The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-13

years ago. How real and true It all
seemed hcrel Nov much easier 1t was
TO realize and believe than In Chnncery
Lanet H 4
Why did men live In eldest
Was It not better far for the souls
health to be here nlone With God7
4 Here and In such places as these,
God spoke clear and loud to tile hearts
Of inen lie sluddered as the thought Of
his OWL lack OF faith cn111o bnck to him.
Il In rapid rovio ho saw the recent timo
Of his .horelessness and shame. How ut
tcrly no had fallen 10 pieces 1t was
difficult to understand the pit into which
he was failing 30 easily when BASH had
come to him.
Now tho love OF God ran In his veins
like fire. every sight and sound spoke
to him OF the Chrstus Consolator.
It was more than mere cold belief, a
love or personal devotion 10 Christ welled
up in him. The figure Of the Man Of Sor-
rows was very near him-there was a
great fiery cross Of stars In the sky
above him.
He entered the little tent to pray. He
prayed humbly that It might be even
thus until tho end. uo prayed that TINS
new and sweet communion With MS Mas
ter might never fado or lessen tn tho
glorious daylight Of Death dawned and
this so1ourning far from homo was over.
And In the nano Of MI tho unknown
millions whom he was come to this far
land to aid, he prayer for success, for
the Truth TO DO made manifest, and for
Il happy issue out OF all these affltctions.t
."And this we beg for Jesus Christ,
His sake"
Then, much refreshed and comforted,
he emerged once moro into tho serene
beauty Of the night
IIo lit his pipo and sat there, quietly
smoking. Presently Ibrahim tho Egyp-
the Egyptian SONGS that soldiers SING
round the cnlnp-nres.
The man had done his term OF COM
pulsory service In the past. and perhaps
this sudden transition from the conl-
Portable quarters In Jerusalem to tho old
life OF campfire and pleln air Ind Its
way with him and opened the springs
of memory.
This is part Of what he sang In q thin,
sad voice:
Born In GALLUP, since my birth, many
times have I seen tho Niles waters
overflow our fields.
And had neighbour, Sheikh Abdehci,
whose daughters fnce was known
only to me:
Nothing could be compared to the beauty
@ and tenderness Of Fatme.
Hcr eyes were as big as coffee cups, and
her body was firm with the vigour5
Of youth.
we had ono heart, and were free from
jeaousies, ready to be united.
But Allah curse the military Inspector
y who bound my two hands,
For, together with many more, we were
@5 marched off to tho camp.
I was poor and had to serve. nothing
could soften the Inspectors heart.
The drums and the trumpets daily soon
made mo forget my cottage and the
well-wheel on the Nile.
The long-drawn-out notes vlbrnted
mournfuly In the night air.
Sadly the singer put his hand to one
side OF his head. bending rs II he were
waling.
The quaint. imaginative song-story
throbbcd through many phases and incl
motionless figures round the sred ON
bcrs walled In sympathy.
At last came tho end, happy climax,
no less loved by these simple children Of
the desert than BY tho European novel
reader. ig5
s /. A
-. So that I was in the hospital and
had become most seriously ILL.,
But swlfter than the gazelle, the light of
M my life came near the hospital
And called In at the window, "Ibrahfm!
my eye! my heart!"
And full Of 10y carried her about the
camp, md presented her to NIL my
superiors. leaving out nono from
the colonel down to the sergeant.
I received my dismissal. to return to
GALLUP and to marry.
Old Abdehei was awaiting us, to bless
us. God be praised!
So sang Ibrahl1n, the converted Chris
tan. tho Moslem songs Of his youth;
for here, In Nl Makhna, tho plain OF
Shechem, there were mo missionaries
with their cold reproof and little hymns
In simple couplets.
The fire died away, and they slept un-
til dawn flooded the plain.
When, on the next day, the sun was
waning, though still high In tho west
ern heavens, the travellers came within
view OF the ancient city Of Nabulus.
There was great tumult Of excitement
In Spence's pulses as he saw the city.
radiant in tho long afternoon light and
far away.
Here In the confines OF this distant
gllttcring town. lay the last link in the
terrible secret which he was to solve.
On either side the purple slopes OF the
mountains made mighty frame to the
terrnced houses below Ebal and Gerl-
xim kept solemn watch and ward over,
the city,
Tho sun was just sinking as they
rode into tho suburbs. It was lovely,
placid evening.
The abundant cascades OF water, which
now from great assures IN tho noun
tnin md mako this Turkish town the
jewel OF tho East. glittered In tho light.
Below them tho broad. still reservoirs
lay like plates of gold,
They rode through luxurinnt groves OF
olives. figs and vines, wonderfully CRATE
full and refreshing to tho eye, after tho
burnt, brown heritage OF tho plain, to-
wards tho regular camping ground, where
nil travellers lay,
Tn tho cool OF tho evening Spence and
Ibrahm rode through the teoming streets
to the Governors l:ouse.
IT was city OF fanatics, so tho Eng
lshman had heard. and during tho great
Noslem festivals the members Of the
various, and rather extensive, mission