T
 
 ASAPH : 
 
 AN HISTORIC NOVEL
 
 American Butbors Scries, 1Flo. 33. 
 
 ASAPH: 
 
 AN HISTORICAL NOVEL 
 
 RV 
 
 ALICE KINGSBURY COOLEY, 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 I xiTKD STATED HOOK COMPANY, 
 
 surCKSsniis TO 
 
 .1 O IT X W . L O V E L L C O M P A X Y , 
 
 142 TO 150 WORTH STKEET.
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1890, 
 
 US- 
 UNITED STATKS BOOK COMPANY.
 
 TO 
 
 MRS. MARGARET E CROCKER, 
 
 THE FRIEND OP LITERATURE AND ART, 
 THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS 
 
 AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR, 
 
 ALICE K1NGSBURY COOLY.
 
 AS APH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 AN OFFERING TO MOLOCH. 
 
 JERUSALEM lay golden in the sun a thing of beauty 
 standing high upon her hills for all the world to see, to 
 love, to worship. A soft haze hung over her, as it were 
 the Protecting cloud, diffused and softened, reaching to 
 her furthest gates, that all her thrice-blessed children 
 might know that Jehovah still was near, that His love, 
 though bruised and hurt, still clung to His chosen people. 
 
 The streets and houses were decorated for a great festi 
 val. The people attired in magnificent garments of pur 
 ple, scarlet, blue, and gold, profusely embroidered: the 
 women with veils, golden head-pieces, nose-rings, brace 
 lets, tinkling anklets, and strings of precious ornaments 
 completely covering their breasts; the maidens and chil 
 dren in pure white intwined with wreaths and flowers and 
 trailing vines, were all wending their way to join in the 
 great procession, for this was a day of rejoicing. King 
 Jehoiakim s beautiful young wife* had safely borne him a 
 daughter, and there was to be an offering given to the 
 
 * Among the Hebrews tlie mother of the king was termed the 
 queen.
 
 8 ASA PH. 
 
 great god Moloch by way of thanks, and for intercession 
 and protection for the new-born princess. 
 
 It was to be no common offering, taken from its too 
 willing parents arms, that through its immolation honor 
 might accrue to them. 
 
 No, it was to be the most beautiful child in Jerusalem, 
 nay, in all -Judea a boy fairer yet than any the sun had 
 ever shone on, a descendant of the " sons of God," with a 
 complexion so radiant and hair so long and golden that 
 people wondered and turned thrice to look at him even in 
 the most crowded streets. 
 
 The imperious powerful high priest of Moloch, hearing 
 of the boy, had visited the rich widow Ilelah, the wife of 
 Tola, in magnificent state, with an imposing retinue. 
 When he saw the boy his eyes sparkled and the blood 
 suffused his dusky face. 
 
 " Ah, what will not the great Moloch do for me for 
 such an offering!" he thought, so he unbended from his 
 dignity, and became so soft so persuasive that che boy 
 was fascinated and willingly consented to embrace the 
 great god. The victim must be willing, else the sacrifice 
 would be in vain. 
 
 The mother was terror-stricken at her child s consent 
 ing, and was as one made dumb. 
 
 When the great day arrived the boy was taken from 
 her arms, and she followed like a pale cold statue. 
 
 The procession moved: first came the mounted guard 
 of Moloch, in golden armor, ruthlessly riding down those 
 who in the least obstructed their way, then came the 
 musicians in beautiful vestments, playing on the instru-
 
 ASAPH. 9 
 
 ments that King David had invented for the Temple serv 
 ice. The music was inspiring so martial, so grand, that 
 the "offering" was in ecstasy. Next came the priests, 
 riding in the golden chariots of the sun, in robes so mag 
 nificent that increase of splendor seemed impossible, yet 
 when the high priest of Moloch appeared, borne aloft on a 
 resplendent throne, the grandeur of these lesser ones sunk 
 into insignificance. 
 
 Now came the " offering," robed in simple white, with 
 limbs and neck uncovered, that all might see their won 
 drous beauty, a wreath of golden sunflowers in his hair 
 and trailing to his feet. His face was glorified; and as he 
 turned his eyes to heaven he seemed as if he had but just 
 left that abode of angels. 
 
 Next came King Jehoiakim young, handsome, but 
 haughty, and with a cruel look upon his face. He was 
 dressed in the utmost splendor, as were those of his retinue 
 who surrounded him. Then came the princes and the 
 rulers, then the fighting men of Judah, men of magnifi 
 cent physique and courage; the nobles and heads of fami 
 lies followed, interspersed with standard-bearers, whose 
 highly colored and gilded insignia of the different tribes 
 added to the beauty of the whole; then followed the peo 
 ple dressed in holiday attire the maidens bearing cakes, 
 the youths golden vases of wine. 
 
 The procession ascended the broad walls by a temporary 
 bridge erected for the occasion. 
 
 As it neared the Gate of the Fountain the music in 
 creased in inspiring grandeur, and the voices of the men 
 and women singers filled the air with delicious melody.
 
 10 ASAPH. 
 
 The trappings of the stately camels glistened in the sun: 
 the golden armor of the guards threw back a million rays; 
 the precious ornaments of the women reflected the glory 
 of their " god " in innumerable bright colors; and Mo 
 loch s high priest was almost hidden by the blaze of his 
 many jewels, and the " offering," in his simplicity, ap 
 peared more transcendently beautiful by contrast. 
 
 Suddenly the silver trumpets sounded loudly, and the 
 procession countermarched on the broad wall. It was in 
 deed a pageant of which any city might well be proud. 
 
 Slowly it descended the incline prepared expressly by 
 the stairs that led up to the city of David, then it passed 
 through the Fountain Gate, over the bridge, into the val 
 ley of Hinnon. 
 
 The sun, whom they worshiped under the form of Mo 
 loch and of Baal, seemed to smile on this magnificent 
 paraphernalia of their devotion to him, and rose higher 
 and higher in the heavens, and brighter and warmer be 
 came his rays; and as a cloud that momentarily obscured 
 his light passed from his face the vast multitude broke out 
 in joyous shouts and song, the earth trembled with the 
 sound, and the walls of Jerusalem repeated the glad cries 
 and songs and sent them back from every angle and every 
 tower till the whole valley was full of triumphant melody. 
 
 The procession approached the grove in a long sinuous 
 line, like a great golden serpent Hashing in the sun. As 
 it neared the place of sacrifice, it divided into two im 
 mense masses, leaving a wide passage for the " offering. " 
 
 For a moment the music died down to a plaintive wail, 
 then the most magnificent of the golden " chariots of the
 
 ASAPF- 1] 
 
 sun," drawn by a line of glorious milk-white horses, slow 
 ly carried the boy Asaph through the expectant multitude. 
 
 Suddenly from the walls of the king s garden, that pro 
 jected so far into the valley that the dying cries of the 
 " offerings " could be plainly heard, a priest sounded the 
 silver trumpet loud and long; the immense, exquisitely 
 embroidered curtains of the grove were drawn aside, and 
 there stood the two great towers of fire, blazing out on 
 every side, and flaring far up into the air. 
 
 The high priest approached the chariot. Asaph stepped 
 to the ground and made obeisance by touching the earth 
 with his forehead; the priest took his hand, and, speaking 
 to him softly, led him nearer to the fires; suddenly the 
 music burst out in all its grandeur, and the " tophs " or 
 drums were added, sounding loudly. 
 
 Asaph advanced fearlessly; the high priest laid his hand 
 upon h s head, and he was ready for the sacrifice. Hun 
 dreds of priests swung high their glittering golden censers, 
 filling the air vyith dense clouds of aromatic perfume; the 
 maidens placed their cakes on little altars to be consumed 
 by the fierce fires; the youths poured out their libations of 
 wine to be lapped up by the flames; louder and louder- 
 sung the singers, deeper rolled the drums. 
 
 The music had reached its utmost glory and the multi 
 tude was burning with religious frenzy when suddenly a 
 woman s voice rang high above all other sounds: 
 
 "Stay the sacrifice! The offering is impure! He 
 will pollute your altars; he is not the child of my dead 
 husband. I am an adulteress!" 
 
 Simultaneously the inner curtains were drawn aside,
 
 12 ASAPH. 
 
 and the hideous figure of Moloch, with his great calf s 
 head, stood revealed. Asaph hesitated with a look of hor 
 ror. The high priest urged him forward as fresh fuel was 
 thrown upon the braziers; the flames burst out with 
 greater fierceness, caught his golden hair, and touched his 
 tender cheek; he heard his mother s cry, and with a shriek 
 of agony he rushed into her arms. 
 
 She turned and fled. For a moment the multitude was 
 silent with astonishment; but the high priest trembled 
 with his rage. 
 
 " The sacrifice so near completed, and yet Stone the 
 impious adulteress! Stone them!" he cried, and the vast 
 multitude took up the cry. 
 
 "Stone them! Stone them!" And fast and furious 
 flew the cruel stones to avenge the insult to their slighted 
 god. 
 
 But the widow Helah fled toward the thorn bushes that 
 grew high above her head, but her large and strong 
 widow s veil, spreading in her flight, caught upon the 
 thorns, and was held there fast and firm. 
 
 " Aha! thus does the great Moloch avenge his honor!" 
 cried the high priest, exultantly. And the multitude took 
 up the cry. 
 
 " For the great Moloch s honor!" and the stones were 
 larger, and flew faster, and struck harder. 
 
 At length even the fury of the high priest was spent, 
 and gradually the shower of stones grew less; then as 
 silence fell upon the multitude, it entirely ceased. 
 
 As their frenzy cooled, pity began to arise in some of 
 their breasts; the soft god -like sentiment rarely ever
 
 ASAPH. 13 
 
 touched the iron hearts of these men of war whose hands 
 had been steeped in blood nearly ever since they had first 
 entered the Promised Land. 
 
 But Asaph was the fairest child in Jerusalem, and they 
 dreaded to tear the veil aside and to see his perfect form, 
 his golden hair, his glorious beauty batlied in blood and 
 lifeless from their cruel fury, so they hesitated, then ap 
 proached nearer, paused, advanced again; still no one 
 dared to draw the veil aside. 
 
 Nearer and nearer they came no sound was heard, not 
 even a groan from the victim nor a moan from the moth 
 er. Nearer and nearer the tension of their nerves was 
 terrific. 
 
 At length the high priest, to break the spell, put hit 
 hand upon the veil; in a moment he had torn it from the 
 detaining thorns, and there upon the cruel rocks was 
 nothing! 
 
 A sigh of relief went up from the people. Then the 
 high priest cried: 
 
 "She has escaped! The impious adulteress!" and a 
 mighty shout of mingled rage and joy rent the air.
 
 14 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 JERUSALEM. 
 
 NIGHT had fallen on Jerusalem soft, radiant, glorious. 
 The excitement of the day had been intense. Many op 
 posing sentiments had been evoked by the priests pro 
 ceedings fury, malice, pity, sympathy, and condemnation 
 for there were still many who clung to the old faith in 
 the god of their fathers, the mighty Jehovah; their curses 
 on the idolaters were deep and strong, but being few in 
 comparison to the vast multitude who had gone astray, 
 they grieved in secret, and put dust and ashes on their 
 heads and rent their garments for the sins of their 
 brothers. 
 
 The populace, excited by the high priest and his satel 
 lites, had done dastardly work on their return from the 
 grove, and had the widow and Asaph fallen into their 
 hands their lives had not been worth a hair s value. 
 
 The magnificent stairway built by Solomon, which had 
 so astonished the Queen of fSbeba " that there was no more 
 heart in her," that led down from the city of David into 
 the Tyropean Valley, then up again to the Temple mount, 
 and once only was used by the kings and princes, had been 
 crowded by early morning, until the stars shone, by those 
 of the peaceably inclined citizens and strangers who wished 
 to see somewhat of the progress of events, yet to keep 
 themselves from any entanglement therein. Yet they too
 
 ASAPH. 15 
 
 were excited and anxious, not knowing what wild deeds 
 the mob might do led on by the baffled, infuriated priests 
 of Moloch. 
 
 Jeremiah had called again and again to the people from 
 the new gate of the Temple, but they had only laughed 
 and answered him with jeers. 
 
 The vacant places by the gates, where the kings were 
 wont to receive petitions and sit in judgment, had been 
 iiiled most of the day by strangers drawn hither to be 
 present at the ceremonies of worship, and to enjoy the 
 bounty of the king, his " sacrifices " of bread and wine 
 and fruit that were freely furnished to all. 
 
 Here they had gossiped and eat their meat, drinking 
 wine and water out of graceful jugs and vases; the water 
 they had drawn from the beautiful pools and fountains 
 that were scattered over the city. 
 
 But now those who had come from a distance had gone 
 to their tents outside the walls, and those who lived near 
 had returned to their own cities or villages, and at last the 
 citizens themselves had retired to their houses those who 
 lived in the deep valleys, of which there were several in 
 Jerusalem to pass the night upon their roofs to catch 
 what breeze they could, those who lived on the pleasauter 
 heights to sleep in-doors. 
 
 The gates of Jerusalem were closed and firmly locked 
 for the night. Peace settled down upon her people, and 
 only the watchmen on her walls were awake, and cried: 
 
 " All s well!"
 
 16 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ASAPH AND HIS MOTHER. 
 
 HKLAH had stopped the sacrifice, being frantic with 
 agony and fear at the thought of losing her loved boy 
 her all; but when he was in her arms again she knew no 
 fear of priest or god, thought only of escape and life for 
 her child; so when the thorns caught her in her ilight, she 
 quickly detached the veil from her head, and left it hang 
 ing there the thought flashing through her mind how it 
 might deceive and delay her pursuers. 
 
 Under its cover she penetrated further and further into 
 the thicket, scratched and bleeding, but safe; she did not 
 pause for fatigue a mother s love gave her strength to 
 carry the heavy boy. 
 
 Further and further up the valley she pushed her way 
 till the voices at the grove died into silence, and she hav 
 ing passed the rock-hewn tombs was in a part frequented 
 only by the birds and beasts of the forests; then she 
 paused. 
 
 Asaph, though fearless and of glorious courage, was still 
 little more than a babe in years, and bodily pain caused 
 him the same anguish as it would another child of such a 
 tender age, so he moaned pitifully: 
 
 " My mother! oh, my mother! the pain! the pain!" 
 
 For the first time she looked at his face a cruel burn
 
 ASA I ll. 17 
 
 extending from his temple to the turning of his chin. She 
 uttered a smothered groan. 
 
 " Hush, my boy! let us be silent that the cruel priests 
 may not find us. Sh! I will assuage thy pain." She 
 laid him on the soft mossy earth, and going to the brook 
 Kedron that rushes swiftly down the valley, she found a 
 little pool made by the spray, where the waters were at 
 rest and soft grass grew at its edge; she gathered a hand 
 ful and saturating it with the cool water, she hastened 
 to Asaph, and bound it on his face. This she did again 
 and again, until he fell into a deep slumber, broken by 
 quivering sobs, as when a child falls to sleep crying. 
 
 Helah took off her heavy skirt and wrapped it around 
 the boy, then sitting down herself, she thought what it 
 would be wisest to do for their safety; go back to Jerusa 
 lem she dared not. She knew the vindictive spirits of the 
 priests of Moloch and of Baal would cause them to hunt 
 her from the face of the earth; she even feared for her 
 relatives and friends, lest the priests, baffled of wreaking 
 their vengeance on her, should turn and rend them. 
 
 So she sat thinking, thinking, till the shadows grew 
 longer and longer; then night fell and she was safe for the 
 present. Her heart was glad, and would have given 
 thanks, but her belief in Moloch had received such a shock 
 of horror that she could not frame a prayer to such a 
 cruel god. 
 
 Hunger now made itself felt for she had eaten scarcely 
 anything since she had known her boy was doomed; so 
 the pains were sharp and cutting. 
 
 She arose and looked about her; the very tree against
 
 18 ASAPH. 
 
 which she had been leaning was full of ripe figs. She 
 could easily reach those on the lower branches, and never 
 did food taste so delicious. 
 
 When she had satisfied her hunger and drunk from the 
 brook, she wrapped herself in her mantle and laid down 
 by her child. 
 
 Sleep, thou tenderest of all Jehovah s gifts to man, who 
 can sufficiently sing thy praise? 
 
 Pain, anguish, sorrow, and despair are soothed into ob 
 livion by its gentle touch; and the beggar lying on the 
 cold marble steps and the king in his ivory bed are thus 
 made equal. 
 
 For awhile Helah was the happy mother, back again in 
 Jerusalem, in her beautiful home, with kindred and 
 friends around her. Little Asaph, too, felt no more the 
 agony of his burning, and the quivering sobs finally died 
 away, and they both slept. 
 
 But grim anguish ever hovers on the border-land of 
 dreams, ready to grasp the unhappy the moment gentle 
 sleep relaxes her sweet vigilance; so it was with lEc-lah: 
 while the stars yet shone she awoke to the knowledge of 
 all her misery. 
 
 The child still slept. What should she do? where go? 
 Alas! she had no one to counsel her, not even a god to 
 whom she could pray. Moloch had become abhorrent to 
 her very soul, and Jehovah, the God of her childhood, was 
 so far off and so dreadful that she dared not approach to 
 Him even in thought she feared lest lie should blaze 
 forth in a consuming fire, like her fathers had feared be 
 fore her in Mount Iloreb, when Moses stood between them
 
 ASA I ll. 19 
 
 and the Lord, lest His glory should blast them. So, hav 
 ing neither god nor man to turn to, that wonderful in 
 stinct, planted in all female kind, from the smallest bird 
 to the great behemoth, from the rudest savage to her most 
 enlightened sister, that rich pathetic gift, mother-love, 
 supplied all other needs. 
 
 She suddenly thought, with a stab of pain, of Asaph s 
 tender feel; no shoes, no covering for his dainty limbs, 
 only the little frail white robe to protect him from the 
 thorns and briers, and the close-woven thickets in which 
 they must now make their home. 
 
 " His dear little feet that I have kissed so often, they 
 will be bruised and bleeding, cut by sharp stones and torn 
 by cruel briers! And how shall I protect his body from 
 the scorching sun and the fierce wind, and how provide 
 his food, the dainty one? Oh, how shall I let him die for 
 lack of the pure white milk!" and she moaned and wrung 
 her hands. 
 
 Asaph awoke at the sound, and cried: 
 
 " Oh, my mother, I have had such a bad dream! but 
 but "then he trembled and put his hand to his face 
 " oh, how it pains!" 
 
 " Let thy mother soothe it. Thou wilt not be afraid to 
 stay alone till I go to yonder brook?" 
 
 " Nay, 1 do not fear; but bring me water too, my 
 mother, for 1 thirst. " 
 
 Helah hastened to the Kedron and gathered handf uls of 
 soft grass, and moistened it; but how to carry water? no 
 shell was here, or vase, or cup, or even broken shred of
 
 20 ASAPH. 
 
 pottery. She looked around as the faint light stole from 
 the east, but not even a hollow stone was near. 
 
 Ah, her shoe! Her heart leaped with joy that in her sor 
 row she had thrown off her dainty sandals and fine clothes 
 and put on the garments of them that mourn. Quickly she 
 dipped the little boat-shaped leather shoe into the brook 
 and filled it with clear cold water. Then hastening to her 
 boy she said : 
 
 " Drink, Asaph, it will cool the fever of thy hurt. " 
 
 " Tis good, my mother," he said, when he had drunk 
 till none remained. 
 
 Then llelah bound the damp grass on his poor burned 
 cheek, biting her lips that no moan should escape to ag 
 gravate his sufferings. 
 
 " Why was it, my mother? what had I done? had I not 
 gone with joy to embrace the great god? Then why did the 
 priest urge me to go through those cruel fires to that 
 hideous thing?" 
 
 " Hush sh! my boy!" cried Helah, " lest the great 
 Moloch hear and punish thee." 
 
 " Mother, it was not alive; it did not move even at my 
 cry of pain and thine of anguish." 
 
 " Sh sh!" ahe whispered, pressing him to her breast. 
 " Let us not speak of him lest the four winds carry our 
 words to his ears, and in his anger he should deliver us 
 into the hands of the cruel priests." 
 
 That silenced Asaph; for since the horrible yesterday 
 the form of the high priest of Moloch was the impersona 
 tion of all that was dire and awful to his young imagina 
 tion.
 
 ASA PH. 21 
 
 " See, my darling, here are sweet fresh figs; eat but a 
 little then we will go." 
 
 " Home, my mother?" 
 
 " Nay; wouldst thou fall again into the hands of them 
 who are eager to slay thee? We will find some secure cave 
 in the friendly wilderness where no man cometh, and there 
 we will live, my son/ 
 
 Then Helah rent a portion from her heavy mantle and 
 covered Asaph as with a robe, and secured it with the jew 
 eled pins that fastened her own clothes underneath her 
 mourning garments. 
 
 After again partaking of the ripe figs, she tied a few in 
 the corner of her mantle, then carried Asaph to the brook, 
 where they drank of the water, then purified themselves, 
 and so were ready for their journey. They went toward 
 the setting suu into the rocky wilderness to the west of 
 Jerusalem.
 
 22 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 A MOTHER S LOVE 
 
 ASAPH tried courageously to suppress the moans of 
 pain, but though descended from the sons of God, the 
 human nature of his mother s blood asserted itself so 
 strongly that ever and anon the sobs would come, and his 
 mother s heart felt his every pain intensified. 
 
 " Let me walk, my mother. I know thy arms have 
 grown weary with rny weight," Asaph said as soon as they 
 were in the thicket again, with the great trees all about 
 them. * 
 
 "Yes, my child, we will rest." So they sat down on 
 the soft moss, and the birds fluttered above their heads, 
 and sung so sweetly that the sounds soothed them as the 
 music of the Temple in Helah s childhood had quieted all 
 her maiden sorrows. 
 
 For awhile they sat speechless; both were thinking 
 Asaph in his childish way of the immediate past, she of 
 the present, which to her meant her child. Again she 
 took him in her arms and slowly pressed through the 
 thicket. She knew, from the history of her people, that 
 many had hidden themselves in times of trouble in the 
 rocky caves abounding around Jerusalem. She feared to 
 leave Asaph even for a moment to search alone, lest she 
 
 * These were not yet destroyed, but they were by the subsequent 
 devastating sieges, of which Jersualem had many.
 
 ASA PH. 23 
 
 should lose sight of him in the heavy undergrowth, or 
 other harm should befall him, so her search was slow and 
 wearisome. She kept near the Kedron so as to moisten 
 the grass on Asaph s cheek and to give him drink, for the 
 burn had caused a fever to arise. 
 
 When the sun was high in the heavens, and they were 
 faint from lack of food, she espied an aperture in the 
 rocky hill-side. 
 
 " But should there be wild beasts within!" was her 
 thought. " My darling, I will go first and see that there 
 is naught therein to harm thee. Sit there/ and she 
 placed him on the rock that projected over the low en 
 trance. " While 1 am gone, if thou seest aught, either 
 man or beast, lay close to the earth and draw my mantle 
 over thy head." Then taking a sharp rock in her hand in 
 case of need, she stooped and entered. 
 
 For some distance she could not stand upright; and 
 after leaving the light that streamed in the entrance she 
 was in total darkness, so she proceeded cautiously, feeling 
 every step. 
 
 " If I only had a light!" she murmured, growing dizzy 
 with the darkness and hunger. Suddenly she almost fell, 
 for the side wall ended abruptly. " Perhaps an entrance 
 to another cave," she thought; then stepping back, she 
 passed her hand over the rocky side, and when she came 
 to the end she grasped it firmly, put her head forward, and 
 look and listened. Not a sound not even the falling of 
 water-drops, but away back in the direction she had come 
 was a faint light entering some crevice from above. 
 
 She walked toward it joyfully. It came from an open-
 
 24 ASAPH. 
 
 ing almost like a door, which she entered, and found her 
 self in a small cave within a cave, quite light and dry and 
 fresh-smiling. She felt so thankful but to what? to 
 whom? She had no god now; and the feeling coming 
 back again upon her heart oppressed her with a strange 
 pain. 
 
 She looked around. No evidence of man or animal, 
 and so secluded they would be surely safe. She returned 
 by the same way, and her eyes seemed to be able to pene 
 trate the darkness a little better; and she found the 
 aperture without any difficulty; then she counted her 
 steps to the entrance, and in a few moments Asaph was in 
 her arms. 
 
 " My son, be not afraid of the darkness. I have found 
 a safe place where we may live, away from these cruel 
 men." 
 
 " I do not fear, dear mother; but I I am so hungry!" 
 he said, the tears coming into his voice, despite his cour 
 age. 
 
 " Be patient; wait but a little." 
 
 So she carried him into the cave, counting her stepa; 
 then, as they turned into the other, where the light shone, 
 he gave a little cry of joy, and when he entered the room, 
 he smiled and said : 
 
 osovv they can not get me; they will be afraid of the 
 dark!" 
 
 Ifocks projected from the sides and lloor that served 
 well for seats and tables. They sat on one. 
 
 " See, my boy, here are figs; eat while 1 fetch thee 
 water. })o not be afraid, even if I am absent longer than
 
 ASAPH. 25 
 
 them wishest, and do not attempt to follow me thou 
 mightest be hurt in yonder black cave. I will search for 
 food for thee. Eat, then try to sleep." 
 
 She covered him with the remnant of her mantle, kissed 
 him tenderly, then cautiously felt her way back into the 
 
 For a moment she shaded her eyes with her hand and 
 stood thinking. Suddenly she remembered a beautiful 
 garden outside of Jerusalem that she had often visited 
 when a maiden, the possessor being a distant relative of 
 hers. She remembered the kind law that the God of her 
 fathers had given to the great Moses that the trees 
 should not be beaten bare, nor the vines left empty, nor 
 the corn stripped wholly from the fields she remembered, 
 too, that all growing things for food were free to those 
 who hungered, but not to take away save that which was 
 left on purpose. 
 
 So, cautiously but as quickly as she could, she hastened 
 toward this garden of life. She stopped ever and anon 
 and listened, for the sound of music in the valley would 
 have deterred her from her purpose, and Asaph might die 
 of hunger. 
 
 No sound save the brambles crunching beneath her feet;- 
 she almost held her breath as she neared the awful grove; 
 she was faint with hunger and fear; but the thought of 
 the pleasant garden and food for herself and child nerved 
 her on. Peering through the thicket she saw her large 
 strong widow s veil if she could but obtain it, she could 
 carry food for several days, and use it, too^, for warmth at 
 night.
 
 26 AS A PH. 
 
 Down on her hands and knees she crept nearer and 
 nearer; still no sound from the grove. It was almost 
 within her grasp when the bushes at her side parted with a 
 sharp noise. She pressed closely to the earth and held her 
 breath. 
 
 " Asaph!" she murmured as she closed her eyes, ex 
 pecting death. 
 
 Several seconds passed they seemed like hours, but nu 
 voice sounded, then a little moist nose just touched her 
 cheek; it was a little goat with its kid by its side. 
 
 Ah! here was food and life for Asaph could she but coax 
 it to the cave; then she could return at night to the gar 
 den. She touched it very gently on the head; it started; 
 she spoke a few soft words, then approached the kid very 
 cautiously, and grasped it suddenly and firmly; then 
 snatching her veil up from the ground she hastened back 
 to the cave with the kid in her arms, the mother follow 
 ing, crying " Ma-a! ma-a!" but she plucked a few sweet 
 leaves from a tree in her path and held them out to the 
 goat, who, seeing no harm was done her kid, eat them, 
 then followed on. 
 
 When they arrived at the cave the goat refused to enter; 
 so Helah sat down and let it see its young, then smoothed 
 its long beautiful hair and spoke to it gently, then taking 
 off her leather belt from around her waist, she quickly 
 fastened it around its neck, and drew it after her. 
 
 The goat struggled fiercely; but Ilelah gained sudden 
 strength; this was life for her child, nay, for herself as 
 well; so she held it firmly, and with coaxing and petting
 
 ASATH. 27 
 
 she finally brought it to the inner cave, speaking as she 
 came so that Asaph should not be frightened. 
 
 He had been dozing, but sat up on hearing his mother s 
 voice. 
 
 " Oh! the pretty creature!" he cried. " Let me touch 
 her, my mother." 
 
 She led the goat to his side and bade him hold her fast; 
 then taking off her shoe she quickly filled it with the pure 
 white life-giving fluid. Asaph looked on in wonder; but 
 when it was held to his lips he drank it with delight, say 
 ing: 
 
 " Oh, my mother, how good that is! Kow dost then 
 drink some, thou wilt like it too." So Ilelah drank and 
 her strength returned, and they both felt better. 
 
 Now to make the cave secure to keep the goat till it 
 should be tamed, to pile up rocks and fill the entrance 
 would be a difficult, heavy task, and she was weak. So 
 after thinking for awhile she tore some strips from her 
 widow s veil and fastened them near together across the 
 opening. Then she went into the valley, and gathering 
 grass and leaves, she filled the veil and bore it back into 
 the cave. 
 
 "Here is food for the little goat, and soft leaves for 
 thy bed, dear son; I will get more from the valley, so that 
 we both can sleep without feeling the cold, hard rocks." 
 But Asaph was drowsy, and his cheeks red with fever. 
 What should she do? Placing him upon a bed of leaves 
 upon a large projecting rock, she sat by him and held his 
 hand. Yes, as soon as night descended she would go to 
 the garden and bring the cooling pomegranate and the
 
 28 ASAPH. 
 
 sweet healing balm of Oileacl. Would not the leaves laid 
 on her boy s face make it well? The thought gave her 
 joy, so she hastened into the valley again and brought m 
 leaves enough to make them both comfortable for the 
 night. 
 
