Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-12-01

uuu cast our eyes 10 the west. lie
blue sea is there in measureless con.
tent. IL is thirty miles away, and the
light falls on its bosom, invoking its
subtle minstrelsy. This sings of hopes
long deferred. Shall these hopes be
disappointed2 Our guide, ever vigi.
liant, and with chapter and verse for
each spot, curves about our carriage.
What are the rocky caves aud glens,
aud the long. terraced slopes-lerrac.
cd by regular and natural limestone
ranges, and once terraced artiiicialiy
aud useiully by man with vine, olive,
pomegranale aud tg? What are the
gray, s0mbre rocks, tinged ruddy with
iron what the pretty intervales, full
of the old, twisted olives. whose trunks
are full of hulluws aud holes, n if rid.
died and stormed by the ages ? what
the lively little lizards, shimmering us
they run into crevices over dusty
rocks ? what the blanched beauty Of
those desolAted and bleak mountains.
covered with prickly scrub.0ak and
shrubs of ilexY what the animated
nature" in the shape of the lop.eared
pied goats, mixed with the large cam
els, cattle, and Arabs, rs they pass.
heavily laden, dcsertwarl? what the
lonely low houses, made OF dried mud.
stuck about the accliyitics aud in the
gleus what the castles, which top
the topmast heights, and the stores OF
shciks. like Aher Ghaush, who once
commanded aud robbed from them
what the suceulent grapes which old
kiriath. .Jearim furnishes for our dusty
throats, and the strange sight OF
Gothic minister in ruins in this land OF
the Gibeonites. this boundary between
Judah and Benjamin? What all
these? Are We not approaching the
city of our Hope? Did not the ark
of the covcnent rest on yonder hill, ia
the House of Abinadab? Was il not
borne hence to Jerusalem by King
David, out of whose lons came those
simple yet grand teachers aud dcscen-
dants, whose maryels of morality aud
miracles Of heaven have moved man.
kind? Roman roads are here, aud
old pavemeuis, and
ARCHES STILL SPRING BCoYASTLY
over dry torrcnts.beds these are rem.
nants of that Ramon power which
worshiped 10 god Terminus but these
are of mere passing interest, for Won.
der upon our right do we look upon
the birthplace OF John the Baptist, in
the "hilly country Of Judea = All
around are signal and lofty points.
gesturing heavenward. and associated
forever with the greatest names of the
Hebrews. Samuel the Judge and Da
vid the King, aud all pointing TO the
city OF our long deferred Hope. a. wc
look 10 the South ant North, and
through zigzag- and glens. birth aud
burial places, fighting and praying
ground Of soldier aud king, prophet
saint, command attention while Ia
the Wes; we bid farewell to the azure
sea. whose line is now marked by
long, sieadinst range of white clouds
above. but parallel with. its horizon
We prepare for the descent Still
more wiudiugs, Samuel, the Judges.
aud the Acts rain in upon Us from our
biblical genius upon the back. These
sacred memories have a sudden con
6rmatiou by the insianeous appear
auce OF a venerable grayheard, IN
gown of religious ioldings. He has q
grand escort He turns around one o'
the zigzag, a We turn down. aud lu !
the diguiiicd form OF the Cuptic BIZ.
hop OF Judea. upon white mule
His attendants also appear; one bear.
ing his silver mounted stick, the mace
Of his authority. This vision appear
as suddenly as il it had emerged from
one of the many caves which come
forth out of the heart of Carmel. Our
salutious are reverenily made aud
we drive with fresh impalionce over
rolling plateau, at the top Of the
mountains, which begin TO tell us il
many ways that we are near the city
of our Hope The road grows more
populous with beasts ut burden. Arab
woman with blue tattoo upon their
ugly faces, and digniGed Arabs in
their togas Of striped brown aud dirty
white, come aud 60 The terraces show
mors cultivation. The cactus again
appears To shelter the gardens. Bas.
kets of fruit, under green leaves, deco
rate the heads Of the pedestrian woman
and load the dusty donkeys and We
rest lin disillusion and impauence, in
front Of n Greek restaurant. whose sign
of Liquors aud Billiards" would dis
turb the Oriental vision but for the
sweet blush of the pofBegrauaies out
ofthe orchards, which give their tints
to the rich garniture If the gardens.
We are allowed TO understand from
our guide, not that David was anoin-
ted or that Joshua fought here, but
that General Grant here lunched in a