thee.

her?"

But see the mercies of our God! Though saddened countenance, "will she grow sick, and far away, I heard of her distress, and came at once die again, and leave her little Esther to weep for to comfort her. With joy she heard me promise all that she could wish concerning thee, and prais ing God, fell happily asleep from all the cares of life."

"Good Mordecai," said the thonghtful little being now ceasing to weep, and looking up into his face, "Tell me to what new home has my mother gone? She told me her body would return to dust from which God had made it, but the soul was the spirit that God had breathed into that dust, and could not die, but would go to a place of rest--a quiet, and beautiful, and never-ending Sabbath-that God would sanctify for those that love him, perhaps where good Elijah went. Will she dwell in some bright star, like that now rising over the highest terrace of the hanging gardens, which they say is a world like this ?"

"Whither thy mother has gone, and where we all shall go, my child," answered Mordecai, "God has not fully revealed to us; but he has filled us with a consciousness of immortality and a future existence. From the patriarchs and the holy prophets, too, we learn that God's blessings to those that love him extend beyond the grave: for David tells us 'His mercies endure forever. Our father Jacob, too, by inspiration from God, calls his life a pilgrimage, which opens to us the truth, that when it is over, we shall return again to God from whom we came at first. So now, knowing the mercy and the goodness of our God, thou wilt believe and rejoice that thy tender mother is blest and happy in some peaceful, sunny land, more beautiful than our own Jerusalem."

"Will she have another little Esther to press to her bosom and sleep in her arins, and to kiss and love her, and will she forget me?" asked the little innocent bursting into tears at the last agonizing thought.

Mordecai pressed the little questioner to his bosom with unutterable tenderness and replied, “No, my child, no! God will not separate you twice; nor must you dwell too much upon this one separation, but be thankful that he has left you one friend at least who will never forsake you."

"Yes, Mordecai, yes!" she replied with quick animation, "I have another friend besides you.” "Who is that?" asked Mordecai in some surprise.

Raising her little hands towards the Heavens, with a smile of triumph, she replied, “the God of our fathers;-did not dear mother tell me if I loved Him, and kept his commandments, he would clothe me, and feed me, and shelter me from the storm, and bless me, and comfort me, and be with me always, and never forsake me?"

"Happy, happy infant! blest in such a mother," said old Mordecai delightedly. "I spoke of earthly friends, yet thy tender lips have lisped forth deep wisdom. God hears thy words, and my heart tells me he will make them good. Yes, truly thou hast a friend above all friends, and a God above all gods. Keep thy mother's words and He will indeed bless thee, and protect thee from the snares of the wicked."

"Are they the wicked, who laugh so loud, and feast so merrily in yonder palace, while my poor mother lies there so cold and so still ?"

"Yes, my child, they know not God."

"Then it is better to be hungry here in this le house with God for our friend than to feast with them."

With this sentiment of Solomon's without knowing it, her eyes closed heavily to, and her tender spirit, wearied with watching, sunk into a sweet slumber. Mordecai pressed her gently to his ho"No! no! my child," replied Mordecai sooth- som, imprinted a kiss on her parted lips, and laid ingly, "thy mother, tried and refined like gold in her softly on a pallet. Who shall say the angels this land of probation, is now removed to that of God watched not over the sweet sleep of that world of the happy, where all is love, and will re- pure and innocent little being? Her dreams were member thee, and love thee better than ever. Per- pleasant, for her lips were wreathed with continnal haps from some bright world of peace, she may smiles. Though faint and hungry, she asked not even now be smiling on thee, and God may suffer for food, knowing there was none left to be given her spirit often to hover around and to watch over her. Her mother had supported herself and this and comfort thee. So remember to keep her les- only child by her industry, notwithstanding the sons treasured up in thy heart--to love thy God, oppression of the Babylonians; and her life had and keep his commandments, that she may not be passed in cheerfulness and contentment, till sickgrieved and sorrowful at thy wickedness. If you ness cut off her resources. Then Mordecai, who be good, God too will suffer you to meet your moth- dwelt in Susa, and was their only relative, came er again, and dwell with her; but if you are diso-to their relief, and quieted the anxiety of the dying bedient and wicked, He will never let you see her again.

mother by adopting her child. While Esther slept, he called in some poor Jews, who took away her “O, how I shall laugh and cry too to meet dear mother's body and buried it. The child slept long mother again!" exclaimed the happy little crea- and placidly, and Mordecai reclined by her side. ture, clapping her hands with animated glee. "But, adjusting the coarse coverlet, when by a motion of good Mordecai," she immediately resumed, with a her hand, under the influence of a smiling dream,

she would throw it off. When she opened her eyes, with the impression of her delightful vision still fresh upon her mind, she looked quickly and anxiously around her and called upon the endearing name, mother. “Where is she gone?" she passionately exclaimed; "she was here playing with me just this minute."

house, you and all that are in it. It is to be pulled down and consumed with fire, and the site overspread with lime to prevent infection, as well as to remove so unsightly and disgusting an object from the vicinity of lord Haman's palace."