 Ity this time the sun was sinking and the whole valley 
 was lighted up with a glorious, refulgent light of purple 
 crimson and gold so beautiful that the sight gave even 
 her sad heart a thrill of pleasure; then as it gradually 
 faded away and the stars began to shine, she set out on her 
 erraiul. The thought of danger did not present itself; it 
 was life and health for her child that she was to secure; to 
 do so quickly was all her thought. 
 
 She knew the gates of Jerusalem were closed at dark, so 
 no man woidd interfere with her purpose. She took her 
 way by the margin of the brook, as here she could go 
 swiftly, no bushes impeding her way. Should the watch 
 men on the walls notice her, she would not be harmed, as 
 they would take her for some denizen of the wilderness, 
 and Jehovah s chosen people were not swift to shed blood 
 at least, that of animals. 
 
 She ran till her breath grew short, then rested for a mo 
 ment and listened, but not a sound broke the stillness, 
 save the watchmen on the towers, who cried ever and anon: 
 
 " All s well !" 
 
 The lights from the houses and the streets, and from 
 the m:iny-wiiulc>\VL .l palaces, tilled the air above the pal 
 aces, tilled the atmosphere above the city with a faint radi 
 ance. Holah s heart yearned over Jerusalem, her home, 
 where she was born; where her father had served in the
 
 ASAPH. 29 
 
 Temple in the reign of the good Josiah; where her childish 
 voice had joined in praises to Israel s God. Her eyes filled 
 with tears; she must not think of these things; her child 
 was waiting. On she went again, eagerly scanning every 
 object, so as not to rniss her destination. 
 
 At length she came to the stone iuclosure of the garden. 
 The beautiful trees drooped over the sides, and the vines 
 trailed among the stones. She entered the opening, 
 shielded but by a few bars, then she satisfied her hunger at 
 any tree she desired, as the law was, then she looked 
 among them for those already gathered, to glean the por 
 tion left for the poor. 
 
 Soon she had filled her veil with apples, figs, melons, 
 pomegranates, lettuce, leeks, and olives; then she took a 
 bunch of the precious balm of Gilead, and then hastened 
 back to her boy. 
 
 Only that she had observed all the surroundings of the 
 cave and placed stones here and there, as signs, she would 
 never have been able to find it again, with only the stars 
 as torches; but her mother-love had served her a projector, 
 purveyor, and guide. She was a woman, so her heart beat 
 a little faster and her knees trembled slightly as she en 
 tered the dark cave. 
 
 Darkness is fearful, like .unto death; one enters into 
 what one knows not of; but Helah banished every other 
 thought but of her child, and hastened in. She had filled 
 her shoe with water, so stepped lightly to save her foot 
 from hurt. 
 
 As she neared the inner cave, weary with her load, she 
 murmured softly:
 
 30 ASA PH. 
 
 " Asaph!" Buthe did not reply, and soon his gentle 
 breathing told that he slept. 
 
 The little goat cried " Ma-a, ma-a!" so she gave it 
 sonic fruit, and it lay down to sleep with its kid. Then 
 she placed her treasures on a high projecting rock, to be 
 out of their reach, then lying down by Asaph s side, she 
 drew the thick veil over them both, and watching the stars 
 that shed a faint light through the rift in the cave, she, 
 too, went to sleep.
 
 ASA PH. 31 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE LIFE IN THE CAVE.. 
 
 ONCE or twice during the night Asaph had moaned, and 
 Helah had given him water to drink, and had moistened 
 the grass upon his face. 
 
 When morning came his fever was less, and both felt re 
 freshed and stronger for their food and sleep. 
 
 After she had purified herself at the brook and drank 
 of its cool waters, she carried some to Asaph, who did the 
 same; then she milked the little goat, letting it eat the 
 while. It was almost a kid itself, with beautiful long 
 hair, and so tame that Helah thought it must be of the 
 stock of the scapegoat that was yearly led into the wilder 
 ness to bear away the sins of Israel into the wilds where no 
 man liveth. 
 
 The milk alone sufficed for Asaph s " meat " in the 
 early morning, but she shoved him the pleasant fruits she 
 had brought, of which he might eat as the day grew older; 
 then he smiled with pleasure. But the burn still pained so 
 cruelly that his winsome ways had left him, and his smile 
 was only momentary. 
 
 " See, my son, here is precious balm; let me lay it on 
 thy cheek." 
 
 So, bruising some of the leaves, she bound them on his 
 face with a strip of her inner garments of white linen.
 
 32 ASA PH. 
 
 Soon ho fell into a doze, and so she knew the balm had 
 soothed the pain, and that he suffered less. 
 
 " What shall 1 do when he must run about on these 
 hard, sharp rocks no shoes nor sandals even. 
 
 She had neither needle, thread, nor shears. How 
 should she fashion aught to protect his tender feet? Sud 
 denly she remembered her leather belt; it was broad and 
 strong, but soft withal; so, taking it from her waist, she 
 laid it on a Hat stone, then, measuring his foot, she traced 
 out the pattern with a sharp splinter of rock, then she 
 pressed harder and harder, and by dint of patience and 
 persistent effort she at length cut through the leather, and 
 the shoes were ready for the needle. But where should she 
 find anything approaching that useful article? l>ut a 
 thought came; so, going into the valley, she plucked some 
 long, slender thorns, and took them into the cave. These 
 she pierced with one of her strong pins, and threaded with 
 several strands of her long, black hair. 
 
 A\ hen Asaph awoke, some hours later, and saw his little 
 shoes, he laughed with comic pleasure, as his mother 
 bound his legs with strips from the ever-useful veil; then, 
 when the shoes were drawn upon his feet, he kissed her 
 and said: 
 
 " (iood, good mother!" and patted her cheek. 
 
 Clod s chosen people were a serious people not much 
 given to light and frivolous amusements. There was little 
 familiarity of speech or action between parent and child, 
 but the greatest ceremony prevailed: children worshiping 
 their parents, that is, bowing to the earth before them, 
 wiul adults of a lower social condition used the same cere-
 
 ASAPH. 33 
 
 mony to those of a higher, or even an equal, standing. If 
 a piece of land was to be bought or sold, the bargain was 
 dignified by the greatest display of politeness.* This all 
 tended to an elevation of language and beautiful poetical 
 idioms of speech, nothing coarse or common ever falling 
 from the lips of an Israelite, man, woman, or child. This 
 is why the little Asaph, even when so young, spoke a pure, 
 courteous language. 
 
 With the frequent application of the balm leaves the 
 pain of the burn was so decreased that in a few days 
 Asaph/s childish nature asserted itself, and he began to 
 play about the cave and pet and caress the little kid. 
 
 He soon had rendered it so tame that it would follow 
 him, but they did not as yet go beyond the limits of the 
 little cave. 
 
 Helah went out at night and gleaned what the reapers 
 had left during the day; sometimes the fields were so far 
 distant that it would be midnight before she returned, 
 weary and spent, with her heavy load she, the delicate 
 woman who had never known what it was to soil her hands 
 with labor or to carry the slightest burden. 
 
 But it was only physical fatigue, for what cared she for 
 the foolish pride of the ignominy of work? It was for her 
 child that feeling nerved her to the most heroic efforts. 
 
 Now she must contrive a mill, such as she had seen her 
 bond -maidens use; where stones were so plentiful it was 
 not a difficult matter, but at first she could only beat the 
 wheat and barley into a coarse flour. She gathered dry 
 
 * Witness Abraham purchasing the cave of Macphelah. 
 
 2
 
 34 ASA PH. 
 
 e.ives and branches and ignited them by striking two 
 stones together, and the little cakes cooked in the ashes 
 tasted very grateful after being without any kind of bread 
 for so many days. 
 
 As Asapli grew better Helah would take him to the en 
 trance of the cave and let him play in the open air early in 
 the morning and in the evening, when the gates of Jerusa 
 lem were closed; so daily he grew stouter and stronger and 
 larger, and the burn healed rapidly so rapidly that it left 
 an ugly scar, which grieved his mother s heart. If she 
 had only some ointment, or fat even; but how should she 
 kill aught to obtain it she who almost fainted at the sight 
 of blood; and besides, it would be murder, unless it were 
 brought to the door of the Temple and slain either by one 
 of the priests or in their sight. 
 
 Then she thought of the goat s milk. But how let it set 
 to obtain the cream without cup or bowl? 
 
 Asaph listened to her murmur ings, and a few days 
 after, when they returned from their morning purifica 
 tions at the Kedrou, he said: 
 
 " See, my mother, 1 have made a little cup out of the 
 clay down by the brook; the sun has burned it hard and 
 dry. Will it not do to save the milk? it makes me weep 
 when thou art gone to fetch water to know the sharp rocks 
 might cut thy dear feet on thy return without thy shoes." 
 
 Helah kissed his brow. 
 
 My sou, thou art a man in thoughtfulness for thy 
 mother. This cup is more valuable than gold." 
 
 Asaph was happy. 
 
 So cream was put upon the scar till it softened and ren-
 
 ASAPH. 35 
 
 dered the hard seam less unsightly. Still it drew one side 
 of his face out of its perfect beauty. 
 
 A few more days passed, and Asaph had made several 
 cups and bowls, and the cave began to look a little more 
 like a habitation. 
 
 Each day added something to their" stock. Winter was 
 near, and she must make provision for those cold days 
 when the trees would be bare and the fields bereft of grain. 
 
 So, night after night she would return so late that the 
 red streaks were already in the east, and she was foot-sore 
 and weary. 
 
 But not a murmur at their hard fate escaped her lips, 
 and if she could have only returned to the worship of the 
 Jehovah of her childhood and had a god to whom to pray 
 and give thanks, she would have been happy, save when 
 she looked on Asaph s scar. But without a god there was 
 always something lacking, and her happiest moments were 
 incomplete. 
 
 So the time passed on. Daily she instructed Asaph, as 
 she had done since his earliest infancy, and he was an apt 
 scholar. She missed the cheerful lamp the dark evenings 
 when they could no longer sit at the entrance of the cave 
 and watch and talk of the beautiful moon and stars. 
 
 Asaph noticed now that at certain times, when the moon 
 was full, his mother would bow to it, and touch the earth 
 with her forehead, but utter no word. 
 
 " Why dost thou so, my mother?" he asked one night. 
 
 " She is the queen of heaven, the great Astarte, whom 
 of late we have been taught to "worship," Helah replied. 
 
 But Asaph looked grave, yet said not a word.
 
 36 ASAPH. 
 
 A few nights after he said: 
 
 " Astarte is beautiful, my mother, not like the hideous 
 Moloch, but" 
 
 His childish tongue could not frame into speech the 
 thoughts that crowded into his brain, so he sighed and 
 turned away, and ever after, when the moon was full, he 
 woull not come from the cave. 
 
 Months passed away, and Helah longed to return to 
 Jerusalem, but did not dare to do so, till Asaph should 
 grow up beyond recognition. Only for this yearning the 
 days passed pleasantly enough. 
 
 Asaph, with the assistance of his mother, had made him 
 a little bow and arrows, in imitation of the weapons of his 
 father. Helah had strung it with plaited strands of her 
 long hair, and soon he could hit a mark with unerring 
 aim. 
 
 " Some day, my mother, I might have to fight for my 
 people, as my father did, but only to save them, my 
 mother." 
 
 One morning, when he was left alone in the valley, 
 while llelah prepared their early meal, he noticed an un 
 clean bird, a hawk, killing the tsvittering sparrows that 
 had made their homes in the crevices of the rocky en 
 trance, for he fed them each morning; so they had come 
 in great numbers and were very tame, coming at his call. 
 He quickly drew his bow, and the bird lay dead at his feet. 
 He took it to his mother. 
 
 " Sec, it is fat. Will it not make oil for a little lamp?" 
 
 Kelah examined it and said: 
 
 " Yes, my sou; 1 will melt the iat and put it into one
 
 ASAPH. 37 
 
 of thy little cups; then with a shred of stuff for a wick, we 
 will have light." 
 
 So the long dark nights were enlivened by its gracious 
 rays, and they would sit and talk. Asaph would ask 
 many questions, storing his mind with the gathered knowl 
 edge of his mother s maturer years, or they would mold the 
 clay into articles of use and beauty, and soon a lamp with 
 a handle graced their table of rock. 
 
 It was Asaph s task to supply the lamp; so he became 
 very expert in destroying the feathered enemies of his 
 tame birds. 
 
 Helah had contrived a way of weaving the feathers into 
 a covering, using her hair as woof; so they did not feel the 
 extreme cold of winter; then, too, the cave was singularly 
 warm and dry. 
 
 When the birds proved " clean," Helah would roast 
 them in a little fire that they kept constantly burning in 
 the cave. She did not fear the smoke would betray them, 
 as so much incense was burned on every high place to pro- 
 pitiate the gods that she knew it would pass unnoticed. 
 
 So the winter passed and no news from Jerusalem. 
 Could she remain from her home and kindred much 
 longer? Alas! she must, for Asaph s sake. 
 
 The sacrifices in the grove still continued, for Jehoia- 
 kim was a cruel man and shed much innocent blood, and 
 Asaph would tremble when he heard the music; and when 
 the drums sounded he would rush into the inner cave and 
 raise his little hands to heaven in speechless entreaty.
 
 38 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ASAPH INCRKASKS IN YEARS AND WISDOM. THE KING 
 IS TERRIFIED. 
 
 As the days passed, .the months passed, and so the years 
 glided away. 
 
 Their goats had increased to a small flock, and Helah 
 had learned to spin their hair into a beautiful warm cloth. 
 Asaph had made for her a distafl and a rude weaving 
 frame. He had found out a process of curing certain 
 weeds and plants and using thorn for thread, so that now 
 the cave was covered with soft mats, also the rocky seats, 
 and a large curtain was hung before the entrance. 
 
 Under Helah s directions Asaph had made an oven for 
 baking bread: it was a large clay jar burned hard. It was 
 heated by filling it with burning sticks and grass, then it 
 was cleansed, and the bread put in. This was the com 
 mon manner in Jerusalem for those who did not depend 
 upon the public baker. 
 
 Asaph was now a tall gracefid lad, very expert with his 
 bow, which he made year by year larger and stronger. 
 Ho would now permit his mother to go no more on her 
 midnight excursions alone, but always accompanied her, 
 gleaning as rapidly as she, and always bearing the burdens 
 on his shoulders back to the cave. 
 
 All the news of the outside world which to them was
 
 ASAPH. 39 
 
 Jerusalem which ever came to them was the nightly cries 
 from the walls and towers: 
 
 "All s well!" 
 
 "All s well. Ah, my son, that gladdens my heart. 
 Dear Jerusalem is well; some day we will return, and 
 then" 
 
 " Yes, my mother, and worship Jehovah as of old," 
 Asaph would say with enthusiasm. 
 
 One morning, very early, when the cold of winter had 
 marie food scarce, and the denizens of the wilderness were 
 fierce from hunger, Asaph was awakened by the pitiful 
 cries of his flock of goats in the outer cave. He seized his 
 bow and arrows and went directly to their assistance. A 
 large fox had seized a kid, and it was struggling fearfully, 
 while its dam was crying and trying to protect it. 
 
 Asaph took aim, and in a moment had pierced its heart. 
 The flock had huddled together, and were trembling with 
 fright. But Asaph had a kind word for all, and called 
 each by its name; so when he had reassured them, he 
 skinned the fox and then prepared the skin for a surprise 
 for his loved mother. 
 
 Some time after, when it was ready, he brought it to 
 her and said: 
 
 " See, my mother, here is a churn for thee." 
 
 She had told him how, in Jerusalem, the women would 
 take the skin of a kid tied at the feet and filling it with 
 milk, would hang it on a pole, and, shaking it back and 
 forth, the beautiful yellow butter would reward their labor. 
 
 So Helah had another household treasure, and felt still 
 more happy in the possession of such a thoughtful son.
 
 40 ASAPH. 
 
 For some time there had been no noisy sacrifices in the 
 grove; but Asaph had often seen the clouds of incense 
 above the trees, so feared the cruel ceremony was still 
 being performed, and he lived in constant dread of hearing 
 the dying shrieks of the victims. 
 
 Both Ilelah and Asaph had become more venturesome 
 as the years passed on, as no harm had befallen them, so 
 they remained longer in the valley in the mornings, and 
 Asaph delighted to explore the old tombs, and they wan 
 dered nearer to the walls of Jerusalem. 
 
 One morning, as they walked and conversed together of 
 the future, suddenly the beatings of the " tophs " re 
 sounded in the valley, and the blasts from the silver trum 
 pets on the walls of the king s garden shrilly cut the air. 
 
 Asaph trembled and turned pale. 
 
 " My mother, they are sending another child through 
 the fires of Moloch! Will the great Jehovah, of whom 
 thou toldest me, permit the sacrifice?" 
 
 " Alas, my son, I know not!" 
 
 " Is He so dreadful, my mother, that little children dare 
 not cry to Him who is so able to save?" 
 
 " My son, I speak of Him with fear and trembling. 
 We, who have worshiped Moloch, are impious in His 
 sight," 
 
 Thou didst not worship Moloch, my mother. In thy 
 heart thou couldst not believe that hideous thing of wood 
 and brass, decked with women s clothes, to be thy god. 
 And I was too young to be accountable. But can not we 
 save yon child, my mother?"
 
 ASA PH. 41 
 
 " How, my son? Should we interfere the high priest 
 
 1 
 
 would have us torn to pieces/ 5 
 
 " Let me go, my mother, I will denounce the sacrifice; 
 tell them they are breaking God s holy law that Moses 
 brought down from the mount." 
 
 Helah looked at him almost in terror. Where had he 
 learned these things? 
 
 " I will tell them Jehovah s vengeance will overtake 
 them for the innocent blood Oh, let me go!" He 
 almost escaped from her detaining hand. 
 
 " !S o, no, my son; if they will not listen to the Prophet 
 Jeremiah they would laugh to scorn thy words." 
 
 They had approached nearer to the grove unconsciously 
 as they were talking so near that the sudden shrieks of 
 agony of the poor victim could be plainly heard above the 
 noise of drums that vainly tried to drown them. 
 
 " My mother, I am sick with helpless indignation. Let 
 us return to the welcome silence of the cave." So they 
 hastened back. 
 
 For a long while Asaph sat buried in thought, then he 
 paced the cave back and forth, ever and anon uttering a 
 sigh or groan. His mother did not interrupt his medita 
 tions even by a word, but took the distafl he had made her 
 and began to spin the beautiful angora wool clipped from 
 their flock to make it into winter clothing. 
 
 Helah had studied, when a maiden, with Huldah in the 
 college at Jerusalem, so was enabled to teach Asaph and 
 bring him to a higher standard of learning than was usual 
 with boys of his age, and the rocky walls of their cave 
 were covered with his lessons; but to-day he added nothing
 
 42 ASAPH 
 
 to their number; he seemed to be wholly absorbed in some 
 mental struggle. 
 
 " Yes, 1 will appeal to their fear," he murmured. " It 
 must be right. Yes, yes!" a/id still he paced the cave. 
 
 " What is it, my son, that troubles thee?" 
 
 " 1 was thinking of the awful sacrifices of the grove " 
 
 " Banish it from thy thoughts, my sou; the thinking 
 will only make thy life one long day of pain. The evils 
 we can not remedy were best forgotten." 
 
 The reverence he bore his mother a characteristic of 
 the children of Israel precluded his discussing what was 
 so near his heart; but he determined ho would make an 
 individual effort to stop these inhuman sacrifices. So 
 when he had arranged in his mind a plan of action, he sat 
 down by his mother and said: 
 
 " Now let me help thee, my mother, and hear thy 
 words of wisdom as we work." 
 
 So he helped her with the spinning, she instructing him 
 the while till time for dinner; then he kindled a fire while 
 she kneaded cakes made from the grain they had gleaned 
 together many a night by starlight. He ground the grain 
 into flour between two stones he would allow his mother 
 to do none of the hard work now of their daily life, he 
 felt so strong and proud of his advancing years. 
 
 " Rest, my mother," he said, when the meal was 
 ended, " and tell me about Jerusalem." 
 
 He was never tired of listening to her descriptions of 
 their old home and of the beautiful Temple, and the im 
 mense pools on which pleasure boats danced in the sun, of 
 the lovely bazaars or fairs in which objects of beauty and
 
 ASAPH. 43 
 
 use from all over the world were offered for sale. Asaph 
 had only a slight remembrance of the home of his birth. 
 His life in the woods and caves had developed him into a 
 boy of magnificent stature and strength and still more 
 glorious beauty. The memory of the few years he had 
 passed in Jerusalem were compressed into the experiences 
 of that terrible day in the grove. 
 
 His mother would look at him at times with almost 
 awe, especially when she told him of the old-time wander 
 ings of their people, and he would denounce the wrongs of 
 which they had been guilty in the impassioned tones of 
 one inspired. She would think of his descent from " one 
 of the sons of God " on his father s side, and wonder what 
 would be his destiny in this great world. Thus they 
 passed the day, for it would have been unsafe to have been 
 seen in the valley in daylight, even to tend their flock of 
 goats, on a day of sacrifice. So when she knew the gates 
 of Jerusalem were closed they walked forth fearlessly hand 
 in hand, and attended to their delayed duties, and housed 
 their flock in the first great cave; then they went to the 
 brook and purified themselves, then sat in the beautiful 
 moonlight and discoursed till time for sleep. 
 
 His mother had taught him somewhat of the stars; but 
 in these years of observation in which he delighted he had 
 far outstripped her in the knowledge of their ways, and 
 used to beg to sit each night a little while alone to meditate. 
 
 To-night he remained longer than usual, and on going 
 to the cave found his mother asleep. He kissed her gen 
 tly, but she awoke, so light is a mother s sleep, wishing to 
 guard her loved ones, even in her dreams.
 
 44 ASAPH. 
 
 " Ah, Asaph, good-night, darling." 
 
 "Peace be with thee, my mother," he replied; and 
 now she sunk into a deeper sleep, knowing her boy was 
 there. 
 
 As soon as Asaph thought she would not notice his de 
 parture, he wrapped his mantle around him and went into 
 the valley. He took his way by the Kedron, and when he 
 came to the bridge he quickly crossed and soon came to 
 the walls of the king s garden. 
 
 All was quiet in the grove. He was agile as a young 
 athlete, so approaching a tall tree that threw its branches 
 almost into the clustering vines that trailed over the wall 
 and somewhat down its side in its luxuriance, he climbed 
 quickly into its wide-spreading branches, then sprung into 
 the vines and so drew himself to the top; from here he 
 could see the windows of the palace, but all were dark 
 save a faint light from one. For a moment he sat still, 
 hid by the vines; then he cried in impassioned tones: 
 
 " King Jehoiakim! King Jehoiakim! Woe, woe, woe 
 to thee for the innocent blood! Didst thou not hear the 
 babes cry in their agony? Oh. oh, o h! 
 
 This he wailed so pitifully that soon one window, then 
 another, held a human face. He continued to cry: 
 
 Woe, woe, woe to Jerusalem for killing her babes! 
 and woe to the king for breaking the laws of the mighty 
 Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel! \V-o-e! w-o-e ? " 
 
 The sound was heart-rending, and soon King Jehoiakim 
 came to his window with a terror-stricken face, and still 
 Asaph continued to cry. Then the lovely face of a child 
 appeared at the window where the light shone.
 
 ASAPH. 45 
 
 Asaph started; he had never seen anything so beautiful 
 before. Was this the princess for whom he had been 
 about to die? He arose and gazed at her. Just then the 
 moon burst from behind a cloud and gleamed on his 
 golden hair and radiant face. She saw him and started, 
 bat King Jehoiakim cried: "It is his spirit! * and fell 
 back on to the floor of his chamber in a death-like swoon.
 
 46 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 KING J E H O 1 A K I M . 
 
 ALL was confusion in the palace; the physicians were 
 hastily summoned, and for awhile it was feared Jehioakim 
 was dead. Some of his servants could hardly conceal their 
 joy, for he was a cruel master, and the least fault cost the 
 ollender his life, sometimes, too, by the most cruel torture. 
 
 The old officers and relatives of his deposed brother 
 cried: 
 
 " Our despoiled king is avenged! Glory, glory to Mo 
 loch and Baal!" 
 
 But when Jehoiakim regained consciousness these 
 shrunk away in sullen silence. 
 
 The Princess Elia and her mother had hastened to the 
 king s couch, and bent over him, weeping, and Coniah, 
 his son a mild youth of some fifteen summers uttered 
 prayers to all the gods that were worshiped in Syria, and 
 sometimes the name of Jehovah, his father s father, the 
 good Josiah s God, fell from his lips. 
 
 When the king regained his speech his children prostrat 
 ed themselves before him, touching their foreheads to the 
 floor. When he saw them he smiled faintly, and said: 
 
 " Is is it you, my children? What what has befallen 
 me?" 
 
 " Only a faintness, my lord and father," replied his 
 son, kissing his hand.
 
 ASAPH. 47 
 
 " Elia, my Rose of Sharon, didst thou not see was it 
 not a spirit?" 
 
 " No, my gracious lord; it was but a beauteous boy 
 standing in the moonlight!" 
 
 " It it was his spirit. The boy was being offered to 
 great Moloch for for thy prosperity, but he escaped with 
 his mother to die in the wilderness." 
 
 " Most gracious lord, I do not think that was aught but 
 a living being we saw, said Elia s mother. 
 
 " Astarte be praised! He did not die that cruel death 
 for me/ cried the princess. 
 
 The king groaned: 
 
 " Why does Moloch allow his spirit to return to vex me? 
 But but if he lives, Duinah shall seek him." 
 
 " Oh, my gracious king and father, do him no harm! 
 What advantage could his death avail how add to my 
 happiness? If J have thy love I need naught else. * 
 
 The king smiled and said: 
 
 " Thou hast that, my daughter, but woe to them of this 
 house that hate me, and would league with others to de 
 stroy my peace of mind!" 
 
 Elia dared not venture further, but pressed her father s 
 hand, and seeing that he wished to sleep, she made obei 
 sance to him and left the chamber. 
 
 In her own dainty room she sat and thought. The 
 Ethiopian maid lay on a mat at her feet; she had not even 
 been aroused by the running of many feet. These chil 
 dren of the torrid sun, though faithful like dogs, are heavy 
 sleepers, and their watch is with their heart more than 
 their eyes.
 
 48 ASA PH. 
 
 " If the boy lives, 1 must warn him. 1 would not that 
 my father should be guilty a second time of his blood. 1 
 do not think the peaceful Astarte would wish it!" 
 
 Then she laid herself down to sleep with the goddess s 
 name upon her lips. 
 
 Soon (he palace was again sunk in slumber. 
 
 The morning dasvned on Jerusalem, peaceful and beau 
 tiful, but the palace was full of ugly rumors of the night 
 before. 
 
 " Eliakim is being punished for being the servant or 
 Egypt Egypt, whom Jehovah despised and chastened 
 with plagues and death for our sakes!" cried an old white- 
 headed Beiijamito, who had never forsaken the true God. 
 " Aha! Jehovah s will be done!" 
 
 This was immediately reported to the king, and in an 
 hour the evil birds were feeding on his poor dismembered 
 body, that had been dragged asunder, then thrown over 
 the walls into the valley of Hinnon. Then the other in 
 mates of the palace were more cautious, and the shakings 
 of the heads and knowing looks only passed between 
 
 friends. 
 
 ******* 
 
 The king, in gorgeous robes, sat on his throne in the 
 judgment-hall, a curious temple, raised up on pillars in the 
 midst of a great apartment of the palace buildings.* It 
 had a frieze of beautifully sculptured stone, the plants and 
 trees so closely copied from nature that the leaves seemed 
 to stir with the wind.f The ceiling was beautifully painted 
 
 * Or else the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 
 i Josephus.
 
 ASAPH. 49 
 
 in colors. Here also was the magnificent ivory throne of 
 Solomon, with the fourteen guarding lions, and the bul 
 lock against which he leaned, all bound together and re 
 splendent with gold. 
 
 On each side of the throne, but lower down, were his 
 armed body-guards, his officers, princes, and eunuchs. 
 
 Before him, prostrate on the floor, were those who came 
 to plead for justice or mercy. Kear them, in almost as 
 abject attitudes, were his servants and petty officers. 
 
 The king was burning under a sense of injury, and to 
 day none found mercy at his hands; a look, a motion, and 
 each was borne away to punishment. 
 
 Even this seemed to irritate him more, and he cried: 
 
 " Bear the wretches to their doom! I will hear no 
 more!" 
 
 And the struggling, screaming people, men and women, 
 were hastened away by spear-thrusts and borne to the 
 mysterious subterranean chambers from which no one re 
 turned. 
 
 Then the king said: 
 
 "Bring Dumah, Moloch s high priest, and all begone 
 save my guard." 
 
 For awhile he sat silent. Soon the high priest was brought 
 between two officers, looking frightened, but as sinister as 
 Jehoiakim himself. 
 
 Why hast thou done this thing, oh, priest! to vex thy 
 king and master?" 
 
 Dumah prostrated himself, but not as humbly as the 
 others had done. 
 
 " I have done naught to vex my lord."
 
 50 A8APH. 
 
 " Didst thou not find the boy that escaped great Moloch 
 long years ago?" 
 
 For a moment Dumah hesitated, then his cheek flushed 
 red. 
 
 " Ay, most gracious king; he and his adulterous mother 
 hud fled to the tomb of the good Queen Jezebel, and thus 
 was the slaughter of the priests and prophets of great Baal 
 avenged, for the people tore them limb from 
 limb!" 
 
 In these days a falsehood was considered justifiable on 
 the least pretext; even those considered to be the prophets 
 of the most high God deceiving and lying without a blush 
 of shame, they even besmutching, as much as man could 
 do, the fame of the great God of Truth by charging Him 
 wiih accomplishing His purposes by employing lying 
 spirits, thus intimating that He was not all-powerful, but 
 had to call to His aid disreputable spirits that lived ip the 
 heavenly kingdom.* 
 
 " Then it was his spirit 1 saw. Canst thou not propiti 
 ate great Moloch with a splendid offering of many an 
 ottering he shall not despise so that he will leave me in 
 peace?" 
 
