The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 14, 1902, Page 5

aft conjured excitemen gardless « in th th: pered Jos hatred. The Pal of Rome, lead and power, mankind. eminence to ppeared. 1 t shall s door to dart upon me a look of me (ESCS e e - S < cloven-footed oth ¥ at it arm winning almost every horse!” e from the table ew nothing of money I found fan; all his of this. I ee once for all, what his throw the shout that had 3 athered the scat- ce and dropped them into the box #'Note, gen- O 000R 9000 000R00S OO seac) From us fool of beat- been \ quite at nome with feasting, drinking and plied the greasy ow usurer, as soon as he oted that their look of freshness had rloting parties of young men, many of fad cleared his mouth of the better por- had now no doubt but Whom belonged to the best families in tion of a fat lig-pecker with a deep er the manner of a juggler, he 1ome. We still lodged at the house of draught of wine from a tall, well-gypsum- kanged them Tullius, whose site of apartments ed amphora, whose label showed it to ¢ the best, friend Ju- afforded us : e Tacilities for entertain- have been sealed a full certury before. vail thee,” said INE partic friends. While we com- “Nothing loses in the telling that makes box. mitted no positive crimes, it is doubt- to thy advantage. Tiberius would sure- '« girl pre- ful if any two.young men i all Rome ly reward thee handsomely for discover- mind and I produced Squandered more money or indulged in ing to him two such treasures. Had d sent me, which I Wilder revelry than Joseph Manasseh and Valerius Gratius continued in his favor for another year or two, one of them might have gone as Procurator to Judas in lieu of Pontius Pilate, for the limperor my U1 my beautiful slave, Julia, I saw but little. played and sang ose thou for me fo instruct me in believes in giving the provinces rulers to with, for the musie, for which service she was admir- their 1King—provided he can trust tiem, d B el i o muly wen liied, When she spoke of @s he surey could two young men fash- f conseq <. “Be with me Pollio, which was seldom, for she ap- ioned so ncariy after his own Kidney as ir, Lord, and 1 vow t d for all time. It to be b! forth the di Hercules, a Ve curses with it t thou lost s pau eph, as Man 111 atine Hi ce a tem- phemy upon is the center of the our hosts.' peared to hold him in the utmost horror, it w t6 warn me against him as a man “Particularly when supplied with a long quite capable of any depth of«treachery purse, tne strings of wnich nuve veen and crime. As time passed on I noticed 1ust,” added Pouiw with a smile. an increasing timidity. or rather reserve on her part. the cause of which I was quite unabie to fathom, despite my grow- ing acquaintance with the inner circles of the Kingdom of Power. More than once I proposed to make her free, which offer she gently yet firmly refused to ac- cept. 3 “I will send thee to Grecce. to the land of thy mother, and supp ¥ thee with am- *1 haidiy think their weaith will stand in the way of tues advancement,” Ie- plied Manuus as he refilled his gobiet from the tail and mo.dy amphora. That 1 was moved by such fulsome words and suggestions seems altogetuer out of reason, yet such was the tact. 1 well undersiand the real nature ol my two fiaticrels, yeL neither lne warnings of Juua as to Poulio ana his brutai Cui- ple me to pursue ilhe study of music duct uULder Imine OWN eyes, NOr Lue Vv and art,” 1 suggested upon one oc- ness, greed wud dishonesty of oiu Maa- casion. uus,” prevented my heart from sweisig at the thought of advancement auu puw- t would be banishment,” she replied, world, for it stands proudly in the center would regard it as a call om .the €. Vanily 1s sureiy the sougest prowpl- ) toward which great roads gods. €1’ of humnan action; the love of seil wne where focus the hopes, fears, Satisfled that she spoke in entire bassion that transforms men iny auinoiis. pride, crue d ambition of earnesiness, and that the love of life was Yel the suggestion wus not ,flfl:ugAl)‘Lr Nor does th v 1ot S0 deep-se in her heart as to 1acKing In p.ausibiity, anu therew lay owe Its supren cause ker to struggle for its retention in I8 seuuction. scor thousands of meau- the chance of po the face of adverse circumstanc or 1¥ burn men had risen to power in Kome, Rome had its beginnir even disagreeable enviromments, 1 'said lor bad ine ouporiunities yeparied wiul d the first humble roof of what was no more. Indeed, she had aiready told e death of tue republie. fiue, | was a rais destined to become