The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-21

and her husband. the Shadid, a god;
wherefore. any questionable behavior
on her part was an insult to the most
powerful divinities of heaven. which
could only be atoned by the death of
their unworthy incarnations That
these laws were actual and not formal
only was proved by the fact that with
in the last hundred years, before the
birth of ELISA, a Lady BaaItis had
been executed for some such offence.
having been hurled from the tOpmost
pinnacle of the fortress above the tenn
pie to the foot of the precipice be-
meath.
All these sacerdotal customs were IA
miliar To Meten. who argued from
them THAI TO procure the nomination of
ELISA as d Lady BaaltiS would be to
build an impossible wall between her
and the Prince Aziel. Also. by way of
compensation, the office would confer
upon her the highest dignity and hon
Or that could be attained by any woman
in the city; moreover, her election
would place her beyond the reach OF
the. prosecutions of Ithobal, since, as
Lady Baaltis, she was entitled 10 choose
her own husband without hindrance or
appeal, provided only that he was of
pure white blood, which Ithobal was
not.
Having thought the matter out. and
convinced nlllSell lIttl SQcn a course
would not only benefit his own pocket
but prove to the lasting advantage of
all concerned, Metem set about his task
with the promptitude and cunning of
his race and filled with a glow of
righteous zeal. 1t was not an easy one
for. although she had enemies and riv-
ais, the daughter OF the dead Lady
Baaltis. Mesa by name, was considered
TO be certain Of election at the poll of
the priests and prlestesses. which took
place within two days Nothing dis
oouraged, however, without her knowl-
edge or that of her father, Metem be-
gan his canvass on Elissa's behalf
First with a great sum of gold he
bought over the ex-Shadid, the hus-
band of the late Lady Baaltis, who had
quarreled with his daughter, and would
prefer to see some stranger chosen in
her place. on the chance that. notwith-
standing his years. by choosing him in
marriage she might confirm him in his
position % spouse to the goddess All
Metem's negotiations need not be fol-
lowed-money played a part in most
of them, jealousy and dislike in some.
y few there were also whom he won
over by urging the beauty and wisdom
of ELISA, and her extraordinary fitness
for the post. He found his most pow
erful allies, however, among the mem
bers of the council of the city. To
these grandeeS he pointed out that
ELISA was a woman Of great strength
of character. who would certainly never
consent to be forced into a marriage
with Ithobal, although her refusal
should mean a desperate war, and that
her father was SO much under her in
nuence that he could not be brought
TO put pressure upon her. Therefore,
the only way out of the difficulty was
her election as Baaltis, which would
prove a perfect answer to the suit of
the savage king, since the goddess could
not be compelled and even Ithobal
would shrink from Offering her violence
Their support gained. having first
sworn him to secrecy, he attacked Sa-
kon himself, using similar arguments
with him, and pointing out. in addi-
ton, that if he hoped to see his daugh-
ter married TO Prince Aziel, however
dazzling might be the prospects Of
such n match, it would certainly bring
upon him the present wrath of Ithobal
and, in all probability. future trouble
with the courts of Egypt and Israel.
and, through them, Of Tyre. Thus
working in many ways. Metem labored
necessarily to attain his end, so that,