El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
a SHADOW.

Hans Alienus lived in humble cottagt
in Jerusalem. One evening he stood Ions
before the open window shutter. How
difficult it was to get at closing it! The
air was cool, the city still. Below in the
narrow, billy street came a muleteel
astride, STOPPING forward over the bach
of the ass, whose little hoofs clicked anG
slipped on the big, smooth stones. HI
sang a monotonous song in the customary
plaintive drawing, nasal tones of the
easterner, and as he passed along the
sound of his voice reminded one of thu
bagpipe.
On the window sill lay a manuscript
dissertation, and so clear and brilliant
was the February moonlight that Hans
could read the fine writing without diff
fculty. 1t was a defense of the establish
ed order of things, of standstill conserva
tism, admitting of no exception. AnG
as he stood there in the city where the
idea of human brotherhood was born anG
had gone forth over the earth, as he
glanced over the pages of the document
he said to himself: mo, no; we young
people are natural foes to conservatism
We are the ones who now, in all ages
have broken ground for the truths which
have proceeded from this city AS he
spoke he made an unconscious movement
with his hand. At the same time his
glance fell upon his own shadow on the
wall, outlined by the moon.
He could not restrain his laughter
Was not that the shadow OF an actor, the
head thrown back, the hand extended as
If he were declaiming some stirring
passage?
A feeling of shame swept over him as
he considered for the first time that
among the ideas transmitted from that
city to the western world as cargo OF
precious jewels, was a tiny pearl, hui
manity.
He closed his eyes and pressed his
hands over his face, and a thousand little
stars seemed to fash before his sight.
To be sure, it was merely the pulsations
of his own blood which produced this
sensation, and yet, little by little, those
tiny lights ceased to revolve and looked
for all the world like the pale stars which
he had just been watching in the frma-
ment. At length, aroused by voices i'll
the street, he looked out.
Between the houses opposite there eX-
tended a wall. On the ground in front
was bright fire, and by that fire stood
Christ surrounded by a few disciples and
friends. Just behind him his shadow
was clearly defined upon the wall.
John. the disciple whom he loved, me-
chanically picked up blackened coal
and with it outlined the shadow until he
had delineated the entire figure of the
Master upon the wall. Then he dropped
the coal and entered into conversation
with the rest.
Next morning. when Hans Alienus
again stood at his open window and saw
the people pass. there were many who
stopped and looked with curiosity at the
drawing on the wall.
THAT represents a shoemaker; his
back is bowed" said the shoemaker.
you talk nonsense" returned the
fruiterer; that STOPPING posture proves
that he is fruit vender. They forgot to
draw the basket on his back, but that
half open mouth shows clearly that he
was crying: 'Pomegranates! Come and
buy! Come and buy!"
A high official of the sanhedrin who
passed, and who of course did not mix
his voice with the gable of the trades
people, thought to himself: cit is perfect
ly plain that that represents a learned
man and q thinker. One might almost
take it to be portrait of me. Positively
It is me; not bad, either. Probably some
Of the tradespeople drew it. OF course
they all know me more or less"
Meanwhile one of the spectators had
silently approached the carbon drawing.
He had a simple demeanor and a kind,
patient face. Nothing great was known
of him, no chronicle has preserved his
name, for he led a retired life, away
from the noise of the world. With hands
crossed over the knob of his walking
stick he contemplated the drawing.
'What noble foreheadr' he thought
'What lofty humanity that bent figure
suggests! Oh, if only one could be like
that! But why wish for the impossi-
ble!''
As he stood there, silent and humble.
the likeness to the drawing was so strik-
ing that everybody fell back, pointing to
him in whispers.
Startled and ashamed he slipped away,
unable to understand why they should
stare at him.
In his conscious humility he had re-
sembled the Christ shadow
Had he known this, and, proud in that
consciousness, stood erect, the likeness
would have vaniShed-St Louis Globe