LMlDfSOLlS-COHLN
 
 MAX STRASBUHG 
 Row She IF Book
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 AND OTHER TALES OF 
 
 GRANDMA LOPEZ
 
 SHE WENT IN UNVEILED BEAUTY FOR THE FIRST TIME (PAGE ii
 
 Babtti Cfje (giant lUUer 
 
 AND OTHE R TALE S 
 OF GRANDMA LOPEZ 
 
 BY 
 
 EMILY SOLIS-COHEN, JR. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALFRED FEINBERG 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 The Jewish Publication Society of America 
 1908
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY 
 THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA
 
 To MY GRANDMOTHERS
 
 PREFACE 
 
 T3IBLE stories are told once and for all in the 
 * * pages of the Bible. Were it not that the tale 
 is there given in its simplest form, leaving the 
 reader to provide the background from knowledge 
 or imagination, there could be no possible excuse for 
 the re-telling. Grandma Lopez has permitted her- 
 self the license of the story-teller, even to filling in the 
 gaps by the exercise of her own fancy. Thus she has 
 described the early life of the prophet Elijah, about 
 which nothing is known, and in so doing she frames 
 a variant of the legend that makes Phinehas, son of 
 Eleazar the priest, live again in the Tishbite. Equally 
 fanciful is her suggestion as to the etymology of the 
 Masoretic Tishbi. She has a feeling that the appel- 
 lation is characteristic, rather than geographical, and 
 that it relates in some way to the work of the prophet 
 who brings back God to Israel and Israel to God, and 
 whom both sacred Scripture and legend acclaim as 
 peculiarly the Restorer of fertility, of health, of life, 
 of freedom, of nationality. Perhaps also she remem- 
 bers the last verse of the last chapter of the last of the 
 prophetic books (Malachi iii, 24), and various ex- 
 
 7
 
 PREFACE 
 
 pressions of prophets near to Elijah in time or char- 
 acter (Amos, Hosea, Joel), as well as Elijah's own 
 utterance on Carmel (i Kings xviii, 37), and his 
 prayer over the son of the widow of Zarephath 
 (i Kings xvii, 21). Secure in the limitations of her 
 knowledge, she can blissfully ignore difficulties that 
 would deter a better Hebraist. 
 
 Though she is not a Hebrew scholar, the old lady 
 knows her prayer book and Parashah book fairly 
 well, and, having an intimate acquaintance with the 
 English versions of the Bible and the Apocrypha, she 
 has come to use their phrases freely, not only in direct 
 quotations, but also in piecing together appropriate 
 passages from various books to fill out narrative, de- 
 scription, or conversation. In the entire course of 
 her stories she has tried to use words which would jar 
 as little as might be with the diction of her models. 
 Nor has she felt that she was talking above the heads 
 of her grandchildren. " Children possess an unesti- 
 mated sensibility to whatever is deep and high so long 
 as it is simple likewise." 
 
 Grandma Lopez loves the traditional ceremonies 
 and forms of her faith, and her family count them 
 among the common features of life, but there is no 
 attempt in this book to describe all the ceremonies 
 and customs that form a part of the Jewish life of 
 the Lopez household. Only such have been touched 
 
 8
 
 PREFACE 
 
 upon as fall naturally into the story of Grandma's 
 visit. 
 
 Some of the tales here collected have appeared in 
 print over the author's pen-name of " Emma Leigh." 
 Of these, " David the Giant Killer " (which was pub- 
 lished in Jewish Comment), "In Shushan the 
 Capital," and " Amid the Alien Corn " (which ap- 
 peared in The Jewish Exponent) have not been 
 changed. "The Sacrifice at Modin," "The Hid- 
 den Smithy," and "The Fall of Michmash " are, 
 however, largely new, having been rewritten and 
 elaborated since their publication in Jewish Comment. 
 The author desires to acknowledge the courtesy of 
 the editors of these journals. The other stories are 
 here first printed. The prayer of Nebuchadrezzar 
 before the golden image has been adapted from 
 prayers quoted in Die Religion Babyloniens und 
 Assyriens, by Professor Morris Jastrow, Jr. 
 
 EMILY SOLIS-COHEN. 
 
 Philadelphia, April, 1908.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 GRANDMA is COMING ! 17 
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 25 
 
 HANUKAH MEMORIES 43 
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 PURIM IN THE COUNTRY 51 
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 55 
 
 MYRTLE-THAT-WAS-CHANGED-TO-ESTHER 66 
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 GRANDMA'S WEDDING 73 
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 77 
 
 THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE 91 
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 SABBATH EVE 95 
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 99 
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE FIELD OF -BARLEY 113 
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 YOUTH'S BRIGHT LEXICON 117 
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 119 
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 HABDALAH 139 
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 143 
 
 THE GOOD CARPENTER 160 
 
 CARMEL 
 
 CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS 165 
 
 CARMEL 167 
 
 THE PASSING OF ELIJAH 177 
 
 11
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 RUTH'S STORY 183 
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 185 
 
 THE FORGOTTEN SHEAF 200 
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON 205 
 
 How DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 207 
 
 A NATION OF TEACHERS 224 
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 229 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 THE JACK HORNER PIE 245 
 
 GLOSSARY 249 
 
 12
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 SHE WENT IN UNVEILED BEAUTY FOR THE FIRST TIME 
 
 (PAGE 188) Frontispiece 
 
 FACING 
 
 PAGE 
 
 "THUS SHALL BE DONE TO THE MAN WHOM THE KING DELIGHT- 
 ETH TO HONOR ! " 60 
 
 AND THUS THE FIRST STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM WAS WON 90 
 
 FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE A BLACK GIANT TOOK A 
 
 THREATENING STEP TOWARD THEM. . 100 
 
 " Lo, FROM THE SEA RlSES A CLOUD THE SlZE OF A MAN'S 
 
 HAND ! " 174 
 
 13
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 XCITEMENT ran riot in the Lopez 
 family when the morning mail announced 
 that Grandma was coming to spend 
 Hanukah week with them in their new house. The 
 children shouted and bounced up and down in their 
 chairs, until the dishes on the breakfast table rattled 
 gaily. Jack blew a long whistle, and Isabella, the 
 dignified, forbore reproof. Father put down the ab- 
 sorbing newspaper to answer mother's smiling eyes, 
 and said laughingly, " I know some people not very 
 far away, either who have a treat in store for them." 
 " You just bet," agreed David. " 'Tain't many 
 boys is dot a Dwandma like me ! " The elder children 
 glanced expectantly at Jack, but for a wonder the 
 grammarian of the family let an error slip, even nod- 
 ding approval at David, whose round face fairly 
 shone with the joy of possessing such a treasure as 
 Grandma Lopez. 
 
 " I bet she'll have a new story for you kids," re- 
 marked Leon. " Do you know, Mother, when 
 Grandma tells us stories they seem so true, I almost 
 believe them." 
 
 17
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 After the shout that greeted this unusual conde- 
 scension had died out, they all began to plan eagerly 
 what Grandma was to do for each of them, and ma**- 
 vellous were the ways in which they were going t3 
 entertain her. Their spirits ran so high during the 
 discussion, and their laughter grew so hilarious, that 
 Mother heaved a sigh of relief when the last cap was 
 found, in a corner strangely far from the hook on 
 which it had been so carefully hung the night before. 
 She breathed freely only when the last sturdy pair of 
 legs had trudged round the corner to school. 
 
 Little Estrella and David were banished to the 
 nursery, while their mother went about her morning 
 tasks. It was not until nearly noon, when Grandma 
 was expected, that she found time to glance in at 
 them. As she paused on the threshold, Estrella 
 whimpered, and David cried in tragic tones, " You're 
 in the ocean, you'll be dwounded dead ! " 
 
 Mrs. Lopez sank frightened into the safety of an 
 empty rocking-chair, only to be warned that she was 
 riding on a cow-catcher. However, she did not 
 move from her dangerous position, and when the 
 rescue party tried to drag her forth, she gathered 
 them into her arms. " Well, chickabiddies, I wonder 
 what we'll find in Grandma's prize bag this trip. 
 Let's each guess. My turn first, and I say Bonuelos." 
 
 " That's easy," remarked her scornful youngest 
 son, for these sugar cakes were eaten every Hanukah. 
 
 18
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 The receipt had come over with the family from 
 England, and probably had been used in those old, 
 old days in Spain. 
 
 " I guess a doll that says ' Papa ' and * Mamma,' " 
 asserted a hopeful little voice, but Mother scarcely 
 heard it, so taken aback was she by the next utterance 
 of David, who, having puckered his brow into a 
 thoughtful frown, announced his calm expectation to 
 find a " twusty blade." 
 
 "A what!" exclaimed his astonished questioner. 
 
 " A twusty blade. O you know, like Jack had, 
 to kill giants and dwagons. I want Ventures, too." 
 
 Before Mrs. Lopez could reply, Estrella threw 
 appealing arms about the neck of her brave brother. 
 " Let me go with you, and I'll nurse your wounds." 
 
 " Won't never have no wounds," said the indig- 
 nant David. Then, seeing the hurt look in her eyes, 
 he added graciously : " You can come, and the giant 
 will dwag you off to his castle to make you nice and 
 fat. But you mustn't be 'fwaid, for I'll wescue you," 
 he reassured her. " You see," he turned to his 
 mother, " wifles does all wight for huntin' bears wiv, 
 but I need a sword for giants." 
 
 " Mercy me ! " said Mrs. Lopez under her breath, 
 having visions of her baby playing with some older 
 boy's gun then quietly, " Wherever did you get a 
 rifle, little man, and where is it? " 
 
 " Here," and David trotted over on his chubby 
 
 19
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 little legs to a corner of the closet, and solemnly 
 brought her a twisted newspaper. No sooner had 
 she taken it, unsuspicious of danger, than he shrieked, 
 " That's the twigger, it'll go off." 
 
 Mechanically her fingers loosed their hold, and a 
 relieved look came over the child's face. " My, but 
 you've had a nawwow 'scape, I thoughted you'd be 
 killed sure. I ought a'knowed 'at womans can't hold 
 guns." And with this crushing remark he put his 
 weapon carefully out of harm's way. 
 
 " Dearest," suddenly exclaimed Estrella, drawing 
 Mother's head down to whisper to her, u David has 
 just setted his heart on havin' a sword. He's been 
 wishin' it ever since he finded that red cap he says is 
 a wishin' cap. But I'm 'fraid it tain't the real kind," 
 sighed the little girl, " for ev'ry mornin' he looks to 
 see if the brownies haven't brought him one, and they 
 won't do it. If I give you the pennies in my bank," 
 she went on, "will you buy him one? 'Cause I 
 don't fink Grandma'll ever bring a sword. She don't 
 know David wants one," the child finished, in loyal 
 apology for the Grandmother who was always trying 
 to bring joy to her little ones. 
 
 " I'll see what we can do, dear, but hush, here 
 he comes." Estrella looked up quickly with a pretty 
 blush, to find her manly brother standing in front of 
 them, hands deep in the pockets of his first trousers, 
 feet planted firmly apart, surveying them with a sad 
 
 20
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 air of reproach. " I don't want to know anyone's 
 old secrets," he announced with an air of dignified 
 unconcern, as he turned away. 
 
 The little girl's lip quivered, and if Mother had 
 not held her tight, she would have run after David to 
 comfort her foolish chum, although she was sorely 
 hurt that her playfellow should think she would keep 
 anything from him. However, she only snuggled up 
 closer to her mother, saying in an audible undertone, 
 " Mamma, please let David light the light to-night, 
 I do it every year." 
 
 " No," protested David, who always heard when 
 he was least expected to, " 'tain't fair. You're a girl, 
 and gentlemens never comes before ladies." 
 
 " But you know the blessings, and I don't, that 
 is, in Hebrew," rejoined Estrella, who, like all her 
 sex, once she had decided to be generous, was not 
 going to be deprived of the pleasure of feeling virtu- 
 ous. David, on his part, was equally determined not 
 to be outdone by a girl, and Mother threw herself 
 into what threatened to be a breach: " David can 
 light the lamp to-night, and Estrella the Shammas 
 to-night and the new light to-morrow night; and after 
 that each one of the others can have a turn." For 
 Mrs. Lopez knew that none of her children was too 
 old to kindle the lamp of dedication. David beamed 
 on his mother, and Estrella rushed to make peace 
 with a kiss that was never given, for suddenly the 
 
 21
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 door opened, and she was in Grandma's arms, 
 whither David soon followed her. 
 
 That evening a merry family gathered about the 
 table in the book room, on which stood the brass 
 Hanukah lamp, an old one, shaped like a Menorah. 
 Father held David in his arms so that the child could 
 light the wick floating in the oil. Clearly and slowly 
 he recited, " Bariich Atah I'hadlik Ner shel Ha- 
 nukah," and kindled the right hand flame. Then he 
 gave the taper to Estrella, who from Grandma's 
 arms reached up to light the Shammas at the top of 
 the lamp. 
 
 After the psalm had been sung, David flung his 
 hat from him quickly, and disappeared out of the 
 room. 
 
 Mrs. Lopez and Estrella exchanged smiling 
 glances of understanding, while Grandma asked, 
 " What is David in such a hurry about? It must be 
 something very important." 
 
 " Well, well," Grandma chided softly, for David 
 reappeared in the doorway, holding up the worn and 
 precious black bag in which childish fingers de- 
 lighted to delve. " So he couldn't wait like a good 
 little boy. He must be very hungry for cake." 
 
 1 'Deed not, Grandma," Estrella came to the rescue 
 of her abashed champion. " He's waitin' for his 
 sword." 
 
 ' Waitin' for his sword ! " said Grandma, as much 
 
 22
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 surprised as her daughter-in-law had been. " Why 
 should David think I have a sword for him? " 
 
 " I just thoughted I wished vat vat " stam- 
 mered the would-be giant killer. 
 
 " He didn't 'zactly 'spect you to bring one, Grand- 
 ma," Estrella came to his relief, explaining politely, 
 for fear Grandma might be hurt to think she had 
 failed to do what was expected of her. " We've 
 bofe been wishin' hard for a sword, so David can kill 
 dragons and ogres and giants like Jack did, and 
 rescue me. He needs a twusty blade to do it wiv," 
 she concluded, exasperated at the density of grown- 
 ups, whose silence seemed to the child to argue mis- 
 understanding. 
 
 " So, so," laughed Grandma, and lay back in her 
 chair smiling to herself, while everyone looked at 
 her in questioning surprise. She did not speak, how- 
 ever, and the silence was broken by a superior voice 
 from somewhere in the room: " David will never 
 realize that there are no giants and giant killers, 
 and never were. He's just full of nonsensical notions 
 from fairy tales." 
 
 11 'Tain't nonsense," cried David, who in his disap- 
 pointment ran to Grandma for sympathy. " Giants 
 did live, weally and twuly, didn't vey, Dwandma ? " 
 pleaded the eager child. " 'Course, vere ain't lots of 
 'em now, 'cause Jack killed so many. But I spose 
 vere's some 'at 'ould like to fight, and would be glad 
 
 23
 
 GRANDMA IS COMING! 
 
 if a boy came after 'em. It must be stupid for a giant 
 to have no Ventures, just 'cause Jack's dead." Confi- 
 dent of Grandma's answer, he cast a triumphant look 
 at his brother. 
 
 " I can't say about Jack," mused the old lady, " but 
 once on a time there was a really, truly giant killer, 
 whose name was what do you think? David!" 
 and she watched the quick flash of joy light up the 
 child's face. 
 
 ' Tell me about him, do," he cried, and drew up 
 a low chair opposite Grandma, facing her with a 
 look of such blissful pride that she said quickly, to 
 cover her laughter, " Come on, all of you, and listen 
 to the story of David the Giant Killer." 
 
 With eager joy the children gathered around the 
 old lady, and, as he beheld, a sudden gladness flooded 
 the heart of her son, who read in his wife's eyes her 
 answering thought that at last the new house was 
 become the home which a month's residence had not 
 made it. 
 
 And this is the story that Grandma told : 
 
 24
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 HE stars had faded from the sky, and the 
 gray light of morning hung over the hills 
 of Bethlehem, when young David came 
 out from his father's house, and gazed for a moment 
 toward the distant mountains of Moab, above which 
 the sky was kindling with the first glow of the rising 
 sun. 
 
 He was a tall, handsome lad, slender but well- 
 knit. He had moved with springing step, and now 
 his poise upon arrested foot was full of grace and 
 vigor. Like his face, his bare arms and his legs 
 beneath the white tunic that he had pulled up into 
 his girdle, so that his steps might be free, were tanned 
 with the sun; his cheek was red with the blood of 
 youth and health. His feet were sandalled, but his 
 head was bare, and thick curls of reddish gold 
 crowned the broad brow, where even then thoughts 
 were stirring which, when wrought into song, should 
 move men's souls forever. 
 
 Going to the granary, he soon came forth with two 
 leathern bags well filled with the provisions that he 
 was to take to his brothers, who were in the army of 
 King Saul of Israel, fighting against the Philistines. 
 
 25
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 He placed the bags upon the back of an ass, which in 
 the meantime a servant had brought from the stable. 
 
 The man, an old and privileged retainer of the 
 house of Jesse, laid his hand upon the boy's head in 
 blessing. " Take good care of thyself, Master 
 David," he said. " Expose thyself not to the wild 
 beasts by the way, and be not rash to thrust thyself 
 into the battle, for we need thee yet in Bethlehem." 
 
 David laughed at the old man's anxiety, and, affec- 
 tionately kissing his cheek, answered: " Fear not 
 for me, good Abdiel. Have I not travelled this road 
 many times? As for the wild beasts, I have my sling 
 and my staff to defend me, and as for battle, how 
 shall I join therein, seeing that I have neither sword 
 nor spear?" Then, patting the animal's face, he 
 took hold of the bridle, and led it forth into the road. 
 
 And now, as he gazed once more toward the risen 
 sun and back again to the olive groves and corn fields 
 that clothed the slopes of his native village, he 
 thought of that beautiful woman who had gleaned in 
 these very fields, Ruth the Moabitess, who for love 
 of her husband's mother, Naomi, had forsaken her 
 home and her gods, to dwell in Judah's land and 
 serve Judah's God. 
 
 He thrilled with pride to think that her blood 
 ran in his own veins. " Shall I," thought he, " that 
 am born of the house of Judah, love my land less 
 than she that was a stranger? Abdiel spake not well. 
 
 26
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 Israel is more than Bethlehem and more than Judah, 
 and perchance Israel's need even of me is greater 
 than the need of yon few sheep in the wilderness. If 
 Eliab stay me not, I will look upon the battle, and 
 see if the Lord have no work for me." 
 
 Twelve long miles lay between Bethlehem and the 
 Valley of Elah, some two thousand feet below, in 
 which the two hosts had pitched their tents, and 
 David knew that he must hasten, if he would reach 
 the camp before the day was many hours old. 
 
 To any save an agile mountaineer the walk would 
 have been long and trying. The road wound in and 
 out amid hills whose terraced sides were planted with 
 vines, on which the half-ripened grapes hung in heavy 
 clusters; then it sank beneath craggy heights, on 
 whose bare ledges an occasional oak or terebinth 
 stood black against the cloudless sky, or where the 
 mountain goat paused for a moment to sniff the air 
 ere he leaped across the chasm that divided the rocks. 
 Again it rose into a broader and more level highway 
 fringed with sparse woods and thick underbrush, or, 
 sometimes, after an half-hour's climb, it would sud- 
 denly descend to follow the narrow bed of a brook 
 long since run dry. Then David would be forced to 
 follow the donkey, whose sure foot picked its way 
 along the steep decline. After some two hours' 
 journey he reached the base of one of the cliffs whose 
 summit commanded a view of the entire country, 
 
 27
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 Many a time had he scaled it, and, when the sun was 
 high, caught a glimpse of the Desert of Judah, and 
 beneath it, in the awful depths, the Salt Sea, gleaming 
 blue in the distance. Then, turning, he had seen a 
 white and wavy line, the great Western Sea, whereon 
 his fancy beheld the adventurous ships of Tyre and 
 Sidon ploughing their way to far-off Tarshish and the 
 chalk cliffs of the barbarian isles. As the donkey 
 was unable to climb the steep sides of the cliff, David 
 led the animal to a cave that he knew of near by, in- 
 tending there to tether it whilst he made the ascent. 
 As they were about to enter, a man rushed from the 
 mouth of the cavern, and falling at the lad's feet 
 cried, " O spare me, kind Philistine! Slay me not, 
 and I will be thy bondman forever! " 
 
 ' What meanest thou? " exclaimed David, laying 
 his hand on the shoulder of the kneeling man. " I am 
 no Philistine, but an Israelite like thyself, and I will 
 do thee no harm." 
 
 The fellow, seeing his mistake, poured forth a con- 
 fused tale, of which David could make little, save 
 that the man was afraid of some monstrous Philistine 
 giant and that the army of Israel was in sore peril. 
 Finding that he was unable to tell a straight story, 
 David did not wait to hear him further or climb 
 the mountain, but hastened onward, until a sudden 
 turn in the road disclosed a woodland nook, through 
 which a brook wound its silvery course. Lounging in 
 
 28
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 the shade were two lads, and David recognized them 
 as village mates, Paltiel and Uzziah, who the day 
 before had set out with supplies for the troops of 
 King Saul. On seeing David, they called to him, and 
 he, glad of a chance to learn the truth about the army, 
 joined them. The lads were in a state of great ex- 
 citement, and he had scarcely reached their side when 
 he was told that if his head was of any value to him, 
 he had better turn back, and that as soon as possible. 
 
 " Why so? " demanded David, to whom fear was 
 yet a stranger. 
 
 The boys eyed him askance. " Hast thou not 
 heard," said one, " that the Philistines have a giant 
 champion whom braver men than thou see fit to 
 flee?" 
 
 "What!" cried David, "'twas last new moon 
 when first I learned that Goliath of Gath was daily 
 defying our armies. Has no one yet been found to 
 fight with him ? " 
 
 " No and none will be found," answered Paltiel. 
 " It would be certain death to meet him. He is as 
 fierce and terrible as a lion." 
 
 " He is so huge and strong," broke in Uzziah, 
 " that he is like a bear which can squeeze a man to 
 death." 
 
 Then both boys began to talk at once. " The staff 
 of his spear is a young cedar, with which he can brain 
 a man with but a single stroke," said one. " He 
 
 29
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 wears armor," cried the other, " that cannot be 
 pierced, and, 'tis said," lowering his voice, " that he 
 is under a spell, and cannot be wounded." 
 
 David laughed scornfully. u He is under a spell, 
 and cannot be wounded," mocked he. " I begin to 
 understand. Men have fought with lions and bears 
 ere now, and have not trembled. It is not the giant 
 that ye fear, but the senseless mutterings of some 
 crazy old woman. But even if it be true, have we 
 not that which will set at naught the charms of 
 witches? Your very names tell you: Paltiel God 
 is my refuge; Uzziah My strength is the Lord." 
 
 He paused for a moment, and then for this shep- 
 herd lad was already a great poet, though his songs 
 were no more wonderful to him than the songs of a 
 lark in a lark's ears he began to chant: 
 
 I lift mine eyes unto the mountains. Whence shall come my help? 
 My help is from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. 
 The Lord is my keeper, the Lord is my shade upon my right hand ; 
 By day the sun shall not strike me, nor the moon by night. 
 Behold, the keeper of Israel slumbereth not, nor sleepeth. 
 
 " But," said Uzziah, who, not pleased with the 
 implied rebuke, had been hunting a more telling argu- 
 ment, "this is no ordinary giant; he is as tall as 
 yonder tree," pointing to a terebinth that stood in 
 solitary strength not far from their retreat. 
 
 Quick as a flash David stooped over the brook run- 
 ning at their feet, and, taking a stone from its pebbly 
 
 30
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 bed, fitted it in the sling that he pulled out from the 
 shepherd's wallet hanging at his side. 
 
 Once only he whirled the sling about his head, and 
 then, letting fly, he sent the missile whizzing through 
 the air. In a moment, from the topmost branch of 
 the tree, they saw the feathery leaves fluttering to the 
 ground. " Thus," triumphantly shouted David, "will 
 God bring low the scoffing Philistine." 
 
 Then, as if struck with a sudden thought, he bent 
 again over the brook, and, choosing five smooth round 
 stones, put them in his scrip. Bidding the astonished 
 boys a hasty farewell, he left the wood. 
 
 He had not gone far before he chanced on a group 
 of men walking hurriedly in the direction whence he 
 was come. David was busy with his own thoughts, 
 and it was not until he passed many such that his 
 interest was aroused. Stepping up to the man nearest 
 him, he saluted him with " Peace be upon thee, my 
 friend. Why such haste? " 
 
 " The giant, the giant ! " was all the frightened 
 man could gasp, and he sped on, thinking it a waste 
 of precious moments to speak further. 
 
 " Always * the giant, the giant,' " thought David. 
 " What manner of man can this be that merely to 
 look upon him should rob people of their wits? 
 Truly, I must see if this Goliath be, after all, so very 
 different from other mortals." 
 
 Unconsciously he quickened his steps, and in a 
 
 31
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 short time he reached the outposts of the camp. Here 
 he left the donkey and its burden with the keeper of 
 the baggage, while he pressed on toward the place 
 where he saw the troops gathering. But the stir he 
 had marked from afar was no silent massing of men 
 eager to give battle and impatient for the signal to 
 attack. Instead of the warlike array his fancy had 
 pictured, the disappointed lad came upon young men 
 restlessly pacing to and fro, or talking in excited 
 groups, wherein none paused long enough to hear his 
 comrade, much less to heed the questions of a curious 
 stranger. As he walked through the camp in search 
 of his brothers, David felt that everywhere there was 
 an air of vague uneasiness, and every face he scanned 
 wore a look of anxiety. True, many of the older men 
 were sitting at the entrance of their tents burnishing 
 their arms, but they worked with little heartiness, and 
 seemed but to desire occupation. Men passing by 
 would stop to hold converse with them, and it was 
 before one of these tents that David saw his brothers. 
 Entering the group, David saluted them with 
 " Peace I " and then, unable to restrain himself 
 longer, he burst forth with " Where is Goliath of 
 Gath?" 
 
 The men looked at him in amazement. " Who art 
 thou, and whence dost thou come, that thou askest to 
 see Goliath of Gath? I'll warrant thee, thou'lt see 
 more than thou wishest of this giant," cried one. 
 
 32
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 " If God do not send us a second Samson to fight 
 with him, we be all dead men," exclaimed another. 
 
 " Mayhap," said a burly fellow, the son of Dodai 
 the Ahohite, winking knowingly at his comrades, " he 
 deems himself a Samson, and is come even now to 
 save us. Or perchance his old nurse crooned him to 
 sleep last night with tales of wise Thumb-high, who 
 slew the monster and wedded a king's daughter, and 
 now he, forsooth, must do the same. Eh, mannikin?" 
 And Eleazar roared with enjoyment of his own wit, 
 while the by-standers joined in the laughter no less 
 heartily. " But have a care," he continued, shaking a 
 huge forefinger warningly, " the giant eats babes 
 two at a gulp ! " 
 
 The boy frowned angrily, and was about to speak, 
 when the soldier interrupted him : " Nay, nay, be 
 not wroth. Of a troth thou art a sturdy lad; thou'lt 
 make a mouthful for him in thyself," and he patted 
 the youth on the shoulder. 
 
 David, seeing that no harm was meant by the rude 
 pleasantry, smiled in sympathy with the renewed 
 laughter that greeted this sally. But he was not in 
 a mirthful mood, and as the laughter ceased, he spoke 
 earnestly and with a simple dignity that hushed the 
 crowd into silence : 
 
 " True, I am but a weak lad, and yet no weaker 
 than another of my years, and mayhap I am less 
 frighted of a few cubits of flesh and bone than 
 
 33
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 some that be my elders. As to my name and place," 
 he went on, " I am David, the youngest son of Jesse 
 the Bethlehemite. My three elder brothers have fol- 
 lowed Saul, but me my father kept at home to tend 
 the flock. One day, about a moon since, an Ephra- 
 imite stopped at our village on his way home, having 
 just visited his sons in the army. He broke bread 
 with my father, and told us of Goliath. Oft have I 
 wished to look upon the battle, and therefore I was 
 glad when yester-eve my father bade me take food 
 to my brothers. I rose betimes, and now am I here." 
 
 Eliab, the eldest brother of David, heard this talk 
 with little liking, and now he broke in angrily: 
 " With whom hast thou left those few sheep in the 
 wilderness? I know thy pride and the naughtiness 
 of thine heart, for thou art come down that thou 
 mightest see the battle." 
 
 " What wrong have I done, brother? " answered 
 David. " I have but said a word." 
 
 As they talked, Goliath of Gath, preceded by his 
 shield-bearer, came up out of the Philistine camp, 
 and taking his position on the hillside, in full sight of 
 both armies, shouted his defiance across the ravine 
 that separated them. 
 
 " Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? 
 Behold, I am the Philistine champion, and ye are 
 the servants of Saul. Choose you a man for you, and 
 let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with 
 
 34
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 me and kill me, then will we be your servants, but if 
 I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be 
 our servants and serve us. I defy the armies of 
 Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight 
 together." 
 
 When he had made an end of speaking, the men of 
 Israel said to David : " Hast thou seen now this man 
 that is come up? Daily to defy Israel doth he 
 come. And it shall be that the man who killeth 
 Goliath, the king will enrich with great riches, and 
 give his daughter to him for a wife, and make his 
 father's house free in Israel." 
 
 David slowly made answer. " Yea," he said, " I 
 have seen this man. Verily, I have looked upon 
 Goliath the giant, and, behold, he is only a man, and 
 meseemeth he speaks with the voice of a vain 
 boaster." 
 
 Again, as when with the boys, he broke forth into 
 song: 
 
 The voice of the Lord breaketh in pieces the cedars; 
 The voice of the Lord splitteth flames of fire! 
 The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness. 
 
 The men stared at him, not seeming to understand. 
 
 "He prophesies!" cried one, and they crowded 
 about the young shepherd in great numbers. Then 
 David spoke again, more confidently, but as if half 
 to himself: 
 
 " It is a clumsy mass of flesh, and weighted down 
 
 35
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 with a mountain of brass. For an active " He 
 broke off suddenly, and then with a shout exclaimed, 
 " But the gates of Jericho were of brass, too, and its 
 walls of stone ! " 
 
 " Of what is the lad speaking? " cried Eleazar. 
 " Art gone clean daft, youngster? What hath yon 
 man of Gath to do with Jericho? " 
 
 " For two score years," replied David, " did Israel 
 wander in the wilderness for fear of the Anakim, his 
 fathers. But, at last, behold, the walls of Jericho 
 fell before the sound of a trumpet. Now full forty 
 days are come and gone, and Goliath still defieth 
 the armies of the living God. Surely, the time is 
 filled, and this day shall be the end of his blasphem- 
 ing." 
 
 " Dost look for a miracle," said the big soldier, 
 " or dost thou make truth of my jest and mean that 
 thou wilt fight with him ? " 
 
 " If none better offers," answered David, " even 
 so." 
 
 " Then must thou pardon my light words and take 
 me for thy shield-bearer," replied Eleazar. And 
 when in after years David was in need of brave and 
 trusty followers, there was none more faithful to 
 him than the burly Ahohite. 
 
 The bold words and bearing of the young Bethle- 
 hemite were duly told King Saul, and he sent for the 
 lad. 
 
 36
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 As David passed through the camp on his way to 
 the king's tent, which was at the farther end, the 
 men glanced admiringly at the lithe and well-formed 
 youth, who walked in the midst of them with an air 
 of such calm confidence. Many shook their heads 
 and muttered in their beards that " 'twas pity such 
 a fine lad should be killed by the Philistine," while 
 others, fired with some of their old ardor, foretold 
 his certain victory. 
 
 Entering the king's presence, David bowed to the 
 ground, but the monarch said kindly: 
 
 " Rise, lad. 'Twas told us what thou saidst to our 
 men but now. Thou must deem us all weak cowards." 
 
 David blushed and said : 
 
 " Let no man's heart fail him because of this vain- 
 glorious Anakite. Thy servant will fight with him." 
 
 Then said Saul : " Thou art not able to go against 
 this Philistine to fight with him. Thou art but a 
 youth, and he a man of war from his youth up." 
 
 Nothing daunted, David replied: "Thy servant 
 kept his father's sheep in the wilderness, and there 
 came a lion, and took a lamb out of the flock. I went 
 out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out 
 of his mouth. When he rose against me, I caught 
 him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 
 Then a bear came down from the mountain, and he, 
 too, seized a lamb, and I tore it from his mouth. Thy 
 servant slew both the lion and the bear, and this un- 
 
 37
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 circumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing 
 he hath defied the armies of the living God. The 
 Lord that hath delivered me out of the mouth of the 
 lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver 
 me out of the hand of this Philistine." 
 
