The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-31

priest, and no one had SO fine an eve
Tor the blending of colors, nor such
deft fingers In handling the brilliant
SILK and golden threads with which
they wrought, as Namarah. But as she
sat at work today her mind and senses
We're preoccupied, SO that the silks got
tangled in her fingers, and the colors
We're mismatched in clumsy manner
that none had ever seen in Namarah
before.
That evening, when her father Jeph-
than came home, there was look up
on his face that made Namarah
anxious. When their evening meal was
ended, he called the maiden to him,
and fondling her with more than his
usual lovingness, he revealed to her the
care he had upon his mind.
have not told thee of IL. child
ne said, because that refrained to
cause tee uneasiness until the time
We're come; but of late there hath been
great trouble and strife in the land of
Israel, and the children of Ammon
nave made war against it. And in con-
sequence of this strange thing has
happened unto me, for, behold the ell
ders OF Gilead have come to fetch me
out OF the land of Tob that / NAV be
their captain to fight against the child
ren OF Ammon. But spake unto them
and said: Did We not hate me and ex-
pei me out of my fathers house. and
why are We come unto me now when
We are in distress? And the elders
OF Israel said unto me: Therefore
we turn again unto thee now, that thor
mayst go with us and fight against the
children Of Ammon, and be our head
over all the inhabitants of Gilead.'
Then said unto the elders Of Gilead:
II We bring me home again to fight
against the children Of Ammon. and
the Lord delivers them before me. shall
I be your head?' And behold thew an
swered: "The Lord be witness between
us, II we do not according to thy
words, p
Now, as he spake, the maiden Ma
marah had felt her heart within her
smitten with great and mighty fear.
60 not. my father" she pleaded.
hanging about his neck and hiding her
face against him. did not the elders
OF Gilead thrust thee out and disown
thee? Why goest thou then to fight
against their enemies %
But Jephthah answered and said:
These be the enemies OF the LORD
my daughter, who have lifted up their,
hands against His people Israel and i
must even go forth to meet them
strong In the power of his might
But NrAarah only wept and chung
o him, and said.
Let my words find favor with thee.
} my father, and go not forth to battle,
lest thou lose thy life, and be left
alone and comfortless.'
Il would fain have thee take my tid-
ngs more submissively, my little one"
made answer Jephthah, as he stroked
the masses of her unbound hair. "Thy
father is soldier, and thou art sol-
dier's child; and would have thee
grid my armor on. and wish me Cod
speed against the enemies OF the Lord
and His people. trusting in His power,
to bring me back, triumphant and vic
torious into thy arms again.
But Namarah seemed to get no COM
fort from his words, and answered
only:
do not leave me. Thou art all 1
have"
4 my child, my little child,'' said
Jephthah, with mighty sweetness in
his voice, If often grieves thy fathers
heart that it is even SO. Thou never
knewest mothers care and love, and
though, God knoweth, I have tried to-
let thee feel no lack of tenderness,
yet often it doth trouble me that thou
hast on earth no binding tie of love
save this to me; and it would even
fill my soul with comfort to see thee
wed to one who might worthily cher
ish thy youth and protect thy tender
ness"
But Namarah, with her face still hid
against him, only shook her head, as
If In strong opposition to his words.
Child. bethink thee, Jephthah said,
when he had gently kissed and stroked
her head in silence for a moment, ''it
must never be for thee to die unwed,
for who knows but the will and pur-
pose OF the great God may be that thou
shalt be chosen among women to be
the mother Of thy peoples deliverer?
1t hath even seemed to me that in the
eyes of the Almighty thy meekness and
pureness and humility may have
found such grace, that this great hon
or, wherewith one woman is to be hon
ored above all others, may come to rest
upon thee. Forget not this. my daugh-
ter, and order thy mind to become a
true and loving wife. as thou hast been
to me true and loving daughter.
Whether this glory above all glories
may be destined for thee or not. grieye
not thy fathers heart by refusing to be
wed. so that he may see thee with thy
children about thee before he dieth
and sleepeth with his fathers
Namarah made no answer, but her
fluttering breath grew calm and though
i she spake no word to signify her &C
quiescence In his desires, yet neither
did she gainsay him any more, a thing
i whereat her father marveled. How
ever. he spake not the thought thai
was In his mind, but was thankful II
4 the silence Of his heart.
d After these weak and faint-heartet
words, the brave spirit Of the girl cam,
to her again. and she went about hel
household duties. and particular,
4 the preparations for her IA