 The priest s eyes glistened. 
 
 " Ay, most mighty king; such an offering as shall 
 shame to nothing aught that has gone to him before/ 
 
 " Make thy preparations then. Send couriers through 
 the cities and the villages that still belong to us, and bid 
 the people hasten magnificently attired to the sacrifice." 
 
 * II. Chronicles, xviii Chapter, 14 to 23 verses.
 
 ASAPH. 51 
 
 Just then hurried steps were heard, and an Israelite 
 entered with an armed escort of the palace. He prostrat 
 ed himself before the king. His clothes were torn and 
 travel-stained; thus he lay, with his face touching the 
 floor, without uttering a word. 
 
 " Arise! Speak! Wherefore this haste and these marks 
 of travel from afar?" asked the king, haughtily. 
 
 * Oh, gracious, mighty king! Seven days ago, as thy 
 servant was tending his flock upon the mountain-side 
 toward the great Euphrates, a dust as of a whirlwind arose 
 from the valley. When the sun rose high the cloud 
 lifted, somewhat drawn by his power, and there, glitter 
 ing in his rays, marched a myriad armed and warlike 
 men, their faces set toward Jerusalem. Thy servant hasted 
 day and night, faint for lack of food, to warn my gra 
 cious lord!" 
 
 As he ceased speaking, he fell to the floor, foaming at 
 the mouth. 
 
 For a moment Jehoiakim was speechless with astonish 
 ment, then he said : 
 
 " Give yon wretch good care. Mark ye, do not let him 
 die. I would learn more."
 
 52 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ASAPH MEETS THE PKINCESS. 
 
 ])r.MAH hastened into the valley of Hinnon. He had 
 heard all the particulars, much exaggerated, of the night 
 before, and felt convinced that Asaph still lived. 
 
 " This time he shall not escape Moloch, but he shall not 
 pass to the great god s arms. No; his beauteous limbs 
 shall feed the fires of sacrifice!" 
 
 Then he gathered together those of the priests he felt 
 \vere bound to his interests, and imparted to them the 
 great secret, and dividing up the valley, gave each a por 
 tion to search minutely. 
 
 Little Elia, who was a great favorite in the palace, on 
 account of her gentle disposition and her influence with 
 the king, had learned everything. 
 
 Oh, how should she warn the boy? The thought of 
 harm befalling him on her account made her almost ill. 
 
 She wandered in the garden all day long, and gazed at 
 the place where she had seen him stand so glorious in his 
 beauty in the moonlight. 
 
 " 1 will not rest to-night, but watch at my window, so 
 that should ho come again, I will bid him hide and save 
 himself." 
 
 liut she was so young that before the night was spent 
 she tell asleep at her post, and the Ethiopian maid laid her 
 upon her couch.
 
 ASA PH. 53 
 
 Asaph, expecting something might result from his weird 
 visit, kept himself closely concealed all day, first obliterat 
 ing all evidence of habitation by strewing leaves and bram 
 bles all around, then drawing the trailing vines over the 
 opening to their cave. They were careful to make no fire 
 for the smoke to betray thrni through the cleft in their 
 rocky ceiling, and he listened intently to hear if any foot 
 passed that way. 
 
 " What has happened, my son, that we must be more 
 careful this day over any other?" Helah asked. 
 
 Asaph took her hand, and said imploringly: 
 
 " Trust me this once, my mother, without an explana 
 tion." 
 
 Just then little showers of dust and rock fell down 
 through the rift in the top of the cave. 
 
 " Ah! men or beasts are passing above. Listen!" 
 
 {Soon they heard the steps of several, and caught the 
 words: 
 
 "Armed men toward Jerusalem." 
 
 " Ah!" cried Helah; but Asaph laid his hand upon her 
 arm, and whispered: 
 
 " Sh!" pointing to the opening. 
 
 When the crunching of their steps had died away, she 
 cried : 
 
 " Oh! is beautiful Jerusalem, the city of my love, to be 
 again besieged by her cruel enemies? So have the proph 
 ets cried again and again, but none would listen! Woe, 
 woe is mo!" 
 
 And she stooped and poured handfuls of dust upon her 
 head, and moaned and wrung her hands in mental agony.
 
 54 ASAPH. 
 
 Asaph comforted her as best he could, but remembering 
 so little of Jerusalem, he could not fully understand her 
 sorrow. The armed force coming toward the city was the 
 reason of her son s extra vigilance, she thought, and won 
 dered at his wisdom. 
 
 When the gates of Jerusalem were closed they stole 
 quietly out into the beautiful night. Xearing the walls, 
 they noticed an extra number of watchmen were guarding 
 them, and that the towers were full of light and the noise 
 of busy men. 
 
 " We must lay up much stores, my mother; for when 
 armed men fill this valley it were dangerous for thee to go 
 abroad." 
 
 So they gleaned till late. Asaph knew where the wild 
 bees had their homes in many a hollow tree and rock, so 
 he brought great combs and filled earthen jars for future 
 use. 
 
 When his mother had sunk to sleep he quietly left the 
 cave. 
 
 Soon he was in his place of the night before on the walls 
 of the king s garden. Immediately he began his moaning 
 and crying. 
 
 "Woe! woe! woe! for the innocent blood! Woe to 
 Jehoiakim! Woe to the priest of Moloch!" 
 
 Again the window fillud with faces, again the king 
 looked forth in terror. 
 
 " Oh, ye people, ye shall be broken to pieces! Woe 
 unto them that rob the widow of her children!" 
 The king trembled and shook with horror.
 
 ASAPH. 55 
 
 44 Spare the babes, oh, king! Their blood crieth out 
 against thee. Oh h!" 
 
 Elia stood at her window and made a sign. Asaph arose 
 to his full height in the moonlight, then in a moment he 
 
 disappeared. 
 
 ******* 
 
 Asaph awoke early the next morning before the gates 
 were opened, and wrote upon the wall this message: 
 
 "My mother, I beseech thee, stay in the cave to-day. 
 Fear not for me. I go to learn the news. 1 will be pru 
 dent and return when it is not dangerous/ 
 
 Then he hastened to the king s garden, and hid himself 
 among the vines upon the wall. Soon the beautiful little 
 Elia came to the window; he arose full in her view; she 
 looked terrified, arid made a sign of danger, then pointed 
 to the garden. 
 
 Quickly he climbed down the hanging vines, but they 
 could not sustain his weight, but broke in his hands, so he 
 jumped and fell, striking a small rock. He lay for a mo 
 ment stunned and slightly bleeding. 
 
 Elia, who had watched at her window since day-break, 
 hastened to his side. 
 
 "What! dead?" she cried, as he lay motionless; then 
 she gently turned his head, and saw the terrible scar of the 
 burn and the trickling blood. 
 
 "Moloch has conquered! he has died for me at last! 
 and she bent over him weeping. The tears falling on his 
 face aroused him. 
 
 " I I am not hurt only my jump was almost a 
 fall," he said, sitting up.
 
 56 ASAPH. 
 
 She took the corner of her robe and stanched the 
 blood. 
 
 " Astarte be thanked! thou livest!" she cried, with joy. 
 " But quick, let me hide lliee; for any moment the slaves 
 might come, and then I shudder to think what might 
 happen to thee. " 
 
 She led him into a beautiful little garden inclosed with 
 a high hedge. The air was heavy with the perfume of 
 flowers and fruit trees. Delicate palms gave refreshment 
 and shade, and in the midst was a small building made in 
 the Egyptian style, substantial but highly ornate. The 
 interior was florid with their peculiar decorations of ibis, 
 lilies, flamingoes, storks, and papyrus reeds, and the pict 
 ured Nile and pyramids. 
 
 " Here, gentle boy, is my bower. None dare enter 
 without my word not even my slave Cleo. " 
 
 Then she brought him wine and fruits and little cakes, 
 and with cool water from the fountain by the door she 
 bathed his face. 
 
 Asjiph saw everything as in a dream. 
 Thou art very beautiful," he said at last; but Elia 
 was too young to blush at admiration, so she said: 
 
 44 Eat and drink; then we will talk." 
 
 lie took a little cake, and, breaking it, he smiled and 
 gave her half. 
 
 She took it with a pleased obeisance. 
 
 " Art thou a prince?" she asked. 
 
 " 1 know not," he ivpliu!, " but my name is Asaph." 
 
 " Did they once try to give thee to Moloch for my 
 sake?"
 
 ASAPH. 57 
 
 "Ay! I remember it as it were yesterday; but my 
 mother fled and saved me." 
 
 " Astarte be thanked! I like not Moloch; the children 
 cry so pitifully going to his arms that it makes me weep. 
 My father fears thou art a spirit; but thou art not is it 
 not so?" 
 
 " I am but a body of flesh and blood as thou art; but as 
 my mother and myself walk in the valley the agonized 
 crying of the babes makes us weep also, and so I tried, Je 
 hovah helping, to stay the cruel sacrificing." 
 
 " Who is Jehovah? Is he a mighty king? I heard my 
 brother Coniah speak his name with Baal and Astarte." 
 
 " I scarcely know. But my mother said that, years 
 ago, when Jerusalem was much more glorious than it is 
 this day, He was the God whom all Israel worshiped, but 
 that lie was so dreadful in His anger that now they pray 
 to gods that can not punish them." 
 
 " I fear my father means thee harm; so come no more 
 with thy sad cries to the wall, lest he have a guard lying 
 in wait for thee. 1 will plead for the poor babes, for my 
 father loves me well. But Moloch s high priest is very 
 powerful and very cruel. Even now they are preparing 
 for a great sacrifice to propitiate the gods and keep the 
 mighty King of Babylon away from Jerusalem." 
 
 " Oh, that I dare go through the city and warn the 
 people!" cried Asaph. 
 
 " Wouldst thou like to see Jeiusakm, and dost thou 
 not dare?" 
 
 " Ay; but only for my mother s sake, for if 1 were dead 
 she would have none to console her."
 
 58 ASAPH. 
 
 " Stay till to-night, and I will disguise thee in Cleo s 
 garments, and we will go together." 
 
 There was a great deal of freedom permitted the wives 
 and maidens of Jerusalem, and they went about and visit 
 ed much with their faces covered or uncovered as it pleased 
 them. Children also were permitted to play freely on the 
 streets indeed, the more children^seen thus enjoying them 
 selves the greater was considered the prosperity and hap 
 piness of the people. 
 
 Asaph s heart leaped with joy at the thought of seeing 
 Jerusalem and the holy Temple. 
 
 " Oh! princess, thanks!" and he made a deep obeisance; 
 but she raised him quickly. 
 
 " 1 am Elia to thee. Cleo, my slave, is faithful we will 
 tell her." Going to the door she gave a peculiar call, and 
 the Ethiopian came to her smiling. " Cleo, this is a son 
 of the gods; do not betray that he is here; he will help 
 both me and thee." 
 
 The black slave showed her teeth, and her eyes shone 
 bright. 
 
 Him beautiful! Him go to Moloch!" she said. 
 
 Quick as a flash the little princess struck her on the 
 mouth; but she withdrew her hand with a look of pain 
 she had bruised it on the slave s teeth. 
 
 " Wretch!" she cried, " how dare you? He is a god, I 
 say! Are you not afraid of his anger?" 
 
 Cleo fell prostrate to the floor, and taking one of Elia s 
 feet, she placed it on her neck. 
 
 " Let Cleo no die!" she cried. She was of those
 
 ASAP11. 59 
 
 Ethiopians fat and sleek who cherish no thoughts of re 
 venge, but, like a dog, loves tha hand that chastises them. 
 
 " Arise! I hate thee not. But remember, let him be 
 as myself to thee. Here, eat these cakes for peace be 
 tween us." 
 
 Cleo liked the good things of this world, and needed no 
 second bidding. Soon Asaph said: 
 
 " Let me return now to my mother, lest she fear " 
 
 " Nay, they are searching for thee. Cleo brought me 
 word the valley is full of armed priests to secure thee for 
 the wicked Dumah. Stay till the gates are closed and 
 danger past. I must go to the palace now. Cleo will be 
 thy guard till I come again." Then looking at her, she 
 said, " Remember, as myself, slave!" and hastened away. 
 
 Cleo prostrated herself at his eet. For awhile he gazed 
 at her; she must be his friend; then he said: 
 
 " The princess has told thee true. I am descended from 
 one of the sons of God so my mother has often told me." 
 
 " Ay, him hair is like the sun-god, and him eyes shine 
 like Astarte s. Cleo am him slave!" and she put his foot 
 upon her neck. 
 
 " Enough. Do not betray my presence here to the 
 king or to aught other living being here. Serve me, and 
 good will come to thee. Dost like honey?" 
 
 " Ay, master," she said, smacking her lips. 
 
 " And figs and pomegranates and sweet spices?" 
 
 " Ay, good master." 
 
 " To-morrow will 1 bring thee what my hands can 
 carry; but be faithful to me." 
 
 " Cleo s master unto death," she replied.
 
 60 ASA PH. 
 
 Asaph looked about; the grandeur delighted him: the 
 soft couches, the beautiful Persian rugs, the lovely work 
 of the potter s art. He remembered nothing of all this in 
 Jerusalem, or so very faintly it was like a dream one 
 strives in vain to remember in one s waking moments. 
 
 The coloring of the walls was a little too vivid, and 
 slightly jarred upon his sensitive perceptions; but it was 
 all so new that this feeling was absorbed in the pleasure 
 he felt. 
 
 When the princess returned he was resting on a couch, 
 and Cleo was on her knees fanning him with a great bunch 
 of peacocks " feathers. 
 
 " Master sleeps," she said. 
 
 Elia stood and gazed upon him. 
 
 " How beautiful! I did not think a human being could 
 live under such a weight of loveliness. 1 see no hair like 
 his among our people, and his skin is as rose leaves dipped 
 in milk." 
 
 Asaph stirred under her earnest gaze, and opened his 
 eyes. In a moment he was making his obeisance to her. 
 
 " Nay, forget not 1 am only Elia to thee, a poor little 
 maiden to whom thou shall, teach thy wisdom. To-night 
 we will see Jerusalem in her beauty, for there is to be a 
 festival to the good Astarte, and I am to offer cakes. 
 Wilt thou do so also as a maiden:" 
 
 l Nay, 1 will only come as thy slave not to worship, 
 but to protect thee." 
 
 80 it was arranged that when the sun went down he 
 should stain his face, and in Cleo s clothes accompany the 
 princess, leaving the slave concealed in the pavilion.
 
 ASAPH. 61 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 FESTIVAL TO ASTARTE. 
 
 ALL day long Elia went between the palace and pavil 
 ion, learning what she could of the proceedings of Dumah, 
 and the latest intelligence brought by couriers to the king 
 of the approach of the enemy to Jerusalem. 
 
 At length the day passed, and the beautiful sunset, that 
 never failed to delight the beholder, faded to a tender 
 gray; then the moon arose at her full and seemed to turn 
 the night into day again. 
 
 Two figures emerged unchallenged from the palace 
 gates; the guards all recognized the princess and her 
 maid; they never suspected that the boy whom all were 
 seeking passed before their eyes under the disguise of a 
 female slave. Elia laughed. 
 
 " Is it not pleasant to thee when even the king s armed 
 men lower their spears at thy approach?" 
 
 " Nay, not at mine, but thine, oh, princess!" 
 
 "It is the same from this time on: thou art my 
 brother." 
 
 So they passed on into the streets. Asaph was speech 
 less with wonder at all he saw. The people were dressed 
 in their best garments; the maidens in pure white, with 
 beautiful wreaths of flowers upon their heads. 
 
 At the top of every street were little brazen altars, 
 beautifully sculptured and of graceful shape; at each a
 
 62 ASAPH. 
 
 group of the most beautiful maidens of Jerusalem and the 
 country round about constantly offered the cakes to As- 
 tarte. Their brothers had gathered the wood, their fathers 
 built the fires, and their mothers made the cakes, so that 
 all took part in this gentle worship. But Jeremiah had 
 denounced it again and again as displeasing to the Lord; 
 for as Astarte was the goddess of fertility, sometimes very 
 impure ceremonies were observed in her honor. 
 
 Asaph looked on, but would take no part in the pro 
 ceedings, not even offering to hold the princess s dainty lit 
 tle basket containing the eakes, but he held her mantle as 
 her slave would do. 
 
 The moon rose higher and higher, and the altars on 
 every house-top and in every street sent up clouds of in 
 cense; the music sounded louder and louder, and the burn 
 ing cakes, mixed with sweet spices, sent up a grateful per 
 fume, and the fires Hashed bright!}" as, ever and anon, the 
 youths poured their drink offerings of wine to be lapped 
 up by the flames. 
 
 The maidens danced and sung, and the youths gathered 
 round them and played upon their pipes, and the scene 
 was very pretty save to those who feared Jehovah s wrath. 
 
 Jiut as they eat of the cakes and drank of the wine the 
 scene became wilder, the dancing more fantastic, the 
 music more seductive, and the youths more demonstrative. 
 
 How lovely Klia appeared! and how gracefully she 
 danced; but Asaph s face was clouded, and as she neared 
 him in her enthusiasm he whispered: 
 
 " Come, oh, princess!" 
 
 In a moment she was bv his side.
 
 ASAPH. 63 
 
 " Does it not please thee, Asaph?" she murmured. 
 
 " Ko, I like it riot/ he replied. "Let us return to 
 the palace." 
 
 " Shall we go by the Temple, rny brother?" 
 
 " Ay!" and Asaph s face lighted up with joy. 
 
 It was a long walk, but the sight of the beautiful 
 portico that skirted the height of the Tyropean Valley and 
 with triple rosvs of immense marble pillars led to the Tem 
 ple was reward enough for any labor. 
 
 " How beautiful! how beautiful!" Asaph murmured; 
 and when they came in sight of the Temple he bowed his 
 head in awe. 
 
 Jeremiah was on the steps that led down to the ascent 
 to the city of David, and from this elevated position he 
 hurled denunciations against the idolaters. 
 
 " Woe unto them that burn incense on the house-top to 
 other gods! Woe, woe unto them that worship the hosts 
 of heaven! I will break them as a potter s vessel. I will 
 send them as strangers into a land they know not of. 
 Judah shall be captive, and the daughter of Zion shall 
 be a hissing and a shame!" 
 
 Asaph stopped and listened in wonder. 
 
 " Praise Jehovah! Jehovah s name be praised!" Then 
 as the prophet caught sight of Elia s white robe and 
 wreath he cried: " And thou too, oh, maiden! hast defiled 
 thyself in worshiping Astarte. Woe, woe to the idola 
 ters!" and seizing her robe he tore it in twain. 
 
 Asaph s blood rushed faster to his heart, and his eyes 
 blazed in anger. 
 
 " .Not so rough, good priest!" he cried, and raised his
 
 64 ASAPH. 
 
 hand and struck him in his rage. " This is but a young 
 maiden, and used to gentler treatment. 
 
 " Ay, ay, and who art thou, with a boy s voice and 
 strength, in the garments of a slave girl, that dare to 
 strike the prophet of the Lord?" 
 
 " Jeremiah! I crave thy pardon. Yes, I am a boy, too 
 tender in years, and absence from Jerusalem, to know the 
 prophet of my people." 
 
 " Ay, a boy! and Jeremiah, struck with his submissive 
 gentleness, pressed the mantle from off his head, and see 
 ing his golden hair, cried: 
 
 "Ah! the long-lost offering to Moloch!" 
 
 " Thou sayest truly; but I hate that cruel image of 
 brass and stone! 1 would worship Israel s true God, the 
 great Jehovah, if thou wilt teach thy poor servant." 
 
 " So thou didst escape him? Joy! joy! And who is the 
 damsel?" 
 
 " Jehoiakim s daughter, for whom I was to have been 
 sacrificed. She despises Moloch, too, and together we will 
 learn of thee. " 
 
 " Good Jeremiah, can we not come in the day-time on 
 these steps and listen to thee?" asked Elia. 
 
 " Ay, and praise to the Lord that the lambs are coming 
 back to His fold!" 
 
 Then they made obeisance to him and returned to the 
 palace. From thence Asaph went to his mother in the 
 cave.
 
 AS A PH. 65 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 TRAGIC DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST OF MOLOCH. 
 
 RUMORS of war filled the very air of Jerusalem. King 
 Xeeho, of Egypt, had been vanquished at Charchemish by 
 Nebuchadnezzar, who thereupon overran all Syria with his 
 army, excepting Judea. 
 
 Necho was Jehoiakim s friend, for he had made him 
 king, instead of his brother, and although he paid him 
 yearly tribute of one hundred talents of silver and one of 
 gold, yet he relied on him for protection against the more 
 powerful surrounding kings. 
 
 The glory had departed from Israel. In Solomon s 
 magnificent reign hundreds of petty kings had yearly 
 brought tribute to his hand, and more powerful rulers sent 
 or brought him splendid presents of friendship; but now 
 Jeboiakim had no friend to depend on for help but Necho, 
 and he had retired into his own kingdom with a diminished 
 army. 
 
 The news of the approach of Nebuchadnezzar spread 
 consternation through Jerusalem. The people, weakened 
 by luxurious living and dissipation, had become effemi 
 nate, and the war spirit had nearly died out of them. They 
 no more sallied forth from their many gates with flying- 
 banners and shrill trumpet-calls to the attack. Fear took 
 the place of martial ardor, and they tried to propitiate their 
 many gods. Jeremiah constantly thundered in their ears: 
 
 3
 
 66 ASAPH. 
 
 " Go not after strange gods, to serve them and to wor 
 ship them, and provoke me not to anger with the work of 
 your hands! Saith the Lord: Uepend not on Egypt; she 
 is a broken reed to them that lean upon her. Their 
 fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. Woe unto the 
 pastors that scatter the sheep of my pasture! suitli the 
 Lord." 
 
 But it was all in vain, for it had been some four years 
 since there had been any regular service in the Temple, and 
 that was only half-hearted and through fear, for at that 
 time the King of Babylon was at war with Egypt, and 
 they wished to propitiate all the gods for the sake of their 
 ally, as well as for themselves, so, as Jeremiah had thun 
 dered in their ears so often, they had at last a day of fast 
 ing and prayer to Jehovah in the Temple; but at the same 
 time they worshiped Baal, Moloch, Astoroth, or Astarte, 
 and all the hosts of heaven. Still there were many who 
 had never forsaken the worship of the true God, and these 
 suffered and wept, and prayed in secret, for Jehoiakim 
 was a cruel man, easily offended, with only one tender 
 spot in his heart love for his own children. 
 
 Jeremiah remembered how near he was to being stoned 
 to death in the first year of Jehoiakim s reign, even by the 
 accusations of the priests and prophets, and that only the 
 kind words of the princes saved him. 
 
 Urijah, who also prophesied the destruction of Jerusa 
 lem for its wickedness, had been taken from Egypt, 
 whence he had lied, and had been killed by the sword of 
 Jehoiakim himself. 
 
 Still, Jeremiah was not afraid, but prophesied again and
 
 ASAPH. 67 
 
 again as the words came to him from the Lord. He had 
 been imprisoned and put in stocks, but still he did not 
 hesitate to thunder forth the Lord s denunciations against 
 the sins of the king and people. 
 
 But now the day had arrived for the great sacrifice to 
 Moloch. All former magnificence of paraphernalia, 
 length of procession and number of offerings were to be 
 surpassed by this last act of cruel grandeur in King Jehoi- 
 akim s reign. Those who did not participate through 
 choice did so through fear, for the mighty enemy was 
 almost at their gates, and this was the last supreme effort 
 to gain the intercession of the gods. 
 
 Uumah had scoured the city and the adjacent villages 
 for the most beautiful children that could be found, and 
 many mothers were wailing, rending their garments, and 
 throwing dust and ashes on their heads. 
 
 But Dumah s heart was of iron, as inaccessible to pity 
 as was that of the horrid thing of brass which he so assidu 
 ously served. 
 
 From early morning Asaph had been in the pavilion 
 with the princess. lie was restless and unhappy, walking 
 the floor and wringing his hands, and calling on Jehovah 
 to prevent the wicked slaughter. 
 
 " Dear brother, I too hate the hideous Moloch, who 
 caused that cruel scar upon thy cheek. No god that was 
 good could have it in his heart thus to mar thy glorious 
 beauty!" 
 
 " Oh, princess, what can we do how stop the inhuman 
 sacrifice? It is for wickedness like this that the Most
 
 68 ASAPII. 
 
 High, the God of gods, is about to punish Jerusalem, for 
 He hath said He will utterly destroy the idols; for Jeru 
 salem is ruined, and Judah has fallen, because their tongues 
 and their doings are against the Lord! 
 
 " I was pleading with the king, my father, when Dumah 
 came. He held me silent and spell-bound with his cruel 
 eye; my tongue refused to speak another word." 
 
 " We are but children. Oh, for the wisdom of age to 
 plead for the poor little babes!" 
 
 Just then the music sounded. 
 
 " Let us hasten and snatch them from the cruel fires, as 
 my mother did!" cried Asaph, excitedly. 
 
 " There are forty of them, my brother," replied Elia. 
 
 Asaph buried his face in Jiis hands and wept. The music 
 came nearer and nearer. 
 
 " Come, let us go upon the walls. I know a place 
 where the foliage is so thick that we can see without being 
 observed by any." 
 
 " Oh, the horror of it! 1 could not; yet yet " 
 
 He seemed to be drawn irresistibly. The princess 
 clasped his hand, and together they drew nearer to the wall. 
 
 That is the spot; let us quickly mount the steps used 
 by the priests, who sound the trumpets. Tis not quite 
 time for them to come, but wait a moment behind this 
 bush." 
 
 And she sped away as swiftly as a young deer. In a 
 few minutes she returned with a large mantle. Throwing 
 it over Asaph, she drew him after her. 
 
 Soon they had mounted to the top of the wall, and the 
 valley and grove were plainly seen; then they hid behind a
 
 ASAPH. 69 
 
 net-work of vines, and, slightly parting them, they could 
 see in safety. 
 
 Louder and louder sounded the music, and nearer came 
 the procession. As the king s garden projected so far into 
 the valley, they could plainly see the imposing pageant as 
 it issued from the Fountain Gate, glittering and dazzling 
 in the sun. 
 
 " It comes to me like the realization of a beautiful 
 dream. How happy I was! 1 felt as if 1 had the wings 
 of a bird, and was lifted high above the earth; but, oh, 
 the horror of the ending! the hideous Moloch! Oh, so 
 horrible, none can tell who have not seen him! I shrunk 
 from him in disgust and loathing; and then his cruel fires 
 made this!" and he pointed to his cheek. 
 
 Elia gently touched his scar with her pure lips. 
 
 " I hate the wicked Moloch, too, and will pray to the 
 gentle Astarte, the queen of heaven, to quench his fires 
 that did the cruel deed." 
 
 " One two three forty chariots of the sun and forty 
 innocent children! See, princess, their looks are exalted; 
 they fancy yon cruel beast a god! Oh, pity, pity thy 
 lumbs! Oh, great Jehovah, pity!" and the tears vpn 
 down his cheeks; he felt as though he was going to his 
 own death. 
 
 Suddenly the trumpets sounded so near that he could 
 have touched the robes of the priests with his outstretched 
 hand. 
 
 The gorgeous curtains of the grove were drawn aside, 
 and there stood the immense braziers of fire, fiercer and 
 more cruel than ever, for they had more work to do.
 
 70 ASAPH. 
 
 All the ceremonies were progressing simultaneously. 
 The first victims passed quickly through the fires, the tophs 
 beat loudly, and the curtains closed and shut out the sight; 
 but the cries of agony could not be stilled by drums or 
 trumpets. , 
 
 Asaph turned deathly pale, clinched his hands, and would 
 have thrown himself over the wall in his excitement and 
 rushed upon the murderous priest, but Elia whispered: 
 
 " It would be only one more victim to the hideous Mo 
 loch. Live to be a man, then let them feel your power. " 
 
 Again and again the fearful cries of agony! Asaph felt 
 sick and weak and almost dead. 
 
 Again the curtains were drawn aside. 
 
 " More fuel for great Moloch!" cried Dumah. " More, 
 more! Let it reach up to heaven! Ah! those cries are 
 music to His ears; lie will protect Jerusalem. More fuel! 
 More, more!" 
 
 The flames hissed and roared, and sent whirling sparks 
 up into the air the trees were covered with them. 
 
 Again the priest led a victim forward. The child hesi 
 tated. Dumah pushed him with his hand, but suddenly a 
 cracking sound was heard. The priest was so intent in his 
 murderous work that he did not notice it. Then an im 
 mense branch of a neighboring tree, burned partly through 
 by the fierce fire, could no longer sustain its own weight, 
 but fell with a mighty crash, and striking one of the tall 
 braziers, threw it, hissing and blazing, on the high priest s 
 body. For a moment there was a hush of horror. 
 
 Then the shrieks of agony and yells and imprecations of 
 I) u muli were fearful to the ear.
 
 ASAPH. 71 
 
 His face was drawn into fearful contortions as he threw 
 his head from side to side in agony. His limbs, stretched 
 out, were beating the air, and curled like snakes in excru 
 ciating pain. His struggles grew less and less; one last 
 cry of agony rent the air, and the fierce flames, made 
 fiercer by his flesh, lapped him up, and in a little while 
 only a heap of ashes remained of what had been but now 
 the cruel high priest of Moloch. 
 
 Fear seized the multitude. Asaph sprung to his feet. 
 
 " Jehovah is avenged for the blood of the innocents!" 
 he cried. 
 
 The priest upon the wall sprung back in fright, lost his 
 footing, and fell down on the sharp rocks, crushed and 
 dying in the valley of Hinnon. 
 
