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SYNAPSIS.
Burton II. Barnes, a wealthy American
ourins Corsica, rescues the young Eng
lish lieutenant. Edward Gerard Anstruth
er. and his Corslcan bride. Marina,
daughter of the Paolls. from the , mur
derous vendetta, understanding that his
reward is to be the hand of the girl he
loves. Enid Anstruthcr. sister of the Eng
lish lieutenant. The four fly from AJac
cio to Marseilles on board the French
steamer Constantine. The vendetta pur
sties and as the quartet are about to
loard the train for London at Marseilles.
Marina is handed a mysterious note
which causes her to collapse and necessi
tates a postponement of the journey.
Barnes gets part of the mysterious note
and receives letters which Inform him
that he is marked by the vendetta. He
emplojs an American detective and plans
to beat the vendetta at their own game.
1'or the purpose of securing the safety
-of the women Barnes arranKes to have
Lady Chartris lease a secluded villn at
Nicf: to which the party is to be taken
in a yacht. Suspicion is created that
Marina is in league with the Corsica ns.
A man. believed to be Corregio Danella.
is seen passing the house and Marina is
thought to have given him a sign. Ma
rina refuses to explain to Barnes which
fact adds to his latent suspicions. Barnes"
plans for the safetv of the party are
learned by the Corsicans. The carriage
carrying their party to the local landing
is followed by two men. One of the
horsemen is supposed to he Corregio.
They try to murder the American. The
cook on the yacht a Krenchman is sus
pected or foinplicity in the plot. The
party anchors at St. Tropez. The yacht
in followed hv a small hoat. The cook is
detected giving signals to the boat.
Barnes attempts to throw him overboard,
but i. prevented by Marina and Enid.
The cook is found to be innocent of the
supposed plot and is forgiven. The party
arrive at Nice and find Ladv Chartris
and her daughter Maud domiciled in the
v:il:i rented with Barnes money. Barnes
is smazed to find that Count Corregio is
at Nice and is acting the role of admirer
to Lady Chartris. Barnes and Enid
make arrangements for their marriage.
The net tightens about Barnes. He re
ceives a note from 1m Belle Blackwood,
the American adventuress. Barnes hears
that Elijah Emory, his detective, has
been murdered by the Corsicans. He
learns that the man supposed to be Cor
tegio. who followed the party on their
way to the boat, was Salicetl. a nephew
of the count, and that Count Corregio
had been in Nice for some time prior to
the party's arrival.
CHAPTER VIII. Continued.
"Will that woman never let me
-alone?" thinks the American, and
pushes the note back in his pocket.
"I'll forget Sally Spotts forever by go
ing and seeing the minister."
But at the entrance to the residence
of the. divine a suspicion enters his
mind that he is being followed. He
makes his interview with the minister
of the church of England a very short
one, and coming rapidly out of the
house, his quick eyes perceive two
men on the opposite side of the street
These turn casually toward the traffic
of the busy avenue from the railroad
station and are lost in the crowd from
an arriving train.
Now that his footsteps are being
dogged, he thinks he had better see
Perrier, the French detective recom
mended by the Pinkerton mau. There
fore, keeping his eyes about him sharp
at any dark corners of the streets, he
walks' to the Rue Palermo, and rings
the bell at the house mentioned in
Emory's letter.
Here an old woman concierge in
forms him that Monsieur Perrier's
room is number four on the second
floor.
Barnes, pushing his way to number
four on the second floor, is confronted
at the door of this apartment by a man
of very brisk manner, sharp, penetrat
ing eyes and a nose whose peculiar
aquiline formation impresses itself on
Barnes' memory.
"In order to avoid any mistake,"
whispers the American, "I simply men
tion to you the word 'Vendetta. "
"And I simply reply 'Marseilles,'"
answers the man, "but I don't wish o
have anything to do with the affair."
"You are Monsieur Perrier?"
"Yes. of course; you know by my re
turning the word of recognition to
you," remarks the Frenchman.
