Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02

forced Journey; but he looked as if he had
made it. The lad was tired out and fretful.
The man was blind. All three bore signs
of tine need of sleep.
''Go wonder, Enoch," said the blind man
wearily, unto the first house you pass and
inquire for food and drink and fodder for
the ass. 1 will pay therefor whatever is
required. You are weary and need food at
once. Bring to me-but partake first your
self. I wait here with the animal. He
whom we seek cannot be far away. We
shall accomplish our errand to-day, God
willing and return home as we came"
When the lad had departed the blind man
sank upon the ground beside the ass, and,
keeping his hand closely upon the rein that
the creature might not stray from him. he
yielded himself, without the little disguise
that be maintained before the boy, his guide,
to the saddest of his thoughts. 1t had been
q hard, and, SO far, a fruitless journey.
Travelling in the rear of large caravan
passing that way, he and his little compan-
ion had been, as chance had it, well pro-
tected from such dangers of the trip as their
defenseless condition might have subjected
them to. Bui the object of the journey was
still unattained. He was disheartened and
perplexed.
"Baruch," said gentle voice close to the
blind mans ear, "whom seekest thou?"
A vivid color shot violently across the
helpless face which Baruch lifted to the
speaker.
master! Thou
"And to what end?"
master, that the wonder that thou
wroughtest may be confirmed.
In hurrying, broken words, Baruch began
to tell the tale OF the events which had over
taken Ariella; but in the midst of his own
i L. - -,
a tone of piercing conviction said: Lord, 1
do but cast drops of water upon the Sea OF
Gennesaret, in making words with thee.
Thou knowest my speech before it mounts
unto my mouth; and all that occurreth to
the maiden, thou knowest. Master, 1 am
dumb as 1 am blind before thee. Be mer-
ciful unto me and save the maiden from her
plight"
Then he who stood beside the blind man
did converse with him, in a tone that was
wondrous fine and kind; and infinite pity
dwelt within his voice. and it was like none
other of the voices of men upon the earth.
The exquisite ear of the blind man quivered
before it with a sense of pleasure richer than
the sight of those who saw. The Nazarene
spoke with him of the length and WEAKNESS
of the Journey, of the uncertainty OF his
errand, of the persistence of his trust; and
demanded of him whether he had felt no
doubt of the wisdom of the undertaking in
vIe-7 of the difficulty of finding whom and
what he sought.
AZ expected to find thee" said Baruch
simply, land thou art here"
"Believest thou" asked the Nazarene,
with a sudden change of tone, into which
something almost like sternness had crept
"believest thou that it is with the maiden as
wrought upon her?"
Lord, - said Baruch, ''had not believed,
had been here?"
"Then do thou return" said the Naza-
rene in a deep voice, unto thy place in
Bethany. Follow my bidding, and go thou
back unto thine own house. There shalt
thou be justified of thy faith; for it is
mighty"
The blind man started Immediately. This
seemed a poor ending to all his toll and
travel. But he arose, anG turned his face
about.
''If the lad who guideth me were here, !"
he said, ''I did depart at once"
"Baruch, blessed of God % cried the
Nazarene with evident emotion, "again I
say unto thee, hast thou naught to ask of
Me for thvself?"
Lord, . said Baruch humbly, "what have
1 to ask? What thou doest to the maiden,
thou doest unto me-"
But" insisted the Rabbi, with what
seemed to Baruch to be break in his own
voice, cart thou then without a need, or
desire like other men, that thou forgettest
thyself in the case of another as star is for
got in the midday sun ?"
Lord said Baruch, after long and
tremulous silence, 'tif 1 had thing to ask
of thee. it were that 1 might look upon her
face for the space as so much as goeth be-
tween the opening and closing OF an eyelid,
before die. But 1 was born blind"
"Go upon thy way" replied the Nazarene
solemnly. stake the lad who cometh aud re-
turn IN peace. Safety travel with thee, and
speed bring thee unharmed to thine own
house! At the door of thy house, in Beth
any, at the hour of thy return, fall upon thy
knees and call upon my name, and between
the opening and closing Of an eyelid thou
shalt be blessed of God for thy faiths sake. :"
But, when the lad came, the Nazarene had
departed, and Baruch stood alone beside the
ass. So they saddled the animal at once
and returned as they came. And Enoch
the boy wondered at this greatly. But
Baruch said nothing to explain himself
Upon the third evening alter the depar-
ture of her son, Rachel sat in her house at
Bethany, oppressed at heart. A summons
at the gate startled her strained ears, and
she answered it herself, with the nervous
haste of the anxious.
LET Us within, Rachel" loudly whis-
pered a familiar voice, eagerly, 'let us
within, quickly, and shelter us in the name
of the Nazarene."
Rachel's face fell; it was not Baruch.
Two women stood there trembling. These
were Hagaar and Ariella.
SIN the name of the Nazarene, enter We p
cried Rachel. Hospitality and heartily she
drew the two women within her door, breath
lessly demanding:
"How came We here?"
1--WE walked" said Hagaar laconically
in her bass tone.
"But how came she here?"
"Ariella walked-all the way-like other
people"
"Then the Rabbi was as good as his word.
Baruch thought so, all the time. 1 confess
when 1 heard the tongue of the people wag,
knew not what to think. But enter We,
enter, my neighbors, and sup with me-"
81 go as came" said Hagaar hurriedly.
81 return to the house of Malachi, for he is
my lord, and 1 am subject to him. But
over ArieIla he shall tyrannize no longer,
since am her mother and have legs of my
own and mind to move them. Ali these
days we have been prisoners in the house OF
Malachi, my husband, shame to him that ]
must own it to the neighbors. Tonight, as
God willed it, he did fall asleep until he
doth snore, praised be Jehovah, upon the
rug before the door. Then 1 arose and did
pinch him to make sure of him, and 1 did
pinch him as hard as dared, for found il
agreeable; but he awaked not. So fled in
the dark with Ariella. And she moved a,
If she had wings upon her feet, and we rar
here all the way, that we might free her
Take the maiden, neighbor Rachel, pray
thee, and shelter her till demand her again
of thee"
With these words Hagaar departed as un
expectedly as she came; leaving Ariella
with her friend.
81 told Baruch," observed Rachel dryly
'fthat he might trust she animal with hel
young, and Hagaar, the mother of Ariella
MaIoobi ho huf a b,e