 Among those who stood by the king was Jonathan, 
 his eldest son. He, too, was a brave and daring 
 youth, quick to see and love manly qualities in an- 
 other, and so, as the old chronicle says, " when David 
 had made an end of speaking, the soul of Jonathan 
 was knit unto the soul of David, and Jonathan loved 
 David as his own soul." Stepping to the lad's side, 
 he said to the king: " My lord and father, thou 
 wouldst not let me fight with Goliath, saying that I 
 was thy son and heir, and Israel could ill spare me. 
 But now, an it be pleasing in thy sight, let the lad go. 
 For well I know that the Lord God is with him, and 
 this day will he save Israel from the hand of the 
 Philistines." 
 
 Then, turning to David, he said: " My brother, 
 thou art unarmed, and clad but in a simple shepherd's 
 garb; not so canst thou go forth to fight against a 
 trained soldier. Take, I pray thee, my armor and 
 my weapons, for in truth they are not tainted with 
 the fear of this giant of Gath. Thus may I have 
 some share in thy battle and in thy victory." 
 
 Then Jonathan put his helmet of bronze upon 
 David's head, and, taking off his coat of mail, he 
 
 38
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 placed it upon the lad, and girt his own sword at 
 David's thigh, and hung his shield upon David's arm. 
 
 Then said the king, " Go, fight for Israel, and the 
 Lord be with thee." 
 
 David assayed to go, but armor was strange to 
 him, and hindered his movements. Then he turned 
 to Saul and Jonathan, and said, " Pardon, my lords, 
 I cannot go in these, for I have not proved them," 
 and he put them from him. 
 
 Then, taking his sling in his hand, and bearing 
 his shepherd's staff, he left the king's tent, attended 
 by Jonathan and Eleazar and some of the king's offi- 
 cers, and descended to the brink of the ravine, to 
 choose a place where he could most easily get down. 
 
 While this was going on in the Israelitish camp, 
 Goliath was seated on a huge rock that lay beside his 
 tent in the front of the Philistine host, exchanging 
 coarse jests with the men. 
 
 He was clad in a coat of mail, the weight of which 
 was two thousand shekels of brass, and upon his legs 
 were greaves of brass. The brass javelin which he 
 carried between his shoulders when he went out to 
 fight was resting on the ground beside his spear, the 
 staff of which was " like a weaver's beam." 
 
 As he talked, there came to him a message from 
 the Philistine king: 
 
 " Our patience is sore tried. Defy the armies of 
 
 39
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 Israel but once more upon the morrow, and if none 
 come down to thee, we will force the battle." 
 
 This was received with shouts of joy by the men, 
 who were tired of their long inactivity. 
 
 " When to-morrow's sun is set," cried one, 
 " there'll not be a man left of them to tell the tale." 
 
 " A man ! " exclaimed another. " Why, there's 
 not a man among them; they're all boys and old 
 women the cowards." 
 
 " Aye, that they are," said Goliath, " and I would 
 that I had one of those boys here now, that I might 
 sport with him." 
 
 Even as the words left his lips, the men gave a 
 start, and stared open-mouthed toward the brink of 
 the ravine. Goliath, noticing this, looked around, 
 and saw, as if risen from the ground in answer to his 
 wish, a slim Hebrew youth, ruddy and fair-haired, 
 without armor on his back or sword at his side, but 
 bearing a cudgel in his hand. 
 
 The boy advanced boldly toward the group of 
 Philistines. "A champion of Israel!" they cried. 
 Then, with a laugh, " And he has a sword of wood ! " 
 
 Surprised and angry, the giant lumbered forward, 
 roaring, " Am I a dog that thou comest to me with 
 staves? " And he cursed David by his gods. 
 
 " Come to me," he shouted, " and I will give thy 
 flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the 
 field." 
 
 40
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 Clear and strong rang out David's reply: 
 
 " Thou comest to me with a sword, with a spear 
 and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of 
 the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, 
 whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord de- 
 liver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and 
 take thine head from off thee, and I will give the car- 
 casses of the hosts of the Philistines to the fowls of 
 the air and to the beasts of the field, that all the earth 
 may know that there is a God in Israel, and all this 
 assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with 
 sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He 
 will give you into our hands." 
 
 Stung to increased anger, and despising his puny 
 foeman, Goliath rushed on, without a thought of 
 shield or guard, meaning to strike the insolent youth 
 to the earth with a single spear thrust. 
 
 Then David ran forward to meet the Philistine, 
 and he hastened, and put his hand in his bag, and 
 drew thence a stone and slung it, and smote the Phil- 
 istine on the forehead, that the stone sank into the 
 giant's forehead, and Goliath fell on his face to the 
 earth. There was no sword in the hand of David, 
 therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, 
 and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, 
 and cut off his head therewith. Then, taking the 
 head in his two hands, David lifted its dead face up 
 into the view of both armies. 
 
 41
 
 DAVID THE GIANT KILLER 
 
 When the Philistines saw their giant champion 
 dead by the hand of a Hebrew lad, they fled in ter- 
 ror, and the men of Israel, raising a loud shout of 
 thanksgiving, started in hot pursuit. 
 
 42
 
 HANUKAH MEMORIES 
 
 HE room was very quiet when the story 
 was finished, and all looked at David, 
 who broke the silence by throwing him- 
 self on Grandma's lap and hugging her tight, as he 
 exclaimed, " I tell you I'm glad my name's David and 
 not Jack," and he cast a withering glance at his 
 brother. " That beats anyfing Jack ever did all to 
 pieces!" and his eyes triumphed with roguish 
 satisfaction. 
 
 " Might a' thought the kid killed Goliath himself," 
 remarked Leon to nobody in particular. 
 
 Retort loomed large on the child's face, but it 
 never found utterance, for Ruth, the peace-maker, 
 said quickly, " Did you ever hear the ' Psalm of 
 David when he had slain Goliath ' ? " 
 
 Even Grandma looked surprised, and the little girl, 
 who in her quiet reading had gathered much out-of- 
 the-way information from her books, said shyly: " I 
 came across a translation of it the other day in a 
 book of Mr. Baring-Gould's. The psalm is found in 
 Greek, but not in Hebrew, and is in some versions of 
 the Septuagint. I memorized it: 
 
 43
 
 HANUKAH MEMORIES 
 
 I was small among my brethren ; and growing up in my father's 
 house, I kept my father's sheep. 
 
 My hands made the organ, my fingers shaped the psaltery, 
 
 And I declared unto the Lord; He my Lord, He heard all things. 
 
 He sent His angel, and took me from my father's sheep. He 
 anointed me in mercy with unction. 
 
 Great and goodly are my brethren, but with them the Lord was 
 not pleased. 
 
 I went to meet the stranger, and he cursed me by his gods. 
 
 But I smote off his head with his own drawn sword, and I blotted 
 out the reproach of Israel." 
 
 " That sounds a little too boastful for David, but 
 it might have been written in the first flush of his 
 triumph," said Grandma. 
 
 " Did you use this lamp when you were a girl? " 
 asked Mother, who had been admiring it. 
 
 " No, dear, Father used it, but Mother always 
 made wax candles for Saba and Hanukah. Each of 
 us children had his own set of Hanukah lights. My 
 husband used a lamp that was a Lopez heirloom 
 your uncle Leon has it, children the one with the 
 lion and leopard on the back. I think there must 
 have been another part to it, with other figures, ori- 
 ginally. On the first night, when the lamp was 
 brought out, Jacob would quote to Leon, ' Be strong 
 as a leopard, light as an eagle, fleet as a hart, and 
 strong as a lion, to do the will of thy Father who is 
 in heaven.' You know " and Grandma became rem- 
 iniscent " my home as a child was in the country, 
 where there were no other Jewish families, only 
 Father's two brothers and himself, and yet we ob- 
 
 44
 
 HANUKAH MEMORIES 
 
 served all the ceremonies of our religion. That was 
 long, long ago I'm an old woman, and I was only a 
 little girl when Father died, and Grandfather had 
 lived there before him. I want you children to think 
 of that, for there are people to-day who say it is im- 
 possible to live as Jews if you live away from others 
 of your faith." A note of indignation crept into her 
 voice, and her eyes flashed. " Why, nothing's impos- 
 sible, if you care, and you are willing to exercise some 
 self-denial. You've all heard that old saying, ' Self- 
 denial is the bread, prayer is the daily food.' Father 
 was always strict, and when we couldn't have meat 
 that was Caser, we did without. Many a time I re- 
 member a neighbor's coming over and it was a long 
 way from house to house in those days and saying, 
 ' Rodriguez, we're going to kill a cow or a sheep to- 
 day. If you want meat, come over and slaughter it 
 yourself.' Father did the neighbors a good turn when 
 he could, by lending them his horses at need. But 
 never did he let any one use them on Saba. O, they 
 were good old days ! " 
 
 " I wish you'd tell us more of what you did as a 
 girl," came from different parts of the room. 
 
 " Grandma has told you enough for one night. 
 She must be tired," said Mr. Lopez. " Anyhow, it's 
 bed-time for you little people. If you don't get to 
 sleep now, you won't be able to wake up for your 
 morning romp with Father." 
 
 45
 
 HANUKAH MEMORIES 
 
 The children thus urged hurried away, and after 
 they were gone, Grandma said: " Hanukah always 
 makes me sad, for it was just after Hanukah that 
 Father died. We girls were all young, Alma was 
 only fourteen, and Sara was a mere baby. The room 
 in which he lay sick was low-ceiled, with three win- 
 dows. That's the reason I could never live in a 
 house that hadn't high ceilings. Father knew he was 
 dying, and the last night of Hanukah he sent for us 
 all to say prayers with him. We stood at the foot of 
 the bed. You know it it is the one with four posts 
 and a canopy, Brother Joshua has it. Well, we were 
 all strangely subdued, we knew not why, and when 
 Mother brought in the candles, we almost thought 
 she had been crying, but when she looked at Father, 
 she smiled, and we knew we had been mistaken. Each 
 of us lighted a candle, and somehow my hand shook. 
 After prayers Father blessed Mother. He always 
 did on Friday night and Fiestas, but this time he 
 blessed her aloud and in English. He asked God to 
 take care of her when he was gone, and help her bring 
 us all up to be good Jews. Then he went on and 
 blessed us all in turn, and told us, whatever happened 
 we were to be good, and keep the word of God in our 
 hearts, and do His commandments. We didn't 
 understand it all, but we sobbed and promised him. 
 That was Sunday, and on Tuesday he died." The 
 old voice broke, and unshed tears filled her eyes. 
 
 46
 
 HANUKAH MEMORIES 
 
 " I'm an old woman now, and I often think of that 
 night, and Father's words are as plain as if they 
 were just said, for he turned to Mother, ' Wife, 
 don't cry. I know I am going to die soon, and so I 
 did this, for I know as long as my children remember 
 me, they will keep Hanukah and light the candles, 
 and then they will never give up our holy faith.' And 
 we never have." 
 
 Ruth stifled a sob, and Mrs. Lopez caught up her 
 husband's hand with sudden passion, and held it 
 against her heart, while he, stooping down, kissed her 
 trembling mouth. " I don't want to speak of sad 
 things," said Grandma, " only I thought to tell you 
 older children this, that you may know that way back 
 in the country, so many years ago, when there was no 
 synagogue nor any Jews within miles, there lived an 
 old-fashioned man who loved his religion, and de- 
 lighted in keeping up the ceremonies of the ancient 
 faith." 
 
 " But come," she said, laughing, " let us go in 
 search of the brownies. Maybe we can induce them 
 to leave a fairy sword for David." 
 
 And the family arose with alacrity. 
 
 47
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 PURIM IN THE COUNTRY 
 
 O sooner was supper over the next even- 
 ing, and the children gathered in the 
 sitting-room, than Estrella climbed up on 
 Grandma's lap, saying with pretty confidence, " You 
 know some story about me, don't you, Granny? " 
 
 " Well, well, you won't let brother David get 
 ahead of you, will you? " teased Grandma, playfully 
 pinching the rosy cheeks. " Let me think," she 
 pleaded. " Yes, there was once a little girl whose 
 name was " the child threw an arch glance at David 
 who was too engaged in making a sling shot to see 
 her " whose name was Myrtle." 
 
 " I don't like that story," and Estrella had almost 
 wriggled herself from the old lady's arms, when the 
 dear voice continued, " but her name was changed to 
 Esther, which is ' grown-up ' for Estrella, and ." 
 But Mrs. Lopez had to pause to laugh at the comical 
 sigh of pleasure from the baby girl in her lap, and 
 David, who was deaf only on occasions, remarked 
 wisely, " O, you mean Tween Esther. I know all 
 about her. She turns at Puweem," and he went sol- 
 
 51
 
 PURIM IN THE COUNTRY 
 
 emnly on shaping sofa pillows into a giant, now that 
 he had proved that no one was better informed than 
 he was. 
 
 ' Yes, she comes at Purim," Grandma agreed. 
 " In fact, Queen Esther came to our house every 
 Purim, when I was a girl, and even after I married 
 and moved to New York. You remember her, don't 
 you, Daniel? " and she addressed her son. 
 
 " Certainly, and the strangest lot of people she 
 brought with her," he laughed. 
 
 " Who, what? " asked Mother, as much inter- 
 ested as the children, and perhaps more desirous to 
 lead Grandma to talk of herself. 
 
 " Didn't you use to dress up on Purim, and go 
 around masked to other houses? We all did, and 
 the girls took turns at being Esther. The year I was 
 twelve it was my role. I remember wearing my hair 
 hanging and looped up behind my ears so." In an 
 instant the combs were out, and the thick tresses of 
 snowy white arranged like the raven hair of long ago. 
 " I was all in white somehow Esther always wears 
 white but I was fond of colors, so I put on a red 
 ribbon as a girdle. We went that year to Uncle Ben's, 
 and Uncle Solomon's children went with us, and the 
 next year they all came to us. That was the way we 
 took turns. I enjoyed being Esther and bringing gifts." 
 
 " We'll keep Purim that way next year," said 
 Ruth, with an air of finality. 
 
 52
 
 PURIM IN THE COUNTRY 
 
 " I remember once I was so disappointed," said 
 Father, " when I received a box marked * Mint 
 Drops from Queen Esther.' It was not until I went 
 upstairs to bed that I would open it. What do you 
 think I found?" 
 
 No one ventured a guess. 
 
 " Two gold pieces that Father had put there. He 
 had been to Philadelphia shortly before, and passing 
 the Mint suggested it to him. He always thought it 
 a good joke, and it became one of his standard sto- 
 ries." 
 
 'What else did you do on Purim, Grandma?" 
 prompted Mother. 
 
 " Well, you know it was always the tradition to 
 give to any beggar that comes to the door, and it 
 would have broken Father's heart if no " Pobre " had 
 come a-begging. There were no tramps then, but the 
 neighbors would play beggar as a joke. Father had 
 gifts ready for their children. The farmers all 
 around had almost as much pleasure on Purim as we 
 did. After the fun of unmasking was over, we sat 
 around the table, and ate Aunt Sally's good cakes. 
 The older people all drank toasts to Queen Esther, 
 who went to bed that night a tired but happy little 
 girl." 
 
 " But here's Estrella, who is growing weary of the 
 play queen, and wishes to hear about the real one." 
 
 Grandma's attention was suddenly diverted by the 
 
 53
 
 PURIM IN THE COUNTRY 
 
 sound of a stage whisper from Jack and an indignant 
 " No, no ! " from Ruth. " I just will ! " he declared. 
 " Granny, Ruth has a story of Purim. I caught her 
 writing it, so she had to own up, but she would never 
 show it to anyone. It's a dandy story." 
 
 " She must read it to us now, if only for not telling 
 Grandma." 
 
 " But it isn't very good. There are lots of gaps 
 in it." 
 
 " Let us be the judge of that, and perhaps we can 
 give all necessary explanations after we have heard 
 it." 
 
 Without further demur Ruth went in search of her 
 manuscript, which she gave to Grandma, for she was 
 too timid to read her story herself. 
 
 So Grandma put on her spectacles and read Ruth's 
 story aloud. 
 
 54
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 fJHASUERUS, the king, tossed upon a 
 restless couch. If, for a brief space, 
 slumber closed his eyelids, the white, 
 drawn face of his beautiful queen haunted his dream, 
 and he waked again. To change his thoughts he had 
 bidden an attendant officer read to him from the book 
 of the chronicles of Persia. 
 
 "... This was the service done the great king 
 by Mordecai, the Jew, who sits in the royal gate, 
 and thus did he bring to naught the treason of Big- 
 than and Teresh. King Ahasuerus had record made 
 thereof in the book of the chronicles of his kingdom." 
 
 The voice of the reader ceased. 
 
 " What honor and dignity hath been done Morde- 
 cai for this? " asked Ahasuerus. 
 
 " Nothing, O king of kings," was the reply. 
 
 " Nothing? " echoed the astonished monarch. 
 Then he started, for there came to him the full signif- 
 icance of the reader's words, " Mordecai the Jew." 
 Aye, the man who saved his life had been rewarded 
 right royally. The hand the Jew had saved had 
 signed his death-warrant the death-warrant of his 
 people. 
 
 55
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 A bitter smile played about the king's lip as he 
 recalled the decree. Ahasuerus felt that he had 
 yielded too readily to the plea of his favorite. 
 
 It was at the time when he was heart-sick, because 
 trusted men had sought to betray him, that Haman 
 had come to him, saying: 
 
 ' There is a certain people scattered abroad among 
 the people of thy provinces. Their laws are diverse 
 from the laws of all people. Neither keep they the 
 king's laws. Therefore it is not meet for the king to 
 suffer them. If it be pleasing in the eyes of the king, 
 let a commandment be written for their destruction. 
 I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the 
 hands of them that have charge of the king's business, 
 to bring it into the king's treasury." 
 
 Now, according to the laws of the Medes and Per- 
 sians, a decree once sealed with the king's seal could 
 never be altered. So Ahasuerus had hesitated long, 
 ere dooming a whole people against whom he knew 
 no evil. Still Haman deemed them dangerous to his 
 realm's safety, and of Haman's loyalty the king had 
 no doubt. 
 
 So, finally, Ahasuerus had taken the signet ring 
 from his finger. He gave it to Haman, saying 
 wearily: " The silver is given thee, the people also. 
 Do with them as seemeth good to thee." 
 
 At the recollection of the smile that lit the face of 
 his prime minister, Ahasuerus shuddered. He saw 
 
 56
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 in it now what he had missed before triumphant 
 malice. Then his musings took a new turn. Why 
 had Haman been so greatly honored by Queen 
 Esther? At the last night's banquet it had been 
 Haman that she sought to please. In his eyes did she 
 strive to find favor more than in the eyes of her lord. 
 A vague jealousy took possession of the monarch's 
 troubled heart. The feast of Esther had had its 
 desired effect. 
 
 From the night's dissipation the thoughts of the 
 king travelled back to that day, when, sitting upon 
 his throne clad in robes of state, he had heard the 
 voice of the captain of his guard crying, " Who 
 enters here unbidden shall surely die." 
 
 The warning was unheeded. The threshold was 
 crossed. Ere Ahasuerus could call the guard to seize 
 the rash intruder, the girlish form of his beautiful 
 queen took a few tottering steps toward him, and fell 
 fainting at the foot of the throne. He started to his 
 feet. The pardoning sceptre was in his outstretched 
 hand. How pale, how troubled was that beautiful 
 face ! What great need had driven his wife to this 
 perilous intrusion? He lifted her tenderly. 
 
 Esther opened her eyes to find herself in her hus- 
 band's arms, to see his loving face bent down to hers, 
 and hear him say, " What wouldst thou of me, Queen 
 Esther, and what is thy petition ? It shall be granted 
 thee even to the half of my kingdom." 
 
 57
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 Her reply had been the invitation to the banquet 
 she had prepared for him and Haman. 
 
 Ahasuerus had sent to apprise Haman of the 
 queen's will. He had himself led his wife back to her 
 own apartments. Her strange agitation had seemed 
 to be explained. He thought her still troubled by 
 fear of venturing into his presence. As he gazed on 
 her, his heart had been filled with love, as on the day 
 when after twelve months of weary seeking there had 
 appeared before him one whose beauty was beyond 
 the dream of poets. Fairer was she than the radiant 
 Vashti. No jewels adorned her comely neck or glit- 
 tered in the dark masses of her hair, as clad in simple 
 white she stood at the foot of the throne. Strangely 
 moved, Ahasuerus had caught her to his breast. Kis- 
 sing her pale brow, he had set on it the royal crown 
 and called her Esther his star, his queen ! 
 
 Little could Ahasuerus learn about the former life 
 of his wife. She was reticent, and Hegai, into whose 
 care she had been put, knew only that she had been 
 brought to the palace by the gatekeeper, Mordecai. 
 
 Mordecai ! The king's thoughts returned to the 
 record that had just been read to him. How could 
 he reward the man who had saved his life? 
 
 At that moment a noise was heard in the inner 
 court, and Ahasuerus sent to know its cause. 
 
 " Haman, the minister of the great king, seeketh 
 an audience with his lord." 
 
 58
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 " Let him enter. It may be that he can help us in 
 this matter." 
 
 Haman came in noiselessly, and prostrating him- 
 self at the king's couch said: " Let the great king live 
 forever! Thy servant cometh to crave a boon " 
 
 But here Ahasuerus interrupted him. " Nay, Ha- 
 man, speak not yet, but advise us in a matter that we 
 have been pondering. Truly, thou art come in good 
 time, for thy wisdom hath never failed us. There is 
 one in Shushan to whom we would fain pay high 
 honor. A present of gold or jewels will we not give 
 him, for, did we empty our treasury at his feet, it 
 would be too little. Tell us, then, what shall be done 
 to the man whom the king delighteth to honor." 
 
 Now, the matter for which Haman had sought the 
 king's presence had been to ask that the life of Mor- 
 decai, whom he hated, be given into his hand. Al- 
 ready had he built a gallows fifty cubits high whereon 
 to hang the Jew. He was ill-pleased when the mon- 
 arch had interrupted his petition, for, being highly 
 superstitious, he drew good or evil omens from trifles. 
 Then there flashed across his mind the thought that 
 Mordecai's punishment would be all the greater if 
 deferred until after the king had shown mark of still 
 higher favor toward himself. " For," he said in his 
 heart, " who is deserving of honor more than I? 
 What service hath any other done the king that riches 
 were too little to proffer him? " 
 
 59
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 He bowed his head as if in deep thought. Then 
 he said : " For the man whom the king delighteth to 
 honor, let royal apparel be brought that the king 
 useth to wear, and the horse the king rideth upon, on 
 the head of which a crown royal is set. Let the ap- 
 parel and the horse be delivered to the hands of one 
 of the king's most noble princes, and let them array 
 the man withal, and lead him on horseback through 
 the streets of Shushan, and proclaim before him, 
 c Thus shall be done to the man whom the king de- 
 lighteth to honor.' " 
 
 Then said Ahasuerus, " Make haste, take the gar- 
 ments and horse and do according to thy word " 
 here Ahasuerus fixed a piercing glance on the prime 
 minister " to Mordecai the Jew that sitteth in the 
 king's gate." 
 
 " But," stammered Haman, " surely the great king 
 hath not forgotten that " 
 
 " Nay, the king forgets naught. It is Haman that 
 forgetteth himself. Make haste and obey." 
 
 As Haman withdrew with a face that ill concealed 
 his chagrin, the monarch added sternly, " Suffer not 
 a whit to fail of all that thou hast spoken." 
 
 1 Thus shall be done to the man whom the king 
 delighteth to honor! " 
 
 With a triumphant peal of trumpets, the huge 
 palace gates swung wide on their bronze hinges. Pre- 
 60
 
 " THUS SHALL BE DONE TO THE MAN WHOM THE KING DELIGHTETH TO 
 
 HONOR! "
 
 IN SHUSH AN THE CAPITAL 
 
 ceded by two heralds, the snow-white charger of the 
 king stepped forth proudly. The beautiful steed 
 seemed to know the part he played and to glory in it. 
 As he made his way into the street he tossed his head, 
 which was crowned with a glittering diadem. On his 
 back, clad in a robe of royal purple, was Mordecai 
 the Jew, while at his side, with hand on the jewelled 
 bridle, walked the dejected Haman. 
 
 The heart of the prime minister was filled with 
 futile rage. He winced at every shout of the men 
 who lined the way and filled the housetops. He 
 writhed inwardly under the veiled glances of the 
 women, who viewed the procession from behind their 
 lattices, and so witnessed his undoing. 
 
 Still this hour, so filled with anguish for his enemy, 
 was not free from pain for Mordecai. He rode 
 through the streets of Shushan, blind to the crowds 
 that delayed his progress, deaf to the clamor that 
 echoed the words of the herald, " Honor, honor! " 
 Before his eyes there rose but one picture, in his ears 
 there rang but one cry, " I will go in unto the king, 
 and if I perish, I perish." 
 
 The royal attire fell from Mordecai, and clad in 
 sackcloth and ashes he mourned at the palace gate. 
 The fresh raiment that Hathach had brought him 
 from the queen he had returned. Now he awaited 
 anxiously the reply that Esther should make to the 
 charge he had laid upon her: 
 
 61
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 ' Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in 
 the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou 
 altogether holdest thy peace, then shall relief and 
 deliverance arise for the Jews from another place, but 
 thou and thy father's house shall perish. Therefore 
 go in unto the king, and ask the life of thy people. 
 Who knows but that thou art come to the kingdom 
 for such a time as this." 
 
 Mordecai's suspense had been short. Hathach 
 brought back this brave word: " All the king's serv- 
 ants and all the people of the king's provinces do 
 know that whosoever, whether man or woman, who 
 is not called, shall come in unto the king into the 
 inner court, he shall surely be put to death, except 
 such to whom the king shall hold out the golden 
 sceptre that he may live. I have not been called unto 
 the king, lo, these thirty days. Nevertheless, do thou 
 gather together all the Jews that are present in Shu- 
 shan, and fast ye for me, neither eat nor drink three 
 days, night or day. I also and my maidens will fast in 
 like manner. So will I go in unto the king, which is 
 not according to the law and if I perish, I perish." 
 
 The three days were at an end, and of the outcome 
 of Esther's daring Mordecai was unaware. A silent 
 prayer for help rose from his overcharged heart. 
 
 Now there rang out a last mighty burst of trump- 
 ets, and the proclamation of the herald broke in on 
 Mordecai's revery, and forced its way into his con- 
 
 62
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 sciousness. If, indeed, he had been the means of 
 bringing disaster on his people by his refusal to bend 
 the knee before Haman, was he not now making full 
 amends? Surely, God had willed this mark of the 
 king's favor, so that in him the Jew might be honored 
 before all the people. In it Mordecai saw the Divine 
 promise of freedom, the presage of the coming tri- 
 umph of Israel. He almost heard the shouts of 
 rejoicing over the decree of deliverance that he should 
 send forth above the king's seal. 
 
 Again the gates opened. The procession was at 
 an end. Mordecai returned to his duties, while Ha- 
 man hastened to prepare for the banquet with the 
 king and queen. 
 
 As on the previous night, Esther bent all her ener- 
 gies toward flattering Haman. So gracious was she 
 that the gloom lifted from the minister's brow, and 
 he well nigh forgot the foreboding of his wife " If 
 Mordecai, before whom thou art begun to give way, 
 be of the seed of the Jews, thou shalt not prevail 
 against him, but shalt surely fall." 
 
 Evidently he was high in the queen's favor, and 
 all Shushan knew the deep love Ahasuerus bore unto 
 Esther. Might not she win from the king that boon 
 for which he himself had sought with such ill-success ? 
 Scarce had he uttered his low plea when the king said, 
 " What is thy request, O Esther, and thy petition, that 
 
 63
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 it may be granted thee, even to the half of my king- 
 dom?" 
 
 Haman awaited her answer in complacent self- 
 satisfaction. On her knees, in low, thrilling tones 
 she made reply: " If I have found favor in thy 
 sight, O king, and it be pleasing in thine eyes, let my 
 life be given me at my petition, and my people at my 
 request." 
 
 ' Thy life thy people ! " repeated the astounded 
 king. " What meanest thou by these words? " 
 
 Encouraged by his evident alarm, Esther con- 
 tinued: " We are sold, I and my people, to be slain. 
 If we had been sold for bondmen and for bond- 
 women, I had held my peace, though the adversary 
 could not have countervailed the king's loss." 
 
 During this impassioned utterance the blood de- 
 serted the cheek of Haman. He felt his heart stop 
 in dumb terror. When Ahasuerus spake unto Esther, 
 the queen, " Who is he, and where is he that durst 
 presume in his heart to do so?" an anguished cry 
 of " Mercy! " bursting from the blanched lips of the 
 minister revealed the truth to the king, even before 
 Esther, rising to her feet, exclaimed : " Behold the 
 enemy ! Even this wicked Haman ! " 
 
 Then Ahasuerus arose in his wrath, and went out 
 into the palace garden. Haman, reading his doom 
 in this act, fell prostrate before Esther. 
 
 Returning, Ahasuerus found the despairing man 
 
 64
 
 IN SHUSHAN THE CAPITAL 
 
 clasping the hem of Esther's robe in his suppliant 
 hands. " What," thundered the enraged monarch, 
 " doth he lay finger on the queen in our very 
 presence? " 
 
 At the word they covered the eyes of Haman. 
 
 65
 
 MYRTLE-THAT-WAS-CHANGED-TO- 
 ESTHER 
 
 UICK tears filled the eyes of the warm- 
 hearted little namesake of the great queen. 
 " Did they kill Haman?" she asked al- 
 most pityingly. 
 
 ' You just bet ! They hanged him on the gallows 
 that he had built for Mordecai. Served him right, 
 and his ten sons, too," came from Leon, who was not 
 at all saddened by the thought. 
 
 " But why did they kill Haman?" inquired Es- 
 trella. 
 
 ' Why did they whatever is the child talking 
 about? " exclaimed her brothers. " Guess you went 
 to sleep, and during your own story, too. Well, I'm 
 ashamed," they teased her. 
 
 " Didn't go to sleep at all," she flung back at them, 
 while her lips quivered. " I was wide awake, only 
 I don't know all Ruth's big words. And I was 
 so dis'ppointed because Myrtle-that-was-changed-to- 
 Esther didn't come in Ruth's story. I wanted to 
 hear about her. Won't you tell me, Grandma, 
 please? " 
 
 " Well, bless the child! I like your story, dear," 
 
 66
 
 MYRTLE-THAT-WAS-CHANGED-TO-ESTHER 
 
 and Grandma turned to Ruth, " but it is for the older 
 children who know about Purim. You said there 
 were gaps in it, I know, and I'll try to fill them in so 
 that little Estrella will know all about Myrtle-that- 
 was-changed-to-Esther," and Mrs. Lopez began to 
 unwrap the mysterious looking bundle she had placed 
 on the table early in the evening. She continued to 
 talk at the same time. " I suppose that you have all 
 been at services on Purim Eve, and have heard the 
 Hazan read the story of Purim from the Megillah, 
 repeating the names of Haman's sons in one breath. 
 This is a Megillah that belonged to my grandfather, 
 and we can look at it together." 
 
 By this time Mrs. Lopez had in her hands a parch- 
 ment scroll on a single roller. It had a red silk back- 
 ing, faded and much mended, it is true, and a carved 
 ivory handle. 
 
 " It's like the Sefer," remarked David. 
 
 " It hasn't two handles, though," announced Jack, 
 " and it's small enough to be held in the hand." 
 
 "And its got pixtures!" shouted Estrella, glee- 
 fully clapping her hands from where she stood on 
 the rockers of Grandma's chair. She had been made 
 quite content by Grandma's promise. 
 
 The children crowded around, and saw exquisite 
 pen and ink drawings in the margin of the scroll. 
 The first scene was a banquet. The king was there 
 with his princes and servants about him. 
 
 67
 
 MYRTLE-THAT-WAS-CHANGED-TO-ESTHER 
 
 " I don't see Myrtle or Esther or anyone," said a 
 woe-begone voice. 
 
 " Never mind, dear. She isn't in the king's story 
 yet, but I think now I had better tell you about Ha- 
 dassah, that's the Hebrew for Myrtle, and then 
 you will understand the other pictures. Hadassah 
 was a little girl who had no father or mother, and 
 who lived with her kinsman Mordecai at Shushan, 
 the capital of Persia, hundreds of years ago. Mor- 
 decai loved her as if she had been his own daughter, 
 and he was as proud as could be of the beautiful 
 maiden who grew up, under his care, to love her 
 religion and her people. Now, one day when Hadas- 
 sah was a grown maiden, Mordecai learned that King 
 Ahasuerus had sent throughout his kingdom to find 
 a wife. Vashti, his beautiful queen, had refused to 
 obey her husband's command to appear before his 
 friends at the very banquet of which this is the 
 picture." 
 