"I must have a reason for your de
clining to aid me. This matter is too
important for you not to listen to me."
"I have been informed," answers
Perrier, "by my poor friend Emory's
letters of this peculiar and most un
fortunate affair, but I do not wish to
engage in it"
"Why not?" asks Barnes, shortly.
"Don't you think I have money to pay
for it?"
"Of course. I know Monsieur is
rich," answers the Frenchman, depre
catingly. "But my life is my onlj- as
set I have a wife and children. I saw
one vendetta in Corsica a few years
ago, and I don't want to get into an
other cat fight where cats are armed
with stilletos. Your enemies already
know your location at Villefranche,
Bernardo Salicetl has come from Cor
sica hoping to win the election in his
island by vengeance upon you. He
and -Enrico Danella, the dead Musso's
nephew, are in Nice."
"Has Enrico a scar upon his fore
head over his yeft eye?" asks Barnes,
eagerly.
"He has."
"Then I've the name of the scar
faced gentleman, thank you," remarks
Burton. "Now it is necessary you
come into this affair. Perrier. You've
got to aid not only me, but two
women."
The answer that comes causes
Barnes to look aghast
"I dare not" answers Perrier, short
ly. "The fate of my poor friend Em
ory Is too horrible."
"Fate! What fate?"
"Why, he was to be here two days
ago, according to his letters to me,
to arrange for guarding your villa.
He is not here even to-day. His last
note from St Tropez indicated he was
close upon the track of those who
have sworn this bleod fend against
vou and all who aid you. That letter
was written four days ago and what
has become of Emory?"
"How can I tell?" matters the Amer
ican gloomily.
"But I can," answers the private de
tective. "Madame Blackwood, for
whom I have executed some little com
missions, called on me two days ago
excitedly. 'Perrier, she said, In her
American abruptness, 'I want yon to
bring to jastJce some villains who !
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! murdered a Yankee detective named
Emory, the other day near St Tro
pez.' 'You saw him killed?' I asked.
'No, but I've got evidence a few
words from she checked herself;
but added, 'I don't dare to tell Mr.
Ruggles of this; he's so impulsive
he'd spend his money and his blood,
too, to bring a murderer of one of his
countrymen to justice. So you just
go on and get the evidence against
these fellows and trot them to the
guillotine.' But the fate of EmQry
warned me, I determined to give up
the whole affair," adds Perrier.
"Thank you again," sneers Barnes,
and coming out the American laughs
to himself. But the mention of Ma
dame Blackwood reminds him of her
letter. "By George, m Sally's note hint
ed at -grave danger to me. It must
be this Emory business!" and without
more ado Mr. Barnes, hurriedly keep
ing bis eyes alert for sudden daggers,
ma.-3s his way to the promenade, by
the sea and shortly after enters the
luxurious Hotel St. Petersburg.
It is ten in the evening. He is
about to send up his card to Madame
Blackwood and request an interview
when she enters. As she comes in
by the ladies' entrance, the Kansas
cattle king, who attends her, chances
to glance into the office and calls out:
"Whew. Barnes, that was a lucky ad-
rirtss vnn cavp nip in Paris fiv weeks
ago," and, taking him aside, whispers, j
"Why He Was to Bo
"I caught the lady. The goods came
high, bnt they're worth the money.
Step up and have supper with us."
This invitation Barnes finds it im
possible to politely decline, as Sally
Blackwood has already put her beauti
ful eyes upon him and said: "So glad
you're here. You mustn't refuse. We
saw so little of you in Monte Carlo."
A moment later Barnes finds him
self ushered into La Blackwood's priv
ate parlor, where supper is shortly
served to them. Several times Burton
is about to hint at the purport of her
note, but the expressive eyes of the
adventuress warn him to hold his
tongue. Coffee, however, is no sooner
served than the fascinating creature
says: "Now, Dan, supposing you run
downstairs and have your smoke there.
I want to talk with Mr. Barnes of
New York something I don't want
you to hear. That needn't make you
jealous it's about my parents in
Ohio."
