The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-12-22
BEFORE CHRIST CAME
STORY OF A GENTLE MAIDEN WHO
DWELT BY THE FLOWING NILE.

the star mat Shohiu
and Saw Its Shining Light Above the
Hills and Fields of Palestine.
Where once in prehistoric days stood "A
proud and sculptured temple of the mys
FERROUS Egyptian goddess Isis there -four
ished many years ago the rich mansion OF
a noble family of Palestine family
whom Roman rule and greed had forced
to flee from nome by night and seek shei
ter in suppressing their name and conceal
ing their nationality. After three years
journeying across the desert sands in van
dering caravans they found a dwelling in
this crumbling palace built on the rum.
of a temple on the foliaged banks of the
Nile that for thousands Of years has never
failed to rise and brood over the fertile soil
of the dark land OF the pharaohs They
were as happy rs eNiles could be IN the
robes of a foreign though friendly coun
try. The river flowing past their palace
met the waters of the yellow Tiber, that
seemed coiored with the gold and stained
with the blood of the victims OF the
naughty throne on the Seven Hills, and so
they had the fears of fallen princes one
by one they had taken the fairest hopes to
those silent gray beneath the palm trees
as they waved beside the flowing Nile
Now only two remained. One, an aged
woman, waiting for the voice calling across
the cold waves-a woman in whose express
i've eountenance and suggestive form you
saw the valor OF her ancestors and the vir
tues of her religion. The other WAS the
woman's grandchild. Endrali showed the
Egyptian neighbors, although she had
,,.l, Of
mother
In the morning when the day was dawn
ing her grandmother would sometimes
hear little child voice calling, aud Elm
drali would say, oh, grandma the star Is
not shining. but see the golden andP
for the I'D OF Palestine had often heard
her mot tell of the holy words that
wer. II in the sacred scrolls about
the Chris Who was to come and show the
children OF men the life divine-loye to
men, that olden light, tngeing the waves
of time, that guides the soul to God
The girl thought often of her mothers
words when she lay dying in this foreign
land, Watch, my child, for it is written,
When the Christ shall come his star shall
be seen in the east. And sometimes in
the long hours of the dark and silent
nights of Egypt her wakeful guardian
would hear the voice of Elndrali, starting
&C tho stars cast long golden yb,sners
down to where she sIenf and drcomnd crv
inc ooh mother am cominyr. Ana
tben tho father would b.,r tba ,yopan,s
nrayaras she lissed tho child and smilad
tbronob bar t.,rs sohhing. oh Elrdr.E
from these shrunken lips hast thou heard
that the streaks in the morning sky thou
callest the golden land grow brighter and
moro ,oldan when in tho oaet RI. ,t,, of
the Christ shall shine-ah fear tb,.p
ewes now 50 sad so snnken shall die Le
fore that mornjnu hive loved so lonp
shall ever dawn. Inn tbou my cbild tfon
shalt see il oh father my souI e,ro,vs
weary Oh forpive met | sep Tin. dark
river rolling hear the cold waves cuu
inc on my dourbt.r ,n,ue
And now l,lndrnli wandered a1onrumong
the flowers. for there WAS n0othrr graye
among the graves beneath the nalm trees
hvtbe doyvino Nile
The wears went bv. and the child hrcam.
a woman Snll in the mnruino when tho
day was dawninr WAS bcnrd the s.me
sweet voice of Elndrali saving. .Oh nus
band the star is not shining. bnt see The
golden landr And still at evening she
knrlt before berra,teru window and urt,,,d
the same PRAYER the father heard through
all the ypnrs since Eludral WA. n child
Now She seemed more dark. more uilccirly
for sorrow and faith had pif,rrd with
more than beauty the Olive brow that
only lacked a crown And still the statues
in the silent halls locked down t,,on he
woman as she passed. and the carvings
seemed more full of mystery.
Again the wears went hy. The dark and
wavv hair grew gray. and lines. expressive
of the mind within. curved about the
lovely soul like eyes, and Elndrali taught
her children, children the same holy tales
the prophets had written in the sacred
scrolls. And NOW in her aged ni.sht. as
ever in her youthful day. the woman kneIt
before the eastern window and cast long.
long looks beyond her mothers grave.
beyond the blue and distant nils. and now
prayed in trembling voice: Oh. father
have waited. now | hear the angels voice.
| seq the dark river rolling and hcaf. the
cold waves calling. but have never seen
the star shining and the golden land .sfow
more goldcn-fortheC Christ ha, not come"
And the aged Elndraii fell asleep. and the
stars cast down long golden whispers as
she dreamed in their bcckouing rays that
she wa, once more child.
What "a PHEASANT drraml Aeain she wan