The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-01-17

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their native land, the prosecuted He
brews cast themselves in the dust and
put on sackcloth and ashes. But this
was not the whole of their miserles.
The popuace upheld as they thought,
by the royal edict, broke out into riots,
almost daily, in which they sacked the
homes of the weaIthier Jews, and Of
ten murdered the inofensive owners.
Poor Miriam was in despair. To
acknowledge her conversion now and
desert her father would seem the black.
est perfdy; TO go into exile would be
to lose Salvado forever, and the dear
hopes connected with him. At length
she resolved to write to him, TO sum
mon him to her side, and then take a
final farewell Of him, telling him that
she could not desert her father in his
extremity. Yetwhen she took up her
pen to indite this missive her heart al
most shrank from the task. Hot tears
fell on the parchment, and even when
more composed, she remained in deep
thought.
Suddenly she started from her rev.
erie, for low, hollow murmur, like
the sound Of the autumn wind, pene-
trated, TO the re tired chamber. She had
heard such a sound once before, when
a furious mob sacked the house of the
Rabbi Benjamin, and her cheek turned
ashy white. The noise increased and
drew nearer; while the faint hope she
had entertained that her ears deceived
her, vanished away. There was no
longer any doubt that there was ris-
ing of the populace. Louder and loud
er their shouts approached: Miriam
trembled With vague apprehension
Snatching crucifx from her bosom,
she kissed it fervently and had just re.
placed it, when the door of the apart
ment opened and her aged parent rush
ed into the room, alarm depicted on
every feature of his countenance.
"rhe God of Abraham protect thee,
sweet one," he exclaimed. "The spoil
er is up; the lshmaelites are abroad. =
Haste to get some Of your most valua-
able jewels and fly with me by the
back way. Hark, there are the blows
upon the outer door: the wolves will
soon be in the fold of Israel''
Even while he was speaking, noise
as if a battering ram was being used
against the heavy gates Of the house,
shook the walls; accompanied by sue
cession of wild huzzas, as when a
crowd cheer on the efforts of the more
daring portion Of its members. Miri-
am knew. therefore, that no time was
to be lost; there was a riot among the
populace; and the reputed wealth of
her father had drawn the mob to his
house, which they intended to sack
Life itself probably depended on her
speed. Taking up, therefore, the parch.
ment on which she had been writing,
she thrus; it into her bosom, and then
hastily collecting the most valuable of
her jewels she hurried them into a cas-
ket, her father assisting her wllh trem-
bling hands.
"Alas! Alas!" he said while thus oc
cupied, "the glory has departed from
my house. We 90 forth beggars into
a strange land. Oh! Miriam, beloved
of my heart, the image Of thy blessed
mother, how will it fare with thee now
after my aged head is laid in the dust?
| thought to leave thee the richest, as
thou art the loveliest OF our tribe, but
now thou wilt be beggar among thy
people-like the wild coneys, having
no home but on the hills. God of my
fathers" he continued. looking to heav-
en-; "verily, thou hast laid the rod heav-
ily on us. The chosen Of thy right
hand are delivered to the Phlistnes
we are wanderers on the earth-oh!
when will the days of our tribulatlon
and sojourning be over?'
His words were. cut short, as well
as their further progress in collecting
valuables, by a crash which shook the
house to its foundation, followed by
shout Of triumph from the crowd: and
instantly The infuriated mob were heard
in the courtyard below.
SLY, fly, never mind the jewels
better life and poverty than death by
such hands," said Miriam, recoiing
with horror at that shout, and drag
ging her father away from his task
''We shall barely have time to escape
into black street--throw over your
self this cloak; am sufficiently disguis-
ed by my veil.' .ilifaaioosg ss4
p Taking the old mans hand in hers,
she hurried along a corridor, into which
the room opened. Their way led for
some distance along this passage,
which was separated from the court
yard, now filled with people, only by
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