The minute the cattle king disap
pears the lady's manner changes. She
cries airily: "Guess what made me
write to you?"
"Hate," mutters Barnes, between
puffs of his cigarette.
"No, though I ought to hate you.
What I want to see you about " La
Blackwood's ey. become intense and
her voice falls to a whisper' "is to
save your life if I can. Do you know
that half of a commune in Corsica
want your blood?"
"I've guessed it in the last few
days." observes Barnes grimly.
"Are you acquainted with a certain
Count Cipriano Danella?"
"Nevei have seen him."
"No, bat you've heard of him?"
"Oh, yes, he's a brother of the Da
nella who was killed in Corsica."
"Yes. Now, this gentleman, who is
a very good man and very tender
hearted, obtained an introduction to
me about three days ago on the des
Anglais. From some words of a Lady
Chartris, a cousin of yours, he has
learned that you are to marry very
shortly the pretty girl whose lips I
threatened to kiss at Monte Carlo.
Well, this Cipriano Danella, who looks
quite romantic in his Corsican mourn
ing, while making love to me till Dan
got jealous," she laughs slightly, "hint-
ed to me that it would be very unfor-
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innate fcr Miss Anstruther should she
! become Mrs. Barnes of New York;
that, as your wife, she would be
drawn into this blood feud that has
been declared ' against you. 'Now,'
suggested Count Cipriano, 'you are the
lady-best fitted by past friendship and
present charm, to prevent this dan
ger to the pretty English girl, by de
stroying the wedding.'"
"You have brought me here for
this?" says Burton, his eyes growing
angry.
- "Walt! Listen! As an American,
my desire is to protect you from
death. I appeared to accede to Clpri
ano's request to fascinate you again.
I wonder if I could do it?" .She looks
at him roguishly and laughs through
her white teeth. "Don't be frightened
of me. So I pumped the romantic
Corsican, who made half love to me
while he tried to persuade me. I found
but that not only was the commune
of Boco Bocognano or something of
that kind anxious for your blood, bnt
that several gentlemen from that
neighborhood were here in order to
obtain it and to make their task easy,
they had done up in some way or oth
er a detective you had employed to
shadow them, a Yankee named Emory,
I believe. Therefore, I said to myself:
'I'll take care if possible to inform Mr.
Barnes of the dangers that surround
him, and if he is the man I think him,
he is about as well able to protect
himself and his coming bride as any
one I know."
"Hold up a moment. I want to ask
you a question," interrupts Barnes.
"What makes you think the devils
have done up poor Emory?"
"Well, a careless expression of
Count Danella only this: 'He won't
bother them again,' something of that
kind from Cipriano."
"I must be going. I'm deeply grate
ful to you." Burton rises. "Mr. Rug
gles" "Don't be afraid. Dan won't be jeal
ous." She extends to him her beautifully
formed white fingers dazzling with
Here Two Days Ago."
rings. "Good-by, I hope you'll be hap
py on your wedding trip, but don't let
love make you careless, mon Bayard."
Barnes takes her hint His pistol is
ready as he throws open the door of
her apartment and passes cautiously
out; so all the way down the stairs of
the hotel he is careful as to corners,
and out on the street well peopled as
is the Des Anglais, the American has
a wary eye about him. Lady Char
tris has doubtless told Cipriano Da
nella of his visit to Nice and that he
returns with her to her villa this even
ing. He therefore breaks his appoint
ment with Prunella and taking a hired
carriage watches till the lady, tired
of waiting, drives angrily home, then
jogs along a few hundred yards be
hind her, ready for any emergency.
But nothing of a threatening nature
is seen.
As the vehicle enters the grounds
of the villa, the sight of a Scotch tar
on the lookout gives the coming bride
groom confidence in the sailor's watch.