"Who purposes so cruel and inhuman an outrage on a child of poverty and destitution, like Mordecai covered his face with his hands and this helpless orphan just deprived of her only turned away to hide his emotion. Recollection parent?" asked Mordecai, placing Esther before burst with fresh agony upon the weeping babe, and him. throwing her arms about Mordecai's neck, she subbed, “She told me in my dreams to love and obey you, and that you would be kind and good to me, and that God would be with me always and He will surely then pay this infant the value bless me." of what he takes from her. This little hovel and "Blessed art thou, beautiful child of my adop-its humble furniture are all her earthly possestion," said Mordecai, for God who knows the heart, and sees its future unfoldings, has shown thee in a vision, and through the ministering spirit of a pious mother, whose words to thee were always truth, that thou art to Him an object of special love and providence. Lowly though thou be, and weak in helpless infancy-a beautiful and tender flower, so frail as to be crushed by the slightest pressure of the oppressor's foot, yet thy God, even from thy years of lisping childhood, has spread his pavilion over thee, to protect thee from the

"Haman--the rich and powerful Haman," was the reply," and there are none who may live and disobey him."

storm

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Her disease was inflammation of the lungs," replied Mordecai.

Your report may be true," resumed the serFant, "yet it is more probably false, since your lying race hate truth for its own sake: besides, interest may suggest the policy of concealing the appearance of an infectious disease."

Had your benevolence been equal to your opprobrious suspicions," said Mordecai with impurturbable serenity, "your ministering presence to an humble and suffering widow prostrated on the bed of death, would have told you her malady, and saved you the trouble of asking it of others. A morsel of that bread thrown to your pampered dogs, or a few drops of that wine poured out in idolatrous libations, might have afforded an additional ray of comfort to a desolate exile."

sions."

The menial laughed loud and merrily at Mordecai's simplicity, then motioned to a throng of slaves to begin the work of demolition. The crash of boards was instantly heard, and the little trembling Esther, catching up the dolls and playthings given by her mother, now doubly valued, threw herself upon the bed her mother had so lately pressed, and sobbing an agonizing adieu to all the dear objects around her, she grasped the arm of Mordecai and fled with him from the presence of the oppressor. At a distance she beheld the flames that consumed the last dwelling of her mother. Painful to her little throbbing heart was that cruel sight. It seemed a widening of the separation from that tender parent; for by a pleasant illusion of the imagination, these sensible objects, so familiar to both, formed in her mind a link between their separate existences. Yet she was a meek and passive sufferer, nor murmured, nor reviled the authors of the

deed.

In that house of almost regal splendor, the feast and riotous debauch had now begun to pall upon the flagging spirits of the licentious revellers. The exhausted animal powers, relaxed by excess, threw a sympathetic gloom over the cheer. fulness of the mind, and they glided about with bloated and flushed cheeks and watery eyes, more like the children of sorrow than of mirth. Haman, with robes all stained with wine, and a tottering, unsteady gait, approached an open window to take a view of the two fugitives, pointed out to him by his slave, as they passed the palace. Little Esther raised her pale and meek countenance to his, and instinctively clung closer to Mordecai's arm, when she met that fearful gaze. The haughty Haman Thou sacriligeous wretch of a Jew! What! deigned not to speak to the humble objects of his give to your profane lips the libations offered to malice, but turning to his slave, asked, "Did you the gods! Impious dog! do you presume to equal say that despicable hut was all they had?" yourself to Belus of the Chaldees, Jupiter of the My lord has rightly understood his servant," Greeks, and Mithras of the Persians? You may replied the slave bowing to the earth. thank my forbearance, for your insolence reported. "Good! very good!" continued Haman to himto Haman would cost you your ears. But hear self, with a horrid smile. "I would, were I Permy commands and obey: On the instant avoid this sia's Great King, sweep from the earth the whole

