The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-24

CHAPTER /.

i
CHAPTER /.
Jepht hah, the Gileadite. had only one
child, q young maiden named Mama
srah, and beside her, he had neither son
a nor daughter. Now, Jephthah was a
ghty man Of valor, and his name
was feared exceedingly, albeit he had
heart most kind and tender, and the
chief treasure of his heart was even
81 the maiden Namarah; for he had been
AZ father and mother and all in all to the
young child, whose other parent had
died and left her to the great soldier,
Ss as the sole fruit of a happy welded
81 love. too early cut off by death.
AS the child grew into girlhood, it
was known to her, by comparing her
father to the other men she saw, that
ss ne was not as they;4a gloom was ever
ION his face, except when his eyes were
pom her, and then, indeed, he would
81 look glad and smile. Namarah always
felt that 1T was the early death of her
young mother that made her fathers
face look sad, even (when aglow with
4 pride she would look at him all in gilt
tering armor) sas he rode his magnifi-'
81 cent var horse at the head of his host.
Tsss For this, her heart was very tender to
n him. and she strove the more to make
Il up to him by the sweet service of her.
love for what he had lost AS she grew
older, and stories of the sin and folly
sssof the world were told her, there was
81 known to her q deeper reason yet for
4 her fathers melancholy The stern
g grief OF childhood had preceded the
grief of age, and, though she only
gained her knowledge by putting many
small hints and observations together
\ she learned that this gentle father had
been himself q neglected and abused
al son, whose mother he had never
known, and whose father and brethren
ID had treated him with cruelty and in
Justice. As his fathers younger sons
grew up, they hated Jephthah because
he was stronger and of nobler pres
u ence than themselves, and they thrust
4 him out of their fathers house, that
they and their mother might be no
more offended at the sight Of him. So
Jephthah fed from his brethren and
<1welt in the land of Tob But so great
soldier was he, SO majestic in APP
B peaTance and SO valiant In fight, that
the fame Of him went abroad through
out the land, and came even unto the
ears Of his brethren.
s In the land Of Tob he took Al wife,
s and there were spent his days Of hap
piness, and there was born unto him
the child Namarah But it came to
pass, before the babe could stand upon
R it's feet, the wife Of Jephthah died and
7; vas buried, and in all the world there
81 no comfort to the man save in the
ch Sid S6mafah Her he watched and
tended as his all in all, and SO great
was his love and kindness to her, that
# her heart was kni. TO his, even as his
d to hers And in ali the land there
u was no maiden SO fair and beautiful.
Her eyes were like cool streams of lin:
%pid water, for clearness and for blue
ness like the heaven above. Her skin
for Wilderness, was like the leaves OF
l; some little woodland flower on which
& the sun hath never shone, but which
the gentle winds Of shady places have
s famed and kept cool. Her hair, won
derfll, soft and dusky, was like the
u brown leaves Of the forest, and when
she shook 1t down, 1t wrapped the Slim
Il ness Of her body round and clothed her
like q garment. Her voice, when she
spoke, was ever sweet and low, as the
9cooing OF the wood doves In the
n branches. and when she lifted it up,
: and sang with the maidens that were
=
like the sky lark's.
What wonder that Namarah was un-
to her father as the light Of his eyes,
s.. and that many young men, strong and
goodly to. see, looked upon her with
favor and sought her to wife. But
COT all these she would have none, dis
n daining even to hear them speak and
saying only that her life and service
were her fathers wholly, and she de-
lsired the love and companionship Of no
\ man but him. When he was at home,
she never left his side; tempting his
appetite with dainty dishes when he
was exhausted and In need Of food
serving him with her own hands at
1 table, and bringing herself the fresh
water for his ablutions: after which
Z sshe would bend her head for his bless
Ing, and then lift up her face with
q smile Of radiance, good Sto cheer the
weary man. II It was his will to stay
:at home and rest him from his strenu-
sous exercises Of arms, she would sit
4 beside him., and draw his great head
down upon her lap, and with her it,
tile milk-white fingers rufie or smooth
sthe thick masses OF his curly hair and
, magnificent beard until she coaxed him
\ to sleep.
What love do want more than
his +" she would ask herself. why
should leave him desolate, to take up
my life with another, who must ever
81 be as stranger to me compared to.
s. him who hath been my companion and
Il my friend my whole life through? And
s. where Is another like unto him? In
b al the land there is not one who. be-
side him. seems not base and small. z
And when Jephthah would wake
4 from sleep, che would clasp and cling
to him, and beg him that they never
Sshnlld be parted.
Nay, my daughter, Z, he would en-
Il ewer 1t: must not be that thou sacri-
ficeth thy young life for me for whom
pleasure is over. would have thee