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

-f-orgive
The fury Of the storm increased. and with
II the boys terror. He buried his face
upon the ground as he lay prostrate and
gave one long agonized cryf
''Motherl"
And in the distance, through the storm.
| high alive the fury Of the winds and The
crashing OF the thunder, could be heard tnr
| inspired voice Of the prophet as he cried
Wildly:
"A doom upon the city--a doom upon fhn
| city. Gods wrath upon those who worehIn
the craven imaRes-Gods wrath II upon
ye all. sinners and idolaters, ye who deny
the living God. A doom upon ye ALL
CHAPTER Xxx
TN THE house OF Jesse all was sadness
i Huldah came and went but her heart
and her thoughts were elsewhere. Naomi
worked upon her embroidery and did the
usual household tasks with the asslstauce
of the faithful Rlssah. but there was
subdued atmosphere in the household with
! never a sound of laughter or gayety. Stern
old Jesse never once mentioned the absent
son, and II was an understood thing be-
| tween the three women never to even alludt
| 10 the erring Jether in the presence Of thu
aged patriarch.
Only Gaal dared to speak Of Jether and
he only once. for the remark called forth
these words from Jesse:
II have but one son now, Gaal, and
thou art he. The boy whom once we loved
| is dead-Speak never OF the dead"
Yet even Jesse was not able to banlsh
entirely thoughts of the absent boy, which
came TO him ever with the fall of night for
one day he came to Gaal in great excite
ment and said:
"On the way from Hebron met man
on the roadside who said a stranger in the
village had passed with tidings Of our
Jether"
'our Jether?" repeated Gaai, scornfully.
What tidings?"
II know not" replied Jesse. sorrowfulIy.
II have sent messenger to try and over
take the stranger and ask him for news
of Jether in Jerusalem, but know not II
my message reached him."
Then come thou into the house and rest,
my father Thou are much wearied"
Nay. II the stranger comes with tidinss
OF Jether," answered Jesse. II must await
| him here"
Gaal endeavored to persuade his father
to re-enter the house and let him deal with
the stranger, for he feared what these
tidings might be and he wished TO hear
| them first,
Let me await the stranger father Per-
| haps his tale is one OF lies to gain . gift
from thee. Let him meet my questioning"
Jesse gazed at him searchingly.
"Is mine understanding no longer clearr
Say naught unto thy mother. Much as l
| hope / have been taught to meet calmly
| with disappointment. will go within to thy
| mother, but If the stranger comes send for
me-"
And, though Gaal promised to do 80, he
promised himself that he would forthwith
stroll down the road toward Hebron IN an
effort to find the stranger and bid him con-
tinoe on his journey without visiting the
house of Jesse.
Before Gaal could go far his avarlcious
| eyes detected several bits of wool upon
| neSrby brambles in the fields, where sheep
had strayed and thorns had torn their wool.
| Thus 1t happened that as Gaal stepped one
side in the gathering dusk he did net notice
a figure clad in rags and sackcloth with q
mere piece of hemp tied around the waist
in place of a grdle, and leaning heavily
upon staff, pass along the road toward
| the hills which overlooked the hospitable
home of Jesse
The newcomer appeared to be the veriest
| beggar clad in the least garments which
| possibly clothe human being. The sandals
upon his feet were fragments OF leather
| His hair was long and matted. his face
| covered with dirt and CRIME and upon his
| legs were many scratches and sores. He
| could scarcely stand, yet with falterinn
steps he gained the eminence overiookinN
| the home of Jesse, and sighed with relief.
| Yet there was pain in the sigh also.
The beggar came closer to the house ana
slowly descended the hill He paused when
| but stones throw away and sank upon
a rock, wearied to exhaustion.
How still it is !" he murmured. GAS IL
death were about--or is it peace? In these
! days of famine upon the land, when 80
many are starving, is It possible here. too.
| they suffer? And yet. while I hunger,
fear to go forward Should father see me
l could not face the fire in his eyes. or
are those eyes forever closed in sleep and
! is my brother Gaal now the master here1
And my mother-does she still live and slt
with sad eyes looking at the place where
/ was wont to sit at table? And gentle
Naomi-is she perchance now the wife OF
Gaal? dread TO go forward and find our
the truth, yet II 1 turn back now I shall
starve. But could but see my mother from
atar only for a moment secretly. so thar
she might not knowI There they all sit
and eat, no doubt, even the meanest
servant while would grasp at what they
would throw to the dogs. But may nor
ask. / will but see my mother once ana
then go back to the wandering, TO the chilli
ing nights beneath the open slSg and 20
the hungry days OF bitter roaming wners
famine rageth Back to this and on onar
until fall and let the dust blow over ma
Bet. o God, let me once see my mothers
face! !"
The wanderer arose. and slowly and pain
fully made his way toward the houae
From within came the lights which indi-
Gated that the evening meal was about 20
begin. BY the well the wanderer dropped
from exhaustion just as he was about 20
soothe his parched lips with a drink Of
cooling water. And so Rissah. coming to
the WELL found him.
Thou poor old man." exclaimed Rissah
"'Woudst drink"
Jether nodded. She filled cup and he
drank feverishly,
Hast travelled far?" she inquired.
AYE. far"
land thou art a beggar2
AYE, a beggar."
'Then it has Jared hard with thee else
where. / have heard only near Hebron
hath there been abundant harvest. lclne-
where from Dan down to Beersheba there "a
| famine"
AYE, famine"
"And thou. poor beggar? Even II thou
wouldst work. what couldst thou do, who
! art old and weakG Thy plight should inet
i s-"' 4