The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-23

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himself still more with his royal master by reveal
ing a secret 70 hims He had shaved the king. and
then left the room. He had then paced long
time struggling with his conflicting emotions, the
alleys surrounding the place in front OF the
palace. At length be had made up nj. mino,
returned 10 the king, and falsely told him that
Teron the old soldier, who was already ia prison,
owing TO bis attachment to Alexander and Aristo-
bulus had often tried TO persuade him to cut the
kings throat with his razor and, In that event,
promised him Alexsnder's especial favor aud lib.
eral rew ards. 4" l thank you for your sinceuty,
replied the king. who believed TO be true all
falstboods of this description, especially when
they concerned his ssndered sons, But, after
broodiDg over the disclosure for long time, he
started up and cried like q beast rather than
man. SO that violent shudder ran through Try
phon's frame. I" He often tried to persuade you,
then TO murder me. and it was not tii to-day that
you told me about il? You lent that dog willing
ear ali the time aud laid treacherous plans with
him / suppose you were not quite satisfied with
the reward which you were to receive for bleed
ing me.n Tryphon was about TO reply, but the
king thrust the door open and shouted: Arrest
him and take him 10 Antonio castle, and tell the
commander that he il an accomplce of Teron and
his son." So Trypbon was taken to dungeon,
and while the mechanics of jerusalem rested
little in the MONDAY heat, the torturers were at
work in Castle Antonio, and the clerks noted down
the statements made by the tortured culprits.
We need not look in Jerusalem for sympathy for
Tryphon, whose lies had driven 80 many happy
lies TO despair. But, If we were at liberty to
enter the houses we should hear everywhere
uttered timidly, (for mutual distrust had seized
eve The members Of common fanilies,) now de-
cls ed in fearless and defiant tone.
IL is now about three IN the afternoon. large
concourse of people. principally composed OF
young persons approaches hurriedly 10 the dlrec-
ton OF the northern gate and other persons hasten
forward in the opposite direction. Many ask
what is going on. Others reply that Bccurim
10 fha "a
the frst-ffuits of agriculture, which were sacred
10 the Lord and had TO be deposited in the Ten.
pie. The country was divided into twenty four
districts. Those who were TO bring the 6rst-fruts
to Jerusalem assembled at the district town, where
they did not go to a tavern. but passed the night
in the open air, in order to be ready soon as the
supervisor of the district shouted, Let US go up
to Zion, TO the house of our Lord God y" Such a
Biccurim procession had now arrived at the north.
ern gate, and waited there until its arrival had
been announced 10 the Temple meanwhile the
frst-fruts were tastefully arranged and the finest
specimens laid conspcuously around the others.
Already the delegates of the Temple came to meet
the procession. They are the substitutes of the
priests and LeVites on duty, and the treasures of
the sanctuary. Already the sweet notes of flutes
are heard from afar. A more charming Interrupt
ton of the gloomy mood TO which Jerusalem is
to-day prey cannot be imagined. The scene
strengthens the national feelings of the Israelites
which had been kept down by the kings tyranny;
and feel that this spectacle agrees better with
the peeuliarities of the people than the Greek mu
sic and theater the struggles of the gladators and
the bloody scenes of the circus, which Herod
has introduced in Jerusalem. The new corners,
who live at no great distance from the city, bring
in golden or silver or willow baskets fresh figs,
and, although it is only toward the close of June,
already fresh grapes. Those who come from
greater distance bring dried figs and other fruits
and on the baskets hang pigeons destined for the
burnt offerings. steer, which il to become the
common thanksgiving offering, heads the process
Efn ita horn Gilt md Of oil
branches surmounts its head. 1t is a long process
sion that now enters Jerusalem amidst the sweet
notes of the flutes. The deputation from the
Temple, which is TO receive the numerous new
corners in the most solemn manner, is for that
son likewise very numerous. The question whence
the new corners have arrived has already been an
swered they are from Sebaste, the old city of
Samaria. Whenever the procession passes me-
chanics working in the street or in the Railways
Of The houses, they rise reverentally aud shout /;
"Achenu Gnshe Sebdste bdtheDl leShdLOm -
e. Dear brethren, men from Sebaste, welcome "
Upon reaching Mount Moriah, the strangers take
their baskets from their shoulders. AS soon as
they enter the courtyard of the men, the Levites
intone the Psalm, 81 will extol thee, o Lord. for
thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes
10 rejoice over me-" The pigeons, hanging on the
baskets, are used for burnt offerings, and the
fruits are given to the priests the strangers re
spoken at the Offering OF the first fruits. All this
is done between five and six in the afternoon. A
large concouTse Of men, women and children has
followed them to the Temple, and crowd around
them when they leave il. Relatives aud friends
take their acquaintance home aud the rest OF the
strangers are overwhelmed with offers of hospi-
tally.
And when the men now sit at the supper tables
of their hosts, or repose on their cushions, all of
them ask, "What about Mariamne's sons?" One re-
Plies They are still imprisoned at the Sidonian
village of Platane." mo" says another, " they
are confined in by far stronger jail; they have
teen removed from Platsne to Tyre; but you,
men of Jerusalem, tell Us what the king is going
to do with them?" He will put them to death"
says the host, and then build two towers in hon
or of them" He never loved them, " adds his
wife, for he hates whOsoeyer is better than he |;
saw him every now and then waking with the
two princes; they were much taller than he. but
they bowed their heads, lest he should think he
was not at least as tall as they" A rabbi, who
was likewise at the table thought that, being pu-
phi Of Hillel, whom Herod had highly honored. he
must defend the king. " Fie," said they to him,
if thou hast entered Gods career don his garb ~
OF you study theology practice charity and love
And when they then related in a tone of bitter
ness what mustsche day-the BARRIERS of Jeru.
salem called a bad dag mustache dayn-Try-
pbon had had to-day, and that Teron and his son,
owing to TryphOns atrocous falsehOods, had
been cruelty tortured until they had falsely &C
cused themselves. and that no doubt hundreds Of
persons would be executed on the morrow the
stranger from Thirza exclaimed, g shall be glad
to get out of the holy city, this den of murderers
And when he returns to bis native town, what
mournful news will meet him there! Alexander
and ArisiObuus have meanwhile been taken from
tyre to Sebaste, and strangled there. In Jerusa.
lem great deal of blood was shed in the follow
ing days. The task Of sweeping the streets was
horrible one. Phe king had told the people al
the theater that the captains Of his soldiers and
Tryphon were traitors. The populace Of Jerusa
lem, now that its vindictiyeness against the cap
tsiDs. most Of whom were very unpopular, was
unclaimed. acted with unheard of brutality
Three hundred officers were slain, mostly with
clubs or stones. Teron, too, was killed. But
pious persons prayed, here in the stiffness OF the
closet and there in the corner of a synagogue, or
in the darkness of an arched vault, for the speedy
appearance of the Messiah, that an end might be
put TO this bloody tyranny and these infamous or
gies. Yes, this atmosphere needs q thorough pu-
rlficston, impregnsted with the sickening per-
fumes OF vOluptuOusness, the reeking blood OF the
victims OF Injustice, and the smoke Of the burnt
and bread offerings. And this publication Is close
at hand when Jesus of Nazareth few years
hence will emerge from the iron gate of Antonio
castle, and carry his cross along the Via DOlOross
to Golgotha, the hour Of Herod, the hour Of re-
demptiOD, has struck.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW.