The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-31

borne the thought if you had compelled her to enter the pyramid, and she had died before you in agonies of terror?'
 T could not endure life," said Nekayah, ana from that moment her violent and self-reproachful sorrow changed to silent pensiveness. My search after happiness Is at an end, said she. T shall retire l from the world and hide my thoughts in l solitude without any other care than to enter into that state where I can again enjoy the friendship of my Pekuah in another sphere.''
 l Rasselas prevailed on her to wait for a year, in the hope that something might yet be learned of the missing favorite. Nekayah. resigning herself to patience, began imperceptbly to return to common cares and common pleasures. Sometimes she caught herself with indignation in the act of turning away her mind from the memory of her whom she had resolved never to forget
 She appointed a certain hour for her. self for meditation on nobody except Pe- kuah. For some weeks she retired daily when the time came and wept with sor- row that seemed ever fresn. But by de- grees she permitted important or pressing matter to delay the daily tribute now and then. Then she began to yield it to lesser occasions. At last she neg lected the hour entirely, though her real love for Pekuah was not diminished.
 The Princess might have drawn from this the knowledge that, if human happi- : ness is very finite, at least human sorrow i also Is limited; but she read the lesson rather as being that even the purest hap piness is the cause of misery, and that 1t is not wise to yield even to excellence and fondness, lest the loss bring wretched- ness.
 After seven months a messenger arrived with the news that Pekuah was in the hands of a great Arab chieftain who pos- sessed a castle in the extremity of Egypt, and that he was willing to bring his rris- oner as far as the monastery of St. An thony, in Upper Egypt, if 200 ounces of gold were sent for ransom.
 Nekayah insisted in accompanying her brother and Imlac, who set out at once and succeeded in their negotiations with out any trouble, the Arab receiving them with hospitality and trust and delivering ] Nekuah with great ceremony and respect Pekuah had been treated well by her captor, who had showed to her the coun- try around his palace and had taught her astronomy while they were waiting for the ransom.
 Delighted beyond words, the party re- turned to Cairo, where for a time they engaged in the pleasures and recreations fn cfIaI I, keen pleasure had worn off, Rasselas again reverted to his search for choice of life. One day he declared to Imlac that he had found it. He intended to de- vote himself to science and pass th< rest of his days in study
 Come with me-" said Imlac. q will lead you to the observatory of one of the most learned astronomers in the world His integrity and benevolence are equal to his learning. He willingly interrupts his deepest study for an opportunity to do good'
 Surely he must be happy" said the Prince
 Imlac smiled mournfulIy and introduced Rasselas to the great man. He spoke with a clearness that was as simple as his knoWledSe was proround' put suuuehiy he checked himself and told his visitors that he at last had learned to change the courses of the earth and the sun. and that he could turn aside the axis of the earth or vary the eciptc of the sun. Forty years of study had touched him with mad ness, that lay concealed in mind which otherwise still was powerful and bril- liant.
 .This, sir Is one of the dangers of deep, solitary study said Imlac, when they had returned home.
 T have often tried to imagine my self Queen of Abyssinia," cried the fa- vorite. "T will do so no more I real ize now that often the fancy took such a hold on me that I almost forgot to