As he wakes up in the morning, not
withstanding the thought that it is his
wedding day is dominant in his mind,
he reflects over the matter. What has
this Cipriano Danella done except 'to
arouse his suspicions? "Even the
count's conversation with la Belle
Blackwood didn't disclose that he
meditated any attack upon me or my
bride," he reflects, moodily, "only that
Cipriano wished to prevent an Inno
cent young girl being drawn Into this
frightful feud. Hang it I can't shoot
the cuss on suspicion and yet!" The
American closes his jaw with a snap i
and goes down to breakfast to meet
as charming a bride as the sun has
shone upon.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Lightning in Rots of Jailer.
In playing pranks about a house a
bolt of lightning locked Wallace, fourteen-year-old
son of William J. Wheel
er, in a closet at Worcester, Mass.,
but failed to release him again. The
boy was in the house, when a bolt
completely wrecked, the dining room,
forcing the windows out onto the
lawn. He sought refuge in his favo
rite place, the cupboard, and had no
sooner entered it than the bolt bit
the door and locked it He remained
there until his parents came home
and heard his shrieks for help.
The State Capital
Matters '! Geaeral Interest
HOM
Merchandise is Defined.
Attorney General Thompson, answer
ing questions of the State Railway
commission, has given an opinion
holding that the Sibley act in refer
ring to "merchandise" means merchan
dise in its general sense and not as
used in the classification by the ex
press companies. Therefore the bill
provides for a reduction on all com
modities of merchandise In the broad
est sense, including butter, eggs, cored
and fresh meats, fruits, vegetables,
commodities which Commissioner Will
iams claimed were not covered by the
act Mr. Thompson finds that the act
does not provide for the reduction of
the money rate, as contended by Com
missioner Williams. The attorney
general upholds the contention of
Commissioner Clarke as expressed in
a warm discussion at a recent meeting
of the commission. Mr. Williams had
asked the commission to ask for a re
duction on articles which he, said the
Sibley act does not cover. The mat
ter was referred to the attorney gen
eral. The attorney general finds that the
only class of merchandise to which
the 25 per eent reduction In the Sib
ley law does not apply to is merchan
dise weighing one pound or less, where
the rates of transportation are paid in
advance) and the carriage of merchan
dise consisting of cream, milk or poul
try contracted to be carried for a spec
ial rate, where the contract was in
force when the act in question took
effect, and for the transportation of
merchandise where the rate on a par
ticular shipment, in force January 1
did not exceed 15 cents.
Barker Again Faces Death.
The supreme coure took no action
at the request of Judge F. G. Hamer
on behalf of Frank Barker, the Web
ster county murderer who is to be
hanged Friday of this week at the
penitentiary. Judge Hamer appeared
twice before the judges of the court
in their consultation .room. Grant
Martin, assistant attorney general was
called in to represent the state. The
order of the supreme coure issued the
day before affirming the proceedings
of the district court of Lancaster
county which resulted in a verdict of
a jury that Barker is sane still stands
as the last utterance of the court of
last resort The court has not ad
journed, however, and .Barker's attor
ney may have another opportunity
to present his claim that the court
should wait for a bill of exceptions
from the insanity inquiry and issue a
stay of sentence until the bill is ex
amined to ascertain whether or not
the court of inquiry erred. The su
preme court has thus far intimated
that the inquiry into the sanity of
Barker and the verdict of the jury,
being in all things according to the
statutes, ends the matter. Its order
affirming the proceedings and the or
der of the district court setting Jan
uary 17 as the date of execution is so
construed. Judge Hamer did not have
a bill of exceptions when he applied
for a stay of sentence, but did file a
transcript. He has had several months
to get a bill of exceptions. Barker
has been sentenced four times to be
hanged for a double murder.
Constitutional Amendments.
The last legislature provided for the
submission of two important constitu
tional amendments to a vote of the
people, one to increase the number of
judges of the supreme court from three
to seven, giving them a salary of
$4,500 each and increasing the sal
aries of district judges from $2,500 to
$3,000, and the other providing for the
Investment of state trust funds in
school district warrants and such
other securities as the legislature may
direct To secure the republican
party endorsement of these amend;
1 ments so that straight party votes at
the general election will be counted
for them, the supporters of the pro
posed amendments are planning to
submit them to the general primary
election this fall. The party endorse
ment can be given only at the primary
and not in the platform convention.
