Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1909-07-15

Lsttle did Hoaofernes think when
talked with bin that I was pleading
for my people and not for him. Yea,
/ did tel htm the truth when | said
that our nation shall not be punished.
neither can sword prevail against
them. except they sin against their
God And even nov our city is ait
ting In sackcioth and ashes and pray
ing unto God for deliverance which
with his help will bring To pass"
1T lie even SO as as thou dost say"
responded the maid, fervidly. But
II thou couldest see the devouring eyel
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 II is therein thatl
We must hope that God will send de
liverance. For the baseness of thel
man proves his very weakness and
gives me the cause seek against
him"
And may the Lord keep thee In the
midst of such peril" responded thel
maid. Come" she added, st 10 we'll
that we return" -..~>. 4. b.. 3
In the fourth day Holofernes made
feast to his own servants only and
called none of the officers to the ban
Quet, saying TO Bagoss, the eunuch,
who had charge over all that he had;
Go now. and persuade this Hebrew
women which IL here with W. in the
I camp that she Come unto US, and eat
| and drink with US. For II We win her
not TO ourselves, she will laugh us to
scorn." --,assas-i'''sssS:.:sT- i = - - :,
Then Bagoas went from the pres
ence OF Holofernes and came to
Judith and said:
Let not this fair damsel fear to
come to my Lord, and 10 be honored
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: rs this
not the fourth day, and was not the
deliverance which was TO work to
come ere the fifth had gone. Yet, the
Lord is with me to deliver and this
now is the opportunity seek" Thus
Judith unused, and then lifting her
face. upon which a beautiful light
glowed the very reflection of the hope
which burned within her breast, she
said to the eunuch:
Who am now, that I should gain
say my Lord? Surely whatsoever
pleaseth him | 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. and
be merry with US at taIs feast IN Thy
honor" :, >--sssf Z = -. 3 a. lssst
Il viii drink now. my lord. because
my life is magniied in me this day
more than all the days since 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 pro
pared. and Holofernes heart was mer-
~ and he drank much more wine
than he had drunk at any time In ons
day since he was born 90 II con-
tinued until evening was come, and
hts 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 a drunken sleep.
Now Judith had commanded her
maid TO stand without her bedcham-
bes and 10 wait for her coming forth.
as she had done every night since
coming into the camp of the Assyrf-
ans, and with which nightly excursion
without the camp the sentinels OF the
army had become familiar. And to
Bagoas also she spake concerning the
matter. telling him that this night as
upon other occasions she would want
to go out and seek her God in prayer.
And Basoas marveled. but said moth
ing.
So h was before the appointed time
for her setting forth. and all was stiIl
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:
% Lord God Of all power, look at
this present upon the work OF mine
hands for the exaltation OF Jerusalem:
for nov Is the time to help thine In
herttance. and TO execute mine enter
prisss 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
Holofeynes. and then again lifting her
heart In prayer she cried
Strengthen me- o Lord God Of
Israel. this day
And with the words abe sIpOto