 The multitude fled in every direction, rending their gar 
 ments and casting away all that impeded them in their 
 flight. The gates of Jerusalem were closed, and horror 
 froze the city into silence.
 
 72 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 HELAH AMI) ASAPH, IX DISGl ISK, SELL FISH IX JEIJU- 
 SA LEM. 
 
 WHEN Asapli informed his mother of the tragic fate of 
 the high priest, she bowed her head, and said : 
 
 " I sorrow for the pain the dreadful sight must have 
 caused thy tender heart." 
 
 " Yes, my mother, though he sought my life, my heart 
 nearly ceased to beat at sight of his intense sufferings, and 
 cold drops of sweat stood upon my brow, and I prayed Je 
 hovah to have pity even on him, and end his agony. 
 Then it seemed as if the great God had allowed Durnah s 
 ferocious wickedness to be its own avenger, and thus save 
 the lives of most of those poor innocents/ 
 
 " Moloch has claimed his own at last, and we are free, 
 my son free to return to Jerusalem!" cried Ilelah, with 
 enraptured gaze toward the city of her love. 
 
 " To live there and go in and out of its gates, free and 
 unmolested! " asked Asaph, eagerly. 
 
 Yes, my son. We have a beautiful house there, with 
 gardens on the roof and a littJe altar to Astarte. " 
 
 Then, seeing the smile leave his face, she added: 
 
 " We will not offer incense to the gentle goddess, if 
 thou disapproved!. " 
 
 " Not 1, but the great Jehovah, my mother." 
 We have all the comforts that pertain to a rich man s
 
 ASA PH. 73 
 
 house, my son. I wonder which of my kin are living 
 there, to !ceep it safe for Ihe widowed sister?" 
 
 " When shall we go, my mother? Then can I worship 
 in the Temple, and listen to Jeremiah. Let us hasten!" 
 
 " Not too hastily, my son; we must consider for awhile. 
 King Jehoiakim still lives. It is best to test our safety 
 first, before risking all. We will leave the cave just as it 
 is, so the flocks can find shelter at night, and We have 
 been long absent, who knows what may have happened 
 during all these years?" 
 
 " Thou reasoneth well, my mother. What shall our 
 disguise be?" 
 
 Helali sunk her head in her hands, and remained buried 
 in thought for some time. At last she said: 
 
 " We will enter Jerusalem at the Fish Gate, near which 
 is a market. There, with our basket of fish, we can hear 
 the gossip of the street, and by a question here and there 
 see our way before us. Go, my son, and gather many 
 stout, thin reeds of papyrus, and we will weave them into 
 baskets and into nets to catch the fish of Keclron." 
 
 Asaph kissed her on the forehead, he was so happy, 
 and went quickly about the work. 
 
 Helah brought from their concealment her scarlet and 
 purple petticoats that she had saved, knowing that when 
 they returned to Jerusalem, which she had ever in her 
 mind, that they must do so in civilized dress, not in the 
 hairy robes of barbarians. 
 
 Of the purple one she made a tunic and turban for 
 Asaph, and the remnant of the large black veil she gath 
 ered into a mantle. For herself she put the red skirt over
 
 74 ASAPH. 
 
 her ordinary dress, aud turned a curious woven strip, 
 which she had made of feathers, into a bright head-dress, 
 and her own mantle completed the costume. They both 
 had sandals of the skins of beasts of prey that Asaph had 
 shot from time to time. 
 
 Soon Asaph returned with a large armful of reeds, and 
 they both set to work to weave baskets. This was not their 
 first experiment in reed -work; many articles around the 
 cave attested their skill. 
 
 "To-night we will catch fish for our baskets, and to 
 morrow morning oh, joy! 1 shall be in loved Jerusa 
 lem!" 
 
 When the baskets and nets were completed it was almost 
 dark, so Asaph hastened to that part of the brook where 
 he had caught fish before; but he was tender-hearted and 
 was slow to take the life of the meanest thing, and then 
 only for necessity. But now he must do so, and do his 
 best to have the fish large and fine. He set the nets, and 
 then returned to the cave. 
 
 14 Now let us go to the garden," said Ilelah, " and may 
 this be the last time that we must wait for night to cover 
 us." 
 
 They proceeded almost in silence, save a word now and 
 then; both were occupied with their own thoughts. 
 
 Asaph s heart beat faster as he approached nearer to 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 He looked at those high walls and magnificent buildings 
 showing above them with renewed interest, and the cry of 
 the watchmen, as they paced slowly to an fro, of "All s 
 well!" sounded like sweetest music to his ears.
 
 ASA PH. 75 
 
 When they reached the garden, Asaph began to pluck 
 the fruits. 
 
 " Only enough for the day, my sou, and some bright 
 green leaves to cover the fish. I came for other things 
 saffron and aloes but 1 know not if they are here." 
 
 Saffron and aloes! He had never heard the words before. 
 He wondered what they were. Respect for parents made 
 the Israelitish children not too free with questions. 
 
 " Ah, here is saffron 1 know it by its leaf; and here is 
 lignaloes, both good for medicine and other uses, as you 
 shall see." 
 
 When they had gathered what they desired, they slowly 
 returned, watching the lights in the towers till they disap 
 peared in the distance or were hid by the intervening 
 foliage. 
 
 They went to rest early, wishing to enter Jerusalem 
 when first the gates were opened in the morning. 
 
 Their sleep was always sweet after the labors of the day; 
 then, too, the silence of the cave, shut off from all the 
 noises of the outside world, allowed them to rest undis 
 turbed; so each morning they arose refreshed and strong 
 for what the day might bring forth. 
 
 They arose early and happy. Their movements were 
 quicker, their eyes brighter than usual, for were they not 
 to return to Jerusalem? The very thought made the blood 
 flow faster through their veins. 
 
 " Here, my son, are thy garments; and here is saffron 
 to stain thy fair skin, that thou shalt resemble one of those 
 for whom thou art to pass; this turban, with the ends fall 
 ing thus, will conceal thy scar; but go now and see what
 
 76 ASAPH. 
 
 fish the nets doth hold, and lay them in our baskets while 
 I prepare our meat. " 
 
 When he returned the meal was ready; so showing the 
 baskets to his mother, he said: 
 
 " Surely these will sell in the market-place. See how 
 large and fine they are, and how like pearls the dainty 
 colors of their scales." 
 
 Then they sat and eat. 
 
 " For the last time in this cave, I hope," said Helah. 
 Yet, mother, I have been very happy here. 1 shall 
 miss the milking of our goats, and the pretty frolic of the 
 gentle little kids, and oh, my birds!" 
 
 " Shall we take some with us?" 
 
 " Xo, my mother, 1 would not have them dash their 
 pretty heads against the bars and pine and die for liberty. 
 It were a selfish love that placed not the happiness of the 
 loved beyond its own." 
 
 u Let us haste the day grows light. Put on these gar 
 ments now the saffron. 1 would scarcely recognize thue, 
 my son; draw the mantle over all." 
 
 In a short time she also was ready, but her face was 
 stained darker than his, as would be natural of one of 
 maturer years. 
 
 Taking their baskets of fish, they left the cave. At the 
 entrance the goats were waiting for them; but he only 
 stroked their soft hair, and murmured low: 
 
 " Jehovah protect you from the beasts of the forest." 
 
 Then they hastened away. 
 
 It was quite a distance to the Fish Gate; they had to pass 
 the king s garden, the beautiful pool of Siloam, the Sheep
 
 ASA PH. 77 
 
 Gate, then up the valley of Jehosaphat, passing the citadel, 
 till at last it was reached, after skirting nearly two sides of 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 The Fish Gate was a very important and prominent 
 gate, but not so large and splendid as many others. As 
 soon as they entered they noticed the vacant place was 
 crowded with wailing people. 
 
 "Ah, lord! Ah, poor priest!" they cried and rent 
 their garments and tore their hair. 
 
 Asaph, noticing the blood trickling down their arms, 
 asked in a whisper the reason. His mother replied: 
 
 " They are mourning for Moloch s high priest." 
 
 Then he noticed them cutting their arms and legs with 
 little knives; this they did, not out of love for Dumah, but 
 out of fear; and so he was mourned all over the city. 
 
 They stopped in the market and putting down their 
 baskets, they uncovered the fish. The other venders 
 stared at them some time in silence. They were strangers 
 and excited their curiosity by their beautiful and dignified 
 bearing; but soon they began to ply them with all sorts 
 of questions. Ilelah said but little, but Asaph replied to 
 their questions by asking others, and soon they learned that 
 Jerusalem was full of people from the adjacent villages 
 and those who still dwelt iu tents, they having fled before 
 the approach of Nebuchadnezzar s great army; also that 
 Jehoiakim was not preparing the people to fight against 
 him. 
 
 " Egypt will ne P us / cried an old market-woman, 
 who sold citrons, leeks, and garlics, " for do we not pay 
 tribute?"
 
 78 ASAPH. 
 
 " And our walls are strong," cried an aged Kenizite. 
 Then in a whisper: " And Jehovah has not wholly deserted 
 His people." 
 
 Asaph looked at him and bowed his head; that pleased 
 the old man, and he smiled and said: 
 
 " Whence comest thou, pretty boy?" 
 
 " From the wilderness," Asaph replied. 
 
 " And has fear struck all them that dwell in tents? So 
 thou earnest to Jerusalem good, good, she will protect 
 her children." 
 
 Near them, resting against a pillar, stood a black-eyed 
 girl with marked Jewish features. She was poorly clad, 
 with here and there little attempts at coquetry a brass 
 ornament, a ribbon, or a plaited armlet of reeds dyed red. 
 At her feet was a basket of beautiful flowers. She had 
 been looking at Asaph with undisguised admiration, and 
 listening to his every word. At length she said: 
 
 " Will it please thee to tell us thy name?" 
 
 Asaph looked at her in amazement. 
 
 " Nay; it can not profit thee to know; we are but way 
 farers in Jerusalem." 
 
 Just then two familiar figures passed a little maiden 
 with her face covered, and the slave girl Cleo. Asaph 
 started. 
 
 " Why dost thou start, pretty boy, at sight of an Ethio 
 pian? Hast never seen one before?" 
 
 Asaph answered not, but gazed after them. 
 
 Meanwhile Ilelah had sold nearly all her basket of fish. 
 The poor were glad to buy thorn so cheap and of such a 
 dignified woman; so she took some of Asaph.
 
 ASAPH. 79 
 
 " Ah, my mother, I did not think; I do not understand 
 the money or what to ask." 
 
 Helah. smiled and whispered: 
 
 " We do not need the money; it is only to see and hear 
 that we came; sell them to the poor for a penny each." 
 
 "Kay, that is not enough," said the flower-girl, hear 
 ing the last few words. " I will give thee more. My 
 father is a Levite; and as but few offerings are brought to 
 the Temple now, we have to buy our meat." 
 
 " Does he worship the great Jehovah?" cried Asaph. 
 Does he serve in the Temple? Take all!" 
 
 His mother touched his arm. 
 
 " Ah, here are two fine fish; give them to thy father as 
 an offering to the Lord." 
 
 "Thou art very kind; and my father will thank thee, 
 for the service of Baal and Astoroth does not give us the 
 good things the Temple service did." 
 
 " Art thou idolaters now?" asked Asaph, in horror. 
 
 Again Helah touched his arm. 
 
 " \Ve c o not call ourselves so, but we worship the gods 
 who have helped our enemies, hoping by so doing that 
 they will help us too." 
 
 Asaph s brow clouded. 
 
 " Kay, look not so sad, and Haggith will give thee a 
 bunch of sweet violets." 
 
 But he put her hand away without a word. 
 
 The princess and Cleo returned and stopped before the 
 flower-girl and bought a bunch of violets; then Elia, rais 
 ing her eyes, uttered a cry of joy, but Asaph gave her a 
 warning look, and Cleo grinned and showed her teeth.
 
 80 ASAPH. 
 
 " Aha!" thought Haggith, " what mystery is this? And 
 who is the girl, with her grinning slave?" 
 
 " Wilt buy a fish, young maiden?" said Asaph, giving 
 her another warning look. " They are fresh this morning 
 from the Kedron; and how they shine! they are fit fora 
 king s table." 
 
 " Ay, boy, they are. Cleo, take them all, and pay him 
 well." 
 
 The slave emptied the fish into her basket and handed 
 him a golden coin. Asaph had never seen one before, to 
 remember, and stood looking at it. 
 
 " Give her the change," whispered Jlaggith. 
 
 Asaph gave her the few pennies he had taken, and Hag 
 gith laughed out loudly: 
 
 " Thy fish have suddenly raised in value, my pretty 
 boy. " 
 
 Elia looked at her and frowned. 
 
 " Thou needst not laugh. The whole coin is his. Take 
 back thy pennies. Cleo, let us go," and with a sign to 
 Asaph they passed on. 
 
 " Thou hast a good friend and a rich one too in yonder 
 proud little maiden," said Ilaggith, a little hurt. 
 
 Now all the fish were sold, and Ilelah, taking Asaph s 
 hand, said: 
 
 " Come, my son," and they left the market-place. 
 
 After they had traversed several streets, looking about 
 as strangers would, they entered one of the handsomest, 
 and Ilelah said : 
 
 " Ah, there is my house, just beyond that cluster of 
 sycamore-trees: it is beautiful with marble pillars, and a
 
 ASAPH. 81 
 
 fountain in the court, with many chambers and servants 
 and bond-maids. Now we shall see it! Oh, joy, iny sou!" 
 
 They had passed the trees, and she was pointing. 
 
 "Ah! There it is!" 
 
 But a scene of devastation greeted them. For a mo 
 ment Plelah stood bewildered, then she said: 
 
 " Can I have made a mistake? So many years have passed 
 my memory may have failed me. No, there is the house 
 of the rich Shapan, and there Ilenedad doth reside, and 
 here my neighbor Ezera; and my house, my beautiful 
 home, is utterly destroyed from oil the face of the earth. 
 Not one stone left upon another! Oh, my son! my son! 
 AY oe is me! Woe is me!" and she wrung her hands and 
 cast dust upon her head. 
 
 The passers-by stopped to inquire her sorrow, and Asaph 
 said : 
 
 " Control thyself, my mother, and let us pass on; the 
 people wonder." 
 
 Helah suppressed the exhibition of her grief as much as 
 possible. 
 
 They hastened to their nearest kinsman; but the same 
 scene of desolation greeted them; then on to the next; the 
 house was vacant and despoiled so it was with all her 
 kin. She knew of no one to whom to go and tell her 
 secret and her grief. 
 
 " Let us go back to our friendly cave, my mother, and 
 there remain at night, returning each morning to the 
 market-place; thus shall we learn all that happens, and in 
 Jehvoah s own good time He will bring us to our own in 
 heritance."
 
 82 ASAPH. 
 
 Helah was faint, and caught his arm. 
 
 " My mother, thou must have food. Come, let us re 
 turn to the market." 
 
 He led her along unresistingly, a sob ever and anon 
 breaking from her closed lips. At last they sat in a little 
 booth in the market, and Asaph bade them bring a piece 
 of roast kid. 
 
 " For this once, my mother, for thou art weak with 
 grief; but thou must keep thy strength for glorious things 
 to come all in good time; now some wheaten cakes and 
 bunches of ripe grapes. I will eat with thec, my mother." 
 
 When they had thus refreshed themselves, they walked 
 about and bought many little things that were new and 
 strange to Asaph but had been common even to the bond 
 women of Helah those years ago. 
 
 The sun was setting, so they hastened to the Fountain 
 Gate and passed out into the valley of Hinnon, and soon 
 were in the security of their friendly cave.
 
 ASAPH. 83 
 
 CHAPTER Xll. 
 
 HAGGITH THE FLOWER-GIRU 
 
 \VIIKX the market closed, Haggith had most of her 
 wares unsold. This was because it was a day of mourning 
 for Dumah, and there was no festival to any of the gentler 
 gods or goddesses, so she delayed to return to her home 
 for fear of her father s anger. 
 
 " Ah, but these fine fish will please him. I can not 
 make the people buy my flowers if they want them not. 
 Oh, why is he so stern!" 
 
 So thinking, she wended her way to the furthest gate 
 foi she lived in the high fertile plain north of Jerusalem. 
 Her father, Zaccur the Levite, was awaiting her at the 
 door of their house; and when he saw her basket so full 
 (for she had placed the fish beneath the flowers) he 
 grasped her by the arm and cried: 
 
 " Indolent wretch, ungrateful daughter, why dost thou 
 return with these unsold?" 
 
 Haggith winced with pain. 
 
 " Nay, my father, wait a moment," and she uncovered 
 the fish. " See what a stranger sent thee as an offering to 
 Jehovah!" 
 
 He counted the money she gave him. 
 
 " One two three. Only ten pennies and a farthing! 
 Glutton, thou hast bought the fish for thy dainty appetite!
 
 84 ASAPH. 
 
 Thou stolest the money, and to cover thy theft thou dost 
 tell me the light story of the stranger s gift." 
 
 "No, no, my father, it is true, 1 swear by Astarte s 
 altar!" 
 
 The Levite smiled grimly. 
 
 " That is a slight oath to one who has worshiped Je 
 hovah." 
 
 " Yet it is true he was but a boy younger than myself, 
 but oh, so beautiful! and his mother had the dignity of a 
 queen; they were selling fish in the market near the gate." 
 
 The Levite laughed loudly. 
 
 " Selling fish with queenly dignity, eh? Come, come, 
 weigh thy words!" 
 
 " They were strangers; so I spoke kindly to the boy. 
 Was it not meet that I should do so, my father?" 
 
 " But the fish, the fish?" he asked, impatiently. 
 
 " 1 heard the mother say to sell them to the poor for a 
 penny each, so I offered to take them all for I could sell 
 them again; but when 1 said thou wert a Levite his face 
 lighted up and he was about to give me all he had, when 
 his mother touched him; then he sent thee the two finest 
 as a present. Soon a little maiden with an Ethiopian 
 slave came by and bought what remained and gave the 
 boy a gold piece. They exchanged glances, and 
 
 "Aha! spies! I ll to the king; ho will give me a re 
 ward; and 
 
 Haggilh turned pale. 
 
 " Oh, my father! should it not be true, thou woulclst 
 have innocent blood on thy hands; do not betray them 
 yet; wait, wait till they come again, and 1 will watch."
 
 ASAPH. 85 
 
 " Ay, learn what thou canst. 1 should get gold, gold, 
 the beautiful yellow gold!" and he rubbed his hands. 
 
 " Come, let me cook the fish, for I know that thou art 
 ah lingered. " 
 
 Their house was small and poor; a low table and a few 
 stools of common wood, a hearth with a wide chimney, 
 and a few pots and pans, a shelf on which were cups and 
 plates and other household necessaries completed the fur 
 nishing of the living-room. From this was a wide passage, 
 011 either side of which were sleeping chambers; the gar 
 den was beyond, the sweet odors of which were wafted 
 through the house, and the roses nodded in at the little 
 narrow windows. 
 
 What a waste!" cried Zaccur, sniffing the air. " Oh, 
 that 1 could gather this rare sweet perfume and confine it 
 in a bottle, the nobles would give me money for it; now it 
 delights my neighbors, and they give me nothing, noth 
 ing!" and he wrung his hands. 
 
 Soon Haggith said: "Come, my father, the fish is 
 ready, and here is bread and wine." 
 
 Zaccur sat at the table, and she stood by and served 
 him. He smacked his lips and said: 
 
 " JIaggith, thou needst not fright the boy; the fish is 
 good perchance he may send me more. " 
 
 " 1 doubt not that he will if he comes again; they are 
 mourning for Dumah in the city. Father, the market 
 place is spattered with blood and tufts of hair lay on the 
 stones; that is the reason that I could not sell the flow 
 ers." 
 
 " I liked him not; he was a proud, hard man, and
 
 86 ASAPH. 
 
 heaped gold to himself while we Levites nearly starved. 
 And Moloch did not save him? Too bad, too bad!" and. 
 Zaccur rubbed his hands and smiled. 
 
 ******* 
 
 King Jehoiakim had witnessed the terrible death of Mo 
 loch s high priest, and was borne away from the grove in 
 his chariot, nearly unconscious with fright and horror. 
 When he was placed upon his couch little Elia knelt by 
 his side and said : 
 
 " Oh, my father and my lord, go not again to the 
 wicked Moloch; it makes thy daughter sad to see thee 
 suffer." 
 
 His only answer was a groan. As the day advanced he 
 drank copiously of wine, so at length the horror subsided, 
 and he became himself again. 
 
 Elia wondered what had become of Asaph, and sent 
 Cleo several times into the garden to see, but he did not 
 come, neither did his fearful cries sound from the walls 
 that night to disturb the king. 
 
 The next day dawned, but still no Asaph came. 
 
 " What can be the matter? Cleo, didst thou hear of 
 any person being injured in the grove yesterday?" Elia 
 asked her slave. 
 
 Cleo thought. 
 
 " Big man burn with fire; move so," and the slave imi 
 tated Dumah s dying contortions of agony. 
 
 Elia shuddered. 
 
 " Not him; the boy with the golden hair didst see him 
 when all was over?"
 
 ASAPH. 87 
 
 For Asaph had escaped down the walls and mingled with 
 the fleeing multitude. 
 
 Cleo slowly shook her head and said: " Him a god; he 
 no be hurt." 
 
 The next morning Elia went with her slave to the mar 
 ket, thinking she might learn something of Asaph, and 
 there she had seen him disguised as a fisher-boy. What 
 did it mean? 
 
 When night came she watched at her window till late; 
 
 but no Asaph appeared, so sighing, she went to her couch. 
 * * * * * * * 
 
 In the cave outside Jerusalem Ilelah was mourning. 
 
 " Oh! my beautiful home! and my friends, where are 
 Aey? Gone! gone! What is left me but to die?" 
 
 " I am still with thee, my mother, and love thee 
 much." 
 
 " Oh! my son, thou art more than all the rest; but I 
 thought to have thy life so happy in Jerusahm; and 
 now " 
 
 " Grieve not, my mother, Jehovah will take care of us 
 I trust in Him." 
 
 Then he went out and set his nets and prepared for the 
 morrow.
 
 88 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 T II E M A K K E T - P L A C E . 
 
 THE market-place was crowded, for there one could 
 learn all the ne\vs and all the gossip. 
 
 Asaph and Ilelah were there with their fish and Hag- 
 gith with her flowers. As soon as she saw him she said: 
 
 " My father sends thee thanks for thy kind present; he 
 enjoyed them much." 
 
 Asaph replied: "1 am glad." Then turned to some 
 customers who pressed around him. 
 
 " I hear thy fish are cheap. Give me some of the 
 best," said a woman wearing a good garment. 
 
 Asaph raised his eyes. 
 
 " To the poor they are but a penny each." 
 
 " Oh, thou hast two prices!" 
 The poor need all pity; let them bide for them." 
 
 " Oh, thou art young to be a teacher," she said, scorn 
 fully, and passed on. 
 
 He looked after her, wondering, and thought, " J)o not 
 nil pity the poor aul help them as .Jehovah has put it in 
 their power?" 
 
 An old lame man with his stai! in his hand stopped be 
 fore him, but said nothing. 
 
 " Wilt have a lish, my father?" said Asaph, putting a 
 fish in his basket. 
 
 Thanks, good boy." Then raising his eyes and
 
 ASA PH. 89 
 
 hands: " And praise bo Jehovah, who hast put it in thy 
 heart to be good to the poor!" 
 
 Dost worship Jehovah?" asked Asaph, his eyes spark 
 ling. " Come to-morrow and I will bring thee milk and 
 honey. " 
 
 " I have found a friend. Jehovah s name be praised!" 
 said the old man; and making obeisance as to a king went 
 his way. 
 
 Uiiggith tried all her little arts to attract Asaph s at 
 tention. She smiled, she coughed, she put a bunch of 
 violets on her breast, but Asaph, when no customers were 
 near, only talked with his mother. 
 
 Soon Elia and her slave appeared. 
 
 " Boy, hast good fish to-day?" 
 
 " Ay, maiden," Asaph replied. 
 
 " My slave will return we go further," said Elia, with 
 a warning look; then seeing Haggith watching, she gave 
 her a look of scorn and passed on. 
 
 Cleo grinned and followed. 
 
 " Dost know the little rnaid, my son?" asked Helah. 
 
 " Ay; but speak not here," said Asaph, in a whisper. 
 
 Haggith bit her lip in vexation. 
 
 I ll find out this mystery," she muttered. " I 
 thought thou wouldst sell but to the poor yon maid is 
 rich." 
 
 " Dost thou know her?" Asaph asked. 
 
 " No; but me thinkest thou dost," Haggith replied. 
 
 " I am but a stranger in Jerusalem," he said, turning 
 away, for he did not wish to betray his secret. 
 
 Ilaggilh laughed quietly.
 
 90 ASA PH. 
 
 Soon Cleo returned and beckoned him. 
 
 " Come/ she said. " Let her no hear/ nodding her 
 head toward Haggith. " She cunning fox." 
 
 They took a step aside, and Cleo said : 
 
 " Princess wants god man to come to garden tell him 
 something. Come before Astarte rise," and she was gone. 
 
 " The slave forgot the fish," said Haggith, when he 
 stood again by his basket. " I will buy them of thee. " 
 
 " Nay, 1 want not thy silver; take them to the Levite 
 thy father, and bid him ask a blessing from Jehovah for 
 my mother." 
 
 Ilaggith s eyes sparkled, and she carefully wrapped the 
 h sh in the green leaves and placed them under her basket. 
 
 " I thank thee for my father," she said, softly. 
 
 " Let us go now, my mother. 1 have much to tell 
 thee. " 
 
 Just then a company of men of war rode through the 
 market-place, coming from the Joppa Gate. They were 
 travel-stained and dusty. The people ran shrieking at 
 their approach and cried : 
 
 " The .Babylonians! the Babylonians!" 
 
 " Where shall we go, my son? Oh, Jerusalem! who 
 shall protect thee?" cried Helah. 
 
 "Jehovah, my unther. Yon men of war are our 
 brothers. See, they have not marred the corners of their 
 beards nor shaved the hair from olT their foreheads. They 
 bring news to the king. Let us go." 
 
 The market-place was quickly deserted, each hurrying 
 home to bar his door in fear.
 
 ASAPH. 91 
 
 " Let us go to the Temple, my mother. I would wor 
 ship there." 
 
 Helah wondered, but in her heart was glad. She too 
 would fain return to the God of her youth, but fear pre 
 vented her. It was a long walk to the Temple mount, 
 but when they came to the beautiful porch with its triple 
 row of white marble pillars, he said: 
 
 " Kejoice now, mother, we are near Jehovah s holy 
 Temple." 
 
 But she was afraid; and when they entered the court, 
 where all who are " clean " may worship, she drew her 
 robe close to her and said : 
 
 " Nay, I fear that I may unwittingly touch what is most 
 holy, and I be slain, as they that stayed the ark from fall 
 ing when the Philistines sent it back long years ago." 
 
 " Kay, think not so evil of the Lord and ascribe to Him 
 the results of accident as punishment for sin the heart 
 never contemplated. Let us seek good Jeremiah, and 
 learn of him." 
 
 But first he cast himself upon the floor and prayed with 
 all his heart that God would give him light and bring his 
 mother back to the true faith. 
 
 Jeremiah was calling from the steps. Some listened 
 and laughed, some called him mad, and others believed. 
 
 " My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my heart; 
 my heart maketh a noise in me. I can not hold my peace, 
 because thou hast heard, oh, my soul! the sound of the 
 trumpet, the alarm of war!" 
 
 " Ha, ha, ha!" cried some. 
 
 "He is mad!" cried others.
 
 92 ASAPH. 
 
 Asaph looked at them. 
 
 " Peace!" he cried. " Let us listen to him!" 
 
 " The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen 
 and bowmen. They shall go into thickets and climb upon 
 rocks; every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell 
 therein!" 
 
 Just then the dust rose up from the galloping horsemen 
 in the valley, and they could see the shining of their armor 
 and hear the cries of the people; so they scattered in every 
 direction, adding their cries, " The Chaldeans are upon us 
 oh, oh, oh!" to the general confusion. Ilelah and 
 Asaph alone remained with Jeremiah. 
 
 "Oh, prophet of the living God! teach us His laws!" 
 cried Asaph, touching his robe and bowing his head. 
 
 "Ah! 1 know that voice. Was not this the slave 
 girl?" cried Jeremiah. 
 
 " Asaph, to thee, and thy willing servant. This is my 
 mother, who in her youth sung in the Temple, worshiping 
 the true God, but false teachers and the example of kings 
 and priests led her for awhile astray. She would return." 
 
 Ilelah bowed her head and said: 
 
 "Moloch has marred the beauty of my boy. Jehovah 
 would not thus deface His perfect work. Moloch has de 
 stroyed my home and kindred. Jehovah delights to com 
 fort the widow and the fatherless. Teach me again to 
 praise His holy name." In prostrating himself, Asaph s 
 turban had fallen from his head and his golden hair fell 
 down in a shower upon his shoulders. 
 
 "Ah! why this disguise?" asked the prophet. 
 
 " My mother fears Jehoiakim s wrath. In this disguise
 
 ASAPH. 93 
 
 \ve have visited Jerusalem and seen the ruins of our 
 home. My mother is very sad, so we live in a cave out 
 side the walls, but return each morning and sell fish in the 
 market. May we not come each day, and learn of thee, 
 and worship in the Temple?" 
 
 " Thou mayest, and glory be to God that thou wouldst 
 serve Him!" 
 
 Then they took leave of him, descended the stairs, and 
 went out of the Gate of the Fountain. They stopped at 
 the beautiful pool of Siloam and refreshed themselves; 
 then passed down through the valley to their cave. 
 
 After the goats were milked, and they had eaten their 
 evening meal, Asaph told his mother all about his visits to 
 the king s garden, and his acquaintance with the little 
 princess. 
 
