The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-03
PUBLISHED
eII,I ARP on THE JEWS.
1,,.-a1 and Peaceful People-"Esther, the
Beauteous Queen"

A few days ago the Jews celebrated
the feast of Purim-a feast to COM
memorate the deliverance OF their tore
fathers from destruction at the hanos
Hamen. The Jews were called IN the
olden time a peculiar people and they
are peculiar now. Was there ever
race 50 true TO the traditions Of their
fatherso Was there ever people so
jealous, so constant, so steadfast ID
their religion and yet so tolerant, so
considerate and so unwilling to prosei-
yte those of another faith? Who ever
heard of a Jew trying to convert a
gentle? The gentiles have tried for
centuries to proselyte the Jews. They
have tried force and fear, and argu-
nleut. but all in vain. Not long ago l
saw it stated that in the last twenty
years England had expended mis-
sion work among the Jews OF Europe
one hu>1red and eighty thousand
pounds. aud claimed to have converted
s:x-six that they were sure OF. What
quiet unpretending people. How
clear of crime and litigation, how kind
and charitable to each other, how true
in war, how gentle in peace, how llo-
eral in all public enterprises that are for
the public good. The feast OF Purlm
caused me to investigate little to see
what 7 could find more than is in our
Bible book of Esther. It seems that
Ahasuerus was another name Tor Ar
taxerxes and that Haman was an
Amalekite and hated the Jews, be-
cause in the days of their power and
prosperity they had so often whipped
the Amalekites and despoiled them OF
their prosperity, Ahasuerus was a
good easy unsuspecting king and Ha-
man was a shrewd designing cour-
tier. But, woman was at discount
then. and those fellows said that If
Mrs. Vashti was allowed to disobey her
lord, then every other mans wife
would do the same thing, and so
Vashti was retired in disgrace, and
Esther was chosen. What a beauty
she must have been to be preferred
over several hundred Persian maidens,
who had been carefully selected from
all the virgins of the empire. L rave
often wondered how the great king
made his choice. Were these beauti-
ful maidens all seated in a spacious
hall, and the king pass around ana IN
spect them and cause each one TO stand
ND and turn around and walk about
Just like my friend Bill Ramey does a
horse? Did be wantto see if she was
coupled we'll and howshe stood on her
pasture joints? Was shea thoroughbred,
and did she hold high head and fash
ing eve? Did she wear No. 2 shoes
and step like deer?, Did he examine
her teeth and ask how old she was.
Tradition says it took the king three
weeks to make his choice. The first
week he reduced the number to forty
nine; the second week to seven, and
on the last day of the third week he
chose Esther and kissed her and con-
Quoted her to his magnificent throne.
What a disappointment it was to all
the others to be retired and sent back
to their various homes. There was but
one Cinderella and that was Esther.
Seventy years ago there was a grand
rich lady of the olden time whose chill
dren had all married and gone, and
this fine lady was lonely and sad in her
beautiful home in the country near
Savannah, and she went to the orphans
home in the city and told the good
matron that she wanted to adopt a
little girl and would do good part by
her. and educate her and be mother
to her. And so all the girl children
were dressed in their Sunday clothes
and brought into the large room that
was called the chapel, and the seats
were arranged all round next to the
walls, and more than hundred little
girls took their seats side by side and
awaited their fate with fear and with
hope. For them it was trying ordeal,
for they could not know who would be
chosen, nor whether the lady would
he kind or not. But they had no
choice in the matter. They were help
less orphans and must obey. The fine
lady was arrayed in silk and jewels,
and her carriage was waiting at the
gate. Three times did she walk slowly
round, looking closely into the faces of
the children who sat like trembling
fawns, and she talked pleasantly to
them, and asked them questions so
kindly that soon their fears were dis
PEELED. At every round she stopped
longer at one place than she did at
any other, and asked more searching
questions Of a sweet, sad child who had
not long heen there, child whose
parents died the same day ofyeilow
f.ver ard were buried in the same
grave and left no kindred to care for
her. After the third round the great,
fine lady called the matron to her and
said: II will take this one" and she
placed her jewe!ed hand upon the
head of the child, ard all the others
were quiety retired do their accus-
toned places. In s few minutes the
chosen ones little satchel Of clothing
was prepared. She kissed sad good
bye to lrr companions and the good
matror a~i her household, and went
out with he lady into the wide world
to hegin:: ns'w life with strangers in
strange place. The great, fine lady
was the mother OF Or. Goulding, a
,nS Sl, NyaS ha rr3nC-