The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-04-28

scious Of his injuries and after his re-
Spouse arose and looked in silence up
on his unbidden visitors who looked
upon him with silent curiosity.
He was of powerful frame; quite six
feet and FIVE inches In stature; enorm-
Gus depth of chest and his weight was
| not below two hundred and eighty
pounds. His apparel was nondescript.
A cloak-like garment hung from his
shoulders. reaching almost to his
knees, and was confined at the waist
by a leather girdle. One limb was
clothed in a riding boot; upon the
| other was a cavalryman's boot, above
which was buckskin Logging. A pew
Bible was tied to the girdle by small
| chain such as is used for restraining
| pets. There were mo sleeves to the
cloak, and his huge, brawny, brown,
| hirsute arms were bare to the shout
ders. His hair and beard. as white as
| washen wool, were long and flowing.
and carefully combed. His eyes were
as black as sloes, bright, keen, pene-
| trating. His protruding brows were
overgrown with forests Of shaggy bris-
| ties as white as his hair and beard, i'm
| parting an appearance Of savage fierce
| ness that was the reverse Of his ma
ture.
| He approached each soldier in turn.
looking at him intently and infinitely
| inspecting his features. When he
reached the commandant, who was the
last, the prophet said:
NAY, We seek not the virgin; you
| are not the wise men from the East. !"
well You are quite correct; we are
| not wise; we are not from the east;
| we are not exactly on a scout in search
| of a virgin; we seek a creature OF
| very different sort and we are not
| wise enough always to find the lurking
| place of many of him.
you, sir, are not the Centurian?"
| mo; only a second lieutenant. The
rank of Centurian has been abolished
| In our armies; we now call him Cap
tain. Who are you?"
Il am the voice OF one crying In the
wilderness, saying. Prepare We the
way of the Lord. make His path
straight"
"You have the physical appearance OF
a stalwart and robust voice! What 10
the rest of your name?"
/
holy authors as John the Baptist.
am the voice of one crying in the will
derness; l am he that came to Jordan
and cried: Behold the Lamb of God
that taketh away the sin of the
world"
| when were you resurrected? The
reporters don't seem to have got onto
you?"
| 1,r iad NJ Ia
| That Is a mistake which seems impos-
slble to correct, though l have tried
daily for many centuries. Will you
correct it hereafter"
ut was regularly and officially re-
ported to the war department that you
were decapitated by order OF Herod,
the commander-in-chief or secretary
Of war, or something Of that rank?"
1T is so written, but II it be not q
mistake of the scribes or Of the trans
lators, then it was a mistake Of the
apostles and evangels. He who was
beheaded was mine uncle, my fathers
brother"
Every careless of the apostles, scribes
and evangelists! l am glad to learn
that you were not the victim, however.
have heard many mourn your sad
end Do you remember II your uncle
found the method of departure very I'M
PLEASANT"
Il am the voice of one crying in the
wilderness, saying. Prepare We the
way Of the Lord, make his path
straight l stood before the Master
when he prophesied the end Of the
world and he looked upon me and said:
There be some standing here who
shall not taste of death till all these
things be fulfilled and the meaning
thereof Is that as l was sent into the
world to prepare it for His first coming,
so I must remain in the world to pre-
pare the way for His second coming.
I am the voice of one crying In the
| wilderness, saying, Prepare We the way
Of the Lord, make his path straight e"
"You look about the right agel Have
you ever met that sacriligious old cob
bier. whom people now call the Wan
dering Jew"
He is not. / am. I it Is who am
the Wandering Jew. I am the voice of
one crying in the wilderness, say
ing, Prepare We the way of the Lord,
make his path straight
Do you expect him very soon?"
1.-THE time is ripe! / await the COM
| ing of the virgin who shall bring forth
the Son, the Lamb of God who having
taken away the sin of the world as
said aforetime, will now come to trans
late the redeemed in the twinkling Of
an eye and to condemn and Danish the
unrepentant. Wherefore, repent and
be converted; fee from the wrath to
come, oh we generation of vipers! He
shall baptize you with fire and with the
Holy Ghost! Behold He cometh and
all His holy hosts with Him; like
clouds mounted upon swift winds! All
| the earth shall tremble and the dead
shall rise and the heavens rejoice; and
His people shall sing glad hallelujahs.
and the trees shall clap their hands
and declare His praise; and the little
hills shall skip like lambs. Woe, woe,
In that day; woe to them that believe
not and are not baptized! I am the
voice of one crying in the wilderness,
yaying. Prepare We the way of the
Lord; make his path straight"
Il am really pleased to hear It! Are
there any deserters harboring within
there?"
They trembled and fell down and
ned when the angel rolled away the