News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1917-05-23

| luu5 Ii VI SWIM
YEA, thou art worthless here. Get
thee home to thy country farm. Lie to
thy father and say that strangers did
rob thee in Jerusalem. And bid thy
mother plead for thee-perchance he
may then forgive thee and give, thee
more gold to squander in the city, thou
| fool"
IF | go home" said Jether simply,
st will be to see my mother from afar.
| So far she may not guess her worthless
son is near. To look down from some
high hill and see all in the distance.
But If so from here it will be most of
all to be far away from such as thou
and thy daughter Tisha and from this
city where all things are false even as
thy dice. came with health and
strength and with plenty in my purse,
ind in my heart a dream that l have
lost with all else that l had. o city,
l curse thee-I curse thee, city!'
Jether raised his arms on high in de-
nunciation Of the fair, beautiful city
which could be seen in the distance
the proud and stately mansions, the
great dome of the temple rising near
by, the splendid avenues of date and
palm trees and the distant lights,
which already were beginning to indi-
cate the coming of the gay night life
of that fair and wondrous city where
King Solomon reigned in all his glory.
Nadina sneered. And / curse thee
for all my misfortuner' she cried an
grily. "Thinkest thou that thou art the
first young fool to lose all in the big
city? No, nor wilt thou be the last,
for sooner or later the city doth at
tract all who seek fame and fortune.
But what hast thou lost compared with
me-"
Carried away by her emotions and her
outraged feelings, Nadina continued:
Il had n daughter that brought me
much wealth. Now Pharis. the sea
captain, hath carried her away and
paid me not single shekel. On thee /
have lost the price of much good wine
Already l have thy golden chain, but
now thou wilt pay me with thy robe,
thy golden sandals-everything. They'll
sell for something. Give me this-and
this-and this"
With one strong grasp she pulled the
rich embroidered garment from his
shoulders. With a push she sent the
young boy headlong upon a mass of
soft silken cushions. With another
grasp she pulled the boys tunic from
him. Another talon like grasp took off
first one sandal and then another, and
there Jether lay In his nakedness, with
scarcely more than half a garment to
protect him.
Take them, thou heart of stone"
murmured the boy as one after another
the garments were taken from him.
Thy ring" demanded Nadina.
But Jether clinched his fist firmly.
Nay; that thou shalt not have. 1t
was my mothers and she placed It
there"
Nadina leaned over the PROSTATE
figure and jeered.
'sThe ring is wern so thin care not. |
Now yet out Of my house. Go forth a !
beggar and beg thy way back to thy |
fathers home, thou fool" she cried, |
taking the bundle Of garments into the !
house and leaving the young boy al |
most naked lying upon the cushions. |
And Jether, his heart filed to over |
flowing with remorse and penitence,
cried out to God for mercy.
Almost as an answer TO his prayer
came the dBll rumbling Of thunder. A |
tropic storm, gathering force and in
tensity, had come upon Jerusalem al
most without warning. A binding flash |
of lightning, a terrific crash Of thunder. |
brought Jether to his feet. Vainly he
looked around him, as though not know
ing which way to turn. Another crash
Of thunder and another bin in~ lash /