The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-09-11

A JEWISH LEGEND.

The trav, Her in Rin-land who is
proceeding from Mayence to "eldrI
berry, or IN the reverse direction mig hit
do worse than break his journey at the
sleepy. old time CITY of Worms. He
will find few places along lis route
richer in historical inttre I. The d. lvrr
among the Jewish artiguiti.s Of
Worms will be rewarded bv the dis ''v
cry Of some a. ainilv pathetic legends
telling Of the sutttrings endured 10y
this rema1 kahlr p, ople.
Entering the ancient synagogue,
which lies in d small square OF the
.Judengasse, one notices two light
ensconced against the us ern wall, on
either side of the lark. chest III
which are deposited the scrolls of the
law. They are kept con lnuaily burn
ing in m-morv Of two martyrs who
are said to have sacrificed themselves
| in defence of The Jewish co immunity
! of " orms. The story If their martyr
dom is as follows: Some hundi eds OF
years ago, at the p 'riod of Eas'er-al-
ways time of danger for the jew
of vore-a leli gious procession wa
vending is way through the streets
of Worms AS it pissed by the JEWS h
quarter, an alarm was raised that h.
Jews had insulted Host. THIS was
enough to fire tn rabbie with IA thirst
for ,en:eance. Thy demanded that
the inhabitants OF the .)ndtngaS e
sh, Md pro luce the malrfac' ors wi ktn
| seven DAYS. or the lives of the entlr
community would sand forfeited.
Inquiries were Set on foot by the Jew
but no one had witnessed TIL out age.
When the last day of grace arrive
without disco tring any trace of the
supposed culprlrs. the Jewish qurt-r
was plunged in despair. TIL happen
ID to he he seventh day of the fe,s
Passover. AS on all f; stivals, Jewish
and Christian, the gates OF TN
Judengasse were locked. The beadl'
of the con regation went his usual
rounds in the early morning to rouse
the faithful to prayer, when he heard
a loud knocking at the gates. 1--we
strangers presented themst Ives, assert
ing that they were Jews, and request
ing to be admitted. The beadIe In
formed the Of the danger they were
incurring by entering the Judengass'
at such "a time. 1--WE know of it,
they replied, "aLd are here to save oul
brethern." They were admitted.
Presently the streets of Worms re-
sound with riotous noise. An infuria-
ted populace, on vengence intent, ar
making their way to the Jewish quar-
t.r. This time the knocking at tn
gates is menacing as thunder. They
sway to and fro against the pressure
of the surging crowd, and the doom
of the unoffending community IL immi-
ne t. Then the newly admitted
strangers step forward. With perlec'
self possession hey exc aim, "lmbruf
not your hands IN innocent blood.
We, and we alone, are the authors ot
the deed" The gates are op-ned, and
the crowd pass IN. In the square
which fronts the synagogue ii funeral
| pyre is is, d. in he flames of which
the 'ang' rs al s,er fer their self
| accusation with tt cir lives. Su'd-nl,
| very 'ye is dir ct,d ab,v for lror
the cracking flames two doves tm' rg'
and flying upwards are lost in thu
immensely of space. Whence the
martyrs no wrong hit this noteworth,,
deliverance for the Jews of Worms
hailed, or who they were, was never
known. The story has Legendary set
tig, but its essential truth is a'tested
by the two lig his which have ever
since been kindled in the synagogue II
their memory.