Guardsmen Mustered Out
Captain Penrod was here from Beat,
rice to discuss with the adjutant gen
eral the matter of mustering out cf
the guard the Beatrice company. Cap
tain Penrod said th e company in
tended to disband and the talk of
the business men of Beatrice raising
money to keep up the company was
hot air, as practically none of the
"business men were in the movement
to raise the necessary funds. The
company receives $225 from the state
and its pays out $600 annually, which
Captain Penrod said was entirely too
frucb to ask the members of the com
pany to pay.
f Protest on Increased Rates.
The State Railway commission re
ceived a request from the Independent
Telephone company of Kearney, ask
ing permission to advance the rates
for telephone service. The proposed
false would give the company $3 per
faonth in place of $2 for business
telephones, and $2 instead of $1.50 for
resident telephone service. Frank
Beeman of Kearney telephoned to' the
commissioners that he had written a
letter protesting against such an ad
'Vance in rates and fully set forth his
objections.
Kruger Case Reversed.
' The supreme court has reversed a
'judgment for damages obtained by
Mette Kruger against the Omaha
Street Railway company. The girl,
who is under 14 years of age, became
frightened and jumped off of a moving
car. The court holds it to be the duty
of a street car conductor to use due
care and diligence to prevent a fren
zied person from alighting from a mov
ing car, bnt in this case the court
erred in instructing the jury that the
Blaintiff might recover damages even
1 though she was negligent in her act
a
Nebraska's Seat of Geverataeat
Railroads and a New Law.
Several county assessors have called
on George D.1 Bennett, secretary of the
State Board of Assessment, to consult
him about the provisions of the ter
minal tax law. Mr. Bennett has al
ready prepared the sample blanks to
be sent to the various county clerks,
who in turn are to have blanks print
ed for the use of assessors. A meet
ing of the assesors is to be held during
the winter and Mr. Bennett' will ex
plain the provisions of the bill to them.
The railroads are making blue prints
of their local property in every town
in the state and sending one copy to
the local assessors, one will be sent
to the state board and one will be
kept as the railroad offices. The Un
ion Pacific is also attaching to its blue
prists the value of lots adjacent to
the railroad lots. This will be a par
tial guide to the assessors, but the fig.
ures cannot be taken as a sure guide,
because all read estate will be reas
sessed this year. Just how the state
board is going to equalize the value of
the lots with the lots adjacent has
not been figured out, as the county
assessors return the total value of all
lots in a county and the average value:
No item is contained in the schedule
for the value of lots adjacent to rail
road property. The board has figured
that it cannot take the average value
of the lots in a county as the average
value of a railroad lot.
Balks on Oil Inspection.
Whether the Nebraska law intends
that oil shipped into the state and
used by a company or individual
which does not offer it for sale, should
be inspected or not will be the point
in question in a frienly suit by State
Inspector Allen against tha Burlington
Railroad company, which has refused
to pay a bill for inspection of oil at
its shops in Lincoln. Some time ago
the state oil inspector sent a bill to
the Burlington railroad for a consider
able sum for inspecting the oil used
at the shops in Lincoln. State Oil In
spector Allen received a letter from
General Manager G. W. Holdredgc in
which Mr. Holdrege said the company
refused to pay the bill, and did not
believe that the law providing for the
inspection of oil intended that such oil
as was shipped in for the use of a
company or corporation, and not of
fenft for sale, should be subject to any
inspection. Mr. Holdrege suggested
that if the oil Inspector desired to test
the law en the point, he would be glad
to have a friendly suit brought against
the Burlington railroad company for
the collection of the bill. Inspector
Allen announced that he would bring
a suit at once.
Largest Number of Convicts.
Warden A. D. Beemer reported that
he had 407 convicts under his care.
This Is the largest number ever in the
Nebraska penitentiary. Only once be
fore did the number reach 400. W.
