Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-21
BIZ ELIZABETH MILLER

to melancholia, he became a child, for
whom Hotep reigned and for whom tho
queen cared with touching devotion.
The story of Seti is history. 1t is need
less to say that his rough usage at the
hands or Ta-user awakened him. but IT
was long before he found courage to re-
turn to 10, the sweetheart of his childhood.
Yet, when he did, after the manner of her
Kind, she wept over him and took him
PACK without word Of reproach. So the
1alr-faced sister of Hotep came to be queen
over Egypt and took another title with
Nefer-ari as prefix. and the quaint Danaid
name. 10, was lost to all lips but Sets and
Hoteps.
After Sell came to the throne he con-
tinued Hotep in the advisership and pre-
pared to reign happily. But in little time
the Thebafo. long disaffected, seeded from
the federation of Egypt and crowned ANON
meses king of Thebes. Set gathered his
army, marched against the rebellious dis
trfct, put Amon-meses to the sword and
reduced the Thebaid to submission. Then
he returned to Memphis for another space
of prosperity.
At the end of a year Ta-user and Siptah.
after much browbeating of the Hak-heb,
raised funds sufficient to purchase mercen-
aries. Then, with Ta-user at the head in
barbaric splendor, they descended on Menu
phis.
The course Seti pursued has puzzled his
torians. He gathered up his family. his
court, his treasure and without much
as lifting spear. fled into Ethiopia, AZ
TEL soIie tlIle ld-uSeT sent 10 MIN anu tttl-
ferred upon him the title of the Prince OF
Cush.
To the friends of the young Pharaoh it
was patent that he feared to meet Ia user.
Having succumbed once to her influence 10
his undoing and the misery Of his beloved
10, he dared not come under the all-com-
polling eyes of the sorceress again. So ho
surrendered his crown and his country for
his souls sake.
But fifty years after, Sets son, the for
midable Set-Nekt returned into Egypt and
restored the RampSldp house a basis
solid that another glorious dynasty arose
thereon, second only in brilliance to that
which had gone out in the anarchy of Sip
tab and Ta-users reign. This done, he
wreaked. personal vengeance upon tho
usurpers of his fathers throne. He broke
open the tomb of Sptah and Ta-user. threw
out their bodies to the jackals. obliterated
the inscriptions, enlarged the crypt, put his
own and his fathers history on the walls
and used it for his mausoleum when he
died
could infiict in his fathers name.
Much of this kenkenes learned from tho
lips of Egyptian merchants whom he met
in Canaan, forty years after the exodus.
Kenkenes was proselyte who had found
his God for himself. He believed as he
drew his breath and as his heart beat, in
voluntarily and without any lapse. Never
could son of Israel have surrendered him
self more eagerly to the law. Its good and
its purposes were ever before his eyes, and
his footsteps led in the paths that it light
ed. Though he saw not the Lord in a
burning bush nor talked with Him on
Sinai, he found Him on the lonely uplands
of the sheep ranges and heard Him in the
voceless night on the limtless desert. The
young Egyptian was not yet twenty years
old at the time of the numbering before
Sinai. and he entered the Promised Land
with Joshua and Caleb. For verify he
walked with God all the days of his life.
1t must not be supposed that there was
no serene life nor any happiness in the
long wandering of forty years. A genera
ton of oriental adults practically dies out
in that time. The passing of the elders Of
Israel, though 1t was accomplished by
plaques and sendings for iniquities. was
as the passing of the old in the orient to-
day. The encampment was not continual
ly filled with calamity and great mourning
far from 1T. There were long stretches of
peace and plenty, extending almost unin-
terruptedly for years, and those who fol-
lowed the law escaped the intervals Of
catastrophe.
Kenkenes was among the chosen peopls
but not of them. partly because he was OF
the eXecrated race of the oppressors and
partly because the most of Israel had moth
ing in common with the nobleman. But
Moses loved him and found joy in his COM
pany Joshua loved him and had him by
his side when Israel warred. Caleb and
Aaron loved him because he was cody,
and Miriam was proud of him and was
mild in his presence. He took no public
part in the peoples affairs, yet who shall
say that he was not near when Bezaleel
wrought the wondrous angels for the ark?
w no Shall Nay tndl MS DuTeSt JeWel hlu
not enter the breast-plate of the high
priest? There are many names embraced
in that general term. every wise-hearted
man among them that wrought the work OF
the tabernacle
So when Israel took up the forty years of
pasture hunting in Paran. Kenkenes made
Ills tent beautiful and pitched II always
apart from the multitude and here he was
contented all the days that Israel tarried
in that place. Under his care his focks
increased, his cattle multiplied and his
cameis were not few, and he laid up riches
for the four stalwart and the gold
en-haired daughter who were to live after
aim.
From the moment of his union with his
beautiful wife, through the long years OF
semi-isolation that he knew thereaftef. he
grew closer and closer to Rachel She
filled all his needs Israel failed to sup
ply them, and he missed neither friend nor
neighbor when she was near. Rachel knew
wherein she was more fortunate than other
women and her content and her devotion
were beyond measure. So Kenkenes and
Rachel We're lovers all the days of their
lives.
If ever they grew reminiscent there was
enc name spoken more tenderly than any
other-the name of Atsu. Kenkenes would
grow sad of countenance and he would look
away, but there was no jealousy in MS
heart for the tears of Rachel weeping over
the taskmaster who died for her.
The collar of golden rings became popu-
lar In Israel, and after many notifications
effected by time and fashion IT came at
last to be the insignia of the virtuous wo-
man. For centuries it was worn and no
one knows when the custom died out
The genius of Kenkenes did not die. His
voice enriched with age and the rocky
wales wherein his focks wandered mad
melodlous echoes whenever he followed the
sheep. But he never used chisel upon
stone again. His sons were artists after
him, but they were handicapped also. And
SO 1t continued for many generations until
the Temple of Solomon was built. Then,
la MIA fro,
artisans were brought from Tyre it was
the descendants of Kenkenes who made the
Temple beautiful with carved figures of
cherubim and palm trees and open flowers
within and without
Crhe Enid