 " She has something of importance to tell me to-night; 
 thou wilt not fear to have me go; I will be prudent." 
 
 " I trust thee, my son," was all she said.
 
 04 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 E L I A AND A S A 1 II . 
 
 WHEN night fell, but before the moon arose, Asaph was 
 on the wall of the king s garden. 
 
 " Asaph!" said a soft voice. 
 
 " It is 1," he replied. 
 
 " Make no noise, the guard is doubled; descend by the 
 priests stairs. I will await thee there." 
 
 Asaph crept along on his hands and knees, then softly 
 descended. 
 
 " Come quickly to my pavilion. Cleo is there with a 
 light." 
 
 Soon they were in the beautiful chamber, where heavy 
 gold-inwrought purple hangings screened the windows, 
 that no tell-tale light should inform the guards. 
 
 Cleo made obeisance to the floor, then quickly placed 
 cakes and fruit upon a gilded table, saying: 
 
 " Eat, prince with sun-god s hair." 
 
 Elia placed for him a stool, each corner of which was 
 ornamented with a queer carved gilded head. 
 
 " Sit, and we will speak." 
 
 Then she set upon the table a beautiful goblet of fine 
 gold, with flaring lips, like a lily flower, but with the 
 petals drawn down gradually to almost a point, then wid 
 ening out to a finely molded lion s head, the mouth open 
 and forming the stand.
 
 ASA PH. 95 
 
 "Here is new wine to gladden thy heart. Wilt them 
 not drink?" 
 
 " Wine? I know not what it is." 
 
 " Tis but the juice of the grape pressed out but yester 
 day." 
 
 To please her, Asaph touched the goblet to his lips and 
 broke a cake in two. 
 
 " For me?" asked Elia, smiling and taking up the 
 other half. 
 
 " Oh, princess! all are thine." 
 
 " For me, my brother?" she asked again, without notic 
 ing his words. 
 
 "Ay, little maid." She seemed such a child to him. 
 " With many thanks for all thy kindness." 
 
 Now Elia was happy; she eat the portion of cake, and 
 touched her lips where he had touched his. 
 
 " I have something to tell you; thou needst not fear for 
 Jerusalem, my father has bought peace of the King of 
 Babylon." 
 
 " I am glad for my mother s sake; but will it not be a 
 heavy burden to the poor to pay the tribute?" 
 
 " I know not of the poor, good brother; here in the 
 palace gold is so plentiful that I would willingly give it to 
 save our people s lives." 
 
 " Were 1 a man, I would offer the king myself to fight 
 for Judah." 
 
 " To-day the embassadors came from Nebuchadnezzar, 
 and I sat quietly behind the hangings, and heard all, to 
 glad thy heart with the tidings. Our fighting men who 
 ame in advance to warn my father were worn and spent,
 
 96 ASAPH. 
 
 their horses almost dead with fatigue. 1 heard them tell 
 my father how the great king had tarried at the parting of 
 the road, and consulted the images, and looked into the 
 river, and threw his polished arrows into the air; when one 
 iluttered toward .Jerusalem, they hastened hither with the 
 tidings/ 
 
 " I saw them riile through the market-place, and the 
 people fled in terror, thinking the enemy had come." 
 
 " That was thy handsome mother with thee in the mar 
 ket? Why hast thou need to sell fish, and why disguise?" 
 
 " Dumah was our enemy, but he being dead, my 
 mother yearned to see Jerusalem, but fearing Jehoiakim 
 might still desire my death, she took these means to learn 
 what she could, and also to visit her beautiful home; but, 
 alas! a heap of stones greeted her; no kin was left, so she 
 and 1 were all alone." 
 
 Asaph drooped his head, and the tears came at the re 
 membrance. 
 
 " Weep not, my brother, for am not I a sister to thee? 
 I will plead thy cause with my father." 
 
 " Nay, gentle princess; the time is not yet propitious. 
 Then, too, in this disguise 1 can daily worship in the 
 Temple." 
 
 " Turn thy head, gentle Asaph; the cruel scar of Mo 
 loch makes me hate that wicked god. Turn thy side of 
 beauty, that 1, too, may praise thy (iod of loving-kind- 
 noss. " 
 
 Canst thou not come daily to the Temple, too, so shall 
 we bow together to the great Jehovah?" 
 
 " Ay, with Cleo as a guard."
 
 ASA PH. 9? 
 
 " Cleo go; Cleo no like burning god, Cleo worship him 
 god," pointing to Asaph. 
 
 So it was arranged that at a certain hour each day they 
 should meet together at the New Gate of the Temple, and 
 learn of Jeremiah, and worship with all reverence the God 
 of Israel in His holy Temple. 
 
 " My mother and I will come each day to the market. 
 By so doing we can tell when the right time comes to 
 throw off our disguise and claim our own." 
 
 " Thou knowest best, yet it pains me to see thee with 
 those common people, who are not worthy to gaze upon 
 thy face." 
 
 Asaph smiled. 
 
 " At present I am but poor like themselves oh, even 
 poorer, for I dare not show my face or tell my name!" 
 
 " I am glad, or that girl ;vho stands beside thee would 
 worship thy fair beauty. I like her not." 
 
 Cleo showed her teeth. 
 
 " She eat him with her eyes ugh!" 
 
 " I will send a guard to put her from the market!" 
 cried Elia, angrily. 
 
 " Kay, that is not to worship the Merciful One. Oh, 
 princess, her father is a Levite; do her no harm for his 
 sake. Why shouldst thou even look upon her? She is be 
 neath thee." 
 
 And so Asaph pacified her. 
 
 " 1 must return now to my mother; thou, too, wilt love 
 her, oh, princess! when thou kuowest how good and gentle 
 she is." 
 
 4
 
 98 ASA PH. 
 
 " 1 love her now!" cried Elia. " Tell her so for me. 5 
 
 Asaph made a deep obeisance. 
 
 " Thanks for what thou hast told me." 
 
 " lie wary," she whispered; and he was gone.
 
 ASAPH. 99 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 JEHOIAKIM BREAKS HIS ALLEGIANCE TO NEBUCHAD 
 NEZZAR. 
 
 So the time passed on. Ilelah and Asaph still sold fish 
 in Jerusalem, and went each day to the Temple, but noth 
 ing occurred to cause her to reveal herself. 
 
 Asaph increased in stature and in wisdom and in the 
 affections of the little princess, in whose friendship Ilelah 
 also found comfort. Elia was always jealously guarded by 
 the faithful Cleo, who soon felt that she belonged to them 
 all. 
 
 Asaph understood from Jeremiah s preaching that a 
 terrible fate was overhanging Jerusalem unless the chil 
 dren of Israel returned wholly to the true God and repent 
 ed of their sins. Worship was still occasionally held in 
 the Temple, and some offerings were brought, but all the 
 heathen gods were also worshiped, and the poor were op 
 pressed, and some of the most beneficent laws, given by 
 Jehovah for their physical as well as their moral welfare, 
 were constantly violated. 
 
 There was a powerful Egyptian faction among the 
 nobles and people who laughed to scorn all Jeremiah s 
 prophesies. Their faith in Jehovah was so weak that they 
 did not believe the prophet s words came from him, so 
 they looked upon Jeremiah as a brawling disturber of the
 
 100 ASA PH. 
 
 pence of the city. Egypt was powerful, Kgypt would help 
 them, and their walls were strong, for only a portion had 
 been torn down, that too by their brothers, the Israelites, 
 during the siege of King Josiah. They need not fear. 
 
 Hut there were still many who had never turned aside 
 from the faith of their fathers, and they believed Jere 
 miah. 
 
 Asaph also believed him implicitly; so, daily after the 
 market was over, he exercised in all sorts of feats of 
 strength, skill, and endurance, such as running, jumping, 
 shooting at a mark, lie had also learned strange things in 
 these years in the cave, and mornings and nights in the 
 wilderness, lie could imitate the call of any animal, then 
 answer like its mate; this he practiced till he could sum 
 mon almost any denizen of the forest to him, and even the 
 birds of the air. lie stored in his mind all sorts of knowl 
 edge of plants and trees and roots and flowers. 
 
 " All this may be helpful to my people when trouble 
 comes," he would think; so every day he increased in 
 knowledge and strength. 
 
 Ilaggith still brought her flowers to the market, for the 
 dwellers outside the walls felt more secure now that Nebu 
 chadnezzar had accepted of the tribute and withdrawn his 
 army. Her dress was gayer, and her little arts to attract 
 Asaph were more numerous; but he rarely spoke to her; 
 so she had to content herself with gazing at him. Cleo 
 and she were deadly enemies, though they had never 
 spoken a word to each other, but their looks were express 
 ive enouh.
 
 ASAPH. 101 
 
 It was now the third year of the vassalage of Jerusalem 
 and the children of Judah, and the bonds chafed them, for 
 they could now neither war with their enemies nor assist their 
 friends the Egyptians and they had ever a loving heart for 
 Egypt, that home of their first adoption, that had fed 
 them with the fat of the land in the time of their sore need 
 that land in which their forefather Jacob, the Israelite 
 from whom they had all been named, had dwelt; that land 
 in which their ancestor Joseph had been so highly hon 
 ored, and in which the twelve tribes had so increased and 
 multiplied that they were a menace to the reigning 
 power; that land to which they had come as simple 
 shepherds, but had been educated in the arts and sciences 
 of a polished nation, and had been given land and liberty 
 by the kind pharaoh. 
 
 These traditions had been handed down from generation 
 to generation, and the years of slavery and misery under a 
 pharaoh that " knew not Joseph " was quite forgotten, 
 the pleasant things being remembered longest, as it is to 
 this day, 
 
 Jehoiakim was watching an opportunity to throw off the 
 yoke of Babylon, so when he heard rumors that Nebu 
 chadnezzar was then on an expedition against Egypt, he 
 refused to pay the annual tribute. 
 
 The news soon spread over the city, and the people were 
 in ecstasies of delight. So the next day the valleys around 
 Jerusalem where there were any green trees, and all the 
 little eminences and high places, were thronged with people 
 in holiday attire, who burned incense, each for themselves, 
 and there was feasting and dancing and merriment.
 
 102 ASA PH. 
 
 But Asaph and his mother remained in their cave, cov 
 ered with sackcloth and ashes, prostrate before the Lord. 
 They fasted all day till the sun went down, weeping and be 
 seeching God to pardon the errors of His backsliding chil 
 dren. 
 
 " Oh, God of Israel! some of them are so young they 
 know not Thy law. Their pastors have let them stray like 
 lost sheep. Oh, bring them again into Thy fold. Let 
 not Israel be lost forever!" 
 
 Then they arose and purified themselves, and eat and 
 drank, and gave thanks. 
 
 " If God has broken our bondage to the Babylonians, 
 my son, we too should be glad, though not as 
 
 " My mother, Jeremiah says our hopes are in vain about 
 Egypt helping us, that our loved city will bo overthrown 
 and Jehoiakim subdued by Kebuchadnez/ar; so, my moth 
 er, it is not yet a time for joy. " 
 
 When night fell they went up the valley and stood upon 
 the mount that overlooked the city the beautiful Mount 
 of Olives. What a sight burst upon their eyes! Every 
 house-top and every street in Jerusalem appeared to be on 
 fire. Clouds of incense arose in the air, and music and 
 singing sounded loud and joyous. 
 
 " They are praising the hosts of heaven. Oh, my 
 mother! I can not watch them thus insult their kind lov 
 ing Father. Oh, why do they mistake the works of his 
 hands for the great Jehovah Himself?" 
 
 So in sorrow they returned to their cave.
 
 ASAPII. 103 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 HAGGITH DISGRACED. 
 
 "If her father had but spit in her face, should she not abide 
 outside the camp for seven days?" 
 
 THE next morning the market-place was crowded. The 
 people bought everything, they seemed so elated with joy 
 at their recovered freedom. 
 
 " Now what dost thou think of the predictions of that 
 brawler?" asked a Hebrew with an Egyptian cast of coun 
 tenance of the woman who sold leeks and garlic. 
 
 " 1 have not the time, good master, to listen to every 
 one who calls from the house-tops. 1 have my garden to 
 weed and my water to draw. Have some leeks, my mas 
 ter, they are green and fresh." 
 
 He bought some leeks and a string of garlic, laughed, 
 and passed on. 
 
 Haggith wore a new garment and ribbons in her hair. 
 She had even tinged her cheeks with rosy paint; a ring of 
 gold was in her nose, and she seemed to feel as if she were 
 irresistible in her gorgeousness. She smiled at Asaph 
 when he came with his basket of fish, and said: 
 
 " Is not the good news welcome? Last night I danced 
 and sung with joy; but why dost thou look so grave?" 
 
 He had turned as she spoke to him, and had noticed her 
 paint, and her jewels, and a slight frown clouded his face. 
 
 " What! dost thou not like my pretty clothes? I hoped
 
 104 ASAPH. 
 
 they would please thee; and see, I plucked this bunch of 
 rarest roses all for thee!" 
 
 She held them out to him. Just then a shadow fell on 
 her basket; she looked up there stood her father, white 
 with rage. 
 
 " Is this my daughter? 1 cry thy pardon if I am 
 wrong, but where didst get this jewel in thy nose, and this 
 fine garment? Ay, wanton wretch, with painted face, is 
 it thus thou robbest me?" Then he looked at Asaph 
 from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet. " And 
 is this the pretty boy? Young master, thou dost not well 
 to accept presents from a poor market-girl." 
 
 Asaph looked him steadily in the face. 
 
 " Lovite, I have never accepted aught from the 
 maiden." 
 
 Then her father turned to her in still greater rage. 
 " 80, unsought, thou wouldst bestow thy charms upon a 
 stranger wouldst throw thyself at one unwilling to re 
 ceive thee? Out upon thee, unnatural child! My gold, my 
 stolen gold! Ugh! I spit upon thee, ingrate!" 
 
 And with the word he spat in her face, shook his staif, 
 and turned aside. 
 
 For a moment Ilaggith s eyes blazed with anger; she 
 half raised her hand, then it dropped by her side, her head 
 sunk lower and lower upon her breast, then a sob of shame 
 and anguish burst from her lips, and taking her basket 
 from the ground she hastened from the market-place. 
 
 The princess and Cleo had witnessed the whole scene 
 from a little distance. Elia was shocked, but Cleo said:
 
 ASAPH. 105 
 
 "Her proud; her too much proud. Ha! ha! new 
 dress! father tear him soon; she cry. Cleo glad!" 
 
 They approached Helah and greeted her, but she looked 
 sad, being sorry for the poor misguided flower-girl, and 
 Asaph was pale with pity at the unhappy scene, and tears 
 stood in his eyes. Cleo noticed it and said: 
 
 " No cry for her; she cat!" 
 
 Asaph did not yet know all the strange old customs and 
 the strict laws of " uncleanness," so he wondered at Hag- 
 gith s leaving the market with her flowers unsold, when 
 buyers were so many and so willing. 
 
 " 1 am so happy to-day, Asaph. Wilt thou not rejoice 
 with me?" Elia said in a low tone. " I heard my father 
 say that all the fighting men of Judah must be ready to 
 join Egypt when he comes, but he thought no battle 
 would be necessary, as Babylon would flee before the unit 
 ed strength of Miriam and Judah." 
 
 Asaph could not have the heart to cloud her joy. 
 When Jeremiah s terrible predictions came true she would 
 have srorow enough, even with all his efforts to comfort 
 her, for with his mother she formed part of all his plans. 
 
 Just then the old man whom he had often befriended 
 with fish and honey stopped before him. 
 
 " Old Shalmai has something to tell thee, thou descend 
 ant of the sons of God. Come aside to the vacant place 
 of the gate, there we can sit and converse unnoticed." 
 
 Asaph spoke to his mother, then turning to the princess 
 he said, in a low tone: 
 
 " 1 will see thee at the Temple, and thou shalt tell me 
 more. Peace be with thee!" then he went with Shalmai.
 
 106 ASA PH. 
 
 Even the vacant place was crowded: but seeing the old 
 man with his white flowing beard leaning on his staff, 
 several youths quickly offered him their seats. 
 
 " Thanks, kind masters, may Jehovah pour His bless 
 ings on you all/ and he sat; but Asaph stood before him 
 and listened respectfully. 
 
 " 1 came to tell thee that when the trouble comes and 
 the daughter of Zion mourns upon her hills, my house is 
 open to thee and thine. Poverty no more binds us with 
 its chains; a Moabitish debtor paid me yesterday a sum of 
 money long since due and mourned as lost; but Jehovah 
 put it in his heart to pay, and now my old age is free from 
 want, blessed be His name! At the further end of the 
 street that runs to the Water (Jate thou wilt see a small 
 house with a date-palm by the door, in the center is a 
 garden with vines what make a bower, hanging full of rich 
 ripe grapes; on these hast thy servant lived for many days. 
 Put thy hand in the hole of the door, the latch will raise 
 at thy touch, enter all therein is thine." 
 
 " My father, thou hast rny thanks, for when Jerusalem 
 is in anguish I shall suffer with her, and perchance shall 
 accept thy offered kindness. Bless me, now, my father, 
 and let me go. " 
 
 lie did so, and they both returned to the market. 
 
 Helah had sold nearly all the fish, and seeing so many 
 happy faces about her, she also was smiling. Asaph 
 looked at her, then softly murmured to himself: 
 
 " Why should she not be happy? Sufficient unto the 
 day is the evil thereof." Then he took his place beside 
 her.
 
 ASAPH. 107 
 
 It was not long before all their fish were sold, and having 
 eaten a frugal meal in the market, they purified them 
 selves at one of the many fountains, then went to the 
 Temple mount. 
 
 There was quite a concourse listening to the prophet, 
 most of them in holiday attire. As usual, there was a 
 mixed crowd. Jeremiah was calling from the New Gate, 
 toward the descent, so that all could hear: 
 
 " Behold ye trust in lying words that can not profit!* 
 
 " Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear 
 falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other 
 gods, whom ye know not; 
 
 "And come and stand before me in this house, which 
 is called by my name, and say, we are delivered to do all 
 these abominations. 
 
 " Is this house which is called by my name become a 
 den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even 1 have seen it, 
 saith the Lord." 
 
 " Ought he not to be ashamed to speak so openly to the 
 multitude?" said a painted woman. " For if some of us 
 have good friends who give us presents, and we are not so 
 stiff and prudish as others, he need not call us vile 
 names!" 
 
 And she looked leeringly at the young man whom she 
 had addressed. 
 
 " Seest thou what they do in cities of Judah, and in the 
 streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the 
 fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough 
 
 * Jeremial), vii Chapter, 8 to 11 veises.
 
 108 ASA PH. 
 
 to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out 
 drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me 
 to anger. Behold, my anger and my fury shall be poured 
 out upon this place!" 
 
 " What harm do we in worshiping the gentle queen of 
 heaven? Does she not give us light without us even ask 
 ing her?" said a pretty maiden. 
 
 Again Jeremiah thundered forth: 
 
 " Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Put your burned 
 oiTerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. For spake 1 not 
 unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that 1 
 brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burned 
 offerings or sacrifices. But this thing commended I them, 
 caying: Obey my voice and I will be your God, and yo 
 shall be my people; but they hearkened not, but walked 
 in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, 
 and went backward 
 
 " There! I told thee that we were just wasting our kids 
 and lambs, burning them up in the Temple!" cried a 
 shrewish woman to her white-haired husband. 
 
 lint Jeremiah spoke again: 
 
 " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: I have made the earth, 
 the man, and the beast by my great power. And now I 
 have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnez 
 zar, the King of Babylon, my servant 
 
 "Treason! treason!" the people shouted, and scattered 
 in all directions, several throwing stones at him as they 
 went. 
 
 But Asaph and his mother, and the young princess, at 
 tended by Cleo, remained and worshiped in the Temple.
 
 ASAPH. 109 
 
 CHAPTEE XVII. 
 
 QUARREL BETWEEN HAGGITH AND CLEO. 
 
 THE days passed peacefully, all rumors of war had 
 ceased, and some of the people were haughtier and more 
 oppressive to the poor, aiid broke God s laws oftener than 
 ever before, living in sensual luxury, gathering gold by 
 short measures and light weights, and utterly forgetting 
 the God of their fathers. 
 
 This was but the calm preceding the storm. 
 
 Asaph wondered why Haggith came no more to the 
 market-place. But Elia was glad, and Cleo grinned. 
 Several days passed, then Asaph asked his mother. 
 
 " It is an old law of Moses, my son, that she is unclean, 
 and must abide without the camp seven days," she re 
 plied. 
 
 Although Asaph was sorry for any creature that 
 suffered, yet he felt more comfortable without Haggith s 
 near presence. 
 
 Cleo went to the market by herself one morning, and 
 making a low obeisance to Asaph, she said: 
 
 " Master, tell Cleo where girl live; she she sell flow 
 ers. Oeo want buy um! something!" 
 
 " 1 know not where she lives. Did the princess send 
 thee to me?" 
 
 " Uni! she not know. Me, Cleo, want her want buy 
 um! something!"
 
 110 ASAPH. 
 
 " Dost thou want Haggitb, the Levite s daughter, that 
 sells flowers here in the market?" asked the woman who 
 sold citrons and leeks. 
 
 Cleo grinned and nodded. 
 
 " Go out the f urtherest gate by the Tower of the Fur 
 naces, then walk five minutes straight before ye, then shall 
 ye come to her father s house. Ye can tell it by the smell 
 of roses and violets from the garden." 
 
 " Thanks! Cleo buy leeks another time/ and she 
 passed on smiling. 
 
 " Whose is yon pert Ethiopian slave, good master?" 
 asked the woman, of Asaph. 
 
 " Her mistress s, good mother," he replied, smiling. 
 
 " And who may be her mistress?" 
 
 "Ask her when next thou seest her," then, thinking 
 this sounded discourteous, he added, " 1 betray no 
 woman s secrets, good mother." 
 
 " Ha, ha, ha! Thou art a fine lad, and I would 1 were 
 thy mother, she cried. 
 
 But Asaph turned away; he did not relish the jesting 
 and gossip of the market, neither did Helah, who looked a 
 little vexed. 
 
 Cleo, having hired a little ass, at length reached the 
 home of Haggith. She stood before it some time, examin 
 ing its poverty and comparing it in her mind with the 
 magnificent palace in which she lived. She shrugged her 
 shoulders, and curling her lip in scorn, she said : 
 
 " She poor! she mean! she no good!" 
 
 Then she dismounted from the ass and knocked loudly
 
 ASAPH. Ill 
 
 at the door. She could hear a bar removed, then Haggith 
 opened the door; the slave stared her in the face. 
 
 " Cleo come to buy garlic!" she cried, loudly. 
 
 Iluggith flushed red. 
 
 " We sell naught but choicest flowers/ 
 
 "No? Cleo no want flowers. Cleo want garlic for two 
 pennies/ 
 
 " I tell thee, slave, we do not sell it!" cried Haggith, 
 very angry, for she had recognized her instantly, and un 
 derstood her coming was only for insult. 
 
 " Cleo call him father; he sell it. Oh, him like 
 money! * 
 
 "I tell thee, Ethiopian slave, we do not pollute our 
 ground with the vile odor!" 
 
 " Me no Ethiopian slave. Me Cleo Cleo father no spit 
 in her face." 
 
 Haggith was white with rage. 
 
 " Vile slave! go back to them that sent thee, and tell 
 the wanton I will complain to the king!" 
 
 Cleo laughed loudly. Just then Zaccur entered the 
 house from the garden. 
 
 " Softly, softly! Why this confusion of angry words?" 
 
 " Cleo come to buy garlic. Girl angry!" and she held 
 out the two pennies. 
 
 " We do not sell it!" he replied, looking covetously at 
 the money. 
 
 " So 1 told the slave; father, tis a trick. She belongs 
 to the damsel that has so much gold and comes each day 
 to the market. They are spies!"
 
 112 ASAl H. 
 
 " Aha! what sayest the slave? Shall I have thee put be- 
 liind the prison bars?" 
 
 " Cleo no "fraid," she replied, defiantly. 
 
 " There, there! thou didst forget; twas garlands thy 
 mistress wanted. Give me the money, and I will get thee 
 one, but only a little one for so small a sum." 
 
 " C leo no want garlands; take money, give piece swine- 
 flesh." 
 
 Zaccur foamed with rage. 
 
 "Jehovah s wrath fall on thee, thou impious wretch!" 
 he cried. 
 
 But she had jumped upon her ass, and, laughing, waved 
 her hand, then quickly rode away, saying: 
 
 " She no look at him with sun-god s hair any more. 
 Cleo make her shamed."
 
 ASA PH. 113 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 DEATH OF JEHOIAKIM. 
 
 THE calm had passed away and the storm had broken 
 on Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar, finding the Egyptians 
 would not fight with him at this time, and hearing that 
 Jehoiakim, relying on their help, had refused his annual 
 tribute, came with all his vast army against Jerusalem. 
 
 The people were terror-stricken, not being prepared to 
 fight or to endure a siege: they could do nothing but wring 
 their hands and weep and moan, calling on all the gods to 
 help them, and tardily, in their last extremity, calling also 
 on the great Jehovah. 
 
 Jeremiah still continued to thunder in the king s and 
 people s ears. 
 
 " Xow, therefore, hearken not ye to your prophets, nor 
 to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your en 
 chanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, 
 saying, Ye shall not serve the King of Babylon. 
 
 " For they prophesy a lie unto you to remove you far 
 from your land, and ye should perish. 
 
 " But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke 
 of the King of Babylon and serve him, those will I let still 
 in their own land, saith the Lord, and they shall till it and 
 dwell therein." 
 
 So Jehoiakim, in his extremity, caught at the only hope
 
 114 ASAPH. 
 
 hold out to him and believed Jeremiah, and opened all the 
 gates of Jerusalem! 
 
 The army swarmed in like locusts that devastated Egypt 
 Chaldeans, Medes, Persians, Phoenicians, Syrians, Am 
 monites, Moabites all their old enemies, forced into a 
 willing service by their great conqueror, Nebuchadnezzar. 
 
 At the " Gates Beautiful " Jehoiakim stood with his ret 
 inue. When Nebuchadnezzar approached he gave him 
 the keys of the city, prostrating himself three times before 
 him, in token of submission. 
 
 But from every gate and every street shrieks of agony 
 reached Jehoiakim s ears; the flower of his people, both 
 youth and maidens, old men and women, were being ruth 
 lessly murdered by the cruel invaders, lie had not long 
 to bear the agony of suspense, for Nebuchadnezzar was 
 wroth with fierce anger to think that he had dared to re 
 bel against his power. He, the king of but the remnant 
 of Judah, to bring him thus away from greater things, the 
 siege of Tyre, the subduing of Egypt, so giving him a look 
 of hatred, he thrust his sword through his body, and while 
 the carcass was still warm, he commanded it to be thrown 
 outside the walls, and to be given the burial of an ass. 
 
 Then Nebuchadnezzar commanded the trumpets to be 
 sounded, and as the great army came together, he took his 
 princes and councilors, and they proceeded in their char 
 iots to the king s palace. 
 
 Here ho sat upon the throne, and commanded Jehoia 
 kim s family to be brought before him. 
 
 Coniah, as he was lovingly called, a gentle youth of
 
 ASAPH. 115 
 
 eighteen, the only sou of the king, came before him sub 
 missively and bowed prostrate to the floor. 
 
 " Arise," said Nebuchadnezzar; then seeing he was 
 young and mild, he was very favorably impressed with 
 him, and taking the crown he placed it upon his head and 
 called him Jehoiakim. Then all the people shouted: 
 
 " Long live the king!" 
 
 Then Nebuchadnezzar communicating to him his wishes 
 as to the tribute and government, left the palace, and 
 with his vast army, together with three thousand captives 
 and the young Ezekiel, retired from Jerusalem. 
 
 The haughty, cruel Jehoiakim lay dead outside the 
 walls. His beauty was disfigured by being dragged over 
 the sharp stones and refuse of the city; there he lay for 
 the birds of the air to feed on and the vultures to tear out 
 his eyes those eyes that had never looked in pity on any 
 of his people and the heat of the day caused the insects . 
 to buzz about his face, and the frost of night wet his gar 
 ments, and there were none to lament him, saying: " Oh, 
 my brother, oh, lord!" or " Ah, his glory!" 
 
 Those of his own household, if they mourned for him, 
 did so in secret, for they feared spies were in the land to 
 
 report to the great king aught done contrary to his wishes. 
 ******* 
 
 When Jerusalem had settled once more into peace and 
 quietness, happy in the change of kings, expecting from 
 Coniah s youth and gentle disposition a milder and more 
 merciful reign, Helah and Asaph presented themselves 
 before him with a petition for their recognition and the 
 restoration of their land.
 
 116 ASAPH. 
 
 Jehoiakim sat on the throne of his fathers attired in the 
 magnificent robes of state. His councilors surrounded 
 him, also the princes, ancients and wise men; he wished 
 their advice and help on this his first day of public audi 
 ence to his people. 
 
 Asaph, his fair skin cleansed from all stain of saffron, 
 his golden hair falling in wavy masses upon his shoulders, 
 his dress rich and becoming, was most attractive in his 
 beauty, and Helah was a fitting companion. 
 
 Hope lighted up their countenances with radiant light 
 as they prostrated themselves before Jehoiakim. 
 
 " Oh, King of Judah, be merciful and tender, and hear 
 now the prayer of thy servant Helah, the wife of Ashbel, 
 of the tribe of Judah!" 
 
 " Arise, and speak thy wish," said Jehoiakim, extending 
 his scepter; then looking at Asaph, he started, but said 
 nothing. 
 
 " Oh, king, when thy father reigned some enemies, un 
 known to thy servant, did raze her house unto the earth, 
 destroying all her substance and marring all the beauty of 
 the ground; her kin they also destroyed or scattered, so 
 that none are left. Oh, king, to plead her cause, save 
 herself, and this her only son." 
 