 " But why didn't she come? " 
 
 " Because in those days it was considered wrong 
 for a woman to be seen by men other than her hus- 
 band, and if Ahasuerus had not been drinking, he 
 would never have boasted of his wife's charms, or 
 have wished her to show her beauty. 
 
 " However, the king was so angry that his wife 
 should publicly disobey him that he desired to punish 
 her. Three of his wise men told him to send Vashti 
 
 68
 
 MYRTLE-THAT-WAS-CHANGED-TO-ESTHER 
 
 away, lest other women should follow her example, 
 and flout their husband's wishes. The king took this 
 advice, and that brings us back to Myrtle," for Es- 
 trella's hopeful face was beginning to cloud again. 
 " Mordecai, the Jew, took Hadassah, and brought 
 her to the women's palace (Ruth told us that), and 
 when she came before Ahasuerus " 
 
 " He thought she was the beauti fullest maiden, 
 and called her Esther, his star, his queen I I know 
 now," and Estrella, perfectly happy, danced around 
 the room, while Grandma called the children's atten- 
 tion to the picture of Haman. 
 
 " See," she said, " all the men bowing before him 
 as he comes from the gate." 
 
 " All but Mordecai," and Leon proudly pointed 
 to the one man standing erect. " He was a good Jew, 
 and so he could prostrate himself only before God," 
 and he looked rather conscious of the big word he 
 had used. 
 
 " That's what made all the trouble, and made 
 Haman want to hang Mordecai, wasn't it? " asked 
 Estrella, who now seemed to have a complete knowl- 
 edge of the story of Purim. 
 
 " It wasn't only Mordecai that Haman wanted to 
 kill. He tried to have all the Jews destroyed," added 
 Jack, the accurate. 
 
 So the pictures went on re-telling the story Ruth 
 had told, and at the end the little audience was laugh- 
 
 69
 
 MYRTLE-THAT-WAS-CHANGED-TO-ESTHER 
 
 ing merrily over the defeat of Hainan's wicked plot. 
 " If it were only Purim now," said Grandma, " we 
 could all eat ' Haman's Ears '. But I don't believe 
 such good ones are baked now as we used to have in 
 the country." 
 
 70
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 GRANDMA'S WEDDING 
 
 AVID was the first to awaken the next 
 morning, and after one glance out-of- 
 doors, he bounded into his brothers' room, 
 and roused them with cries of " Snowin', snowin' ! " 
 A storm had come up over night, and to the delight 
 of the boys, who tumbled out of bed with all speed 
 at the good news, the air was white with whirling 
 flakes. Not even the fence separating them from the 
 next yard was visible, and the tree outside the window 
 was hidden, while to the excited children it seemed as 
 if the huge drifts were piled up almost to the sill. 
 School was out of the question, and, after a merry 
 breakfast, they all assembled by the nursery fire. 
 After the first glee had subsided, Ruth and Estrella 
 retired to a corner to play Vashti and Esther with 
 their dolls, for the elder child was fond of acting 
 out all the stories she liked. When the family had 
 all satisfied themselves, by smelling the smoke, that 
 the queer arrangement of blocks was a steamboat, 
 David started off for Persia in it, leaving them to read 
 undisturbed. For the first time Grandma's entrance 
 
 73
 
 GRANDMA'S WEDDING 
 
 was unheeded, and she sat smiling happily over her 
 knitting. It was not long before Mother peeped in, 
 looking flushed and happy, to show Grandma a ring 
 that had just been left for her with an apology for its 
 not coming on Hanukah. 
 
 " Is it dold?" asked David, who had hastily re- 
 turned from mid-ocean to regard it critically. 
 
 Grandma laughed longest at the question, and 
 when Mother was gone, she chuckled and smiled to 
 herself so frequently that a universal shout went up. 
 " Grandma knows a funny story! " and an eager 
 bevy gathered around her. 
 
 " I was only thinking of your Grandfather on our 
 wedding-day," she protested. At this David was 
 going to speak, but Jack gave him a warning look, 
 it was so seldom Grandma could be won to talk about 
 her husband. 
 
 " Uncle Gershom Mendoza was Hazan, and he 
 came up from the city o' purpose for the wedding 
 it was before the day of comforts, and travelling 
 wasn't easy. He was a man who always wanted to 
 have his little joke, so when your Grandfather showed 
 him the ring before putting it on my finger, here it 
 is, he asked if it was gold. Poor Jacob was so 
 flustered that he stammered, * I don't know,' and his 
 brother shouted, ' Yes, Yes ! ' It nearly upset my 
 dignity," and her amusement broke out afresh, while 
 the children waited with patient tolerance for an ex- 
 
 74
 
 planation of the joke, until David, who was not to be 
 hushed longer, cried, " Does all Hazans do that? " 
 
 " No, although they have a perfect right to ask the 
 question, because the ring has to be of value, else it 
 cannot be used. Uncle only wanted to tease, but it 
 might have been serious. But I can see in your faces 
 that you all want to hear about my wedding, so draw 
 up chairs, every man Jack of you. 
 
 " Uncle Gershom arrived Tuesday afternoon, and 
 he and Jacob went out to chop down branches for the 
 Huppah. I remember how tired they were, and Jacob 
 vowed he'd ' never do it again for any woman ! ' 
 The next day, Wednesday, was the wedding-day. I 
 did not see Jacob all morning, but in the afternoon, 
 while I was waiting to be called, I heard his voice 
 chanting the Kaddish with the men downstairs." 
 
 " Kaddish? why, that's for mourners," corrected 
 Isabella. 
 
 " I said ' chant the Kaddish,' and that's for wed- 
 dings. I think, as Mr. Zangwill says, the Kaddish 
 is the most wonderful prayer ever framed by man, 
 because, although it is said by sons mourning for 
 their parents, the word * death ' is not mentioned, and 
 it is a hymn of praise to God. On the eve of Sabbath 
 and festivals and at the Minchah service before wed- 
 dings it is chanted." 
 
 '* Then, why do we never sing it at home? " 
 
 ; ' We would, if we had Minyan." 
 
 75
 
 GRANDMA'S WEDDING 
 
 " Well, to return. After I went downstairs, the 
 Ketubah was read to the Hatan in the presence of all, 
 and signed by Jacob and the witnesses, and then the 
 bridal party formed in procession." 
 
 " Did you have any bridesmaids? " 
 
 " Yes, if you so choose. Four girls stood beside 
 the boys holding the Huppah. More than one wed- 
 ding came from mine," she smiled. " I stood between 
 the sisters, and Jacob between the brothers our 
 parents were dead. We both drank the wine I had 
 made it myself. Then my lover put the ring on my 
 finger, and I became his wife." 
 
 Grandma lingered as proudly on the last words as 
 had the bride, and the beautiful eyes held in their 
 soft brown depths something of the love-light of long 
 ago. But she was soon aroused from her dreaming 
 by the demand for more stories. So she told how 
 Hanukah began. 
 
 76
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 ( 
 
 OE is me! Wherefore was I born to 
 see this misery of my people and of the 
 Holy City, and to dwell therein when it 
 was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the 
 sanctuary into the hand of strangers? Her Temple 
 is become as a man without glory; her glorious ves- 
 sels are carried away into captivity; her infants are 
 slain in the streets ; her young men with the sword of 
 the enemy. What nation hath not had a part in her 
 kingdom and gotten of her spoils? All her orna- 
 ments are taken away; from a free woman she is be- 
 come a bondslave. And, behold, our sanctuary, even 
 our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gen- 
 tiles have profaned it. To what end, therefore, shall 
 we live any longer? " 
 
 So spake the aged Mattathias, a priest of the 
 family of the Asmoneans, for it was the five and 
 twentieth day of the month Kislev, in the hundred 
 forty and fifth year of the kingdom of the Greeks, 
 and at the command of Antiochus, the king, an idol 
 of the heathen had been set up in the Temple of the 
 Lord at Jerusalem, and on the holy altar an unclean 
 sacrifice had been offered. Then Mattathias and his 
 sons rent their clothes and put on sackcloth and 
 
 77
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 mourned very sore. After that they arose from Jeru- 
 salem and went to the home of their fathers at Mo- 
 din, and dwelt there. And the Greeks continued to 
 do evil in the land and to oppress them that adhered 
 to the law of the Jews, for the king had written to 
 the officers appointed over all the nations of his do- 
 minion, that all should be one people, and everyone 
 should leave his laws and follow the customs of the 
 Greeks, and whosoever would not do according to 
 this commandment should die. 
 
 Then all the heathen agreed to the word of the 
 king, and many also among the Jews consented to 
 his religion. Nevertheless, a remnant of the people 
 abode steadfast, fully resolved and confirmed in them- 
 selves not to eat any unclean thing, nor to profane 
 the Sabbath, nor to forsake the covenant of Abraham, 
 choosing rather to die. And they kept in their houses 
 the scrolls of the law and the books of the prophets, 
 and read therefrom contrary to the word of the king. 
 Wherefore many were put to death, and others driven 
 whithersoever they could find succor. 
 
 Now, all this time the officers of the king went 
 throughout the land, and set up groves and chapels 
 of idols, and builded idol-altars in all the cities of 
 Judah. So on a day they came to Modin. 
 
 On the morning following the arrival of the 
 Greeks, a reluctant crowd gathered in the market- 
 
 78
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 place, for such was the order of Apelles, the king's 
 captain, and they feared to risk his displeasure. 
 
 A heap of mud and stones had been thrown up on 
 a slight elevation to serve as an altar to Zeus, whose 
 image looked down on it. The Greeks were making 
 ready for the sacrifice, and the Jews watched the pre- 
 parations with sullen curiosity. 
 
 At the furthest edge of the throng stood the old 
 men, as if in fear of defilement. Few words fell from 
 their stern-set lips. Their eyes, filled with defiant 
 scorn for the Greeks, softened to pitying reproach as 
 they rested on the children edging nearer and nearer 
 to the altar. The little ones seemed to feel the disap- 
 proval. They paused, and looked at one another in 
 questioning alarm. The daring, after the first hesi- 
 tation, advanced in their play closer to the strangers, 
 upon whom their round eyes rested in curious sur- 
 prise; but if a soldier stopped his work to smile at 
 them, they fled laughing in mock fear to the shelter 
 of their mothers' skirts, whence their fascinated gaze 
 peered back at the men in armor. 
 
 "Look, look! " suddenly piped a childish treble. 
 " Mother, Grandfather, see ! They're sweeping the 
 ground before the stones with myrtle boughs." 
 
 " God speed the day that sweeps them from the 
 land!" 
 
 The crowd turned to the speaker in half-deprecat- 
 ing admiration. With head thrown back and threat- 
 
 79
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 ening arm uplifted stood the white-haired man. All 
 the agony of tortured pride so long pent up in his 
 torn heart burned in his eyes. Only for a moment 
 the flame smoldered, then his arm dropped inert to 
 his side. Silence again held sway. 
 
 Not so was it among the younger men. At last 
 indignant tongues were loosed. Stories of cruel per- 
 secutions sped from angry lip to lip. More tightly 
 did wan-faced mothers clasp the trusting arms about 
 their necks, at the thought of those other mothers 
 hurled from the battlements, their dead babes in their 
 embrace. Husbands, white to the lips, threw pro- 
 tecting arms about wives, as the tale was repeated of 
 the brave women who went to the torture first, that 
 the fainting hearts of men might be made strong. 
 Sons clenched their eager hands, and their pleading 
 gaze seemed to beg permission to strike, ere the fate 
 of Eleazar should be that of their own sires. For 
 that dauntless old man had suffered death by torment 
 rather than save his life by making mock of the holy 
 laws of God, in pretending to eat the flesh of swine. 
 
 ' Would that we could make these Greeks pay ten- 
 fold for every drop of blood they have drawn from 
 our veins," cried a lad, afire to avenge his people's 
 wrongs. 
 
 ' Why speak so harshly, friend? " said his neigh- 
 bor. 
 
 ' The lad is right, Jason," rebuked his grandsire. 
 
 80
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 " An I had the strength of my youth, yon abomina- 
 tion would not long offend the sight of the Lord." 
 
 " But thou art old," rejoined Jason, " and hast 
 lived thy life, and thou shouldst not ask thy children 
 to throw theirs away so rashly." 
 
 " Better rash in the service of the Lord than pru- 
 dent in going after false gods." 
 
 " If any good were to come of fighting, I should 
 not say nay, but we are too few to hold our own." 
 
 " Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." 
 
 " Yea, yea, that is very well ; strange is not neces- 
 sarily evil. Moreover, I would have thee consider, 
 and not begrudge thy children the beauty and joy of 
 the world, and all the broad culture and refining wis- 
 dom of Javan." 
 
 " Verily," added another, " already have the 
 Greeks kindled the furnace to refine our children." 
 
 " Thou wilt not grasp my meaning, friend," ex- 
 claimed Jason, hotly. 
 
 " I understand thee all too well. Apostates 
 wouldst thou have us rear our children. Yea, if I 
 mistake not, it would gladden thine heart to see all 
 our Josiahs and Joshuas turn into Jasons an the 
 others demanded not a share of golden fleece." 
 
 The laugh that greeted this taunt brought the 
 blood to the young man's face. His brow clouded 
 angrily, his eyes flashed, but he bit his lip in an effort 
 to speak calmly, as he added in low tones : 
 
 81
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 " I meant not so. Only when the Greek is so far 
 in advance of us, why deny our youth the chance to 
 follow him?" 
 
 " Well spoken, youngster! " cried another. " Give 
 us but a chance, say I, and we'll follow the Greek, 
 who will be far in advance of us, running at full 
 speed ! " 
 
 " It pleaseth all of you to make light of my 
 words," returned Jason. " But consider even in this 
 matter of worship none but a priest may offer to 
 the Jews' God, while to the Greek gods any man may 
 sacrifice." 
 
 " Aye ! Because they think that perchance at some 
 time there may come one whose voice shall be so loud 
 that even stone can hear it." 
 
 Paying no attention, the champion of the Greeks 
 continued, " We Jews must needs go to the Temple 
 at Jerusalem whenever we wish to sacrifice, but to the 
 Greek any high place serves as an altar." 
 
 ' To my way of thinking," suddenly said a stern 
 voice behind them, " there is little between the 
 Bombs of the Greek and the Bambth of the Canaanite 
 that Josiah cast down. Both are abominations to the 
 Lord." 
 
 All turned at the word, and saw that Mattathias 
 had entered the group unnoticed, and was standing 
 in the midst of his five sons. The speaker shrank 
 back abashed, and well he might, for stern reproof 
 
 82
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 was stamped on the chiselled features of the old 
 priest, while from beneath the bushy eyebrows of 
 Judas shot glances of fiery indignation. The hand 
 of Mattathias rested lovingly on the shoulder of Si- 
 mon, whose clear head and ready tongue had oft 
 served to cool the somewhat rash daring of his 
 brother. The three younger Asmoneans, who were 
 closed round their father like a body-guard, ever and 
 anon cast glances of admiration at their brothers. 
 
 " I did not look to see thee here, Mattathias," re- 
 marked an old man. 
 
 " Nor should I have come, had not Simon here 
 advised me that there be some who think to sacrifice 
 on yon altar of the heathen, and I thought perchance 
 my presence might restrain them." 
 
 Jason flashed a startled look at the old man, and 
 then turned quickly away, and kept his gaze on the 
 ground. But Mattathias gave no sign of having seen. 
 
 At that moment there was a stir in the throng, and 
 a travel-stained man clad in sackcloth stood in the 
 midst of them. 
 
 " Woe, woe, woe ! " broke from his ashen lips. 
 
 None questioned him, for fear of his reply. 
 
 The Greeks looked up from their toil. 
 
 He caught the look. He raised imploring hands 
 to heaven. " How long, O Lord, how long ! " 
 
 " Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will re- 
 quite," came the calm tones of Mattathias. 
 
 83
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 " Vengeance ! " He caught the word almost be- 
 fore it was uttered. " Vengeance for the mother and 
 her seven sons! " 
 
 The mother and her seven sons ! What new hor- 
 ror was this? An appalling stillness fell over the 
 place. Children ceased to play; babes whimpered 
 in indefinable fear. The messenger of ill tidings 
 spoke : 
 
 " A woman with her seven lads was taken before 
 the king. The flesh of swine was set before them. 
 They wefe bidden eat. But one of them that spake 
 first said: ' What wouldst thou ask or learn of us? 
 We are ready to die rather than transgress the law 
 of our fathers.' In a rage the king had pans and 
 caldron heated." 
 
 A groan swept the crowd. No need of words to 
 paint the death-agony of that boy. 
 
 "The others what of them?" 
 
 " They exhorted one another and the mother to die 
 manfully, comforting themselves, ' The Lord God 
 looketh upon us.' ' 
 
 " I almost doubt it," sobbed a woman's voice. 
 
 " Nay, say not so. When the first was dead, 
 they brought the second, and asked him, ' Wilt thou 
 eat before thou art punished throughout every mem- 
 ber of thy body?'" 
 
 " No! " The swaying mob took the answer from 
 the speaker's mouth. 
 
 84
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 " When he was at the last gasp, he cried unto the 
 king, ' Thou, like a fury, takest us out of this present 
 life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who 
 have died for His laws, to everlasting life.' So they 
 all met death with hearts full of trust. And the 
 mother was brave above them all, for she held back 
 her tears and ever encouraged them to die." 
 
 " Now, the seventh son was so fair to look upon 
 that the heart of the king relented, and he said, ' Do 
 thou but taste of this meat, and I, the king of kings 
 and lord of lords, will make thee rich with untold 
 wealth.' The heart of the mother stopped an in- 
 stant." 
 
 " How could she doubt him, her son? " exclaimed 
 a woman, with a fond glance at the comely lad at her 
 side. 
 
 " Upon his refusal, the king said : * Thy brothers 
 have paid the penalty of disobedience. An thou doest 
 my command, I shall take thee for the king's friend, 
 and give into thy hand great matters.' " 
 
 The crowd could almost see the reassuring look the 
 lad gave his anxious mother, as the messenger re- 
 peated his reply: " ' I will not obey the king's com- 
 mandment, but I will obey the commandment of the 
 law that the Lord gave our fathers by the hand of 
 Moses.' " 
 
 A sigh of relief went up from the breasts of the 
 old men, and the young men straightened proudly. 
 
 85
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 " Then Antiochus called the woman near, and 
 bade her counsel her son to take pity upon her and 
 save his life." 
 
 " She bade him remain firm," came a mother's 
 exultant cry. 
 
 " Yea. She said unto him : ' Verily, my son, have 
 pity on me who bare thee, and nourished thee, and 
 brought thee up unto this age. I beseech thee, my 
 son, look upon the heaven and upon the earth and all 
 that is therein, and consider that God made them of 
 things that were not. And so mankind was made 
 likewise. Fear not, then, this tormentor, but, being 
 worthy of thy brethren, take thy death that I may 
 receive thee again in mercy with thy brethren.' ' 
 
 " With women like that in Israel," cried Judas, 
 " shall we men stand by in craven fear and content 
 ourselves by saying that God has forsaken His peo- 
 ple?" 
 
 A wild murmur of protest swept through the 
 crowd, while the old men shook their heads, and mut- 
 tered imprecations in their beards, and here and there 
 rose cries of " Vengeance! Vengeance! " 
 
 The Greeks caught the sounds, and perceived the 
 angry gestures. " Shall we not order yon babbler 
 from the place? " said the lieutenant. " Meseems he 
 counsels mutiny." 
 
 " What ! " chided their leader, " are ye Greeks, 
 and afraid of words? " 
 
 86
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 So the torrent of passionate speech poured on. 
 
 " Thus said the lad unto Antiochus : ' Thou, O 
 godless man, of all others most wicked, be not lifted 
 up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain 
 hopes, lifting up thy hand against the servants of 
 God. For our brethren who have suffered a short 
 pain are dead under God's covenant of everlasting 
 life, but thou, through the judgment of God, shalt 
 receive a just punishment for thy pride.' ' 
 
 " Aye, and right speedily! " breathed the men who 
 heard. 
 
 Again were the Greeks alarmed. " We like not 
 the look of that mob," said the spokesman. " We 
 would that our lord Apelles sacrifice at once, that we 
 may view the omens." 
 
 " Ye are Greek women, not Greeks," taunted 
 Apelles. 
 
 With broken voice the messenger of woe spoke on, 
 " Last of all, after the sons, the mother died." 
 
 An anguished sob bowed the throng, but not a 
 word was spoken. Hands groped for missing weap- 
 ons, and eyes turned toward Mattathias as seeking 
 some sign, but the venerable priest and his sons stood 
 motionless; and the others hesitated. 
 
 At that moment the strains of a distant flute were 
 heard, and the crowd gave way before a strange pro- 
 cession. On either side of the musician walked a 
 Grecian youth bearing a silver basin, one vessel filled 
 
 87
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 with the lustral water, the other empty to receive the 
 blood of the victim, a white bull, who, tossing his 
 garlanded horns, brought up the rear. As the train 
 neared the altar, Apelles rose, and, commanding si- 
 lence, called for one to perform the sacrifice. 
 
 None obeyed. 
 
 Then a soldier spake in a low voice to the captain, 
 and he, nodding assent, addressed himself to Matta- 
 thias: 
 
 ' Thou art a ruler, and an honorable and great 
 man in this city, and strengthened with sons and 
 brethren. Now, therefore, come thou and fulfil the 
 word of the king like as all the heathen have done 
 yea, and the men of Judah also, and such as remain 
 in Jerusalem. So thou and thine house shall be in the 
 number of the king's friends, and thou and thy chil- 
 dren shall be honored with silver and gold and many 
 rewards." 
 
 Then Mattathias answered, and spake calmly, but 
 in a loud voice: " Though all the nations that are 
 under the king's dominion obey him, and fall away 
 every one from the religion of their fathers, and give 
 consent to his commandment, yet will I and my sons 
 and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. 
 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the 
 ordinances. We will not go from our religion either 
 to the right hand or to the left." 
 
 There was deep silence while Mattathias was hurl-
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 ing this defiance at the king's officer, but hardly had 
 he finished speaking when the Greek soldiers started 
 threateningly. At a sign from their leader, however, 
 they restrained themselves. Then again did Apelles 
 command the Jews to obey the will of the king 
 Antiochus. 
 
 This time one, indeed, came forward that Jason 
 whose championship of the Greeks had stirred the 
 indignation of the by-standers, and awakened the dis- 
 trust of the sons of Mattathias. The face of the 
 renegade wore a look between shame and defiance, as, 
 dipping his hand in the lustral water, he bent his 
 head to receive the garland that all who neared the 
 altar had to wear. Casting barley grains on the 
 mound, he prayed to the idol : " O Zeus, thou aegis- 
 bearer that dwelleth on snow-clad Olympus, or who- 
 ever thou art called, or whatsoever thou desirest to 
 be called, hear us this day." 
 
 At first Mattathias watched the performance ab- 
 sently, as if scarcely aware that the scene was real. 
 But as the young Jew approached the garlanded bull, 
 and lifted a bared arm to strike, the aged priest 
 started from his seeming trance. Straightening his 
 form to its full height, he cried in an awful voice, 
 ' Traitor ! Traitor ! " Then, suddenly springing for- 
 ward, he seized the upraised hand, and bore it down- 
 ward with an overwhelming force, driving the sacri- 
 ficial knife into the apostate's heart. 
 
 89
 
 THE SACRIFICE AT MODIN 
 
 Before the Greeks could recover from the sudden- 
 ness of the deed, Judas and his brethren, flinging 
 off their long cloaks, sprang, armed, to the side of 
 their father. In a moment Apelles and his guard 
 were thrust away. Then, with one ringing blow, 
 Judas, the Hammerer, threw down the idol. Spring- 
 ing upon the broken marble, he shouted, " Mi ka- 
 mocha be-Elim, Adonai! Who like Thee is among 
 their gods, O Lord ! " while above the din of the 
 fighting that had now begun, there rang out the sum- 
 moning voice of Mattathias : "Mi I' Adonai elai! 
 Who is for the Lord to me ! " 
 
 As from one throat went up the answer, " Anochi! 
 I ! " Then, echoing the battle-cry of Judas, the 
 mob swept upon the Greeks like a flood. Reckless of 
 life or death, ever where one fell another pressing in, 
 their weaponless strength overpowered the trained 
 steel of the soldiers. 
 
 If any Greek escaped their hands alive, he was 
 pelted from the field by the women, who had snatched 
 up sticks and stones. And thus the first struggle for 
 freedom was won. 
 
 90
 
 AND THUS THE FIRST STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM WAS WON
 
 THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE 
 
 ASN'T that a fine story?" asked 
 Grandma, who was fond of hearing the 
 children's comments. 
 
 " Bully! " was Leon's enthusiastic answer, and in 
 it the others all concurred. 
 
 " But," persisted Jack, " you haven't said one 
 word about why we light the lights for eight days." 
 " Don't you know? Surely, you have not been 
 celebrating Hanukah all these years without knowing 
 that? Anyway, I think it is my turn to ask for a 
 story. So which of you will tell me about it? " 
 " Me 1 " cried David, eager as ever to air his knowl- 
 edge, and without awaiting permission, he rattled on : 
 " One day the Jews wonned a battle and wented to 
 the Temple and bwoke the idols of the Gweek gods 
 and teaned the place where vey tilled the pigs and 
 when vey turned to light the lamp vere was on'y oil 
 'nuf for one day so vey sended men for more oil and 
 it was eight days before vey dot back and the lamp 
 never wented out all vat time. 
 
 ' That's wight, isn't it? " and David, stopping to 
 take breath, opened his eyes, which he had closed 
 tight to help him think. 
 
 91
 
 THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE 
 
 " Yes, dear," said Grandma, " and it was the five 
 and twentieth day of the month Kislev, exactly two 
 years after Antiochus had defiled the Temple, that 
 Judas and his brethren stood within the Holy House, 
 and the people of Jerusalem with them. They had 
 chosen priests to cleanse the sanctuary, who had 
 pulled down the altar of burnt offering that had been 
 profaned, carrying the polluted stones to an unclean 
 place. Then they had taken whole stones, according 
 to the law, and builded a new altar, and had made 
 pure the sanctuary and the things that were in the 
 Temple, and had hallowed the courts. Now, upon 
 the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were 
 upon the candlestick they lighted. Furthermore, they 
 offered sacrifice upon the new altar they had made. 
 
 ' Thus,' is it written, ' was there very great glad- 
 ness among the people, for the reproach of the hea- 
 then had been put away. Moreover, Judas and his 
 brethren ordained that the days of the dedication of 
 the altar should be kept in their season, from year to 
 year, for the space of eight days from the five and 
 twentieth day of the month Kislev, with joy and 
 mirth.' " 
 
 ' Therefore these lights are holy," quoted Isabella, 
 " all the eight days of the dedication. Neither are 
 we permitted to make any other use of them, save to 
 view them, that we may return thanks for Thy mira- 
 cles, and Thy salvation, and Thy wonderful works." 
 
 92
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 SABBATH EVE 
 
 T is the eve of the Sabbath, and if the sages 
 speak truly, an evil spirit and a good spirit 
 are at the threshold of the Lopez house. 
 When he sees the angel kiss the Mezuzah on the 
 doorpost, the demon knows that entrance is denied 
 him, even if he has not heard the words that through 
 all the ages have barred him from every Jewish home 
 in which Queen Saba is made welcome : " Blessed 
 art thou, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who 
 hast hallowed us with Thy commandments, and hast 
 bidden us to kindle the lamp of the Sabbath." 
 
 Over the rim of the brass bowl of the Sabbath 
 lamp hanging in the centre of the room shoot out 
 seven tongues of flame, touching with soft radiance 
 the faces of the worshippers, and lending them some- 
 what of the beauty of holiness. 
 
 How comely are the tents of Jacob's race, 
 Israel^ how beautiful thy dwelling place ! 
 
 murmurs the angel visitor. From the evil lips of the 
 other, as he turns to flee, falls a reluctant " Amen," 
 but swiftly though he cleave the air, he does not es- 
 
 95
 
 SABBATH EVE 
 
 cape until he has echoed the prayer of the messenger 
 of God, " May every Sabbath be as blest as this! " 
 Then the spirit of peace takes up his abode with the 
 children and joins in the gladsome chant: 
 
 Bail be-Shalbm, Ngatereth Banglah .... 
 Bol Calah, bol Calah. 
 
 O come in peace, whom God hath crowned, 
 
 Now toil shall cease and joy abound 
 
 The whole world round, where'er abide 
 
 The faithful folk, the people tried. 
 
 Come, Queen ! Come, Bride ! 
 
 Where'er abide 
 
 The faithful folk, the people tried, 
 
 Come, Sabbath ! Come, O Queen and Bride ! 
 
 Grandma's voice sounded strong and sweet in 
 singing the hymns, and she listened with placid pride 
 to her boys reading the service. David's portion was 
 " The Lord is my Shepherd," which to the delight 
 and surprise of all he recited in Hebrew as a Ha- 
 nukah present for the family. 
 
 His reward from Grandma was an extra hug and 
 kiss, when, at the close of Yigdal, all sought her bles- 
 sing. From Father he received the coveted honor of 
 making the Kiddush, and proudly holding face to 
 face the flat loaves Ruth had baked, he blessed the 
 bread and wine. 
 
 At table the talk turned to Cousin Dan's Bar Mitz- 
 vah on the morrow. 
 
 " I wonder " said Grandma, " if Dan knows how 
 much more fortunate he is than my brother Daniel. 
 
 96
 
 SABBATH EVE 
 
 He simply went up to town on his thirteenth birthday 
 and read his Parashah to Uncle Gershom." 
 
 " That must have been stupid," said Leon, em- 
 phatically. 
 
 " I shouldn't have envied him so much, but I 
 always wanted to be a boy a Bar Mitzvah boy." 
 
 " You are too lazy, Isabella, you'd never get down 
 to breakfast if you had to lay Tefillin." 
 
 " Why is it," asked Leon, " that Sam lays Tefillin 
 over and under? " 
 
 ' That is the German way," Grandma laughed at 
 a sudden memory. " You recall Mr. Abrams, who 
 came to the house so much when you were a boy 
 don't you, Daniel? Your father was very fond of 
 him. He was a Tudesco, and sometimes we'd discuss 
 our different customs. It began one Pesach Eve, 
 when he was astonished that Jacob did not wear a 
 shroud at the Haggadah. You children used to be 
 thankful for the great part you had in the service at 
 Snoga, taking off the Sefer-cover and bells and so 
 forth, but you granted him the advantage of shorter 
 home prayers. I remember at your Bar Mitzvah 
 dinner, -after you had given the grace after meat with 
 great unction, Mr. Abrams said, " Save me from the 
 length of a Portuguese blessing! " 
 
 " Treason, treason ! " cried Mr. Lopez. " Mother, 
 can't you tell us a better Sabbath story than that? 
 But no giants, mind " for David had forced all his 
 
 97
 
 SABBATH EVE 
 
 playmates into the role of the Philistine, and it was 
 growing wearisome. 
 
 " Well, we'll compromise on Philistines, and no 
 real giant just a big man." 
 
 " I wish you would tell us of Jonathan, who gave 
 David his armor," said Leon. " He must have had 
 part in many a battle." 
 
 Grandma only smiled mysteriously as she began 
 her tale of the days of old. 
 
 98
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 HEN the Philistines had conquered the 
 land of Israel, they destroyed all the 
 smithies, " lest the Hebrews make 
 themselves swords and spears." So the old chronicle 
 tells us, that when Saul was come to the throne of 
 Israel, " there was no smith throughout the land, and 
 the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen 
 every man his ploughshare and his ax." 
 
 The village of Beth-el, however, boasted a smith 
 whose work none could excel. Nothing delighted the 
 boys more than to stand open-mouthed at the door 
 of the forge, and watch the sparks fly, and hear 
 the anvil ring at the mighty strokes of old Nathan 
 Charash, who in his youth had been reputed the 
 strongest man in the country round about, and who 
 even now, in his old age, towered head and shoulders 
 above the villagers. At his side worked a slim youth, 
 Gabriel his grandson, and oft when the smith was 
 jolly over some specially skilful work completed, he 
 let the lad's companions share in his instruction. 
 
