Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-07-07


neither can sword prevail against
them, except they sin against their
God. And even nov our city is sit
ting In sackcloth ano ashes and pray
ing unto God for dehverance which
with his help I will bring to pass"
1t Is even so as as thou dost say
responded the maid. fervidly. But
IL thou couldest see the devouring eye
with which Holofernes beholdeth
thee thou wouldst know that he pur.
poseth no good for thee"
Yea, that which thou speakest is
no doubt true, and 1t is therein that
we must hope that God will send de-
liverance. For the baseness of the
man proves his very weakness and
gives me the cause 1 seek against
him"
And may the Lord keep thee "a the
midst OF such peril" responded he
maid. Come" she added, 1T is we'll
that we return"
In the fourth day Holofernes made
feast to his own servants only and
called none of the officers to tho ban.
quet saying to Bagoas, the evnuch,
who had charge over all that he had:
Go now, and persuade this Hebrew
woman which is here with us in the
camp that she come unto us, and eat
and drink with us. For II we win her
not to ourselves, she will laugh us tc
scorn."
Then Bagoas went from the pres
ence Of Holofernes and came tc
Judith and said:
"T OF NOT thic fofr fIonCa1 foor tr
come to my Lord, and to be honor ed
in his presence and drink wine, and
be merry with us at the feast"
Judith sat silent for a moment, but
thought within her heart: Us this
not the fourth day, and was not the
deliverance which I was to work tc
come ere the fifth had gone Yet, the
Lord is with me to deliver, and this
now is the opportunity l seek" Thus
Judith unused, and then lifting her
face. upon which n beautiful light
glowed the very reflection of the hope
which burned within her breast, she
said to the eunuch:
who am l now, that should gain.
say my Lord? Surely whatsoever
pleaseth him l will do speedily, and II
shall be my JOY unto the day of my
death"
So she arose, and decked herself
with her apparel, and all her rare
jewels, and her maid went and laid
soft skins on the ground for her over
against where Holofernes sat at the
festive board. Now when Judith came
In and sat down the heart of Holofer.
mes was ravished with her.
Drink now" he besought her, land
be merry with us at this feast in thy
honor"
Il will drink now, my lord, because
my life is magnified in me this day
more than all the days since I was
born," responded Judith, with a gra.
cious bow, as she sank upon the soft
skins at her feet.
Then she took and ate and drank
before him what her maid had pre-
pared, and Holofernes' heart was mer.
ry and he drank much more wine
than he had drunk at any time in one
day since he was born. So 1t con.
tinued until evening was come, and
his servants made haste to depart
and Bagoas shut his tent without. and
dismissed the walters from the pres
ence OF his lord. And they went to
their tent, for they were all weary
because the feast had been long. And
Judith was left alone in the tent. but
Holofernes was sunken upon his
couch in drunken sleep.
Now Judith had commanded her
maid to stand without her bedcham
Der and to wait for her coming forth
as she had done every night since
coming into the camp of the Assyri
ans, and with which nightly excursion
without the camp the sentinels of thu
army had become familiar. And t.
Bagoas also she spake concerning the
matter. telling him that this night as
upon other occasions she would want
10 go out and seek her God in prayer.
And Bagoas marveled, but said moth
ing.
SO 1t was before the appointed time
Tor her setting forth, and all was still
In the tent of Holofernes And Judith
came softly and stood by the place
where Holofernes lay in his drunken
sleep, and lifting her eyes to heaven
she breathed this prayer:
20 Lord God of all power. look at
tfnS present upon the work OF mine
| hands for the exaltation Of Jerusalem:
lot now Is the time TO help thine in.
her'tance, and to execute mine enter.
prises to the destruction OF the enc.
mics which are risen against us"
Then reaching up she took from the
wall OF the tent the great sword of
iioloiernes' and then again lifting her
heart in prayer she cried:
strengthen me, o Lord God OF
Israel, this day"
And with the words she smote
nightly, being strengthened by God.
and she took away tho head of Holef.
ernes, and going forth size gave # to
her maid, who was in waiting. and