 " What crimes didst thou or thine commit to merit such 
 condign punishment?" 
 
 " None, rny lord and king." 
 
 " Is not this the boy who years ago v/as being offered up 
 to Moloch?" 
 
 " Tis true, oh, king," said Helah, drooping her head.
 
 ASA PH. 117 
 
 " But the great Jehovah saved him, blessed be His 
 name!" cried Asaph, with fervor. 
 
 The princes and councilors stood aghast, and a murmur 
 went through the assembly; but the king smiled and said: 
 
 " Tis well; thy life shall not again be put in jeopardy. 
 Take thine inheritance with thy mother. I, the king, 
 shall see that justice, though tardy, is still administered in 
 Jerusalem." 
 
 He raised his scepter as a sign the audience was ended, 
 and Asaph and Helah, bowing low, left the chamber. 
 
 The princess met them in the porch; she knew by the 
 expression of their faces that their petition had been 
 granted. Embracing Ilelah, she said in a low tone: 
 
 " Peace be with thee." Then turning to Asaph: " And 
 may Jehovah pour His blessings on your heads."
 
 118 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 SHAL MAl S FEAST. 
 
 THE good Shalmai had awaited them at the entrance to 
 the palace. Asaph had been a true friend to him in his 
 time of need, providing him with much food, and a milk 
 ing goat, so he was very anxious to know the result of 
 their visit to the king. 
 
 " Ah, all is well; and thou art free!" he cried as soon 
 as he saw them. " Now thy son dare hold up his head 
 before all the world, undisguised and undismayed. 
 Young master, thy faith in the God of Israel has been 
 rewarded. Wilt please you both to come to thy servant s 
 house; he has a little feast prepared. Oh, say not nay, 
 for thy servant hath set his heart upon this thing!" 
 
 Helah looked at Asaph. 
 
 " Shall we not thus give thanks, my son?" 
 
 Asaph s heart had gone out to the old man, so he said : 
 
 " Yes, my mother, it is meet a little joy should fall to 
 thy lot, and thanks to thee, my father, for thy thoughtful- 
 ness." 
 
 It was a pleasant walk to Shalmai s house. The people 
 on the streets seemed so happy save those who had lost 
 loved ones by the cruel invaders, and they greeted Ilelah 
 and Asaph with smiles; the romantic story of their dis 
 guise and restoration to their patrimony had spread swift 
 ly over the city, and many recognized in Asaph the beau-
 
 ASA PH. 119 
 
 tiful boy who had escaped the fires of Moloch. So the 
 
 
 
 news of their approach passed from mouth to mouth, and 
 many gathered at the corners and greeted them on their 
 way, Asaph bowed with simple dignity, but Helah smiled, 
 and when old-time acquaintances grasped her hand 
 and bid her welcome to their houses; her heart was glad; 
 she felt at home again. 
 
 Shalmai was a magnificent specimen of the tribe of Dan 
 hair long, a beard that reached below his waist, and as 
 soft and shiny as the silk of Damascus, piercing black 
 eyes, and a most fascinating smile; he would have attract 
 ed attention in any age or country. His friends also 
 greeted him, now that he was no longer a poor man, and 
 also wore a good garment. 
 
 So their progress was a continual ovation, the women 
 and maidens occasionally throwing flowers in their path, 
 and little green boughs. 
 
 llaggith, coming from the market-place, caught sight of 
 them, her cheeks flushed, and she ran swiftly until she 
 stood by Asaph s side. 
 
 "Ah! the fish-boy, so white and beautiful! 1 suspected 
 a mystery! Art art thou a prince?" she asked, softly. 
 
 "1 am naught but what thou seest," he replied, turn 
 ing away. 
 
 But Haggith walked along with the crowd, and when 
 she saw the other maids throw flowers, she emptied her 
 basket in his path, forgetting the beating she would re 
 ceive for not having either them or the money to give her 
 father. 
 
 At length they reached the house; it was a delightful
 
 120 AS A PH. 
 
 spot, for the street was wider here, and the houses not so 
 close together, being the outskirts of the city. 
 
 At the door stood Shalmai s wife and daughter to wel 
 come them. As they entered, he said: 
 
 " Peace be with you all." 
 
 " And Jehovah s blessing!" replied old Sara. 
 
 Then Shalrnai took the basin and pitcher from Adah s 
 hand, and bending his knee, he removed Helah s and 
 Asaph s scandals, and washed their feet, then he poured 
 water over their hands and wiped them with the towel the 
 maiden held ready. 
 
 Asaph looked bewildered and flushed with a gentle 
 shame. 
 
 " It is an old custom of our fathers," llelah whis 
 pered. 
 
 The feast was spread, and Asaph and his mother were 
 given the places of honor, on divans placed at the middle 
 of the table, with a soft mat for their feet, their sandals 
 being at the door. 
 
 A roast lamb, whole, as at the Passover, was in the cen 
 ter, decked with flowers as an unusual honor then 
 around it were placed white wheaten cakes and succulent 
 vegetables, oil cakes with much spice, and figs and dates 
 pressed into little circular masses. Cl rapes with their 
 green leaves, and milk and honey, and tall graceful pitch 
 ers of wine completed the feast. 
 
 A blessing was asked by the venerable Shalmai, then he 
 broke the bread, and giving a piece to each, the meal 
 began. 
 
 It was indeed a feast to Asaph, who had never sat at
 
 ASA PH. 121 
 
 table before with any other save his mother and little 
 Elia; and Shalmai was well versed in the ancient history 
 of their nation, and his conversation was like a stream of 
 light to the mind of Asaph. 
 
 " The Hebrews are a stiff-necked people. Jehovah s 
 strong hand chastised them again and again to keep them 
 in the right path, but at every temptation they turned 
 aside to idolatry and all manner of evil. The great God 
 had permitted their offering to Him of the blood ad fat 
 and flesh of animals because the heart of man in his grati 
 tude or in his petitions for favors, must give gifts, and 
 this people imitating the example of the nations around 
 them, were offering their gifts to idols, so He commanded 
 them to bring them to Himself instead for Jeremiah our 
 prophet has said that God did not require sacrifice of ani 
 mals, but obedience. So also Hosea hath said, Oh, Is 
 rael, return unto the Lord thy God. Take with you 
 words. Say unto Him, Take away all iniquity and re 
 ceive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our 
 lips. " 
 
 These words sunk deep in Asaph s mind, to be often 
 pondered on in after times. 
 
 As Helah listened to the old man, all her childhood 
 came before her like a dream long forgotten, that comes 
 back with a word, the scent of a flower, or a strain of 
 music, and she rejoiced that she had once been permitted 
 to sing in the holy Temple, and worship the true God in 
 the reign of the good Josiah, and from this day she turned 
 no more to idolatry. 
 
 When the feast was ended and they had purified them-
 
 122 ASAPH. 
 
 selves, they went into the court, and sitting on rugs en 
 joyed the beautiful fountain and the trees and flowers that 
 grew around it. The birds sung sweetly, and the bees 
 hummed drowsily; the scene was one of peaceful beauty. 
 
 At length the time came for their departure, and Shal- 
 mai said: 
 
 " When the sword shall come upon Jerusalem, make 
 this thy home, good master, and bring thy mother at the 
 first alarm. " 
 
 " Remember, thou wilt be most welcome," said the 
 aged Sara; but Adah stood silent and blushing with down 
 cast eyes. 
 
 The whole family accompanied them some distance on 
 their way, and then left them with many blessings. 
 
 Helah and Asaph went to their cave; they would dwell 
 
 in no one s house till their own was completed. 
 
 ******* 
 
 Every day for many weeks they came to Jerusalem and 
 watched the walls of their habitation slowly arise. The 
 young king had ordered it to be built even more beautiful 
 than it was at first. 
 
 Jehoiakim was well loved by his people for his kindness 
 and his thoughtful measures for their good; but he turned 
 not from worshiping many idols, so God was not with 
 him, and his reign was short.
 
 ASA PH. 123 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 JEHOIAKIM TAKEN CAPTIVE. 
 
 THREE months had scarcely passed away, when the city 
 was again in a state of wild alarm, for again Nebuchad- 
 nezzar s vast army surrounded Jerusalem. 
 
 Spies had reported that Jehoiakim was meditating re 
 venge for the cruel murder of his father, and Nebuchad 
 nezzar, who was in the full flush of his ambition to extend 
 his kingdom from the Euphrates to the Nile, could not 
 brook that the least of his vassals should rebel against his 
 authority, but still having the siege of Tyre to occupy his 
 attention, he sent commanders with his army, but he him 
 self did not come. 
 
 From the highest point of the Temple, to which Jere 
 miah had taken him, Asaph beheld the Chaldeans and 
 their many allies, swarming from the north-west, and on 
 their nearer approach spreading over the level plateau to 
 the north, thence down the valleys of Jehosaphat and 
 Ilinnoa, they were countless, and covered the earth till it 
 looked like one moving mass. 
 
 How could one little city, weakened by luxury and for 
 saken by God, defend herself against this vast multitude 
 of bitter, hasty men? And his mother and the princess, 
 would they fare as well in this second invasion as they had 
 before? He could fight, but what had King Jehoiakim 
 decided to do? The gates of the city were doubly barred
 
 124 ASAPH. 
 
 and locked; had he known it in time, he could have taken 
 them to the cave, but now Just then he saw the prin 
 cess ascending the stairs that led up from the city of David, 
 as he hastened down from the great height where he stood, 
 and met her at the New Gate. After the usual greetings 
 she said: 
 
 4 I have come to ask Jehovah s help for my poor 
 brother, and for our unhappy people. " 
 
 So they joined Helah, who was already on her knees. 
 After they had prayed, and wet the marble floor with their 
 tears, they arose, and Asaph said : 
 
 " Oh, princess, disguise thyself as one of Jerusalem s 
 poor, so will my mother and myself, and bring thy slave 
 to carry thy little treasures, and we will abide with the 
 venerable Shalmai till all danger is past." 
 
 "Oh! 1 can not forsake my brother; he is kind and 
 gentle. I would bo by his side in his great trouble. Is 
 not this as Jehovah would wish it?" 
 
 " Little princess, listen to me. Thy brother will only 
 bo impeded in what he desires to do by many around him 
 claiming his protection. Thy brother has done no wrong, 
 and the King of Babylon, being so convinced, can not find 
 it in his heart to do so gentle a young man harm; but 
 thou art a maiden, very young and fair, and the soldiers 
 are cruel men, and fearless of the great Jehovah, they 
 might do thoe such wrong that death were preferable. So 
 disguise thyself and come wit!) us. When Jerusalem is at 
 peace again, thou shalt return to thy brother. I will wait 
 for thee at the palace gate,"
 
 ASAPH. 125 
 
 Ilelah added her entreaties, so at last she consented, and 
 
 hastened away to get ready. 
 
 $ $ $ $ * * *t* 
 
 Jehoiakim sat in council . with his princes, rulers, and 
 wise men, and when they saw how hopeless it would be to 
 light against this vast horde, he said: 
 
 " 1 would not that my people should meet with such 
 cruel deaths as these men, angered by resistance, would 
 put them to; my eyes could not endure to see this fair city 
 of the mountains laid waste and devastated even to the 
 ground. I will open rny gates, as Jeremiah counseleth, and 
 tell great Babylon 1 have not rebelled against his power/ * 
 
 Then the council broke up, and messengers were sent 
 outside the walls to demand an audience. 
 
 They soon returned and communicated their message to 
 the king, who immediately commanded all the gates of 
 Jerusalem to be opened wide. 
 
 Elia, hearing this, quickly put on a disguise, and gath 
 ering her jewels and a little stuff, put them in the hands 
 of Cleo, and together they hastened to the palace gate. 
 Ilelah and Asaph were awaiting them. She informed them 
 of all she had heard, and then they proceeded hurriedly to 
 the house of Shalmai. 
 
 They were warmly welcomed by all the family, and 
 when they were informed who Elia was, they prostrated 
 themselves before her and vowed to protect her with their 
 lives. 
 
 When Asaph had thus placed them in safety, he went, 
 still in disguise, to the principal gate to watch events. 
 
 * Sanhedrim.
 
 126 ASAPH. 
 
 " It will all be well/ he thought, " for has not Jere 
 miah said we shall stay in our own land if we serve the 
 King of Babylon?" 
 
 Then his heart fell as he thought how, relying on these 
 words, the gates had been opened once before and the king 
 had been cruelly murdered, and many of the choicest peo 
 ple of the city with him, and many taken away captive. 
 He believed in Jeremiah, yet could not understand how 
 his prophesying and what really came to pass could be so 
 different 
 
 The gates were opened; the king, his mother, wives, 
 princes, and officers, went forth to meet the commanders 
 sent by the great Nebuchadnezzar. He surrendered on 
 condition that they would respect their persons and do 
 them no injury, and that beautiful Jerusalem should suffer 
 no harm. The commanders gave their oaths to that 
 effect, and did not enter the city, but they remained in the 
 vicinity with much of their army. 
 
 Jerusalem was in a miserable state of uncertainty, the 
 commerce and industrial pursuits of the people were 
 almost entirely neglected, and the internal improvements 
 of the city were at a stand-still. 
 
 But this was soon ended, for before many months the 
 commanders broke their oaths, entered Jerusalem, bound 
 the king, and took him to Babylon, together with his fam 
 ily, princes, officers, and servants, together with ten thou 
 sand of the principal people, seven thousand men of war, 
 and one thousand citizens, a part of these being from the 
 adjacent country. They also took all the treasures of gold 
 and precious stones, and beautiful furnishings of the king s
 
 ASAPH. 127 
 
 palaces and houses, and what pained the older people to 
 the heart the magnificent, valuable, sacred things be 
 longing to the holy Temple. 
 
 Then Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiakim s uncle, Mata- 
 niah, King of Judah, and changed his name to Zedekiab. 
 lie bound him in oaths that he would serve him faithfully, 
 and not change the form of government, but keep the 
 kingdom for him, and make no allegiance with his enemy, 
 Egypt. 
 
 Thus, half of the city and the surrounding villages were 
 carried into captivity, amid the lamentations of those who 
 were left behind.
 
 128 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXL 
 
 A SEASON OF PEACE. 
 
 PEACE once more settled upon poor, widowed Jerusa 
 lem. The people went looking mournful and sad, afraid 
 to lament aloud, or even to take any pleasure in life. 
 
 Helah s house was but just finished when Zedekiah be 
 gan his reign, so she, together with Asaph, had lived with 
 the hospitable Shalmai, but she had insisted on providing 
 at least a portion of the subsistence of the family. 
 
 " Lest we feel too dependent, good Shalmai," she had 
 said, and so he had let her have her way. 
 
 Asaph had drunk the old man s words as dew from 
 heaven, for Shalmai was a Jew of advanced opinions; he 
 had studied his religion from the days of Abraham to the 
 Prophet Jeremiah, thoughtfully praying to God for light 
 to see into what was obscure or contradictory, so that he 
 might not offend or violate the law, not of Moses, not of 
 the judges, who were but fallible men, but of Jehovah him 
 self. Men s laws that came in conflict with that were to 
 him as nothing, and he was ready, even with his life, to 
 obey the God of gods. 
 
 The Princess Klia had not been included among the 
 captives, on account of Asaph s thoughtful ingenuity; now 
 she was returned to her uncle and his children, who were 
 glad to welcome her as one from the dead, and her roman 
 tic story so interested them that they determined that
 
 ASAPH. 120 
 
 Asaph should some day be sent for to come to the 
 palace. 
 
 Hel ab/s house was now furnished and ready for occu 
 pancy. So the time came to bid farewell to Shalmai and 
 the kind Sara and the beautiful Adah. 
 
 They sat at their last evening meal together; it was pre 
 pared with extra care and arranged with unusual beauty, 
 for was not one of the sons of God about to leave them, to 
 take away the blessiug of his pure heart, his words of wis 
 dom, far beyond his years, the religion of his beauty, for 
 one could not look upon this perfect work, fresh and un- 
 contaminated as when he came from the hands of his 
 Maker, without worshiping the being who was capable of 
 giving such perfection to His children. 
 
 As the scar of Moloch had caused the princess to hate 
 idolatry and turn to the true God, so it caused the family 
 of Shalmai to detest with utter detestation all the forms of 
 idol worship that were so prevalent in the land. 
 
 Before the meal was finished the venerable Shalmai, 
 who had eaten scarcely anything, began to chant in a me 
 lodious voice Solomon s song: 
 
 " My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief est among 
 ten thousand. 
 
 " His head is as the most fine gold. 
 
 " His eyes as the eyes of doves. 
 
 " His cheeks are as a bed of spices. 
 
 " His mouth is most sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely." 
 
 Then the tears filled his eyes and fell down upon his 
 beard. His voice trembling with emotion, he continued :
 
 130 ASAPH. 
 
 " Whither is thy beloved gone, oh, thou fairest among 
 women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside: " 
 
 Then Sara replied, in a, mournful but sweet voice: 
 
 " My beloved is gone down into his garden to the bed of 
 spices, to feed in the gardens and to gather lilies." 
 
 Then Adah took up the strain: 
 
 " Thou art beautiful, oh, my love, as Tirzah, comely as 
 Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners!" 
 
 Then Shalmai embraced Asaph, wept over him and 
 blessed him, then they all sung together: 
 
 " Oh, God, forsake me not. I will also praise Thee 
 with the psalter, even Thy truth, oh, my God! Unto 
 Thee will I sing with the harp, oh, thou Holy One of Is 
 rael! Let the whole earth be lilled with His glory! 
 Amen and amen!" 
 
 Then Asaph and Ilelah hastened away while the whole 
 
 family stood at the door weeping. 
 
 ******* 
 
 For awhile Judah felt secure, for they had become allied 
 to the most powerful kingdom of the earth, the great 
 Babylon, and the few fenced cities that yet belonged to it 
 felt now as if they were indeed protected. 
 
 Again the city assumed something of its former pros 
 perity. Many of the Jews from the distant cities and 
 plains came to dwell within her walls, and some came be 
 cause of the Temple to worship there. Merchants came 
 from Syria; they brought beautiful jewelry, and precious 
 stones and embroidered and bright-colored cloths. .Da 
 mascus sent wool and wine and silk, and Sheba spices and 
 other things, and even peacocks were brought from Tar-
 
 ASA PH. 131 
 
 shish. So the fairs and markets were bright and beautiful 
 and animated once more. 
 
 The voice of joy was again heard in the land as time 
 passed on, and happy bridal processions and music, and 
 feasting and dancing once more made glad the people. 
 
 Asaph had become a scholar in the college of the 
 prophets, where, besides being taught the true religion, 
 he was instructed in the languages of the surrounding 
 nations and the pure ancient Hebrew, that had now be 
 come very much corrupted, so that one could scarcely read 
 the Scriptures in the pure language in which they were 
 first written. He was also initiated in all the forms of 
 learning that had been gradually introduced into Jerusa 
 lem by their intercourse with educated foreigners. 
 
 Helah was happy. She was a most hospitable hostess, 
 and her house was frequented by the learned and wise, 
 and also by those who secretly believed in the God of Is 
 rael; these were doubly welcomed, and encouraged to 
 stand firm and not be ashamed of their faith or afraid to 
 proclaim it in the face of the people. 
 
 Shalmai was a beloved guest, and each visit was more 
 prized than the one before, and Sara and her beautiful 
 daughter came occasionally. 
 
 Asaph ascended each day to the Temple, and Elia was 
 as devout as he, and he never failed to see and speak with 
 her daily, and there grew up in his heart a tender love for 
 her that grew with his growth. 
 
 Elia s heart was often sad because of her uncle the king; 
 he was so led away by the wicked men around him, and 
 was unjust and cruel to the poor, of whom there were now
 
 13 ? ASAPIT. 
 
 so many in the city. Many times had she cheered the 
 poor prisoners who were thrust out from the king s pres 
 ence by the spears of his guards by a look of pity or a 
 softly uttered word to the soldiers, who restrained their 
 brutality while she was by. 
 
 " Oh, if my uncle would believe wholly in the great Je 
 hovah, he could influence our people for good, and Jerusa 
 lem might yet be taken back into the love of the Holy 
 One of Israel." 
 
 But Zedekiah was weak, and swayed first by his bad 
 councilors, then by the prophet Jeremiah, back and forth 
 
 like a reed shaken by the wind. 
 
 ******* 
 
 One day Haggith went up to the Temple with her fa 
 ther Zaccur, for sometimes services were held there and 
 the law expounded, but it was not the fashionable religion. 
 There she saw Asaph and the princess. She blushed 
 deeply, but gave Elia a look of hatred, yet she dared not 
 speak to Asaph, as her father was by her side. 
 
 " Now 1 know he comes here I can often see him," she 
 said to herself, with a happy feeling at her heart. So each 
 day, when the market was over, she too went to the Tem 
 ple. 
 
 It was a strange sight to see Jeremiah speaking and ex 
 horting and denouncing with a great wooden yoke about 
 his neck. (The prophets always emphasized their words 
 by material symbols, leaving nothing to the imagination.) 
 Seeing him thus ornamented, the people laughed more 
 than ever, and some said: 
 
 " See the crazy seditious fellow; where now are his
 
 ASAPH. 133 
 
 prophecies? Poor Comah! he opened the gates, he sub 
 mitted to the great king, but was he left in his own land? 
 lla, ha, ha! what a prophet! If thou dost love Nebu 
 chadnezzar so, why dost thou not go thyself to him?" 
 
 80 Jeremiah did little to convert or turn the mass of the 
 people to the true God. But the king favored the proph 
 et, and when he was in his presence believed him im 
 plicitly, arid often requested him to ask of God for him by 
 the oracle or otherwise. But for fear of his princes and 
 nobles he did this secretly.
 
 134 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XX11. 
 
 THE PRINCESS IS JEALOUS. ZEDEKIAH REBELS AND 
 FORTIFIES JERUSALEM. 
 
 THUS several years passed away, and the Egyptian fac 
 tion had become stronger and stronger. 
 
 One day Hananiah, who was also a prophet, came to 
 Jeremiah in the Temple, and before all the priests and 
 people who were assembled there said that God had 
 broken the yoke of the King of Babylon, and that in two 
 years the vessels of the house of the Lord would be re 
 turned, together with Jeconiah (Coniah) and all the cap 
 tives. Then Jeremiah said: 
 
 "Amen! The Lord do so! Nevertheless, hear now 
 this word that I speak. " 
 
 Then he said how the prophets of old had prophesied of 
 war and pestilence against many countries, but that if 
 peace came to pass they would know that the Lord had 
 sent the prophet who foretold it. 
 
 Then Hananiah took ofl Jeremiah s great wooden yoke 
 and broke it to pieces, saying: 
 
 " Thus saith the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke 
 of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, from the neck of all 
 nations within the space of two full years." 
 
 And all the people shouted and rejoiced Jeremiah with 
 them; and the Egyptian party grew yet stronger. 
 
 Asaph wondered why Hananiah had received these good
 
 ASA PH. 135 
 
 tidings, and they had not been revealed to his friend Jere 
 miah; still he was happy at the thought that loved Jerusa 
 lem would be soon free from her enemies. He rejoiced to 
 think that the sacred vessels would be so soon returned to 
 the Temple, and prayed that Jehovah would then be wor 
 shiped as of old. He had not yet advanced so far in his re 
 ligion as to feel that old customs and ceremonies were pass 
 ing aivay, and that God required a less material but more 
 spiritual worship from his children. He often felt very 
 sad at the general wickedness around him, and would pray 
 with tearful eyes for the people s conversion; especially 
 was he troubled about the king, and poor miserable Hag- 
 gith, who daily haunted his footsteps, and looked at him 
 with such beseeching eyes. 
 
 " Princess," he said one day, " what thinkest thou the 
 Levite s daughter desires? She is pale and thin and seems 
 under the burden of much trouble. " 
 
 Elia looked at him searchingly. 
 
 " Dost thou not know?" she said. 
 
 But Asaph s pure heart was as innocent as a child s; so 
 he said hesitatingly: 
 
 4i IS" ay; but dost thou think her father beats her?" 
 
 The princess laughed softly. 
 
 " Oh, Asaph, Asaph, thou art indeed one of the sons of 
 Cod in thy innocence! Dost thou not know she loves 
 thee?" 
 
 But Asapli blushed red, and was speechless. 
 
 The princess watched him closely, then said excitedly: 
 
 " Thou dost not love her? If I thought so 1 I would 
 kill her!"
 
 13t> 
 
 " Elia! Oh, princess! that is not to obey the merciful 
 God. Thou shouldst rather pity her for loving one who 
 can scarce abide her presence." 
 
 Cleo was near, and hearing this, fairly danced with joy. 
 
 Elia bowed her head, and said in a low tone: 
 
 " Forgive me, my brother." 
 
 So peace was restored between them. 
 
 ******* 
 
 One day, not long after this, Jeremiah ascended the 
 steps of the Temple and cried to Ilananiah: 
 
 "Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast broken the yokes of 
 wood " for that prophet had also broken his own in 
 convenient wooden burden " but thou shalt make for 
 them yokes of iron upon the necks of all these nations, 
 that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar as King of Babylon; 
 and I have given him the beasts of the field also. Hear 
 now, Ilananiah: The Lord hath not sent thee, but thou 
 makest this people to trust in a lie! This year thou shalt 
 die because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord."* 
 
 Even God s prophets did not understand His mighty 
 \vork of converting the whole world, including His loved 
 servant Nebuchadnezzar, who was ever seeking to find the 
 true God, and earnest and determined to have his im 
 mense nation bow the knee and worship when that God 
 was found, by this very captivity that the Israelites so 
 strenuously resisted. 
 
 The Jews in Babylon were commanded by Jehovah to 
 build houses, to marry, to plant gardens, and seek the 
 peace of the city. 
 
 * Jeremiah, xviii Chapter, 14 to 16 verses.
 
 ASAPH. 137 
 
 "For I know the thoughts I have toward you, saith 
 the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil." * 
 
 Thus their brothers at home knew they were not harsh 
 ly treated, and were more like subjects to the king instead 
 of slaves. 
 
 Some of them remembered too well how their fore 
 fathers had slaughtered indiscriminately men, women, and 
 children whom they had taken captive when forcibly tak 
 ing possession of the Promised Laud, and they rejoiced 
 that so much more mercy was shown their people. 
 
 Jeremiah came to the king continually, beseeching him 
 to cease his wickedness; but the Egyptian party was just 
 as assiduous in telling him to believe in himself and his 
 friends the Egyptians. So in the ninth year of his reign 
 he sent embassadors to the young and ambitious King 
 Waphris, who had but recently mounted the throne of 
 Mirriam with overtures for assistance. When these re 
 turned with the most friendly greetings and offers of sub 
 stantial aid and assistance, Zedekiah at once threw off the 
 yoke and revolted from the King of Babylon. 
 
 He commenced immediately to fortify the city and pre 
 pare for defense; also to victual it for a possible siege. As 
 fast as horse and rider could carry it, spies bore the news 
 to Nebuchadnezzar. 
 
 The men of war were happy; once more their hands 
 grasped the sword and spear, and the bowmen practiced 
 with their bows and arrows, and the slingers with their 
 slings. The strangers and the slaves put every portion of 
 
 * Jeremiah, xxix Chapter, 11 verse.
 
 138 ASA PH. 
 
 (lie wall in thorough repair, strengthened the weak places, 
 and built defenses. 
 
 The whole city was in a state of intense excitement. 
 Again the people came from their defenseless villages anil 
 sought protection behind the stout walls of the city of 
 the mountains. 
 
 Helah wept and prayed, and said: 
 
 * Oh, Asaph, my son, what shall we do? Must beauti 
 ful, beloved Jerusalem become a prey to her enemies? 
 Hath not the chastening hand of the Almighty been laid 
 heavy enough upcn us thou and I, my son?" 
 
 " Jehovah has not punished us, my mother; it was the 
 wicked king and priest. Too many of our people ascribe 
 to our Father of infinite compassion the wicked deeds of 
 men, the sad results of nature s violated laws, and the ir 
 resistible force of adverse circumstances. The (Jou of 
 Israel is a God of love, truth, mercy, and tenderness. My 
 mother, 1 have wept bitter tears at the cruel things our 
 forefathers ascribed to (Jod, shaking the responsibility of 
 blood and slaughter from their own shoulders, and vilify 
 ing the name of the Most High. 
 
 Ilelah looked at him as one inspired; surely no harm 
 could befall her while he was by her side. 
 
 Each day carriers brought word of the nearer approach 
 of the enemy. First, Lachish was besieged and fell, then 
 the little villages, then Azakah and her village;:, then on 
 they came, Hushed with victory and happy with spoils, 
 their war cries loud and long, their banners Hashing in the 
 sun. 
 
 Thus the immense army of Babylon gradually surround-
 
 ASA ML 139 
 
 ed Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar was terribly incensed at 
 this breaking of a sacred league. Had he not raised some 
 of the sons of Judah to the highest honors of his king 
 dom? Had he not treated the well-disposed even as a 
 father? Zedekiah should pay dearly for his treachery; so 
 he carne in person to direct the siege. 
 
 It was a terrible yet beautiful sight from the city of 
 David or from the top of the Temple to watch the glit 
 tering mass come nearer and nearer, then spread out like 
 a golden net, and close around the devoted city. 
 
 Asaph, clad in habiliments of war, with sword and sling 
 and bow, ascended to the Temple. Jeremiah was speak 
 ing more vehemently than ever to those who would listen. 
 
 kk Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will give this city into 
 the hand of the King of Babylon, and he shall burn it 
 with fire, and thou, oh, king, shall not escape out of his 
 hand, but shalt surely be taken."* 
 
 When he rested a moment from speaking, Asaph 
 touched his robe. He turned and, looking at him, cried: 
 
 " What! wouldst thou, descendant of the sous of God, 
 disobey thy Father? Why these weapons of slaughter by 
 thy side? Knowest thou not that the Lord hath given this 
 city and people to Nebuchadnezzar, and though thou 
 shouldst fight until thy hands were stiff with blood, yet 
 would God s will be done." 
 
 Asaph turned away sad and silent, and descended the 
 steps. He believed Jeremiah to truly interpret the Divine 
 will to man, so he would not disobey, although his heart 
 
 * Jeremiah, xxix Chapter, 21 verse.
 
 1-10 ASA PH. 
 
 was cruelly torn at the thought of the city he now so loved 
 being brokeu and burned and devastated, and he not rais 
 ing a hand in her defense. 
 
 He met Haggith on the stairs. 8he saw him and smiled 
 wilb joy; then, noticing how pale he looked, she said: 
 
 " Why so sad, oh, man of war? Thou shouldst be glad 
 to light for Israel." 
 
 He felt so crushed he had no answer ready. How could 
 he make her understand that it was God s will that he 
 should not fight, she would only think him a coward and 
 afraid; so he bowed his head and passed on.
 
 ASAPH. 141 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 JEREMIAH S SUFFERINGS. 
 
 ONE day, before a single dart or stone was thrown, 
 Asaph, who was watching from the highest point of the 
 Temple, beheld a strange sight. 
 
 Suddenly the trumpets of the enemy were sounded, not 
 for an attack, but for a retreat. 
 
 Column after column of fighting men in glittering array 
 turned their backs on Jerusalem, and marched to the 
 south-west; then followed horses and men dragging their 
 great battering-rams and immense engines for throwing 
 darts and stones. All day long they marched away, till 
 riot an enemy remained near the vvaHs. 
 
 The watchmen in the towers again gave the welcome 
 call: 
 
 " The second watch, and all s well!" 
 
 And the people were wild with delight. 
 
 Soon carriers came as fast as horse could carry them 
 with the glad tidings that Waphris had left his kingdom 
 with an immense army, and was now in Judah, coming to 
 their assistance. 
 
 Then every man took his servant, being a Hebrew, that 
 he had set at liberty, and made them serve as of old. 
 
 Then Jeremiah denounced them severely for breaking a 
 covenant that they had sacredly made iu the house of God 
 to propitiate Him by cutting a calf in two and, passing be-
 
 142 AS A PIT. 
 
 tweei-i the parts thereof, vowing to liberate their slaves, 
 being of their own people, as was the law to do each 
 seventh year. So Jeremiah said they would be given into 
 the hands of their enemies, and their bodies would become 
 meat for the fowls of the air, and that the king and 
 princes would be taken captive to Babylon, and the city 
 
 burned with fire, and Judah be left desolate. 
 
 ******* 
 
 The people s disobedience and infatuated belief in the 
 false prophets, and in the sure help of Egypt, had wearied 
 Jeremiah, so that when the Babylonians had departed to 
 join fight with the advancing Egyptian army, he deter 
 mined to leave Jerusalem and go into the land of Benja 
 min; but as he was about to depart and had got so far as 
 the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward halted him, 
 saying: 
 
 kt Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans." 
 
 But Jeremiah replied fearlessly: 
 
 " It is false! 1 fall not away to the Chaldeans." 
 
 But tho captain did not believe him, but took him to 
 the princes, who smote him and put him in prison. 
 
 But he did not remain there long, for the king was not 
 so hardened or cruel as his brother Jehoiakim, and really 
 did try and believe in the true God; so he sent for him 
 secretly to come to the palace, then he asked him what 
 was the will of God. 
 
 Jeremiah reiterated what he had said so many times be 
 fore about the destruction of the city, and also asked what 
 he had done to be imprisoned, and begged not to be sent 
 back again lest he should die there, being in a dungeon
 
 ASAPH. 143 
 
 and ill-treated. So the king ordered him to be put in the 
 court of the prison, and that good, wholesome bread 
 should be given him each day from the bakers street as 
 long as there was any bread in the city. 
 
 When Asaph learned that his friend was imprisoned, he 
 came each day to see and talk with him through the bars, 
 and passed in little dainties for him to eat; for as the king 
 was not against him, he was not guarded so strictly as the 
 other prisoners were. 
 
 But the princes wanted him to be put to death for his 
 seditious language, saying that he discouraged and weak 
 ened both the soldiers and the people. The king, though 
 not wishing evil to Jeremiah, was criminally weak, and 
 told the princes to do what they desired with him; sr> they 
 put him into a dungeon that was full of rnire, letting him 
 down by cords, bruising and lacerating his flesh, till his 
 feet touched the soft mud; but it was not firm enough to 
 bear his weight; so he sunk deeper and deeper, suffering 
 intense tortures of suspense, till the mire reached his neck, 
 and for awhile he sunk no further. 
 
 Asaph was horrified at the sufferings of his friend, so 
 hastened and told one of the king s servants, an Ethiopian, 
 brother to Cleo, with whom he had become acquainted 
 during his secret visits to the palace, and he, fearing God 
 and honoring His prophet, also loving Asaph, took the 
 fastest mule in the king s stable and hastened to the gate 
 of Benjamin, where the king was sitting hearing the peti 
 tions of his people. 
 
 Prostrating himself before Zedekiah, he said. 
 
 " My lord, the king, these men have done evil in all
 
 144 ASAPH. 
 
 they have done to Jeremiah the Prophet, whom they have 
 cast into the dungeon, and he is like to die of hunger in 
 the place, for there is no more bread in the city."* 
 
 Then the king commanded that he should take thirty 
 men and raise Jeremiah out of the mire before he died. 
 So Eben-Melech hastened back to the palace. AsaphVas 
 waiting for him; so he told him the good news and direct 
 ed him what to do to help his friend. 
 
 There was an unused apartment under the treasury, be 
 longing to the king, containing a lot of miscellaneous 
 articles. There Asaph and Eben obtained ropes and old 
 rags, some of them so old and damp that they were rotten; 
 these they took to the mouth of the pit and lowered to 
 Jeremiah, telling him to put them between the ropes and 
 his body. Then the men whom Eben had brought raised 
 him up from the mire. 
 
 Asaph embraced him with a cry of joy, then scraped the 
 mud from his clothes, and washed him, and Eben brought 
 him fresh garments and he was then put in the court of 
 the prison and treated with unusual kindness. 
 
 The people were sorry for Jeremiah, for many had bo- 
 come believers in his prophesies, and were turning again 
 to the God of their fathers; but the ceasing of his terrible 
 denunciations soon made them forgetful, and they became 
 light-hearted and happy once more. 
 
 * Jeremiah, xxxviii Chapter, 9 verse.
 
 ASAPH. 145 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM. 
 
 IT was a glorious day in Jerusalem; the sun shone with 
 unusual splendor, but the air was cool and pleasant, and 
 the people were about to send for fresh supplies of food, 
 thinking all danger past, and that their, allies had been 
 victorious and had driven the ambitious Nebuchadnezzar 
 back into his own kingdom. But before the sun was in 
 the zenith some Hebrews from the plain country came as 
 fast as tin ir exhausted horses could carry them with the 
 tidings that AVaphris, seeing the immense army of the 
 Chaldeans, had not dared to expose his smaller forces in a 
 battle, so had retired into his own kingdom without even 
 attempting to fight. Thus had failed the help from Egypt. 
 
 This is what the prophet had told the king and people 
 again and again. 
 
 Even when the king had brought Jeremiah into the 
 third entrance to the Temple and had asked him to tell 
 him truly what would come to pass without fear, as he 
 would not allow harm to happen to him, he had besought 
 him to obey the voice of the Lord and deliver himself up 
 to the Babylonians and save the city from being burned 
 with fire, for if he did not he would certainly be taken, 
 and all his wives and children; but the king was afraid of 
 treachery, so chose rather to defend Jerusalem to the 
 uttermost.
 
 14f> ASAPH. 
 
 Suddenly the watchers from the towers cried out: " The 
 foe! the foe! they come! they come! Make ready to de 
 fend the gates!" 
 
 The trumpeters blew loud and long; the men of war 
 put on their armor and equipped themselves in haste; the 
 slingers took their places by their engines, and the bow 
 men mounted the high walls. The captains of thousands 
 gave their commands to the captains of hundreds, who 
 again repeated them to the captains of fifties. 
 
 Zedekiah in his chariot rode from street to street, and 
 from gate to gate, to see that no spot was left unprotect 
 ed. The people were ready and willing to defend their 
 loved city to the bitter end, even with their lives. 
 
 What could Asaph do? Oh, that Jehovah would make 
 his duty easier; he must hide like a coward; and should 
 the king discover him his life would pay the penalty. 
 
 "Oh, God! oh, God!" he prayed, "how hard it is to 
 obey Thy law! Why must a man s seeming duty conflict 
 with his obedience to Thy wishes?" 
 
 But Jehovah s words came not to him as to Jeremiah. 
 Even now the God of Israel was gradually withdrawing 
 himself from an outward manifestation to his chosen peo 
 ple; no more the jewels of the breastplate blazed with 
 light, thus answering by Urim and Thumrnim the questions 
 of priest and king; no more the oracle in the Holy of 
 Holies gave forth the words of the Most High; no new 
 prophets of the Lord were arising from among the people. 
 They were soon to depend on the laws that God had al 
 ready given them, and in the working of their consciences 
 for deciding between right and wrong.
 
 ASAPH. 147 
 
 While Asaph wept and prayed, the whole valley was 
 flooded with their enemies, Chaldeans, their allies the 
 Medes, and all their ancient enemies of the Laud of Prom 
 ise. 
 
 Jeremiah still thundered from the bars of his prison in 
 the court for the king and people to give themselves up or 
 die by slaughter, pestilence, and famine. 
 
 The heavy blows of the battering-rams sounded on the 
 gates; but the men of Judah quickly concentrated on the 
 walls, and with slings and arrows caused them to with 
 draw and fight from their high towers, which they had 
 built even to the height of the walls. On these the picked 
 men of the Chaldeans, who could draw the bow to kill 
 each time, assembled in great numbers, and though they 
 were opposed by men equally as brave and skillful, many 
 too who could use both hands with equal dexterity, yet 
 many fell from the walls dead, with no time left to the 
 living to bury them or even to lament with them with 
 burning spices and "Oh, Lords." Others immediately 
 filled the places of the dead and wounded, and thus the 
 fighting went on day and night. 
 
 The streets were constantly filled with men and women 
 picking up darts and stones, and bringing water to the 
 wounded. 
 
 Even the house-tops held their contingent; all busy pre 
 paring weapons, garments, food for those who fought. 
 
 Their energy never seemed to flag nor their courage to 
 waver. 
 
 One day, without any warning, great stones suddenly 
 fell into the streets, crushing men women and children
 
 148 ASA PH. 
 
 beneath them; the people fled terror-stricken, but sooii 
 recovered themselves, and several together carried the 
 stones to their own engines of war that were being con 
 structed to oppose those of the enemy; so soon these same 
 stones were hurled back and forth, doing havoc on both 
 sides of the wall. 
 
 Poor Asaph! Even his mother pitied him; for to obey 
 God implicitly he must not even pick up a stone or make 
 an arrow; he could only look on and see his loved people 
 shot down or crushed to death without doing anything to 
 help them. !Now he felt sympathy for the king, knowing 
 how very hard it must be for him to see his duty clear and 
 to perform it. 
 
 Ah, but one thing lie could do minister to the wound 
 ed and dying; so he hastened where the fighting was 
 fiercest, and unheeding stones or javelins or darts, when 
 one fell wounded he was by his side, giving him wine and 
 water, which he carried in a leather bottle, or binding up 
 his wounds, and did what he could to comfort them. 
 How he thanked God for permitting him to do even this. 
 
 Now Helah was busy each day weaving bandages and 
 making cordials and ointments for the sick and wounded. 
 
 The princess little Elia no longer, but a tall beautiful 
 maiden often came upon the streets disguised, and helped 
 Asaph in his work of love. 
 
 Thus many months passed away, still the valleys seemed 
 as full of men as at first; but the defenders of .Jerusalem 
 were gradually diminishing in numbers. Then they 
 thought of new engines of war, or greater ones than they 
 had been using, and went to work with renewed energy to
 
 ASAPH. 149 
 
 construct them. But food was getting scarce in the city, 
 and many white, pinched faces told of want of proper 
 nourishment. Oh, if they could only hold the city long 
 enough to tire out the haughty Nebuchadnezzar! But he 
 had already gone to Eiblah to direct from there the sieges 
 of both Tyre and Jerusalem; and his soldiers seemed 
 legions never diminishing, but ever increasing legions! 
 
 The warm weather came at last, and the heat of the sun 
 on the dead bodies caused a dreadful stench to arise and 
 filled the air with poison, and then came the pestilence. 
 
 All that Jeremiah had prophesied was coming true. 
 
 Now the soldiers rations were shortened, and soon they 
 became weakened from not having sufficient food, and the 
 strings of the bows had to be loosened they could not 
 draw as strongly as of old nor aim so sure. 
 
 Asaph observed this with sorrow at his heart. Must 
 they all die of gradual starvation his mother, the prin 
 cess, the poor king, and his friends Jeremiah and Shalmai? 
 
 Half the nights Asaph spent in prayer in the Temple, 
 asking for guidance. 
 
 " Only put it in my thoughts, thou God of infinite com 
 passion, what Thy willing servant shall do to alleviate (he 
 sufferings of Thy chosen people. Oh, forget not thy 
 promise to our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that 
 (heir seed shall be as the stars of the sky or the sands of 
 the sea. Oh, blot us not out from the face of the earth. 
 Have pity, have pity, oh, Thou merciful One!" 
 
 So night after night he prayed; but in the day he fear 
 lessly did what he could for those who suffered.
 
 150 ASAPH. 
 
 One night, when he had returned home to rest, his 
 mother said: 
 
 " Asaph, our food is almost gone, and there is naught 
 to buy save what thou wouldst not eat." 
 
 " My mother, give me but a crust to keep life in my 
 body, and do thou eat the rest." 
 
 " And when that is gone? We can not do us the poor 
 eat unclean things." 
 
 " It tears my heart to see our people suffer so. Nightly 
 I pray for light to help them; but all is darkness. .Jeho 
 vah seems to have hidden His face from His olTending chil 
 dren." 
 
 Each day the famine and pestilence increased, and each 
 day the fighting men of Judah were decimated in num 
 bers. At last the ghastly white pinched faces became hor 
 rible to see. Elia s face had also lost its bloom. Asaph, 
 too, was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger, when one 
 night he arose from his knees in the Temple with his face 
 illuminated. He quickly hastened to the palace, and giv 
 ing a signal, Eben opened a secret gate. 
 
 " Peace be with thee," Asaph said. " Is food also 
 scarce at the palace?" 
 
 " While there is aught in the city the king and royal 
 household must be fed; but the food is coarse and harsh 
 for gentle stomachs. An occasional ass s head and dove s 
 dung for salt is the food that must content our poor 
 slaves. Ugh!" said Eben. 
 
 " Jehovah in His pity hath put it in my heart how to 
 help at least a portion of His poor forsaken people. I am 
 going into the valley. Fear not for me, only tell those on
 
 ASAPH. 151 
 
 the wall near the great tree not to mistake me for an 
 enemy, and 1 will bring them food." 
 
 Ebon ascended the walls with him, and so informed the 
 guards. 
 
 Asaph, lowering himself somewhat by the vines, sprung 
 into the tree and disappeared.
 
 152 ASA PH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 
 
 ASAPH OBTAINS FOOD FOR THE STARVING. 
 
 WHEN Asaph reached the ground he crawled along on 
 his hands and knees, for the valley was full of tents and 
 armed men, but now many of these were asleep, to be in 
 vigorated for the morrow, as Nebuchadnezzar did not wish 
 to wear out his soldiers by too excessive duty, knowing 
 that Jerusalem must be taken sooner or later, so it was 
 only a question of time. 
 
 A sentinel called " Halt!" on hearing the noise of his 
 movements, but Asaph gave the cry of that dreaded ani 
 mal the lion, and as the night was very dark, the sentinel 
 retreated a step or two, not wishing such an encounter. 
 
 Asapli passed on. 
 
 Thus at every halt he gave the cry of some wild beast 
 tiger, leopard, wolf and as the soldiers thought these 
 animals were attracted by the scent of blood, they gave 
 them room. So Asaph reached his cave in safety. 
 
 He felt his way in, speaking softly, and calling the 
 names of his goats. Many times during all these years he 
 had visited them, and they had not forgotten him, but 
 came and rubbed themselves against his hands and knees. 
 
 Jle drew his knife; then his heart felt sick with pity. 
 Should he kill these poor dumb creatures who so trusted 
 him? No, he could not do it. 
 
 lie felt his way carefully into the inner cave, found his
 
 ASAPH. 153 
 
 flints and kindled a fire; then he lighted the lamp, for 
 everything was just as they had left it. lie brushed the 
 dust from a large basin and took it, together with the 
 churn and lamp into the cave beyond, and calling his 
 goats to him, he milked them; then he drank of the gen 
 erous fluid how delicious it tasted! He filled the leather 
 churn with the life-giving liquor, and tied its mouth se 
 curely. Then extinguishing the lamp he went into the 
 outer cave and left the churn and a basin of milk in the 
 entrance. lie then went into the thicket and looked 
 about; seeing some kids that were wild, he drew his bow 
 and shot one with a true aim, so that it did not suffer, 
 then he shot a second, and binding them upon his back, 
 together vvith the churn, he drained the basin of milk, and, 
 feeling stronger, he began the homeward journey. But it 
 was a very difficult task, especially in his weakened state. 
 There were many tombs in the valley, and the supersti 
 tious Chaldeans, catching sight of his strange figure, 
 thought it was the spirit of some monster for they be 
 lieved in the occult more than any other nation and so 
 they would shrink away as he passed. This fear, together 
 with his wild beast cries, cleared his path, so at last he 
 reached the king s garden; but he was nearly exhausted. 
 After resting awhile he climbed the tree, but. very slowly; 
 then he gave the signal very softly. In a moment Ebaii 
 appeared on the wall. 
 
 " Throw me a rope/ Asaph said in a whisper. 
 
 This caused a delay of some time; but Asaph rested in 
 the tree, so recovered a little from his fatigue. 
 
 Eben threw the rope with good aim, and Asaph caught
 
 154 ASAPH. 
 
 it. Tying a kid firmly to one end, he told Eben to draw it 
 up, then lower it again; then he sent up the second kid, 
 then the milk. 
 
 " .Disturb them not till 1 come," he called, springing 
 into the vines. 
 
 He was soon by Eben s side; and taking the little cup 
 from his bosom which he always carried now he gave 
 him a draught of milk. 
 
 "Ah! that is good!" cried the Ethiopian. Asaph, 
 thou art wise above the children of backsliding Israel!" 
 
 " Nay, tis but the experience of my childhood serving 
 me in time of need, so that I can comfort those who love 
 me. Man of war, refresh thyself," he said to the sentry, 
 giving him a cup of milk. 
 
 The sentry smacked his lips, and told him to come 
 again; several soldiers came near, to each of them Asaph 
 gave a portion, then he and Ebeu descended the wall. 
 Then Asaph said: 
 
 " Eben, divide this kid; give of the best portions to the 
 Princess Elia she will send some to the king, her uncle 
 then take the rest for thyself and friends; take of the milk 
 also, and let me begone, for my mother is also in need." 
 
 Hoon Asaph was at his home with the kid and milk hid 
 den under a large mantle loaned by the Ethiopian. 
 
 Helah s eyes sparkled at the sight of the welcome food. 
 She had not retaken her liberated slaves, so there were 
 none besides themselves and an old Hebrew woman who 
 had belonged to Helah s father; she had had her ear 
 pierced with the awl, and was thus a willing slave forever.
 
 ASAPH. 155 
 
 Soon old Marth was up and dressing the flesh of the kid ; 
 how she laughed with joy at the sight! 
 
 Every night, my mother, I shall go and get thee food 
 and for our friends, and for those who need it most that 
 my efforts can supply/ 
 
 They soon sat down to a meal the like of which they 
 had not tasted for many days. 
 
 " Now for a few hours rest; then before the sun is up 
 I will take a portion of the kid and a bottle of milk to 
 good Shalmai; and, mother, have a piece nicely cooked on 
 my return for poor imprisoned Jeremiah." 
 
 For several hours Asaph slept the sleep of utter exhaus 
 tion; but Helah and old Marth were busy and happy pre 
 paring the food. 
 
 In seasons of great calamity the comfort of the present 
 moment seems the great desideratum; so it was in Jerusa 
 lem. Old Marth chatted and laughed, and fairly caressed 
 the food. 
 
 " Mistress, send not too much away old Marth gets 
 hungry." Then she slyly hid a small portion and a little 
 milk. " Ha, ha, ha! 5 she laughed, " old Marth knows." 
 
 Asaph entered the chamber refreshed and strengthened 
 by his sleep and food. 
 
 " Give me the shoulder joint, my mother, and a bottle 
 of milk." 
 
 Receiving them he left his home while it was yet dark, 
 so that the hungry wretches on the streets should not tear 
 the food from him in their frenzy. 
 
 Arriving at Shalmai s house he knocked at the door;
 
 150 ASAPH. 
 
 but all was silent. He knocked again louder than before. 
 At length a voice came from a distance asking: 
 
 "Who is there?" 
 
 Asuph s heart srnote him for not bringing help before; 
 but he had naught to bring till Jehovah had put this good 
 thought into his mind. Suppose old Sara should be dead, 
 or the beautiful Adah! 
 
 ".It is I Asaph!" 
 
 In a moment a light was kindled, and the bar taken 
 from the door. 
 
 Asaph started back with horror at the white, haggard 
 face that greeted him; then he said: 
 
 " Peace be upon this house," and entered. " How is 
 the good Sara, and thy fair daughter?" 
 
 " The hand of the Lord is heavy upon us. They but 
 live all our food is gone. Since two days we have only 
 tasted water and a little oil, and for many days before a 
 little fruit and herbs was all our food." 
 
 They passed into the room where Sara lay. 
 
 " Ah, good master, hast thou come to see us before we 
 die," she said, in a broken voice. 
 
 Then Adah came in like a beautiful spirit. 
 
 " J have brought you a little food, my friends, and, as 
 long as .Jehovah permits it, will do so each day." 
 
 Then he uncovered the llesh and set out the milk. 
 
 " Oh! Jehovah s name be praised! and be thou blessed, 
 my son, who hath not forgotten thy poor friends in their 
 calamity!" 
 
 Sara raised herself up in bed.
 
 ASAPH. 157 
 
 "Ah! the food the good food!" she cried, and her 
 eyes glistened. 
 
 Adah said not a word, but quickly kindled a fire, and 
 soon the smell of the roast kid was a sweet savor to this 
 poor, famished family. Asaph poured some milk and car 
 ried it to Sara. 
 
 Then they passed into the room where Adah had the 
 table spread. 80011 all was ready, and Sara joined them. 
 The roast was smoking hot; that and the milk was all, but 
 to them it was a delicious feast. 
 
 Shalmai asked a blessing, and then said: 
 
 " Gently, gently, Sara, and thcu, too, Adah, thou art 
 weak; eat slowly, and not too much;" and he set the ex 
 ample. 
 
 Asaph was pressed to join them; at last he did so, but 
 eating scarcely a morsel, not to deprive them of the 
 precious food. 
 
 Then he told them how the thought had come to him, 
 when they, too, were suffering from hunger, and how he 
 had made his midnight journey to the cave and obtained 
 so much good food. 
 
 " I will come to thee, good Asaph, for after such exer 
 tions, this long walk is asking too much even of so good a 
 friend." 
 
 So it was arranged that each day before the sun was up, 
 Shalmai should come and give two soft raps upon the 
 door, and then receive what Asaph had for thorn. 
 
 " Now 1 must go. Farewell, and peace be upon you 
 all!"
 
 158 ASAPH. 
 
 Shalmai blessed him, and Sara and Adah made obei 
 sance to the ground. 
 
 Asaph hastened home. There everything was ready, so 
 he was soon giving pleasure to his friend Jeremiah with 
 the nicely cooked morsels. 
 
 " Surely Jehovah put it in my thoughts, thinkst thou 
 not so, my friend?" he asked him when he had told him 
 all. 
 
 " Ay, my son, our Clod is a God of tender mercy. I am 
 glad thou hast found employment to satisfy the feelings of 
 thy gentle heart. But, oh! if the king would only obey 
 the Lord all this misery might be spared our people. 
 Nebuchadnezzar would be a father to them and harm 
 them not; but novr," oh, Jerusalem! Jerusalem! must I 
 see thy strong walls leveled to the ground, thy houses and 
 palaces become heaps, the dwelling-place of bats and owls, 
 thy fair pools the habitation of the bittern and the 
 stork?" 
 
 " Is there uo hope, good .Jeremiah, that Jehovah will 
 repent and lift His heavy hand that He has laid so hard 
 upon His children?" 
 
 " Ay, did they but obey. But soon the time of obedi 
 ence will be past, and nothing can then avert the destruc 
 tion of Jerusalem!" 
 
 For awhile Asaph was silent and sad, then he said: 
 
 " Shall I bring thee food to-morrow, my father?" 
 The food is scarce in the city? Has the famine com 
 menced?" 
 
 " Ay, and the pestilence, too. Hast thou not noticed 
 the haggard faces around?"
 
 ASAFH. 150 
 
 " 1 thought perhaps my eyes deceived me. Now could 
 I weep rivers of water for my poor people!" 
 
 Asaph turned away, and said: 
 
 " I will come again to-morrow. Farewell." 
 
 " Peace be with thee!" cried Jeremiah, and Asaph was 
 gone.
 
 160 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 ASAPH BRINGS COMFORT TO MANY. HAGGITH IS STARV 
 ING. 
 
 THE sun was pouring down its fierce rays upon the de 
 voted city. The effluvia arising from the unburied dead 
 was something terrible. The sanitary condition of Jeru 
 salem had long been neglected. Asaph thought what must 
 be the condition of the houses of the poor, when even a 
 building belonging to the king, in a good quarter of the 
 city, was allowed to contain rotten rags and cast-off clouts. 
 The streets had not been cleaned for months, and each 
 one threw his filth and garbage into the street before his 
 door. No wonder pestilence went hand in hand with 
 famine! 
 
 Every now and then came loud shouts from the walls at 
 a particularly good shot by sling or bow. 
 
 As he passed one of the towers where the fighting 
 seemed the fiercest, he paused a moment and looked up. 
 .Suddenly a whistling sound, a cry of pain, and a body 
 came Hying through the air. Involuntarily he stretched 
 his mantle out wide; the man struck it in his descent, and 
 they both fell to the earth together. Eor a moment Asaph 
 was stunned, but he soon regained consciousness, and not 
 thinking of his own bruises, he turned to the wounded 
 man. An arrow had pierced the fleshy part of his thigh. 
 To withdraw it, Asaph had to break olT the feathered end,
 
 ASAPH. 161 
 
 and draw the pointed portion, which already projected, 
 through the wound. The blood gushed out, and the man 
 groaned with pain. Quickly taking a bandage from his 
 bosom, he moistened it v/ith wine and water from his 
 bottle, and when the wound had bled sufficiently to free it 
 from deleterious matter, he bound it quickly with a dexter 
 ous hand; then placing a cup of the iluid to the soldier s 
 mouth, said: 
 
 " Drink, my brother." 
 
 The man did so, then opened his eyes. 
 
 " Ah, thou hast rescued me from death!" 
 
 " Shall 1 help thee to thy house? 
 
 "Ay; tis not far." 
 
 lie leaned heavily on Asaph s shoulder, and thus they 
 walked with a slow pace till they came to his door. 
 
 His wife and children lamented loudly when they saw 
 him in this sad plight, for beside sorrow at his suffering 
 it meant loss of food to them; for he always carried home 
 part of his rations, and the soldiers were supplied as long 
 as there was food in the city. 
 
 Asaph bade them be of good cheer, and said: 
 
 "Jehovah will provide." 
 
 But they laughed sadly. 
 
 " If the kind God of our fathers puts it into my heart to 
 bring you food, will He not then provide it?" 
 
 " But wilt thou? How canst thou obtain it? See the 
 babe there famishing for want of a little milk 
 
 " I will bring thee some. Now fetch a basin." 
 
 They did so, and he poured into it some Wine and water.
 
 162 ASAPH. 
 
 " Dampen the bandage with it ever and anon, and give 
 him a small portion to drink to keep up his strength/ 
 
 They looked at him with awe, but the wife said: 
 
 " Art thou the king?" 
 
 Asaph smiled. 
 
 " Nay, I am only thy brother, who trusts in God;" and 
 he hastened away. 
 
 All day long some poor wounded man blessed the minis 
 tering of Asaph s tender hands. Then, as the sun set in a 
 blaze of glory, and the arrows and stones fell in dimin 
 ished quantities, he went to his own home. 
 
 A savory meal awaited him, and while they eat his 
 mother asked him of all his doings of the day. 
 
 He always conversed with her unreservedly, and kept 
 her well informed of the state of the siege. 
 
 Old Marth was ever smiling; she had food, she was 
 happy; so the animal in earth s children betrays itself. 
 
 " Hast a little milk remaining, my mother? A wound 
 ed brother, whom I helped to-day, hath a babe who is 
 famishing for lack of it." 
 
 " Poor thing! Here is a little bottle full." 
 
 Marth s face lengthened. 
 
 " Is master going again to-night to get the pretty 
 food?" 
 
 " Ay, Marth; thou shalt not starve if 1 can prevent it. 
 Now 1 will sleep awhile." 
 
 A new life seemed to be introduced into the house with 
 the advent of food. Old Marth was ever busy preparing 
 food or polishing pots and pans, and llelah worked with
 
 ASA PH. 163 
 
 renewed energy, preparing things that Asaph needed in his 
 ministrations to the wounded. 
 
