The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-04-29

had sent to inquire after the health of
Sarah, and the messengers had brought
back strange tales of troubles in the
palace.
The days of preparation for the great
state wedding between Pharaoh and
Sarah were filled with singular mishaps
and annoying delays. The royal ap-
parel which had been prepared for the
nuptials was found moth eaten and
ruined. and the court diapers were
taken suddenly i'll and unable to make
new garments. A strange malady
seized many of the princes and attend
ants of the court so that they were un-
able to appear before the king to re-
ceive his orders and carry out the elab-
orate plans. The bakers in the kings
kitchens had for days been busy with
meats, and pastries and CONNECTIONS and
dishes of every description for the great
banquet, and when everything wa2
nearly ready and all hat remained to
be done was to bestOW the finishing
touches, they had found the great store
of viands infested with little worms and
the entire feast spoiled.
And Pharaoh himself did not escape.
A strange feverishness filed his veins.
He could not rest at night, for trou-
bled dreams disturbed his SAUNDERS.
and he would awake in terror.
On the night before the day set for
the royal wedding the king had an
unusually restless night, and towards
morning a most horrible dream had
aroused him. He thought a great eye
was looking out of Heaven at him and
searching him through ard through Sc
that his every thought was laid bare,
and every secret uncovered. He tried to
get away from it, he tried to hide, but
that eye was ever upon him. Then anne
a voice like a roll Of deep thunder. It
seemed to shake the palace walls so
that he expected to see it tumble in
| ruins about his head, and then he heard
the words:
"RestOre the mar his wife"
Awaking with a start he summoned
his attendants and quickly dispatched
a messenger for Abraham with the COM
mand that he should come at once to
the palace.
And in the early dawn the kings
servant had found him pacing to and
fro before his tent door. If it had been
a trying night for the king it had been
dOubly so for Abraham, knowing as he
did that the next day Sarah was to be-
come the wife of Pharaoh. How he
had wrestled with himself and with God.
How he had repented Of the misstep
which had brought him down into
Egypt and the falsehOod which he had
told.
Meanwhile the king had sert attend
ants to bring Sarah into the royal pres
ence, and fearful and trembling at the
unusual proceeding and the unseemly
hour, she had obeyed. The days of
anxiety and worry had lett their tell
tale marks pOn her fair face, the dark
lines under the eyes and the sad drooI
about the mouth told the King at q
glance that she was not happy.
Tell me-" he asked. sharply and alb.
ruptly, are you Abraham's wife:
Speak not falsely to mel" md the king
leaned forward to hear her nswer
The silence in the thrOferoOm was
tense and painful. as they waited fol-
her to speak. With downcast eyes anG
trembling voice, which was scarcely
audible, she whispered:
4 am" and Their with a deep sigh
as though Of relief, she sank to tn
pavement in a faint. The women at
, PENDANTS bent over the PROSTATE form
restoratives were applied and s0on sh'
J was brought back to consciousness
again.
! At that instant the doorkeeper an
nOunced the arrival Of Abraham, an.
as he entered his wife rose to her fee
and with marvellous cOmpOsure aWaite,
developments.
! what is this that thou hast don
unto me-" exclaimed the king. in q vote
which audibly expressed the ange
4 Which he felt and which was r~efecte
in his swarthy face. why didst tho
- not tell me that she was thy wife? VIII
saidst thou she is my sister, SO tina
| took her to be my wife,"
!, The king paused in his rapid fire {
questions as though waiting for Abrs
ham to answer, but the latter onl
:, shamefacedly hung his head and te
fore he could respond Pharaoh COZ
tinued:
Behold thy wife!"
At the words Abraham raised h:
# eyes quickly, Il looking in the dire,
ton the king was so dramatically poin
q ing, he beheld Sarah, his wife. 1t We
20 the first sight he had had of his love
% one since she had been taken to tt
;r kings palace, and almost before tt
% king could say: Take her, and go til
n way" he had sprung to her side ar
20 clasped her within his strong arm
unnSndful of court etiquette or the pre-
~ ence of the king.
% AS the princes and courtiers Of Il
"a realm came to understand how the
king had been deceived and emba
or raised, and his dignity violated, the
10 was great resentment against Abraha
Il and Sarah, his wife, but Pharaoh ga
charge concerning them and order,
adj hat they be brought on their way wi
ct al their substance.