw the boat
and three men walking, and one, whose
face | could not see, but a youth OF a noble
form, sleeping in the boat and so | sent
and saved We. And now farewell. But
stay, tell me OF this youth-the Lion. as
the old man calls him would look upon
HIM. but he is sick. thou sayest-sick with
the fever and also wounded IN the fray.
He is very sick" answered. sadly.
"Canst thou do nothing for him, oh,
queen, who knowest so much?'
"Of a surety | can. can cure him
but why speabest thou so sadly? Dost thon
love the youth: Is he perchance thy SOM"
"Ile is my adopted son, oh, queen.
Shall he be brought in before thee
NAY How long hath the fever taken
him."
This is the third day"
Good; then let him lie another day.
Then will be perchance throw it off by his
own strength, and that is better than that
| should cure him, for my medicine is of a
sort TO shake the life in its very citadel. If,
however, by tomorrow night at that hour
when the fever first took him, he doth not
begin to mend, then will | come to him
and cure him. Stay, who nurses him."
Our white servant, he whom Billali
names the Pig; also'-and here | spoke
with some little hestaton-'a woman
Ustane very handsome woman of this
country who came and kissed him when
first she saw him. and hath stayed by him
ever since as | understand is the fashion
of thy people, oh, queen"
My people, Speak not to me Of my
people" she answered, hastily; these
slaves are no people of mine; they are but
dogs to DO my bidding till the day of my
redemption comes and as for their customs,
naught have | to do with them Also,
call me not QUEEN am sick of flatery
and titles-calls me Ayesha the name hath
sweet sound in mine ears; II is an echo
from the past As for this Ustane, know
not wonder If it be she against whom
was warned and whom IN turn did
warn Hath She Stay, | will see" and
bending forward, she passed her hand over
the font Of water and gazed lntently into
it, "See she said, quietly, lis that the
womau?'
| looked into the water, and there,
mrrored upon its placid surface, was the
silhouette of distances stately face She
was bending forward, with look Of
infinite tenderness upon her features,
watching something beneath her, and with
her chestnut locks falling on to her right
shoulder
1T is she" | said, in low voice, for
once more I felt much disturbed at
this most uncommon sight. she watches
Leo asleep.
Leo said Ayesha in an absent voice
why that is lion in the Latin tongue
The old man hath named happily for once
II is very strange, she went on-"very.
SO like-but il is not possible
With al impatient gesture she passed
her hand over the water once more Il
darkened and the image vanished silently
and mysteriously as it had arisen, and once
more the lamp.light, and the lamplight
only. shone on the placid surface Of that
limpid, living mirror.
Hast thou aught to ask me before thou
goest, oh, Holly" she SAID, after "a few
moments reflection. 1t Is but rude life
that thou must live here, for these people
are savages and know not the ways Of
cultivated man. Not that | am troubled
thereby for behold my food" and she
pointed to the fruit upon the little table
"Naught but fruitd doth ever pass my lips
fruit and little water have hidden my
girls to wait upon thee They are mutes
thou knowest deaf are they and dumb
and therefore the safest Of servants, save
10 those who can read their faces and their
signs. bred them so; it hath thaken
many centuries and much trouble. but at
las, ! have succeeded Once | succeeded
before, but the race was too ugly, so l did
away with IT. but now. as thou seest. they
are otherwise once, too, bred race of
giants, but after awhile Nature would no
more of it, and it died away Hast thou
aught to ask OF me-"
"Ay, one thing, OH Ayesha, said,
boldly but feeling by no means a. bold as
trust | looked | would gaze upon thy
face
She laughed ont in her belllike notes,
"Bethink thee, Holly she answered.
"bethink thee, 1t seems that thou hnowest
the old myths OF the gods of Greece Was
there not one Acteon who persisted msera-
bly, because he looked on too much beauty?
II show thee my face, perchance thou
wouldst perish mlserably also perchance
thou woudst eat out thy heart in lmpotent
desire for know am not for thee: | am
for no man, save one, who hath been, but
is not yet