 One day it was rumored, that the fame of Nathan 
 had reached the ears of the captain of the Philistine 
 garrison at Geba, and a company was on its secret 
 
 99
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 way to destroy the forge and take the old man cap- 
 tive. A shepherd, espying their glittering armor from 
 his post on the hill, deserted his charge, and hurried, 
 breathless, to give the alarm. But what was his sur- 
 prise, his tale told, to learn that smith and smithy 
 had disappeared! The village lads had risen betimes 
 that morning, and gone as usual to the forge to play 
 at work until the day's toil should begin. But, lo! 
 the door was barred shut, and from within came no 
 din, nor was there a voice to answer their alarmed 
 knocks. Fearing they knew not what disaster, they 
 called the men, and breaking down the door, they 
 entered a deserted room. Smith and helper, anvil 
 and hammer, bellows and furnace, the bars of iron, 
 the half-finished tools, all had vanished. Still there 
 was no trace of violence, nothing to show the work 
 of rude invaders. The boys, safe in the knowledge 
 that they had no inkling of Nathan's whereabouts, 
 lingered around the deserted smithy, ready to hoot 
 at the discomfiture of the enemy, who came marching 
 in proud array to the forge, and were forced to return 
 crest-fallen and empty-handed. 
 
 They left three of their number in charge, in case 
 Nathan should reappear. These found nothing, and 
 their life was rendered unbearable by the village lads, 
 who, knowing the superstitious fears of the Philis- 
 tines, played all manner of tricks on the unsuspecting 
 men. Strange noises awoke them at midnight, and in 
 
 100
 
 FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE A BLACK GIANT TOOK A THREATENING 
 
 STEP TOWARD THEM
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 the half-glow they saw shadowy forms gliding 
 through the room. One night, in dread, they fled the 
 place. Scurrying through the mountains, they saw 
 sparks issuing from beneath one of the great rocks 
 clustered beyond Beth-el, and heard, as from within 
 the bowels of the earth, a clashing of steel upon steel. 
 While they stood eyeing each other, not knowing 
 whether to stay or to go, the rock seemed to open, and 
 where its dark base had been, a great wall of flame 
 appeared. A moment more, and from the midst of 
 the fire a black giant, naked to the waist, and bran- 
 dishing a huge hammer, took a threatening step to- 
 ward them. Close beside the giant came a grinning 
 dwarf, grasping a red-hot javelin, which he poised 
 ready to cast at the terrified men. At this they fled 
 headlong, and never stopped running, until they fell 
 exhausted within their camp. Night after night they 
 beguiled the hours of the watch by stories of the 
 haunted smithy and by wild tales of the terrible de- 
 mons at work in the mountains. And when they 
 learned that it was near this very spot that the God 
 of the Hebrews had appeared in a dream to Jacob, 
 the father of the tribes, such fear arose in the breast 
 of all who heard that no Philistine dared again set 
 foot in those hills after sunset. 
 
 Grandma paused as she felt Leon's cold fingers 
 tightening their grasp on hers. 
 
 101
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 " Was it a real giant? " he asked. 
 
 " No, silly," scouted David, who felt keenly that 
 one and only one giant had ever lived, " 'course not. 
 It was Nafan Chawash and Gabwiel." 
 
 " Yes," Mrs. Lopez smiled tenderly on the indig- 
 nant face so eagerly seeking assent in hers, " it was, 
 indeed, Nathan and the boy. The Philistines were 
 not troubled again, and never knew their real need 
 for fear. None would have been more surprised than 
 their leader, had he been told that the demon-giant 
 of Beth-el was a man, busy fashioning swords and 
 spears and javelins against the day when the land 
 should cast out her oppressors. But to my story." 
 
 Some nights later a youth was journeying through 
 these selfsame mountains, and, weary, stopped for 
 rest. The stillness of the place took hold on him, 
 and he was of a mind to tarry all night. Like Jacob, 
 he took of the stones, and set them up for his pillow, 
 and lay down to sleep. Like Jacob he dreamed, and, 
 behold, he was wrestling with a warrior of the Philis- 
 tines, and the man's armor rang with the weight of 
 his blows. After he had thrown his antagonist, he 
 heard behind him what seemed the clash of other 
 wrestlers, and turning to see if he were needed else- 
 where, he found himself awake, and sitting bolt-up- 
 right, while the din of struggle still went on. He was 
 a brave lad, and yet he was near to fear, so uncanny 
 
 102
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 was the sound. He held his breath to listen, and 
 when he had satisfied himself that the noise came 
 from behind a rock near by, he knocked upon it 
 boldly, commanding in loud tones, " Ho, there, 
 within ! Declare yourselves in the name of the Lord 
 God of hosts." 
 
 The strange sounds ceased, and a moment later 
 the huge rock turned like a door upon a hidden 
 pivot, and Gabriel appeared. " Who art thou," he 
 demanded, " that so boldly taketh the name of the 
 Lord upon thy lips? An thou hast taken that name 
 falsely, then is thy life gone from thee ! " and he 
 barred the entrance with a flashing blade. 
 
 " By what right dost thou question? " returned 
 the stranger, haughtily. " But, nay I see in thy 
 face that thou art one of the Lord's servants, and 
 even as I thou wouldst willingly give up thy life for 
 God and Israel." 
 
 " Aye, that I would, and right speedily." 
 
 Tears stood in the eyes of both, and dropping the 
 threatening sword, Gabriel fell on the neck of the 
 stranger, kissing him on both cheeks. 
 
 " Welcome, indeed, art thou in this refuge devoted 
 to the work of the Most High," sounded the hearty 
 voice of Nathan, who had come to the mouth of the 
 cave alarmed at his grandson's absence. " Enter, 
 that I may hold speech with thee, for I have longed 
 for the sight of such an one as thou." 
 
 103
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 As they went into the cave, Gabriel reported to the 
 stranger all that had befallen his grandfather, and 
 their laughter was good to hear, when he told of the 
 flight of the terror-stricken soldiers. Within the glow 
 of the fire, the new-comer stood still, fixing amazed 
 eyes on the smith. He was so engrossed in his own 
 thoughts that he did not hear an inquiry of Nathan's. 
 The smith had to repeat the question, before the lad 
 realized he had been addressed. " I crave pardon, 
 honored sir, if I seem rude," he said, " but thou art 
 the first man I have seen who can boast a stature as 
 great as my father's." 
 
 " Whose son art thou, friend? " said Nathan, "for 
 I had thought myself taller than all the men of our 
 tribe." 
 
 " I am the son of Saul, the son of Kish the Ben- 
 jamite, and I am called Jonathan. Oft do I go to 
 the different villages round about, that I may learn 
 if any man has risen to lead Israel against the Philis- 
 tines. But I have heard of none, else should I have 
 joined him, for I pray God that the day may be at 
 hand when this arm shall smite for Him." 
 
 The tears stood in Nathan's eyes as his searching 
 glance scanned the fine face kindling with the enthu- 
 siasm of youth, which recks not of difficulty or danger. 
 Before he had time to speak, Jonathan went on: "I 
 have tried to urge my father to lead a revolt, for, 
 though I say it myself, he is a stalwart man and brave, 
 
 104
 
 whose like one would go far to find. But his modesty 
 overshadows his courage, so he holds back waiting 
 for one more worthy to appear, whom he may fol- 
 low." 
 
 "And if each wait for the other," broke in Nathan, 
 impatiently, " then will Israel be enslaved forever. 
 When thou goest back to thy father, tell him that in 
 the mountains of Benjamin an old man is fashion- 
 ing for him sword and spear, that he may wield them 
 against his country's foe. God speed the day that I 
 shall bear them to him." After a moment's pause, 
 in which his eyes were fixed meaningly on the youth 
 before him, he added, " O Jonathan, gift of the Lord, 
 meseemeth thou art well named. No prophet am I, 
 yet something tells my old heart that deliverance for 
 Israel shall arise out of the house of Kish." 
 
 Jonathan spent the remainder of the night in the 
 smithy, and his frank, earnest words won for him 
 not only the love of the grandfather, but also the 
 undying admiration of Gabriel; and when their visitor 
 left them in the morning, the old smith felt that the 
 work done in the forge would not be in vain while 
 so true a man lived to wield a sword. Never a day 
 passed thereafter but grandsire and youth talked of 
 him whom with loving pride they called " our Jona- 
 than." 
 
 Gradually the pile of weapons grew higher. Night 
 after night old Nathan worked with tireless energy, 
 
 105
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 but the boy was glad when morning came, and he 
 could sleep, or when the weekly Sabbath rest inter- 
 rupted their toil from sunset to sunset. Always on 
 the Sabbath Nathan would go to stroll among the 
 hills, and, as he said, fill his own bellows with fresh 
 air; while Gabriel went to talk with the village boys 
 and learn the news they were so eager to impart. 
 When the sun went down, the young smith, slinging 
 across his back a sack laden with store of provisions 
 for the week, would return to his hiding-place among 
 the rocks. 
 
 It was after one of these trips that, some minutes 
 earlier than usual, the boy tumbled into the forge, 
 crying breathlessly, almost before he crossed the 
 threshold : 
 
 "Grandfather, Grandfather, great tidings!" 
 Then he stood silent, panting with intense excite- 
 ment. 
 
 " Calm thyself, lad," said the smith, " and get thy 
 voice. Then canst thou tell me thy tidings, that I 
 may rejoice with thee, if perchance the Lord hath 
 shown some sign of favor to His people." 
 
 " A king hath been appointed over Israel," said 
 Gabriel, " even Saul, son of Kish, the father of our 
 Jonathan." 
 
 " Now God be thanked," exclaimed Nathan, " at 
 last we have one to lead an army for us against the 
 Philistines." 
 
 106
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 Then he plied the boy with eager questions about 
 the choosing of the king. 
 
 Nothing loth, Gabriel repeated all he had heard, 
 and when he had finished the tale, he added, " When 
 Samuel led Saul before the people, he proclaimed, 
 ' This is the man whom God hath chosen as king; 
 his like is not to be found in all Israel ! ' And all the 
 people cried, ' Long live the king ! ' " 
 
 The old smith echoed with fervor, " Long live 
 the king!" 
 
 " What thinkest thou, Grandfather," added the 
 youth, " they say the king is without a sword." 
 
 " Without a sword ! " repeated his grandfather. 
 " That must not long be." 
 
 So saying, he picked from among the pile of shin- 
 ing blades one which he had but then wrought. But 
 he threw it back with a frown, " Nay, nay, this is 
 not fit for him who shall free Israel." Many swords 
 he tried, and not one stood the test for a royal blade. 
 
 " Come, Gabriel," he ordered, " build the fire, and 
 let us to work with a will ; for soon as I may, I shall 
 take to the king a sword the like of which hath not 
 been seen since the days of Tubal-cain." 
 
 Not another word spake Nathan as he toiled, but 
 he fashioned into the steel many a prayer for his 
 land and his people. Gabriel watched his every move, 
 and supplied his want before it was even felt, and the 
 lad rejoiced, as time went on, to see not only the 
 
 107
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 sword, but helmet, breastplate, and all the parts of 
 a suit of mail take shape under the skilful blows of 
 Nathan, who said, in answer to the questioning look 
 of the boy, " Did not our Jonathan say that his 
 father's stature was even as mine? " 
 
 One dark night there departed from the forge a 
 farmer, across whose sturdy back a sack was thrown, 
 from the mouth of which so full it was protrud- 
 ing leaves and stalks showed the provisions he was to 
 take to market. Beneath his tunic was a coat of mail, 
 and at his side, hidden by the long folds, was girt a 
 trusty blade. " Lest I fall in with some brave Philis- 
 tine in the day," he said laughingly, " when I cannot 
 play the demon. Gabriel," he added, " do thou 
 tarry with thy village mates until three days are past, 
 then meet me here when the sun is set. I fear to 
 leave thee alone in the cave." 
 
 " God speed thee, Grandfather," answered Ga- 
 briel, as he adjusted the sack, wherein, beneath the 
 corn, had been placed treasures of steel, which they 
 deemed would be more welcome than gold to the 
 king. 
 
 Three days later the old farmer re-entered the 
 hidden smithy, and he was greeted by Gabriel, who 
 asked, " Did the king accept thy gift, Grandsire? " 
 
 " Aye, aye I Right pleased was he. And hero's 
 work will he do therewith. Sword and man alike 
 are matchless." 
 
 108
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 "And didst thou see our Jonathan? How fared 
 he? Sent he any word to me? Will he raise a host 
 against the Philistine ? Will " 
 
 " Nay, nay, not so fast," laughed Nathan, inter- 
 rupting the lad's breathless queries. " Prince Jona- 
 than was with the king. Ah, Gabriel," he mused, 
 " mine old eyes have looked on many a lad, but none 
 so comely as he. Mark well my words. Again, as 
 when he stood before me yonder, I saw in his face 
 a prophecy of good, while over my wearied spirit fell 
 a calm that told me the day is near when Israel 
 shall thank God for Jonathan." Then he said lightly: 
 "If thou wilt but have the patience to wait, thou shalt 
 see him thyself, for at new moon he cometh for 
 sword and armor for himself." 
 
 " Then," said Gabriel, " we must to work with 
 double speed, so that there shall be no delay when the 
 prince is come." 
 
 At the appointed time, the watchers in the smithy 
 were aroused by a knocking on the rock, and a well- 
 known voice commanded, " Open in the name of the 
 Lord God of hosts and His anointed, Saul, king of 
 Israel." 
 
 The huge stone that few might move rolled aside, 
 and old Nathan stepped forth, and embraced Jona- 
 than with the privilege of his years, saying, " It is 
 thou, my lord Jonathan, else do my glad eyes play 
 traitor." 
 
 109
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 " It is, indeed, I," answered the prince, and Jona- 
 than entered the cave, whence he soon emerged, clad 
 in mail, and bearing a large sack filled with weapons. 
 Bowed beneath the weight of a similar burden was 
 Gabriel, whom Jonathan was taking with him to be 
 his armor-bearer. 
 
 Not many suns had set before the people of Ben- 
 jamin and Judah were startled from their trance by 
 the news that the mighty Philistine garrison at Geba 
 had fallen before Prince Jonathan. 
 
 In Beth-el all work was suspended, and eager 
 groups gathered about the market-place, where, on a 
 rude platform of stone, stood Gabriel. About him 
 went the buzz of excited talk. Women stood in sad 
 silence, realizing through the intuition of love that 
 their husbands, as yet unroused, would answer to the 
 call of Gabriel, who even then raised the Shofar, the 
 trumpet of ram's horn, to his lips. Three loud blasts 
 commanded silence; then the lad lifted up his voice, 
 and cried aloud, " Shim'u 'Ibrim Hear, O He- 
 brews ! And, in especial, ye men of Benjamin ! Thus 
 saith King Saul : Jonathan, our son, with but a hand- 
 ful of men, hath freed Geba. The first blow of deliv- 
 erance is struck ! Let him who loves the Lord join 
 the king at Gilgal ! " 
 
 Pausing but for an instant, Gabriel broke into an 
 impassioned plea for men to fight under Jonathan. 
 
 110
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 He told how he had fought shoulder to shoulder 
 with his leader, whose sword, forged at old Nathan's 
 smithy, had dealt death at every blow. " Come with 
 me," he cried, " ye shall be the chosen body-guard 
 of Prince Jonathan, and, with him at your head, ye 
 shall do that which will blot out the memory of Geba 
 from the mind of the Philistines, so much greater 
 will be the calamity that shall fall upon them." 
 
 Swiftly he turned with the crowd surging at his 
 heels. Out through the village he rushed, over the 
 hills he sped, and led the way to the hidden smithy. 
 
 On his knees by the anvil was Nathan, and beside 
 him lay a pile of weapons. How long he had been 
 there, he could not have told, but, hearing footsteps, 
 he lifted his eyes, and saw Gabriel, from whose lips 
 tumbled the words: " Father, thy hiding is done. 
 This day we take men and weapons to King Saul at 
 Gilgal." 
 
 " God, God, God ! " was all the word he spoke. 
 Then he raised his trembling hands, and, with one 
 accord, those who had followed Gabriel bent their 
 heads for the old man's blessing. 
 
 At sundown, amidst the tears of women and the 
 prayers of the old, a little band of half an hundred 
 youths, with Gabriel at their head, set bravely forth 
 to offer their lives for liberty. 
 
 And Nathan Charash ? There in the deserted cave 
 where he and his grandson had toiled early and late 
 
 ill
 
 THE HIDDEN SMITHY 
 
 in the service of God, Nathan prayed a prayer of 
 deep thanksgiving to the Lord. 
 
 " O God," he prayed, " I thank Thee that Thou 
 hast given me strength in mine old age to work for 
 Thee, and hast granted my boy a place in the army 
 of Thine anointed." 
 
 For a while all was still, and when the Angel of 
 Death came to summon Nathan, a smile of perfect 
 peace stole over the old face, and the lips moved : 
 
 ' Yea, it was a good sword, and with it shall Israel 
 be made free." 
 
 112
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE FIELD OF BARLEY 
 
 S that all? " Jack's voice sounded slightly 
 injured. " You've stopped right in the 
 most interesting part," he complained. 
 
 Many a reproachful look was sent in his direction, 
 but little David, who always sided with the one 
 against whom family opinion was strongest, said with 
 becoming gravity, " Jack's wight, we want to know 
 what vey did wiv the sword." 
 
 " That's too long a story for one telling. Wait 
 until to-morrow." 
 
 The children had perforce to be satisfied with this 
 promise, but they had no intention of allowing 
 Grandma to escape so easily. " I've been wonder- 
 ing," remarked Jack, " whatever became of Eleazar, 
 who plagued David so, when he was going to fight 
 Goliath. You said that when David stood in need 
 of trusty followers, none gave him better service than 
 Eleazar." 
 
 " Wasn't he among the thirty mighty men of King 
 David?" asked Ruth. 
 
 " Yes, Eleazar came to be one of the first three 
 of the mighty men, and once he turned a threatened 
 defeat into a victory." 
 
 113
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE FIELD OF BARLEY 
 
 The expectant silence besought her to proceed. 
 
 " When word came to the Philistines that David 
 had been anointed king over all Israel, they gathered 
 together to war against him, sending out bands to 
 forage the country and destroy the harvest. One of 
 these Philistine hosts came upon a band of Israelites 
 who were so terrified at the sudden appearance of the 
 foe that they turned and fled. The sound of their 
 retreat reached the ears of David, who had stopped 
 with Eleazar in the shelter of a rock, sending his fol- 
 lowers before him. Realizing the peril of the king, 
 Eleazar rushed to meet the line of fugitives, and, 
 heading off their escape, bore back through a field 
 filled with barley. In the midst of it they awaited the 
 attack of the Philistines, which was so furious that 
 again the Israelites fled, leaving Eleazar to defend 
 the field alone. Then, as the old chronicle says: 
 ' He smote the Philistine, until his hand was weary, 
 and clave unto the sword, and the Lord wrought a 
 great victory that day, and the people returned after 
 him only to spoil.' ' 
 
 ' The miserable cowards! " exclaimed Jack. " I 
 thought the story promised to be a kind of Sheridan's 
 Ride, but Sheridan was not deserted by his soldiers." 
 
 114
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 YOUTH'S BRIGHT LEXICON 
 
 HE Lopez family all assembled at Uncle 
 Leon's for dinner on Sabbath in honor of 
 his son Dan's Bar Mitzvah. For a time 
 the whole conversation turned on that interesting 
 event. 
 
 " Everyone seemed to do all they could to make 
 the service beautiful to-day. I am so glad I was able 
 to be here," said Grandma. " It was a pleasure to 
 see you carry the Sefer," turning to Dan's older 
 brother. " I do so hate to see it held across the 
 shoulder, or hugged like a baby, as so many men are 
 in the habit of doing." 
 
 " Did you see what a hard time I had," inter- 
 rupted Leon, " to prevent Sam's taking the cloak off 
 the Sefer before the wrapper? It never looks right 
 to have the Sefer uncovered even for a minute." 
 
 The little children grew very impatient during the 
 discussion. They had boasted to everyone about 
 Grandma's stories, and they wished she would tell 
 one for their friends. But they had to wait until all 
 the guests who had come to congratulate Dan were 
 gone, and then they demanded " the rest of Jonathan 
 
 117
 
 YOUTH'S BRIGHT LEXICON 
 
 and Gabriel." There was nothing for it but that 
 Grandma must fulfil her promise. 
 
 Before beginning the actual story, she asked: 
 " Who knows these lines, ' In the bright lexicon of 
 youth'?" 
 
 " I do," and Leon finished the quotation " * ... 
 There's no such word as fail.' ' 
 
 " I'll never forget the verse," said Dan's father, 
 " on acount of poor old Engel. He was our German 
 teacher, you know, and he was always so funny when 
 he wanted to be very serious and impressive. Well, 
 he went to see Booth as Richelieu, and next day, when 
 we were making our usual mistakes, he suddenly said: 
 ' I vish dat dis class could haf heard Mister Booth 
 last night, and taken dere egsample from him.' 
 ' What was it? ' someone asked. ' You don't know 
 dat grand line ? Den I vill tell it to you ! ' And he 
 spouted in his comical way: ' Fail? Fail? Dere iss 
 no such vort in der English dickshunary ! ' 
 
 " Nor in the Hebrew, either," said Grandma, 
 when the laughter had subsided, " as I intend this 
 story to illustrate." 
 
 118
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 N his tent at Gilgal sat Saul, king and 
 leader of the armies of Israel. In the dim 
 glow of the dying fire, his face showed 
 wan and haggard. He did not move, only sometimes 
 a groan half stifled to a sigh broke from him. Full 
 six days had he tarried in Gilgal, according to the 
 set time that Samuel had appointed, that they might 
 sacrifice before the battle; but the prophet came not, 
 and the people were scattered from him. His men 
 grew so sick at heart by reason of the long delay 
 that his picked host of thrice one thousand was be- 
 come a mere handful of bowmen, of slingers, and of 
 stave bearers. The Philistines had gathered together 
 to fight Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thou- 
 sand horsemen and people that were as the sand that 
 is upon the sea-shore for multitude. And they came 
 up, and were pitched at Michmash, eastward from 
 Beth-aven, in a position well-nigh hopeless to attack. 
 Thence they sent out the spoilers in three great and 
 well-armed hosts to devastate the country. Now, 
 when the men of Israel saw they were in a strait, 
 they hid themselves in caves, in thickets, and in rocks ; 
 in high places and in pits. Some even among the 
 
 119
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 Hebrews fled over Jordan to the land of Gad and 
 Gilead, and the remnant that was left trembled after 
 Saul. 
 
 A prayer for help rose to the lips of the despairing 
 king: " O God, Thou hast given me, Thy servant, 
 to rule over this Thy people and to lead them in 
 Thy paths. But the way is dark and troubled, and 
 Thou hast withheld from me the pillar of the fiery 
 cloud. Show me Thy will, for I am in great distress." 
 
 Hardly had he spoken when the curtains of the 
 tent parted, and two youths crossed the threshold. 
 There the younger paused, while his comrade knelt 
 before Saul, and laid a pleading hand on the bowed 
 form. Saul straightened quickly, and looked into the 
 hopeful eyes of Jonathan, and heard the tender voice 
 of his son: " My lord father, why art thou cast 
 down, and why disquieted? Think not that the Lord 
 hath hid His face from thee, nor fear that God will 
 desert thee." But Saul roused not from his gloom, 
 and although his fixed gaze never left the glowing 
 face of his son, the words that Jonathan spake 
 seemed not to be heard. 
 
 Then the prince besought: " Father and king, I 
 pray thee, give ear unto my words. Tidings of good 
 cheer have I for thee." The king moved slightly, 
 and, thus encouraged, Jonathan went on: " Surely, 
 thou hast not forgotten the visit of Nathan, the smith 
 of Beth-el, when thou wert but a short while king." 
 
 120
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 The first gleam of hope shone in the eyes of Saul, 
 who half rose. " Nathan, where bides he? " 
 
 " Nathan himself is not here, but he hath sent a 
 worthy substitute, Gabriel, his grandson, who hath 
 but now come into the camp, with fifty sturdy lads 
 at his back, each bearing weapons for three. I am 
 here to ask, an it be pleasing in thy sight, that thou 
 give these lads to me. For thou, O my father, 
 must await Samuel here, but there is naught to hinder 
 thy son from leading this brave band to win another 
 Geba." 
 
 Then the prince arose to give place to Gabriel, 
 with the words, " Gabriel is come, too, that he may 
 add his prayers to mine, and he begs leave of the 
 king to speak a message from his sire." 
 
 " State thine errand," said the monarch, kindly. 
 " An thou canst give me the word of courage from 
 Nathan Charash, there is naught not thine for the 
 asking." 
 
 " My lord and king," said the kneeling boy, 
 " Nathan the smith commends himself to thee, and 
 bids me say that the weapons we bring are all he had 
 stored in the cave, else would he have sent thee arms 
 for all thy men not furnished with sword and spear 
 won from the enemy. He asks that thou accept the 
 little he can give, and he begs the king to pardon that 
 it is not greater." 
 
 " No need for thy grandfather to sue for pardon 
 
 121
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 from me, it is rather I who need forgiveness for my 
 coward doubts. Moreover, already are we greatly 
 in thy sire's debt," and he reached for the sword 
 that was never far from his hand. " Would that 
 there were many such as he working in the service of 
 the Lord, and Israel need not fear before any foe. 
 But, for thy part, art thou willing to go with our mad- 
 cap son to wrest other strongholds from the Philis- 
 tines?" 
 
 " 'Tis for that, my lord, that I am here with my 
 little band, who crave no greater boon than to fight 
 under Prince Jonathan. O sire, if, as thou hast but 
 now so kindly said, my grandfather has put thee in 
 his debt, then canst thou best pay it by granting the 
 boon to me of fighting shoulder to shoulder with my 
 leader. Perchance I may yet save with my life the 
 life of him whom the Lord hath sent to Israel." 
 
 "So be it," said Saul, too near tears to speak at 
 greater length, and, at a sign from Jonathan, Gabriel 
 left the tent. 
 
 Left alone, father and son gazed deep into each 
 other's heart. Then Saul caught Jonathan to his 
 breast, and kissed him hungrily, again and again. 
 Thus they stayed, mingling their hot tears, until Saul 
 pressed back the hair clustering on the noble brow of 
 his son, whose brave eyes smiled up at him. " Go, 
 Jonathan, and win thy victories; for it may be that 
 God hath willed that Israel shall be freed by thee, 
 
 122
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 who art more worthy than thy father. May He who 
 hath sent thee to His people be with thee in all thy 
 ways, and bring thee back safe to Israel and to 
 me!" 
 
 Jonathan joined Gabriel, and they two lost not 
 a moment in crossing the camp to the tent where 
 the other lads were resting after their long march. 
 Within a few hours after Gabriel had come to Saul, 
 they set out for the scene of Jonathan's first victory, at 
 Geba, a village built on a high hill opposite Mich- 
 mash, the place where now lay the Philistine chief 
 with the main division of his army. 
 
 While on the road, Jonathan called his armor- 
 bearer to him. " Thou didst serve me so well at 
 Geba that thou shalt be with me when I again beard 
 the Philistine lion in his den. Some night, not far 
 distant, let us cross over to the outposts of the enemy 
 at Michmash, and see if the Lord hath not work for 
 us there." 
 
 " But, Grandma," said Estrella, the timid, " I 
 thought you said it was impossible for anyone to 
 attack Michmash." 
 
 "Jonathan wasn't a 'fraid cat!" retorted Leon, 
 who loved nothing better than stories of fights. 
 "Anyhow, I guess he didn't stop to find out whether 
 it was impossible or not! He just went ahead, and 
 did it." 
 
 123
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 Mrs. Lopez continued her story: 
 
 No one can say that Jonathan did not know what 
 he was about, for he had been over every foot of 
 those mountains, and he warned Gabriel of their 
 danger, saying: " The way is steep, and fraught with 
 great peril, inasmuch as the passage by which we 
 must go is between a sharp precipice on one side and 
 a sharp precipice on the other. With but a few stones 
 to hurl at any who might attempt to scale its heights, 
 I could hold Michmash alone against a thousand men. 
 But to the Lord there is no restraint, to save by many 
 or by few. Therefore, if thou be willing, we will 
 pass over to the stronghold of these uncircumcised, 
 and we will discover ourselves unto them. If they say 
 unto us, ' Tarry until we come unto you,' then will we 
 stand still in our place, and not go up. But if they say, 
 ' Come up unto us,' then will we go up, for we shall 
 know that the Lord God hath surely delivered 
 them into our hand. This shall be the sign thereof 
 to us." 
 
 Gabriel made reply: " Do all that is in thine heart. 
 Behold, I am with thee according to thine heart." 
 
 " My father with the six hundred faithful that are 
 left him will follow us to Geba, but of this plan he 
 must know nothing, else would he forbid it as fool- 
 hardy," warned the prince. 
 
 And well might Saul put a ban upon the rash 
 
 124
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 venture of the lads ; for the risks they ran were great, 
 and would have made many a tried warrior quail. 
 
 " But, Grandma," asked Leon, " what made Mich- 
 mash so hard to take? Lots of forts built on high 
 rocks have been captured at last, even if it took a 
 long siege to do it. Look at Port Arthur ! " 
 
 " It is very hard to describe Michmash, dear," 
 said Grandma, " for there is no other place just like 
 it. Jack, if you will bring me that piece of paper that 
 I put on the table, I will show you a rough sketch that 
 I made yesterday to give you some idea of how Mich- 
 mash is protected by nature." 
 
 The children watched her closely. " Here," she 
 said, " is a high precipice which I have marked as 
 Bozez, and here on the other side towers the more 
 dangerous Seneh. Between them a narrow ravine 
 runs almost due east. To reach Michmash from 
 Geba, one must first descend the steep and perilous 
 Seneh; then must he struggle up Bozez as best he 
 may. One misstep means certain death. Nor is the 
 way smooth, once this is accomplished. You will see 
 in the drawing I have made what looks like a crown 
 on top of Bozez. That is meant for three rounded 
 knolls surmounted by high cliffs, and it was within 
 this natural enclosure that the Philistines had sta- 
 tioned an outpost to guard the main camp, which 
 lay farther back on the mountain summit, westward 
 
 125
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 toward the village of Michmash. I've made an X 
 there to mark the place." 
 
 " Dwandma," exclaimed David, " why does 
 Bozez look as if it had a toof out? " 
 
 Grandma looked at the place indicated by the 
 child's finger, where she had left a gap in the crown. 
 
 " That," said she, laughing, " is the one point at 
 which the rocky parapet failed. Here sentinels were 
 posted, but it was deemed useless to set watch at the 
 rear of the enclosure, where not even the mountain 
 goat could find footing on the sheer face of the cliff. 
 In fact, the Philistines had so little regard for the 
 fighting powers of the Hebrews that any watch they 
 kept was more from custom than because they 
 thought attack likely." 
 
 Having thus impressed a picture of the scene of the 
 battle upon her listeners, Grandma went on with her 
 narrative : 
 
 About their watch-fire on the summit of Bozez, 
 one stormy night, was gathered a group of Philistine 
 warriors. Amid them stood a white-haired Hebrew 
 captive, whom they had brought out to mock and 
 taunt, saying bitter things about his people and his 
 God. But the old man heard in silence. Suddenly 
 there came a vivid flash of lightning, the ground quiv- 
 ered, and stones shivered from the rocky parapet 
 crashed down the side of the cliff, while a loud peal 
 
 126
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 of thunder bursting above their heads rolled and 
 echoed through the mountains. 
 
 The Philistines sprang to their feet, but the old 
 man hid his face in his mantle, and murmured a bless- 
 ing upon the " Lord God, King of the universe, 
 whose glory and might fill all the world." When he 
 uncovered his face a moment later, a second flash 
 revealed the white faces of his tormentors. The old 
 lips curled in scorn, and when the angry muttering 
 of the thunder had died away, he asked quietly, 
 "What? Philistines fear?" 
 
 They gathered closer together, answering naught. 
 Then the captive spake on, " Aye, ye do well to 
 tremble when the Lord speaketh from heaven, and 
 the Most High uttereth His voice." 
 
 " Then the lad spake truth," muttered a Philistine 
 in the ear of his neighbor. 
 
 " What lad? Has the storm robbed thee of thy 
 senses? " 
 
 " Surely, thou hast not forgotten that overbold 
 Hebrew boy we caught lurking about the foot of the 
 rock, and how, when we called to him to come up, he 
 stared at us, and gaped like a simpleton? " 
 
 " Yea, and how frightened he was when we made 
 him climb up the rough rock only to watch him fall 
 down ! " and the man dismissed his fears long enough 
 to laugh at the memory of their sport. 
 
 " And with what a long face he studied his bruised 
 127
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 knees; I looked for him to bawl at any minute," re- 
 turned the first speaker, shaking with inward mirth. 
 
