Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CHAPTER XTIIL THE PLAGUES. mHE court was gone, and Masa nath was making the most of each day of her freedom. Memphis was in a state of apathy, worn oat by revel and emp? tied of her laminarles. Ta-meri, intox? icated with the importance of her posi? tion as lady in waiting to the queen, had departed with ber husband, the cupbearer. Io Jiad returned to her home In On with en ache in her brave little heart that outweighed even Masa naSfs tor heaviness. "The "last of Se ti's loverlike behavior toward her dat? ed back to a time before the court had gone to Thebes-loag. long ago. Ta-user also bad gone, but the ran bearer's daughter did not regret her. The other ladies who remained in Memphis, frightened at the loftiness of ii asa na th's future, were uneasy in her presence and seemed more inclined to bend the knee before her than to continue the girlish companionship that had once been between them. It was now the middle of June, the height of Egyptian summer. In a lit? tle space the marshes, which had been for eight months favorite haunts of fowlers, would be submerged, for the inundation was not far away. Masana th would hunt for wild duck and marsh hen while there was yet time. It was an hour after sunrise. Her raft, built of papyrus, was boat shaped and graceful as a swan. Pepi was at . the long handled sweep in the stern. ; Masanath sat tn the middle, which i was heaped with nets, throw sticks j and bows and arrows. A pair of de- ! coy birds, tame and unfettered, stood j near her, craning their small heads, ! puzzled at the movement of the boat ' which was undecipherable, since they ? were motionless. Nari sat in the prow, lier hands folded, her face quite ex- j pressionless. The service of the day i was out of the routine, but as a good j servant she was capable of adapting herself to the change. "A pest on the ban!" Masanath ex- j claimed. ''Look at the Marsh of the | Discontented Soul. It fairly swarms i with teal and coot. And se? the snipe i on the sand." She 3tood up and watch? ed the sandy strip they were nearing. They were a goodly distance out from the shore, bm Pepi poled nearer mid? stream. She sat down again and looked at the decoy birds. Their timidity had in? creased into actual fear. Masanath reached a soothing hand toward one of them, and it took wings and flew. The mate followed, unr-esi tating. The shining distance swallo ved them up. "Let us leave this vicinity/* Pepi said, suiting th? action to the word. "It is unholy.** He seized the sweep and drove the raft about, poling with wide strokes. At that moment a cry which was more of a hoarse whisper broke from his lips: "Body of Osiris! The river! The river!** Masanath leaned on one hand and looked over the side of the raft. With a bound and a shivering cry, Nari was 'towering beside her, the little craft tossing on the waves at the force of the leap. Instantly Pepi was at her other SK?e on his knees, praying and shaking. And together the trio hud? dled, but only one, Masanath, was brave enough to watch what was hap? pening. From the bottom of the Nile a turbid convection was taking place, as if the river silt had been stirred up. but the turning current was assuming a duli red tinge. The action had been rapid. Already the stain had predominated, streaks of clear water only here and there clarifying the opaque coloring. The boat rode half its depth in red; the paddle dripped red: the splashes of wa? ter within on the bottom were red: the sun shone broadly into the mirroring red, a sliding, reeking red! A lavender foam broke its bubbles against the drifting raft, and a tepid, invisible va? por, like a moist breath, exhaled from the ensanguined surface. Schools of Ssh. struggling and leap? ing, filled the space immediately above the water and cumbered the raft with a writhing mass. Numberless croco? diles bounded into the air, braying, snorting, rending one .another and churning the river into froth by their hideous battle. Dwellers of the deep water drifted into the upper tide-mon? sters of the muck at the Nile bottom, turtles, huge crawfish, water newts, spotted snakes, curious bleached crea? tures that had never seen the day, great drifts of insects, with frogs, tad- j poles-everything of aquatic animate ! life came up dead or dying terribly, j Along either bank water buffalo and i wallowing swine, wbich