The mountain Democrat., 1864-01-30


would fall some few days before they
reached it. Remembering that kind Of
hostelry, kept by one of their brethren,
lay but few rods out of their way, they
determined on abiding there till the festi-
val was over.
1t was on the fourth day that a man
rushed into the court, covered with dust
and mud, and so exhausted as barely to
be Cbie to tell his horrible tale. Massacre
and outrage again menaced the haplcss
Jews. He stated that, on the first day Of
Passover, as the procession of the Host
had passed down the Jewish quarter of
Worms, a cry arose that it had been in
Z }$sS BY iEd~etrs, VIZ bad s4liisGe,I Cc1-
rectly afterwards. That,-were not the real
cIiminals given up, the whole Jewish pop.
ulation should be exterminated without
regard to age, sex, or rank. Seven days
were allowed them to determine their own
fate; useless delay, for when all were in.
nOcent, who could avow guiltY The city
gates were closed; not Jew allowed
egrcss from the town, and, at the immi.
nent risk Of his own life, the bearer Of
these horrible tidings had alone escaped.
Darker and sterncr grew the countenance
Of Arodi, as he heard. He had neither
relative nor friend amid the doomed, but
once more the curse had fallen on his peo-
pie, and he burst forth in fearful cxecra.
ton.
'Ye sang of joy he exclaimed, turning
tiercely towards IIelon, on whose face,
though pale as marble, strange yet beau
tiful light had fallen. Sing on joyous
song to greet mouldering home and mur-
dered parent. Ye dared hope-ye dared
be .joyful-'tis the wrathful voice of the
avenger !
Peace, Arodi they shall yet be saved
Saved? bid the raving wolf release the
lamb, the hungry lion his fought-for prey
Helons sole answer was SO thrilling in its
low, brief words. that Arodi stnEted sew
cral PAGES back, gazing on him, as if he
{, ubted or understood not the meaning of
his words.
'Canst thou wouldst thou-what! re.
sign all : he rather permitted to fall from
his lips than said
Il 90 not resign them-'tis but their
exchange for bliss which is unfading.'
And Admah-Ilelon, has thou thought
Of her.
Thought of her?' and the strong con-
vul,ion passing over Hclon's face and
frame was indeed sufficient answer. Yet
he add d calmly after some minutes
pGusr, For this she, too, would resign
me. Her spirit speaks within me. bid.
ding me 10 what my full soul prompts. -
What is the happiness Of one, compared
with the. lives oi huhdrcdSY
The soul Of the dark, stern man shook
within him. He battled with emotion for
the first time in vain. Falling on lIclon' s
neck, these words broke forth in sobs-
Forgive NE, oh, forgive me, brother -
| dr>pised, cuntemned thee; yet from thee
learn my duty. WHITTIER thou goest, |
"ili CO. What thou doeSt, | will do.-
Brother, make me as thySelf'
But one night intervened, and the
wretchc1 jews Of Worms, in the stern
stiffness Of utter despair, awaited their
fearful doom. The festive rejoicing that,
even in the darkest era Of persecution,
ever attended the Passover, was changed
INTO deepest mourning. Not one ray of
human hope ilumined this horrible dark
ness. The similar fate OF hundreds. aye,
thousands, even millions, yet rung in
their ears. lie who alone could save had
turned his face in wrath from his afflicted
people. They had but one consolation,
aud mothers cla>pcd their unconscious
bahc>, and husbands their trembling
wins, in the one glad thought that none
would be- left to mourn-they should all
die together.
Night fcil, calmly and softly; oh, who
that looked on those radiant heavens, To-
sing all Of earth in the thoughts Of the
hundreds and hun!rc,ls of unknown
worlds filling the vast courts Of trackleSs
space, can imagine without a shudder,
the mighty mass Of human passion and
human suffering which one little corner
Of the globe contains? Who that feels
for one brief moment the pressure of in
tinity upon his soul, speaking, as it will,
in the solemn stiffness OF spiritual night,
can come back to earthly things, without
shuddrring at the awful amount Of count
less crucIties worked by insect man, with
out feeling that We have indeed
Need Of patient faith below
To clear away the mysteries Of such woe:"
There was one lone watcher of the 81
lent night, but he thought not of these
things. For above an hour tail mutlled
figure had been standing without the win.
dow Of lowly Jewish dwelling, gazing
within, and wrapt up in the strong emo.
tions which the gaze called forth. The
lamp was burning on table, round which
mother and her children sat. Years had
passed, long years, since the lone watcher
had been among these loved ones, save in
dreams and now, while his whole heart
yearned to fling himself upon that moth
er's neck, and feel her kiss, and claim her
blessing-to clasp hands once more with
those loved companions of his childhood,
now sprung into sweet blooming youth
he dared not follow feelings impulse
Better his own heartsick yearning, the
agonized throb Of human love and human
fear, than the momentary bliss Of meet
ing, to part again forever.
lie had seen the burst of terror, of the
wild cinging to life, even such life as
theirs, natural to youth, soothed by q
mothers prayer. He had seen them twine
hand in hand with hers, and lift their
bright heads to heaven in that meek, en-
during conStsncy, the undying attribute
Of prosecuted Israel; and then the moth
er was alone, and the watcher beheld the
calm, for brief while. give way and nat
ural anguish take its place.
MY Godl Thou wilt spare one fell on
the hushed ARMY frst-t orn, first.
loved, my beautiful Helon? had thought
to look upon him again, but | bless Thee
that Thou hast refused my prayer. Bless
him, oh, bless him, Father! my own
bright boy!
Was it her own low sob she heard, or
: l. L. s.la.Aal c..cn,,