 " What's there to laugh at? " asked the others, 
 eager to rid their mind of their fright. On hearing 
 the cause of the merriment, another said, " If he's the 
 same youngster I met, he's a very fool." 
 
 " Better call thyself the fool," rejoined a comrade. 
 " I thought it best to keep the lad, but just because 
 he babbled nonsense about fire demons at work in the 
 hills, thou suddenly didst bethink thyself of thy duties, 
 and didst leave him. Why, thou hast become pale. 
 Aha ! Thou didst believe the fool, and didst think 
 perchance that he was in league with evil spirits." 
 
 " It well becomes thee to call me fool," sneered the 
 other. " O yea ! Thou wert the brave one ! Thou 
 wert so easy in thy mind that thou didst not tremble, 
 nay, nor blanch in the face, when the lad told wild 
 tales of the storms through which his God took ven- 
 geance on his foes, and how the Lord of the He- 
 brews shot arrows of fire from heaven." 
 
 At the word, the black sky flared into sudden light, 
 the thunder pealed anew, and zigzag streaks of fire 
 flamed forth from the cleft heavens. Hoarse cries 
 of terror escaped from Philistine throats, but the old 
 Hebrew never moved, and to the frightened men his 
 face seemed rapt, as if he had gone into a trance, like 
 their soothsayers when giving an oracle from the 
 gods. 
 
 128
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 The captain of the band was the first to recover 
 himself, and, swaggering up to the old man, he de- 
 manded, " Dost think, thou dotard, that thy God 
 speaketh to thee ? Tell us what He said. His voice 
 sounded wroth, and we would know His will, lest we 
 perchance offend." 
 
 The hollow laughter of the men ill concealed their 
 panic, but the old man's lips were sealed, and they 
 were forced to seek other amusement to drown the 
 dread roaring of the storm and the eerie wailing of 
 the wind. This they did by recounting tales of bat- 
 tle, and by boasting of the murder of defenceless 
 women and children. The captain told, how, that 
 very day, he had come upon a Hebrew woman play- 
 ing with her babe, and when he had snatched the 
 child out of her arms, because she insisted there was 
 no provender in the house, she had sprung at him 
 in such fury that it had taken two of his comrades 
 to overpower and kill her. Then the old man arose. 
 He raised his clenched hands to heaven, and cried 
 aloud : " How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how 
 long shall the wicked triumph? They vaunt, they 
 speak with haughtiness. They crush thy people, O 
 Lord, they slay the widow, and murder the fatherless. 
 Arouse, Thou Judge of the earth, render unto the 
 proud their reward." 
 
 Again the earth shook and trembled, the foundation 
 of the hills quaked, they tottered, while from heaven 
 
 129
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 sounded to the ears of the Philistines the battle-cry 
 of the Lord of Israel. Then spake the Hebrew in 
 low, tense tones, so that every word, more impressive 
 than the one before, struck deeper terror to the 
 hearts of his hearers: " Rest not silent, O Lord, 
 hold not Thy peace, O God, for, lo, Thine enemies 
 rage, and Thy foes lift up their head. As flames 
 set the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with Thy 
 tempest, and terrify them with Thy storm hail- 
 stones and coals of fire !" 
 
 Beneath the feet of the Philistines the ground 
 trembled. Upon the edge of the precipice poised a 
 globe of bluish flame, which burst with a loud report 
 into a shower of flying sparks. This was followed by 
 hail-stones, which broke as they fell into coals of fire 
 pelted from the sky. Convinced that the Hebrew was 
 a wizard, who, by his arts, had brought upon them the 
 anger of his God, the foemen sank prostrate at his 
 feet. Then, as suddenly as it had arisen, the storm 
 ceased. The black clouds lifted, and the stars shone 
 forth from the torn firmament. 
 
 The captain of the band, alarmed at the sudden 
 stillness, looked up. Bidding his men not to turn 
 women, but to do as he, he straightway lay down to 
 sleep. The band was not slow to follow the example 
 of their leader. But theirs was no refreshing slum- 
 ber; they tossed restlessly, and mumbled as if a prey 
 to disquieting dreams. Yet the silence was unbroken, 
 
 130
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 save by the monotonous tramp of the sentinels or 
 by the subdued talking when the watch was relieved. 
 The old Hebrew sat brooding over the dying embers. 
 
 Such, then, was the night that brought Jonathan 
 to the side of Gabriel, with the word, " Hark! The 
 Lord calleth from heaven. The God of Israel bids 
 us forth to victory." 
 
 Under cover of the thick darkness, the boys stole 
 forth unobserved by the pickets of the camp. The 
 uproar of the storm was so great that they must 
 needs have made much noise to be heard. For a 
 while they stumbled on, scarce knowing where the 
 next step would lead them, until a flash of light- 
 ning revealed the tortuous path down Seneh. As 
 they were forced to make haste slowly, it was not 
 until the young morning was about to break through 
 the mists well-nigh hiding Michmash that the two 
 confident youths stood at the foot of Bozez. They 
 scrambled up the steep defile with great difficulty. 
 The stones cut their feet, and in the dusk they could 
 barely distinguish the impending rock, from whose 
 side jutted great bosses. As they neared the enclos- 
 ure at the summit of Bozez, the Philistine sentinel 
 caught sight of them, and called, " See, the Hebrews 
 come forth from the holes where they had hid them- 
 selves." 
 
 His comrades, worn with the vigil of the night, 
 
 131
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 still slept, and did not see the two lads turn, in feigned 
 fear, when the watchman shouted, " Come up, babes, 
 come up to us, and we'll show you a thing! " 
 
 Safe in the shelter of a rock, Jonathan turned to 
 Gabriel: " Didst hear yon babbler? 'Twill not be 
 long ere he will use that rude tongue to crave mercy 
 of the babes he so boldly mocks. But come, let us 
 not waste time. Toward the west there is no guard, 
 for the Philistines think it too steep for a man to 
 essay. I shall go thither, and climb up. Do thou 
 follow me, for this day hath the Lord delivered them 
 into the hand of Israel." 
 
 ' Yea, my lord Philistine," said Gabriel, as he went 
 after his leader, " yea, we'll come up, and show you 
 a thing." 
 
 Not many minutes had elapsed before the boys 
 stood at the base of the high cliff, in the rear of the 
 Philistine outpost, and paused to take breath before 
 making the perilous ascent. Then, clinging with 
 hands and knees to the bare projections of the rock, 
 they made slow and painful progress toward the sum- 
 mit. Had the Philistines known, had they but 
 dreamed that there was anyone in the camp of the 
 enemy so mad that he would risk life and limb to 
 reach the top of that rocky wall, there would have 
 been a swift and sudden end to the lads' daring. But 
 the sentinels were far from the spot, and the others 
 were still fast asleep, so there was none to see Jona- 
 
 132
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 than and Gabriel, much less to roll stones down upon 
 them and crush them. 
 
 Thus they crossed the parapet unharmed, and 
 found no foeman near. Glancing cautiously about, 
 they saw the group of sleepers, and stole toward 
 it, unobserved, save by the old Hebrew, who, recog- 
 nizing his countrymen, half rose to meet them. The 
 prince motioned the captive back, and laid a caution- 
 ing finger on his lips, for he had caught something of 
 the captain's muttering; but he raised his sword, ready 
 to strike in an instant. In the morning haze he 
 towered a very giant, and his stern, set face loomed 
 large and terrifying through the encircling mist. In 
 his uplifted grasp, the sword caught the reflection of 
 the red dawning from the opposite sky, and blazed, a 
 threatening flame. 
 
 The sleeper stirred, and, starting, cried: " Save me, 
 mighty Dagon, else I perish. Save me from the 
 wrath of that old man's God ! " 
 
 Then, on a sudden, opening his eyes, he beheld 
 above him the flame blade of the avenger, and his 
 gaze was held fascinated by the gleaming eyes of the 
 awful figure of his dream. " The God of the He- 
 brews is upon us ! The God of the Hebrews ! " was 
 his dying shriek. 
 
 Roused by the cry and by the clash of steel, the 
 soldiers started to their unsteady feet, and, seizing 
 what weapons they could, fought with the madness 
 
 133
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 of despair. But none could resist the terrible on- 
 slaught, and fear soon unmanned them. The sword 
 of Jonathan, forged at the anvil of the smith of Beth- 
 el, never missed its mark, and after him Gabriel and 
 the old man fought bravely. The sentinels, who had 
 turned at the shriek of their leader, stood rooted to 
 the spot, their limbs paralyzed with fear. It was not 
 until they saw the destroyer near them that they 
 gained strength to flee toward the main camp. In 
 their frenzy, some of the Philistines had leaped to 
 death over the precipice, and only a few who escaped 
 the blows of the Hebrews stumbled after the senti- 
 nels. Their wild cries, " The Hebrews' God ! The 
 Hebrews' God ! " reached the watch at the camp long 
 before they came in sight, and the startled men, 
 deeming the fugitives the vanguard of their enemy, 
 gave the alarm. So Philistine rushed forth to slay 
 Philistine ! Again the earth quaked, and in the camp 
 of the spoilers there was a mighty trembling of God. 
 In their terror and confusion they struck blindly on 
 every side, beating down one another, and there was 
 a very great discomfiture. 
 
 Now, that first slaughter which Jonathan and his 
 armor-bearer made was twenty men, within as it were 
 an half furrow of an acre of land which a yoke of 
 oxen might plough. But it seemed scarce a moment 
 to them, ere they were forced to pause, since not one 
 living foeman remained in the dread circle of the 
 
 134
 
 THE FALL OF MICHMASH 
 
 rock. Short was their breathing-space. From the 
 main camp of the enemy came the din of renewed 
 fighting. " Lo," said Jonathan, " as in the days of 
 Gideon, the Lord hath turned every man's hand 
 against his brother." Then he and Gabriel hastened 
 to the place of conflict. 
 
 Close upon them followed the army of Saul, for 
 the king heard the tumult that was in the camp of the 
 Philistines, and how it went on and increased. There- 
 fore Saul cried together all the people that were with 
 him, and they came up to the battle. And the He- 
 brews that were with the Philistines before that time 
 turned to be with the Israelites with Saul and Jona- 
 than. Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid 
 themselves in Mount Ephraim, when they heard that 
 the Philistines had fled, even they also followed hard 
 after them in the battle. 
 
 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle 
 passed over to Beth-aven. 
 
 135
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 HABDALAH 
 
 ECEMBER days are short, and when the 
 exciting story of Jonathan had been told, 
 twilight was already gathering. The boys 
 soon engaged in a heated argument over the claim of 
 David or Jonathan to be called the braver, and so 
 intent were they that Grandma slipped from the 
 room, and it was not until she spoke from the door- 
 way that anyone knew she was gone. " It's time to 
 say farewell to Queen Sabbath," she announced, as 
 she gave the silver tray she was carrying into the 
 hands of Uncle Joshua, who had come to New York 
 for the Bar Mitzvah, and was spending Sabbath 
 with his mother. Upon the tray was a silver wine 
 cup, an oddly shaped silver box, and a candle in a 
 carved stick. 
 
 " This spice box was Uncle Mendoza's wedding 
 present to me," remarked Grandma, and she took 
 the Besamlm box in her hand. " It belonged to his 
 grandfather." 
 
 Uncle Joshua kindled the light, and began to chant, 
 while the children followed in their books: 
 
 139
 
 HABDALAH 
 
 " Eliyahu ha-Nabi, Eliyahu ha-Nabi, Eliyahu ha- 
 Nabl, bimherah yabo elenu ngim Mashiach Ben 
 David." 
 
 " O may Elijah the prophet come unto us speedily 
 with the Messiah, son of David." 
 
 Later Uncle Joshua blessed the wine, and, shaking 
 the Besamim box, inhaled its fragrance, and sent it 
 around the circle. Then he placed his hand in front 
 of the candle, saying: " Blessed art thou, O Lord our 
 God, who maketh the dark to become light." As he 
 drew his hand away, he glanced at the reflection of 
 the light in his nails. Making the final blessing, he 
 tasted the wine, then dipping his finger in the cup 
 flicked a drop or two upon the candle wick, extinguish- 
 ing the light. 
 
 As at the beginning, the service closed with a 
 prayer for Elijah's coming. 
 
 " Michael, prince of Israel, Elijah, and Gabriel," 
 they sang in the age-old melody, " come now with the 
 redeemer! Arise in the midst of the night. 
 
 " May He who maketh distinction between holy 
 and profane, pardon our sins and multiply our seed 
 as the sand and the stars of night." 
 
 " In my home, for I believe it is only a family 
 custom," said Grandma, as the last word of the 
 chorus died out, " we used for the Habdalah one 
 large wax candle which lasted from Pesach to Pesach. 
 Then it was taken by Father in his search for Ha- 
 
 140
 
 HABDALAH 
 
 metz, and it was burned with the bread and the 
 Afikoman." 
 
 " What does it mean, Grandma," asked Isabella, 
 " when it says, ' Elijah was the man to whom tidings 
 of peace were delivered by the hand of Jekuthiel.' 
 I never heard of Jekuthiel." 
 
 " Jekuthiel is supposed by some authorities to be 
 the name given to her younger son by Jochebed; but 
 because of the goodness of Pharaoh's daughter, God 
 ordained that the babe she had saved should be 
 known for all time as Moses, the name she called him. 
 There is a tradition that Phinehas, the grandson of 
 Aaron, reappeared in Elijah; it is referred to again 
 in the next verse, where Elijah is termed ' the man 
 who saw twelve generations.' ' 
 
 " Is Eliyah ha-Nabi the same as Elinova, who 
 comes on Pesach? " 
 
 " You evidently use the German name, Eliyo Novi, 
 although " and Grandma chuckled " you've Por- 
 tuguesed the sound of it. Yes, he's the same. Many 
 legends have grown up around Elijah. I'll ask Ruth 
 to tell us some of them one of these days. 
 
 " Who are Michael and Gabriel? They are men- 
 tioned with Elijah again in El Norah." 
 
 " Do you remember, Joshua," Grandma turned 
 the conversation, " how your father used to sing El 
 Norah at home when he was too old to go to syna- 
 gogue?" 
 
 141
 
 HABDALAH 
 
 " But, Grandma, that couldn't have been nearly so 
 impressive as when the Hazan begins it from the 
 Hechal." 
 
 "We've strayed from the subject, haven't we? 
 Michael and Gabriel are said to be angels, standing 
 one on the right and the other on the left of God's 
 throne. Michael executes the Lord's will in heaven, 
 and Gabriel is His agent on earth. It is Michael 
 who receives the prayers of men from the angels, and 
 delivers them to God. In one of the visions of Dan- 
 iel, Michael is the angel who wars for Israel. Ga- 
 briel is the messenger whom God sent to bring the 
 soul of Moses to Paradise, and he went down into the 
 furnace with but I'll tell you about that some other 
 time. He will sound on the Shofar to announce the 
 coming of Elijah with the Messiah the man de- 
 scended from David who is to take us back to our own 
 land. In fact, there are so many legends about 
 Michael and Gabriel that the Rabbis had even to for- 
 bid prayers being said to these angels instead of God. 
 Elijah is a favorite of the legend makers, too. In the 
 Bible we hear nothing of him or his family, until he 
 begins to preach against the idolatry of Israel. But 
 it always seems to me as if this might have been the 
 story of his call." 
 
 And then all gathered around Grandma while she 
 told the story that appears in the following pages. 
 
 142
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 N the days of Ahab, son of Omri, who 
 reigned in Samaria, the famine was sore 
 in the land of Israel. The rivers and 
 fountains were dried up. The harvest failed because 
 there was no rain, and the husbandmen were ashamed, 
 and covered their heads. The fig-trees languished, 
 the pomegranate, the palm also, and the apple, yea, 
 all the trees of the field withered. The vine-dressers 
 howled because the vine was dry. Stricken for want 
 of the fruits of the earth, the people pined away; 
 young children begged for bread, and no man broke 
 it unto them. The eyes of the beasts became dim, 
 because there was no grass. Perplexed were the 
 herds of cattle, and among the flocks of sheep was 
 there desolation. The beasts groaned, even the 
 beasts of the field cried unto God because there was 
 no pasture. 
 
 Now Ahab had as governor of his house Obadiah, 
 to whom, in the third year of the famine, came the 
 servants who had charge of the matter, and de- 
 manded food for the beasts of the king, and he had 
 none. Therefore went he unto Ahab, and told the 
 need. Then was the king much troubled, and he said 
 
 143
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 unto Obadiah, " Come now, let us go throughout the 
 land unto all fountains of water and unto all brooks, 
 peradventure we may find grass, and save the horses 
 and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts." 
 
 So they fared forth together, out from the gates 
 of the city. Down upon their heads beat the scorch- 
 ing rays of a pitiless sun. They raised pleading eyes, 
 and then, that they might not see the hard face of the 
 cloudless sky, they bent their gaze upon the ground, 
 and, behold, the earth was furrowed, but not with 
 ploughing, for the chapt ground mocked the plough- 
 men. Therefore were the fields deserted, and waste 
 and desolation was on every hand. As the king and 
 his officer walked along, lo, the wild asses stood on the 
 high places, and snuffed up the hot wind, their quiv- 
 ering tongues hung out from their parched mouths, 
 and their panting was as the panting of dragons. Not 
 a word spake Ahab or Obadiah, for each was busy 
 with his own thoughts. 
 
 At length they reached a parting of the ways. One 
 road climbed toilsomely up over the slope of a hill, 
 once thick with fruitful olive groves, but where now 
 a few sad trees lifted naked, appealing arms to the 
 sky whence fell no pitying tear. The other led down 
 into a valley once green with woods, and now shorn 
 of its foliage. Then Ahab broke silence, and said to 
 Obadiah : " Do thou go by this upper road, and I 
 will make search in the valley; and it shall be that the 
 
 144
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 one who findeth grass shall return hither, and await 
 his fellow at the fork of the roads." 
 
 Thus they separated, and Obadiah stood at the 
 fork of the roads, and waited until the king should 
 pass out of sight. Then he began the slow ascent 
 beneath the cloudless sky. His heart was heavy 
 within him as he thought on the sin of the king and 
 on the sin of the people. For Israel had turned aside 
 after Ahab to serve false gods, and the anger of the 
 Lord had been kindled against them, and He had 
 shut up the heavens that there was neither rain nor 
 dew in its season, and the land did not yield her 
 fruit. Yet had the Lord been slow to anger and long- 
 suffering. For from the days when Jeroboam, 
 the son of Nebat, had rebelled against the house of 
 David, and had set up at Beth-el a golden bull, and 
 a golden calf at Dan, and made houses of high places, 
 that the people might worship before the idols and 
 go not up at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and at 
 the Feast of Booths, to offer sacrifices in the Temple 
 at Jerusalem, Israel had been ever ready to stray from 
 the path of the fathers, to the right hand and to the 
 left. 
 
 And now there reigned over the land a king who 
 did evil in the eyes of the Lord above all that were 
 before him. As though it were too light a thing for 
 him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, he took to wife 
 Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidon- 
 
 145
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 ians, and went and served Baal and worshipped him. 
 In Samaria had he builded an house to Baal, and 
 upreared therein a graven image and an altar, and at 
 the side thereof made he a grove to Ashtoreth. Over 
 the altar set he priests of Baal, whom Jezebel had 
 brought from her own land; and prophets of Baal 
 had the queen also with her, and servants of Ashto- 
 reth, which she placed in the groves, that they might 
 entice the people after vanities. The prophets of the 
 Lord did Jezebel hunt down to kill them, and Ahab 
 the king lifted not his finger to put an end to the 
 slaughter. 
 
 Many there were of the people who corrupted 
 themselves willingly, in bowing down before false 
 gods; and because the terror of the queen was so 
 great throughout the land, some that still prayed in 
 secret to the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, 
 nevertheless refrained not from sacrificing unto Baal. 
 Yet was there a remnant in Israel who kept the way 
 of the Lord, and burned not incense on the high 
 altars, nor kissed the abomination ; and one there was 
 that, even in the palace of the king and among the 
 servants of Ahab, dared to reprove the iniquities of 
 the people, and call upon his fellows to put the re- 
 proach from them and obey the word of the Lord, 
 that He had given by the hand of Moses, the faith- 
 ful in His house : " Thou shalt have no other gods 
 before me; thou shalt not make unto thyself any 
 
 146
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 graven image; neither shalt thou bow thyself down 
 to them nor serve them." Phinehas he was, the son 
 of Uri, and his father was captain of the royal 
 guards. They were of the tribe of Manasseh, that 
 dwelt in Gilead beyond Jordan. It had been the 
 child's delight to hear from his mother's lips the story 
 of that other Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the 
 high priest, who had been zealous for the Lord. For 
 even in the days of Moses had the people gone after 
 other gods, and had joined unto Baal-peor. They 
 provoked the Lord to anger with their inventions, 
 and the plague brake in upon them. And, behold, 
 while all the people were weeping before the door of 
 the tabernacle of the congregation, Zimri, a prince in 
 Israel, took unto his tent a strange woman, who 
 served Baal. Then stood up Phinehas and executed 
 judgment; for he took his javelin in his hand, and 
 went after the man into the tent, and slew both him 
 and the woman, and so the plague was stayed from 
 the children of Israel. 
 
 The eyes of the young Phinehas glowed, and the 
 mother smiled into the face of her son. " See to it," 
 she admonished, " that thou art worthy of the name 
 thou bearest, because through it thou didst enter into 
 the covenant which the Lord had with Phinehas the 
 priest, because he made atonement for the children 
 of Israel, and turned away the wrath of the Lord 
 that it consumed them not." 
 
 147
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 When the son of Uri was grown to young man- 
 hood, his father sent for him, that he might enter 
 the service of Ahab. The frank face and noble bear- 
 ing of Phinehas pleased the king, who bestowed upon 
 him many marks of favor. But deep in the heart of 
 the youth were his mother's words, and he brought 
 upon himself the anger of Uri his father, in that he 
 steadfastly refused homage unto Baal. Nor was he 
 long content with silent devotion, as if he had eyes 
 that saw not and lips that could not speak. He 
 held not his peace while those about him went after 
 idols, but ever urged them to return to the Lord and 
 remember what word he sent by Moses : " I am the 
 Lord your God who brought you up out of the land 
 of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God." 
 But they ceased not from their evil doings, nor from 
 their stubborn ways. Therefore did Phinehas resolve 
 in his heart to go before Ahab and plead with him. 
 
 " My lord king," he said, " if only thou wouldst 
 put from thee this evil, and return again to the Lord, 
 then would the people follow after thee, and no 
 longer make sacrifices of abomination on the altars 
 thou hast let be upreared throughout thy land." 
 
 Then was the wrath of Ahab aroused. " Dost 
 thou," he cried, " presume to tell thy king the way 
 in which he should go? Beware lest I forget thy 
 father's faithfulness and thine own past loyalty, and 
 send thee from my sight." 
 
 148
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 " An thou givest me my freedom," replied Phi- 
 nehas, " then will I gladly go back to Gilead, to the 
 home of the mother who bade me abide true to the 
 Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and there will I wor- 
 ship Him." 
 
 " And I," rejoined the king, " will go on the mor- 
 row to the house of Baal, and will myself bring an 
 offering to the priest therein, that all Israel may know 
 that in these lands is Baal the god." 
 
 On the morrow, when Ahab came forth from the 
 house of Baal, whither he had gone publicly to wor- 
 ship, a man stood before the porch of the house 
 prophesying to the crowd at the gate. And the man 
 stood in the way that the king must pass. Wherefore 
 soldiers of the guard sprang forward to push him 
 aside, but the king rejoiced in his heart that the son 
 of Uri should see his deed, and he signed to the guard 
 that they let the man be. And as Ahab paused upon 
 the threshold of the temple, there came to his ear 
 this word: 
 
 " Hearken unto me, ye who have forsaken the 
 Lord, give ear unto my words, ye that suffer a king 
 to sit on the throne of Israel who serves a strange 
 god, and worships a thing of evil ! " 
 
 There was an uneasy stir in the crowd, and the son 
 of Uri turned, and beheld the startled king, whose 
 tongue had suddenly cleaved to the roof of his mouth. 
 
 " No longer will I serve thee, O Ahab, for thou 
 
 149
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 dost joy in thy sin. I go eastward to Gilead and to 
 the wilderness beyond Jordan. There, in the land 
 that Moses won, will I seek the Lord, and in the 
 Mountain of God shall I find Him. In the solitude 
 will I listen for His voice, and in the silence will He 
 speak with me. But the day cometh," and again he 
 addressed the ever growing throng, " when ye, O 
 children of Israel, shall weary of your backsliding, 
 and shall cry out against the strange woman who stir- 
 reth up your king to work wickedness. Then will 
 your cry reach God, yea, the Lord will hear it, and 
 send me hither yet again to lead you to return unto 
 Him that ye have forgot. And let this be the sign 
 thereof, that I shall no more be called by the name of 
 Phinehas ben Uri, for of Phinehas am I not worthy, 
 seeing that the son of Omri yet liveth and flaunteth 
 the idolatrous woman in the eyes of the Lord. Nor 
 will I be called the son of my father, who serves Baal. 
 But because I live henceforth to restore Israel to the 
 Mighty One who brought them up from Egypt, give 
 me the name Eliyahu, to show that my God is the 
 Lord." 
 
 Awestricken and ashamed, king and soldiers and 
 multitude stood dumb before the prophet. In swift 
 silence he passed through their midst, and in an in- 
 stant he was gone, with none to tell the way he took. 
 
 Then went Ahab to his house heavy and displeased, 
 because of the rebuke Elijah had spoken unto him. 
 
 150
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 And he laid him down upon the bed, and turned his 
 face to the wall, and would eat no bread. Then Jeze- 
 bel, his wife, came to him, and said, " Why is thy 
 spirit sad, that thou eatest no bread? " And he told 
 his wife, and Jezebel said unto him, " Dost thou now 
 govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise and eat bread 
 and let thine heart be merry. I will give this man 
 into thine hand." 
 
 So she sent forth to seek Elijah, but they brought 
 him not before her; for no man could say where he 
 might be found. Yet ever and again from beyond 
 Jordan came the tidings: A new prophet is in our 
 midst. From the cleft earth doth he spring up, and 
 in the whirlwind goeth he away. A flame of fire is 
 the word of the Lord in his mouth, and his rebuke 
 stuns like a thunderbolt. 
 
 Hard on the track of these sayings followed the 
 hunters of Jezebel, and when they were come unto 
 the place whence was the news, lo, he was heard of 
 in a more distant region. It was noised about that 
 sometimes his pursuers came upon him as he was 
 preaching, and if a hand was put out to seize him, it 
 withered with palsy, and fell down, and the tongue 
 that would denounce him clave to the parched palate. 
 Soon they began to talk of the marvellous cures 
 wrought by the prayers of the man of God, at whose 
 word the Lord restored health and vigor to the sick, 
 the halt, the blind. Rumor had it that at the touch 
 
 151
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 of his lips the fleeing soul came back into the body. 
 To the prophets of the Lord in their black moments 
 of doubt came a tall shaggy man, wrapped in a goat- 
 skin mantle and girt with a girdle of leather, and, 
 lo, faith was restored to their hearts, and they were 
 filled with new courage, as though they had had 
 speech face to face with an angel of the Lord. 
 And from lip to lip, and from mouth to mouth went 
 the word of the prophet. Heart spake it unto heart, 
 and soul unto soul gave it utterance. For one word 
 had Elijah for them that had sinned, and for them 
 that hesitated. One message was his for them that 
 feared to pray aloud to the Lord, and for them that 
 worshipped both the god of the stranger and the God 
 of their fathers. Unto all the children of Israel 
 he cried, " Shob tashubu I'Adonai! Return, return 
 to the Lord ! " Thus ever did he begin to preach, and 
 with like words he made an end of speaking, 
 ' Tasheb-na, Adonai, tasheb et leb ha- Am ha-zeh 
 elecha! Restore now, O Lord, restore the heart of 
 this people to Thy service ! " And for all these 
 things men called him Ha-Tishbi. 
 
 As time wore on, and the murmurs of the people 
 against Jezebel waxed louder, Ahab continued yet 
 more defiant in his evil ways, and outdid all the 
 wicked kings that were before him. Then began 
 many of the people to dwell on the scene at the temple 
 gate and wonder when their leader would be restored 
 
 152
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 unto them. And ever the number grew that prayed, 
 " Cause us, O Lord, to rejoice in the coming of Thy 
 servant, the prophet Elijah." 
 
 Then one day came the news : " Elijah is come 
 back. He is gone before Ahab." The whole land 
 held its breath, and even they who had wandered 
 farthest, waited what should befall Jezebel. Ere long 
 the news from Samaria spread like wildfire. Elijah 
 had come back, not to strike Ahab and Jezebel alone, 
 but to denounce on the whole people the sentence of 
 the Lord. 
 
 For, as Ahab was feasting with chosen comrades 
 in the pleasure gardens of his ivory palace, even as 
 he was pouring a libation of thanksgiving to Baal for 
 the gift of plenty, Elijah had appeared and pro- 
 claimed: " As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before 
 whom I stand, there shall be neither rain nor dew in 
 these lands save at my word." Then was he gone as 
 suddenly as he had come, and none to stay him. 
 
 That night all Samaria was in a turmoil, and the 
 hunters of Jezebel, on fleet steeds, rode out from the 
 city gates. But never a trace of Elijah did they find ; 
 and this time the prophet had, indeed, disappeared, 
 as though the earth had swallowed him. There was 
 no word from beyond Jordan, no talk of his deeds 
 among the people. 
 
 As Obadiah walked along, he pondered on these 
 things, and a prayer arose from the depths of his 
 
 153
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 soul, that the Lord would free the land from its dis- 
 tress. He lifted his gaze to the cloudless sky, when, 
 as if in answer, there appeared before him, on the 
 road, a tall man, girt with a girdle of leather. Over 
 his broad brown shoulders was thrown a shaggy 
 mantle of goatskin, upon which tumbled thick black 
 locks. Streaked with the white of grief was the long 
 beard that hid the firm chin and sensitive mouth, but 
 unclouded were the deep-set eyes that turned their 
 sorrowing depths on Obadiah. And Obadiah knew 
 him, and fell on his face, and said, " Is it thou, my lord 
 Elijah? " and he said, " Yea, it is even I. Go tell 
 thy lord, Ahab the king, ' Behold, Elijah is here.' ' 
 
 Then the heart of Obadiah sank within him, for 
 the voice of the prophet sounded stern in his ears, 
 and his eyes were on the ground, and saw not the 
 tender aspect of the gentle face. And he clasped the 
 bare knees of Elijah, and cried, " Wherein have I 
 sinned, that thou wouldst deliver thy servant into the 
 hand of Ahab to slay me? " 
 
 When Elijah spake again, it was in a voice to 
 soothe a frightened child, and he said: "Lift up 
 thine eyes. Fear not. Good is the word I have for 
 the king." 
 
 But the habit of caution was strong upon Obadiah', 
 and the voice of alarm would not be stilled. So he 
 went on: 
 
 " As the Lord thy God liveth, there is not a nation 
 
 154
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 or a kingdom whither my lord has not sent to seek 
 thee. And when they said, ' He is not here,' he took 
 an oath of the nation or kingdom that they found 
 thee not. And now thou sayest, Go tell thy lord, 
 ' Behold, Elijah is here.' And it shall be that as 
 soon as I am gone from thee, the whirlwind of the 
 Lord will carry thee whither I know not. And when 
 I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he 
 shall slay me, but, as thou knowest, I thy servant fear 
 the Lord from my youth. Does not my lord re- 
 member what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets 
 of the Lord ? How I took an hundred of the Lord's 
 prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed 
 them with bread and water? And now thou sayest, 
 Go tell thy lord, ' Behold, Elijah is here,' and he shall 
 slay me." 
 
 Then said Elijah : " As the Lord of hosts liveth 
 before whom I stand, I shall surely show myself unto 
 Ahab this day. And if thou seekest proof, know that 
 I have journeyed far to bring the word of the Lord 
 unto Ahab, yea, even from Zarephath, which is in 
 Sidon, am I come." 
 
 "From Sidon!" echoed the astonished Obadiah. 
 ;< Wert thou abiding among a strange people? I 
 thought thee back in Gilead, or in the wilderness, be- 
 yond Jordan." 
 
