Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-03-07

wishes to test me. answer: Di'
not the WEAKNESS of life overcom
your majesty but moment ago?"
The emperor sighed.
you say the truth. / have gained
ell things, and / am not happy. II
WEAKNESS Of spirit fell into slumbel
here upon my throne of gold anC
dreamed-oh! have dreamed sucE
things! l dreamed a magician sought
TO transform me into a strange shape
He sought to enter my very soul un-
der the pretense of bringing me happi'
ness"
Son of Heaven" put in the old
man; your mood shall be your rem
edy. A life of fighting leaves no time
for love"
What"
Il mean that your crown lacks a
jewel"
"A jewel! Is not my crown COM
plete?"
The old man bowed humbly.
ut is not complete; it lacks the
turquoise ornament.
'The turquoise ornament" ex-
claimed the emperor in anger.
The courtiers around, as they heard
this. drew closely together in an ex-
cited group, staring at the old man and
at the emperor
Can this be true?" said Yoritimo
He lifted his arms and took the
crown from his head. He rested the pre-
cious thing upon the golden arm Of
the throne. Then he stared down
upon it, and in the heart of the gilt.
tering jewels that covered it he de-
tected a vacant place.
'The turquoise is lost!" he ex.
claimed.
The old man bowed humbly, smiled
cunningly, and said:
Il have found the malady-shall
find the remedy?"
Your life shall depend upon that.
What says your magic now?"
The answer took away the breath OF
oil present:
my magic says that in this the
master shall obey his slave"
mo magic can harm me-" the en-
reror said. II cannot be made more
unhappy than am. will give this
slave his wish. Speak on"
The old man raised his head and
looked steadily before him. He
crossed his arms upon his breast and
said:
"The Son Of Heaven will obey his
slave and will sail in the boat upon
the sacred lake within the walls Of
this royal palace"
The emperor looked down upon him
suspiciously.
"Is that all your magic?"
at is"
'Then let the royal boat" COM
manded the emperor, "be made ready
with all the rowers-"
"The rowers must be chosen by me-"
put in the old man, quickly.
at shall be 50" agreed Yoritimo.
He came down from his throne and
led the way out Of the palace to the
sacred lake. The courtiers followed.
But the mysterious old man suddenly
disappeared.
When the emperor came to the brink
Of the lake he found the royal boat
ready, and in the boat sat 20 virgins,
with beautiful long black hair and
lovely forms and shapeIy limbs; and
they were arrayed in silver nets in
stead OF ordinary robes Each maiden
held an oar, and all the 20 oars were
made Of ebony inlaid with gold.
No one could find the old magician.
But the emperor, true to his promise
that he would sail upon the sacred
lake, stepped into the boat. AS he did
50 he could not help noticing the
beauty of the young girl that sat be-
hind all the Others In the stern, and
seemed to be their leader. The en-
reror sat behind her, and looking at
her dark hair, his heart leaped-for
binding the shining black folds he saw
the turquoise ornament he had lost
from his crown.
Now, instead Of hurling q command
Of death at the delinquent, he found :
strange pleasure in wishing that this
beautiful girl should never lose an or
nament which SO became her. And he
sat and kept silence.
Never had he known before any feel
ing except proud superiority over all
the world. But now he wished 70
throw himself In alteration at the feet
o. this simple virgin.
He could not restrain an impulse 70
take her In his arms. He leaned fot-
ward
AZ Il she had read his thoughts.
ne bent lower over her oar to avoid
hisembface Andasshe bent 10 low, tho
ong, dark strands OF her hair alippes
round her and became entangled with
NJ silver network that clothed hef.