Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1915 — The Stories of Famous Novels [ARTICLE]

The Stories of Famous Novels

By Albert Payson Terhune

Copyright, 1911, by The Press Publishing Ca. (The New York Evening World.) BEN. HUR By Gen. Lew Wallace As the Roman Governor Gratae was riding through the streets of Jerusalem a young Jewish noble, Ben Hur, leaned from a roof parapet to watch him pass. A stone broke from the parapet under the youth’s weight and struck Gratae on the head. Messala, a Roman officer, falsely accused Ben Hur of trying to assassinate the Governor. Without trial the Jew was condemned to toil for life as a galley slave His sister and widowed mother were thrown into prison. In a sea battle a few years later Ben Hur saved the life of a rich Roman tribune, Arrius, who, out of gratitude, freed the galley slave, took him to Rome and adopted him as his own son. Soon afterward Arrius died, leaving Ben Hur the heir to his great wealth. For a long time the youth sought for the mother and sister who had been Imprisoned when he himself had been sent to the galleys. He could find no trace of them. He found, however, his father’s old steward, Simonides, who, with his gentle daughter, Esther, was living at Antioch. Esther at once fell in love with the handsome young Jew; but he at that time had eyes only for Egyptian girl. Iris by name, whom he had recently met at Antioch and for whom he felt a strange infatuation. At Antioch, too, Ben Hur once more discovered his old foe and accuser, Messala, and upon him the Jew vowed vengeance. His opportunity was at hand. A great chariot race was to be run within the next few days. Mesgala, a famed charioteer, was looked on in advance as the certain winner. Ben Hur sought out Sheik Ilderim, a Bedouin who was encamped near the town, and he won the Sheik’s permission to drive the latter’s four matchless black Arab horses in the race. Then through an agent Ben Hur induced Messala to wager his entire fortune on the outcome of the contest. It was to J>e a duel of a new and exciting sort between the lifelong foes. The race began. There were six competitors. Mssala deliberately •■fouled” one of these whose chances seemed good and laid him dying in the arena. As the race progressed one contestant after another was distanced until at last the victory lay between Messala and Ben Hur. As the two raced neck and neck Messala leaned sideways and slashed his rival’s four Arabian horses viciously with his long whip. The desert-bred steeds had always been treated With loving tenderness. They had never known the cut of the lash Under the cruel sting of Messala’s whip they bolted, while the curses of the spectators at the Roman's unsportsmanlike trick filled the vast ampitheatre.

The mighty strength that Ben Hur had gained at the galley oar now stood him in good stead. He reined in the frantic black horses and brolght them again under control. Little by little he gained upon Messala, urging on the fleet Arabs by his voice alone. As he neared the goal Ben Hur swerved his horses so that his chariot wheel struck that of Mesala. The latter’s chariot was overturned. Messala under the hoofs of the horses, was battered Into senselessness and was borne from the arena a helpless cripple. The duel was over. The race was won. Vengeance complete, Ben Hur made his way to Jerusalem, still in search of his mother and sister. He was safe from punishment on the old charge, for Gratus was no longer in Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate having succeeded him as Governor there. At the Holy City Ben Hur first saw Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. And straightway he enrolled himself among the Saviour’s followers, even raising a legion of soldiers, in the idea that Jesus was gning to cast away the Roman yoke from Judea by force. Two women —unclean, wretched lepers —came forth from a hovel one day as the Master passed by, praying Christ to heal them. At His touch they were made well and whole. Tm> women were the mother and sister of Ben Hur. Thus the wanderer’s weary search ended, and he was united to his loved ones.

LEWIS WALLACE, the American general, diplomatist and author, was bom in Brookville, Indiana, in 1827, and died in Crawfordsville, Ind, in 1905. , He served as first lieutenant in the Mexican war, after which he engaged in the practice of law until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he became a brigadiergeneral. General Walace commanded a division at the battle of Fort Dctnelson and became major-general of volunteers in 1862. He saved Cincinnati from capture by Kirby Smith in 1863, and was defeated early at the Monocacy in 1864. From 1881 to 1885 General Wallace was United States Minister to Turkey. His literary productions are: THE FAIR GOD (1873), BEN HUR (1880), THE BOYHOOD OF CHRIST (1888). THE LIFE OF BENJAMIN HARRISON (1888) and the PRINCE OF INDIA (189 X It is said that the manuscript of BEN HUR went the rounds of the publisher still theauthor despaired of ever getting it published. When It Anally appeared Jt became the moot «dely read book jof ttf