a c aces. O Ger near the rificed by now not ffered Caesar the crown he cov as born. who found- his nam dared not 1t was h they were e-w impregnat Stator, w worship o ecrable d imitating liberties o hath his tine Hill world. hi bette Mount tumnal m whom the the unive; tures in columns o ture ador created fo to the bes h line, man. am st Besides from bei posing s to ma: is, mine and Manasseh's, for we held ev. erything in common, the titles being vest- ed in him With the we purch abode of famous bullt it Bix months had passed since the event- ful night when I won the gold and curses the crafty but unfortunate usurer, ostications of evil that my whispered in mine ear had Instead, Manlius had sent & most courteous message with the gold, and, Chapced fo meet him at Polilo’s house, had made light of his losses pressed regret for his warmth of temper. In the meantime Tiberius had issued an edict expelling the Jews forcing most of the youn men to join the legion not been enforced omission Joseph ascri sums we were expending on our newly F&“u. coupled with our lavish e. of and the pri comrade hat not been purchased mode of 1 1 had secured & master soon after my rrival in Rome l}ut xbflve little time to study, m attention eing 5 witn cuple Palatine. time to the “inner circles” Joseph had designated the nether stratum of the great city. Our first excursion to the “masked pitfalls’ had excited within but this speedily wore away and I found myself me a feel lus, which > gracefully away toward the yellow Tiber, dogs are Ithen ony i ‘with h del of the world nificent palace which become the dwellin; ment where beauty of repose &nd breathing life were so ar ly combined with utility. purest style of Doric the Parthenon, supported a roof so mass- ive that they seemed none too strong for its upholding. Beautiful pleces of scuip. secmed latter been designed to receive and show them perfect nature, into forms sugg thwe stretches its nc rn slope, Lupercal, where learned G nd where he An accept, Rome here that Romulus, bestowing upon it brother 1 p d out fig-tree, beneath wt uckled by their , whose milk af them and = th her own the great te ed £ less powerful but e Here stands s governmen Augustus, the usurper f the republic, imperial is surely the ce Half-way up the side of this historic world n itself, I stood one bright au- a mag- worthy r known to the norning ' contemplating Romans prof rse. There were larger Rome, but none, in m of outline, f white marbie, exec rt, like ned the structure and r their places as t possible advantage. ords of combin enraptured car a not labored and curve, and ang st As 1 gazed upon this beautiful bufld- t appegred to have been born in the n fashicned upon earth, praise had ah through the negiect hat paeans of to Jeh ong the Jews. my heart was stirred by the e; I possessed youth, health, appreciation of the beautiful glowing prospects of the future. ast consideration far £ the least powerful—the im- from solid foundation d the mine own. o vai ased the princes. architect fulfilled. shortly afterward, inst us, d to our new mansion of ling of deep disgust, of marble pa a Reraus where ars 10 hav for of Tiberius Cac: residence. The r of maje; Sixty fluted ed in those of the most ex- as to con- T notion art, so here, blended ve of divinity rather than the feeble mind and frail hands of sum I had won at Pol- lio’s banquet, which Milo Manlius prompt- ly delivered to me the following day, bullding, of old an It had fallen into de- cay during long decades, but our ample ywealth had remedied all defects, and it could not have appeared to better advan- iage the day it was surrendered by the who designed and when I and from Rome, and actlve s order had which the largely oc- on Besides, we had d?\‘ole?flmuch e, Jew, and ‘Liberius had persecuwed meu vt My haliol, VUL LHAT CaCUmns.duce uid Dot of necessily swang in my way, since the imperial poicy Wwas tocoucilince Cou- guerea peoples, to render the empire homogeuncous, and hence strong ana en- me that a mo ¥ produce death. Bel she consiantly carricd with her subL.e ison, whose action would painless sand almost instant ving In no deity save the gods of 400 thiek S iestug Sl isnel e of guring rice Greeks and Romans have no real re- . °: ted bul ligicn, no sense of responsibility, to re-' , Lhe idea of my becoming Procurator of Judea wd not strike me as fooush, nor strain them from taking their own liv : g r own lives yet impossibie of accompushineat. roauus Here the Jews, which recugmizes life as a gift Cuicd ihe prize. Lriet as Bad.been I £rew of God, that may not, at the pleasure of LW 1 weil knew that it had been Lar chbfie SEE be eoniempiucusy roturn. ioI sausiacwry, Che Jews, I had been ed 1o the great Giver. 