The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

1
The heat was dreadful and my head
was so heavy and achy. Mother Of
fered me a fan. but | wouldn't have
il, for it never makes you any cool
er to sit and pound yourself with
fan; but all l could think OF was
the big old elm tree where we play
oasis, and you sell me water for my
caravan from the desert. l could
just hear the leaves moving and |
knew what a big. cool shade they
were making and-and-they all
had their heats down In prayer. No
one noticed my ieaving-and even
if father did. he never scolded me
on Sunday-and it was only three
blocks to the elm; SO | moved very
quietly, no one looked I'D. and next
moment | was blinking my eyes out
in the sunshine and wondering if
ever the sun had blaZed like that
before? l walked for a while. but
found no EN-. but instead there
stood an old white wall, with a great
wide open gate in it. l passed
through it and only then | noticed
that everything was strange 10 me.
1 wasn't frightened. but / was puz-
Zled. and oh. the heat! In the sky
not one tiniest. thfnnest little skin
of white cloud limned the deep,
deep blue. On still days our lake
almost reaches that blue. but not
quite-not quite.
Il was tired and very thirsty and
though | passed melon gardens and
saw grapes hanging over a wall.
dared not touch them. looked and
looked, but l could see no familiar
elm and the chain of distant hills
made me feel small and lonely. Then
suddenly | heard a burst of laughter
and the patter Of running feet, and,
turning, l saw coming from a gar
den gate a troop of children, the two
taller ones carrying large jars. They
were not only bare of foot. but leg
as well; yes, and of arm; half
naked. in fact. They were a black
haired, black-eyed, red-lipped,
sweetly-laughing crew; and, though
they We're greatly excited over some
matter OF their own. they called me
gayly to go with them to the well.
where the water was cold and the
grass velvet soft to burning feet.
And there / slaked my thirst and
found deep shade. though no elm
tree cast it. There were trees, but
many were strange to me. Some
bore fair fruit I knew the oak and
guessed the palm. and on our way
TO the we'll | had seen in full rosy
bloom a very thicket of wild oleand
er.
We had found a girl already at
the well, and ere she went. she took
from her basket a handful of loose
grain, puTsed up her lips, swelled
out her round. brown throat and
in imitation gave the cooling of the
dOves-then cast the grain abroad.
had not dreamed there was a pi-
geon near, but instantly from on
high, through sunshine and through
shade, came the down slanting
CLEAN of their darting silvery wings.
Yet no one noticed the pretty greedy
things, with their rosy feet. their
jeweled eyes, and dainty affectations
of eager search and EXTREMIST hun
ger-sO exciting was the converse
ton at the well. One boy declared
his father was going TO take him
down TO the very sea next Sabbath.
that they might hear the Man for
themselves-since no two people
seemed TO talk alike of Him; and
then all broke out and chartered at
one time. Not far of ran-white in
dust-the public way and many peo-
pie journeyed by it, and many tmn-
ed aside as much TO get the hot
white dazzle from their eyes as for
rest for foot and cooling drsught for
parched threat But always there
was that excitement in the air. and
each man added to 1.-THE high, the
low; the rich. the poor: gently or
angrily. delicately or coarsely, they
spoke. But always of one person:
one subject held all minds. An old
man fat. and red and hot-looking,
with great jewels burning on his An
gers and strange headgear, who left
his servants and the animal he rode
out ii the blazing heat. while he
sat in comfort by the densely
shaded well. declared the Man
monstrous fraud. Oh. yes, he had
heard the tale of sight restored
and the sick healed, too-yes, yes,
he knew that hundreds vouched for
the truth of these wild tales-but
m,rk; He-should be seized and
ca [ into prison straight, for heal
ing on the Sabbath. The Sabbath,
Misunderstanding the law-failing TO
a