The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-06

great scheme of re-creating Jewish na- ton as was the ideallst himself. Daniel told Sir Hugo of his plans, his aspira- tions. And Sir Hugo bade him follow the dictates of his conscience.
 As Deronda stood in,the little home he had contrived for Ezra and Mirah he said to the young woman: "I would rather take your grief to be mine than take the brightest joy of another woman. Say you will not reject me. Say that you will promise to be my wife-say it now. I | have been in doubt so long. I have had | to hide my love so iong."
 | The change in Mirah had been gradual. | She had passed from anguish to the full, | blessed confidence in the man before her and knew that he was giving her the highest tribute a man can give a woman. Now the raptrous assurance of unhoped for good took possession of her frame; her face glowed under Deronda's as he bent over her. She could only lift up her lips to his and kiss them as if this were the simplest ''yes." Then said she in a whisper. 'Let us go and comfort Ezra The wedding feast of Deronda and Mirah was humble, but not without splen- did wedding gifts. Sir Hugo and Lady Mallinger provided for them a complete equipment for eastern travel and all their friends remembered them. Gwendolen sent something still more precious to Daniel. It was a letter in which she said: "Do not think to be one of the best of women. You must not grieve for me more I shall be better because I have known you."
 The preparations for the departure of Deronda. Ezra and Mirah for the East began at once, after the wedding. Daniel did not believe that Ezra could stand the journey, but Ezra himself said: "Never mind where I die, so that ! die with you" He did not set out with them. One morning early he said to Deronda: Do not quit me today. shall die before night" He chose to dress and sit up in his chair as usual, with Daniel and Mirah on either side of him, and for some hours was unusually silent, not even making an effort to speak, but looking at them occasional ly with eyes full of a restful meaning, as if to assure them that. while this
  cult he felt an ocean of peace beneath him. It was not until late in the aft ernoon that he took the hand of each in his and said. looking at Deronda:
 Death is coming to me as the divine kiss, which is both parting and reunion which takes me from your bodily eyes, but gives me full presence in your soul. Where thou goest, Daniel. I shall go. Is it not begun? Have I not breathed my soul into you? We shall live togeth er" He paused, and Deronda, thinking that there might be another word from him, waited. But slowly, with an effort, Ezra. pressing hands on their hands, raised himself and uttered in Hebrew the confession of the Di- vine Unity, which for long generations has been on the lips of the dying Irael- ite. He sank back gently and did not speak again. But 1t was some hours before he ceased to breathe with Mirah's and Deronda's arms around him.
 Then went the husband and the wife to the East, returning to preach the nationality of the Jews and striving all their lives to awaken to the cause of Zionism the great scholars, the great capitalists and the great statesmen of the scattered Israel.
 Next weeks one-page classis will be Shirley" by Charlotte BrOnte.