The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-08-02

one Of the kings attendants returned
from a journey which had taken him
through Bethlehem, and brought t
Saul's ears for the first time the story
Of Dayid's amounting by Samuel. the
prophet. Like an angry flood there
swept over Saul the memory Of his
last interview with the prophet and
OF how the latter had declared thai
God had rejected him from being king
over Israel. He saw it all now. David
was surely after the kingdom. Had
he not won his way into the palace for
this express purpose? Had he not
thrown around his son and heir, iona,
than, an influence which he had noted
Of late seemed to hold him in com
plete control. And had he not heard
just the other day how David had won
from him a pledge Of support. All the
rage and violence of Saul's strong ma,
ture surged within his soul, SO that
he could scarce contain himself. But
with cunning forethought he planned
that when next David appeared before
him he would STAY him.
That night he made request that
David bling his harp and play in his
presence, and even while he was thus
engaged, with never a thought of dan
ger, King Saul suddenly arose in his
seat and laying his hand on a javelin
which had been standing in the cor.
ner, he hurled 1t with all his might at
David, so that the latter avoided be.
ing pinned to the wall only by the
quickest of moves.
When the king saw that he had not
killed David, he sought to laugh the
matter off as a joke, declaring that
he only wanted to give David a good
scare, and asking him to continue his
playing. This he did but with watch
full eye, and he was thus able again to
avoid the javelin which Saul threw at
him. Then 1t was that David knew
that Saul desired his life.
And when Saul found that he had
failed he thought to bring the young
maj into disfavor by removing him
from his place at court. This he did
but David behaved himself wisely and
Saul grew to be even more afraid of
the young man.
1t was not long after this that King
Saul called all his servants before
him together with his son, Jonathan,
and told them that they should kill
David, promising special favors to the
n who should succeed. But iona.
than warned David Of the charge his
father had given to his servants and
David was able to escape the traps
which were set for him. Thus mat
ters stood until Jonathan was able by
dint Of much effort to wiring from his
father. a promise that he would not
kill David, but would restore him to
his old place of favor.
One night when David was playing
on his harp before the king, as on
former occasions, one of the violent
tempers which were growing upon the
king seized him, and like a mad man
he sprang toward David and drove
his javelin into the wall at the point
where a second before David had
been sitting. And o all the blood.
thirsty hatred against David returned
upon Saul with redoubled fury and he
sent messengers unto David's house
whittier he had been traced to watch
him and to Stay him in the morning.
But Michal, David's wife, the daughter
of King Saul, learning Of the plans
warned her husband and let him down
from the window, and he fed that
night and escaped.
1t was then that for the first time
there swept over the heart of David a
consciousness of his condition. The
king determined upon his death, and
the plotting against him had grown to
such extent that he was no longer
safe anywhere in the kingdom. He
was a fugitive. Had God forgotten
him? Were all his visions of the fu.
ture to be blasted? What had meant
his amounting years before If this was
to be the ending? What had he done
that such hardship and peril should
have befallen him? All, the bitter.
ness of the struggle of that night as
he fed friendless and alone from the
men who sought his life.
mo, not friendless," he thought at
last as he turned his eyes upward.
God liyeth and will not forget. And
Jonathan? Yes, he will prove faith.
full. L must see him nee more"
And Drawing the perils that attend.
ed such an effort, he sought out the
trysting place which long before had
been agreed upon, should matters
come to the worst. And Jonathan,
true to his word, was there, That was
the last time they ever met again, but
It was q meeting which gave them
both strength and courage to face the
dark and stirring events which were
to follow during the future years. |
David forgot that meeting, nor
%Jonathan's last words. as he said:
go in peace. forasmuch as we
have sworn both of us in the name
Of the Lord, saying. The Lord be be.
tween me and thee, and between my
seed and thy seed forever"
Well Filled.
AS the celebrated leading lads