Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-11-25

whom he helped to bring to justice;
that Jesus, on passing to, the place of
crCcifxioB, stood q moment TO rest at
the shoemaker's door, borne down by
the weight of the cross; that the re-
proof came to himr "shall stand and
rest, but thou shalt go to the last day.
that after witnessin g the crucifixion, he
was struck with a foreboding that he
would never see his home again, but
would wander from country to country
as a mourhful Pilgrim. Returning to
Jerusalem many ages afterxard, he
found its buildings razed to the ground,
insomuch that be could recognize none
of the localities again; and he regarded
this as judgment on him for his mis-
conduct. The bishop, to test him, ques-
toned him concerning historical events
which had occurred in Europe during
fifteen centuries. and 1--WE are assu4xd)
received satisfactory answers. He was
abstemious and humble, silent until
questioned, and never tarried long in
one place. He spoke the languages of
all the countries he visited, and-so
ends Bishop Eitzen's narrative.
Two papal ENJOYS sent to Spain
about the time Of the Spanish Armada,
declared on their return that they had
seen the Wandering Jew at Madrid,
and that he spoke as good Spanish as
he bad before spoken good German at
Hamburg. Another flying rumor loca-
ted him for time ut Vienna.
France was not likely to be wit bout
something to say concerning this mex
plcaLle being. At the beginning of
the seventeenth century annalists and
chroniclers often made mention of him.
We next hear of the Undying One at
Naumburg, listening intently to a SER
mon in church; then second time at
Hamburg; then at Brussels, where we
are told to believe as follows. Two cit
izens, walking in the wood near that
city, met an aged man. clad in tattered
garments. On invitation, he took
little refreshment with them at an inn,
but refused to sit down. He narrated
to them many events which be had wit
messed centuries before. He was be-
lieved by the Brussels people to be the
Wandering Jew, but gave himself the
name Of Isaac Laquedem.
Stories Of his appearance in England
within the last three centuries are also
not uncommon, but are evidently fan.
ciful or result Of crazy imposture.-
For example : During or near the reign
of Queen Anne a man made bis appear
ance who claimed to be the Wandering
Jew; he was laughed at a. an impostor
by the educated, but listened to atten-
lively by the ignorant. His story was
that he had been an officer of the San
hedrim; that he had struck Jesus as he
left the judgment hall of Plate; that
he had since travelled all over the world;
that he was personally familiar with
the habits and customs Of the apostles;
that he had known the father of Mo-
hammed at Ormuz; that he had rebuk-
ed Mohammed for denying the cruci-
fiIion; that he had known Nero, Sala-
din, Tamerlane, Bajazet, and the prin-
cipal Crusaders; and that he had the
power of healing the sick. We are
asked to believe that learned col
legians at Oxford and Cambridge tried
to detect him as an impostor, but fail
ed.
Those WI have seen or known aav
thing Of Weber's wonderful opera Of
Der Frcischutz" are aware that it's
plot depends in part on the German le-
gend of the Wild Huntsman. This le-
gend, II appears, has in some instances
been mixed up with the story Of the
Wandering Jew, insomuch that it is
difficult to sav where the one ends and
the other begins. In the Hartz Noun
tains-a region well suited for the birth
of superhuman or preterhuman myths
the Wild Huntsman is believed by
some of the peasantry to be the verita-
BILE Wanderer himself, but with little
change of attendant incidents. He is \
jew who, Is centuries and more ago,
refused to suffer Jesus to drink out of
q river or out Of horse-trough, but
contemptuously pointed out to him the
footprint of a horse, in which little
water had collected. and bade hin,
quench his thirst Herewith.
Instead of the Wild Huntsman, 9TH
er legends and beliefs have come to be
mixed up with that of the Wandering
jew. There are parts of France in
which the suaden rear Of a gale at sea
is attributed to the Wanderer passing
by there. In some countries he has
been regarded rs kind of impersona-
ton OF Jews generally. One version of
the story associates him with the SER
want whose ear Peter cut off; while an
other considers him rather as the i'm
penitent thiek The Gypsies are brought
into the nsslks by one theory. which pro-
pounds that the onward nioving Stran-
ger belongs to that commnslity, and
that he Is doomed to undying life be-
cause he refused 20 shelter the Virgin
aud Child during the flight from Egypt.
| In Switzerland there is popular story
| to the effect that the Wandering Jew
was one day seen on the Matterberg, q
spur or offshot from the Matterhorn
viewing the scene with sorrow and won
der; that he had osce before been there
when il was the site ofa afiourishing city
and that be viii once again be there CT
the eve Of the Last Day.
The Biblical record Of the period IN
terror to the food. when human life i
set down at duration Of eight or min,
hundred years, seems TO have had some
thing to do with the maIy legends re
lating TO the Wandering Jew. True
there are Inconsistencies in time, place
person and circumstances in such le
gends; but this is no more than ma,
reasonably be expected.
That there are audacious imposters