The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-04-05
!Ouse of MILO. and devour Ah.ns.

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his men to hasten forward and seise
the man, But II was no easy or quick
task to gain the heights where the
man stood and ere they had reached
the place lothian had made good his
escape,
One, two, three years sped by. Abb
melech ruled over Shechem and the
surrounding country, and prosperity
seemed to attend him. II the words
which lothian had spoken ever oc-
Cured TO him they did not trouble
him. Word had come TO him soon
after he had been made king that
lothian, his half brother, was at Beer,
and the murderous passion had seized
him to Kill him as he had killed the
other 70 Of his fathers sons, but just
as .e had completed all his plans to
this end, Jotham's words of warning
had CONF to him. and laughing in his
mad derislon, he had exclaimed:
NAY, let the cowardly dog live that
he may know that his words will not
come true"
Thus tho three years had passed.
and Ahimelech's power seemed
stronger than ever. He felt secure
In his position and the ~patronizing,
catering methods by which he had
ingratlated himself into the conn.
dcnce of the people of Shechem, had
given place to a |domineerlng, and
cruel spirit more natural for him, and
where formerly he had been disposed
to defer to the wishes of those over
whom he exercised lordship, he now
was governed only by the caprice and
desire Of his own cruel nature. Woo
to anyone who should cross his pur-
pose or fail to carry out the dictates
of HIS VIII, Many an one had felt the
strength of his power, and what he
did not dare do In the open he found
mean spirits like his own which were
ready to strike the blow In the dark,
so that more than one Of his enemies
suddenly disappeared to be heard of
no more,
Such was his despotic rule and It
may well be understood that II gave
rise to under currents of opposition
which were only awaiting a favorable
opportunity to burst forth and engulf
him. And 50 1t came to pass when
Abimeleeh found occasion to 80 from
Shechem for Il season. the bitter
hatred against him crystallized into
action and II was not long ere the
entire city was swept into open and
declared rebellion against him under
the leadership of one Gaal, the son of
Ebed, u boastful fellow whose tongue
was stronger than his courage.
When word of this thing reached
Abimelech he was wroth and came up
against Gaal and his men and when
he had driven them before him, he
laid wait before the city and took
It by strategy, and laid It waste, and
destroyed the inhabitants thereof,
even to the strong tower OF Shechem
whittier the men and women Of the
city had sought refuge,
YEA" he exclaimed, with grim
humor. "tho FIRE Of Abimelech hath
gone forth and destroyed the city.
Now we shall see whether the fire
from Shechem will come forth to de-
stroy Abimelech.'
But II Abimelech had had his re-.
venge, his own stronghold and power
were broken, for no city was left him
which he could call his own and he
had only the fighting men In his army
to depend upon.
In consequence Of this thing the
fever of conquest seized him and he
and his army went forth and en-.
camped against Thebez and finally
took It. But there was a strong tower
within the city, and thither fed all
the men and women of the city and
shut and barred the door.
Now there was a certain woman
among the number who had escaped
from Shechem before It's destruction.
And she cried In the ears of the men
Of Thebez, saying:
know you not what Abimelecb did
to the tower of Shechem? Get thee
up to the top OF the tower lest he do
likewise to the tower Of Thebez.r
At the word OF her command the
men FASTENED to the top of the tower,
taking with them a piece Of milestone
which was lying there. Thither she
followed them and none too soon for
even then Abimelech was pressing
hard against the door and had started
his fire there as at the tower Of She
chem. Then the woman with keen
eye picking out the form OF Abime-
lach, heayed the piece Of mill
stone from the wall, at the same time
crying:
Let the fire Of shechem come out
and destroy Abimelech."
At the sound OF the fateful words,
Abimelech looked upward and re-
ceived the full force OF the falling
milestone upon his forehead, 80 that
his skull val cleft asunder. Then he
called hastily unto his armor bearer.
saying:
Draw thy sword and Stay me-, that
men say not Of me, A woman slew
him"
And his armor bearer thrust him
through. Thus God rendered the
wickedness Of Abimelech, and all the
evil Of the men OF Shechem did God
render upon their heads; and upon
them came the curse Of lothian, the
son Of Jerubbaal.
Big Plans for Atlanta.
De-, Lon n Drntubtop nj Affonto
Ga, has all his plans made TO build