Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-29
CHAPTER XIX


THE infuriated Nadina, her face distorted
i with rage, plucked the golden chain worn
by Jether around his neck and tore It from
him.
"who art thou that should wear a golden
chain when thou dost owe me for much
good food and wine?" she cried. Thou
shalt be my slave and work"
Jether looked at her piteously.
Work? What is there here that 1 can
do? What do l know of work done in the
city? Oh thou city, thou hast taken from
i,o all that l had and made mo what /
am. Curse thee, city"
Nadina sneered. And I curse thee for
all my mlsfortunes," she cried, angrily.
'"rhinkest thou that thou art the first
young fool TO lose all I'm the big city? No,
nor wilt thou be the last. for sooner or
later the city doth attract all who seek
fame and fortune. But what hast thou
lost compared with me?"
Carried away by her emotions, Nadlna
continued wildly:
'I had a daughter that brought me much
wealth. Now Pharis the sea captain hath
carried her away and paid me not a single
sheSel on thee 1 have lost the price of
much good wine. Already ] have thy
golden chain, but now thou wilt pay me
with thy robe, thy golden sandals, every
thing. They'll sell for something. Give
me this-and this-and this"
with one strong grasp she pulled the
rich embroidered cloak from his shoulders,
and with push sent the boy headlong upon
a mass of soft silken cushions. With an
other grasp she pulled the boys tunic from
hin. Another talon-like clutch took off first
one sandal and then another, and there
Jether lay in his nakedness, with only a
loin cloth TO protect him.
Take them, thou heart OF stone" MUIR
INJURED the boy, as one after another the
"a. T,t,
Thy ring" demanded Nadina.
But Jether cenched his fist firmly.
NAY, that thou shalt not have. 1t was
my mother's and she placed it there"
Nadina leaned over the PROSTATE figure
and jeered.
THE ring is worn so thin I care not
Now, get out Of my house-go forth a beg
gar and beg thy way back to thy fathers
home, thou fool" she cried, taking the
bundle of garments into the house. And
Jether. his heart filed to overhowing with
remorse and penitence, cried out to God
for mercy.
Almost as though in answer to his prayer
came the dull rumbling of thunder. A sud
den tropic storm, gathering force and in
tensty, had come upon Jerusalem without
warning A binding flash of lightning. a
terrific crash Of thunder. brought Jether to
his feet Another crash of thunder and
a terrific downpour which beat with fury
upon his bare skin. He sought for shelter
but there was none except the house of
Nadina. Jether staggered blindly toward
the house, only to have his way barred by
a giant Nuban slave, who stood within
the doorway and motioned him back into
the storm.
He went to the idol of Ishtar, as though
to seek shelter from the storm beneath the
altar-but drew back instinctively
Meanwhile the rain and the storm in
creased in intensity, and a binding flash
of lightning revealed to Jether the i'm
pressve figure of the prophet, who had
called down woe on the house, standing be-
meath the shelter of the arched gateway.
The prophets long hair was wet with
rain, his white beard was swept by the
wind, and he seemed a gaunt wild, half
starved figure The man raised his stan
into the air.
Fare thee forth, my son." he said COM
mandingly yet kindly. Naked thy mother
brought thee into the world. Yet the Lore
God watched over thee. Naked this woman
sends thee into the storm. VIII not the Lord
God save thee?"
Jether shivered in the storm and shrank
back before the holy man.
His sword hangs over me. for I have
sinned, and this is my punishment" he faI-
tered.
What hast thou done to invite His
wrath?" cried the prophet as the storm
increased in violence and another flash OF
lightning rent the sky.
~ have denied Him." sobbed Jether, hys-
terically.
Thou hast denied thy God?" thundereo
the prophet Then behold his anger"
He waved his staff. At the same mo-
ment a giant ball of fire seemed to rend
asunder the very garden in which they
stood. A terrific flash of light blinded
Jether, and the crash of thunder seemed
to shatter his eardrums He turned just
as he realized that the shaft of lightning
had struck the idol of Ishtar and In one
burst of flame had destroyed the thing or
stone and wood which the idolaters of Baby
lon had worshiped in the place Of the one
and only God.
Jether with a cry Of terror, fell upon his
knees and reached out his arms suppli-
Catingly toward heaven.
II know His wrath" he cried, piteously.