3 toid, haa recently appea.cd to the rmm- My Vieves of pelgion had changed, or VFIUT, Gemanding his removal, and it was raher been broadened by my resioence !UIRUl€d Lhat he was suotuy 1o ve 2t Rome. . Though 1 ne’ longer o’y Caned to Kume to expiain, if he couid, his Shered the precepts, 1 had mes ot i conuuct. My natura: awbiuon to ise in T e pet gt ey s aCt gost i lue wurld was reinforced by the prompi- iLEs ol patriousm wnlch wiuspered o ny Licart the good that 1 cowd conier upun Wy sore.y oppressed nation. As lor Jo- ceased to believe that Goa was concerned enly with the conauct and future of the he Jews. The faith of the Romans I found iitde AP TADSDINE Jatry, StPh. 8o far trum teariug his cvaury, I a8 L pof apsolute Mdolatry, L kucw that Le would uid me with the i I “"But in the vz Luwer of his vast weaith and considesavie iihiuence. At that moment his words on ue great road at Kerioth, recurred to me: “‘wuuas, thou hast this day stood my fiiend, thinking me a stranger; may 1 be accursed if I forget it.” “To stand beside the chair of the Presi- dent of ihe Sanhedrim in the Hall of Hewn Stones were a nigh posiion,” sa.d 1, in my vanity, to my hattered seil, “‘but Twill occupy a greater one. Milo Maniius prophesiea that 1 should become a ta- mous man, and 1 will, even tnough I re- nounce my faith and eat the mnesh of Ewine to atlain that end.” he arrangements for the entertainthent were perlecuion itself, Manasseh naving neglected no detail. Had the banquet, wiih all 1ts accessories, been a perturmi- ance produced in sume mammoth theater and fitty times rehearsed, it could uot have been enacted more smaothly and perfectly. At the end of each of the many elaborate courses, all atiended with low and most ravishing music, a special per- formance was introduced. These were pre- sented on a stage erected at one end of the spacious hail and supplied witn ali the accessories of a splenuid theater. amed wrestlers from Greece exhibited the perfections of their manly art and contested with Komans, Gauls and Brit- ons. Leapers and vaulters astonished these best accusiomed to such scenes by their marvelous ugility. Strong men, whose muscles seemed ready to burst through their bronzed skin, lifted and poised weights that might well have taxed the strength of a Hector or a_ Samson. Enchanters from Egypt and jugglers from heathen countries in the far ast de- ceived the eyes of all and won rounds ot applause from the captivated spectators. ‘Without uttering a single word, pantom- imists excited alternative mirth and sor- row by their wonderful delineations of human passions. Jesters provoked laugh- ter by their jokes and quibbles, some of which actually proved to be new. Nor was the entertainment lacking In exhibitions of a really instructive nature. Tableaux were Introduced in which peo- le of all nations, not alone subjects of me, but from every land upon which the sun rises, to the furthermost parts of the earth, appeared iu their native cos- tumes, and spoke their mother tongues. Diminutive dwarfs from the interior of Africa, whose black skins shone like pol- ished ebony, appeared upon the white shoulders of gigantic vikings from the far north, while other contrasts, scarcely less striking, were presented in large numbers. In one scene every quadru in__the known world, from the Ole%.l-fl( of the jungle to the mouse of the harvest fleld, was led In long procession across the stage. The actors in the great entertainment were far from being confined to men, beautiful women claiming their full sha of honors. Such dancing had not been seen in Rome during the reign of Tiberius, if the general consensus of opinion could be taken as a criterion. Grace, supple- ness, endurance, voluptuousn abandon —every form of gestic art—was shown in what appeared to be perfection. The sing- ers, many of them beautiful as my con- ception of seraphs, enchanted their audi- tors with voices that rivaled their beauty. The dessert having been dispatched, the herald announced the last performance on the long programme; “A dance for the gods,” and every neck was craned, ever: eye shaded, for all knew that it woul prove the climax of the evening, And none was disappointed. om_the bejeweled marble ceiling of the high apartment, a form, which seemed that o? an angel robed In fleecy clouds and the ophy, notably the Stoics, covered a true appreciaiion of the Deity and of the duties and obligations of man. Self-sa ce lies at the base of great school, and if. in the gener- ns to come, man is to rega.n the nign estate lost through the sin of Adam, it must surely be tirough a recognition of his principle. 