The L'Anse sentinel., 1907-04-20

ana nastiiy stepping out peAoro us
men. he calculated. enthusiastically:
YEA, was the god Chemosh able to
restrain the God OF the Hebrews when
He would give us the land, and will
he now, think you, be able to take II
again? II so. then let him possess 1t.
But let us not forget that our God
will be with u.s."
of his speech upon his men. and en-.
couraged by the look of confidence
upon their faces. he continued with In
creasing fervor, lifting his eyes to
heaven as he spoke:
IF thou, Lord, will without fail dc.
liver the children of Ammon into mine
hands,. then 1t shall be, that whatso
ever cometh forth of the doors Of my
house to meet me, when l return In
peace from the children of Ammon,
shall surely be the Lords. and will
offer 1t up for burnt Offering"
The battle is over and the triumph.
ant army of Jephthah has turned its
face homewards. The fatigue and the
wounds of the men are forgotten In
the thrill of Joy that comes with the
consciousness Of duty well done and
victory won and of the rest and COM
fort of home which will soon be theirs
to enjoy. There are wives and chill
dren and sweethearts awaiting their
return, and everywhere as they pass
through the country they are greeted
with the most joyful welcome.
A. q
bilities of the campaign ara over,
Jephthah has time with the rest to
think of home, and like the reut there
is one object of special love and ten.
derness with whom he anticipates re-
union. His one thought Is of again
folding his beloved daughter In his
arms. He can see her eager face now
as 1t will look up into his proud eyes;
he can hear her impatient query to tell
her all about the battle. She is all
that he has left, his only child. When
the mother had died years before he
had taken the young girl into his
great heart as never before, and when
he was at home they were insepara-
| BILE, and It was then that he would re.
hearse in her eager ears every detail
Of the adventure which had kept him
from her side. And now he was on his
| way homeward once more, and he
| knew that she would be far on the
road to meet him. She knew the road
by which he would come, and she
| would surely be at her favorite tryst.
| ing place there to greet him and bid
| him welcome, as she had done before.
| "Ah, what stories will have to tell
her this time," he exclaimed half
aloud, as he pressed eagerly forward !
the thought giving new vigor to his
steps. II am glad of the victory, and
of the place 1t has won for me among
my fathers people for her sake" he
continued to himself. There will nc
longer be any reproaches cast upon
her; she will no longer feel the sting
of criticism, for Jephthah has proved
that though the son of harlot, he is
still a true son of Gilead," and he
drew himself up proudly as the
thought thrilled him. BY this time the
outskirts Of Mizpah where he had his
home had been reached and he
scanned the pathway before him Gag
erly, expecting to see his daughters
familiar form in the foremost ranks
of the people who came streaming
forth from the city to meet him and
his men. But she was nowhere to be
seen. What cared he for the glad
shouts of welcome of the multitudes
when his beloved daughter was not
there to share in the rejoicing and te
bid him welcome?
Eagerly, anxiously he pressed for
ward, all else forgotten save the
thought Of again greeting her anG
clasping her In bis arms.
There was the house now Just visi
BILE through the waving grove Of treei
which surrounded 1t, but still there
was no sign of his daughter.
That morning when the glad tidings
had reached the city that Jephthab
and his victorious army were nearing
the city, his daughter could scarcely
contain herself for Joy and her first
impulse had been to rush forth with
the others and meet him far down
the road outside the city. And then
had come the thought that 1t was more
befitting a great general that he
should be received into his own home
with formal dignity and splendor. So
hastily arranging for the music and
dancing, she awaited his coming, plan.
ming that she herself should lead the
gay and festive company. And wh!lo
she thus prepared for his coming
Jephthah eagerly pressed on and came
within sight of the house.
AS he passed through the grove and
came into full view Of the house, sud-
denly there burst from its doors
merry throng. With glad song and
the sound of timbrels, and with light
and dancing feet they swept down the
fiower-girt path towards him, and lead
ing them, the gayest, the brightest.
the most beautiful of all the maidens,
was Jephthah's daughter.
Enraptured by the beautiful sight
and while yet he was rushing forward
to meet her, there swept over him like
a fash the memory of the vow he had
made before going forth to battle. He
stopped short! His face blanched!
His outstetched hands closed and
| opened conyulsively! And then 3