Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-17
NASHVILLE. TENN; SUNDAY, JUJNE9l7, 1856
Misitellaueoas.
From the N. Y. Indepeudant.
SIS Thy Servant a Dog !, ,.t.s :.

1 TO- ! . 3. .
.bsa. els Thy Servant Dog . .abss .
There was great excitement in the beautiful ei
ty of Damascus. Two tides Of feelings centendet
for mastery. The king lay at tie point OF death
and it became the people'to beoverwhelmed viii
woe. But then il was noised abroad that the grea
Hebrew prophet was coming on q visit to the
city. and the people must needs be sgog with jog
and curiosity. iau ,mA 81 irs 5sa'A 30 ~
So,in the great bazaars, and gardens, and pub
llc promenaaes, on the banks of Abana and Phar.
phar, smiles and gloom chased alternately acress
the public visages rs clouds and sunshine across
waving field. of grain SO 81 ~ siss lis y9ii Is
1t was a briiiiant and glorious morning of early
spring Rumor'said that the prophet hsd5us ar
rived andthat there was to be procession and a
royal reception of thstsaigni6ed guest ooId men
and children, young men and maidens; turned cat
TO see And 10 rumor did not lie for out of the
stately gsts filed a amlitafy array with glsacing
helm and spear, and clang of arnor and barbaric
music, with such faunting banners and soseous
trappings as might have beitted the welcome Of q
prince. Solemn and stately in the midst of the
procession plodded forty eailels heavily burdened
with ali the treasures of the East. Rich stuff,
seimetars OF world-renowned temper, gems of ex-
qulsite cutting plumes, shawls, horns ofisory and
ebony, skins of wine, fabrics of fine wool. spices,
eassla, cslamus, nard. frankincense, perfumed oil,
honey aud balm, cedar chests of rich apparel slaves
fair and strong and oil that the eye could admire
or the fancy conceive! All this wealth of various
treasure was the gift of the royal raunifcence to an
humble prophet-who in his own country had been
almost without honor o'0i-iao aa1ic8 sidI 1l.za
sa1Ihe deathfearing monarch would ,propitiate
favorable answer from this redoubtable seer to his
question fquestions, "Shall recover gr All YES.
what are all spendors Of throne, all the revenues
oil the East to him now? Hear, o prophet The
hapghty Sultan Of Damascus it is who kneels in the
person OF Hazael bis general at thy feet sabjectly
saying, "Shall recover? am sick unto DEATH
a@ cut off from the glory of my manhood. The
Pomps and splendors of my court are far from ne.
The light OF love in the eye Of beauty is mine no
Lore For me all the voices OF birds and winds, all
the Influences of genial spring are no more. am
treading gloomily deeper and deeper in that nyste-
rious valey.of The shadow of death where none can
follow, none soothe, none cheer. Say, shall re-
tufu? Must Igo beneath yon black portal ?-l
Shall ! neyeryisit the day, and'5guze with living
eyes into the eyes of the living g- s8ob Il sUoa5
g And the rensvisaged veteran kneeis before the
hoary prophet, with this- quest dpop his fip-and
all Syria trembles for the response sjThes are
courty dignitaries pashas chiefs, emifs and officers
Of state--and they gather round that owly seer of
tarTna optf uyatf
response. AT length In low voice, audible only
to the kneeling ambassador, go say unto him
Thou mayest surely recover; howbeit, Jehovah q
hath showed me that he shall surely de.p WHY this
mysterious enigma = Why this sudden pause ?
Why does the prophets check grow pale, WHY'S
his eye suddenly set and strained with an unesrth
ly glare upon his appalled, risitsut. Has the cris.
is of divine second-sieht suddenly seized him. and
through the individual before him does his super
natural gaze penetrAte beyond TO the secret Of the
dread future! And why these tears !? Do d;rss
tragedies and scenes of horror rise up out of that
future, and in them an eyensing demon of 1des5
truction does he discern this very man the chief
actor in the shadowy drama o7y 'zaf .f-,'s' s.ii
"Why weepeth my lord r. demands the astopsh
ed and secretly horror struck warrior. 1-
"Because, REPLIES the prophet, Il know the evil
thou wilt do unto the children of Israeli Their
strong-hods thou wilt set on fire, their young men
wilt thou siay with the sword, and dash their chill
dren in pieces" ~
Back, then, from his kneeling position springs
that martial man, every feature of his couutenance
instinct with disgust.
But what! is thy servant dog that he should
do this great thingg'
The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt he |
King over Syriar"'. 80.
The prince lies gasping on his royal couch, in
the sutry air of noon. alas Hazael returned %
he pants, in a tremolous voice. "Has be seen the
seer? Why does he delay ?"i And he turns his face
family towards the light breeze from the lattice.
A step is heard A mailed tread draws nigh.
The tall form of ehieftain dsrkens by It's shadow
the couch Colossal he seems in all the iron strength
of robust health towering above the PROSTATE and
loIg enfeebled invalid. r.-.--.,.-,-..
] "What said Elisha to thee!r, -r II.
"He told me" answers Hszael, in constrained,
sepulchral voice, "that thou shoud'st surely re-
cover. |
And the word went like an elixir of Joy to the |
heart of the sufferer. With sigh of exceeding |
relief yea of utter ecstacy he turned bin over,
and sunk away into sumbcr as sweet and dream |
less as the sleep of his early boyhood.. ~,
In the tent of the warrior chief there was n |
mighty conflict. With stern visage, pale cheek, |
compressed lip and haggard eye, Hazael was strid.
ing to and fro, speaking ever aud anon disconnected
words of inward struggle.
King King of Syria! r. Impossible Base
base aud yet-"hte Lord hath shoac
I'd me - the prophet said And ii SO, then must
it not be fate? And whd'ean struggle with des
tiny! Yet my master my noble, generous, trust
ing master Never! Away, ye ambitious thoughts, |
down ye dark suggestions! / will not think of |
itw ;a1' jog
In the pavilion the monarch was still sleeping. |
Hours had passed and he walked not He slept |
with the cool, delicious slunber of childhood =
There was new life in every deep respiration Not |
a football disturbed that repose more precious
than all the treasures of Syria i5 lc..a1-'-e- .s
Ha what dark spectral form is moving be-
tween the window and the sleeper? Noiseless he
balefull shadow on the sleeper.