1 learned much of value during my brief sojourn in the wide pagan world, but nothing at all compar- able lo this great truth. Joseph Manasseh wasted little time in idle speculation, to him a plan meant ex- ecutign. He had pushed forward _the work of repairing our palace on the Pali- aline and restoring its_sculpture, carv- ings and frescoes, with a rapidity and fuccess that had excited the wonder of Rome, amd, upon the bright morning I have referred to, all was complete, from the most beautiful plece of statuary in the great banqueting hall to the humblest artic.e in the spacicus kitchen. 1at night we were to take formal pos- session of our new abode, and proposed Lo do it in a manner so Javish and theat- rical as to add eclat to our names, al- amous for prodigality, Unless I tly at fault in my judgment, the of the “Two foolish Jews,” as than o ty the ad of banquet we were designated by the populace, will long serve ms a_model for the ambitious entertainers of Rome. Of all the gay, expectant crowd that assembled that night, I doubt if any felt a more intense curiosity than did 1, one of the two hosts. Born to lead and direct, Manasseh had, freatly to my re- lief, taken upon himself the management of the_entire affair, and, no more than Milo Manlius, who had been bidden through Flavius Polllo, did I know what it would be like, save that it must prove magnificent. Unlike the banquet given by Pollio, which depended solely upon the markets and talent of the city, there was about this ng element of the impromptu, noth- ing to suggest limitations., The broad em- ire of me, which compasses every and worth possessing, every people worthy of subjection, had been ransacked for dainties for the table, embellishments for the lnftz hall and rare and curious artists for the entertainment of the com- pany. But, while nothing that could have added to the splendor and completeness of the occasion was emitted, not one item suggestive of ostentation, or that vanit; so rarely absent from great wealth, was _ introduced. The people might well call us foolish Jews, but they could not accuse us of vulgarity. The Romans lead the world in polished manners, as the phrase goes, though to my mind genuine courtesy cannot exist indgpendent of a kind heart, nor a true e: ang well-bred man be found who is cruel A remorseless. If for polished manners wrote “policy,” I would be far nearer the mark. Be that as it may, we were overwhelmed with compliments and con- gratulations, and, what spoke more loud- ly, because more sincerely, with {ll-con- cealed looks of envy and side sneers ot deprecation. ““Your fortunes are made,” sald Flavius Pollio at the height of the feast. “I mean not in a pecuniary way,” he added, with a smiling glance at the Tich surroundings, “for of that you need no assurance, but in the realm of pouflcu and power. There is no fitting place Tor such as you, out- side the service and favor of the Emperor. The minds that planned this feast are fit to govern provinces. Tiberius will hear of this and the story will lose nothing in the telling. What say’st thou, Manlius?* “Not if thou art the tale-bearer,” re- That vast the as THE ROYAL SCAVENGERS ON THE. PPLAND OF ; WRETCHEDNESS * fllumed by the sur of morning, sud- denly emerged and, with the ma- Jestic motion of a pinlon-poised bird, swept down upon the stage. As I gazed upon the wonderful creature I marveled how I could have thought any of her predecessors beautiful. Her white robe Wwas so ethereal in its fineness as to barely shadow limbs that might have belonged to Venus. Her bare arms and neck, the hue of snow, touched with the tints of twilight, were exquisitely molded and flashing with jewels of the purest ray. Her face was covered with a mask, which served to excite interest and expectation, if such a thing were possible. % And her motion! The flight of a gazelle, the circhng ot a lark, the sweli of an ocean wave—but nothing can describe It. Truiy it was a “dance for the gods.” In all that vast assemblage not a sound was heard save the iaborcd gasps of those who had forgotten to breathe. No_mythoiogical siren ever exerted on wandering adventurers a fascination to compare with hers. How long she danced, whether minutes or hours, I know not. At length she came gracefully to a state of rest and, amid thunders of applause, removed her mask and bowed with the condescens.on of a queen. 