Times-promoter., 1909-01-28
THE STORY.


| WHATEVER the trouble that had
w oyertaken Mordecai, Queen Esther
felt confident that she would be able
to help him. So confident was she OF
this. In fact. that when she had dis,
patched Hatach with her last message,
telling Mordecai that whatever his
trouble she would help him, she quite
dismissed the matter from her mind,
believing that Hatach would be able
to afford the relief which her cousin
needed
In this frame of mind she continued
her planning for some social function
which was to bring the women of the
palace together and help to relieve the
tedium of the place, and was quite un-
prepared for the message of Hatach
| when he presented himself at the door
of her apartments the next morning
and pressed the Importance of secret
interview.
What tidings bring you? cried the
queen in some alarm, for she saw by
the countenance of Hatach that he
was the bearer of ominous tidings. "Is
Mordecai safe?"
Yes, and no." Hatach replied. "And
as for ourselves as Jews we are all in
peril" And he went on to tell her
of the decree which the king had sent
forth at the prompting of Haman, or
dering that all the Jews in all the
realm, both old and young, men, wom-
en- and children, should on certain
day be slain.
And Mordecai pleadeth with thee
that thou shouldst go in unto the king
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
Is 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 a helpless
ship in the grasp of a terrible storm,
oh, 1t cannot, 1t must not be-" she
cried at last, her womanhood asserting
itself and checking the sobs which had
shaken her frame. 'It 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 II |
in disgust.
What though my life were spared"
she demanded of her self fercely, IF |
all my people should perish and, above
all, my Mordecai Oh, Mordecai, Nor,
decai, why has such trouble befallen
us? But what can l do? cannot 60
in unto the king unless he bid me, and
why should Iperish before him before
had had chance to aid my people?
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
hat whosoever whether man or won.
IN, shall come unto the king into the
nner court, who is not called, there is
one law of his to put him to death, ex.
,ept such to whom the king shall hold
'ut the golden sceptre, that he may
i've; but have not been called to |
,ome in unto the king these 80 days"
That night little sleep came to
queen Esther, and she was ready wait.
ng early in the morning for the return
If Hatach, whom she knew would |
,ring her word as soon as possible.
And he did not keep her long waiting,
or the message of Mordecai was ur.
rent and full of ominous meaning: u