Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-09-05

WIN WAS DelONtQ ~ al III hNi VN~~NNSs
intelligence and gracious manner.
Both king and queen labored sedu-
lousy in acts of piety and in arts of
peace. expending the public money in
identifying the city with noble works
and in encouraging sublime sciences
But alas. it came TO pass that one
Gay to the queen appeared a venerable
man, who said to her: % foolish
Maya, you think you possess all the
Joys ever known, but there is one
that you have not, and that is life
eternal
THE queen was silent; then, arous-
ing herself as If from dream, She
asked of the stranger: And il I de-
sired this life eternal?'
80 'Tis in my power TO give il TO
thee responded the man, but upon
certain conditions: First, you must
swear to administer to every creature
in this city the potion | give you; sec
ondly you must swear to keep closed
forever the Gates of Shor; thirdly
continued the ancient, thirdly, your
deities (of whom l. Ator, am one,)
have decreed that should you weary
of your bargain you must not seek the
aid of the God called Almighty. with
whom we are at war, but the aid OF
your gods. for they alone can answer
your prayers And then he vanished.
But the seed was sown, and the
queen began to covet the prize which
she had not; and, like poor Eve, she
fell prey to the wiles of a demon,
and, falling. dragged the king down
with her, for he could not bear to see
the idol of his heart yearn for pleas
ureVwithln his power to purchase and
not grant it; and so, the deed was
done-the gates of the city were for
ever closed, and the inhabitants re-
joiced as they partook of the immortal
elixir.
But ere long the evil effects of the
dreadful contract were sensibly felt,
and the king beheld with inward ter
Tor and contrition that in depriving
men of the salutary fear of death he
had trampled under foot the only
efectual barrier against immortality.
And he beheld much more, and the
sight filed his honest bosom with
establishment and regret. He could
not prevent the natural increase of his
people, but alas the limits to which
he and they were confined did not be-
come enlarged in, proportion to the ac-
emulation of, the, populace. To these
horrors were added thousand loath-
some diseases, and whilst we suffered
al the agonies of mortality death re-
lieved us not
AT last, driven TO desperation. some
bold spirits attempted to unbar the
gates OF the city, to find them held fast
by some supernatural power, and the
dreadful lightnings which flashed from
wall and tower when they attempted
to scale them proved that the city was
guarded and vigilant watch kept over
its inmates by beings not of this world.
Recognizing this terrible fact,
public council was called. in which it
was decided to- beseech the gods to
grant the promised relief. On the APP
pointed day the wretched people as
semblcd in the streets and squares, i'm
ploring the deities TO spare them fur
Their misery. About noon a darkness,
darker than the deepest night over
spread the city, and. suddenly, in the
very midst OF 1t, the high walls, towers
and pondefous gates appeared alive
with blue and livid flames. Upon the
summit Of these were seated. in SOL
emn conclave. the living forms of our
hideous gods. Many fed. and many
tainted, while others cried for mercy.
and praises and confessions and
curses were strangely mingled.
And So, cried terrific being
whom We recognized as Ator. the
tempter, we are wearied OF life eter-
nall?
MOI exclaimed a man. holder than
the rest: not OF life eternal, but OF
eternal suffering
''Thereupon the demon-gods raised
a CHASTITY peal Of laughter which rolled
like a mighty thunder through the
city.
Relief continued the monster
Alter; 'ye shall have IT, All but your