The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-08
VII. The "open Sesame" of Manasseh.

the cost or deatn.
 VII.
 The "open Sesame" of Manasseh.
 Manasseh visited the Princess in the af- ternoon of the same day.
 He communicated to her news which 1t was very necessary for her to hear. Her tom house. According to the coachman's story the robbers did not stop the stage coach, which was accompanied by carabt- nieri. but a special one in which gen. tleman was hastening. to Rome. The lat ter had been draggedsinto the mountains and a letter had been brought from m by the next position. It was addressed to the Prince Caglia-i In Vienna, and was probably concerning the ransom. But Correspondence between Romagna and Vi- enna being carried on under great diffi- culties. the ransom would probably De delayed as long as the present popular government remained in power. This was a hint for the Princess to the effect that 1t would be well if her aaffirs could be settled immediately. for the nature or the payment depended very much upon the direction of the wind which was blow Ing in the Vatican.
 Manasseh did not by one word betray his knowledge of the fact that the Prin- cess had come to Rome on account Of divorce trial woman is usually con sidered free when it Is known that she Is on the point of obtaining divorce from her husband. He treated hery as if he knew nothing more of her than that she was a married lady.
 The arrival of the baggage relieved the ladies of much inconvenience. They were now enabled to make their full toilet and were consequently in a happier mood. Manasseh very carefully evaded two things-payi1g court to the Princess ana ridiculing holy things.
 As, at their request, he rode with them In the evening to the churches, respiend- snt in their festival glory, he sat next kn hn nd frn lie rected the attention of the ladies to the monumental structures which they were passing.
 He conducted the Princess to the Edes- senian painting. With this 8 beautiful le- gend is connected. The Savior was called to heal, by His miraculous power, sick woman. But He could not go; He was needed elsewhere-on Golgotha. Stil He helped the sufferer who confided in Him. He pressed His kerchief to His face, which was covered with the sweat of death, and the impression of His brow, with the crown of thorns upon 1t. remain ed on the cloth. This is the Edessenian painting. As one who loves what he does not believe. Manasseh related these le- gends to Blanca.
 He secured for the pious ladies conse- crated palms with gilded leaves and bribed the warders of the three holy trees, so that they allowed him to pluck 8 leaflet from each of the pomegranlte trees planted by the apostles. When the DTleSLS upOH tiC power of the relics, and when Blanca bent her knees before the adorned Ma donna statues he stepped back few paces. and his face did not betray his Incredulity. He knew that she was pray Ing and making vows.
 Never was there prayer harder to be answered sent up to the Holy virgin. Blanca supplicated the Heavenly queen to prevent her from wavering under temptation. Her salvation and her temp tation were in the same mans hands. Her tempter and her Savior were one and the same person. He stood behind her.
 The lady who, endowed with a child like, susceptible disposition, had grown up in the atmosphere of cloister ana then had immediately been transferred to the school of sorrow, wandered, full Of mystic devotion, among the great monu- ments which brought nearer to her from the past the holy figures looking up to Heaven; and she thought that even skep- tics must be filled with holy awe. When Manasseh. in the Veronica chapel, told her the story of the holy spear; how the Roman soldier Longinus had wounded the Savior with 1t. and at the same mo- ment was struck blind; how he had re- gained his sight as soon as he had rubbed his eyes with four drops of the Redeem ers blood which had fallen upon his hand; how he was converted and became a saint-the thought struck her as to wheth- CT such a miracle could happen again.
 During the following night she dreamt about it. She could not give more defin- ite shape to her VOW. If the mother oi God deliver her from this great trouble if she succeed in shaking off the letters which bound her, and. be again free, she would offer the holy mother jewel more resplendent than any now upon her head; this youth, Manasseh.
 She deemed herself rich enough to ob- tain this precious gem. In her heart there is a whole world of which she Is the sole possessor. She feared him nc .t-k fvz~ strength from the miraculous relics. that she now thought she had the power to conquer
 The next day Manasseh came early ir | the morning to call for the ladies. They must not finger if they would be in the | Sixtinian chapel in time.
 When they reached the largest square | in the world, St. Peters place, they were to press through the crowd in order to | reach the entrance to the Vatican. Blanca was obliged to take the arm of her con | ductor and to cling closely to him; she | resigned herself to his care entirely. He l knew exactly when polite word sufiiced l when a more energetic act was neces- | sary, whom he had to push out of his | way, and who could be subdued by few | lire" He at last succeeded in capturing one of the best places in the SiXtina, and | here he directed Blanca to stand upon | folding stool which he had brought with him under his overcoat. In this po- Sition she could see eNerytnlnS, anu was, at the same time. saved from being jos | ted continually by the crowd.
 Poor Princess! She did not know. until afterwards informed by her confessor that by doing this she had committed a great sin; this pocket-stool is an inven- | ton of English heretcs; who, by It's use | intended to diminish the sufferings of | their wives at the holy ceremonies. Al l this time however. everybody is in duty bound to exercise the greatest torbear- ance: good Christian must not consult | his own convenience. while his RedeemeI | hangs on the cross. Just now. however | the Princess did not understand this. and ] was pleased at the kind attention showr her.