Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-22
., AT BROAD; JACK OLANTERN,' AT FORREST
The Wanderer
By WILLIAM A. PAGE


II tell thee, daughter. he Iovss th,. ~. !,
ahirmed the mother. '-rhou sesst -. ~
.nese Judeans love. But what cans, fl[..
sApect from one who scorns orr 49,.
Isntar, ana who hath never laid a eIft Nr,-..|
he AI.arI Tisha. thou art to him only .
Tb%w % tiT,o .nst he would purchase cheap
Ihe naughty face Of TIsha naah.d 49,
voice. e'ep' INTO ner
80, 90, thou thincest he holds me che.,f
en-. sne purred, softly "A thing he ~
Uusn5 ,po,s ~ eneap. eh7 Very we'll. my mother
OF rr,sha yee see what he WIN do for love
~ hlsna, The necklace shall be mine. an4
more-more. He shall change Ms go
'ie Sneh DOW down before nay god
Nadina shrank back at this threat.
Nover. He will not No man ever
changeth his gods"
thou shalt see III wager the nri~.
Oh the necklace he hath refused 10 buv- 49,
snsII make him renounce the God Of -.
p".,.S ana DOW down in sacrifice before our
bapyIonian lshtar, the goddess OF love Nof
only snail he renounce his God FOR ~
not only Will he buy that necklace for rne
put wait and see what else that man shall
do for love Of Tisha." -
Inc elder woman gazed admirinEly upor
ner daughter: Incredulity was mingled with
amazement- but she was still unconvince1
Thou shouldst forget this stranger fro,,,.
the nils OF Hebron" she said. Thou shaft
Know the wooing of a greet sea captain,
nave had word that perchance this xer,,
hlght we viii have visit from Pharis. the
sea captain from Tyre, who sails on strange
voyages and brings back great carwoer
worth more than a kings ransom. He a
even now In Jerusalem, and Ahab hath bean
commissioned to find him and bring him
to thee This sea captain, II all hear be
true would give thee for each kiss--nn
emerald. And for these beads Of gold
bah! he'll buy thee thousand necklaces
IL thou dost but love him"
Tisha's eyes cleaned and flashed FIRE.
but she cast look in the direction of the
distant Jether.
Keep thy sea captain until later" she
cried. Il must first teach this Jether his
proper place and make him crawl in the
dust before me. Thou sayest he holds me
cheap, eh? Wait and see."
And Tlsha strolled in the direction of the
distant Jether, while Nadina followed
Sadyk into the house.
In distant alcove, beneath a fig trea
Jether was lying upon several cushions.
gazing at the sky. Suddenly a fig deftiv
thrown, fell by his side Half raising upon
his arm, another flg just grazed his fore
head. He sprang to his feet to meet Tisha
laughing and smiling.
MY Jether, art thou angry?" she cried.
and fell into his arms. Thus he held her
for few moments, and then she released
herself. Arm in arm they strolled back
| toward the shrine Of Ishtar
In one thing thou art right, my Jether.~
cooed Tisha, softly. her arm around his
waist For gold care not" She snapped
her fingers contemptuously Gould / not
have the half Of Jerusalem kneel in the
dust before me II cared only for gold and
precious stones? But am wearied OF Civ.
ing what thou hast never given-a proof Of
love. Thy words-what are thy wordsf
All men talk words when they would have 4
woman. These rings-to please thee have
not put away what others gave me befors
thy coming? Now I would have thee give
proofs TO me-"
Jether stroked her hand fondly what
could the little witch mean? Yet he was
filled with a vague foreboding that some
new scheme would be attempted by this
| clever daughter of the crafty Nadina whom
| he had grown to distrust.
moodlly.
That I will explain later; Why dds
thou refuse to buy me the necklace7'
"Sadyk divides his profits with shv
| mother 1 have seen it," -
i And thou hast no other reason?"
wen, know the TRUTH then" answered
Jether curtly. Il am out of humor.
IKE not the way that thou didst act when
last my friends were here"
What did / say to them?" demanded
Tisha, breaking away froin him.
1t was not so much what thou didst
say as thy manner with them"
Tisha clenched her little fists
what? Thou uouldst not have me Of
fend the friends thou bringest to nv
mothers house to feast with thee?"
MY friends bring friends and soma
may not be true" he said, taking her bv
the hands, and bringing her to a settes
in front of the shrine OF Ishtar yet thou
dost smile upon them all. Oh. Tisha.
would have thee all nine own When
thou smlest upon another [ seem TO see
red cloud before mine eyes. l want thee
all mine own"
Tlsha rose quickly and poured him out 4
goblet of wine, at the same time prepar-
ing one for herself. The boy drank his
wine fevershly, at one gulp.
Then, IL thou dost love maid OF
Babylon" whispered Tisha softly, ',if thor,
woudst love maid of Babylon, thou must
be prepared to give her the greatest proof
If love thou carst offer"
Jether gazed at her. She held him
tighter. and said, in the faintest OF
whispers:
rs there aught thou wouldst refuse me.
my Jether?"
The boy struggled to his feet
What meanest thou?" he asked.
Il would have the greatest proof OF thv
love-" she insisted, tensely. 1T will be
the supreme proof, my Jether Art thou
wiling?"
Dimly comprehendlng that a great test
was expected Of him. Jether said blankly.
AYE"
Then" cried Tisha. triumphantly, Thou