Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1902-12-31

But time was flying. It was past Suddenly man appeared at the canvas door of the tent, rushed in and fell on his knees before the olc' man in prayer. Then they knew him. It was Benjamin, one of the three that had gone out for the last watch. He could hardly speak, so much was he out of breath:
 Father" he said, 70, Father, listen! Behold bring you good tid- ings. He is born at last. Christ, the Messiah, Christ, the deliverer of Israel. is born this night. They all sprang to their feet except the vener- able old man who in a voice that be- trayed the greatest emotion said:
 tDid my son see Him? Let my son tell us what he knows about the Christ. '
 ''We knew. Father, that you and all the Priests and wise men of Israel were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah and, while watching our hocks, we were conversing about the expected Redeemer of Israel, when suddenly light. soft and white at first. but in a few moments beaming intolerably bright, shone around us; unable to bear it we covered our eyes and fell on our knees, and we heard a voice that said:
 ''Fear not, for bring you good tid- ings of great joy-unto you is born to- day a Savior, who is the Christ, the Lord. You shalt find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manager. And the voice came from some one.having the appearance of a man of great beauty standing in the center of the light. ''He was clad in a robe which seemed to be of white fire, above his shoulders could be seen the tops of white wings casting golden rays around his person. "
 ''It was the Angel Gabriel, the Lords messenger unto men, " said the old patriarch. And then my sOn?"
 And then. father. we were struck with the strains of a celestial melody singing, "Glory be to God, and on earth peace to men of Good will. y
 Gradually the light faded away. the music grew fainter and. as we knew there is but one manager in Bethlehem, the manager near the old Kahn. we left our fiocks and made hurriedly for it. :"
 And them" said the Patriarch breathlessly. And then my son?"
 And we found the Child. father, lying in the manager and Its mother with Him.
 Here Miriam. who had been listen ing with clasped hands and throbbing heart, her big eyes intently fixed on the speaker's face. uttered a little cry and with the agility of the jackal of the desert. disappeared from the tent.
 And l." added the messenger. Left my brothers in the cave. their faces bowed to the earth and ran over to bring you the good news"
 Then. for the first time in many years, the Patriarch arose from his couch. raised his hands toward Heaven and cried out:
 Ut is the Christ. Let us go and worship Him. Give me thy arm EZe- chiel. Come Miriam thou shalt see Him again.
 But when the group of simple. de vout and God fearing pilgrims reached the cave. they found that Miriam was already by the Divine Babe, her in nocent face glowing with the purest joy. hearing nothing. seeing nothing but the beautiful Child and His Mother.
 There she remained all night And what a night There seemed to be joy in everything. even in the silent cloudless sky. The very stars were shining forth and twinkling with un- usual brilliancy from their field of blue as though they, too, rejoiced and were eager to do homage to the earth's celestial King and Savior.
 From that day Miriam became a constant visitor of the cave near the old Khan. A hundred times a day she was seen running to the poor grot- to and what happiness was hers when Mary, the Child's Mother, smilingly to the little black eyed girl her to kiss tenderly the lovely cheek of the Divine Child. She had no word but for Him. His name was always on her lips Every day she her mother to make some delicacy which, with the prettiest among the spotless lambs. she was happy to take over to the dear Babe Mother. How she did love Him.
 But alasl One morning she found the old cave empty. Something like a heavy blow fell upon her poor little heart. She searched all the recesses of the cavern. she looked in all the clefts of the rocky surroundings. He had gone!
 She did not know, the poor child. that Herod. the cruel, had issued an order for the slaughter of the inno- cents. and that upon a recommenda tiOn from Heaven, Joseph had taken the Divine Babe and Its Mother to some foreign land just to escape the tyrant's rage.
 Ignorant of this and not knowing what had become of them she loved so dearly. she gave way to the most pitiable despair. One only could have told her. for was he not among the wisest in Israel? But her great was not any more. He had died happy death on the morrow of his witnessing the deliyerance of his people. Poor. poor Miriam, what a dark cloud of sadness had fallen upon her young heart never again was she heard to sing the pretty songs in which the name of Jesus was so often repeatedl No more was she seen among the sheep in the green pasture the whitest of lambs for her Jesusl Still. she kept going to the cave every day spending long hours on the very spot where Mary used to sit, kissing the very stones that had witnessed so much love.
 She now wore in mourning a heavy black veil that was always mOistened with her warm tears and which hid her beautiful face and concealed from the gaze of the world the beauty of her lustrous eyes.
 Like delicate flower under the Deaming heat of the eastern sun. she faded away, slowly consumed by her ardent love for Jesus. Her last word vas Jesus, for out of love for Jesus lid she diel