The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-02-06

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and plead with him for the lives OF thy
people. yea. and for thine own life.
too
Leave me to think" cried the
queen. wringing her hands. "Oh. this
IL terrible"
When alone she threw herself upon
her couch and, burying her face in the
soft cushions that her voice might be
stified, she gave way TO the flood Of
grief which overcame her. Fear and
sorrow, superstitious dread and angry
resentment filed her heart and swept
her in fierce passion like helpless
ship In the grasp of terrible storm,
"Oh, It cannot, It must not be-" she
cried at last, her womanhood asserting
itself and checking the sobs which had
shaken her frame. TT cannot, It can
not bel"
She sat up and looked about her.
Was she not queen? What had she
to fear? The thought flashed across
her mind to take her chance Of escap-
ing the effect of the decree Of the king.
No one knew she was Jew. And why
should not her exalted station as queen
shelter her?
But scarcely had the thought flashed
into her mind than she turned from IL
in disgust.
What though my life were spared"
she demanded of her self fiercely, III
all my people should perish and, above
all, my Mordecai. oh, Mordecai, Nor.
decai why has such trouble befallen
us? But what can do? cannot go
in unto the king unless he bid me, and
why should perish before him before
I had had chance to aid my peoplof
Surely, am perplexed."
Then, calling Hatach, she bade him
carry word back to Mordecai and say
to him:
"All the kings servants, and all the
people Of the kings provinces know
that whosoever, whether man or wom-
an, shall come unto the king into the
inner court, who is not called, there IL
one law of his to put him to death, ex-
cept such to whom the king shall hold
out the golden sceptre, that he may
live; but have not been called to
come in unto the king these 80 days"
That night little sleep came to
Queen Esther, and she was ready wait
ing early in the morning for the return
Of Hatach, whom she knew would
bring her word as soon as possible.
And he did not keep her long waiting.
for the message of Mordecai was ur-
gent and full of ominous meaning:
Think not" was the message Nor.
decai sent to her, that thou shalt es-
cape in the kings house, more than all
the Jews"
A flush overspread the pallid face of
the queen, and she spoke up hastily,
interrupting the words of Hatach:
Nay, nay, Mordecai did misunder-
stand the import of my words. I
thought not of myself, but of my peo-
pie and of Mordecai. What shall 1t
profit them IL perish miserably be-
fore the wrath of the king? Then in
deed / could not serve them. May
there not be some more sure way OF
bringing deliverance?"
Without replying to Queen Esther's
question, Hatach continued:
For If thou altogether holdest thy
peace at this time, then shall there en-
largement and deliverance arise to the
Jews from another place."
"Yea," fervidly responded Esther.
catching the inspiration Of Mordecai's
faith. YEA, God will give deliverance
to his people"
A new light of hope broke over the
face Of Hatach at Queen Esther's
words, and he continued, confidently:
who knoweth whether thou art
come to the kingdom for such Q time
as this?"
Her heart gave a great bound az It
responded to the sublime thought
How 1t dignified her present position.
Here was glory and honor far exceed
ing any, which the mere possession OF
royal honors and power could ever be-
stow. The memory Of her eventful life
swept over her like food. How she
had been left a helpless, defenseless
orphan, ard in that dark hour had been
claimed by her fathers nephew. How
he had nurtured and cared for her az
he might have done for a daughter.
and how his place in the official life of
the palace had given him opportunity
of preparing her for the place which
had 80 wondrously opened up for her
az queen.
Perhaps, indeed, It was for just
such time as this that I have come
hither," she repeated softly to herself.
She lifted her proud head, her graceful
form felt the thrill of the dignity Of
the new thought, and every curve grew
firm with the resolve which had been
formed within, and with voice from
which all trace Of fear and doubt hat
now vanished she said:
go in haste, Hatach! Gather to-
gether all the Jews that are present In
Shushan, and fast We for me, and
neither eat nor drink three days, night
or day. I also, and my maidens will
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