had been in ! the pools near the river, clambered j ponderously, snortiDg at every step. Vessels were putting about and fly? ing for the shore. From the prow of one tell boat with distended sails a figure was seen to spring high and dis? appear under the red torrent. Rioting crews of river men fought for first i landing at the accessible places on the | banks. Memphis shrieked, and the pas- j tures became compounds of wild beasts that deafened heaven with their sav? age bellowing. Pepi and Nari had no thought of sav- j lng themselves. It was Masanath who j must save them. Seizing the swe*?n. ' she poled with . superhuman strength : coward the nearest shore, the Marsh of ! the Discontented bjal Bil $ i 4 A Romance of the Days When the Lord Redeemed the Children o f Israel From the Bondage of Egypt By Elizabeth Miller Bobbs-Merrill Company J The raft grounded, and as a viscousi wash of red lapped across it she leaped] forth, landing with both feet In the] horror. She floundered out and, crying to her servants to follow her, fled like a mad thing up the sandy stretch to? ward the distant wall of rock. The boat, lightened of her weight, re? ceived a backward thrust as she leaped and drifted out of the reeds. The heavy current caught it and swept it across the smitten river to the Mem phian shore. It bore two insensible figures. Masanath ran, thinking only to leave the ghastly flood behind. Her wet over? dress flapped about her ankles. It, too, was stained, and she tore lt off as she ran. Ahead of her was a sagging lime? stone wall, with no gap, hut Masa? nath, hardly sane, would have dashed herself against it if hands had not de? tained her. "Blood! Bloodf she shrieked. "Holy Ptah, save us!'* "Peace!" some one made answer. "God is with us." The voice was calm and reassuring, the hands firm. Here, then, was one who was strong and unafraid and therefore a safe refuge. No longer called upon to care for herself, Masa? nath fell into the arms of the brave un? known and ceased to remember. Consciousness returned to her slowly and incompletely. Horror had dazed her, and her surroundings, but faintly discovered in an all enveloping gloom, were not conducive to mental repose and clearness. She became aware first that she was somewhere hidden from the sunshine and beyond the reach of the strange odor from the Nile. Next she realized that she was shel-, tered in a cave, that slender lin?s of white daylight sifted through the in? terstices of a door, that a lamp was burning somewhere behind a screen, that a hairy thing sat in a corner and looked at her with half human eyes and that, as she shrank at the sight the warm support under her head moved and a fair face, framed with golden hair, bent over her. Then her eyes, becoming clearer as her recollection returned, wandered away toward the walls of her shelter. They had been hewn by hands. There was an opening In one side, leading into another and a darker crypt Was not this a tomb? She was in the Tomb of the Discontented Soul! Terrified, she struggled to gain her feet and fly, but the awful memory of the plague without returned to her overwhelm? ingly. Gentle hands restrained her, and the same voice that had sought to soothe her before continued its soft comforting now. "Thou art rafe and sheltered," she heard. "No ev!! shall befall thee." Was this the spirit of the tomb? If so, it was most lovely and kindly. But a solemn voice issued out of the dark cell beyond. This was the spirit of a Masanath f?? into thc arina of fae brave unknown. surety. She cowered against her fair haired protector and shuddered, but the maiden answered the voice in a strange tongue. Masanath would have known it to be Hebrew had she been composed, but now it was mystic, i cabalistic. Presently the maiden addressed her. "Deborah asks after thee. lady. How shall I tell her thou findest thyself'" "Oh. I cannot tell," Masanath an? swered. "What has happened? Is it true or did I go mad?" The Israelite smoothed her hair. "It is a plague," she said. "Then the band of Amerjti is on us," the Egyptian shuddered. "Whither sha!' we flee?" "Te cannot flee from the one God." the voice from tho crypt said grimly. "Nay, but what have I done to vex the gods?" Masanath insisted. "Oh, let me go hence. Where are my serv? ants V "It is better for thee to bide here," the voice weat on relentlessly, "for out? side the sheltering