Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-12-22
BEFORE CHRIST CAME
STORY or A GENTLE MAIDEN WHO
pWECT BY THE FLOWING NILE.

- -
the Star That should Herald His Coming.
and Saw Its Shining Light Above the
Hills and Fields of Palestine.
Where once in prehistoric days stood u
proud and sculptured temple Of the mys
terious Egyptian goddess Isis there -four
ished many years ago the rich mansion OF
a noble family Of Palestine-a family
whom Roman rule and greed had forced
to flee from home by night and seek shell
ter in suppressing their name and conceal
ing their nationality. After three years
journeying across the desert sands in wan
dering caravans they found dwelling In
this crumbling palace built on the ruins
OF 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 exiles could be In the
robes Of n foreign though friendly coun-
try. The river flowing past their palace
met the waters of the yellow Tiber, that
seemed colorcd with the gold and stained
with the blood Of the victims Of the
naughty throne on the Seven Hills, and 80
they had the fears Of fallen princes One
by one they had taken the fairest hopes to
those silent graves beneath the palm trees
as they waved beside the flowing Nile.
Now only two remained. One, an aged
woman, waiting Tor the voice calling across
the cold waves-a woman in whose express
4, ftxya xr011
saw the valor of her ancestors and the vir-
tues Of her religion. The other was the
woman's grandchild. Elndrali showed the
Egyptian neighbors. although she had
never spoken to them. the character Of her
mother.
In the morning when the day was dawn
ing her grandmother would sometimes
hear little child voice calling, and Elm
drali would say, "Oh, grandma, the star Is
not shining. but see the golden landp
for the child Of Palestine had often heard
her mother tell of the holy words that
were written in the sacred scrolls about
the Christ who was to come and show the
children of men the life divine-love to
men, that golden light, tingeing 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
as the stars cast long golden whispers
down to where she slept and dreamed. cry
ing, "Oh, mother, ! am comingr And
then the father would hear the womans
prayer as she kissed the child and smiled
through her tears, sobbing: "Oh, Elndrali,
from these shrunken lips hast thou heard
that the streaks in the morning sky thou
callest the golden land grow brighter and
more golden when in the east the star Of
the Christ shall shine-ah. fear these
eyes, now SO sad, 80 sunken, shall die be-
fore that morning have loved so long
shall ever dawn; but thou, my child, thou
shalt see it. Oh, father, my soul grows
weary. Oh, forgive mel see the dark
river rolling, hear the cold waves call
ing. Oh, my daughter, come"
And now Elndrali wandered alone among
the flowers, for there was another grave
among the graves beneath the palm trees
by the flowing Nile.
The years went by, and the child became
a woman. Still, in the morning, when the
day was dawning. was heard the same
sweet voice of Elndrali saying. "Oh, hus-
band, the star is not shining, but see the
golden landr" And still at evening she
knelt before her eastern window and prayed
the same prayer the father heard through
all the years since Elndrali was a child.
Now She seemed more dark, more queenly,
for sorrow and faith had graced with
more than beauty the olive brow that
only lacked crown. And still the statues
in the silent halls looked down upon the
Woman as she passed, and the carvings
seemed more full Of mystery,
Again the years went by. The dark and
wavy hair grew gray, and lines, expressive
of the mind within, curved about the
lovely soul-like eyes, and Elndrali taught
her children's children the same holy tales
the prophets had written in the sacred
scrolls. And now in her aged night, as
ever in her youthful day, the woman knelt
before the eastern window and cast long,
long looks beyond her mothers grave,
prayed in trembling voice: "Oh, father, I
have waited; now hear the angels voice;
l see the dark river rolling and hear the
cold waves calling, but have never seen
the star shining and the golden land grow
more golden-for the Christ has not come. "
And the aged Elndrali fell asleep, and the
stars cast down long golden whispers as
she dreamed in their beckoning rays that
she was once more child.
What pleasant dreaml Again she wan
dered among the flowers in the sunshine,
listened to the singing waters of the brooks,
and heard the trees waving in the wood
land; to her all blades of grass. all blossom
leaves and drops of dew, warble Of birds
and insects hum seemed echoes Of voices
unknown and messages divine.
What fateful dreaml Again she lin
gered beneath the palms waving beside the
Nile, and the child smiled through her
tears as she laid flower on her mothers
grave. Here she lay down to rest, and the
twilight darkened and the night as the
child of Palestine slept and dreamed.
Now, again. when the day was dawning,
her faithful guardian heard child voice
calling, and started at it's words: "Oh
mother, am coming, am coming now
Oh, grandma, see it, see the star. How
bright our native sky! Oh, grandma, Oh
mother, the altar is shining and the golden
land grows more golden, for the Christ has
come"
And the child awoke, but the woman
never. Elndrali was in the golden land
And there was another grave among the
graves beneath the palm trees as they
waved beside the flowing Nile, and the
Christ's star in the east was shining above
the fields and hills Of Palestine.-W. j.
Thorold in Toronto Mail.