The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-01

He pressed the palm of her hand
against his lips. He was as hand
some as a young deity reclining
upon a bed of amaranth while the
forgotten world struggled and
sweated and offered sacrifice.
Twelve tramping negroes bore
the double litter forward-three
to each pole. It's amethyst cur
,tains swayed, its lacquered roof
gave back the sun. Behind came
three or four camels, each follow.
ing the other; a led riding-stallion,
white as skinned milk; a mule
bearing a kind of platform, on
which crouched leopard wearing
a collar; .leashed grayhounds led
in couples! another mule carrying
cages containing wonderfully vivt
parrots. The. cavalcade wound
sinuously up the hill road. Bar
rem, lion-colored hillsides were all
that was visible, save to the north,s
where the silver cone of a noun
tain. bearing snow was uplifted dis
family. 1t was Mount Hermon.
From far to the. left came the
lark-like thrilling of pipe where
solitary shepherd, coming over a
hill-brow, was followed by a stray
Cling string of sheep, with which
were mingled few black goats.
The double litter sWayed for
ward and upward, lurching ever so
slightly. It's amethyst curtains that
shut out the sun shut out also the
sterile world that was hued like
Iions flank. Cassandra, impris-
oned by the arms of Philip, was
neither happy nor unhappy-she
was fevered. Her inner self was
like a 1.-the panther.thing stretch
ing in sunshine on sun-Warmed
marble, extending and contracting
it's claws. - asfr
a little later Philip parted the
curtains.
sLook, Sandra," he said.
Below them lay the shallow sun
nest Of valley. There was the
gray-green foliage of olive trees,
the glossy blackness of goats graz
ing on. the stretches of parched
grass, and ahead, built terrace
fashion against the naked yellow
faces of the limestone hills, was a
white hill-town, hardly larger than
a village. Expresses, fig trees and
pomegranate trees were mingled
with the foreign-looking fiat-top-
ped houses; cactus hedges divided
the little fields of the valley, and
like the steps of an ascending stair
the terraced vineyards climbed up
the slopes.
ooh, it's quaint! What town is
it, Philip"
Nazareth, think the name IL.
These hills are covered with flow.
ers in the Spring, though now
they're nearly as dry as the desert
How would you like to live in a
little out-of-the-way place like
that, Sandra? %
81 couldntw
"Of course this whole country is
hopelessly suburban - just
wretched, dirty province. MY
Galilean estates aren't so bad,
and Antipas, the tetrarch, treats
me like sort of foster sonny
people used to entertain him anil
his brother when they were at
school in Rome. You must see
Rome, Sandra-there's no real life
outside IT,
in full sunlight and girls voice
saying, 81 hate Rome" And a
young mans quiet voice answering
her:
eyes, you must see Rome. Only
I'll have to be careful that the
Emperor doesn't steal YOU
Her palm was against his lips
again. The girl laughed, pressing
her head back upon the big purple
cushion. She stretched her mar
row-hipped body with a little
writhing movement as though lux
uriating, deliberately, in every
thing that flattered its senses. IN
spite of Fate, memory, pain-sne
would live and enjoy!
The litter halted. 1t was set
down, though still raised a couple
of feet above the ground on it's
four ebony legs terminating in
carved lions paws. Philip got ou;,
helping Cassandra to her feet. Her
sleeveless violet tunic, over a thin
under robe of white, was worked
with silver and long pearl tassels
hung from her ears. The odor of
oil of roses was perceptible.
A barefooted woman wearing
full, dark trousers and with two
handled water jar balanced upon
her head came into view. The
first houses of the hilltown were
.within a stones throw. They were
rooted with sods upon which was
a growth of parched grass. Be-
hind the standing litter the first of
the camels had knelt down and
the folded tent and tent poles that
J it carried were being unloaded.