The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-11
I HAD \ TURKISH SOLDIER TO
KEEP OFF ROBBERS.

one or the rougkest anc soonest lands
of the world. There is but little green
to be seen and the glare is intense.
The dust of the road Is of limestone
ana chalk and is so thick that 1t gets
into your eyes, mouth and nostrils. The
road is the chief highway from the
Jordan to the Holy City, and it is
travelled by thousands. The traffic was
even greater in the time of Christ,
for the Jordan valley was then cover
ed with irrigated farms and the rich
men of Jerusalem had their winter
homes here.
left Jerusalem in a carriage, go
ing out through the Damascus gate,
crossing the valley OF Jehoshaphat and
skirtins the Garden of Gethsemane at
the foot of the Mount of olives. A lit
tie further on we passed Il slaughter
in Jerusalem are killed, and then,
mounting the hills, came to the village
of Bethany,
My carriage was an easy victoria
drawn by three Arabian horses. and
the coachman was a Syrian Jehu, with
hair as red and a. face as fair as mine
own. | had Turkish soldier with me
to keep off the robbers. He was fur.
nished by the government of Jeru-
salem at a cost of So, and is under
the direct command of the sheik here
at Jericho. This soldier carried a gun
and sword, and he goes ahead, nom
inally to clear the road. Every party
met on the way had similar soldiers,
and this included the Russian pilgrims
as well as the hunters from Jerusalem
on their way for game in. the lands
beyond the Jordan.
At tile Tomb of Luznrus.
stopped at Bethany to look at Laza-
russ tomb, and as l did so was re-
minded of what Mark Twain said,
namely: That he would rather sleep
in the tomb than in any other house
in the place" The Bethany OF to-day
Is dirty. ragged village Of forty or
nifty stone huts Inhabited perhaps by
900 people, The houses stand on the
side OF a hill being built one over the
other. The people are small farmers
VINO nave patches of stony land and
..ttle orchalus of olives and figs. They
have COWS and make butter for Jcru-
salem They are all Mohammedans.
and all beggars crying for backsheesh
Entering the town | took q look at
the tomb 1t is sort of cavern cut
out OF limestone and entercd by steep
steps, II belongs to the Franciscan
monks, and they often say mass there
The house Of Mary and Martha, in
which Christ stopped, is said to have
becn In an inclosure which Is now full
OF brambles and wild cactus. There
Is no building left. although tho guilds
point out pile of stones which they
say was once q part of the wall,
On the way to bethany was shown
tho site of the fig tree which was
cursed by the Savior, and from then
on never bore fruit. There ore many
fig trees about, and orchards of then,
are to be found in most parts Of tho
Holy Land. 1t was on tho road to
bethany that Christ mounted the colt
which carried Him on his triumphant
march to Jerusalem.
A Rock Which Cures I.umhnso.
Shortly after | left Bethany saw
n curious sight by the roadside. This
was a man leaning backward over a
great gray boulder. and rubbing hin-
self violently upon 1t. There were
some stones on top of the rock and
observed that the man added another
stone to the pile asked my guide
tho secret OF his actions. He replied:
THAT stone is called the father Of
rocks. and 1t is said to be a sure cure
Tor lumbagoBand backache. The PEG.
pie here think that any one SO afflict-
ed will be cured If -4le can rub his sore
spot against it ] am told that those
WHO believe in the cure can rub thcm-
selves into state OF good health.
The Good Samaritan Inn.
a little farther OH 7 stopped for q