The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-19


 old man and his bride trudgng through the mire of bleek December night on a
 long journey to meet the demands of the
 .ax gatherer
 Yes, every inch of it was sacred and
 felt the inspiration of the hour as we'll as | of the privilege. I was treading the great white way. The road was enlivened by the presence of many travellers most Of whom were Arabs leading their little dOnkeys laden with vegetables for the Jerusalem market. and carrying in their hands an enormous string of beads, for | like the Latin the Arab uses his rosary. After had stepped off five miles of my jaunt I paused to rest beneath the shadow of white dome that is revered alike by Jew Christian and Moslem, the sacred tomb of Rachael.
 The present structure Is but 400 years old, but 1t took the place of pyramid of stones that once marked a spot associat- ed with one of the saddest episodes re- corded in holy writ The very simplicity of the record but adds to its pathos. And there was but little way to come to Sphrath (Bethlehem). And it came to pass as her soul was in departing 0or she died) that she called his name Ben-oni (son of my sorrow).'
 The broken hearted husband added: DuTleu ntT lItIt O1l lic Ndy lO DSli- lehem,' the Hebrew historian records. "Her tombstone remains until this day. and here even the wandering Arabs bring their dead to be buried in its holy shadow. How It must have wrung the heart of Jacob to leave in that lonely place one for the love of whom he had labored II years in her winning.
 A mile outside of Bethlehem I was greeted by quite a number of small chil- h,-i,, ,cr;, hot q for aims and singing over and over in German couplet relative to the resur- rection. These lines were probably all the German with which they were con- versant and of English they knew noth- ing. The larger beggars spoke in English, and they were nearly all girls, but they got their idioms badly mixed. A comedy girl of about r importuned me for money for her sister whom she said had had nothing to eat for several days and add ed, Mister, if you don't give me some thing she will smother to death''
 l Many of the fields along the wayside were. already robng themselves in gar- ments of vari-colored flowers and in voluntarily recalled one of Sir John Maun- deviles beautiful legends relative to the arigin of the roses of Bethlehem.
 This celebrated traveller visited the city of the Nativity in 1922 and thus describes tho strange episode: Between the city Bethlehem) and the church is the Fede Floridus, that is to say, the Flowery Field; forasmuch as fair maiden was
 blamed with wrong and islander, for which cause she was doomed to the death, and
 to be burnt in that place to which she
 was led. And as the fire began to burn
 her. she made her prayers to our Lord, that as truly she was not guilty of that sin. He would help and make 1t known to all men of His merciful Grace. And when she had thus said. she entered into the fire. and anon was the fire quenched and out. and the brands that were burn ing became red rose bushes. and the brands that were not kindled became white rose bushes. full of roses. And these were the first rose bushes and roses both white and red that ever any man saw. And thus was the maiden saved by the Grace of God"
 Now Sir John was never paragon of truth. nor is it certain that he was over credulous. but none knew better than he how to collect and record pretty legends.
 En route I passed pretty convent erected by Elijah. but he was a bishop. not the prophet of the Old Testament. of ancient miracles.
 As I entered Bethlehem it was market morning and the country people had gath- cred in the large square in front of tho church of the Nativity and here were probably scenes of the same character which had greeted the eyes of Joseph and Mary nearly two thousand years ago. The camels were lying prone upon the ground patiently chewing their cud: sheep and goats were grouped in the market place waiting for purchaser ana the meek little donkey was munching away at his tid-bit of dry straw just as was done when the men of old gathered there to tax gatherer. M ttt4
 Of course the church of the Nativity was my first objective point. It Is quite plain looking on the exterior and its pe-