Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-02-17


waiting heard her speak and Instantly
came In. bowling low and asking her
what she desired.
i did not CALL" Queen Esther said
with gracious. kindly smile, but now
that thou art here, tell me, were these
the apartments OF Queen Vashti? And
are these the same beautiful, furnish
ings which she enjoyedr"
Inc apartments are the same. your
hlghness, but the furnishings ara the
latest and finest which could be
iound oy search through all the vast
realm"
King Ahasuerus 10 good" said
Queen Esther, in soft, appreciative
tones.
Yea, he is. save when in his cups.
he has never ceased to mourn for the
beautiful Vashti. She was, oh, SO
good"
And shall try to be good. too"
spoke up Queen Esther, in earnest
tone. and you will help me. won't
your" she added, with a wipsome an.
peal In her voice
The maid was completely won by
the sweet candor of the new queen and
gave ready assent. and In the days
which followed she gave ample evi.
dence OF sincere loyalty. And II was
well for Queen Esther that she had a
real friend in the midst OF all that In
trigue and plotting which marked thu
NE or the great palace of Shushan.
Inc days came and went. Esther, in
obedience to the command OF Morde-
cal. had kept the secret Of her nation.
atty. and OF her connection with him
IL had been long time since she had
had word from her cousin. and a voice
whispered within that now. as oueen
and removed so far from him. IL would
De well for her to obl;terate all traces
or connection with him. How easy to
cut loose absolutely from him. To re.
cel'e no communication from him and
10 send no word to him. When that
voice whispered such suggestion to
Queen Esther she scarce listened tn a
at all at first, but as the DAVIS passed
she found the voice repeating the sug.
sesuon' and she In turn arguing with
herself as to the feasibility of obeying.
Ii was struggle between the loyal i'm.
pulses OF the heart towards the friend
OF the old and lowly life and the
naughty pride Of the heart which finds
birth In the new life of an exalted sta.
ton. 1t is such struggle as that
"nlcn comes TO one always who. hay.
ing attained great and exalted station,
IN NE, hnds the questions arising as
10 Just where the former friends are
going to tit into the new life But true
womanhood asserted itself finally in
the case OF Esther, as II will In anv
| heart which rings true and genuine
and, calling her maid to her, she cues
tloned her as to whom she could trust
In taking messages outside the palace
walls, for said she: 81 have a very dear
friend, one to whom i owe everything
TO whom desire to secretly send word
and find out how he does"
"Hatach, one of the kings chamber
lains, Is such a man." confidently re
piled the maid. But fear Bigtbana
and Teresh. They have not ceased to
grieVe for the Queen Vashti, and would
do thee and the king hurt had they the
chance"
Who are these men? Are thew the
ones who have been so solicitous in
Keeping guard over the wing to the
palace in which are my apartments?"
The same, your highness."
And why think you that Hatach
can be trusted?" questioned the queen
Because he is OF a race different
from Bigthana and Teresh. a race
called the Jews. many OF whom still
remain in this land, Notwithstanding
that years ago permission was given
To them TO return to their own land"
Queen Esther started visibly. but
quickly recovering herself, for she was
surprised and delighted to learn that
Hatach was of her own nation. She
said, calmly:
1T IS enough. Send Hatach thither
but let not Bigthana or Teresh know
what thou doeth."
so II came to pass that Queen
Esther found another friend in the per
son OF Hatach, eunuch, and one OF
the kings chamberlains over the roval
harem. He It was who proved a trusty
messenger between Esther and Morde.
sal. lie ii was who, at the suggestion
or Esther, warned Mordecai of Biz.
thana and Teresh. and he IT was who
later brought word to Queen Esther
from Mordecai OF the plot of these two
men. and which was communicated IN
the king, who speedily had them
hanged 10 a tree.
1t was at this time that the king
was pleased to advance Hannah I'm the
affairs of the kingdom and make him
chief over all the princes Of the realm.
thing which troubled Mordecai. the
keeper Of the kings gate, for with his
advancement Hannah had assumed the
kingly prerogatives and demanded that
the people everywhere whom he mel
should bow in alteration and worship
a thing which a Jew could not do. for
worship was due alone to God.
Tho orOnuo1 81. If..-