neighborhood of the chosen people, the baud of the out? raged God shall overtake Egypt and scorch her throat with thirst and make her veins congeal for want of water." Masanath gained her feet, crying cut wildly: "My servants! Whore are they? Let me forth!" The Israelite put an assuring arm "Thou wilt not dare to fae vile again," she warned. "Stay "To starve: To perish of thirst! die of pestilence! The gods have us! We are undone!" "Aye, the gods have left you," voice continued harshly. "Ye are j en over to the vengeance of the GOL Abraham. Howl, Egypt! Rend 1 self and cover thy head wiih asl Thy destruction is but begun. Fo hundred years thou hast oppressed rael. Now is the hour of the child of God!" Masanath wrung her hands, but voice went on. "As the Nile flows, so hath the bl( of Israel been wasted by the hand Egypt. Now shall the God of Ab ham drain her veins, even so, drop drop. For the despoiling of Israel st her pastures and stables be filled w stricken beasts; for the heavy hand the Pharaohs shall the heavens tin der and scourges fall. And the WTJ of God shall cool not till Egypt i? waste, shorn of her corn and her vi: yards and her riches, and foul w dead men." Nothing could have been more v dictive than this disembodied vol Masanath thrust her fingers thron her hair and, drawing her elbows fl ward, sheltered her face with them "When have I offended against t Hebrew?" she cried, sick with terr "Why should your awful God destr the innocent and the friend of Isn among the people of Egypt?" Rachel, who hao\ stood beside in with an increasing cloud on her fa< now spoke in Hebrew. There w mild protest in her tones. "The plague will pass," the vol from the inner crypt continued. "Se en days will it endure; no more." "Deborah is mystic," Rachel add< softly, "and is gifted with prophet eyes. Much hath she suffered Egypt's hands, and her tongue grov harsh when she speaks of tue oppre sion.'' "Nay, but let me go," Masanath be ged. "Where are my servants? Can they not after me when I fled?" "None followed thee, lady, and tl raft went adrift" . "Let me out of this hideous plac then, for I must seek them. They ma be dead." Her tone was imperious, and R?ch? silently obedient, led her to the e: trance and pushed aside the door. I] stantly the terrible turmoil over Egy] smote upon her ears. Next she saw tl Nile, moving slowly, black where ii clear surfaces had been.green, scarh and froth ridden where the sun ha shone upon transparent ripples an white foam. After that the strans odor came to her, recalling the smell c altars, but now magnified till it wa overpoweringly strong. She sickene and turned away. Setting the door in place, Rachel le her back into a corner of the oute chamber and laid her down on th matting there. "The Lord God will care for th; servants. Fret thyself no further, bn be content here until the horror sha] pass. I shall attend thee, so thou sha! not miss their ministrations." The Is raelite spoke with gentle authority smoothing the dark hair of her guest Command in the form of persuasion 1 doubly effective, since lt induces whil< it compels. Masanath was most ame nable to this manner of entreaty, sinct it disarmed her pride while it governed her impulses. Thus, though her inch nation urged against it, she ate whet the Israelite brought her a bit of cole fowl and a beaker of wine at middaj and again at sunset And at night sh< slept oecause the Israelite told her sh: was safe and bade her close her eyes. It was dawn when the fan bearer's daughter awoke again. She sat up. and suffered Rachel to dress her hair and bathe her tiny hands and face with a solution of weak white wine. "The water which we had stored with us is also corrupted. I fear we shall thirst if we have but wine to wet our lips," Rachel explained. "Thou dost not tell me that ye abide in this place? How came ye here? Are ye lepers?" Masanath asked in a frightened voice. "Nay, we are fugitives," Rachel an? swered. "Who art thou, lady?" "I am Masanath, daughter of Har hat fan bearer to the Pharaoh." "And I am Rachel of Israel, daughter of Maai, and I have fled from shame. In all Egypt this is the one and only refuge for such as L If my hiding place were published no help could save me from the despoiler. My one protector is she who lies within. She Is my foster motlier, old and ill from abuse at the hands of brutal servants. Thou hast my story." As