1 fancied that her gaze rested upon me, and my heart beat as it never had before. An insiant later I fell forward upon the table in a dead swoon. /| The marvelous beauty, the exquisite dancer, tie captivator of all hearts, was Kuth, daughter of Peleg the silversmith. 1v. Judas; “Rouse thyself. ready to depart.” These words, accompanied as they were by a Vigorous shake of my shoul- i€y, ed me from the blank oblivion into w q fallen. Raising mine .yes, | suw the composed yet pale face of 2h bending over me. been dreaming.” T fal- tered: “the wine and excitement were wute than | couwd bear. | thought I saw “No matter what you saw, rupted, “we must play the to_the last He. possessed the stronger will and 1 yielded without a_word. Another moment and we were both smilingly say fare- well to those of our guests who were able to walk and seeing that the others were carried to their litfers. “By Caesar’s cloven-footed horse!" cr Poinu, as Le leeleG up o me, half s ported on the arm of Maniius, “thou hast outdone thyself, Iscariot; outdone Rowme, overplayed her bo.dest gamblers for fame, the greatest stake on the broad gaming board of life. Whence came the maid?"” “What thou won’st from me was a trifle compared with her,” said the old usurer, before 1 couid reply to his companion. “Thy triumph this night will prove thy making with Tiberius. Whence came the wine?” rouble not thyself about the matter,” broke in Pollio. secured the informa- tion- from Manasseh and will have an amphora or two with the same seal against the day thou call’'st for thy in- terest. But the girl, Judas? T would stake what you Jews call your immortal our guests are he inter- t of hosts part against her. Is she a siave? if so, I'll buy her at any price, “‘Manasseh found. her, as he did the wine,” 1 answered; ‘‘thou should'st ques- tion him. 1 fancy, however, that she is free.” “slust be, and noble! Such beauty and grace cometh but from long lineage. /[I'll see Manasseh about her. Come, thou old sot,” and the two staggered forward to- vard thelr waiting litters. “And now, what means this, Joseph?” I demanded when the last victim of wine had been borne down the marble stairs and., but for the servants who were re- moving the remnants of the feast, we were alone in the banqueting hall. “What I meant for a pleasant surprise thou takest most,seriously,” replied my friend, as he carelessly helped himself to a goblet of wine. *I fancied that the sight of an old friend receiving the hom- age of Rome would be pleasing to-thee.” ““Homage may be proof of great merit or deep shame. Which doth it signify in this instance, Joseph?” “Shame? Who talky of shame?’ and with clenched hands and heaving breast the young man turned flercely, almost savagely, upon me, ‘Softly, Joseph,’ sald I, for in thd” measure that his excitement increased mine diminished. “It is surely I that have occasion for anger. I left Ruth promised to my brother in marriage; in- deed, it was that prospect that induced him to consent to paying me my portion of the inheritance. Wiser than either of us, thou play’st upon his jealousy and carried thy point. Had’'st a double mo- tive? Was Enos right, and I wrong? 'W!l?l thy love-making in downright earn- est?” . As I spoke, calmly, yet most earnestly, the clenched hands of my comrade I laxed, the hard lines vanished from his face, while tears chased gleaming anger from his handsome eyes. “Thou wrong’st me, Judas,” replied he, in tones of sadness, ‘‘yet the fault Is mine, and thou had’st ample occasion for thy judgment. I wished, beyond all things, that thou should’'st become my comrade and partner. Thy brother Enos stood in the way. Through the simple and not particularly disagreeable process of love- making I set him aside.” “And lost thine own heart in playing the simple game?” I interrupted. ‘‘Not 8o, Judas; such is not my excuse. *Twere idle ‘o say that I was not drawn toward Ruth, a fairer, wittier and alto- gether more winsome woman than I had encountered during five years of wander- ing In lands where beauty, wit and cap- tivation are studied and practiced arts; but love her, in the sense that thy honest heart interpreteth th‘myl(ulmu term, I surely did not.” ‘Then how came she with thee? How Patience, my friend; I will disclose all, and that truthfully. The day we left Ke- rioth I entertained no thought of ever seeing her again, except, perhaps, as the bhappy wife of thy brother Enos. I meant no harm; I