The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-06-02

mortally wounded, and had rifled them of all
their treasures; even their water bottles
more prscieos than all In the desert.
am DYING" said she, but my bitterest
must perish thus alone in the desert"
The poor mother for one moment thought of
she saw thAt ono Of his water bottles had been
broken bysome accident, and that he had
hardly enough water tocross the desert: .
Ben-H zeiah had had the same thought. but
possible.
The woman was dying.
Ihere, IN the presence of the mothers de-
spair, with the wall Of the infant 90 soon to be
an orphan in his ears, lie thought of his own
Woman" said he, II will take your babe,
save his life even at the cost of my own"
Inc mother died, invoking blessings on his
Beu-Ha- zelah resumed his Journey across the
desert, placing the infant before him on the
saddle, who at first wept, then laughed in in
ian giee' then amused himself by teasing
the sena pulling his beard Or tan
who had become as gentle as mother, sought
every means which affection could suggest to
amuse the helpless little creature, SO strangely
tassels of hisbridie sometimes with his bright
nrearms, sometfnes by rafting in his cars the
gold sequins in his purse. Again he would
sing to him lullaby, iong-forgotten. The
child was pleased with each new amusement
devised by the old savant, but it was only for
9few moments, and was again looking about
lot H something he had not yet seem
Poor old Ben-Ha-Zelah knew not what to do
to satisfy this restless craving for amnsemept
Suddenly he thought of the beautiful little
box, which the child had not seen, and drew it
out from the folds of his robe.
The child eagerly grasped this new play
thing and turned it about in every possible
way.
To the amazement of the old Jew, there was
asllghe sound, as of some small object rolling
about in the box
The child shouted with delight. The old
man was breathless and trembling. He grasp
ed the box convnlsively from the hands Of the
infant, who held it out to him. smiling. He
opened it, His blood froze in his veins with
an emotion, not of terror, but of hope aud
joy.
He beheld in the box a pearl, pnre and more
beautiful than any he had ever seen.
Speechless with emotion he could only raise
his eyes to heaven in q wordless prayer of gra-
titude.
Then he heard q voice which seemed to fill
the immensely of the desert, and. neverthe-
less, was as low and sweet as the loving muir
muir Of D fond mother.
20, Ben-Ha-Zelah! every tear which thou
shalt dry, is . pearl which thou dost create"
Ben-Ha.Zelah looked about him. All around
him was the desert. Before him, in his arms,
the little babe suddenly grown calm, and
smiling in his face.
A few moro days, and his journey through
the desert was ended. But many were the
privations he endured that the helpless little
infant, now so dear to him, might not want
Ben-Ha-Zelah was rich, and now he was
good: His goodness made use of his riches to
dry the tears of misfortune-there are as many,
alas! in this world of suffering, there
dewdrops on q summers morning-and very
soon his box was quite full.
When he again saw his child, tie mysterious
sleep was unbroken. She camo not to welcome
a Tlyff a Ylaa RI ohnnt har
beautiful throat, and she awoke, smiling.
sob! what lovely necklace, papa" she
cried.
1t is the first have ever given thee, my
darling" said the happy father, "but hope it
may not be the last. Ny pearl caslzet is now
empty, but i trust in God that may fill it
many times before Idie.-CatAolic Uorld.
The Last Appeal-A shoa maker,s strike