 " Yea, thou didst think right. I was in the land 
 beyond Jordan, until the drought reached there. For, 
 
 155
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 first, when I had promised famine unto Ahab, the 
 word of the Lord came to me, saying, ' Get thee up, 
 and turn thee eastward to the brook Cherith, that is 
 before Jordan, and dwell there. Behold, I have com- 
 manded the ravens to feed thee there, and the water 
 of the brook shalt thou drink.' I did according to the 
 word of the Lord, until the water of the brook dried 
 up. Then the Lord sent me to Zarephath, where was 
 a widow woman to sustain me. When I came upon 
 her at the gate of the city, she was gathering two 
 sticks, to bake a cake of the handful of meal and the 
 little oil that was left her, that she and her son might 
 eat and die. But by the word of the Lord the hand- 
 ful of meal in the barrel wasted not, neither did the 
 oil fail. And I lodged with her, and one day, when 
 her son was near unto death, I took him into the 
 upper chamber and laid him upon my own bed. 
 Then I called unto the Lord, and He heard me, and 
 did restore the soul of the lad. The boy liveth to-day. 
 He bideth not far from here, for he left his home to 
 come and serve me." 
 
 Though he knew it not, Obadiah repeated unto 
 Elijah the words of the widow of Zarephath : " Now 
 I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word 
 of the Lord in thy mouth is truth." 
 
 Then said Elijah, " An thy doubts wherewith 
 thou doubted me are still, go thou before me unto the 
 king." 
 
 156
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 So Obadlah and Elijah went to meet Ahab. When 
 they neared the fork of the roads, behold, the king 
 was standing there with dejected bearing, and Oba- 
 diah knew that his search had proved fruitless. And 
 Elijah stood to one side, and Obadiah hasted to make 
 obeisance before his master. Ahab said, " If I be 
 not deceived, good is the word thou hast for me." 
 
 " Yea," made he answer, " good is the word I have 
 for thee, O king, but grass have I not found." 
 
 He met the questioning gaze of the king, and hur- 
 ried on, " The man, whom thou hast so long sought, 
 even Elijah the prophet, is at hand." 
 
 " And thou sayest thy word is good? Of a truth, 
 thou knowest this man has never said good of me in 
 his life, only evil hath he spoken. What new ill " 
 
 " Pardon, my lord," interrupted Obadiah, " an 
 thou dost consider but a little, thou wilt remember 
 how far and how long thou didst seek this man in 
 vain, and now of himself is he come." 
 
 Still Ahab was silent, and his eyes were filled with 
 trouble. Obadiah spake further: 
 
 "If thou wilt but think again, O my lord Ahab, 
 thou wilt know, moreover, that it is only at his word 
 that the rain and the dew will again gladden the 
 earth." 
 
 Then said Ahab, " Show me Elijah." 
 
 And he said, " Behold, Elijah is here." 
 
 Ahab looked up, and, lo, Elijah met him at the 
 157
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 fork of the roads, and the eyes of the king sought the 
 sky in vain for a cloud. 
 
 Then spoke Ahab, " Art thou he that troubleth 
 Israel?" 
 
 And he said, " I have not troubled Israel, but 
 thou and thy father's house, in that ye have for- 
 saken the commandments of the Lord, and followed 
 after Baalim, and led the people astray. But even 
 now, if thou wilt return, will the Lord have mercy." 
 
 Ahab made reply: " This people is too great, and, 
 as thou well knowest, too stiffnecked to be led like 
 sheep. Of their own accord have they worshipped 
 Baal. Of a truth, there are many that do offer to the 
 Lord to-day, and sacrifice unto Baal to-morrow." 
 
 " No man can serve two masters," said Elijah, 
 sternly, " even if Baal were not but a dream of 
 vanity." 
 
 " But," said Obadiah, " who is there to rouse the 
 people from their dream? Who can show them the 
 right way? For even as we, they stand at the fork 
 of the roads, and know not whether to go up by the 
 hill or down into the valley." 
 
 Then Elijah gave order unto Ahab: " Send thou, 
 and gather me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the 
 prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the 
 prophets of the groves, four hundred, that eat at 
 Jezebel's table. There will I make a test, and I will 
 show the people by which way they should walk." 
 
 158
 
 AT THE FORK OF THE ROADS 
 
 So Elijah the prophet went from before Ahab the 
 king, and as he looked back, lo, Ahab's gaze was on 
 the cloudless sky, as he still stood at the fork of the 
 roads, hesitant. 
 
 159
 
 THE GOOD CARPENTER 
 
 ES, I know this story stops in the middle," 
 said Grandma, anticipating criticism, " but 
 this seems the best place to tell a legend 
 that has been related about the period of famine, and 
 to-morrow we can learn what Elijah did at Carmel. 
 " One time, runs the story, there was a carpenter 
 in Samaria who had always performed the will of 
 God, and had early and late protested against the 
 idolatry of Israel. Yet, when the drought came, he 
 suffered greatly, becoming so poor that he had not 
 clothes in which to venture from the house in search 
 of work. His wife finally begged apparel for her 
 husband from a neighbor, and sent him into the 
 streets. While he was walking along with downcast 
 eyes, pondering on his fate, and praying to God to 
 help him procure food for his hungry household, an 
 old man suddenly stood in his way. 
 
 ' I am a skilful builder,' said the stranger, ' and 
 I am in search of work. Canst thou direct me where 
 to find it?'" 
 
 * 'Alas, no,' said the miserable man, ' I, too, am 
 hunting a chance to build, but since the Holy One, 
 blessed be He, hath sent punishment upon us, there 
 
 160
 
 THE GOOD CARPENTER 
 
 is scarcely a man who can earn a wage himself, much 
 less pay another.' 
 
 " 'Let us both set forth together,' suggested the 
 old man. ' Perchance if two labor for the wage of 
 one, we can find some to hire us.' 
 
 " Nothing loth to have a companion to help him 
 forget his woe, the carpenter agreed, and he found 
 the talk of the other so pleasing that he knew not 
 how far he went. In truth, it had not seemed an 
 hour's walk before they stopped, and, lo, he found 
 himself in a strange country. The power to speak 
 was gone from him, so that he asked no question, but 
 as in a dream he followed his guide into the presence 
 of a prince, who engaged them to build a house. They 
 two toiled hard, and the work went on with such 
 swiftness that the carpenter well-nigh came to believe 
 that invisible beings were aiding them. When the 
 house was completed, and they had received payment, 
 the stranger led him back to Samaria, then saying, 
 1 For thy faithfulness have I helped thee. I am Eli- 
 jah,' he vanished." 
 
 ' That's a regular Arabian Nights' story," was 
 the unanimous judgment, with which Grandmother 
 agreed. 
 
 161
 
 CARMEL
 
 CARMEL 
 CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS 
 
 HE house was strangely quiet for Sunday, 
 when the children and their friends usu- 
 ally gathered for an indoor romp. For 
 a while Grandma dozed peacefully in her comfort- 
 able chair, and then, becoming conscience-stricken be- 
 cause of her promise to tell the story of Carmel, she 
 went up to the play-room. No one was to be found. 
 She sought in Mother's room without success, and 
 she was about to return to her nap with a sweet sense 
 of security, when, suddenly, a blood-curdling yell 
 struck her ear, and from all parts of the house a band 
 of Indians rushed, surrounding the old lady before 
 she had a chance to draw breath. Gently but firmly 
 they forced her back into the nursery and into the 
 old rocker. " We won't hurt you," whispered the 
 smallest girl (for this band had their women with 
 them ) , but she was promptly suppressed by an indig- 
 nant hand put over her mouth by the one Indian who 
 carried a sword. After a serious consultation, the 
 chief addressed Grandmother, and in polite but de- 
 cided tones told her she was to be held for ransom. 
 
 165
 
 CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS 
 
 In vain the white-haired captive pleaded that she had 
 nothing of value with her, and her friends could not 
 come to her, for they did not know her whereabouts. 
 She had hoped her prayer would be of avail, when 
 a voice insisted : " We must have wansom. It's 
 eiver vat or a tomahawk." 
 
 She shuddered, and looked around for a means of 
 escape, but there was none. Then she yielded. 
 
 " I know a story I was going to tell to some grand- 
 children of mine. I don't know if Indians would like 
 it. There's no fighting in it. But that's all I have, 
 and I don't want to be tomahawked." 
 
 She was soon assured that a story would be her 
 best means of winning freedom, and that even savages 
 could enjoy a tale of hers. In fact, that she might 
 feel the more secure, and not look so frightened, the 
 Indians sat down on the floor in a peaceful circle at 
 her feet; and to this strange audience Grandma told 
 the following story: 
 
 166
 
 CARMEL 
 
 OTH were the prophets of Baal to obey 
 the summons of Ahab; all unwillingly 
 assembled at Carmel the servants of Ash- 
 toreth, for in their hearts was misgiving, and their 
 breasts were filled with strange foreboding. Was 
 the king gone mad? Why, else, had he withheld 
 his hand from slaying the enemy, whom they had 
 long sought, or why, else, had he done the bidding 
 of the hated Elijah, against whose word all their 
 oaths and boasts had been as nothing? 
 
 In vain had they avowed Baal the god of plenty, 
 all-potent master of the fruitful earth, in whose gift 
 was the season of rich harvest and bounteous vintage. 
 The Jealous One of Sinai, the God whom Israel had 
 forsaken, spake by the mouth of Elijah, and at His 
 word the dire famine had come, and all their vows 
 and all their prayers and all their mystic rites could 
 not charm from the locked heavens the longed-for 
 showers. For three years had the chapt ground 
 mocked them, and the cloudless sky proclaimed, day 
 by day, that only when Elijah lifted up his voice 
 would a way be cleft for the lightning and a channel 
 for the abundance of waters, to satisfy the desolate 
 
 167
 
 CARMEL 
 
 ground and cause the tender grass to spring forth. 
 Would this " Tishbi " never come? Every moment 
 of delay was torment. 
 
 Scarcely less impatient were the people of Israel, 
 before whose gaze, in stern rebuke, Carmel the 
 Vineyard of God rose desolate. No wealth of lau- 
 rel groves, no tangle of herbage rested the tired eye. 
 On the naked slopes jutted bare crags, and here and 
 there, deep-rooted in the rocks, stood meagre clumps 
 of leafless trees. No roaring torrent or splashing 
 streamlet sounded invitation to drink of its cooling 
 water. Dark furrows on the mountain side with 
 weary iteration told the hopeless tale of empty chan- 
 nels, save where a few silver threads widely scattered 
 and scarce discernible lingered amid the seams. No 
 tall oaks or green firs crowded the lofty summit. 
 Bereft even of its cloud cap, the peak sweltered in the 
 early sun. And had the once burdened valleys beyond 
 been visible, the eyes of those who beheld would have 
 instinctively closed to shut out the glimpse of that 
 wasted beauty. 
 
 In truth, even the sight of the mountain was well 
 nigh unendurable to the people, who shifted restlessly, 
 and wondered if the God of Elijah had yet more 
 evil in store for them. Surely, the prayers which 
 they had renewed to Him and the sacrifices which 
 they had again offered Him would be of some avail I 
 Or was He in very truth a jealous God, who brooked 
 
 168
 
 CARMEL 
 
 no worship of graven images? In their zeal to pro- 
 pitiate both Baal and the Lord of hosts, had they in- 
 curred the anger of two gods? For, surely, Baal also 
 was a god. Were not his cities of Tyre and Sidon 
 rich and powerful? Had not Samaria and Israel 
 flourished under his protection, until this meddlesome 
 Elijah appeared? 
 
 Of a sudden sounded the call, " Prepare the way 
 of the king," and the chariot of Ahab drove swiftly 
 between the parted ranks. As the king was about 
 to descend from his chariot to be as one among the 
 people, his eye caught the contemptuous look of the 
 prophets of Baal, and his foot hesitated. Then upon 
 his startled ear thundered the query, " How long, 
 O Ahab, wilt thou halt at the fork of the roads? " 
 
 The king sank back abashed, while his eyes tried 
 to meet the piercing glance of the prophet Elijah, but 
 they fell confused. And Ahab the king answered 
 never a word. 
 
 The crowd, struck dumb at the sudden appearance 
 of the prophet, trembled as he turned and faced them. 
 But his tone was gentle, and seemed to hold naught 
 but tender yearning as he said, " How long, O Israel, 
 do ye stumble where the roads branch? If the Lord 
 be God, follow Him, but if Baal, then follow him." 
 And the people answered never a word. 
 
 Sternly, indeed, spake the prophet. " How long, O 
 prophets of Baal, will ye make lying promises of rain ? " 
 
 169
 
 CARMEL 
 
 Upon the heavy stillness the question quivered un- 
 answered. 
 
 A flitting smile lit up the sombre face, and was 
 gone ere Elijah lifted up his voice, and cried aloud, 
 " I, even I, am left alone, a prophet of the Lord, and 
 Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men, and 
 their multitude worship vanity and emptiness, and 
 make supplication before a god that cannot save." 
 
 Under the exaltation of his tones the people 
 thrilled, and an involuntary wave of assent shook 
 them, as he went on : " This day shall ye know in 
 your hearts, O sons of Israel, that the Lord indeed 
 is God. In heaven above and on earth beneath there 
 is none else." 
 
 With rapt face upturned, Elijah stood silent, and 
 the people held their breath. When he spoke again, 
 it was to give direction: 
 
 " Let the prophets of Baal provide two bullocks, 
 and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and 
 cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no 
 fire under. I will dress the other bullock, and lay 
 it on the wood, and put no fire under. Let them 
 call on the name of their gods, and I will call on the 
 name of the Lord of hosts, and let him that answer- 
 eth by fire be acknowledged God." 
 
 Then answered all the people, and said, " It is well 
 spoken." 
 
 Then said Elijah unto the prophets of Baal, 
 
 170
 
 CARMEL 
 
 " Choose you a bullock for yourselves, and dress it 
 first, for ye are many, and call on the name of your 
 god, and put no fire under." 
 
 Silently the prophets of Baal obeyed. In silence 
 they prepared the bullock, and in silence they laid it 
 on the altar. And no voice was lifted among the 
 people. When all was finished, they cried aloud, 
 " Hear us, Baal, O hear us." 
 
 Then they fell on their faces, and some among the 
 people covered their heads from before the fire that 
 was to fall from heaven; and there was none. 
 
 From morning even unto noon called the prophets 
 of Baal upon the name of their god. But there was 
 no voice nor any that answered. And they leaped 
 upon the altar they had made. 
 
 And when they had done thus vainly until noon, 
 Elijah mocked them, saying: " Cry aloud; for he is 
 a god. Either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or 
 he is on a journey, or, peradventure, he sleepeth, and 
 must be awaked." 
 
 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after 
 their manner with knives and lances, until the blood 
 gushed out upon them. But midday passed without 
 a sign. Then they renewed their frenzy, and cast 
 aside their garments, and danced in naked madness, 
 and clamored hoarsely. And some fell in convul- 
 sions, and the earth was red with blood. Thus they 
 did up to the time of the offering of the evening obla- 
 
 171
 
 CARMEL 
 
 tion. But there was no voice, nor any that answered, 
 nor any that regarded. 
 
 Then came forth Elijah before the people, and he 
 said, " Come near unto me." In mute obedience they 
 gathered about him. Taking twelve stones, accord- 
 ing to the number of the sons of Jacob, to whom the 
 word of the Lord had come, saying, " Israel shall 
 be thy name," Elijah built an altar in the name of 
 the Lord, and made a trench about it as great as 
 would hold two measures of seed. Then he bade the 
 people u fill four barrels of water, and put it on the 
 burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, " Do 
 it the second time." They did it the second time. 
 And he bade them, " Do it the third time." They 
 did it the third time, and the water ran round about 
 the altar, and the trench also he filled with water. 
 Then Elijah prayed: " O Lord, the God of Abra- 
 ham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day 
 that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy 
 servant, and that all these things I have done at Thy 
 word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people 
 may know that Thou, Lord, art the One Only God, 
 and that Thou hast turned their hearts back again." 
 
 The prophets of Baal had failed. Would Elijah's 
 prayer find answer? Scarce had they time to ask 
 themselves the question, when, in a sudden, blinding 
 flash, the fire of the Lord fell from heaven, and con- 
 sumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones 
 
 172
 
 CARMEL 
 
 and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the 
 trench. Awe-stricken the people fell on their faces, 
 and cried, " Adonai Hu ha-Elohimf Adonai Hu ha- 
 Elohim! The Lord He is God! The Lord He 
 is God!" 
 
 And Elijah responded, " Shemang Yisrael Adonai 
 Elohenu Adonai Echad! Hear, O Israel, the Lord 
 our God, the Lord is One," and the people sobbed 
 it after him. 
 
 " Since ye have, indeed, repented of your back- 
 sliding," said Elijah, " and have returned again unto 
 the Lord who alone is God, this day will He restore 
 the rain." 
 
 Too overcome were the people to grasp the full 
 import of the solemn promise, but they strained 
 their eyes to see what further wonder would come to 
 pass, when, so speaking, Elijah and his servant, the 
 son of the widow of Zarephath, began the ascent of 
 Carmel. The two figures slowly dwindled in the dis- 
 tance. Suddenly the taller stopped, and in a moment 
 was lost to sight, while the watchers beheld the other 
 press swiftly on. For, as they neared the summit, 
 Elijah, who had spoken no word to his comrade, being 
 lost in thought, came upon a grassy knoll. Here 
 he paused for a moment, and then, swayed by deep 
 emotion, he sank down upon the earth, and bowed 
 his head between his knees. Thus he sate for a space 
 in silence; then, without lifting up his eyes, he spake 
 
 173
 
 CARMEL 
 
 to his servant, " Go now and look toward the sea I " 
 
 With quick steps the lad started up the narrow 
 path, now stumbling in his eager haste and now leap- 
 ing lightly from rock to rock until he stood at the 
 edge of the cliff, and, lo ! his expectant gaze searched 
 a cloudless sky ablaze with the fire of the declining 
 sun, and swept a calm blue sea. 
 
 He turned and saw the bowed and motionless 
 figure of the prophet, and a sob tightened his throat. 
 Once more he looked out to sea, then with slow, drag- 
 ging steps he came back to the side of his master, who 
 read the word in the white face ere it was given utter- 
 ance, " There is nothing! " 
 
 "Return!" 
 
 He went again, and by many devices lengthened 
 he the time of his going, until at last he stood upon 
 the cliff, and gazed once more at the cloudless sky. 
 
 " O God," he prayed, " even as Elijah turned my 
 mother's mourning into gladness, let me now roll 
 away his grief. Let my feet upon this mountain bear 
 to him the message of good tidings." 
 
 Fearing he had not climbed far enough, he set out 
 to find another path. Long wandered he about the 
 spot, clambering on his hands and knees up the rocky 
 beds of brooks run dry. Dauntless, he went where 
 the foot of man had never trod; but always was he 
 forced back, until, weary and footsore, he stood again 
 by Elijah. Thus he came and went and came again 
 
 174
 
 " LO, FROM THE SEA RISES A CLOUD THE SlZE OF A MAN'S HAND! "
 
 CARMEL 
 
 six times. But the prophet was as if hewn of stone. 
 He neither saw nor heard the lad, for before his eyes 
 in a giddy rush danced the scenes of his life, and of 
 them all stood out in clear relief only one that sway- 
 ing mass of people at last, at last, returned to God. 
 The lips of the prophet moved, " The Lord He is 
 God! " And the boy dared not speak, lest his mas- 
 ter's heart should break. When, for the seventh 
 time, he clambered up the cliff, a weight held down 
 his lids. He could not look upon the cloudless sky. 
 Long he stood there, until, ashamed of his cowardice, 
 he raised his head. What was that shadow? His 
 own tears. He dashed them away. His aching eyes 
 strained to the distant corners of the heavens. Then 
 up to his lips rose a cry of thanksgiving, and he 
 stumbled down the rocky path to fall at the feet of 
 the prophet, sobbing, " A cloud! a cloud! " 
 
 Elijah sate there, his head still bowed upon his 
 knees, and made no sign; but the whirlwind of his 
 thoughts was stilled, and upon his soul was fallen a 
 great calm. Unwitting what he did, the youth 
 grasped the bowed shoulder as he shouted : 
 
 " O my lord Elijah, lift up thine eyes! Lo, from 
 the sea rises a cloud the size of a man's hand ! " 
 
 " Get thee down to Ahab ! " came the command. 
 " Bid him eat and drink, for there shall be the sound 
 of abundance of rain." 
 
 The boy obeyed, but ere he was gone many paces, 
 175
 
 CARMEL 
 
 he looked back, and seeing Elijah still bowed and 
 motionless, he would have returned to his master in 
 alarm, had not the prophet called: " Why dost thou 
 lag and falter? Haste thee ! Say unto Ahab, ' Pre- 
 pare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stay 
 thee not.' " 
 
 And in the meanwhile it came to pass that the 
 heaven grew black with clouds and wind, and there 
 was a great rain. And the hand of the Lord was 
 upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins, and went 
 down from Carmel. 
 
 176
 
 THE PASSING OF ELIJAH 
 
 M I free? " smiled Grandma, when the 
 story was concluded. " I suppose so," 
 was the ungracious permission. 
 
 " If Ruth were only here," remarked Grandma, 
 " I would give her my mantle, and let her answer 
 some of the questions quivering on your tongues, for 
 the fright of my capture has not yet passed from me." 
 
 The faces of the circle showed surprise through 
 their paint, and the youngest of them looked to see 
 Grandma place her snowy kerchief on the shoulders 
 of the slim maiden. 
 
 " Explain what I mean by * my mantle ', first of 
 all," suggested Grandma. 
 
 " Even after the lesson of Carmel," said Ruth, 
 " the Israelites did not all turn to serve God, but 
 still worshipped Baal through fear of Jezebel. Eli- 
 jah continued to preach among the people, and he 
 won as a follower a man by the name of Elisha, 
 the son of Shaphat, whom, the Talmud tells us, he 
 had restored from death. Once, when Elisha was 
 working in the fields, Elijah passed him, and threw 
 over him his goatskin mantle. Then Elisha knew 
 that God had summoned him to carry on the work 
 
 177
 
 THE PASSING OF ELIJAH 
 
 of his master, and he deserted his plough, delaying 
 only to kiss his father and mother; and thus he fol- 
 lowed after Elijah. 
 
 " And when the time came that the Lord would 
 take Elijah into heaven, Elisha went with Elijah from 
 Gilgal. And as they travelled, behold, the sons of 
 the prophets came, and said unto Elisha, ' The Lord 
 will take away thy master from thy head to-day.' 
 ' Yea, I know it,' returned Elisha. ' Hold ye your 
 peace ! ' So they two went on, until they came to 
 Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at 
 Jericho came near unto Elisha, and said unto him, 
 4 Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy mas- 
 ter from thy head to-day? ' And he answered, 
 ' Yea, I know it. Hold ye your peace ! ' And Elijah 
 said unto Elisha, ' Tarry here, I pray thee, for the 
 Lord hath sent me to Jordan.' And Elisha made 
 answer, ' As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, 
 I will not leave thee.' And the two went on, and 
 naught Elijah said could induce Elisha to leave him. 
 ' When they were come to Jordan, Elijah smote 
 the waters with his mantle, so that they divided, and 
 the two crossed on dry land. Upon the other side 
 Elijah said, ' O Elisha, ask what I shall do for thee 
 before I am taken.' And he said, ' Let, I pray thee, 
 a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 1 
 
 'Then said Elijah: 'A hard thing hast thou 
 asked of me. Nevertheless, if thou see me when I 
 
 178
 
 THE PASSING OF ELIJAH 
 
 am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if 
 not, it shall not be so.' 
 
 " And it came to pass as they journeyed on, talking 
 of the work yet unfinished ( for the people were still 
 far from God), behold, there appeared a chariot of 
 fire and horses of fire, that parted them asunder, and 
 Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. 
 
 " And Elisha saw it, and cried, ' My father, my 
 father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen there- 
 of ! ' And he saw Elijah no more. 
 
 " Then took he the mantle which Elijah had let 
 fall, and divided the waters of Jordan, and when the 
 sons of the prophets saw him, they said, ' The spirit 
 of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.' " 
 
 " So you thought your spirit would rest on Ruth, 
 eh? " teased Leon. " How about it, girlie, will you 
 take Grandma's mantle? " 
 
 But Ruth was overcome with shyness, and Grand- 
 ma did not urge her. 
 
 179
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 RUTH'S STORY 
 
 JUTH has told us so many stories," said 
 Grandma, " that I think we should find 
 a story for her, and therefore I am going 
 to read you my version of the prettiest love story 
 ever written." 
 
 If Jack and Ruth had not been such chums, one 
 might have thought his look scornful at the mention 
 of a love story, but the impression would soon have 
 disappeared as he drew Ruth down beside him with 
 the words: 
 
 " Go ahead. I'm very fond of the Book of Ruth. 
 In fact, I like to go to services on the afternoon of 
 Shabu'oth to read -it with the congregation." 
 
 " I am glad of that," said Grandma. " I suppose 
 your greatest fun is in reading the Azaroth." 
 
 " I wish you could hear him, Grandma. That used 
 to be one of the reasons he pegged away at his He- 
 brew, so that he could join the congregation in the 
 Azaroth," volunteered Isabel. " He can hardly wait 
 his turn to read his verse. It's the same way on 
 Tish'a be-Ab. Whenever we are home, Jack must 
 
 183
 
 RUTH'S STORY 
 
 go to synagogue, because each man has a verse in the 
 service to read, and Jack wants his turn." 
 
 Grandma smiled approval, and then drew Ruth to 
 her, while she said : 
 
 ' The title I have chosen for the story is taken 
 from that beautiful poem by Keats, ' To A Nightin- 
 gale.' He there speaks of the song of the bird find- 
 ing a path 
 
 Through the sad heart of Ruth, as, sick for home, 
 She stood in tears amid the alien corn ! " 
 
 184
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 NTREAT me not to leave thee, nor to 
 return from following after thee. Whith- 
 er thou goest, will I go, where thou lodg- 
 est, will I lodge. Thy people shall be my people, 
 thy God shall be my God." 
 
 At these words the suppliant was clasped in Na- 
 omi's passionate embrace, and Ruth's sacrifice was 
 sealed with a kiss. 
 
 The heart of Naomi was heavy within her. Ten 
 years before a famine in Bethlehem had driven her 
 forth with her husband and two sturdy boys, to seek 
 refuge in Moab. Here, in a strange land, amidst 
 worshippers of strange gods, had Naomi watched her 
 boys reach manhood, mindful of their mother's teach- 
 ing, imbued with an undying love for the land of 
 their nativity, and faithful to the Eternal God. 
 
 With great joy had she welcomed as daughters their 
 wives, Orpah and Ruth. To Ruth's delicate charms 
 she had fallen captive no less than had Elimelech 
 and Mahlon. Short had been her happiness. One 
 bitter year bereft her of husband and sons. Now, 
 a childless widow, was she fleeing that home haunted 
 with the memory of her dead. Yet God had been 
 
 185
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 merciful. He had spared to her Ruth, whose upward 
 glance of hopeful trust lightened the woe in the 
 mother's eyes. 
 
 To Ruth every step of the way was familiar. 
 Many a time, in dreams, had she taken it at her hus- 
 band's side. Together they had crossed the bare 
 lofty moors of northern Moab, and looked down at 
 the endless eastern sweep of table lands, clothed with 
 rich pastures and broken by bald knolls, on which 
 dark moving masses of camels and cattle were scarce 
 distinguishable. Northward had they turned their 
 steps through ravines, whose walls frowned on the 
 Salt Sea, that deadly foe of all life round about. 
 Hand in hand had they scaled a cliff above the sea, 
 from which Mahlon had pointed out his birthplace, 
 Bethlehem, nestling among the hills of Judah. So 
 vivid was her dream that, standing there, he had 
 seemed to teach her love for that home whose God 
 makes the cause of the widow and orphan His own, 
 and feeds the stranger. 
 
 On had they gone past Peor, and that Pisgah from 
 whose summit Balaam had unwillingly blessed Jacob, 
 and Moses had gazed on the promised land, barred 
 to him by a moment's rash disobedience. 
 
 Still farther their steps had led them to the brink 
 of the Jordan, which near the Salt Sea had lost its 
 characteristic wild beauty, and moved sluggishly be- 
 tween banks robbed of their verdure. 
 
 186
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 Here had Mahlon and Ruth stopped. Never were 
 their longings fulfilled. Never, even in fancy, had 
 they passed beyond the Jordan. So, scarce realizing 
 that her dream was at an end, the hand of Ruth 
 sought that of Naomi when they had once set foot 
 on the further shore. 
 
 From Jericho they began gradually to climb up- 
 ward, until, at the beginning of the barley harvest, 
 they reached the walled village of Bethlehem, 
 stretched out in vine-clad loveliness on the gray, bare 
 ledge of rock. 
 
 On their way through the streets a curious crowd 
 pressed round them. Children glanced at them tim- 
 idly. The young men gazed in open admiration at 
 the graceful figure, whose fair hand drew her veil 
 more closely round her, as if shutting out that gaping 
 crowd of strangers. 
 
 The old men caught a fleeting resemblance in the 
 grief -stricken form of the elder woman to the young 
 beauty whom Elimelech had wed. The question 
 framed itself on every lip, " Is this Naomi? " 
 
 " Call me not Naomi," said a voice, heart-breaking 
 in its repressed woe. " Call me Marah. The Al- 
 mighty hath dealt bitterly with me. Full went I 
 forth. Empty hath He brought me home." 
 
 Standing a little apart from the crowd was Boaz, 
 a mighty man of wealth, high in the esteem of his 
 townsmen. 
 
 187
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 At the words of Naomi he glanced meaningly at 
 Ruth, and, turning to a friend, protested: " 'Tis but 
 the mother's grief that speaks. The Lord hath 
 brought her back richer than when she went forth." 
 
 For several days Naomi and Ruth abode quietly 
 at home. Then, one morning, Ruth turned to her 
 mother-in-law with the words: " Mother, didst thou 
 not often tell me that thy God had laid charge on this 
 His people, that they do not make clean-riddance of 
 the corners of the fields, neither gather any gleaning 
 of the harvest, but that it be left to the widow and 
 the stranger? Let me, I pray thee, for I am both 
 stranger and widow, go to the field and gather after 
 him in whose eyes I may find grace." 
 
 " Go, my daughter," said Naomi. " May the God 
 of the fatherless be with thee." 
 
 As Ruth stood at the threshold of her house, the 
 new-risen sun touched with burnished gold the masses 
 crowning her pale brow. Irresolute she stood there, 
 glancing in dismay down the strange road bordered 
 by fields of ripening grain. Then her gaze sought 
 the mountain wall of Moab, overhanging the lower 
 hills of Judah. Hot tears welled to the dark eyes. 
 With an impatient hand she brushed them aside. 
 Then with head held high and stately tread, she went 
 in unveiled beauty for the first time to meet the curi- 
 ous glance of strangers. 
 
 For a while she moved in swift grace, as in a 
 188
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 dream, unconscious of her surroundings. The wav- 
 ing fields of half-reaped barley, of ripening wheat, 
 and of millet scarce ready for the scythe, were passed 
 unheeded. From their seats in the trees, or peeping 
 from the wooden towers at the edge of the field, the 
 men who had been set to guard the harvest from bird 
 and beast, stared unabashed at her marvellous beauty. 
 Frightened, the hand of Ruth sought for the accus- 
 tomed veil. Missing it, she remembered her errand. 
 In Judah the faces of the poor were uncovered. The 
 hurrying girl suddenly found herself at the entrance 
 of a field of barley. The voice of the gleaners, the 
 songs of the reapers were borne to her. Hesitating 
 but an instant, she made her way toward the centre of 
 the field. The overseer met her, and to him she pre- 
 ferred her request. 
 
 " Let me, I pray thee, gather after the reapers 
 among the sheaves." 
 
 He bowed assent. His tongue was mute before 
 her rare charms. 
 
 To the eyes of Ruth the field presented a striking, 
 but no less pleasing picture. The red and yellow in 
 the dresses of the women made bright patches of color 
 in the waving sea of barley. Here were young girls 
 binding the sheaves mown by the gleaming sickle in 
 the stalwart arms of sun-browned men. There stood 
 wagons waiting to take the bundles to the threshing 
 floor, a bare circular space in the centre of the field 
 
 189
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 made by beating down the levelled ground. Thither, 
 later in the day, would the gleaners come to beat out 
 their portion with a cudgel. In the evening the 
 owner of the field would watch the winnowing of the 
 sheaves reaped during the day. 
 
 On Ruth's first entrance, the jealous eyes of the 
 women marked the breathless bewilderment of the 
 men, whose advances toward the stranger they openly 
 mocked. 
 
 To a heart homesick with longing this was a hurt 
 well-nigh incurable. Shamefaced, the men turned to 
 work. To hide their true feelings they even repulsed 
 the stranger when she unwittingly came among the 
 sheaves. Wounded, Ruth drew away from the others. 
 Lonely, in a secluded corner of the field, she gleaned 
 through that entire morning. 
 
