The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1872-10-24
Tak wANDKRlNG JEW.

A rumor comes from village near Antwerp
that the historic Nv andering jew" has been
seen in that neighborlOOd. He is reported as
having passed rapidly through the market place,
aud having, the outskirts of the village, adj
dressed few words to some children who, boitler
than their companions had followed in his path.
He was dressed in worn and dingy antique gar
ments, carried q long staff, and with his profnse
beard streaming in the wind, presented such an
awe-inspiring appearance that the terrified villa
gers fled from him in fright. When he paused
and spoke to the children, he told them to go back
and inform the people that q new ruler had arisen
in Europe, who would bring Belgium, Holland
and other countries under his sway, that many
many proud heads would be brought low. On
being questioned as to his name he replied I:
"Seek not to know. I have been hero before in
the past, shall be here again in the future.
Until the end of time shall walk the earth I'M
ceasingly." The apparition, then waving its hand,
turned from the children and resumed his plod-
ding walk, and disappeared in the distance.
The report Of this appearance of the wander
ing Jew has caused great excitement among
the believers of the legend, and the truth of the
story iscrcdited throughout Belgium. The legend
Of the Jew who had witnessed the crucifction,
and had been condemned to live and wander over
the earth until the time of Chrst's second coming,
originated in the middle ages, and can be traced
back to the chronicle of the Abbey of St. Albans,
which wascopied and continued by Matthew Paris.
This chronicle relates that in 12lS certain Arch
bishop, of Armenia Major, come to England on
visit to sacred places, and while enjoying the
hospitality of the Abbey Of st. Adams, among
other strange stories, rel5ted that there was
man Joseph, living in Armenia, who had witness
ed the crucifction. This man, originally called
Bataphiius, was porter in Pilates SERVICE and
while Jesus was passing out from the judgment
hall impiOusly struck him Oh the back, saying.
"Go quicker, why do you loiterf" Jesus looked
back on him with q severe cOuntenance, and said,
'"I am goiDg but you will wait till return
And accordingly Cataphlus is still waiting his
return. After Christ's death he was converted
and baptised, and his name was changed to Joseph.
In lSi2 the Wandering Jew appeared at Ham,
burg, telling story similar to the above. He,
however, said that his name was Ahasuerus and
that he was shoemaker, who struck Jesus on the
back while on the way to GOlg0tha-. This partic-
ular person is described as tall man. about fiffy
years Of age, with long hair hanging down to his
shoulders, barefOOted, and wearing q strange cos
tune, consisting of sailors trousers gown reach
ing to his knees, and long mantle flowing down
to his feet. He spoke good German in the Saxon
dialect. In 1875, the Wandering Jew appeared
ON the Netherlands, and this time used the Span
ish Language. A few years later the Wandering
Jew arrived ut StrasbOurg, and going before the
magistrates, informed them that he had visited
the city just two hundred years before, which
statement, it is asserted, was proved to be true
by q reference to some town records He next
was heard of in the West Indies, and again in
France, where in 1904, he caused considerable
sensation, his presence being accompanied by
destructive hurricanes
On April I'D, 1774, an individual claiming to be
the Wandering Jew appeared in Brussels, aud
told his story to the common people; he, however.
had changed the popular name of his character,
and called himself Isaac Laquedem. This legend
has formed the subject Of nnmerous popular bal
lads in the different languages of Europe, and
also Of poems, tales and novels, by distinguished
authors. 1t may here be remarked that this Gu
rious myth seems to have originated in the
passage of the Gospel of st. John, twenty
first chapter. and twenty second verse, where
Jesus says of John. "lf will that he tarry till
come, what is that to theef follow thou me.
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren
that that disciple should not die" forgetting the
additional words. "Yet he said not Of him he
shall not die, but i'll will that he tarry till
come, what is that to thcei"