Raohel ceased, Deborah called from within. "There is more," she said. "Come hither. I am moved to toll thee." Masanath obeyed with hesitation and, pausing in the doorway of the inner chamber, heard the story of the Is? raelite. Great was her perplexity and her sorrow when she heard the name of Keakenes spoken calmly and with? out grief. They did not know he was dead! She held her peace till the story was done. "The time for the Egyptian's return is long past, but he will come soon," Deborah concluded. Masanath slowly turned her head and looked at Rachel. This, then, was the love of that dear, dead artist for whom Memphis mourned aud had ceased to walt. Masanath choked back ber tears and said: "Ye need not molder in this cave. I can hide you in Memphis." "Nay, we will await him here." "But the Nile will be upon your refuge in three weeks. Ye would starve if ye drowned not," the Egyptian pro? tested earnestly. "It may be we shall not walt so long," Rachel put in. Masanath looked at her while she thought busily. "If I tell lt I break a heart. But ii tiley hide here, they die.'* After a little sigh she glanced at the wine in one* of the small amphorae. "Mayhap the plague ls past" she said, tinting, -'and ? am athirst" Rachel took up another jar and wen forth. The hairy creature in the cor ner, tethered to the amphora rack, slipped his collar and followed her. As soon as the Israelite was gone Masanath went into thc- inner chamber. Standing by the old woman, who lay upon a mattress set on the top of the sarcophagus, she said hurriedly: "Te may not remain here. Kenkenes is known to me and he will not return. He is dead." "How did he die?" "By drowning. His boat was discov? ered battered and overturned among the wharf piling at Memphis some weeks agone." The old woman was silent for a mo? ment, and then she shook her head. "He ls a resourceful youth, and he may have procured another boat and set this one adrift to deceive his en? emies. Yet the time has been so long it may be, it may be." "None in Memphis doubts it His father hath given him up, and his house and his people aie in mourning. But we may not lose this moment in surmises- - Wilt thou go with me into Memphis-if this sending is with? drawn?'' "There is no other choice," Deborah answered after some pondering. "Ken? kenes offered us refuge with his fa? ther, but Rachel hesitated to accept 'Che sorry news must be told her ere 3he would go." "Nay; keep It from her yet awhile." "How may we?" Deborah asked help? lessly.* "Listen. I am a householder in Memphis for a year. The place is se? cure from much visiting, and only my trusted servants are there. They will not tell her; none else will. As thou sayest the young .man may not be dead. And, furthermore, I may as well work good out of an evil I cannot escape. I am betrothed to the heir of the crown of Egypt" Deborah flung up her hand, drawing away in her amazement. ."Thou! A coming queen over the proud land of Mizraim, a guest in the retreat of enslaved Israel V* ^^^^^^^ \ "Thou! A coming queen !11 Masan?th bent her Lead. 'Ye In your want and distress are not more poor or wretched than I. But enough of this. I would have said that if I wed the prince I can ask Rachel's free? dom at his hands." "So thou canst" Deborah said eager? ly, but before she could continue Ra? chel appeared at the* outer opening, the amphora held by one arm, the ape by the other. Her face was alight with a smile that seemed dangerously akin to tears. "Here is water, clean and fresh, but the Nile is bank full of the plague. It was Anubis that showed me!" After seven- days the horror on the waters wv gone. It went as miasma is dispelled by tho sun and wind, as pestilence is killed by the frost-un ;een, ui^rote^t'r.g. The lifting of thf >:agne was ns av.v'ome as i:.; coining i:-!::! cu:! ilc^?iath carried ti: '.r.i cf .vid Slgv" m? larjiehed ft on the clean water" ;!.?.:. they prepared themselves sn* Deborah and Anubis for a journey nd ere they d?parted Masanath. a Rachel's bidding, wrote with a scf: soapstone upon Gie rock over the por? tal of the tomb the whereabouts of its whilom dwellers: "Ker whom thou seekest thou wilt find at the mansion of Hur-hat in the city." At sunset Rachel, all unsuspecting, was sheltered in the house of her en? emy. .TO BX coirrrrrrjED.] A Receipt for Happiness. It is simply when you rise in the morning to form the resolution