St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-02-13

"Oh, It cannot, It must not be" she
cried at last, her womanhood asserting
itself and checking the sobs which had
shaken her frame 1T 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 it
in disgust.
What though my life were spared"
she demanded of her self fiercely, IF
all my people should perish and, above
all, my Mordecai. Oh, Mordecai, Nor
decai, why has such trouble befallen
us? But what can I do? I cannot go
in unto the king unless he bid me, and
why should perish before him before
I had had chance to aid my people?
Surely, l am perplexed."
Then, calling Hatach, she babe 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 is
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 l 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.
thought not of myself, but of my peo-
pie and of Mordecai. What. shall it
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 time
as this?"
Her heart gave great bound aG it
responded to the sublime thought.
How it 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 rnnmorv of bnr o1yop+P,,1 I;sa
swept over her like food. How she
had been left a helpless, defenseIess
orphan, and in that dark hour had been
claimed by her fathers nephew. How
he had nurtured and cared for her as
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 so wondrously opened up for her
as queen.
Perhaps, indeed, 1t was for lust
such time as this that have come
h1ther," 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 had
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. l also, and my maidens will
fast likewise. And so will l go in unto
the king, which is not according to the
law, and if perish, perish"