The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-04
The Jew Of Hcco.
A RABBlNICAL LEGEND OF THE COURTSHIP OF THE DAuGH'
TER OF ISRAELS GREATEST KING.

with his sorrows. She had him clothed In
new garments. Her %rvant bathed him
and anOinted him. Then his eyes shone
with new radiance and his whole being
assumed n ~lovelier aspect. As they spoke
and strolled together kindred tastes were
revealed. For the first time b princess
realized the beauty In her fathers words
which he had written decades before:
my friend Is mine and j am his" while
the youth, as he contemplated the solitary
tower and the imprisoned maiden. cx-
claimed with Solomon, "A locked-up gar
den is my sistcr-bridc, a l~ockcd-up spring,
n sealed fountainv'
The north wind blew and the south wind
blew. They loved, for both were beanti-
ful 20 each other, and world was before
them. What should they do? Fly, and
seek happiness In some distant spot, TAR
away from the king? 49,.
may, nay, beloved!" she exclaimed.
.My fathers wisdom would discover our
hiding place, and his chieftain Benaiah
would drag us back to Jerusal en-"
.Therc is one dearest he
rejoined, after a pause. MARRY me
here"
| can me marry according To the law OF lr-
rael9 Where is the ink with which to
| write the marriage certificate
despair not, beloved. am prepared
for every emergency" He barred his arm
and opening q small vein, used his blood
as ink, and the marriage was secretly sol
emnized, with the words, MAY God be
my witness to-day and the angels Michael
and Gabriel"
Their spell of happiness was brief. The
c~ustodians OF the princess were thrown
into the widest CONSERVATION when they
discovered what had taken place. They
stormed, they ragged, they threatened.
But II was too late to argue with the pair.
No more time was to be lost, so they
hastily sent the swiftcst-footed OF their
number to the royal palace, and the story
was soon old
solomon at once ordered his mantle to
be brought. II was of green silk, inter
with images Of all kinds. He sat upon IL
and swiftly was borne upon the wind to
the solitary tower.
"Wherc is the YOUTH" he cried. as he
gained entrance, "who has dared marry
my daughter?"
Nay, father" the princess pleaded
''bc not angry with him.. Reproach me,
but spare him, for love is our master, and
thou didst write in thy Song OF Songs
love is as strong rs DEATH"
$50 thou art the man who has presumed
To marry a princess!' he exclaimed,
scornfully, as the youth was brought to
him.
40 King, he not too severe. hut
obeyed the words of Solomon: Many
watcs are not able to quench love, nor
can the rivers flood il away"
"Who is thy father, aud where thy
dwelling place. inquired the king: =,
~ am the son of a poor jew of Acco,"
was the answer. "Altamar is his name
and the youths heart grieved as he
thought Of his family's poverty.
what" quickly rejoined the king.
"Thc son Of Altamar OF Acco, the poorest
man in Israeli"
ayes. . king and the youth trembled,
but regained his courage as he saw the
princess step forward and take her place
proudly AZ his side.
"He Is my husband" she exclaimed,
''a~ccording to the laws of Israel. With
his blood he has sealed our troth."
n is indeed thy husband and my son."
said Solomon, ~beckoning both to approach
his throne. ''Thou art the very man who
the stars told me was destined for my
daughter. Thy name, thy lineage, thy
estate proclaims thee the u God is
4 the ruler of the universe. Blessed is He
who giveth a wife to man." .AbIuham s.
isadcs in HdiJef's Bdrdr.