Mexico Missouri message., 1909-08-19


never do. 1 will surely perish If l
tarry here. But whittier shall l go?"
and wringing his hands as he paced
to and fro he gave place to his de.
pair.
MAY, cannot go forth in these
robes" he exclaimed as his glance
CHANGED to be directed downward and
he became conscious of the royal
robes he was wearing. Suiting the
action to the words he began to strip
himself of his garments, and as he
flung aside one article after an
other he moved off towards the serv-
ants quarters.
There had been hasty fight from
that place also, and the king found
garments scattered here and there.
Divesting himself of his ieweled
sandals he slipped his feet into a pair
he found there, and then quickly Sc
lecting various articles of apparel he
soon had adjusted them and, thus dis
guised, he slipped from the rear en-
trance to the palace and hurried 81.
lently down the now almost deserted
street.
Jerusalem was all in a tremble over
its impending doom, and the people
had fed here and there, hiding them.
selves as best they could.
"If l can but reach the opposite side
of the city and get beyond the wait,
shall be able to make good my es-
cape" he thought.
Behind him came the crash and
thunder of the falling walls of the
city, the shouts of the invading army,
and the hurrying footballs of the thou
sands as they advanced. The palace
was the center towards which the
soldiers rushed, both for the purpose
of loot and because there was the
hope that tle king might be taken.
Hither and thither through the
palace the search was kept up, but
when the captain Of the host had
come, only disappointed looks and
doubtful shakes of the head greeted
| him.
What is this, and this, and this?"
ne exclaimed, as he passed through
the various apartments, and indicat-
ing as he spoke the various garments
which the king had cast aside.
The kings robes!" they exclaimed,
quick to catch the drift of the cap
tains thought.
Yea, and here are his sandals, the
last to be discarded" he added, after
the long search had ended.
Think you that he hath gomez"
In the garb of a servant he has
fed" tersely exclaimed the captain,
and turning hastily to some of his at.
tendants he gave orders that search.
ers should go in every direction in
pursuit of him.
HE must not escape us, for it was
the explicit orders of our great king
Sennacherib that he be taken alive
and brought to Babylon, not only as a
trophy of war, but also as an example
to those of his nation who would dare
to defy the authority of our king"
So it came to pass that shortly aft
er the fleeing king had Slipped
through one of the gates of the city
his pursuers had taken up the chase
and were securing every nook and
corner of the city, while other sol
diers went out beyond the wall.
What is the use of going further,
exclaimed one soldier, impatiently
after a long, fruitless search. INC
one could ever have gone in thither
much less passed through this great
hedge of thorns." And, turning away
as he finished speaking, he proceeded
to retrace his steps followed by the
others.
But one keen-eyed individual. un
willing to abandon the spot, pushed q
little way into the thicket.
what is that?" he suddenly ex
claimed, as he caught the tinge of rec
upon the tip of one of the thorns
Blood" he added, half to himself
in answer to his own question, ant
reaching forward he plucked the
thorn and examined it more closely.
''It cannot have just been left there
by one OF our men, for it is quite dry
and set" he exclaimed, as he rubbed
his fingers over the red-tinged thorn
Thus reused he whistled for the re
turn of some of his comrades, ant
soon the group was pressing here
and there into the thicket as far a.
was possible.
A shout, a struggle and then the
soldier who had persisted in the
search was seen to drag forth a hap
less individual. His face was scratch
ed by the thorns and his simple serv
ants garb was torn and disheveled.
Whom seek you?" questioned the
king, making a desperate effort to ap
pear calm.
THE king" came the instant re
sponse, "and We have found him"