 Gay songs and merry laughter floated to her on the 
 air. Lovers sought their favorites, and took in good 
 part the well-meant pleasantries of comrades. 
 
 " Be on thy guard, Daniel," merrily warned one, 
 " else will Rachel bind thee with the sheaf thou art 
 tying for her." 
 
 " What matters that," he retorted stoutly, " see- 
 ing that already is the knot too tight for me to escape, 
 even if I so willed? " 
 
 " Perchance, Peleg," drawled another of the 
 reapers to the first speaker, " thou canst solve a prob- 
 lem that has long bothered me. Why is it that when 
 
 190
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 Miriam gleans after thee, thy fingers, counted the 
 most skilled in the field, become so slippery that 'tis 
 a wonder they can hold one stalk? " 
 
 " It is growing hot," whispered Peleg in the ear 
 of the blushing Miriam, as he drew his companion 
 away in transparent blindness to the knowing glances 
 exchanged around them. 
 
 It was at the noon hour that Boaz, the owner of 
 the field, came to view the progress of the work. 
 
 Pausing for a few minutes' talk with Eliezer, the 
 overseer, he asked, in what was meant for a careless 
 tone, who the strange damsel might be, who was eat- 
 ing apart from the other gleaners. 
 
 His heart beat high at the half-expected reply: 
 " It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with 
 Naomi out of the country of Moab. She said, * I 
 pray thee, let me glean after the reapers among the 
 sheaves.' So she rame, and hath continued even from 
 the morning until now that she tarries a little by the 
 house." 
 
 " Ah, then I must speak with her, and tell her that 
 I am a kinsman of her husband." 
 
 A few long strides brought him to the side of Ruth. 
 Startled, she looked at him with frightened eyes, and 
 he strove to speak calmly as he drank of their great 
 depths. 
 
 " Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean 
 in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here 
 
 191
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 fast by my maidens. Let thy eyes be on the field 
 that they do reap, and go thou after them. Have I 
 not charged the young men that they do not touch 
 thee? When thou art athirst, go thou to the vessels, 
 and drink of that which the young men have drawn." 
 
 Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the 
 ground, and said unto him : " Why have I found 
 grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge 
 of me, seeing I am a stranger? " 
 
 Boaz answered, and said unto her: " It hath been 
 fully showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy 
 mother-in-law since the death of thy husband. How 
 thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land 
 of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou 
 knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy 
 work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord 
 God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to 
 trust" 
 
 With charming humility Ruth said : " Let me find 
 words to thank thee, my lord, for that I have found 
 favor in thy sight, and thou hast comforted me, and 
 for that thou hast spoken in friendly wise unto thine 
 handmaid, although I be not like unto one of thine 
 handmaidens." 
 
 The eyes of Boaz made Ruth well aware that her 
 unrivalled beauty found, indeed, favor in his sight, 
 yet he said in a matter-of-fact tone : " At mealtime 
 come thou hither and eat of the bread and dip thy 
 morsel in the vinegar." 
 
 192
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 With these last words Boaz turned to obey the 
 unwelcome summons of Eliezer, to complete his sud- 
 denly irksome task. With surprise he saw the men, 
 their meal long finished, returned to their work. 
 Never before had the keen eyes of the master over- 
 looked the slightest inclination of his servants to 
 shirk. His strange preoccupation was a source of 
 wonder to all save the overseer, who had watched the 
 little by-play with much interest. 
 
 Scarce could Eliezer suppress a smile when Boaz 
 laid a stern charge upon the young men : " Let her 
 glean even among the sheaves and reproach her not. 
 Let fall some of the handfuls on purpose for her, and 
 leave them that she may glean them, and rebuke her 
 not." 
 
 The next morning the methodical Boaz entered 
 the field long before the accustomed hour, and the 
 dawdling reapers set to work with a will, much 
 alarmed at this strange behavior. So far as Boaz 
 realized, all work might have ceased. He had eyes 
 for none but that lonely stranger, silent in the midst 
 of gaiety. 
 
 How long the sun was in mounting the skies ! He 
 fumed inwardly. Would the noon hour never come ? 
 What an overpowering thirst led him to the water, 
 yet how quickly all desire to drink was quenched on 
 reaching the spot! How strange that Ruth did not 
 avail herself of his permission to drink of this clear, 
 cool water! 
 
 193
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 Perhaps she had misunderstood him, and was too 
 bashful to make known her needs! He half started 
 toward the fair gleaner, when a sudden fear seized 
 him that, perchance, he had been too forward and 
 had offended her. If the meal hour would only 
 hasten, that he might make amends ! 
 
 At last his well-nigh exhausted patience was re- 
 warded. Ruth stopped her work, and in a few min- 
 utes was seated a little apart from the reapers. 
 
 From a distance Boaz saw the overseer seat him- 
 self at her side and reach her some parched corn. Did 
 not the fellow know better than to force himself on 
 one who had shown such evident desire to be alone? 
 With careful indifference Boaz strolled leisurely to 
 the two, and, sitting at Ruth's other side, inquired 
 with elaborate politeness about the welfare of Naomi. 
 
 Ruth shot him a keenly amused glance, and then 
 thanked him with a cool graciousness, in such sharp 
 contrast to her bewitchingly timid manner of yester- 
 day, that he was filled with wrathful amazement. 
 Was it possible that she treated the owner of the field 
 as a stranger, even while she chatted eagerly with the 
 overseer? Was she ignorant of the honor he paid 
 her? 
 
 It was not the glance of a friend that he bestowed 
 on the seemingly unconscious Eliezer, as he rose 
 hastily and left the field. 
 
 Every day thereafter found Boaz at the side of 
 194
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 Ruth. Every hour increased his love. Every minute 
 deepened his perplexity. 
 
 For although Ruth learned to seek the advice of 
 Boaz, her manner savored too much of the pupil's 
 toward the master, for his liking. 
 
 Even when, at the end of the wheat harvest, he 
 sat in the afternoon with Naomi and Ruth on the flat 
 roof of their dwelling, he strove in vain to break 
 down the wall of reserve she had instinctively raised, 
 and win her to speak of herself. But one never-to- 
 be-forgotten day changed all this. 
 
 Coming unnoticed to the roof, he had overheard a 
 wish of Naomi's that sent him into the street filled 
 with new hope. 
 
 Thank God he was rich! The land that Naomi 
 wished to sell he would redeem, and win Ruth as his 
 reward. With buoyant tread Boaz walked through 
 the streets of Bethlehem. His heart sang for joy 
 since he had surprised Ruth's secret. 
 
 Throughout the last weeks her manner had unac- 
 countably changed toward him. No longer did she 
 seek him with her little troubles. When with him she 
 seemed strangely shy. Brief monosyllables were all 
 the answers he could win from her. He little knew 
 her fear to talk, lest her tongue turn traitor and reveal 
 what she sought to hide. At other times she took 
 refuge in teasing, and so gave the poor man little 
 peace. 
 
 195
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 Unused to the ways of women, Boaz had not 
 known what to make of this strange behavior. Once, 
 when he had sought to talk seriously with her, Ruth 
 had turned his words off. When she found that he 
 was not to be so easily diverted, she had recalled a 
 forgotten duty. 
 
 To-day he had come to the house determined to 
 assert himself and to win back the old footing, which 
 held at least fewer surprises. 
 
 Ruth and Naomi were talking so earnestly that his 
 entrance was unperceived. A query of the older 
 woman held him rooted to the spot, while he listened 
 without shame for Ruth's reply. The low words 
 escaped him, but he heard Naomi's protest: " Yea, 
 yea, but shall I not find a home for thee, that it may 
 be well with thee? I cannot live forever." 
 
 Ruth shook her head at the unwelcome thought, 
 but Naomi persisted : " Why should I not speak to 
 Boaz? He is of our kindred. It is his right to re- 
 deem the land. Moreover, he loves thee." 
 
 " Loves me ! Nay, nay, mother. 'Tis thy own 
 desire that thou dost see in him. He likes to hold 
 speech with me, but he does not love me, else why 
 should he not have told me? Do not all men speak 
 of their love? " She laughed softly, and it seemed 
 to the listening man as if her laughter held tears. 
 Then had come the quick question of the mother. 
 Straining every nerve, he had caught the scarce 
 
 196
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 audible confession, which, strong as he was, brought 
 tears of happiness to his eyes : " With all my heart 
 and soul. He is all the world to me." 
 
 Feelings long denied recognition were at last given 
 full play. His heart was filled to overflowing. His 
 feet scarce touched the ground. 
 
 Suddenly he stopped, and stared fixedly at a pas- 
 ser-by. When he moved on, it was with lifeless tread 
 and a care-puckered brow. The man was one whose 
 existence had slipped his mind. Joachin, not Boaz, 
 was next of kin to the dead husband of Naomi. 
 
 It was not until Boaz neared the gate of Bethlehem 
 that the cloud lifted from his brow. Then, with 
 determined stride, he reached the gate, and took his 
 seat in the midst of the men gathered there. 
 
 Many spake to him, to whom he deigned but scant 
 reply, sitting wrapped in thought, until Joachin 
 passed that way. 
 
 Arousing himself, he called commandingly, " Ho, 
 there Joachin; turn aside and sit down." 
 
 Joachin obeyed his words. 
 
 Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city 
 and said, " Sit ye down ! " 
 
 Turning again to Joachin, Boaz spake: " Naomi 
 that is returned from the land of Moab, selleth a 
 parcel of land that was our brother Elimelech's. I 
 thought to advertise thee, saying, ' Buy it before the 
 inhabitants and before the elders of my people.' If 
 
 197
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 thou wilt redeem it, then redeem it; but if thou wilt 
 not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For 
 there is none to redeem it save thee and I, after 
 thee." 
 
 Then said the other, " I will redeem it." 
 
 But Boaz was not to be so easily gainsaid. Lean- 
 ing forward, he added: " What day thou buyest the 
 field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of 
 Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead Mahlon, to 
 raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance." 
 
 " Then can I not redeem it myself," Joachin made 
 answer, " lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem 
 thou my right to thyself. I cannot redeem it." 
 
 Now this was the manner in Israel concerning a 
 redeeming and concerning a changing, to confirm all 
 things: a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to 
 another. This was a testimony in Israel. 
 
 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, " Buy it 
 for thyself." And he drew off his shoe. 
 
 Then called Boaz to the elders and to all the 
 people : 
 
 " Ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all 
 that was Elimelech's and all that was Chilion's and 
 all that was Mahlon's from the hand of Naomi. 
 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess have I obtained to 
 be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon 
 his inheritance. Ye are witnesses this day." 
 
 All the people that were in the gate and the elders 
 
 198
 
 AMID THE ALIEN CORN 
 
 said : " We are witnesses. The Lord bless the 
 woman that is come into thine house." 
 
 Scarce had the words departed from their mouth, 
 when Boaz was speeding on his way to win Ruth's 
 countenance of his deed. 
 
 Naomi was overjoyed when the two sought her 
 blessing. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his 
 wife, and they saw their children's children. And to 
 Jesse, the grandson of Ruth and Boaz, was born a 
 son whom he called David, who slew the giant Goli- 
 ath of Gath, and who became king over Judah and 
 over all Israel. 
 
 199
 
 THE FORGOTTEN SHEAF 
 
 HE prettiest part of that story is the custom 
 of dropping the sheaves for the poor to 
 glean," said Mother. 
 
 " But, dearest," remonstrated Ruth, " God does 
 not bid us to let the grain fall." 
 
 "No?" 
 
 " I never realized the meaning of the command 
 until I heard the story of Rabbi Ben Zadok. You 
 remember it? " and she looked at Grandma for cor- 
 roboration, but the old lady confessed to ignorance, 
 remarking to the blushing girl: " It seems to me, 
 Missy, you know more tales than your old granny. 
 Come, tell us this one." 
 
 Thus invited, Ruth began: " I saw it," she said, 
 " in Mrs. Lucas's book of poems. Once upon a 
 time when Rabbi Ben Zadok was poring over the 
 Torah, to seek if, perchance, there was any command 
 he had left unfulfilled, Ke read, ' When thou cuttest 
 down thine harvest in thy field, and thou hast forgot 
 a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch 
 it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless and 
 for the widow, that the Lord thy God may bless thee 
 in all the works of thine hands.' The Rabbi raised 
 
 200
 
 THE FORGOTTEN SHEAF 
 
 troubled eyes from the scroll. ' I am growing old,' he 
 mused, ' and have striven long to fulfil the will of 
 God, yet this command have I not obeyed, for in 
 remembering it I disobey.' Long days he pondered 
 over his failure, until, at last, autumn was come, and 
 with it the time of reaping. One evening at sunset, 
 his toil over, Rabbi Ben Zadok gazed upon the wealth 
 of harvest stored in the granary, and thanked God 
 by whose abundant goodness we live. Suddenly his 
 little boy came running to him, and tugging at his 
 hand, cried, ' Father, Father, come, thou hast not all 
 thy corn. See, three sheaves are there in yonder 
 field, forgot.' 
 
 ' Forgot! ' echoed the Rabbi, while tears of joy 
 filled his eyes as they searched the field. ' Blessed art 
 thou, O Lord God, King of the universe,' he prayed, 
 ' who hath permitted me to do thy will e'en through 
 forgetfulness.' " 
 
 " That story is certainly well worth the telling, 
 dear. I wonder how many legends you have stored 
 away in this little mind. You must let us have the 
 benefit of them." And Grandma patted the curly 
 head, which was suddenly laid on her knee. " Do 
 you know " at that looks were exchanged, for 
 Grandma's " do you know " was a sign of reminis- 
 cence " I almost thought you were talking about 
 Father. He always left the corners of his field un- 
 reaped so much is ordained nor would he ever 
 
 201
 
 THE FORGOTTEN SHEAF 
 
 permit us children to gather the last apple or grape." 
 " He must have lived like an old patriarch." 
 " Almost. Always at sunset he used to stop work 
 to pray. At Sukkoth, we always had our Cabana, and, 
 best of all, it was filled with our own harvesting. The 
 boys each had his Lulab and Ethrog, and some years 
 they went up to town to stay with Uncle Mendoza, 
 so that they could ' walk in the Hosanna procession,' 
 as they used to call las Hacafoth. We read all the 
 prayers at home, even on Kippur, and after Father 
 died, Uncle Ben would have us all over at his place 
 to hear the Shofar. 
 
 202
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON 
 
 HE story that I have for to-night," said 
 Grandma, unsolicited, " is about the peo- 
 ple of the Lord at a time in which they 
 were not in their own land. You have all of you 
 heard of the Babylonian captivity, and perhaps you 
 know that beautiful Psalm : 
 
 By the rivers of Babylon, 
 
 There we sat down, yea, we wept, 
 
 When we remembered Zion. 
 
 Upon the willows in the midst thereof 
 
 We hanged up our harps. 
 
 For there they that led us captive required of us mirth, saying, 
 
 ' Sing us one of the songs of Zion.' 
 
 How shall we sing the Lord's song 
 
 In a strange land? 
 
 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, 
 
 Let my right hand forget her cunning, 
 
 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, 
 
 If I remember thee not; 
 
 If I prefer not Jerusalem 
 
 Above my chief joy." 
 
 " Judah Halevi spoke almost the same way, didn't 
 he, Grandma?" said Ruth. "Especially the last 
 part. You know the lines, 
 
 205
 
 BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON 
 
 Without worth is the glory of Spain, 
 
 Less than dust is her wealth in mine eyes, 
 
 But the dust of the Lord's ruined house, 
 
 More than wealth, more than glory, I prize." 
 
 " That has always been the burden of the Jewish 
 poets of the captivity " answered Grandma. " It is 
 the longing for Jerusalem that makes the sound of 
 tears that is said to be ever in the laughter of the Jew. 
 The yearning love of Halevi for the Holy City was 
 so great that at fifty years of age he went to pray and 
 mourn at the wall of the Temple, and there, legend 
 tells us, God sent to him Azrael, the death-angel, in 
 the guise of a Bedouin marauder. You must read 
 Heine's beautiful poem about him. To my mind it 
 is the only genuinely Jewish utterance of the German 
 singer. 
 
 " But we have strayed far from the story, which is 
 to be about a man who, in spite of many temptations 
 to give up the observance of his faith, remained true, 
 and attained to the highest honors in the gift of the 
 strange people among whom he dwelt." 
 
 206
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 N the days of old, when Nebuchadrezzar 
 ruled over Babylon, all the nations served 
 him, and every people and kingdom 
 brought their neck under his yoke. But when he put 
 tribute upon the men of Judah, they rebelled against 
 him, until at length he laid triumphant siege to Jeru- 
 salem. Then the spoilers entered into the Temple, 
 and burned it with fire, and the vessels of gold and 
 silver that Solomon king of Israel had made for the 
 house of the Lord, the captain of the host took away 
 and placed in the treasure house of the temple of 
 idols at Babylon. As for the city, the Chaldeans set 
 fire thereto, and burned the palace of the king, with 
 every great man's house upon whose roof incense had 
 been offered unto Baal or drink oblation poured out 
 before false gods. For destruction was come upon 
 Jerusalem at the word of God, to whom the city had 
 been a provocation to anger, in that the inhabitants 
 transgressed very much after the abominations of the 
 heathen, and hearkened not to receive the message of 
 the Lord, choosing rather to go after the counsel of 
 their evil hearts, until the streets of Jerusalem were 
 filled from one end to the other with innocent blood, 
 
 207
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 and this the Lord would not pardon. Therefore He 
 brought up against Jerusalem the bands of the Chal- 
 dees, who slew many thousands, both men and women, 
 showing no mercy unto youth or maiden or them that 
 stooped with age; and if any escaped from the sword, 
 them the Lord delivered into the hand of Nebuchad- 
 rezzar to carry captive into Babylon, to become 
 servants unto him and his children princes of the 
 house of David, and mighty men of valor, together 
 with all the craftsmen and the smiths, so that none 
 remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the 
 land to be vine-dressers and husbandmen. 
 
 Many of the captivity, seeking to gain favor with 
 the Babylonians, shaved off the corners of their 
 beards after the manner of the rich, and wore dyed 
 attire upon their heads, softening their bodies with 
 sweet-smelling ointment; and some there were who 
 ate pickled bats and divers other abominations of the 
 land, albeit the savor thereof was bitter in their 
 mouth, lest they be thought different from their neigh- 
 bors. Still a few bestowed heathenish names upon 
 their children, and gave their daughters to the Chal- 
 deans and Assyrians, taking strange women unto their 
 sons. Nevertheless, a remnant of the people sepa- 
 rated the holy from the profane, and made distinc- 
 tion between the clean and the unclean, and of them 
 God chose four youths to bring into honor with 
 Nebuchadrezzar, that the children of Judah might 
 
 208
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 the sooner learn His way and know the precious from 
 the vile. Now, these four lads were Daniel, Ha- 
 naniah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they were among 
 them selected by Ashpenaz, master of the royal eu- 
 nuchs, upon whom Nebuchadrezzar had laid orders 
 when he returned from besieging Jerusalem : 
 
 " Search thou among the captivity of Judah of the 
 king's seed and of the princes, and gather together 
 such as are skilful in all wisdom, cunning in knowl- 
 edge, understanding science, and having the ability 
 in them to stand before the king. Do thou keep 
 them three years, that they may be taught the learn- 
 ing and the tongue of the Chaldeans; and, that they 
 may be well-nourished, let them be given a daily por- 
 tion of the king's meat and of the wine which he 
 drinks." 
 
 Ashpenaz hastened to do according to the will of 
 the king, and all the youths whom he picked out were 
 well-favored, and in Daniel and his friends was there 
 no blemish, for they had cunning in wisdom and 
 knowledge above all their comrades, and to Daniel 
 was it given to understand visions and dreams. It 
 had so chanced that on the very day he had entered 
 the abode of Ashpenaz, he had interpreted a dream, 
 calming the troubled spirit of the chief of the eunuchs, 
 with whom he was thereafter held in tender love and 
 favor. And Ashpenaz gave these lads new names, 
 according to the names of the gods of Babylon, for 
 
 209
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 so, it was his belief, would they be protected from the 
 evil beings who ever hover about men. Daniel he 
 called Belteshazzar; Hananiah, Shadrach; Mishael, 
 Meshach ; and to Azariah he gave the name of Abed- 
 nego. 
 
 Now Daniel and his three friends purposed in their 
 hearts not to defile themselves with the king's meat 
 nor with the wine which he drank, and when Ash- 
 penaz saw that they were not feasting with their com- 
 rades, he was perplexed and troubled, thinking them 
 perhaps sick for home. Therefore he drew near to 
 the table where they were seated, two on each side 
 upon double chairs, talking face to face, and he in- 
 quired of them what else they desired, or what they 
 craved, that he might have it set before them, to 
 tempt them. Then did Daniel request the prince of 
 the eunuchs, that they might not pollute themselves 
 with the forbidden meat. 
 
 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, 
 " I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your 
 meat and your drink, for should he find your faces 
 sa4der and of worse liking than the youths of your 
 own age, then would ye endanger my head before the 
 king." 
 
 Then said Daniel unto the steward : " Prove thy 
 servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give 
 us pulse to eat and water to drink. Then let our 
 countenances be looked upon before thee, together 
 
 210
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 with the countenances of them that do defile them- 
 selves with the king's meat, and as thou seest, deal 
 thou with thy servants." 
 
 When they that did pay no heed to the laws of 
 God heard the words of Daniel, they mocked him, 
 drawing long faces and hollowing their cheeks. But 
 one that was much angered, spake to him sharply, 
 saying: "Art thou indeed void of understanding, 
 that thou dost not perceive, that there is nothing from 
 without, that entering into him can defile a man, 
 because it entereth not into his heart, but into the 
 belly?" 
 
 " Let not the greediness of the belly take hold on 
 thee," admonished Daniel, " and give not thyself over 
 to an impudent mind, but keep the discipline of the 
 Most High." 
 
 " It is that which cometh out of the mouth that 
 defileth," persisted the speaker, who called himself 
 in Babylonian fashion Nabonassar, " lies, thefts, blas- 
 phemies, these defile." 
 
 " Yea," agreed Daniel, " these defile, but those 
 also; for of an unclean thing, what can be cleansed, 
 and from that which is false, what truth can come? " 
 
 When they that were rebuked answered not, he 
 continued : " Transgression against the command- 
 ments of the Lord is defilement. Disobedience to 
 the law which Moses gave is uncleanness, for therein 
 the Lord made a difference between the unclean and 
 
 211
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten 
 and the beast that may not be eaten, that ye should 
 learn to control your appetites, and not make your 
 souls abominable, nor yet defile your bodies by any 
 impure thing, but that ye should be holy as the Lord 
 your God is holy." 
 
 Then the heart of Ashpenaz was moved by the 
 great concern of Daniel and his friends in this matter, 
 and he consented to their wish, and proved them ten 
 days, and, lo, at the end thereof their countenances 
 appeared ruddier and fairer in hue than all the chil- 
 dren that did eat of the king's meat. Then did 
 Ashpenaz take away the meat and the wine they 
 should drink, and give them pulse. 
 
 Now, at the end of the days that had been set, the 
 prince of the eunuchs brought the youths before Nebu- 
 chadrezzar, into the palace which the king had 
 builded to his own glory, inscribing upon the slabs of 
 the pavement, " The Great Palace of Nebuchadrez- 
 zar, king of Babylon, son of Nabopolassar, king of 
 Babylon, who ever walked in the worship of the gods 
 Nebu and Marduk, his lords." The palace was set 
 above the roofs of the city, in the midst of a hillock 
 of brick, the work of men's hands, and each separate 
 stone was sealed with the name of the king. The 
 breadth of the mound from east to west was seven 
 hundred cubits, and its length from north to south 
 was thrice three hundred cubits, and thirty and five 
 
 212
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 cubits was its height above the plain. Winding stairs 
 led up to the top, whereof the steps were so narrow 
 that but a single man could stand on them, and thus 
 did they place an hindrance in the way of the enemies 
 of the king, if that these should seek to take him by 
 surprise. Three walls encompassed the palace round 
 about, which, when they were in building, were 
 fashioned with brick, made ready before it was 
 brought thither, being baked in the oven, and not 
 burned in the sun after the manner of the Assyrians. 
 The bricks of the outer wall were yellow, and had 
 upon them record of the deeds of Nebuchadrezzar, 
 telling of the canals he had digged, of the shrines he 
 had repaired, and how he had beautified the temples 
 and gardens. The bricks of the inner wall were over- 
 spread with enamel of divers hues, and the work of 
 them was in this manner: Winged bulls with the 
 heads of men and strange beasts with human bodies 
 were upon the one side, and upon the other were men 
 in pursuit of game. At the iron gate which gave en- 
 trance to the royal abode were figures of genii coupled 
 together, one against the other, with wings out- 
 stretched, to keep away the spirits of evil from the 
 king, who dwelt there in his palace as in a tower 
 whence he could look out over the land. 
 
 Midway in the palace was the court of honor, 
 where they that came before the king had audience, 
 and round about the chamber upon every side were 
 
 213
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 bronze images of the gods, and fastened upon the 
 base of the statues were tablets engraved with the 
 greatness of Nebuchadrezzar. Upon the walls, up- 
 ward of four cubits from the floor, were set forth the 
 glories of the gods Nebu and Marduk, to whose wor- 
 ship Nebuchadrezzar had restored Babylon. There 
 also were painted images of their vicegerents, the 
 kings of Babylon. Green and yellow and vermilion 
 were the colors thereof; but above the figures, the 
 white plaster of the wall was bare, to give back the 
 light that fell upon it from the windows pierced in 
 the arches of the ceiling. All the woodwork was 
 overlaid with gold and silver. The throne of the 
 king was richly carved, and over it was a canopy of 
 purple and blue fastened to pillars of palm wood by 
 rings of gold and silver. 
 
 Upon this throne sate Nebuchadrezzar clad in his 
 most royal attire. His hair was close cropped as 
 became the chief priest, and upon his head he wore 
 the diadem of the servants of Nebu. It was of thick 
 white wool, in shape like a cone. From its top there 
 went out double pairs of horns. The forefront was 
 wrought with flowers and strange symbols, while 
 feathers compassed it beneath. The hem of the outer 
 robe, which reached to the knees, was likewise broid- 
 ered with flowers and palm leaves and sacred trees. 
 Above the border the needles of women had made 
 divers figures of men and beasts. The curled fleece 
 
 214
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 of the under tunic hung in flounces above the ankles 
 of the king, and upon the fringe of his girdle were 
 beads of glass. About his neck Nebuchadrezzar 
 wore a gold chain with emblems of the gods. High 
 upon each arm was a bracelet coiled upon itself, and 
 two lions' heads closed it. Golden lions played on the 
 point of the scabbard that encased the terror-dealing 
 sword of the king, the ivory handle whereof he kept 
 ever in his grasp. And as he sat thus proudly in the 
 midst of his court, in the presence of all his attend- 
 ants, they who looked upon Nebuchadrezzar thought 
 to behold in him the image of Nebu; for thus glo- 
 rious would be the seeming of the god if he deigned 
 to appear among his worshippers. 
 
 Ashpenaz and the youths advanced slowly between 
 the double line of slaves, lowering their eyes and fold- 
 ing their hands over their breasts. When they had 
 come unto the throne, they bowed themselves down, 
 kissing the ground before the king's feet. Then, at 
 a sign from Nebuchadrezzar, they rose, standing 
 motionless in their places. The assurance of finding 
 favor with the king, which had filled the heart of 
 most of them, grew faint as they beheld the pomp and 
 glories of the court. Upon either side of the throne 
 stood the ministers of the kingdom with the princes 
 of the royal house, all arrayed in garments very like 
 unto those of the king, save that the stuff of them 
 was not so heavy of texture, nor so rich of hue, and 
 
 215
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 the work upon the fringed robes was in patterns of 
 cunning shapes and curious designs, rather than in 
 flowers and symbols. Circling the temples of the 
 nobles was a narrow fillet of fine linen tied at the back, 
 and that of the viziers was ornamented with rosettes 
 of gold. The heads of the chamberlains and cup- 
 bearers and such as served the needs of the king were 
 bare, and their chins were covered with beards. These 
 stood in lines against the wall, and between them and 
 the throne were astrologers, magicians, and sooth- 
 sayers, in whom the heart of the king delighted, deem- 
 ing that they knew hidden things, and could choose 
 fortunate times. For they made show to foretell the 
 fate of peoples and rulers by casting of lots and by 
 omens, as the markings on the livers of the sacrificial 
 beasts and the motions of the stars and the dreams of 
 men. Wherefore Nebuchadrezzar never set forth 
 from Babylon, until they had found for him omens of 
 success, nor was there aught of importance that he 
 did, seeking not their advice. 
 
 This time he desired of them to set questions to 
 the youths that had been taught by the prince of the 
 eunuchs, and to judge if these were able to serve the 
 king. Therefore did the wise men of Babylon seek 
 to know of the young men concerning the writings 
 made in heaven by the stars, and how the fate of men 
 and kingdoms is inscribed upon the face of the skies. 
 Many of the lads replied in the fashion in which they 
 
 216
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 had been taught, framing their answers after the 
 traditions of the Chaldeans, and some there were 
 whose wit forsook them, tying their tongues with 
 fright. But the Lord was with his servants Daniel, 
 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and albeit they be- 
 lieved not in such portents, trusting rather in the 
 Lord, who disposeth the stars in the sky according to 
 His will, and moreover sought not to deceive the king 
 with false speaking, yet were their answers pleasing to 
 his ears. For they told the king that which was writ- 
 ten in the temple records concerning the omens that 
 had been found in the days of the kings that were 
 before him upon the throne, and how it had fared 
 with the former rulers for good and for ill ; but him, 
 with truth, they exalted above all that had reigned in 
 Babylon and in Nineveh and over Egypt in the days 
 of old, seeing that he was king over many kings, and 
 had been appointed by the God of heaven, the King 
 of all the world, to chastise the nations and humble 
 their princes. And Nebuchadrezzar, hearing their 
 words, was flattered, thinking in his heart that the 
 lads showed much wisdom and understanding, and 
 were clear of sight to discover the secrets of the 
 heavens. Then did the king himself question them, 
 and in all matters that he inquired of them they 
 pleased him ten times better than all the magicians 
 and astrologers that were in his realm, and he chose 
 them from their brethren to stand in the king's palace. 
 
 217
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 It came to pass after all these things that one night 
 Nebuchadrezzar dreamed a dream wherewith his 
 spirit was troubled, and sleep brake from him. Then 
 the king commanded all the magicians and astrolo- 
 gers to show the dream, and they said, " O king, live 
 forever, tell thy servants the dream, and we will show 
 the interpretation." 
 
 But the dream was gone from the king, and he 
 became wroth with their words, saying: " I know 
 of a certainty that ye would gain time, because ye see 
 this thing is gone from me. But if ye can interpret 
 the dream, ye can make it known, and if ye will not 
 make known unto me the dream, there is but one 
 decree; for then shall I know that ye have prepared 
 lying and corrupt words to speak before me. There- 
 fore tell unto me the dream, and I shall know if ye 
 can show me the interpretation thereof." 
 
 Then were the Chaldeans afraid, for they knew 
 that the thing was too great for them ; but because 
 of their exceeding great peril, an old man among 
 them, bold beyond the rest, dared to parley with the 
 king, saying: " There is no king nor ruler that hath 
 asked such things of any magician or astrologer. It 
 is a hard thing that the king requireth, and there is 
 none other that can show it except the gods whose 
 dwelling is not with flesh." 
 
 Nebuchadrezzar was made very furious by these 
 words, and he commanded to kill all the wise men of 
 
 218
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 Babylon, and when the decree went forth, Arioch, 
 the captain of the king's guard, sought Daniel and his 
 fellows to slay them. 
 
 Daniel inquired of Arioch, who was gone forth 
 to slay the wise men of Babylon, " Wherefore is the 
 decree so urgent from the king? " And Arioch made 
 the thing known unto him. And Daniel obtained of 
 Arioch time for himself and for the wise men of 
 Babylon, until the morrow, when he would show 
 Nebuchadrezzar the interpretation of the dream. 
 
 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing 
 known to his companions, that they might desire mer- 
 cies of the God of heaven concerning this secret ; and 
 the interpretation was revealed unto Daniel in a 
 vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the Lord, 
 and said: " Blessed be the name of God for ever 
 and ever, for wisdom and might are His. He or- 
 daineth the times, and changeth the seasons; He re- 
 moveth kings and setteth up kings ; He giveth wisdom 
 unto the wise and knowledge unto them that have 
 understanding; He revealeth the deep and hidden 
 things. I thank Thee and praise Thee, O Thou God 
 of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and knowl- 
 edge, and hast now made known to me the king's 
 matter." 
 
