The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-06-16

~ man on the gallows
hs had prepared for Mordecai.
Here IN an oriental courtier, about
the most offensive man In Hebrew his
tory. Haman by name. He plotted Tor
the destruction Of the lsraelitish ma
tion, and l wonder not that in some OF
the Hebrew synasogues to this day
when Maman's name 10 mentioned the
congregation elinch their nsts and
stamp their feet and cry, Let his
name be blottsd eut!" Haman was
prime minister in the magnificent court
Of Persia. Thoroughly appreciative OF
the honor conferred. he expects every
body that he passes to be obssQuious.
Coming In one day at the gate OF the
palace. the servants drop their heads
In honor Of his ONCE, but Hebrew
named Mordscai gaIes upon the pass
ing dignitary without bending his head
or taking OF his hat. He was good
man and would not have been negligent
Of the ordinary courtesies of life, but
HN hsiN ittbtNN ipi hA""'e' ~ ~''~
nation from which he had come. Sc
ne could not be hypocritical, and while
others made oriental salaam, getting
clear down before this I:ime minister
when he passed. Mordecai. the Hebrew,
relaxed not a muscle Of his neck ana
kept his chin clear up. Because Of that
effront Haman gets decree from
Ahaseurus, the dastardly king, for the
Of course. will include Mordecai.
To make a long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was re-
vealed to her husband, Ahasuerus. On.
night Ahaseuerus. who was afflicted
with insomnia, in his sleepless hours
calls for his secretary to read him
few passages OF Persian history, and ~
while away the night. In the book
read that night to the king an account
was given OF conspiracy, from which
Aordecai. the Hebrew, had saved the
kings life and for which kindness Nor
decai had never received any reward.
Herman, who had been fixing UP a nice
gallows to hang Mordecai on, was
walking outside the door OF the kings
sleeping apartment and was called in.
The king told him that he had jus,
had read to him the account of some
one who had saved his (the kings life,
and he asked what reward ought to be
e-Fx % al Nafs tod
Herman suppos!ns that he himself was
to get the honor, and not imagining for
q moment that the deliverer of the
kings life was Mordscai, says, Why.
your majesty ought 10 make a triumph
for him and put crown on him and
set him on a splendid horse, high step
ping and full blooded, and then have
one Of your princes lead the horse
through the streets crying: Bow the
knee Here comes a man who has
saved the kings life" " Then said
Ahasuerus in severe tones 10 Haman:
~ know al about your scoundrelism
Now you go out and make a triumph
for Mordecai. the Hebrew. whom you
hate. Put the best saddle on the finest
horse, and you, the prince, hold the
Etirrup while Mordecai gets on and then
lead his horse through the street. Make
haste"
What spectacle a comedy and
tragedy at one and the same time.
There they go! Mordecai who had
been despised. now starred and robed
IL the stirrups. Haman. the chancel-
ior, afsot, holding the prancing, rear
ing. champing stallion. Nordecai bends
his neck at last, but II is to look down
a. the degraded prime minister walk
Ing beneath him. Huzza for Mordecai!
Alas for Haman, But what a pity -
have the gallows, recently built. en-
tirely wasted! II is so cubits high and
built with care. and Haman had erect
ed IL for Mordecal, by whose stirrups
ne now walks as groom. Stranger ana
more startling than any romance, there
60 up the steps Of the scaffolcing, side
BY side. the hangman and Haman, the
man ON the gallows that ne mad pre-
pared for Mordecai"
Although SO many years have passed
since cowardiy Ahasuerus reigned and
the beautiful Esther answered to his
Whims and Persia perlshed. yet froM
the life and death Of Eaman we may
draw living lessons OF warning and la
struction. And first we come to the
practical suggestion that when the
neart is wrong things very insignificant
Will destroy our comfort Who would
have thought that great prime minis
Ter, admired and app!auded by mil
lions of Psrsians. would have been 30
RettIed and haTaased by anything triv-
!al? What more could the great dig
Aitary have wanted than his chAr.oss
sUd attendants and palaces and baa-
sgsss. IL afYluence Of circumstances
can make q man contented and happy,
surely HamAn should have been con-
tented and happy. no. Mordecaig re-
fusal Of bow takes the glitter from
the gold and the speed from the char
lots. With a heart puffed UP with
sysry imitation Of vanity and revenge,
II was inDossibIs for him 10 be happy.