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accursed race and the altars of their unsocial God, [expanded, the spirit of her being was imbued with who scorns all other gods. Before His altars, too, all that is beautiful in imagery and exquisite in their hateful prophet, Samuel, hewed to pieces sentiment, nor did she dream of a cloud to darkAgog, king of my people-the Amaliketes. Their en the gay colors of young life;-the world with songster, David, too, made slaughter of my nation, all created things presented nothing to her romanas did, from first to last, the whole of this detested tic visions but beauty and joy and love. Filled race of Jewry. These things are past, but not with a cheerful enjoyment of the present and deforgotten. Their God had then the mastery. Be-lightful anticipations of the future, she was one lus had it next, and brought them bondsmen evening tripping along a narrow street with sevhither; Mithras † has it now, nor shall he find me eral other young females of her nation, when their a slothful minister;-Ahriman‡ confound them, progress was suddenly stopped by a gay cavalcade nor let Ormusd § throw a ray of light upon them." Mordecai returned to Susa, taking with him his little charge, and with more than a doating parent's fondness, did he perform the promises made to her dying mother; for besides the force of the solemn pledge to bind him, the tender affection and meek docility of the child soon wound themselves sparkling eye turned with admiration from object about his heart with a tie that nothing could dis- to object, gave a lustre to her beauty almost angelic. solve. Powerful and indelible was the impression While thus standing, drawn up in a line with her of her mother's lessons upon Esther's mind, and companions, close to the building, on the side walk, so fully cherished, that when Mordecai reproved she observed not the fixed and enraptured gaze of her for some thoughtless word or act, he needed the captain of the troop, who had reined in his but to say, "Ah! Esther, thy mother never taught horse, rivetted upon her. "What beautiful creathee thus" to send the little penitent to weep for ture is that?" he asked of an attendant. hours in solitude. Years glided over them in tran- By their appearance, my lord," replied the quillity and peace, and comfort, with worldly posses-slave, bowing to his horse's neck, "I should judge sions gathered around them. them to be descendants of the Jews."

CHAPTER II.

and their splendid retinue. The rich, flowing robes and nodding plumes of the horsemen with the gor geous trappings of their fine horses, presented a grand spectacle to the enthusiastic imaginations of the maidens. The bright glow of vermillion that lighted up the countenance of Esther, as her large

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“True, you are right, I see they are now," continued he with a sudden gleam of pleasure. But do you mark that bright-eyed beauty I first pointed out to you? There she stands in symmetry of Spotless and happy innocence of merry and spor- form, and grace of attitude, that shames the sculptive maidenhood! bright and beautiful existence! tured marble of the Grecian Venus. How beamwhere the sweet simplicity of lingering childhood, ing with the ectasy of love," continued he solilois mingled with the enchanted romance of budding quizing, "those soft, dark eyes, fringed with their womanhood! What object in nature so aptly por- long silken lashes, and arched with brows so beautrays to the imagination those pure and beautiful tifully pencilled: see, too, the glassy smoothness of beings of the spiritual world, as the gay and spot- that high and polished forehead of snowy whiteless innocence of maiden beauty? Such a pure ness, encircled by dark braids of glossy hair;and lovely object was the Jewish maiden Esther, that nose, how purely and beautifully Ionic; how now in her fourteenth year, brightly dawning into exquisitely formed that little mouth, of mould so womanhood. Old Mordecai saw his beautiful soft, and lips so rosy; and then the coloring of the charge grow up under his hands like a tender and whole, how delicate! how thrillingly beautiful! exquisite flower, and so carefully trained her in the Shall such a prize be borne away by a Jewish duties of a child of God, while the heart was most clown? Ye gods forbid! See," continued he, tender and susceptible, that now her mind present-calling his servant again to his side, "that this ed an engraving of beautiful truth, indelible-a rose of Sharon' be brought privately to my palace tablet of chaste and pious images. The ablest on the suburbs of the city;-and mark me, my teachers had made her acquainted with the history wife is not to hear a whisper of it." and learning of her own people, and much of the philosophy and abstruse science of the Greeks, as well as the blind and absurd mythology of the gentile nations. With a mind thus enlightened and

6

"My lord shall be obeyed," replied the servant, bowing, and falling back from his master's side. The cavalcade now moved on till opposite to the great market-place, when their leader, gaily waving his sword, pronounced the word, discharged; then The god of the Chaldees, worshipped at Babylon. turning into different streets, they cantered off, + The sun, worshipped as a god by the ancient Persians. each to his separate home. "There go the PerThe Principle of all evil and of darkness in the my-sian nobles," said a loiterer about the markets, thology of Persia. The Principle of all goodness and of light among the "See what a fine display they make. They carry ancient Persians. about their persons enough of gold and gems to

feed all Susa through thirteen revolutions of the merriment, taking for its object a defenceless orphan, who, though humble, has been nurtured in all

moon."

"Where have they been ?" asked an old gray- the sensitive delicacy of her sex; for I will not headed man leaning on his staff.

