The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-09-04
MORNING IN JERUSALEM.
[From Tent Life in Holy Land.I

The first morning IN JeIusa'eu Was 'lhe
forever to be remembered. When the sun
came up above the Mount of Olives, was
standing on the eastern side of the city, with
out the walls, on the brow of the valley oil
Jehoshaphat, looking down into its gloomy
depths aud up to the hill that was hallowed
by the laet footsteps of Christ.
lcould not sleep. II was vain to think OF
it or attempt it. Broken snatches of slumber,
dreamy and restless at the best, but mostly
|.brond awake thoughts, fancies, feelings, and
memories occupied the entire night. Weary
and exhausted rs was by the previous days
travel, could not compose my mind sutii-
cently to take the resi- actually required.
1t was but little after the break of day
that stroled down to the gate OF st. Ste
phen, $50 called now, though formerly known
as the gate of the Lady Mary, because of its
leading to the Virgins tomb,) and finding 1t
open already, passed Out among the Moslem
graves that cover the hill Of Moriah, outside
the walls, and sitting down on one of them,
waited in silence the coming Of the sun. And
it came.
had seen the dawn come over the forest
of the Delaware country, in the sublime win
ter mornings,
"wheA last nights snow hangs lightly on the trees,
And all the cedars and the pines are "hite
With the new glory"
| | had seen the morning come up over the
praires of Minnesota, calm and majestic along
the far horizon. had seen it in golden glory
on the sea, in soft splendor in Italy, in rich
effuIgence over the Libyan desert
But | never saw such morning as that
before nor shall ever see another such in
this cold world,
At first there was a flush, faint but beau
tiful light like halo, above the holy noun
tain. Right there-away lay Bethany, and
could think it the radiance of the bursting
tomb of Marthas brother. But the flush be-
came CLEAN, a glow, an opening heaven o'
deep, strong light that did not dazzle moi
bewilder. | looked into it and was lost IN II
as one is lost that gazes into the deep loving
eyes of the woman he worships. 1t seemed
as if had but to wish and ] should be ava.
in the atmosphere that was so glorious
Strong cords of desire seemed drawing M
thither. even rose to my feet and leaIe'
forward over the carved turban on Mnssul
mans tomb. breathed strong, full inspIra
) tons, as if could breathe in that glory.
All this while, deep in the gloom of tn
) valley between me and the Mount of Ascen
sion lay the Hebrew dead of all the centuries
Quiet. calm, solemn in their slumber. Tn
ylory did not reach down to their low graves
vet thought almost aloud, that II that RAD
anra rnnd Int once couch those stones
, heavy as they were, the dend would spring t
h, lite, even the doubly dead who lie in tina
valley of tombs.
Alas! for the dead whose grave the morn
ing radiance from the mountpin of the Lord
ascension will never reach Alas for tn
sealed lips Of earth that will never be kisse
to opening by those rays!
an n-tant after the morning.star had sum
into the blue, and then the full sun-ligh
poured across the hills of Judea, on the bat
Elements Of Jerusalem.
Then once more bowed my head. 1t
no shame 70 have wept in Palestine. wep
when saw Jerusalem, wept when | lay i
the star-light at Bethlehem, wept on tn
blessed shores Of Gaiileo. My hand was n
less firm on the rein, my finger did not tren
BILE on the triggerof my pistol when rod
with it in my right hand along the shore @
the blue sea. My eye was not dmmed b.
those tears, nor my heart in aught weakened
Let him who would sneer at my emotion
close this volume here, for he will find littl
to his taste in my journeying through Hol
3 Land
| Nnpu ,Yiar MT 10