swear it, Judas.” “And I believe thee,” cried I, grasping his hard. “That think thee fals “We an ba.e ever befalls, T ‘will nevet ir weaknesgés, our vani- ties,” Manasseh went on. sensibly pleased by ‘my warm cxpression of confidence: “mine consists in regarding myself as clever. Yet clever as I was, or thought myself, there was one thing I did not take into account.” “Ruth?" I suggested, a light beginning to brea< in upon me. “Ayve. Ruth. The heart of man—I may not quote it properly, but 'twill none the less serve—the heart of man is past find- ing out. That of woman is past specu- lating about. he maiden loved me, un- worthy as | of such devotion.” “And Enos? Proved false to her as he did to thee. Having secured her promise, he sudden- ly abandoned her, and without a word of explanation, and became betrothed to Anna, daughter of Rabbl Samuel.” “Anna?’ 1 exciaimed in astonishment. e Is twice the age of Ruth.’ 'And the rabbi hath ten times the wealth of the silversmith. The one sure- ly balanceth the other, besides making up for her leanness and sad lack of beau- ty. The poor girl may have acted un- wWisely In leaving her home, but—"" If thou offerest excuses for her, she surely did. There was a look of reproach upon the face of Ruth, who had come upon us un- observed, though it was almost lost in the strong background of love and admir- ation. Her stage dress of fleecy white had given place to the decent yet attrac- tive garb of the Roman matron. She had changed since the day when I crown- ed her queen of the vintage; the charms of matured womanhood had asserted themselves, but nothing of her marvelous viva ascinating manner, had de- learned something of the ways of women since that eventful day in the vineyard, and doubted not but she had been a witness, if not an auditor, of our controversy, and that true dramaiic art had_timed her entrance upon the scene. Woman is weaker than man in many regards—but not in artifice. “Nay, Rabbl Judas, wait until thou hast heéard and judged me,” she said, as she seated herseif upon a low table, amid fragments of meat and lees of wine, and rajsed her fair, jeweled hand, to arrest the teps T was taking toward her. ‘I loved Joseph the moment I saw him,” she began, swinging her feet, whose duin- ty proportions were more revealed than obscured by her jeweled half shoes, above a richly colored Persian rug. “l do not blush in avowing this, for it constitutes my defense as it hath been the greatest joy 1 have encountered in life. [ knew that he admired me, but was not foolish enough to think that it yet amounted to love. I read the purpose of his attentions far better than I could an open Torah, nd encouraged that I might aid them. I expected to lose him it is true, but I hoped to make him happy in possessing thee. To attain that end, I promised myself to os, meaning to marry and make him a thful wife.” ‘““He hath more than matched the folly " T broke in, bitterly. not meet for me to say it she continued, with her old time mocking smile, “but a wise man might well pre- fer a mess of savory pottage to the wife he chose. Now what was I to do: de- serted by the man I did not love, and made the laughing-stock and shame of all Kerioth? 'Tis not in accordance with the Scriptures I dare =ay, Doctor Judas, but 1 think woman should have the same rights as man; will have one day, you may be certain “Hath now, in at legst one instance,” I answered, smiling in spite of myself. “1 swore a grudge against all men liv- ing, save one—two, rather,” she added, bestowing upon me a most condescending smile, ‘“for thou aiso loved him. Like you twain, I left Kerfoth and sought the wide world, not that I cared for it. save that it held him somewhere in its twisted maze. I knew that I should find him, for I possessed a sense you doctors and phil- osophers wit not of; a sense that tastes the sweets of things hoped for, hears the secret whisperings of a soul a great way off, scents one perfume amid a thousand mingled odors, sees beyond the stars, and reaching over mountains and across plains and oceans, touches and thrills its other self—Love, without which the five gross ones are worse than useles: As she earnestly, impassionately, ut- tered these glowing words, she seemed the apotheosis of beauty, animated by soul, crowned with love and directed by faith, beside which thht of Gideon seemed dis- trust. She miiht have sinned—which of us hath not?