Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1920-08-13
6(T\HE workmen put their hands
to the cross and carried it,
hurdap and oil IN tha y,lo M,


to the cross and carried it,
burden and all, to the place
Of planting. At word, they dropped
the tree into the hole and the body of
the Nazarene also dropped heavily,
and hung by the bleeding hands. Still
no cry of pain-only the exclamation
divinest of all recorded ordinations:
Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do
"The cross, reared now above all
other objects, and standing singly out
against the sky, was greeted with
burst Of delight: and all who could see
and read the writing upon the board
over the Nazarene's head made haste
to decipher it. Soon as read, the legend
was adopted by them and communicate
ed, and presently the whole mighty
concourse was ringing the salutation
from side to side, and repeating it with
laughter and groans:
liking of the Jews! Hail king of
the Jewsv
'The sun was rising rapidly to noon;
the hills barred their brown breasts low
ingly to it; the more distant mountains
rejoiced in the purple with which 1t so
regally dressed them. In the city the
temples, palaces, towers, pinnacles,
and all points of beauty and promi-
nence seemed to lift themselves into
the unrivaled brilliance, as if they
knew the pride they were giving the
many who from time to time turned to
look at them. Suddenly dimness be-
gan to I'LL the sky and cover the earth
at first no more than a scarce per-
ceptible fading of the day, a twilight
out Of time; an evening gliding In up
on the splendors of noon. But it deep
ened, and directly drew attention
whereat the noise of the shouting and
laughter fell off, and men, doubling
their senses. gazed at each other curl
ously; then they looked to the sun
again; then at the mountains, getting
farther away; at the sky and the near
landscape, sinking in shadow; at the
hill upon which the tragedy was
enacting; and from all these they
gazed at each other again. and turned
paie ana held their peace.
"'It is only a mist or passing cloud
Simonides said soothingly to Esther.
who was alarmed. 1T will brighten
presently
'Ben-Hur did not think so.
1T Is not mist or a cloud he said.
The spirits who live in the air--the
prophets and saints-are at work In
mercy to themselves and nature.
say to you, oh. Simonides. truly as God
lives, he who hangs yonder is the Son
of God
Sand leaving Simonides lost in won
der at such speech from him he went
where Balthazar was kneeling nearby,
and laid his hand upon the good mans
shoulder.
".Oh. wise Egyptian. hearken Thou
alone vert right-the Nazarene is in
deed the Son of God
"Balthazar drew him down to him
and replied, feebly. I saw him child
In the manger where he was first laid !;
It is not strange that knew him SOON
er than thou but oh that / should live
to see this dayl Would that I had
died with my brethren! Happy Mel
chiorl Happy GasparP
"'Comfort theer said Ben-Hur.
Doubtless they too are here
Within the frame of the story Of
Christ is told the tale Of Ben-Hur. be-
ginning with the appearance Of the
three wise men, Balthazar. Melchior
and Gaspar, and ending with the
sublime tragedy on Golgotha. From
the days Of the scenes at the mangel