to make the day a happy one to a fellow creature. It is easily done; a left-off srarment to the man that needs K: a kind word to the sorrowful: an en .ouraging expression to the striving, trifles in themselves as light as the will do it at leas: for 24 hour?: and if young depend upon it that it will tell when you are old. rest assur? ed that it wiil send you gently tnd happily down the stream of time t<> eternity. Look at the result. Y->u ? nd one person-only one-happily through the day: that is 365 in the course of the year: and suppose you live 4" years only after you com? mence this course, and you have made 14t human being happy, at ieast f'?r a time. Now. worthy read? er, i.~ not this easy? wv do not often indulge in a moral d<>se. but this is so small a pill that no one needs currant jelly ?" disguise its flavor, and it re? quires t" bc taken but once a day, hat we feel warranted in prescribing ii. It is mosi excellent for digestion, ip.d a promoter of pleasant slumber. -Ex. A single Honduras mahogany tree ?ut into boards has bren sold for $10. DOO. THREE GOVERNORS PRESENT. Notable Feature in Connection With South Carolina Day. Norfolk, Va., June 27.-Gov. Ansel of South Carolina, his family anJ staff, the entire South Carolina State Jamestown commission, the Second regiment of infantry of the South Carolina National Guard under CoL Henry T. Thompson, 700 men strong, and a large party of South Carolina State officials, members of the legis? lature and vivilians arrived today for the "South Carolina day" celebration at the Jamestown Exposition tomor? row. Gov. Ansel at the exposition grounds today presented in person the diplomas to this year's graduates of the South Carolina (Citadel) Mili? tary academy, now in camp at the ex? position. This evening Gov. Ansel was ten? dered a reception at the Virginia club in Norfolk by Lieut. Commander Vic? tor Blue, U. S. N., and Dr. Rupert Blue, of the United States Marine hospital service. A notable feature in connection with the "South Carolina day" cele dration tomorrow will be the pres? ence of the governors of three States at a reception to be given in the Vir? ginia State building in honor of the visiting South Carolinians. These will be Gov. Ansel, of South Carolina, Gov. Warfield, of Maryland, and Gov. Swanson, of Virginia. BANKERS ADJOURN. Charleston, June 27.-The seventh annual convention of the South Car? olina Bankers' Association adjourned today at the Isle of Palms at 1:30 o'clock after a very interesting final business session, at which officers were elected, delegates to the national convention chosen, and the executive committee selected. Officers of the association were elected as follows: President, W. D. Morgan, George? town; vice president, T. B. Stack house. Columbia; secretary and treas? urer, Giles L. Wilson, Spartanburg. LABOR UNIONS C03?PLAIN. They Assert That the Telegraph Com? panies are Violating Sherman Anti? trust Act. Washington. June 28.-Commis? sioner of Corporations Herbert Knox Smith todav received from the presi dent a letter transmitting the com? plaint of the Washington Central La? bor Union that the telegraph com? panies are operating a combination of j trade in violation ' of the Sherman 1 anti-trust law. The commissioner de ; dined to discuss the mutter. Alaska Gets Two Wireless Stations. The United States signal corps has purchased two wireless telegraph towers 200 feet high for installation at Fairbanks and Circle City, Alaska. "It is expected that the stations will be established and in working order this summer." said Col. R. E. Thompson, . in charge o fthe Alaska cable office in Se?ttie, in speaking of the extension of the telegraph ser? vice in Alaska. "At Fairbanks the citizens took up the matter ven- promptly and obtain? ed a very desirable piece of property. ? which has been deeded to the govern? ment, and on which a building will be erected. At Circle City a suitable building will be leased, and both these stations will be in operation before the clD:?e of the summer. "Telegraph communication with Nome was restored late Saturday af? ternoon, according to advices receiv? ed at the cable office. The station at the mouth of the Kuyakuk river was under seven feet of water, as a result of ice gorges in the Yukon, -and while the service may not be up to the us? ual standard for some time, the an? nouncement that communication with Nome has been re-established will be of interest to those who have been discommoded by the floods in that section of Alaska."