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

opened the door and stood without it, a
scowling man, too evidently on the defensive
for his smooth words to be received with
easy admission.
"Alas, my neighbors, and alas. nv
friendsi' said Malachi; "condole with me for
the calamity that has overtaken nv house.
The damsel, my daughter, whom the pre-
tender has SO baselY wronged by false hopes
and injurious excitement which might even
prove fatal to so sick person, has no miracle
to offer you. No healing hath been wrought
upon her. As she was she is and remains.
Ariella cannot lift her head from her couch.
1 have reasoned with her to come forth and
show herself to her neighbors, and offer
proof of the marvel which was reported to
the village yesterday. But she ariseth not
She is helpless upon her bed. A condition
hath set in, consequent upon the excessive
agitation to which she has been subjected,
which causes me the deepest anxiety. II she
becomes dangerously i'll, or if, indeed, her
former helplessness increaseth, as / fear me
it may do, 1 promise you this fellow shall be
arraigned for sorcery and evil charms.''
''How can that be-" interrupted cool
voice from the crowd, "when it seems he hath
wrought no wonder upon the maiden?''
The speaker was Amos, the proprietor of
Gethsemane, a calm man accustomed to
weigh his words, and habitually undisturbed
in his loyalty to the Nazarene.
"At least" replied Malachi in some en-
barrassment, "if it be not sorcery, then call
it illegal interference with the sick. stand
not upon the name; it is the deed l do with
stand. And the deed wrought upon nv
daughter is beyond the law. and an ignorant
fellow hath exposed her to the consequence
thereof. 1 demand punishment upon him,
for the state of the damsel is worse than ever
since he did meddle with her ease"
''Let us converse with the damsel," de-
manded Amos. 'Let some women of the
neighborhood be admitted to her.
''If would deal with ArielIa myself"
said Rachel, the mother OF Baruch, II was
witness of the healing, and would be wit
ness of the relapse, if such it be in deed and
truth. The honor of my own word is at
stake in the matter. / do greatly petition
that may be admitted to the maiden
"That you shall not, thenp cried Malachi
with a clench of the fist. "But for you and
your accursed son smitten OF God at his
birth, as'plainly he deserved, and she who
bore him-my daughter had not been in
this case more wretched than in her first
estate"
A mutter of rebuke arose from the group
at this brutal speech. The instinct of the
neighbors began to close about Rachel pro-
tectingly; as they did bodily gather in a
little group around her, Rachel was greatly
CAT least, Malachi" she besought, eff I I,
may not see the poor girl, permit me to ex- |
change a word with Hagaar, her mother"
But Malachi replied, sharply, that
Hagaar, his wife, WIS in close attendance |
upon the urgent needs of Ariella, and could |
receive no person. With this he retreated, |
closing and barring the doors of his house, |
rs before.
Excitement now ran high in the hamlet. |
Rumors of the event had reached Jerusalem |
and many sightseers and curious folk came
,ut from the city and swelled the little |
group OF residents interested in the affair. |
Lazarus, absorbed at that time in the excite
nent of love and business, took no part in