—but she had poured forth from her heart the godiike attribute of love in most unstinted measure. To love some chosen and worthy portion of the vast handiwork of God better than one's self is surely offering praise to him. “Like you twain,” she went on after a momentary pause, “I departed for Joppa by the gres road. I ight reached Jerus: with a accomplished what Intercourse parted. I heart, for I knew that u.g: sence hax had failed to do, made certain that Jo- seph loved me, for how, otherwise, could I be drawn toward him as I was? As [ have sald, I doubted not that I should find him, somewhere, some time, before death closed his eyes and mine, before our hearts became bitter as the apples that grow upon the shores of the Sea of Sodom. But God was better to me than I deserved, or dared to hope. At Joppa I dreamed that I was in Cesarea, supremely ha PR% Smile not, Judas; dreams have guided our people in all ages. Of all that es to make up the world, the universe, Ut one thing could gladden my mourning heart. I took a ship and salled north- ward to the Gentile city. Scarcely had I put foot upon the landing, when. busy among heaps of bags and bales of mer- chandise, I saw him whom my soul loved.” She paused abruptly and, of affection, more preclous th: costly diamonds, !'Dnrlllng in her dark Jewish eyes, threw herself forward into the arms of Joseph. “'Twas the time T first left thee Alexandria, with tears an the most in " explained my friend. n< he kissed away the priceless ges ““There was small need of exnlanation. T knew what brought her there and was as eager to receive her as she was to surren- der_herself to my keeping."” ““We were married that same day, the ceremony of formal betrothal being of necessity omitted, and as soon as my busi ness was dispatched, set safl for Rowm Thou canst now unukrstand, Judas, how in all our wanderings In the netner courts of Rome, women have repelled instead ot attracting me. I possess the queen of the sex. and care for none other. “But why this long secrecy?’ I asked. “I feared thy censure; but more, I feared that she who had transformed me into an .dolator—God will forgive both the expression and the sin, [ trust— might come between u whom Phulo ee ess compared to David and Jonathan. 1 the tolly of tnat now, for my bappi cannot but add to thune. La 1 1 ana proved the iruth of that saying of Sowmon: ‘Bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’ Kor the three years that have elapsed since our warriage, we have been scurcely separated, excepl such time 1 have ent with thee, ‘and in the 3 action Wh Judas? ““Lhat in following the dictates of your heart you-have nut aisobeyed God who placed love there. But thy father, Ruch business. t say'st thou, What of him 1 regretied the question before [ had completed it, but cowd only await the though @ue re 1ETSL00d Y I go. More, gave me ng and supplied me with means. Had 1 done otherwise I could not have been sa entirely happy.” And so our . spien entertainment brought me a conten not aaticipaed, t reason. 1 iacked that 1 knew fill t of amnd J had sweeter for that nothing save the b.iss ed Joseph's heart, to trans- tme por’ me tu the skigs. Per that also awaited me? But in the meantime, the visions of advancement and power that the words of Manlius and Poliio had raised in my mund, would not ve laid. jny dreams that night I saw my ssed in the official robes of the ernor of Judea. V. the Palatine was now perfect in all its appointments, being suppiied with a mustress quite the peer. wit and grace, of the proudest The fame of Ruth had the city. and, coupled regal manner of enter- our house. No 1 better, apprecate buunty, thous Our palace on or those to . lacking in aniecedents regard as requisites aristocracy, few refused our invitat > 2 not even Jehovah himsel 50 _devou and universal as Our lavish mode of li seenungly total disregard of the value of money, set in circuiation grossly e gerated accounts of our caused us o be widely courted and al- most ly flattered. The “Two had become the talk and the town. So far from subsiding. the political am- bition that had taken possession of me went on increasing with the passing days. Few men live who are not flatier and I, surely, was them. ~ Hearing my praises sounded on every side served to increase mine own good opinion of myself, and I soon came to regara ‘)e governorship of Judea as something I m ght very reasonably as- pire to attain. f had no secrets from Joseph and hLe quite shared my hopes, This encouriged me most of all, for I had the highest possible regard for his judgment and almost universal knowledge of the world. ““When I told thee at Kerioth,” sald he one day, after