The Taney County republican., 1907-04-25

/ AUNT. QucSttuuluSS HllCu no hNoiN
Had he after all been set for the de-
liverance of Israel? How was he to
begin when the people were not with
him in spirit? No, he did not even
have the 800 which Gideon had so ef.
fectively used.
Thus occupied in thought he had
not noted whittier his footsteps were
taking him until some voices at his
elbow caused him to look up and he
noted that he was just within the out
skirts of Timnath, a town some three
miles distant from his own home. Be
fore him he saw two men struggling
to lift a heavy burden from the back
Of small ass, that, oyerladen and
weary from journey, had fallen and
was now crushed to the earth by the
weight of the merchandise which he
had been carrying. The exhausted
animal had fallen in such a manner
as to make the fastenings by which
the burden was strapped to his back
inaccessible, and the men were ours
ing and swearing and pulling at the
helpless beast in an unsuccessful eff
fort to raise him and loosen the
thongs.
Samson took in the situation at Q
glance. and before the men fairly
realized what had happened he had
lifted the ass, burden and all. with one
hand, while with the other he quick
Iy unfastened the thongs, and lightly
throwing the burden across his OWE
shoulders, he indicated to the mer
that he would finish carrying the loat
If they would lead the way.
Such was the odd procession which
passed up the one main street Of Tim
nath that day and more than one per
son came to the door to see the mar
walking along with light quick steI
carrying an ass's load, while the pa
tlent beast trotted on by his side
and the two men led the way.
The novelty of the situation for the
moment quite drove from the mind OF
Samson the thoughts which had beer
troubling him, but when he had de
posted his burden at the door of the
house where the two men lived ant
had turned to go, having refused the
hospitality which the men were urg
ing upon him, the whole unhappy
train of thought returned. He re-
sented those Philistines being in the
land; he despised their overbearins
and supercilious airs; and he turned
impatiently from the door and has
tened down the street
But" he asked bimself. flercely,
"how is 1t to be changed? What can
do? The men of Israel will not
stand with me against these Philis
tines
He was looking into the doorways
he was passing as he spoke, fol
the people who had thronged thith.
er had not yet withdrawn. and he
noted the expressions of wonder and
admiration as their eyes followed him.
His attention was especially directed
to one young woman who had eagerly
pushed herself to the front of group
of people standing in one doorway,
and as his eyes met hers blush
Oyerspread her face and in confusion
she retreated within.
The incident started new line Of
thought. and ere he had half retraced
| htc or fntrorI hto hnvnn hn hoI
made up his mind what he would
do.
"If l cannot raise an army to fight
against the Philistines, will force q
quarrel with them. will take me a
wife Of the Philistines and will yet
have occasion against them"
But when he had spoken to his par.
ents concerning the matter, saying:
II have seen woman in Timnath of
the daughters of the Philistines: now
therefore get her for me to wife,"
they chided him saying: rs there
never a woman among the daughters
of thy brethren, or among all my peo-
pie, that thou goest to take wife OF
the uncircumsized Philistines?"
But Samson was deaf to his fathers
entreaties and his mothers tears,
making reply always to their repeat.
ed appeals:
Get her for me; for she seemeth
right in my eyes,
And when they saw 1t was useless
any longer to try to restrain him in
his resolve, for they did not under
stand that it was of the Lord and that
he sought an occasion against the
Philistines, they did as he desired. So
1t came to pass that in time the young
woman of Timnath became the wife
of Samson, but ere the week of festiv-
tiles had ended there had transpired
those events of which the Scripture
speaketh in detail, and which gave to
Samson the occasion which he sought
of inflicting upon the Philistines the
punishment they so richly deserved,
and of turning the hearts of his peo-
pie back to the service of the true
God.