-Seattle Times. W. C. Carpenter of Gaffney went .;:t to Kentucky some time ago. form \< a company and purchased more than 200,000 acres of land. The property was sold to a northern syn? dicate for .$4.000,000. and Mr. Car? penter's share of the profits was over $1,000,000. In Austria only SS per cent of the inhabitants are engaged in agricul? ture, while in the sister country, Hun? gary, no fewer than 64 in each 100 are engaged in the tilling of the land. ? A few do-es of this remedy trill in- ! I variably cure an ordinary attack of j ! diarrhoea. i Jt can always be depended upon, ? even in the more cevere attacks of j cramp eulie and cholera morbus. It is equally successful f>r summ-?r diarrhoea and cholera infantum in j j children, and is the means of saving \ the lives of many children each year, j When re?ne, u wirb water and j sweetened it is pleasant to take. Every man of ti family should keep this remedy in his home. Boy it now. PRICE. 25C. LARGE SIZE, 5JC. Atop? tlxe cou??i and. Keals lung? Stomach trouble is but a Symptom ot and not In itself & true disease. We think of Dyspepsia. Heartburn, and Indigestion as real diseases, yat they are symptoms only of a certain sp?cifia Nerve sickness-nothing: else. It was this fact that first correctly led Dr. Shoos ia the creation of that now very popular Stomach llemedy-Dr. Shoop's Restorative. Going- direst to the stomach nerves, alone brought that success end favor to Dr. Shoop and his Restorative. W?t?v oct that original and highly vital principle, no euch lasting accomplishments were ever to be had. For stomach distress, bloating, biliousness, bad breath and sallow complexion, try Dr. Snoop'* Restorative-Tablets or Liquid-and see for your? self what it can and will do. We sell and rutan lolly recommend Dr. Shoop's Restorative SIBERTS' DRUG STORE. Garden Seed. This is the gardening season. We have a fun supply o? the best test? ed garden seeds. For years immn SEEDS Eave been recognized as the best. Let us sup? ply you. DeLorme's Pharmacy Drugs and eMdicines. Sour Stomach No appetite, loss of strength,nervous' ness, headache, constipation, bad breath, general debility, sour risings, and catarrh of the stomach are all due to indigestion. Kodol cures indigestion. This new disco*** ery represents the natural juices of diges? tion as they exist in a healthy stomach, corr oined with the greatest known toni? anc reconstructive properties. Kodol Dys? pepsia Cure does not only cure indigestion and dyspepsia, but this famous remedy cures ali stomach troubles by -cleansing-, purifying, sweetening and strengthening the mucous membranes lining the stomach.. Mr. S. S. BalT, of Ravenswood. W, Va., saysr-? '* I was troubled with sour stomach for twenty year*. Kodol cured me and we are now using it in m3k for baby." Kodol Digests What Yon Eat. Sorties only. S1.00 Size holding 2H times the trial. sire, which sells for 50 cents. Prepared by E. C. OeWITT & CO., CHICAGO. _For Sale by all Druggists._? Eczema and Pile Cure. rpCC Knowing what it was to gaffer, I FOLL wilt wrive Free of Charge, to any afflicted a positive cure for E zenia, Salt Rheum, Erysipelas, Piles and Skin Dis? eases. Instant relief. Don't suffer tong? er. Write F. W. WILLIAMS, 400 Manhat? tan Avenue, Ne*? York. Enclos ; stamp. 10-3-ly ?ROCURED AND DEFENDED.Send model. _rawinif or photo. ? or expert sear cn and free report, j Free advice, how to obtain patents, trade marks;] copyrights.eta, iN ALL COUNTRIES. Business direct with Washington saves ?cate,] money and often the patent. Patent and Infringement Practice Ex elusively. Write or come to ca at" 623 Blata Street, opp. United State* Patent Oflc*,] WASHINGTON, D. C. Sakes Kidneys and Biacder F ?gni \ \ KILLT* QQ??&H JAND CURE THS LUNGS WITH IgS< P m* Ul? sufi ?" /CONSUMPTION Price IFOR fi OUGHSand 50c&$1.00 WOLDS Free Trial. Surest and Quickest Cure for all THROAT and LUNG TROUB? LES; or SI027SY BAOK. &tOf>9 t?aO ?or- i.b. >*f?^l?3*?c:ebgfc Laxative Fruit Syrup Pleasant to take The new laxative. Does not gripe or nauseate. Cures stomach and liver troubles and chronic con? stipation by restoring the natural action of the stom? ach, liver and bowels* Refuse substitutos. Prioe OOo? SIBERTS DRUG STORE. F0LEYSR0MMC?R for children; safe, sure, Ko oziatss