we had discussed the ma: ter at great length, “that together w would buy a kingdom, I had no notion that it would turn out to be our native land, yet such it seems destined to be. 1 h discreetly sounded several of our noble friends and find that the proposal meets with favor; indeed I have already secured a number of valuable allies. As nearly as I can learn, Tiberius is the most avaricious wretch that ever dis- graced a throne. The influence we can bring to bear, reinforced with a few million_sestertil, will accomplish our ob- ject. I would surrender my last coim, Judas, to see thee Procurator of Judea. Our consultation was interrupted by the entrance of Flavius Pollio, flushed with vielory at the gaming beard. 1l won a million to-day from young Caligula, grandson, or, to be more exact, grandnephew of the Emperor and heir to the throne,” he cried as he threw himself upsn a couch. “By the way, how Rome wili howl when he comes to his dwn. Born in a camp, the pet of the legions, he is regarded as an amiable youth. But I know him, and a more thorough devil siands not in the boots from which he takes his name. He was not able to pay me, but I heed not that, since I will find a way to turn the debt to good account. Hast such a thing as wine? This work of flattering royalty parches my throat.” ““Tho art surely my good genius, Jud he continued ~ when he had .cuched, or rather quieted, -his thirst. U.d Tantalus lifted his heavy hand the day I met thee in the Campus Martius, and fortune hath since attended me. And that reminds me of what brOught me here, besides a laudable desire to taste thy wine, which is the envy of the city. Tiberius wishes to see thee; thee and thy friend. D w have we fallen under his displeas- ure?”’ I asked, secretly overjoyed at what 1 regarded as rare good fortune. ‘““IThey who lie under the imperial ban receive not notice of the circumstance. 1U's off with their heads, or to the Ge- monian stairs with them. The Emperor hatk heard of thee and thy feast, and, as old Manlius predicted, it lost nothing in telling, since I chanced to be the tale- bearer.” hou art indeed a friend,” I erled in an ecstacy of pleasure and hope. “How can I ever repay thee? “By ordering more wine. But I'll not deceive thee. There's not a drop of benevolent blood in all my veins. I am a dog, and none knoweth it sad, selfish than the grandson of that patron better of poets, Asinius Pollio. My fortunes rise with thine. The augurs have proclaimed it and the dice have proven it. I am a King's ransom richer than I was beforo that banquet of thine. Go on in thy course and I may live to deprive young Caius Caligula of the imperial purple. So, with an eye to mine own prospects, I !Ppfi;k‘a ,to Tiberius of thee and Pontius ate. I thought the Emperor was not in the eity,” sald Manasseh. ‘And _hath not been this six months past. 1 came yesterday from Caprae, where, somewhat after the manner of that famous King of thy country, David, I belleve, he Is trying to renew his youth. He will give you both audience there. “To what end?” asked Joseph in the calculating tones he employed when transacting business. “‘One that makes to his own advantage, thou may’'st be sure,” replied the gam bler as he took & goblet of wine from a walting servant. “That which more than anything makes me feel that I will wear the imperial purple, is the circumstance that I resemble Tiberius in looking after mine own. Not to deceive thee, and 3o per- haps lose my good fortune, he hath a paim that ftches as zhouih afflicted with a rheum. He would gladly acquire some portion of thy wegalth, friend Iscariot, in exchange for a favor.” ‘ Which we must press upon him in the form of a gift?" I suggested laughing. “The gods enlighten thee. He will hag- gle with thee like an old fishwife selling a rgmbus. Now is a favorable time, for he really lacking ready money and Manlius is with him_arranging a loan. ‘When will you go? 'Tis a most pleasant sail with a fair wind, one thy lady would enjcy, Manasseh. By the way, if she could 'be induced to_dance for him, 'twould seal the bargain. Make it the day after to-morrow. and 1 will bear you company. I have a splendid galley that carries sail.” After the departure of Pollio, Joseph and myself long and, earnestly discussed the situation, Ruth being at length called into conference. The treacherous nature of the Emperor was well known and raised fears as to our safety. On the > . other hand, his grasping greed was equal- ly notorious and reports were current that he systematically sold the places