To the grand review of the army.”

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wrong a Persian noble so much as to dream for a moment your language serious. The brave and "Ah! a grand review it may have been, but not the generous prove their claims to those qualities, of a grand army," continued the veteran. It is by throwing their protection around innocence and all a glittering, empty show: ten thousand troops virtue; cowards win their titles by oppressing the of Cyrus' Babylonian guards would have put to weak and unprotected. I will not believe, great flight the whole pompous pageant. Such is the lord of Persia, that you stand in the latter class." difference between men enured to toil and danger, You prate learnedly, fair reasoner," said the and accustomed to subsist cheerfully, when noth- Persian, reddening with anger, "gentleness, I fear, ing better was at hand, on cresses and water, and will spoil you; for see my condescending fondness the effeminate creatures now called soldiers, who already wakens presumption. You look a Bellona, by feeding delicately, and sleeping softly, are qual-or Minerva, the chaste goddess, ready armed for ified for nothing but to herd with women, and to battle. Why, what should you, a flower reared trip a measure in a shady bower: the heat or the in the shade, know of courage or of cowardice? cold, the rain, the sunshine, or the enemies darts Was it ever heard before, that to be deeply touched are equally insupportable to them." with beauty's charms was cowardice? Come! come! I'll reason the matter calmly with you. I have studied the passions and interests of your sex too long not to know the value of the station I offer you. Your beauty has procured you a fortune that thousands who look above your head in dignity of station will envy. And would you, for a foolish whim, reject such princely honors? away with such mean-spirited prejudice! Your pru

Having vented this querulous reproach upon the degeneracy of the times, the ancient soldier hobbled impatiently away.

In the mean time, the dissolute leader of the Persian nobles had reached his splendid seat upon the suburbs of the city and anxiously awaited the arrival of his intended victim. An hour had passed away and the libertine walked to and fro with vexed impatience along the lofty piazza of his pal-dence and good sense will guide you better." ace, fearing that his wicked plot had failed, when suddenly four slaves, bearing a covered litter, entered the great court of the palace. The litter was deposited at the master's feet, the satin curtains stripped away, and a female scream loud and shrill burst upon his ears. Esther, pale and trembling, with eyes bent upon the ground, stood before the oppressor. "Be not terrified, beautiful virgin," said the noble soothingly, "why do you tremble ?" Esther, in a voice scarcely articulate from its faintness, meekly implored his clemency and besought him to inform her of what she was accused; imagining, in the simplicity of her nature, that such violence could only be used towards a supposed

criminal.

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"Great lord of Persia," replied Esther, now strengthened by a consciousness of innocence and of divine protection, "the value of a station is not determined by the numbers who may envy the possession, but by the worth of the competitors, and the honor it confers. If the sacrifice of piety, virtue and morality for the abominable glitter of a gilded prostitution be indeed an honorable ambition, then your offer would be enviaole; but if to accept it bring, as it will, the curse of God and the scorn of all the virtuous among mankind, with the lowest self-abasement and the loss of innocence, it were a curse that worlds could not weigh down?"

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Why, silly girl," resumed the libertine, "a "Of what you are accused, child of loveliness?" narrow and superstitious education has made you he replied. What! do you fear the charge of a slave of the idlest fancies that ever entered a erime? Banish such idle fears. Your beauty woman's head. Why, what mean you by the loss has subdued your lord, and made him your slave. of innocence and the scorn of the virtuous? I You are here, not to receive a sentence, but to tell you, an honor and happiness await you greatly give laws to the creatures of your will." above your present lot."

The blood rushed in scarlet over the face and neck of Esther, from deeply offended modesty, and she recoiled several steps from the insolent speaker. "Why, coy damsel," continued he approach- “Come, bring not up the tricks of crafty priests ing, "are you yet incredulous? I tell you, you to aid a weak cause," said the Persian; "but be shall be the mistress of this proud mansion, of my-guided by your own good sense. What! reject self, and of everything around you. This splen- the highest advantages of life to feed a sickly sendid fortune stuns you, yet your little heart must timent? Know you not that the wisdom of any leap with exultation at its noble conquest."

"So the serpent told our mother Eve she surely should not die, when tempting her to sin against her God," was Esther's reply.

"My lord," said Esther, now emboldened by Dutraged delicacy, "there is cruelty in your lewd

course is tested by the solid profit it secures ?"

