News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1917-04-04

lay out fresh garments for him?" she
inquired. "He may come with little
time to spare,
"Oh, yes, Rissah! But what if he
should not Gomez" replied Naomi, tear.
fully. Suppose that he should not
come? There are many wolves I'm
these hills of Judea, and once | know
that Jether killed a lion on foot with
but knife as his only weapon. Sup
pose that last night when he failed to
watch the sheep some evil mayhap be-
fell him? Oh, Rissah, l shudder when
| think that Jether may never return
to u.s.
The elder woman smiled reassuring-
ly and caressed the young girl.
Il know thy secret, Mistress Mao.
NIL she whispered. "Nay, do not
start in surprise. Jether is fine lad,
beloved of the entire countryside, and
not maiden of Hebron but would be
honored to have her hand sought in
marriage by the younger son of Jesse.
And thou art a beautiful girl, who
must win the love of all who know
thee. Yet one thing doth trouble me
much, Mistress Naomi
The girl half dried her tears and
! turned curiOusly
"Wnat dost thou mean?"
The aged servant hesitated, as If
fearing to speak.
"Say on, Rissah. What hast thou in
thy mind"
Much talk | have heard these past
/ few months among the servants in thy
uncle's household" said Rissah softly,
| glancing around to make sure that
none might hear, much talk have
| heard that thy Cousin Gaal cast his
| eyes many times toward thee, far too
often indeed to please those who know
Of thy regard for thy Cousin Jether."
Naomi sprang to her feet indig-
nantly.
"Gaal indeed! she cried, her eyes
flashing fire. LET me tell thee, Ris-
| sab, when Naomi is chosen in marriage
! it will be by one whom she herself
doth select, not by the pious, elder,
| stern and hard hearted brother who
doth treat our Jether so shamelessly
For him | care not nor never will
But, oh, Rissah"-
| The girls voice trembled, and it was
with difficulty that she kept back her
tears.
| ooh, Rissah, what If Jether come
not? Last night l dreamed that on a
sudden a black cloud swept across
Sky as fair as this one. Jether was
near me laughing in his happy way
and scorned my warning. Then all at
once the world was dark. | could not
see him. When the cloud passed Jeth-
er was gone. Only his voice came to
me from the distance, so sad, so full
of pain. But what it was l could not
! tell, yet, oh, what pain was in it!'
Rissah tenderly embraced the young
girl and led her toward the flight Of
stone steps leading upward to the
roof and beyond that to the round
! dome.
Come with me to the watch tower"
she said softly. Let us look toward
Hebron. There is still light enough to
! watch the road for the coming Of Mas
ter Jether. Come, Mistress Naomi?'
Together the two women slowly
climbed the stone steps, passed under
! the silken drapery, mounted to the top
of the rounded dome, where, from a
small platform, one could see the
countryside for miles around.
II. I :
Another goblet of wine to seal anew
our friendshipw
The speaker, a man of middle age,
well dressed, with a handsomely en-
broidered tunic of a rich dark cloth
bound with a leathern girdle and
wearing costly sandals embroidered
with beads, seemed in striking contrast
to the lad who faced him in the inner
courtyard Of the inn of Oxen, on the
outskirts Of the town of Hebron. They
were seated at rough wooden table
IN the courtyard Of a plain, square
building, the open sky above them
showing that nightfall was not far dis
tant. The elder man seemed trying to
convey to his companion some Of the
good spirit which evidently permeated
his own veins.
The lad, handsome. dark boy with
long curly hair clad only in a rough
but picturesque garment made from
two leopard skins, shook his head as
his companion offered to fill his goblet
a second time
Nay, I'll drink no more" said the
boy
The elderly man laughed, a wicked
and sarloHic laugh.
And how often have I spoken those
selfsame wOrds'' he cried mOckingly.
But to eat without drinking is like
devouring ones own blood. Come. |
come, my good Jether; thou art a fool |
ish boy to spend thy days thus moping |
away with thy sorrows. had thought |
thee a bright Industrious. care free
lad. for surely thou hast proved thy
self a royal good friend and an en-
tertainiug companion. Another COB
let my Jcthcr. ere we part"