The Elbert County tribune., 1913-12-19

the iron struck the iron with thud,
and then followed dull short low blows-he heard
how the sharp nail entering the soft
wood
One hand 1t not too late yet.
The other hand 1t still not too late yet
One foot, the other foot-is 1t possible that all
ended? He opened his eyes irresolutely and
saw how the lifted and placed in
hole. He how how the hands of Jesus contracted
convusivey, and how they relaxed painfully and
how the wounds were growing larger. &.
The hands we're stretching. stretching, they be-
came thin white, dislocated at the shoulders and
the wounds under the nails turned redder-it
seemed as though the hands would tear soon. . :.
But everything stopped Only ribs were NOV
ing. lifted by quick. deep breathing.
On the top of the earth stood the cross, and
upon 1t Jesus crucified
The horror and the dreams of lscariot had been
reazed-he and looked about him with a
cold glance. And suddenly Iscariot clearly
his terrible victory, also its ominous uncer-
tainty What II the people should suddenly un-
derstand? 1t was not too late yet. Jesus was
still alive. There he was calling with his sor.
rowful eyes.
What was 1t that prevented the thin covering
obstructing the eyes of the people from bursting !?
And suddenly they would understand. Suddenly
they would all move forward. in a stern mass Of
men, women and chdren-silently, without any
outcries. and they would wipe out the soldiers,
sink them in their own blood tear out of the earth
the accursed cross, and the hands of those who
would remain among the living would lift high
over the crown of the earth the free Jesus, Ho-
sannah Hosannah!
Hosannah? No, Judas would rather lie down
on the ground and gnashing his teeth like dog
he would watch and wait until the people would
rise. But what has happened with Time? Now
1t almost stopped, that he felt like pushing it
with his hands, striking it with his feet as a lazy
ass now it rushed mady as though from a noun
tain. taking his breath away, and his hands
sought some support in vain. There Mary of
Magdala was crying. There the mother of Jesus
was crying Let her cry. What mattered her
tears now, the tears Of all mothers, of all women
on earth!
Jesus dying is it possible? Yes, Jesus
dying His pale hands were motonless but
quick convulsions ran his face his chest
and his feet. Yes he was dying. His breathing
grew fainter. Then it stopped. No. there came
another sigh-Jesus still earth. And then
another one? No. No No Jesus died
1t was all over HosannAh, Hosannah!
Judas stopped and surveyed with cold eyes the
new small earth 1t had become small and he
felt thought it all under his feet: he looked
at the small mountains. quietly reddening in the
last rays OF the sum- and he felt the mountains
were under his feet; he looked at the sky, which
opened its blue mouth wide; he looked at the
round little sum- which vainy trying to scorch
and to blind-and he felt the sky end the sun un.
der his feet.
Judas had long sel--s-' i, place where
ne would XIII hmse1 aIter the death OF Jesus Ii
on mountain high above Jerusalem and
there stood only tree, bent, half decayed and
tossed by the wind which tore it on all sides.
One of its crooked branches outstretched to-
ward Jerusalem. as if blessing threatening it,
ard Judas chose that branch for fastening the
moose upon It, Within two days Jesus OF
Nazareth and Judas lscariot the Traitor left the
earth
All night Judas was dangling upon the tree like
monstrous fruit over jerusalem and the
wind turned his face now toward the city. now to-
ward the desert. as though it wanted to show
Judas both to the city and to the desert