The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1903-07-17
CHAPTER I.


Jephthah, the Gileadite. had only one
shild, a young maiden named Mama
rah, and beside her, he had neither son
nor daughter. Now, Jephthah was a
mighty man Of valor, and his name
vas feared exceedingly, albeit he had
= heart most kind and tender, and the
chief treasure of his heart was even
the maiden Namarah; for he had been
father and mother and all in all to the
young child, whose other parent had
fled. and left her to the great soldier
rs the sole fruit of happy welded
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
he was not as they; a gloom was ever
on his face. except when his eyes were
upon her, and then, indeed he would
look glad and smile. Namarah always
felt that it was the early death of her
young mother that made her fathers
face look sad, even (when aglow with
pride she would look at him all in gilt
tering armor) as he rode his magnifi-
cent war horse at the head of his host.
For this, her heart was very tender to
him, and she strove the more to make
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
OF the world were told her there was
known to her deeper reason yet for
her fathers melancholy. The stern
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 neglected and abused
son, whose mother he had never
known, and whose father and brethren
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
ence than themselves, and they thrust
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
dwelt in the land of Tob But so great
a soldier was he, so majestic in ap-
pearance 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.
In the land of lob he took wife,
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
its fee. the wife of Jephthah died and
was buried, and in all the world there
was no comfort to the man save in the
child Namarah. Her he watched aud
tended as his all in all, and so great
was his love and kindness to her, that
her heart was knit to his. even as his
to hers. And in all the land there
was no maiden so fair and beautiful.
Her eyes were like cool streams of linn
pid water, for clearness and for blue
ness like the heaven above. Her skin
for whiteness, was like the leaves of
some little woodland flower on which
the sun hath never shone but which
the gentle winds of shady places have
famed and kept cool. Her hair, won
derful, soft and dusky, was like the
brown leaves of the forest, and when
she shook it down, it wrapped the Slim
ness of her body round and clothed her
like garment. Her voice. when she
spoke, was ever sweet and low, as the
cooling of the wood doves in the
branches, and when she lifted it up,
and sang with the maidens that were
her companions, it was, for clearness,
like the sky lark's.
What wonder that Namarah was un-
to her father as the light of his eyes,
and that many young men, strong and
goodly to see, looked upon her with
favor and sought her to wife. But
of all these she would have none, dis
dai4ing even to hear them speak, and
saying only that her life and service
were her fathers wholly and she de-
sired 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
table, and bringing herself the fresh
water for his additions; after which
she would bend her head for his bless
ing, and then lift up her face with
smile of radiance, good to cheer the
weary man. If it was his will to stay
at home and rest him from his strenu-
GUS exercises of arms. She would sit
beside him, and draw his great head
down upon her lap, and with her lit
tie milk-white fingers ruf11e or smooth
the thick masses of his curly hair and
magnificent beard until she coaxed him
to sleep.
What love do want more than
his 2" she would ask herself. "Why
should i leave him desolate, to take up
my life with another, who must ever
be as a stranger to me compared to
him who hath been my companion and
my friend my whole Efe through? And
where Is another ike unto him? 4 In
al the land there Is not one Who, be-
side him seems not base and small. ~ Il.
And when Jephthah would wake
from sleep, she would clasp and clIns
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