The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-07


messed Meneptah's frantic grief. turned
now and hid their blinded eyes. Hotep
went to the Pharaoh and laid his hand
on the monarch's shoulder. The action
commanded. Exhausted by his frenzy,
Meneptah leaned against his scribe.
The cup bearer and the captain re
leased him, and Hotep spoke quietly.
.seest thou, O my king, the sorrow
Of thy people? Behold thy young son
and pity him. Look upon thy queen
and comfort her If thou their staff,
are broken, who shall bear them up
in their sorrow? Break not. Be thou
as the strong father Of thy great son,
so that from the bosom Of Osiris he
may look upon Egypt and sleep we'll,
seeing that in his loss his kingdom
lost not her prop and stay, her king
Also"
The scanty manhood of the monarch,
thus ably invoked, responded some
what. he raised himself and permit
ted Hotep to conduct him to the side
of the boy prince. Seti fell down at
his fathers feet, and Hotep took Ne
neptah's hand and laid it on the bowed
head.
Thou dost pardon him, O son OF
Ptah," the scribe said in the same quiet
roice. The king nodded weakly, and
wept afresh. After the prince had
clasped his fathers knees and covered
the hand with kisses he obeyed the
scribe's sign and went away to his
mothers side Again Hotep, compel
ling by his low voice, spoke to the king
and the assembly listened.
'sThe gods have not limited the darts
Of afliction to thee, . son Of Ptah!
Rameses journeyed not alone into
Amenti. He took a kingdom with him.
Behold, the Hebrew hath loosed his
direst plague upon Egypt, and by the
lips of an Israelite in the streets every
ifrstborn in thy realm perished in the
home Of his father this night"
4 The entire assembly cried out, and
most Of them ran sobbing and pray
ing from the chamber. Instantly the
outcry and clamor in the palace broke
forth again, for the inhabitants knew
that the blow which had smitten Ram
eses had fallen on one Of their own.
Meneptah stagge Ad away from 30
Vep, his fre1.zy up> aim again.
Send them hitb< 70 he cried hoarSe-
j. waving his ar toward wG;Je
faced courier u BAG stoo3 LIS
ground. ..send them hither-the He
brews, Moses and Aaron! Israel shall
depart before they make me sink the
world. For they have sent madness
upon me! condemned my gentle son,
I punished those who gave me wise
counsel, have ruined Egypt, have
slain mine heir, and now the blood OF
the frstborn Of all my kingdom is
upon my headr' Els voice rose to a
shrek, and Hotep, putting an arm
about him, hushed him with gentle
authority and signed the courtier to
obey.
The physicians lifted the queen and
bore her away. Seti stopped at Ma
sanath's side and looked at her with
compassion in his eyes.
Another tumult had arisen in the
great corridor, an uproar Of another
nature that advanced from the en-
trance hall Of the palace. There were
cries of supplication, persuasion, urg-
ing, that were frantic in their earnest
ness. The whole palace seemed. to be
on its knees.
Hotep. with the king had paused,
and several courtiers Went before him
and looked down the cross corridor.
Instantly they fell on their knees, cry
ing out:
...Ye have the leave of the powers OF
Egypt! Go. Make haste. Take your
focks, all that is yours. Aye, strip us
even, if ye will, but let not the sun
rise upon you in Egypt. For we be all
dead men,
= 4 murmur ran through the MINIS
ters. The Heh.ews!
They came slowly side by side. the
two brothers, Moses and Aaron. Egyp-
1ians in all attitudes of entreaty cum.
bered their path--Egvptians born to
tee purple, rich proud powerful, on
their faces to ens,aved Israeli
Meneptah wrenched himself from
Hotep's sustaining arms ard. stasger-
ing forward, all but on his knees. met
fboyY,
Rise up and get you forth from
among my people he besought them
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