Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-01
NAOMI smiled sadly and wIstfuily. "IIa,
lN thou. perchance. a son who ruer

NAOMI smiled sadly and wIstfuiy Hast
lN thou. perchance, son who went
astray?'
I'm all this world no man is more alone
than l." said Jether. And thou. who didst
| see this man in sin, when ddst thou tell his
| mother?" ...s
/ II told naught save that the kinsman
whom / visited had heard word OF
Jether What I saw I locked in my own
| heart"
'"Then hast thou been kind to his
| mother" added Jether.
But now" cried Naomi suddenly struck
with an idea. Thou shalt do this for me.
II there is sin in it let 1t be on mine OWL
head. Thou shalt declare that somewhere
just where thou hast forgotten--thou didst
hear Of one named Jether. the son of Jesse,
who has won great honors-somewhere
Speak not of his work. for Jether worked
not overmuch, and they would question.
Say that thou hast heard that for his fair
face and form and gift of words and for his
wnsome eyes, thou hast heard-somewhere
"a womans heart felt for him and opened
a gate TO honor for him. This shalt thou
tell his mother"
Jether shook his head sadly.
81 could not lie TO her." he said. simply.
yet 1t may still be true" insisted Naomi.
Say only that thou hast heard it,"
Il will not lie TO her" answered Jether.
Then this thou shalt do and still be
| ITutnIOl man. continued Naomi. lHOu
hast travelled much. / shall tell Master
Gaal that thou, perchance. may know where
crops failed utterly and where the people
must buy. That will delight him well Then
ne must pay thee money and give thee gar
| ments, for thine past all use. wait
here but little while and will send thee
food"
And before Jether could refuse the girl
pad hed into the house and he was alone.
He staggered to his feet, and supporting
himself upon the staff, slowly faltered to
the stone steps that led to the main door
way OF the house OF Jesse. From within
came the clink of silver upon crocSery as |
Rissah laid the table for the evening meal. |
| Through a small window came a light and |
the beggar slowly moved up the steps, |
and leaned over toward this window What |
he saw made him gasp.
| ''Mother"-- he half cried, for within |
the room he had seen the sweet and stately |
Huldah her face tinged with sadness
Jether stepped back upon the steps and
slowly descended. At the foot of the steps
he stumbled and fell. He had no strength
with which to move, and lay there, over
come by weakness and the realization that
at last, after all of his trials and trbula-
tions, he was at the place he had once |
called home, though now verify stranger |
and a beggar without that hallowed circle |
rough, heavy step paused beside him.
foot half kicked him into action. He
looked up into the rough bearded face Of
the elder brother Gaal
Thou beggar upon these steps" cried
| Gaal roughly. yet that the law says we
must be kind to beggars l would set the
| dogs upon thee. But 1 would know IL
thou hast travelled far in the lands of Dan
| and Ephraim?"
Jether crouched before him so that the
| brother might not recognize him.
AYE, and beyond"
And where hast thou found the famine
worse?"
in mine own heart" answered Jether
simply
Gaal turned toward the beggar curiously
Speak not to me in riddles he said sharp
| ly. "If thou wouldst eat remember l like
only the plain speech of servant unto mas
ter"
Jether, stung to action by the bitter men,
ory of those days when Gaal had sought
to dictate to him, sprang to his feet and
faced the elder brother defantly.
Thou art not my master" he cried
The elder brother, catching a new note
| in the voice of the supposed beggar. came
| to him, TCered into his face, threw the beg
| gar around so that the light would be bet
| ter, stepped back and laughed.
| "So-it is thou-at last, and in rags"
| he cried, contemptuously.
| Jether, humbly, yet still defiantly, held
| out his hand in supplication.
"Gaal, L hunger" he said. simply.
Gaal's voice rang out in triumph
80 it hath all come true. predicted"
he cried. las 1 have said, thou wouldst
yet live to hunger"
Then thou hast thy WISH" answered
| Jether.
ut is always my wish that one should