H. Dorgan of Lincoln, formerly prison
contractor, tells how that high mark
was made. It was during the time
Wyoming state prisoners were kept
at the Nebraska state penitentiary.
When the number reached 399 report
came that another prisoner was on the
way. It was also known at the prison
that one convict would leave the same
day by reason of expiration of sen
tence. The man whose term expired
was kept in the penitentiary until
noon. By that time' the new prisoner
had arrived, and thus the number
reached 400. Warden Beemer's month
ly report shows 404 prisoners on the
last day of December.
Telegraph Companies Report.
The Western Union Telegraph com
pany, against, which suit was filed
some time ago for failure to furnish
the railway commission with informa
tion, filed its report for 1907.- to
gether with a list of those who held
frames last year. The list includes
Omaha, Lincoln and Norfolk newspa
pers and a number of railroad offi
cers, who held the privileges at the
time the law forbidding them went into
effect. None was issued in 1908, ac
cording to the report
The statement shows the capital
stock of the company to be $97,370,000.
The total revenue of the company in
1900 was $30,675,645.53 and in 1907
$32,856,406.25, an increase of $2,180,
751.72. The profits in 1906 were $5
742,607.88, and in 1907 $4,904,149.05, a
decrease of $838,458.83. The total
property was $157,378,971.95, includ
ing the franchise.
Commissioner Ames Resigns.
Supreme Court Commissioner John
H. Ames tendered bis resignation to
the supreme court and it was accept
ed. Mrs. Ames is in poor health and
Judge Ames will leave with her at
once for the south. This was the rea
son given for the resignation. No one
has yet been appointed to fill the va
cancy. Cut in Laundry Blli.
The state will not pay for the laun
drying of the shirtwaists, corset cov
ers and other female wearing apparel
for which a claim was recently filed
with the state auditor by the secre
tary of the board of regents of the
state university. President Ernest' of
the board of regents has withdrawn his
approval of the voucher.
Omaha Gets Convention.
Omaha is the place and Thursday,
March 12, is the date for the republi
can state convention which is to se
lect the delegates-at'Iarge and alter-nates-at-large-
to go to the Chicago
convention. The time and place of
meeting of the congressional district
convention to select district delegates
and alternates was left to the congres
sional committees of the different dis
tricts, with the recommendation that
they fix the same time and place as
the state convention.
Judge Sedgwick Honored.
Chief Justice S. H. Sedgwick of
the supreme court was given a magni
ficent gold headed cane. It was pre
sented in an informal manner by Judge
J. B. Barnes on behalf of the judges
of the court and the court commis
sioners. Chief Justice Sedgwick re
tired from office and his associates,
most of whom have been with him
for the past six years, took this as a
fitting occasion to show, their regard
for' him. He left for his home in
York, carrying with him the best
wishes of the entire bar of the state.
A MATRIMONIAL
V THE.MCHWAY AMD BYWAY
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Scripture Authority 1 Kings 3:1;
11:1-4.
SERMONETTE.
"Solomon made affinity with
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took
Phareah's daughter and brought
her into the city of David." Hero
was the first stop in a course
which was to work the ruin of
Solomon's life.
"Be yo not unequally yokod to
gather with unbelievers," is the
Scriptural admonition. It was
one of the 'laws of the Jewish
dispensation on which great em
phasis was laid, and it is ono 'of
the admonitions of the Chris
tian dispensation which is clear
ly and positively set forth by the
'Apostle Paul.
Why should this be so? Why
cannot we have happy success
ful union between the Christian
and the non-Christian? "i he apos
tle answers the question when
he goes on to ask: "for what
fellowship hath righteousness
with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with dark
ness?" There is no relationship in life
so intimate and close as that of
husband and wife, and hence if
such relationship is to be endur
ing there must be fellowship and
communion between the lives
thus linked together.