" Great lord," replied Esther, with a lofty and impressive manner, "you define well, and in the

ment; who has blotted out by a breath the whole line of Kings and overturned the dynasty of great Babylon-who curbs the nature of savage beasts and renders harmless devouring elements, a god

abstract we may agree; but in the application of the Babylonians. And is that God, who tells his what is profitable, we part widely asunder. My will so many ages in advance, and makes kings education, which you ridicule; my principles and and rulers of the earth subservient to its fulfilmy inclinations lead me to the irresistible conclusion, that the nearest approximation to an implicit obedience to the laws of God is the highest state of human wisdom, and certainly confers, through all the vicissitudes of our being, the greatest profit: of superstition, weak and powerless-a phantom in contrast, I am fixedly persuaded that an impious of a crazed brain-his altars mockeries and his contempt of that Supreme will, and an indulgence worshippers fanatics? Forbear, O man! forbear! of guilty passions, is the lowest abysm of human lest God turn thy life to a curse and thy name to an folly, and the most prolific source of wretchedness. eternal reproach among the nations of the earth." His finger has engraved upon tablets of stone the "Lovely Syren," continued the Persian, filled commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery."" with admiration at the wild and beautiful anima"You talk like a wild enthusiast, as you are, tion of Esther's countenance, "thy reproaches beautiful flower of Jewry," replied the Persian; even fall enchantingly sweet from those pretty "the stubborn fanaticism of your singular people, lips; yet think not with all thy eloquence I will let has enslaved your young and vivid imagination thee go. No, bright flower of Palestine, our forwith the tenets of a groveling superstition, and tunes now are one."

fixed you in an hourly terror of a shadowy phan- "You cannot harm me, cruel lord," said Esther tom-the creature of a morbid fancy. Who is weeping afresh, "without my God's permission, that God of whom your people so much gabble and I will not harbor the thought that he will thos Is his service profitable? See his altars over-cast me off and leave me desolate. Though I see turned, his temple pillaged and destroyed-his peo- not how I may escape this threatening doom, yet ple slaughtered, or driven like beasts of burden into bondage before an insolent conqueror, and behold them, even now, the bondsmen of a race that neither know nor worship Him. Is your allegiance due to Him, who either contemns your prayers, or is too weak to grant their requests?"

his unseen arm can free me from your toils. Why, man of greatness, riches and of honors, possessed of all the pomp of earthly state, should you seek to wither into wretchedness a frail and helpless orphan, whose innocence is all she has? Pity your weak suppliant," she continued extending her hands towards him with moving pathos, "and daily will I raise my voice to heaven for blessings on your head."

"Revolting blasphemer!" exclaimed Esther, recoiling with horror, "your dreadful impiety shocks and terrifies me! My God," she continued, now weeping and raising her eyes towards the Heav- "The more your pretty lips harangue," perens, let thy holy presence strengthen me in this sisted the Persian, "the more I am taught the value hour of trial, and teach me how to vindicate thy of my prize. Drive those idle fancies from your name! Unhappy man-a babe in Israel could brain; you are misguided by vain abstractions. make thee blush for thy ignorance. Go learn from How should I make you miserable, by raising you Moses how our God proclaimed this doom of bon- to honors, that all the rational world would esteem dage, in a strange land, for the transgressions of happiness? Were you wretched in your elevation, our race, centuries before the time, and wonder at your morbid fancy would create the curse and not the astonishing fulfilment. The kings of Babylon the favor of a Persian lord. Know you who it is and Persia were but the feeble instruments with that sues and whom you would reject ?" which he worked his ends. Learn too from Daniel, a prophet of our God, how that insolent conqueror' of whom you speak, and who burnt the "What you call cruelty I mean as bounty and temple at Jerusalem, became a beast to graze the munificence; and the favors of Haman are not fields with unclean animals for seven years. Read lightly esteemed of men." At the mention of that from the chronicles of Babylon, how our God made dreaded name a thrill of horror passed over Esther's lions harmless to the good Daniel when thrown frame.

"No!" replied Esther, "I only know you are cruel and unjust.”

into their den. Who cooled the seven-times heated "God of my fathers," she involuntarily exfurnace, where the three young Hebrews walked exclaimed, clasping her hands together, “thou wilt unharmed amidst the flame, cheered by the pres- not leave me in the power of my people's most ence of a heavenly messenger? Whose hand cruel oppressor."

was that, which traced upon the palace wall of "You wrong me much, fair girl," he replied, Babylon, before Belshazzar's eye, the dreadful reddening with anger, yet turning away his face to words that spoke the doom of him who in his mid-conceal it. "What I have done to the Jews was night revels durst touch with impious lips the con- ordered by a higher power, whose will I might not secrated vessels of God's temple? These things disobey and live. But were it as you say, it is in you have often heard, not from the Jews, but from your power now to make me a sure and steadfast