The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-06-06
this mantle"


MAY Jethers children reign as kings
Of Israeli
Parsodias, the Mede, a fierce, full
bearded man, who wore a jeweled
sword which never left his side, strobe
up to Jether "Of thee, prince, I would
learn something. have heard thine Il
q land where wild beasts roam. Dost
kill thy lions with bow or javelin
mounted or on footr'
Jether, unused to city ways and
speaking only the truth as he knew II
In Judea, replied r!mply, ION foot, with
knife alone, have killed q lion"
"A mighty lionT cried Hadramut
the Arabian. II shall reward thee
Prince Jether. Thou shalt have my
mare, the queen of the desert. Naught
cares Hadramut for thy riches, but
since thou art his friend and hath
slain a lion single handed, thou shalt
have my mare. Between me and thee,
he added sinuatingly. as he held Out
his hand suggestively, what is a thou
sand shekels?"
Jether smiled and instinctively reach.
ed Into his purse. He drew out a
handful Of coins and was about ia
count out the money to Hadramut
when the ever watchful lola inter.
fered.
With one quick grasp he took the
money from Jether's hands and swept
II into his own capacious purse.
Keep thy tottering nag for one who
hath done thee wrong, for l have seen
It," he cried. "Shall Jether waste on
thee a thousand shekels, when his best
friend is needy? Nay, good Jether
let Tola advise thee when thou dost
wish to purchase horse"
Jether. with a laugh, turned again ia
Tisha. The men. with madness In their
brains, were thinking little Of the prom.
Used feast and much of the wine served
them by the Nubians, and of the beau.
tiful women who lolled so languidly
about the garden upon the divans and
cushions. Within the house the strum.
ming Of the harps and the beating OF
the cymbals made rough, weird music
and as the darkness descended a score
OF lamps were lighted in the gardens
TO cast a strange and rosy light over
the picture OF oriental magnificence.
As Tisha, clasped in the arms of
Jether, toyed with the scarf he wore,
Ahab. the servant Of Put, who had been
waiting without the gate, approached
him.
Thy pardon, good master" bowed
Ahab. prostrating himself before Je-
Their "A maiden ut the gate asks It'd
ings OF Master Jether."
"A maiden asks for me? Who II
sheT" demanded Jether. curiously.
Il know not"
How doth she lookY'
"As one n stranger to the city. all
clad In simple white. with leathern san
dals. She draws her veil before her
face and says, 'Canst tell me, my good
man. how fareth Master JetherY"
As Tisha started To rise as II to see
the stranger. Jether held her by the
arm. Tisha paused and smiled. Wears
she many jewels?" she demanded.
Nay. good mistress. none"
Tisha triumphantly. No need to fear
this rival II she were indeed so plain
and unadorned. Struck by sudden
thought, she laughed and tore the
scarf from Jether's neck. Then as he
tried to recover II she ran round and
round the garden. laughing hilariously
as she waved the scarf In her hands.
circling the edge OF the fountain. leap
ing over lovers In their wooing and all
the time pursued 10y the laughing
Jether. who wished to regain the scarf.
Just as they circled the fountain for
the second time and passed the gate
way a slender. girlish figure in simple
white. with veil drawn before her face.
passed them. She gave \ sharp cry Of
pain as she beheld the huttering scarf
In the hands OF Tisha, with Jether
laughlngly pursuing her. She paused
and turned TO Ahab.
"Who is she. SO strange. so fairy'
she cried, TREMENDOUSLY.
Ahab bowed low at the mention Of
the wonderful Tisha.
The Joy OF all Jerusalem-the most
beautiful. the most superb. Tisha,
whom all men worship-Tisha. the
beautiful BY what name shall an
nounce your
My name? Naomi"-the girl hest
tated NAY. say nothing-I am gone"
And In another moment she had dis
appeared. When Jether. who had dim
ly seen the familiar apparition as he
dashed by and had scarcely recognized
II. came to the gate to see the girl who
had asked for him the smirking Ahab
told him the maiden had made a mis-
take. As Jether. his eyes half filed
with tears for a cause he knew not.
again wound the scarf around his neck
Tisha stole up behind him and asked.
What dost thou see?"
"Nothing-a sudden thought" he re-
piled softly, IA memory drifting on
the waves OF wine Perchance l seem
ed TO see a maiden I knew among the
hills at home. Who was she? I Won
der was 1t all but dream. or did I see
Naomi standing here amid all the
wickedness Of Jerusalem? Naomi
wonder"
Tisha climbed upon cushioned d.
van. raised a goblet of wine far above