 Therefore went Daniel unto Arioch, and said: 
 " Slay not the wise men. Bring me in unto the king, 
 and I will show the king the interpretation." 
 
 219
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 Then Arioch brought Daniel in unto the king in 
 haste, and said unto Nebuchadrezzar, " Here is a 
 man of the children of the captivity of Judah that 
 will make known unto the king the interpretation of 
 his dream." 
 
 Nebuchadrezzar answered and said unto Daniel, 
 " Belteshazzar, art thou able to make known unto 
 me the dream which I have seen and the interpreta- 
 tion thereof? " 
 
 Daniel made reply: " O king, live forever. The 
 secret which the king hath demanded can neither 
 wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers 
 show unto the king. My God that is in heaven 
 revealeth secrets, and He hath made known unto me 
 how that He hath shown to the king Nebuchadrezzar 
 what shall be in the latter days. But as for me, this 
 secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom or under- 
 standing that I have more than any living, but that 
 thou mightest know that God seeth the thoughts of 
 thine heart. Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great 
 image whose brightness was excellent and whose form 
 was terrible stood before thee. The head of this 
 image was of fine gold; his breasts and his arms of 
 silver; his belly and his thighs of brass; his legs of 
 iron; his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou 
 beheldest until a stone which was not in hands smote 
 the image upon his feet. Then was the iron and the 
 clay and the brass and the silver and the gold broken 
 
 220
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 in pieces together, like the chaff of the summer thresh- 
 ing floors, and the wind carried them away, that no 
 place was found for them : and the stone that smote 
 the image became a great mountain, and filled the 
 whole earth. This is the dream of the king." 
 
 As Daniel spoke, the memory of the dream re- 
 turned unto King Nebuchadrezzar, and he marvelled 
 at the wisdom that could read his thought, and when 
 Daniel paused, the king bowed assent. 
 
 " As for the interpretation, thou, O king, art a 
 king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee 
 power and strength and glory. Thou art this head 
 of gold. After thee shall arise other kingdoms in- 
 ferior unto thee, and the fourth shall be strong as 
 iron; and whereas thou sawest the feet and toes part 
 of potter's clay and part of iron, this kingdom shall 
 be partly strong and partly broken. And in their 
 days shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which 
 shall never be destroyed, but it shall break to pieces 
 all these kingdoms and destroy them; and it shall 
 stand forever: Forasmuch as thou sawest the stone 
 cut out of the mountain which was not in hands de- 
 stroy the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the 
 gold, so shall this kingdom destroy all that were 
 before. 
 
 " Thus hath the great God made known to the king 
 what shall come to pass hereafter." 
 
 Then the king said unto Daniel, " Of a truth, thy 
 
 221
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a 
 revealer of secrets, seeing that thou couldst reveal 
 this secret." 
 
 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and the 
 chief of the governors over the wise men of Babylon. 
 Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, 
 Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the city of 
 Babylon, but Daniel sate in the king's gate. There, 
 in the sight of all the people, did he give judgment 
 with wisdom and uprightness, respecting not persons, 
 nor taking bribes, so that none before or since was 
 held in like esteem among the people. To him came 
 all that had to deal with matters of the law, and 
 with them their scribes and witnesses. Whether it 
 was a contract of marriage, or a bill of sale, or a deed 
 for naming an heir among many sons, the scribes 
 pressed it with nails upon cylinders of clay, whereto 
 the parties placed their seals. Three was the number 
 of the copies made, and one, having been read aloud, 
 was placed in a case and sealed by the judge at the 
 gate; and if any man thereafter wished to evade or 
 deny his pact, then could complaint be made to the 
 judge, who would break the seal in the presence of 
 the witnesses, so that the record might show where 
 justice lay. Moreover, if a man were ill unto death, 
 and the spells and incantations of the magicians were 
 of no avail, then did his friends bear his bed unto 
 the gate, exposing him to the gaze of all that passed 
 
 222
 
 HOW DANIEL BECAME JUDGE 
 
 that way, so that any that had a remedy might tell 
 of it, and the judge should counsel which to use. Now 
 this was because the people believed that disease was 
 the work of evil spirits that had taken lodging in the 
 body; but Daniel, who shared not in their supersti- 
 tions, studied sicknesses and cures, wherefore he 
 showed such discernment in the matter that he was 
 had in great reputation among the people. 
 
 And Daniel gave decision between man and man 
 and between servant and master, hearing the cause 
 of the widow and the orphan. Although he had 
 perforce to render reward and punishment according 
 to the statutes of the Babylonians, yet did he also 
 bear in mind the precepts of Moses, thus being able 
 to give true judgment more than all others who sat 
 in the king's gate. Also did he strive to follow the 
 example of Aaron the peace-maker, and often they 
 that had come before him to contend, went from his 
 presence in friendship. Moreover, he did as no other 
 had done before him in Babylon; he put aside the 
 witnesses far from one another, and examined them 
 separately, thus convicting them that would speak 
 falsely, out of their own mouth. So long as he judged 
 in Babylon, the innocent was not condemned, nor did 
 the evil-doer who was rich and powerful escape, nor 
 did craft prevail to pervert the cause of the weak. 
 Therefore it is said of him who speaketh wisely in the 
 seat of justice, " He is a Daniel come to judgment." 
 
 223
 
 A NATION OF TEACHERS 
 
 ID the dream of the king come to pass? " 
 asked Leon. 
 
 " Yes. The kingdom of the golden 
 head was Babylon, as Daniel said. Then the Per- 
 sians the silver destroyed them, being in turn con- 
 quered by the Greeks. The mixed kingdom, the iron 
 and clay, was that of the feebler successors of Alex- 
 ander, the Greek Syrians and Greek Egyptians." 
 " And the kingdom that endureth forever? " 
 ' That was the kingdom of God, restored by the 
 Maccabees, which, although it did not exist forever 
 as a political power, has never perished. It was our 
 point of contact with the Romans, to whom it gave 
 the laws and precepts of Moses and the prophets. 
 Through Rome these have been taught to all the na- 
 tions of the world. It checked the corrupting spread 
 of Hellenism, and gave the sages time to develop 
 their traditions and methods, so that when Titus de- 
 stroyed Herod's Temple, and apparently brought the 
 Jewish nation to an end, Rabbi Jochanan and his fel- 
 lows could establish their school at Jabneh, and begin 
 the teaching that has gone on without break unto 
 this day." 
 
 224
 
 A NATION OF TEACHERS 
 
 " I have often thought in studying history," said 
 Isabel, " that when all the known world was in the 
 Dark Ages, our people always had knowledge. Our 
 wisest men always realized, that the whole world 
 rests on the breath of the school children, and so we 
 have lived through all persecution and trial." 
 
 " Yes," said Grandma, " that is a true thought. 
 Scattered and dispersed as we are, we have, indeed, 
 become a nation of teachers to our own and to 
 others but some day," added Grandma, " the Holy 
 Land will again be a Jewish state. It may not come 
 about in the time or the way this man or that man 
 thinks but it will come, * For the mouth of the Lord 
 hath spoken it in its own good time will I bring it to 
 pass.' Yes, it will come, some time, though I shall not 
 see it. But, who knows, perhaps David may." 
 
 Grandma spoke very softly, but there was, a catch 
 in her voice, and all kept still. Then she looked at 
 the children, and smiled. " Yes, David, you can 
 come sit on my lap while I tell about the three friends 
 of Daniel, and how they served the Lord." 
 
 225
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 
 were raised to high estate by Nebu- 
 chadrezzar, they did not forget the 
 Lord in the pride of their hearts, but continued yet 
 more zealous in the service of God, nor did they in 
 so doing fail in aught that pertained to their offices. 
 Upon the doorposts of their houses they put the 
 words commanded by the Torah, tearing down there- 
 from the figures and images in which the Babylonians 
 trusted to frighten away the demons by their very 
 likenesses. The stones of the threshold Azariah had 
 raised, taking from under it the charms and devices 
 of witchcraft and the black books of the magicians; 
 and they spilled the wine from the cups and vessels, 
 which servants had placed near the bed to refresh 
 the gods, who strove with the terrors of the night. 
 When news of the madness of their new governors 
 spread abroad, there was both consternation and joy 
 among the Babylonians. Those of the people who 
 loved them, recited formulas, and cried in passing 
 the house of these men, " O you, the sublime ones of 
 heaven, keep watch, that no evil may enter this 
 abode." The sorcerers and magicians, whose hearts 
 
 229
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 were filled with envy, rejoiced, invoking upon the 
 dwelling the curse of the spirits of the unburied dead, 
 who, they imagined, glide at midnight into the homes 
 of the wicked, and charm away their souls. 
 
 One night, as Nebuchadrezzar pondered on the 
 dream that Daniel had interpreted, his heart was 
 filled with thanksgiving for the greatness that was 
 bestowed upon him, and he resolved to erect to Mar- 
 duk, his god, a golden head such as he had seen in his 
 vision, so that all the nations should worship it, and 
 know that the king's god was supreme over all the 
 gods of every people in whose land he had dominion. 
 
 Then the king gave command to his artificers to 
 make a great idol in the likeness of the head of Mar- 
 duk; and the making of the image was in this fashion: 
 The carpenters of Nebuchadrezzar shaped an head 
 from the wood of the palm-tree, giving it into the 
 hands of the goldsmith, to overlay it with gold after 
 the manner of the head which Daniel had named, say- 
 ing, " Thou art this head of gold." When it was 
 ready, it was borne in procession on the shoulders of 
 men, and fastened with chains fashioned of silver to 
 a pedestal of cedar wood, the breadth whereof was 
 six cubits. And the idol stood firm that it could not 
 be moved, at a height of three score cubits upon its 
 base, that at the time of the offering of the morning 
 oblation the rising sun should shine upon it, reflecting 
 the glory of the gold to all the city. 
 
 230
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 When the decree calling upon all to worship the 
 image had gone forth, Daniel was in a distant pro- 
 vince on business of judgment for the king; and Ha- 
 naniah, Mishael, and Azariah took counsel together, 
 what they should do, for the power of their office 
 made their peril great. Yet did they resolve to die 
 rather than bow down before a graven image, and 
 they comforted one another, saying: " Perchance 
 our deed may strengthen the remnant of Judah that 
 is faithful, winning back to God many that have 
 gone astray, and thus hasten what time the Lord 
 shall lead Judah back to his own land." 
 
 A multitude of chariots covered the top of the 
 outer wall of the city of Babylon, whose hundred 
 gates of brass were open continually, day and night, 
 that the princes and the governors and the rulers of 
 the provinces might come to the dedication of the 
 image that Nebuchadrezzar had set up in the plain. 
 And the fear of Nebuchadrezzar was so great 
 throughout his realm that the rulers whom he had 
 summoned gathered together in haste, and at the 
 time of the dedication there was not a treasurer, coun- 
 sellor, or sheriff upon whom order had been laid 
 that was not there, save only Shadrach, Meshach, 
 and Abednego. 
 
 When the appointed day had come, slaves brought 
 
 231
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 the wheeled throne of Nebuchadrezzar to the gate 
 of the palace, where was the chariot of the king, 
 harnessed with four horses swifter than leopards. 
 Before him, to the plain, walked an host of all na- 
 tions and languages equipped after the custom of 
 their country. With them, to keep ever before the 
 people the power of the great king, went one-half 
 of the army that was in Babylon; men skilled in the 
 use of the bow, carrying arrows in spear-headed 
 quivers, and spearmen and hurlers of javelins, with 
 horsemen riding on horses, all marching with a great 
 din and noise. After these came the mighty men and 
 princes of the city in cars and wagons. Abreast with 
 the king was the sacred chariot of the priest to whom 
 it was given to pour out oblations before the gods; 
 and the car in which he rode had a platform in front 
 and an high seat in back for the driver, and a man 
 walked at the side of the horses. A heavy embel- 
 lished mitre was upon the head of the priest, and over 
 his robe was an embroidered vest, from the upper 
 edge of which a ribbon hung down the back. In 
 procession after him came the lesser priests, and at 
 their front the Anointer, with him who had been 
 appointed to oversee the worship of the new image; 
 the heads of all were covered, and they wore but one 
 garment, a striped robe bound at the loins by an high 
 girdle. With them were musicians with all manner 
 of instruments, and boys not yet entered into the full 
 
 232
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 service of the temple, bearing fruit offerings in baskets 
 of reeds. 
 
 Following the procession along the streets was a 
 crowd of people clad in their richest garments, and a 
 vast concourse was already assembled in the plain, 
 who, when the king came, bowed their heads, cover- 
 ing their eyes, not daring to look up lest they be 
 blinded. Thus they stood before the golden image. 
 As soon as the chariot of Nebuchadrezzar and the 
 chariots of the princes and the car of the priest had 
 halted, each in its appointed place, cornets were 
 sounded, and then, amid a profound hush, the heralds 
 read the proclamation of the king: 
 
 " Nebuchadrezzar, the king unto all people, na- 
 tions, and languages that dwell in all the earth, peace 
 be multiplied unto you ! To you it is commanded 
 that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, 
 flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds 
 of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image 
 which Nebuchadrezzar the king hath set up. Whoso- 
 ever falleth not down and worshippeth, shall this 
 same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery 
 furnace, and roasted in the fire." 
 
 Thereupon the Anointer anointed the head of gold, 
 and the oblation was poured out before the idol, while 
 Nebuchadrezzar prayed the prayer of dedication: 
 
 Marduk, most wise among gods, Marduk, most powerful among 
 rulers, 
 
 233
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 Grant that the name of the king whom thou lovest, 
 
 Whose name thou hast mentioned, may flourish. 
 
 Thou hast created me, 
 
 Thou hast given me dominion over the hosts of men. 
 
 Even as I love my life, 
 
 Even as I hold my life precious, 
 
 So do I love thee, 
 
 So do I hold precious thine exalted image. 
 
 Of all dwelling places have I chosen none for mine abiding, 
 
 No city for the place of my dwelling, save thy city Babylon. 
 
 For that I love thine awful majesty, 
 
 For that I exult in thy splendor, 
 
 Be thou gracious unto me when I stretch forth mine hands, 
 
 Yea, give ear unto my petition. 
 
 For I the king am thine establisher, 
 
 I am he in whom thy heart finds joy, 
 
 I am thy heedful vicegerent, 
 
 That hath endowed thy cities. 
 
 For thy majesty an image have I raised, 
 
 May it receive the abundant tribute of the kings of the nations and 
 
 of all peoples, 
 
 Rich tribute from the assembled multitude ! 
 From the horizon to the zenith, 
 
 From the rising of the sun to the place of its setting, 
 May no enemy "be found, 
 May no adversary find footing. 
 O sublime Marduk! 
 
 Mayest thou be pleased with the work of mine hands, 
 Let thy lips pronounce favor, 
 Let thy pure mouth utter the decree irrevocable. 
 Length of days, 
 Greatness of posterity, 
 Splendor of majesty, 
 Everlasting sway, 
 Grant thou me. 
 May a ruler from my house never fail in Babylon. 
 
 Then upon the ears of the people sounded a loud 
 noise of the mingled notes of cornet, flute, harp, 
 
 234
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 sackbut, and psaltery, and all the people fell down 
 and worshipped the golden image which Nebuchad- 
 rezzar the king had set up. And when the din of 
 the shouting reached Hananiah, Mishael, and Aza- 
 riah, who were sitting in their house, the windows in 
 their chamber being open toward Jerusalem, they 
 prostrated themselves, making supplication before the 
 Sole and Everliving God, the Lord of Israel: 
 
 " O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheri- 
 tance; Thy holy temple have they defiled; they have 
 laid Jerusalem in heaps. We are become a reproach 
 to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to them that 
 are round about us. How long, O Lord, how long ! 
 Wilt Thou be angry forever? Help us, O God of 
 our salvation, for the glory of Thy name, for we are 
 brought very low. Wherefore should the heathen 
 say, ' Where is their God? ' O let Him be known 
 among the heathen in our sight. According to the 
 greatness of Thy power save those who are appointed 
 to die." 
 
 Thus they were found praying and making suit to 
 God by certain of the magicians and Chaldeans, who 
 had assembled after the image had been dedicated, 
 to see why the Jews were not there. Whereupon the 
 soothsayers hastened with great joy before the king, 
 and spoke unto Nebuchadrezzar concerning his de- 
 cree and accusing the Jews, saying: " O king, live 
 forever! Thou, O Nebuchadrezzar, hast made a 
 
 235
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of 
 the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, 
 shall fall down and worship the golden image which 
 thou hast set up, and whoso falleth not down and 
 worshippeth, shall be cast into the midst of a burning 
 fiery furnace." 
 
 And the king answered and said : " The decree 
 is true. It hath been so established." 
 
 Then the wise men of Babylon answered, and said 
 before the king: " There are certain Jews whom 
 thou hast set over the affairs of the city of Babylon, 
 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O 
 king, have not regarded thee, they serve not thy 
 gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast 
 set up, but make petition unto their own God, calling 
 upon Him to destroy thee and thy people." 
 
 On hearing this word, Nebuchadrezzar in his rage 
 and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, 
 and Abednego, and ordered to make hot the fiery 
 furnace that was kept burning in the plain near to 
 where the image had been raised, for the punishment 
 of such as had dealt treacherously with the king. And 
 when the people learned of the summons, they all 
 came together again unto the plain, to see what 
 should be done unto Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- 
 nego when they should be brought before the great 
 king Nebuchadrezzar, whose command they had 
 dared to disobey. 
 
 236
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 Before condemning them, Nebuchadrezzar spake 
 unto the young men, questioning them, " Is it of pur- 
 pose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that ye 
 serve not my god, nor worship the golden image I 
 have set up? " 
 
 And he spake further, for he loved the lads in his 
 heart: " Now, if ye be ready, that at what time ye 
 hear the sound of the cornet, flute, sackbut, and psal- 
 tery, ye fall down and worship the image that I have 
 made, then is it yet well; but if ye worship not, ye 
 shall be cast this same hour into the midst of the 
 burning fiery furnace ; and who is that god that shall 
 deliver you out of my hands? " 
 
 And Azariah, which was Abednego, made answer : 
 " O Nebuchadrezzar, we have no need to answer thee 
 in this matter. If our God will to deliver us who 
 serve Him, He is able to deliver us from the burning 
 fiery furnace, and from out of thine hand, O king. 
 But even if He will not so, yet be it known unto thee, 
 O king, that we will not serve thy gods nor worship 
 the golden image that thou hast set up." 
 
 Then was Nebuchadrezzar filled with anger, and 
 the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, 
 Meshach, and Abednego, and he spake and com- 
 manded, that they should heat the furnace seven 
 times more than it was wont to be heated. And he 
 bade the most mighty men that were in his army to 
 bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast 
 
 237
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men 
 were bound in their hosen, their tunics, and their 
 mantles, and their other garments, and were taken 
 to the balcony raised above the upper opening in the 
 vaulted roof of the fiery chamber. And as the men 
 lifted them up, to cast them into the furnace, a 
 groan burst from the people below. And, behold, 
 because the king's commandment was urgent, and the 
 furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those 
 men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 
 And the two fell bound into the midst of the fire, but 
 Azariah fell not at first, for when the soldier that 
 held him had been slain, he stood up free, and open- 
 ing his mouth spake aloud : 
 
 " Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, 
 for Thou art righteous in all the things Thou hast 
 brought upon us, and upon the Holy City of our 
 fathers, even Jerusalem, for according to truth and 
 judgment didst Thou bring all these things upon us 
 because of our sins. Yet deliver us not up wholly for 
 Thy name's sake, neither disannul Thou Thy cove- 
 nant. For we, O Lord, are become less than any 
 nation, and are kept under this day. Neither is there 
 at this time prince or prophet or burnt offering or 
 sacrifice or oblation or a place to find mercy. Never- 
 theless, in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let 
 us be accepted. Like as the burnt offering of rams 
 and bullocks, so let our prayer be in Thy sight this 
 
 238
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 day. And let all they that do Thy servants hurt, be 
 confounded in all their power and might, and let them 
 know that Thou, Lord, art the only God, and glo- 
 rious over the whole world." 
 
 Now, the servants of the king durst not one put 
 forth an hand to stop Azariah, and cast him into 
 the furnace, but he, after he had made an end of 
 speaking, went down into the oven, and with him unto 
 his fellows came an angel of the Lord. And the slaves 
 of the king ceased not to make the oven hot with 
 rosin, pitch, tow, and wood, so that the flame streamed 
 forth above it forty and nine cubits, and it passed 
 through, and burned those Chaldeans that were 
 found about the furnace. But Gabriel, the angel of 
 the Lord, smote the flame of the fire out of the oven, 
 and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a 
 moist and whistling wind, so that the fire touched 
 them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them. 
 
 Then the king Nebuchadrezzar was astonished 
 and filled with fear at the slaughter of his servants, 
 and he rose up in haste, and spake and said unto his 
 counsellors, " Did we not cast three men bound into 
 the midst of the fire? " 
 
 They answered and said, " True, O king! " 
 
 And Nebuchadrezzar said, " Lo, I see four men 
 loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have 
 no hurt, and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of 
 the gods." 
 
 239
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 The Chaldeans and the soothsayers, thinking the 
 king mad, looked, and albeit they were ashamed to 
 declare a wonder which they had not made, yet had 
 they to acknowledge that four men were walking in 
 the midst of the fire praising God and blessing the 
 Lord. 
 
 Then went Nebuchadrezzar to the door at the 
 side of the furnace, and spake, calling, " Shadrach, 
 Meshach, and Abednego ! " and they said, " Here, 
 O king." And he said, " Ye servants of the Most 
 High God, come forth and come hither." And 
 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked forth 
 from the midst of the fire. And the princes and the 
 governors and the king's counsellors being gathered 
 together saw these men who had quenched the vio- 
 lence of the fire, and upon whose bodies the flames 
 had no power to hurt, not an hair of their head being 
 singed, nor their hosen changed, nor had the smell 
 of the fire passed on them. 
 
 And Nebuchadrezzar said unto all Babylon: 
 " Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shadrach, of Me- 
 shach, and of Abednego, who hath sent His angel 
 and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, 
 changing the king's word, and yielding their bodies 
 that they might not serve nor worship any god except 
 their own God. Therefore I make a decree, that 
 every people, nation, and language which speaks any- 
 thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, 
 
 240
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 and Abednego shall be cut to pieces, for there is no 
 other God that can deliver after this sort." 
 
 And the three, as out of one mouth, praised and 
 glorified God, saying: 
 
 " Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, 
 and blessed is Thy glorious and holy name. Blessed 
 art Thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon 
 the Cherubim, blessed art Thou in the firmament of 
 heaven. 
 
 " O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, 
 O ye heavens and all ye waters that be above the 
 heavens, praise and exalt Him above all else. Ye 
 sun and moon, ye stars of heaven, and every shower 
 and dew, and all ye winds, and ye fire and heat, bless 
 the Lord. O winter and summer, ye dews and storms 
 of snow, ye light and darkness, ye ice and cold, to- 
 gether with the lightnings and clouds, bless ye the 
 Lord. O let the earth bless the Lord, and the seas 
 and rivers praise Him. O ye whales and all that 
 move in the waters, ye fowls of the air, and all ye 
 beasts and cattle, exalt ye the Lord. O ye children 
 of men, bless ye the Lord, and praise and exalt Him 
 above all, forever. O Judah, bless ye the Lord, O 
 ye priests and servants of the Lord, souls of the right- 
 eous, ye holy men and men of humble heart, praise 
 ye the Lord. 
 
 " O Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, bless ye the 
 Lord, praise and exalt him above all else, for He 
 
 241
 
 THE GOLDEN IMAGE 
 
 hath delivered us and saved us from the hand of 
 death, and fetched us out of the midst of the furnace, 
 and from the burning fire He hath delivered us. 
 
 " O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the Most 
 High God, praise Him and give Him thanks, for 
 His mercy endureth forever." 
 
 242
 
 CONCLUSION
 
 CONCLUSION 
 THE JACK HORNER PIE 
 
 T was the last evening of Grandma's visit. 
 For the past few days there had been mys- 
 terious gatherings of conspirators and 
 much plotting going on right under Grandma's eyes, 
 but she never saw it. Estrella and David insisted on 
 being a self-constituted committee of two to keep 
 Grandma from the nursery all that day. Their ma- 
 noeuvres were exasperatingly patent to their brothers 
 and sisters, but the old lady calmly accepted their 
 explanation, that somehow the room had become a 
 burning fiery furnace " from which there was no 
 chance of escape." She did not even express the 
 slightest astonishment that at times one or the other 
 of her constant companions would slip away to enter 
 the hot oven. 
 
 When finally, after supper, she was escorted by 
 her smiling son and daughter to the erstwhile forbid- 
 den door, her surprise was genuine. The room was 
 filled with flowers, and in its centre was a new arm- 
 chair, bearing on its cushioned back a white placard 
 announcing, " A SAFE RETRETE FUM INJUNS." 
 
 245
 
 THE JACK HORNER PIE 
 
 Grandma was not long in testing the truth of this 
 declaration, and as she sat there, clad in shimmering 
 gray, the snowy fichu across her shoulders vying with 
 the white beauty of her hair, her eyes, filled with 
 gentle bewilderment, turning from one happy face 
 to the other, her children thought they had never 
 seen a prettier picture. 
 
 ' Why, where are the little ones? " and Grandma 
 looked around for the grandchildren who had ever 
 been so eager to gather around her, her face sadden- 
 ing a little at their unwonted desertion. 
 
 Before reply could be made, a thundering knock 
 sounded on the door. " Open in the name of Prince 
 Jonathan!" came the command; and at father's 
 ' Welcome to my abode," the door opened to admit 
 a motley crew. At its head walked two lads in glit- 
 tering armor, solemnly carrying a bag from whose 
 mouth showed colored papers. " Put in your fum 
 and pull out a plum," commanded a lively, red-haired 
 youth in a white tunic, prancing from his place in the 
 line, and whirling a sling shot over his head. 
 
 Grandma obeyed, and the first sweetmeat she drew 
 was ' ' The giant's hed wiv David's compiments." 
 It was of carved wood an ink-well. As her delighted 
 laughter rang out, two maidens appeared before her. 
 One, all in white, was masked, and bore herself with 
 queenly grace; the other tall and dark beauty was 
 unveiled. At the entreaty in their eyes, Grandma 
 
 246
 
 THE JACK HORNER PIE 
 
 again dived into the sack bringing out " Ruth's Glean- 
 ing, a Sheaf of Stories." No further direction was 
 necessary, and with shouts of merriment the on- 
 lookers watched Grandma pull forth a box of 
 " Goodies from Queen Esther," and a paper-knife 
 " Fashioned at the Forge of Nathan." The last 
 dainty was inscribed " Taken by Jonathan," and the 
 faces of the Lopez children smiled up at Grandma 
 from the picture. 
 
 Much frolicking ensued, and when Grandma 
 turned at length to thank the children, they all formed 
 a circle, and danced around her, singing a rhyme of 
 farewell written by Isabella. 
 
 Late that night, when the house was quiet, a white- 
 robed figure stole to each bedside, kissing the sleeper. 
 And so the nights with Grandma came to an end. 
 
 247
 
 GLOSSARY 
 
 (All words given below, unless otherwise specified, are Hebrew or 
 Aramaic. The transliteration aims to reproduce the pronunciation of 
 Hebrew by Sephardic Jews.) 
 
 AFIKOMAN. A piece of one of the 
 cakes of unleavened bread used 
 In the Seder on the Eve of 
 Passover, and kept for good 
 luck from one Passover to the 
 next. 
 
 ANAKIM. Giants. A tribe called 
 after Anak. Num. 13, 33 ; 
 Deut. 1, 28; 9, 2. 
 
 ASHTORETH. Chief goddess of the 
 Sidonians. 
 
 AzABdTH. The 248 affirmative 
 and 365 negative precepts. In 
 the Sephardic ritual, they are 
 chanted, in poetic form, as ar- 
 ranged by Rabbi Solomon Ibn 
 Gabirol, before the regular 
 afternoon service for Pentecost. 
 
 BA'AL. Name of a Canaanlte god. 
 
 BAM&TH. " High places," for 
 idol worship. 
 
 BAB MITZVAH. " Son of the com- 
 mandment." The religious ma- 
 jority of a boy. 
 
 BARtrcH ATAH L'HADLIK NEK 
 SHEL HANDKAH. " Blessed art 
 thou [who commandest us] to 
 kindle the lamp of dedication." 
 
 BEN. Son of. 
 
 BENIZ>N (Spanish). Grace after 
 meat. 
 
 BESAMIM. Spices. 
 
 BoMds (Greek). An altar or 
 platform. 
 
 BOSUELOS (Spanish). Sugar 
 cakes shaped like doughnuts. 
 
 CABANA (Spanish). The Sukkah 
 or open dwelling used during 
 the Feast of Tabernacles. 
 
 CASER (corruption of Hebrew 
 Casher). Ritually fit. 
 
 CHARASH. A smith. 
 
 EL NORAH (God Tremendous). 
 Hymn preceding the conclusion 
 service in the Sephardic ritual 
 for the Day of Atonement. 
 
 ELI JAHU (proper name). My God 
 is the Lord. 
 
 ETHROG. Citron. One of the four 
 products of the earth used at 
 the Feast of Tabernacles. 
 
 FIESTAS (Spanish). Festivals. 
 
 HABDALAH. Separation. Service 
 for the conclusion of the Sab- 
 bath or a holiday. 
 
 LAS HACAFGTH (Spanish and 
 Hebrew). Procession of men 
 carrying palm branches, willow, 
 myrtle, and citron on the Feast 
 of Tabernacles. 
 
 HAFTABAH. Lesson from the 
 Prophets read at the synagogue 
 on Sabbaths and holidays. 
 
 HAGGADAH. Service for the meal 
 on the Eve of Passover. 
 
 HAMETZ. Leaven. 
 
 HANUKAH. Feast of Dedication. 
 
 HATAN. Bridegroom. 
 
 FlAzAN. Reader in the synagogue. 
 
 HECHAL. Ark in which are kept 
 the scrolls of the law. 
 
 HOSANNA (Hosha'ana, "O save!" 
 Prayer said on Feast of Taber- 
 nacles. 
 
 HUPPAH. Marriage canopy. 
 
 KADDISH. A prayer In praise of 
 God ; a doxology. 
 
 249
 
 GLOSSARY 
 
 KALAH. Bride. 
 
 KETUBAH. Marriage contract. 
 
 KiDDtiSH. Blessing ushering in 
 the Sabbath and holidays. 
 
 Kirrftit. Day of Atonement. 
 
 LULAB. Bunch of palm leaves ; 
 used loosely for the palm leaves, 
 the willow, and the myrtle car- 
 ried on the Feast of Taber- 
 nacles. 
 
 MARAII. Bitterness. 
 
 MEGILLAH. Scroll ; specifically 
 the Book of Esther. 
 
 MENORAH. Seven-branched candle- 
 stick. 
 
 MEZUZAH. Doorpost ; parchment 
 scroll on which are written 
 Deut. 6, 4-9; 11, 13-21. 
 
 MINCIIAH. Afternoon services. 
 
 MINYAN. The ten men necessary 
 for a public service. 
 
 NAB! (Novi, corrupt form). 
 Prophet. 
 
 NAOMI (proper name). Pleasant- 
 ness. 
 
 PAKASHAH. Lesson from the Pen- 
 tateuch read at the synagogue. 
 
 PESACH. Passover. 
 
 POBRB (Spanish). A beggar. 
 
 PURIM. Festival of the 14th of 
 Adar. 
 
 SABA (corruption for Hebrew 
 Shabbat). Sabbath. 
 
 SEFER. Scroll of the law. 
 
 SHABU'OTH. Pentecost ; Feast of 
 Weeks. 
 
 SHAMMAS (corruption of Hebrew 
 Shammash). Servant [of the 
 synagogue] ; the light that 
 serves to kindle the eight lights 
 of dedication. 
 
 SHOFAR. Cornet of ram's horn. 
 
 SNOGA (corruption of the Span- 
 ish Sinagoga). Synagogue. 
 
 SUKKATH. Feast of Tabernacles. 
 
 TEFILL.IN. Phylacteries. 
 
 TISH'A BE-AB. Ninth of Ab ; an- 
 niversary of the destruction of 
 the Temple at Jerusalem. 
 
 TUDESCO (Spanish). A native of 
 Germany ; one who is not of 
 Portuguese or Spanish descent. 
 
 ToitAn. The five books of Moses. 
 
 YIGDAL. " May He be exalted." 
 The thirteen articles of the 
 creed formulated by Maimonides 
 arranged as a hymn. 
 
 JSorfc 
 
 BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A. 
 
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