It is then a question as to
what direction such fellowship
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the righteousness dominate the
unrighteousness, the light the
darkness? Or will the heart of
the worldling 'lead away from
God the one who has pledged
himself to God? Will the world-
liness stifle and quench the light
of God's truth which has shined
in the heart?
Almost invariably the mar
riage of the Christian with the
non-Christian works disaster to
the faith of the former.
Solomon's union with Phara
oh's daughter was a brilliant
political mlrriage, with every
reason from a human and world
ly point of view to commend it
It gave him a powerful ally to
the south, assuring not only pro
tection from attack from that
quarter, but strengthening his
hands with the nations to the
north and east It gave a bril
liant aspect to the reign of King
Solomon and was the beginning
of that splendor and magnifi
cence which marked his entire
reign. And further, it brought
into the national life of Israel a
liberal, progressive element
which was broadening in its in
fluence, commercially and so-
And yet in spite of all the tern- o
porary advantages which were
to accrue, it was an unwise, un
safe, and unholy alliance.
Unwise, because counter to
the explicit command of. God,
or, ou,
IF
and certain it is that vi
of God's command ul
brings ruin.
Unsafe, because it was not
only weakening the national
ideals of a people wholly set
apart to God, but a weakening
also of the individual ideals
which were going to make the
second step away from God
easier.
Unholy, because a violation
of a righteous principle absolute
ly essential to the. moral and
spiritual uplift of the human
race. Not even a king could
transgress the .sacred obliga
tions to God and escape the
consequences.
"Be not unequally yoked to
gether with unbelievers, is a
command as binding upon those
who occupy the exalted places
of life as it is upon those of
more humble station.
THE STORY.
THE choosing of a wife is one of
the most important steps of life.
It is a matter which must not be
considered hastily. Sentiment must
not be allowed to run away with judg
ment or expediency cover up the ob
ligation which one owes to God and
God's law. Where love is based on
something deeper than mere physi
cal beauty, and on something higher
than mere human attainment; in
other words, where love includes in
its inspiration and its expression the
thought of loyalty and devotion to
God, then and then only is love a safe
guide. Sentiment and passion are not
love, and expediency and convenience
are sign posts which point to the
matrimonial whirlpool of disappoint
ment and ruin. Man was intended
for woman and woman for man, but
God intended that they should be
mated and not mismated. What God
joins together is never put asunder.
It was no secret in Israel that a wife
was being sought for the young and
handsome King Solomon. Since his
coming to the throne it had been
recognized as one of the important
matters requiring solution. With the
chief men of the nation and those
close to the king in the administra
tion of the affairs of the nation it
was a question as to where they
should look for a consort for their
king.
More than one of the chief men of
the nation secretly, wished that his
own fair daughter might be the one
selected to be queen, but each with
becoming modesty refrained from
openly advancing the claims of their
respective daughters, so that appar
ently no progress was made in the
quest for a wife for Solomon.
And perhaps the one least con
cerned over the .matter was Solomon
himself. His had been a busy life'
r I
since coming to the throne.
earnest, devout spirit in which ho
had entered upon the great obliga
tions of ruling a kingdom had. kept
him steadfast and faithful to his
task. He felt his youth, his inexperi
ence, his limitations? and with the
benediction and blessing of the Godly
David resting upon "him and bis ex
ample pointing him to God as the
source or all wisdom and strength, he
had sought the Lord with a great
yearning to know and do the divine
will. This had become known to
all the nation, and after his return to
Jerusalem from' Gibeon after his re
markable vision la which God had
promised him wisdom and riches aad
honor, he found the chief mem. aad
leaders of the people and the people
themselves moved by one spirit of
love and devotion to the apheiMlag
of the kingdom. So it had cosse to
pass that the aatioa was solidified
aad strengthened aad immediately be
gan to feel the stimulus of that ag
gressive spirit which was to mttbamte
ly make of Solomon's kingdom the
richest and most prosperous and most
enlightened of any of the nations
about.
