The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-29

must speak VIII JOe. 4oaQ On 70 .
private chamber" is4ssl.
The Merchant obeyed, and brought the
Rabbi into . little room hung with blue
silk, fretted with silver.
"I am Raschi ben tsesc,s said the old
man, ."and I esfae here to seek you. I
hoped to have found pious Jew; find
one living in pomp and woridliness.
hoped to have found one fasting and pray
ing; hnd one eating and traflcking. I
thought to have found one the fAvofite OF
God. and find one the coutted of prinses
and mobiles. Is this ,hors fof . Jew-a
child of q despi.eh And oHtca.t races The
temple lieth waste, and ahall We live in
luxury and splendor
81 feel honored in being tiated BY the
illustrious Raschi," said Abraham.
Shamed, Shamed" exclaimed the
Rabbi aAre you not ashamed before mo
to exhibit all this profusion!"
Goods blessing has been on my bust
ness" said the merchant
"And how do you recompense HI ?"
cried the indignant Raschi, BY neglect
ing the 8iver, BY .tetshdefipe the gift.
Do yea fast tong! Do you wear the
stones with your knsesi"
"My business occupies my time and de-
mands my energies. l pray, but cannot
pray for long. l cannot fast or my buIi-
ness would not be attended TO-"
"Do you eat of meat, the nesh Of beasts
not slain by Jewish butchers"
have even done co."
"Have you paf.aken of tho accursed
flesh of the swinei"
az fear that have"
Have you neglected regular daily At
tendance at the synagogueY
"M NY attendance has been irregular"
"Alas, alas" cried Raschk throwipS
down his staff and taisinf hiA hands to
heaven. "Surely there is injustice in
Paradise al we'll ss Oh earth. Here lives
d wicked Jew, breaker of the law, in
splendor, as a king; in another place ID q
pious man, fearing cod, ihaceratipk his
body, In Want and nakedness, crushed
by poverty, and the kingdom OF
Heaven receives both, and sets both on q
level. Woe is mel" and he would have
rushed from the Chamber had not the
merchant stayed him.
"Rabbi," he said, az know my duty to
God and man, and practice 1t as best
can"
"Profane one! I" exclaimed the old man.
"Trust not your own strength. When
the ungodly are green as the grass, and
when all the workers of wtckedness dc
flourish, then ehall they be aesttoyed-f'
But ;uSt then there, flashed before the
Rabbits eyes that golden throne beside hii
own, on which twas written the name oi
the merchant.
"Cone with me- said Abraham, taking
tie Old EaRs hand; tomorrow my
daughter is to be married, and to-day an
going to make presents to the poor Of oul
tribe. They are now assembled to receive
my aims.
"And to whom is your daughter to b
married" asked Raschi ITO . ficf
Gentle. may bef"
"No," answered the merchant, mildly
"To my clerk. He 10 not wealthy, but h'
is upright and useful, and on his marriag'
shall make him my partner"
They descended the stairs to the hall. il
which the poor were assembled. The ricl
Jew gave them abundant aims, and .
each received his gift he left. One oil
woman remained She pressed forward
and Abraham extended to her 4 httl'
purse.
"No." she exclaimed, thrusting tn
money aside; 81 have not come here t
beg, but for advice"
i, "Speak, wherein can l advise you
Draw nearer to me"
. The woman approached him, and be
gan: "I am poor widow, hardly sup
porting four children. AL my hopes wa
| fixed on the marriage of my eldes
daughter to him to whom my dear hui
, band, now no more, had betrothed hel
| He was an orphan; brought up in ou
) house, and when he left us he gained q
. honest and respectable livelihood and
t hoped, when he married my Miriam, ths
we should have been raised from on
| penury. But, alasi his eyes have hee
, blinded by prosperity, and he is about
3 marry rich wife and desertmy daughter
"Womani why do you come about tn
: matter to met" asked the merchan,
f show can | give your Miriam back he
3 ketrothedi"
"You can do So" replied the widow
"for that young man will be to-f1aorro'
l your son-in-lsw."
Don Abraham started back dismaye
For some moments he did not speal
( After q while, however, he broh
s silence, and said to the old woman,
4 "Did the young man love your Miriaml
"I ana sure, very sure, he did"
e az will inquire into the matter" sai
8 the merchant, turning away.
!, "Well now," spoke Raschi, as they q
! cended the stairs together, this is bs
business. However, I see what must
c done. Be generous give the your
woman, Miriam, . decent sum of none
: l-'
"Come here Tomorrow" interruptt
e Abraham; be present at the wedding. E
that time shall have decided for myse
what is best to be done"
= On the morrow, at the appointed hou
having finished his morning prayers, Il
:, Rabbi Raschi betook himself to the pala
i of him who was to be his c0mrade
Paradise. There he found throng
e guests, Of all ranks, filling the room
d Music played, and tables groaned und
!, viands of the richest and most rare d.
q criptions. Raschi with diAculty push
# his way through the crowd to the chaI
Der of the master. Don Abraham "
is dressed in magnificent blue velvet rot
broidered with gold pomegranates,
!" which the seeds were rubies. Aroul
him were clustered the grandees of I
e town. On seeing Raschi he, however, q
n vanced toward him and extended to hi
his hand.
e rIhe wedding ceremony soon began;
h the court all was prepared an awning "
l. spread; the bride, veiled in white, was
l. forward by two ladies. Then came t
bridegroom accompanied by two gent
men, and the guests followed, each with
lighted taper in the hand. From bali
BIT ny band played, and choirs sang. A Rat
lie read aloud and distinctly the contrat
ID and the acceptance of the bridegroom In
v. partnership with himself. a. Abraham
ps dotation of the bride. Then the brio
he groom took q gold ring and placed it
8; the brides finger, with the words:
er to me wed by means of this ring, accol
,g ing to the law of Moses and of Israel"
e, The Rabbi then gave the pair his BILE
of ing. A crystal goblet was raised in
r. air and then shivered to atoms on {
ID pavement, and all the people shout
US "Masel tob I" (good luck y
ed Don Abraham, when this ceremony
C. concluded, stepped up to the bride, .
US gently raised the veil from her face.
"God of our fathers |" cried the brit
n groom, staggering backward, "it
It. Miriami'
i'd The crowd remained silent a. thou
ed turned to stone, for the bride was I
hi Ahraham's daughter, but the child OF
re al must explain this puzzle" said
ad merchant, smiling on the compal
m "This girl was betrothed to this youth
her father on his deathbed. They VI
It. brought up together and loved q
ed another, I knew nothing OF this; .
,n when I found that the young man '
IT. worthy and useful in the business, D