Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-30
movement in the bushes above the tomb de-

was ACCOMPANIED by Baruch and Ariella,
who had drawn back little behind her;
Ariella seemed to be guarding her and pro-
tecting her with tender hands lest the lady,s
steps should miss their hold upon the rough
way. The three added themselves to the
group below, and stood silently.
Zahara's position was now one of startling
prominence, but she seemed unconscious of
it. Her dress, hastily rearranged. was
folded closely about her womauly figure;
her veil was torn and fell loosely over hair
and shoulders, revealing her beautiful and
haggard face. Despair had settled on it.
Her lips were drawn in; her dark ewes
stared straight before her; they were dry
and bright; her hands were clutched across
her breast; her body swayed from exhaus-
tion which her soul scornfully repudiated;
she seemed to have planted herself where
she was, like growing thing that was try
ing to take root; she rejected the help of
Ariella, and stood quite alone. Her eyes
were fixed upon one object. There might
have been a couple of hundred people about
and before the tomb. She saw but one. For
the first time in her life, Zahara beheld the
NaZarene.
Jesus was now standing within dozen
PAGES of the tomb His head was yet bowed.
AS Zahara turned her eyes upon him, it
dropped into his hands. His body trembled
shook; a convulsion of grief swept over
that sensitive form; suddenly sob, power
fully repressed, broke upon the air. In
credulous, bewildered, melted at heart,
Zahara perceived that the man was weeping.
The expression OF her face changed as
iron changes 10 nre. one advanced a step
or two, moving Ike woman IN dream;
ner eyes open; her clenched nngers un-
closeo: she regarded Jesus plerclngly, tnen
gently; something ike oumo outcry
seemed TO dart over the woman, ana 10 ap-
peal from her to him. Inc daughter OF the
hlgh frlest, arlStocrat, skeptlc' oaoaucee'
nad never oeen educated 10 oelleVe In the e3.
lstence oi HE peyond the apparent emo OF
oeatn; 10 her aeSpalrlns view, Lazarus
was Durled, ana there was the ehd ot IL.
Lazarus was IN tnat limestone rock: 1here
was no more Lazarus. one hau NOT a nope nor
laitn oeyonu tne Iolllhg OF tnat s1astly
Stohe upon tne mouth OF tne sepulenre.
her imaglhatlon was oestltute OF images
which could oner her SO much as the appa-
rltlon OF comfort IN an hour Ike TINS. Sne
Iookeo upon tne 1rleno OF her lover; he
coulu weep inen-he suHereo; ne ioVeu.
betrayed py MS own pretenslons, nelpiess
IN the presence oil actual death, mortified,
defeated, humlllated, ne stood shaken. "a
nara could nave pltleo the pleoelan, the
the people, TINS carpenter, this baff1ed agl-
tator-could have pltled! Nay, she could
not A power lncomprehenslble to Zahara
withstood her. She had met with faith in
Immortality; she had come face to face with
Him who reoresented Immortality, who
held out eternal lie as IT 1t were gift IN
his hand to the hopes and despairs of men.
Now, as sne stood where she was, piteously
staring upon him, Jesus raised his head, and
lifted up his eyes and looked upon Zahara.
She saw man OF lofty stature, drawn to
its full height He had commanding air.
His garments were the garments of the peo-
pie, but his mien was the mien OF king.
His sandals were dusty and travel-worn.
He had the hand of an artisan. His head
was royal and raised itself upon strong
shoulders. He had beautiful hair, OF the fin
est texture, curling and fair; his unshaven
beard fell to his breast; the expression of his
lips was delicate as no word can
tell it; his mouth quivered as Zahara turned
her pale face hither, and little higher, to-
ward him. with the uncomfortable impulse
Of dawning respect. 1t seemed as if he were
touched by the sight of the poor girls mis- /
cry. As the two stood confronting each other |
they were to the eye like human love con- |
pealing to divine pity-the helplessness of |
Zahara raised her eyes and looked into !
the Nazarene's. What a gaze fell upon
her She felt scorched. That supreme look |
burned into her soul like holy fire. Those |
eyes-what color had they? What form? |
No man knew, or knoweth unto this day. |
Years aiterward Zahara used to say that |
they were to her vision as the sun in mid
heaven, and CT them she could tell no more. |
She shriveled under them and sank before
hem. The majesty and beauty of that face,
past power of speech to say it, or form OF
iream to dream 1t. blazed above her for
moment. Then Zahara slowly dropped
through all her naughty body, and sank
upon her knees.
Lord" she murmured, lord He loved
.hee, and l restrained him. Blame him not
here in the tomb-he is dead. Dead men
,annot tell the truth. Jesus of Nazareth |
It was all nv fault. We loved each other,
md knew thee not.'
But Jesus made no answer to Zahara.
He had suddenly retreated a step OF two,
md fixed his eyes upon the tomb. Then,
lifting them to the hot bright sky he
stretched his hands out in the attitude of
and so stood, rapt and mute,
among the people, and no one stirred or
poke in all the throng. Solemnly, in an
lndertone, and witnessed only by those who
stood nearest him, he slowly and distinctly
said:
Behold, 1 am the Resurrection. am
he Life. He that believeth on me, though
ne were dead, he shall live"
''Lord!' walled a woman's voice, "He
lid believe on thee!' 1t was Zahara weep
ng at his feet-weeping now, like any
woman, the ice of anguish thawed. Now in
he first thrill of her tears she was aware
hat an incredible, nay, CHASTITY thing had
happened. The Nazarene had ordered the
stone which guarded the sepulchre to be re-
moved. Protests from the family-whispers
from the crowd-a moment of intense and