Sack- remarkable development and
progress could not but arouse the in
terest if not apprehension, of the
neighboring kingdoms, and eagerly
steps were taken to show friendly
spirit towards the nation of Israel aad
to invite exchange of treaties whereby
both the commercial and the politi
cal interests of the two would be
served. Thus rapidly did there de
velop a system of trade relationships,
so that there was a constant "stream
of merchantmen passing to and from
Jerusalem. And in this way the mat
ter of choosing a wife for King Solo
mon became known .to the nations
about,, and it was not long ere bril
liant embassies were arriving at Jeru
salem with proposals of marriage
with the princesses of the neighboring
cations, even Egypt sending an offer
of the hand of the daughter of Pha
raoh. Good old Nathan, the prophet, was
not a little perturbed by this latest
devcTopment of the situation, and lost
no time in reminding King Solomon
of the restrictions which the Mosaic
law placed upon marriage with the
nations about He would have been
glad if the king would have sum
marily bundled the whole company of
ambassadors . back to the kingdoms
from which they had come, but Solo
mon was too keen a diplomat for that,
and while he did not ignore the ad
monitions of Nathan, he felt attract
ed by the brilliant prospects which
a foreign alliance offered. And where
the soul comes face to face with the
question of religious duty or expe
diency which promises rich and glori
ous present reward, there is apt to
be the struggle which only too often
is decided finally in favor of
expediency, with the hope and pur
pose that the religious obligations
shall not be forgotten or neglected.
So it was with Solomon, and whea
the messengers came from the king
of Egypt they found him more than
willing to listen to their proposals.
And again the good and faithful Na
than came to the king and urged up
on his heart the absolute claims of
God, and with a last parting appeal
he left him just as the evening shad
ows were gathering.
Long the young king sat while the
struggle went on in his heart He
was too devout and loyal to God to
willfully and absolutely violate the
command of God, but he let question
ings arise in his heart as to whether
the word of God meant just what
Nathan urged it did. Was' the law of
God intended to narrow the life aad
limit the possibilities? Was serving
God a hindrance to success and pow
er? And so as he let the questions
and doubts arise it obscured his vis
ion of right until the heart became
Tess sensitive to God's claims and
more alive to the advantages to be
gained by following the course which
desire and reason ladicated.
"Why cannot I make this alliance
and still maintain my loyalty to God?
And what a splendid opportunity it
will be of bringing the knowledge, of
the true God to the Egyptians. See
how such alliance will not only ad
vance the material prosperity of the
kingdom of Israel1, but how it will ad
vance the cause of the God of Israel."
Thus there grew upon his vision
the picture of what Israel was yet
to become and again he asked himself
the question whether he would be do
ing right not to take advantage of
every opportunity of advancing the
material prosperity of his kingdom?
And as the matter became settled in
his own mind, gradually the voice of
God ceased to struggle with him on
that point, and so a peace came and
a settled conviction that the policy
of expediency was the right policy.
And so to Nathan the next day the
king sent saying:
"This thing seemeth good to me.
See what glory and honor it will
bring to the nation of Israel."
And King Solomon dismissed the
messengers of the king of Egypt with
rich presents for the princess, and
sent his courtiers to prepare for the
approaching nuptials.
BOAST OF OUR CONTINENT.
America Has the World's Supply of
Humming Birds,
Though the art museums of Europe
may have some treasures of which
America cannot boast our continent
has the distinction of a monopoly of
the world's supply of humming birds,
the gems of all the feathered creation.
Of these there are said to be some 4to
species the 400 we may call them!
nearly all of which are peculiar to the
tropical regions. Only 18 cross the
borders of the United States from
Mexico, and occur only in our south
western states.
The popular idea is that the hum
mer lives only on honey, gathered
from flowers. This is a mistake. The
bird does secure some honey, bnt Its
food consists mainly of the small in
sects which frequent the flowers. Some
of these insects are injurious to the
blossom, and the tiny bird fulfills a
useful function in destroying them.
That the hummer is insectivorous is
also shown by its habit of catching
tiny- insects on the wing, which Is
occasionally observed. H. K. Job, la
Outing Magazine.
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