 When it was time to go on his excursion for food, Helah 
 placed her hand upon his forehead, and he arose immedi 
 ately. 
 
 " I feel refreshed, my mother. Give me the bottle of 
 milk, and 1 will be gone." 
 
 Helah gave it to him, and kissed him on the cheek. 
 
 " Be careful, my loved son." 
 
 " Ay, trust me." 
 
 He stopped on his way to leave the milk for the soldier s 
 babe, but without, waiting for their thanks, he hurried on. 
 
 Soon he was at the secret gate of the king s palace. At 
 the signal Eben admitted him. In a moment Cleo pros 
 trated herself before him. 
 
 " Cleo thanks master for the flesh. Cleo is his slave!" 
 
 Speaking a kind word to her, he hastily ascended the wall. 
 
 The sentry greeted him with pleasure, remembering the 
 draught of milk. 
 
 " Eben, have the ropes ready when 1 give the signal of 
 the night-owl s cry," said Asaph; then he disappeared over 
 the wall. 
 
 Cautiously he picked his way as the night before, and 
 at length found himself at the cave. Again he milked the 
 goats, and again two kids were bound upon his back. He 
 did not dare overburden himself, lest his strength should 
 fail or he should be discovered. When he was safely over 
 the walls again, he divided the provender, one half to the 
 palace and one half to himself. Cleo was there with 
 bottles ready for the milk.
 
 164 ASAPH. 
 
 Asaph did not forget the sentinel, and also said: 
 
 " Eben, give him a small portion of flesh for me, for 1 
 dare not tarry." 
 
 Cleo followed him. 
 
 " Can Cleo do aught for the master?" 
 
 " Take good care of thy mistress, the fair princees. See 
 that she wants for naught. Should she need my help, 
 knowest thou where I live?" 
 
 " Ay, good master. Many nights has Cleo passed in 
 shadow of thy house. No ill come to Cleo when master 
 near!" 
 
 Asaph looked horrified. 
 
 " What? Kay, do not so, but trust in the Holy One of 
 Israel. He will protect thee. " 
 
 " Cleo trust master. Cleo no love God!" 
 
 " Cleo," he said, softly, " wouldst thou please me?" 
 
 " Ay, master, with Cleo s life!" 
 
 " Then learn from thy good mistress how to serve the 
 great Jehovah, and be kind to the poor." 
 
 He then quickly went his way, and soon was at his 
 home. Marth opened the door. 
 
 " Much food this time, master? In the market to-day 
 they were selling asses heads. Ay, old Marth would go 
 much hungry before she would seethe one in her pot!" 
 
 She took the kid into the kitchen and dressed it, saving 
 each portion carefully, then she secreted a piece and 
 laughed slyly. All this while Ilelah slept, and soon Asaph 
 
 retired also. 
 
 * * * * * # * 
 
 Before the sun was up a soft knock sounded upon the
 
 1(15 
 
 door. Old Marth opened it slightly and stealthily peered 
 out. A gentle voice said- 
 
 " The master bade me come for food." 
 
 " Ay, ay, indeed! We keep not the market." 
 
 " I am his friend, and came to save his gentle kindness 
 from a tedious walk." 
 
 " Marth knows thee not." 
 
 And she partly closed the door. 
 
 The noise awoke Asaph, and he came quickly. 
 
 " Is it thou, Shalmai?" 
 
 " Ay, my master; but thy servant did not believe my 
 words." 
 
 " Enter, my friend." 
 
 The old man removed his shoes and left them at the 
 door, then followed Asaph. 
 
 " Bring food for my guest, good Marth." 
 
 The old slave turned pale with anger, and shook her fist 
 and muttered: 
 
 " These hungry sons of Benjamin will eat all the food 
 and let us starve!" 
 
 But Asaph turned and said: 
 
 " Marth, I will bring more to-morrow." 
 
 But with her what was now in their possession was sure 
 and better than the uncertainty of to-morrow. But she 
 had to obey. She placed one plate upon the table. 
 
 " Two, good Marth," said Asaph. " Now bring some 
 nice cold roast and milk." He helped Shalmai to a gen 
 erous portion, who then asked a blessing. How he en 
 joyed the food! " Marth, cut from the kid a leg for Shal 
 mai, and fill the bottle he has brought with milk. "
 
 166 ASA PH. 
 
 Martli stood still with folded arms; but Asaph looked at 
 her, and she, grumbling, left the room. He followed her 
 to see that his orders were obeyed; then she said: 
 
 " Oh, master, master, thy heart is too good for this 
 stiff-necked people! Give him but a little piece. " 
 
 " Marth, he was good to thy mistress and myself when 
 we both needed friends. Shall we not repay his kindness, 
 even to a hundred-fold? The whole leg, Marth and the 
 bottle full." 
 
 She obeyed, but her hands shook with anger. 
 
 Soon Shalmai went on his way rejoicing; but Marth 
 grumbled and fretted so that she awoke Helah, who arose. 
 Then Asaph, kissing her on the cheek, took a portion of 
 the roast under his mantle and a bottle of milk, and 
 went out. 
 
 Soon he was knocking at the door of the soldier s house. 
 His entrance was greeted with joy. The babe was in its 
 mother s arms. 
 
 " See, master, is she not bright? She would have died 
 but for thee," said the happy mother. And when he laid 
 the roast and milk upon the table they all fell prostrate 
 before him; but he said: 
 
 " Give thanks only to the Most High, the giver of all 
 good gifts to man." 
 
 Then he taught them a short prayer, after which he 
 hastened away to minister to the svounded and dying, first 
 carrying some food to Jeremiah. 
 
 To walk through the streets now was terrible especially 
 near the walls, where the dead lay thickest. 
 
 How could any one survive the fearful stench and the
 
 ASAPH. 107 
 
 terrible pestilence? The hollow, sunken eyes, the livid 
 cheeks, the trembling limbs! Were these the once glo 
 riously handsome men of Judah? Where now is all thy 
 comeliness, oh, men of war! 
 
 Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, where now is the beauty of 
 thy daughters and the comeliness of thy matrons? How 
 Asaph s heart ached at the sight of the women as they 
 staggered from their doors to see if they could pick up 
 aught in the street to satisfy their hunger. 
 
 Toward evening he noticed a figure watching the evil 
 birds hovering over the dead. As he came near he recog 
 nized Haggith, but so changed she seemed like a wicked 
 witch as she stretched out her long bony fingers and tried 
 to seize one of the unclean things; but it would ever elude 
 her grasp, hover for a moment above its prey, then dart 
 down suddenly to its unholy feast. 
 
 Asaph looked on in horror. What was she about to do? 
 Just then a stray arrow pierced it in its flight, and it fell 
 dying at Haggith s feet. She grasped it in her bony 
 hands, and with a cry of joy she tore it with her teeth. 
 
 " Ilaggith!" he cried, sick with horror, " what dost 
 thou?" 
 
 " I I am starving," she said. 
 
 " Kay- do not this thing, oh, Levite s daughter; eat 
 not the unclean thing and with the blood! Oh, it is too 
 horrible!" 
 
 " 1 I am starving/ was all she said. 
 
 " Stay but a little. 1 will send thee food some flesh 
 of kid and milk, and some for thy father; but do not eat 
 the unclean bird. 3;
 
 1G8 ASAPH. 
 
 The thought of the promised food somewhat calmed her. 
 
 " I 1 will wait," she said 
 
 Asaph hastened away. After walking some distance he 
 met Cleo. 
 
 " Cleo, wilt do a message for me?" 
 
 " Ay, good master," she said, with a glad look. 
 
 " Then follow me to my house." 
 
 When he had reached it he bade her enter, then giving 
 her a piece of roast kid and a bottle of milk, he said: 
 
 " Take these to the Levite s daughter who once sold 
 flowers in the market. She is starving by the western 
 wall; haste, and tell no one what thou dost. Hide it 
 under thy mantle." 
 
 " Cleo Cleo like her not, oh, master!" she said, sul 
 lenly. 
 
 " Do it as the will of our kind God, Cleo, so that He 
 may not forget theo when thy trouble comes." 
 
 She took it without another word and passed quickly 
 from his sight. Then she looked around. 
 
 " Cleo not take it to cat woman. Cleo hate her. Cleo 
 eat it when she hungry." 
 
 So, smiling, she passed the western wall where Ilaggith 
 was waiting. She stood and watched her. 
 
 As the minutes passed and Asaph did not come, she 
 wistfully eyed the bleeding bird. As the time lengthened 
 she stretched out her hands and touched it, then looked 
 around stealthily, then took it in her hand; then with a 
 cry she tore it ravenously and smacked her lips with fierce 
 pleasure.
 
 ASAPH. 1C9 
 
 " ILi, ha, ha!" laughed Cleo, sarcastically. " Levite 
 girl cat bad bird. Ha, ha, ha!" 
 
 " Ay, taunt on, thou fat slave of a wanton!" she cried. 
 " I sell not my body for food!" 
 
 "Levite girl is fool! Cleo s mistress lives in palace." 
 And she walked away indignantly. 
 
 % ^c % $z :jc ^; ^c 
 
 From the highest parts of the city the valley seemed 
 still as full as ever of the glittering enemy, well fed and 
 confident of victory. The towers they had built in so 
 many places around the walls had been the means of 
 great destruction to the people of Jerusalem. As the 
 number of men on the walls diminished the enemy grew 
 bolder, and again the battering-rams pounded on the 
 gates; but the very sound put renewed life into the hearts 
 of the Israelites, and they quickly gathered at these points, 
 and many a Chaldean fell dead for his temerity. 
 
 The streets were now in such a bad condition that the 
 princess was forced to confine her visits to those furthest 
 from the walls; but she did not neglect her devotions at 
 the holy Temple, so Asaph saw and conversed with her 
 each day. 
 
 Things became worse and worse; but Jerusalem would 
 not surrender. Some of the women would have been 
 too glad to see the Babylonians enter the gates and carry 
 them away that meant food and health and a chance to 
 live. They remembered when Jehoiakim had been taken 
 captive how the women had been put in carts and not 
 separated from their children. The Chaldeans were hand 
 some and kind; they did not fear them.
 
 170 ASAPH. 
 
 Cleo had been gradually learning, from listening to 
 Asaph in the Temple, to know the true God, and she 
 began to love and fear Him. 
 
 One day, while passing along the street, she noticed a 
 figure huddled up in a corner. She approached it was 
 Haggith gnawing one of her arms, which was bitten and 
 bloody. Cleo started at the ghastly sight, and her con 
 science smote her; so she said: 
 
 " Levite s daughter, forgive Cleo. Cleo was wicked. 
 Glorious master sent her food days ago. Cleo eat it 
 forgive/ 
 
 " I I have food. See!" and she held out her bleed 
 ing arm. 
 
 " Cleo sorry. Cleo come again." 
 
 She hastened away and sought Asaph. When she found 
 him she cried : 
 
 " Oh, master, Cleo so wicked. Levite s daughter dying 
 eating herself. Ugh! Cleo no gave food. Come 
 quick!" 
 
 " Where is she?" he asked. 
 
 " Near Sheep Gate. Come!" 
 
 But Asaph took a tablet from his bosom and wrote a 
 message to his mother. 
 
 Take this to my house, Cleo, and bring what they 
 give thee to where thou sawest the Levite s daughter. I 
 will hasten to her." So saying, he hurried away. 
 
 What a terrible sight met his eyes the daughter of one 
 of the former servants of God eating her own flesh for 
 food! 
 
 " Haggith," he said, gently; but she gazed at him with
 
 ASAPH. 171 
 
 the look of a wild animal. " Haggith, drink a little from 
 this cup; there now let me bind thy arm; thou shalt 
 have food in a little while." 
 
 " So thou saidst before. Ha, ha, ha!" 
 
 She laughed. It was ghastly. 
 
 "But I sent it, Haggith. Cleo has repented her 
 wickedness. Now drink a little more." 
 
 "It it gives life!" 
 
 Then he bound her wounded arm and said: 
 
 " Thy father is he with the fighting men?" 
 
 " He is at home starving, but hugging his gold; 
 but he can not eat it. Ha, ha, ha!" 
 
 Just then Cleo came in sight. 
 
 " Cheer up, Haggith, food conieth. Jehovah hath sent 
 it to thee." 
 
 Cleo gave the flesh to him slyly so that none could see. 
 He took a morsel in his fingers. 
 
 " Eat this then if thou canst. Show us thy house.". 
 
 She eat it ravenously. 
 
 " More! more!" she cried. 
 
 " Yes, when we reach thy father s house. Come." 
 
 She arose to her feet, but almost fell. 
 
 " Lean on me; 1 will help thee/ he said. Then Cleo 
 took her arm on the other side, and together they led her 
 home to a miserable hovel very forlorn and wretched. 
 They entered. The Levite was in a corner chattering to 
 himself and hugging some bags of gold. He was just 
 verging on insanity from starvation. They placed Haggith 
 on a seat, and CJeo went to the shelf and brought platters 
 and bowls and put them on the broken table.
 
 172 ASAPH. 
 
 Levite, the God of Israel hath sen u thee food eat!" 
 said Asa ph. 
 
 "Food! food! but thou canst not have my gold!" he 
 cried. 
 
 " Nay. Jehovah wants not thy mon.<>y eat!" 
 
 He poured some milk for each, and while he attended 
 to the Levite, Cleo ministered to Haggith. After they 
 had eaten a small portion Asaph said : 
 
 " No more now, or thou wilt die. Rest a little, then 
 eat again." 
 
 " How good thou art! But even as a boy thy heart was 
 kind," said Haggith. 
 
 " Is is this the Moloch boy?" cried Zaccur. " I I 
 thank thee, master!" 
 
 " Levite, thank thy God, not me. If thou wilt come 
 each morning before the sun is up to my house, thou shalt 
 have food for thyself and daughter. Cleo, stay awhile and 
 see that they eat sparingly." Then he hastened away 
 ami.l their thanks. 
 
 Each night Asaph brought food, and each day many 
 blessed his name, and turned to the true God through his 
 gentle influence.
 
 ASAPH. 173 
 
 CHAPTER XXV1L 
 
 JERUSALEM IS TAKEN AND THE KING ESCAPES. 
 
 THE siege continued, and month after month passed 
 away with ever-increasing horrors; still Jerusalem would 
 not surrender. At last affairs became so desperate that 
 parents, crazed with want of food, eat their own children, 
 and! 
 
 Again the battering-rams thundered at the gates; but 
 now no fighting men gathered quickly to shoot the be 
 siegers down. Only a few were on the walls, and they so 
 haggard that even the enemy were touched with pit} T . 
 
 One night, as Asaph was returning home from his 
 nightly forage for food, he heard the battering-rams 
 pounding viciously at a certain gate near the Temple; he 
 hastened to his house, and depositing the food, said: 
 
 "My mother, I fear for Jerusalem to-night. Should 
 aught befall the city and I not be here, disguise thyself 
 and seek Shalmai s house, and abide with him the poor 
 will fare best with the conquering Chaldeans. Take 
 Marth with theo. Now 1 will go and see what the tidings 
 are/ 
 
 lie hastened to the 6esieged gate. The noise of the 
 blows was terrific. Crash! crash! then wild shouts from 
 without. But the streets were deserted; the poor starved 
 Israelites slept the sleep of utter exhaustion. Bang! bang! 
 crash! then again the shouts of the besiegers.
 
 174 ASAPH. 
 
 Asaph listened intently. 
 
 Crash! bang! then a slight crackling sound, as if a por 
 tion of the wood had given way. 
 
 Asaph s heart beat fast. 
 
 Again the terrific pounding of the ram, again the crash 
 and breaking timbers, again the shouts from the triumph 
 ant foe. 
 
 Pound! pound! Crash! and the end of the immense 
 beam of the battering-ram pierced through the timbers, 
 and came in sight to the watching Asaph. 
 
 "Oh, God of Israel! have mercy, have mercy! Oh, 
 pity Thy children!" 
 
 But the aperture became larger and larger, and crash! 
 the gate fell from its hinges and the army poured in. 
 
 " Sh! silently!" was the command, and the princes 
 and generals made all haste to be the first to enter the 
 holy Temple. These superstitious people had been eager 
 ly waiting for eighteen months to see the grand mysteries 
 therein contained mysteries so deep and subtle that had 
 so long helped the chosen people and spread terror among 
 their enemies. 
 
 Immediately Asaph sped along the streets, as fleet as a 
 deer, to the palace to inform the king, lie pounded on 
 the gate. 
 
 " Open, open, quickly!" he cried. " I have great tid 
 ings for the king! Quick, quick! before it is too late!" 
 
 Ebon was hastily summoned, and questioning Asaph, 
 accompanied him to the king. 
 
 " Oh, my lord the king, thine enemies have entered 
 into the holy places of the Temple! The gate by the
 
 ASAPH. 175 
 
 market-place is thrown to the ground, and the Chaldeans 
 are pouring in!" 
 
 Eben spoke: 
 
 " Oh, beloved lord and master, fly, fly! Let not these 
 wicked men take thy precious life! This is the Moloch 
 boy, his word is truth!" 
 
 In a moment the palace was in the utmost confusion. 
 Men, women, and children were running hither and 
 thither, gathering their necessaries and valuables, to take 
 with them in their flight. 
 
 Elia came to Asaph, and said: 
 
 " What shall I do, my brother?" 
 
 " Disguise thyself. The poor will have more mercy 
 shown them. I will hasten to my mother, then we will 
 join the king and thee in thy flight. Trust in Jehovah, 
 oil, princess! and in thy friend Asaph." 
 
 Then, fleet as the wind, he sped back to his mother s 
 house; but all was dark, silent, and deserted. Then on to 
 Shalmai s, but the streets were full of armed men, captur 
 ing old and young. But no cries of agony arose from the 
 prisoners, there seemed rather to be a feeling of relief. 80 
 Asaph, trusting his mother to the better care of the God 
 they both adored, hastened back to the palace; but now it 
 too was quite deserted, and Asaph could see in the moon 
 light the king, his court and servants moving toward the 
 gate by the garden, so he ran with his utmost speed and 
 he could outrace a horse and joined them just as they 
 passed into the valley. 
 
 From the Temple came cries of agony, for the Chal 
 deans, Medes, and Moabites, and all the other allies were
 
 17(5 ASAPH. 
 
 fiercely slaughtering nearly all \vho had taken refuge 
 there, trusting in Jehovah and the sanctity of the place, 
 but the Chaldeans, fearing neither the God of Israel nor 
 revering His holy Temple, tore aside the beautiful cur 
 tains and laughed in derision at the bareness of the Holy 
 of Holies. 
 
 " Where is this people s God?" they cried, while tho.r 
 who had surrendered looked on in horror, expecting some 
 terrible manifestations of Jehovah s wrath against their 
 impious invaders; but the Most High had withdrawn from 
 His Temple, and now it was merely a building of wood 
 and stone. 
 
 In the streets those who resisted were quickly dispatched 
 by the sword of the enemy. 
 
 Slmlmai came to his door with all his family, including 
 Ilelah and old Marth, and they prostrated themselves to 
 the earth. 
 
 " Ah! that is as it should be," said the Chaldean cap 
 tain, to whom they had made obeisance, and who was not 
 an unusually cruel man. " Put thy women in this cart. 
 Thou art a fine specimen of a Jew, and thou lookest wise. 
 The king might need thee in his service. Get thee in, 
 too." 
 
 Each had their little bundle. Helah s contained her 
 jewels and money. Once outside the gates, the kind cap 
 tain gave them bread and bade them be of good cheer. 
 
 Two soldiers had entered the Lovite s hovel. 
 
 "Come! hasten, wretch!" the leader said. 
 
 " I 1 can not leave my gold!" cried Zuccur, trem 
 blingly.
 
 ASAPH. 177 
 
 " Come, thou Levite! Why didst thou not obey thy 
 God, and come to us?" 
 
 " Good man of war, leave me here in peace, and 1 will 
 give thee some of my lovely gold gold! Ah! how it 
 shines!" cried Zaccur. 
 
 " Wilt thou come?" 
 
 But he clung to the closet where he had buried his treas 
 ures. 
 
 " I I can not leave it! Oh, good man of war, have 
 mercy!" 
 
 "Thou starving dog! thou dost not know what is for 
 thine own good!" cried the leader, angrily. 
 
 " Father, the good man speaks the truth. Let us go 
 with him, and live!" spoke Jlaggith. 
 
 "I will not leave my gold my beautiful gold!" he 
 cried, frantically. 
 
 Quickly the leader drew forth a ring which was attached 
 to a chain. It opened with one end sharpened to a point. 
 Seizing Zaccur by the beard, he pressed the point through 
 the soft flesh above his lip, and the Levite wus a prisoner. 
 With a cry of pain he dropped his arms by his side, his 
 head drooped upon his breast, and lie was utterly sub 
 dued. 
 
 llaggith wept, and with her veil she wiped the dripping 
 blood from Zaccur s face, and walked by his side support 
 ing him. 
 
 The leader gave the chain to a subordinate, who thus 
 led them outside the walls. 
 
 Word was brought by some deserters to the victorious 
 generals Xergal, Sharezur, iSamgar, IS ebo, l\absaris, Sar-
 
 178 ASAPH. 
 
 eschim, and Rabmag, that the king and many fighting 
 men had escaped, and were on their way to Jericho. 
 
 Quickly the trumpets were sounded, and all the men 
 who could be spared from guarding the captives were or 
 dered to pursue the fugitives.
 
 ASAPH. 179 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE KING IS CAPTURED AND MADE BLIND. 
 
 IT was midnight, and the solemn silence of the hour was 
 broken by the distant shouts in the furthest parts of 
 Jerusalem and the cries of the dying from the Temple. 
 
 " Toward Jericho!" was the command, and the march 
 was as rapid as possible under the circumstances. 
 
 The guards and fighting men who surrounded the palace 
 were all with the king and seemed a fair protection. 
 
 They reached the desert, and hastened through the still 
 warm sand on, on to safety! 
 
 Jericho was near. Would not the king give them pro 
 tection till Jehovah s favor was turned again to His poor 
 children? 
 
 Only a little further, and they could rest from this 
 weary flight, and eat and refresh themselves. 
 
 But suddenly a noise as of distant thunder fell upon 
 their listening oars. Nearer and nearer it came, like the 
 deep roar as it reverberates through the riven sky faster 
 the fugitives iled, and faster the enemy pursued them. 
 
 Suddenly the sun burst out in all its splendor, and 
 showed the whole plain full of men of war in their glitter 
 ing armor, on horses, in chariots, on mules anything for 
 speed in the pursuit. 
 
 With the sight Zedekiah s generals, friends, and soldiers
 
 180 ASAPH. 
 
 scattered in all directions, and left him deserted, save by a 
 few princes of his house and his wives and children. 
 
 Further flight was now useless, and poor, brave Zede- 
 kiah was forced at last to submit. 
 
 He was quickly surrounded by a shouting, victorious 
 multitude, who bore him in triumph to Nebuchadnezzar at 
 Kiblah, from which city he had directed both the siege of 
 Tyre and Jerusalem. Asaph had followed secretly. 
 
 When Zedekiah was brought before the King of Baby 
 lon, he was intensely angry, and cried: 
 
 "Oh, thou wretch! thou covenant breaker! Did 1 not 
 give thee a fair kingdom to keep for rue, and not to make 
 alliance with mine enemies? But God is great, and hateth 
 that conduct of thine, and hath brought thee under us!"* 
 
 Then, at a sign, they brought Zedekiah s sons beauti 
 ful boys and placing them before his eyes, the soldiers 
 pierced them through and through with many sword- 
 thrusts. 
 
 Zedekiah cried out in agony. 
 
 " They are sons of a false father, and shall not live to 
 be mine enemies!" cried the mighty king. 
 
 Then the princes were also put to the sword. 
 
 Zedekiah could almost feel the cold steel at his own 
 heart, but he was not anticipating the cruel torture in 
 store for him. 
 
 " Thou treacherous wretch! thou shalt not see my glory, 
 nor the beauty of Babylon the great!" said Nebuchad 
 nezzar. 
 
 * Josephus.
 
 ASAPH. 181 
 
 At a sign from him two soldiers approached with each a 
 small brazier of fire. 
 
 They pressed the points of their swords into the fires, 
 then, standing before the king, they awaited the sign. 
 
 Zedekiah turned pale with horror. Nebuchadnezzar 
 smiled a ghastly smile, and clapped his hands. 
 
 Simultaneously the soldiers plunged the red-hot swords 
 into the staring eyes of the captive king; two little wreaths 
 of smoke ascended, and the smell of burning human flesh 
 filled the air. Zedekiah shrieked and fell to the earth, 
 writhing in agony. Asaph, from his conceal merit, swooned 
 with horror. 
 
 The poor, blinded king, bound in chains of brass, was 
 led like a dumb beast captive to the great city of Babylon.
 
 182 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 ASAPH HIDES IN THE TEMPLE CISTERNS. JERUSALEM IS 
 BURNED. 
 
 WHEN Asaph recovered consciousness, the plain was de 
 serted, save by the birds of prey that had scented blood 
 and hovered above the bodies of the murdered princes. 
 
 With a heavy heart he turned and fled back to Jerusa 
 lem. 
 
 What a forlorn sight met his eyes! Outside the walls 
 the ground was strewn with the leavings of the vast army, 
 and there, fighting with the flocks of evil birds, were the 
 poor, hungry Israelites the remnant of the once proud 
 tribe of Judah searching for castaway bits of food and 
 lees of wine. 
 
 How eagerly they pressed the empty bottles to their 
 parched lips, and how they snatched and fought for any 
 goodly piece of bread or bit of llesh! The love of kin was 
 quite forgotten, and self alone predominated. 
 
 What could Asaph do? It is useless to preach to an 
 empty stomach; this he knew from the experience of 
 many months. He thanked Jehovah for ending the fam 
 ine, for now the people that were left those who had 
 secreted themselves, or had been overlooked in the haste 
 of the enemy were free to go into the valleys, where they 
 could hunt or seek for wild honey, or fruits, dates, figs, 
 grapes, olives this last was both food and llebh to them,
 
 ASAPH. 183 
 
 for without its oil domestic life would be sorely inconven 
 ienced. 
 
 The gardens of lentils, millet, leeks, and sweet spices, 
 had all been devastated by the enemy, but they found 
 much food in the deserted camp, and some were too weak 
 to restrain themselves, and eat and gorged till they lay 
 like dead. 
 
 Asaph hurried from the sad sight, and going into the 
 city, he hastened to his house. 
 
 [low sad and deserted it was! Where was his mother 
 now? Was she in safety? Would he ever see her loved 
 face again? Then he went to the house of Shalmai. The 
 doors were wide open, so he passed into the houses of all 
 his friends, and he noticed that the places where they kept 
 the writings of the sacred law were vacant, then he fell to 
 the earth and prayed. 
 
 " Oh, Jehovah! to Thy holy name be all glory! From 
 river to river and from sea to sea let the seed of Thy 
 sacred law, which is thus sown among many peoples, bear 
 rich fruit, so that the whole world shall understand Thy 
 loving-kindness, and that they may be good to the poor. 
 And, oh! keep my mother from all sickness and harm, 
 and let us once more behold each other face to face! Amen 
 and arncn!"- 
 
 Jle arose, feeling strengthened and less dreary and for 
 saken. Suddenly he thought of his friend Jeremiah, and 
 immediately proceeded to the prison, but the doors were 
 open, and the cells empty. He passed on to the palace, 
 but it was utterly deserted; the poor people who were left 
 had the hereditary awe for their king and royal family,
 
 184: ASA PH. 
 
 anil so had left it undisturbed. 80 it was still in all the 
 glory of its wondrous beauty, the Chaldeans at the last be 
 ing in too great a hurry to spoil it of its treasures or to mar 
 its fair proportions. 
 
 He went into Elia s pavilion. He thought of the many 
 happy hours he had spent here when a boy, and how the 
 little princess had ever loved him from the first, and how 
 beautiful and good she was. Should they ever meet again? 
 
 " Yes," he cried, " I will search for her to the ends of 
 the earth!" 
 
 He touched, with a caressing hand, her little treasures, 
 the playthings of her childhood, the dainty work-tools of 
 her maiden hours, and the pretty ornaments that used to 
 adorn her neck and brow, and tears of sorrow for her ab 
 sence fell on the glittering toys. 
 
 He had no plans arranged for the future; that he left in 
 -Jehovah s hands. Now he would do what he could to help 
 his pnor brothers left in Jerusalem, where the people had 
 somewhat settled down to a miserable, forlorn existence. 
 
 Asaph went daily into the wilderness and brought them 
 food, and many looked for his coming with eagerness and 
 greeted him with joy. And to each he spoke of the love 
 and kindness of their neglected God, and by his efforts 
 turned many to Him where they found peace of heart and 
 mind. 
 
 One day Asaph went into the Temple and unconsciously 
 entered the uncurtained Holy of Holies. He quickly cov 
 ered his eyes with his mantle and prayed for forgiveness 
 for thus unwittingly breaking the law; but no fearful pun 
 ishment came upon him for his act, and this made him
 
 ASA PH. 185 
 
 meditate. He did not yet fully realize that the old laws 
 were passing away; the bloody sacrifices of the Temple 
 that had polluted the ground with blood for over four 
 hundred years were become distasteful to God, and the 
 ground must be purified. Again and again had the Lord 
 declared through His prophets that the burned offerings 
 were a stench ill his nostrils. He desired a purer religion: 
 to speak no evil of any one, to live in peace, charity, and 
 holiness. False weights and measures were an abomination 
 in his sight, and the Israelites were reproved again and 
 again for their covetousness and false dealing. 
 
 In the silent solitude of the Temple Asaph seemed to 
 corne very near to his loving Father, and to have a clear 
 er, deeper insight into the Scripture and the interpretation 
 of the law. 
 
 One day, as he was looking over his beloved city from 
 the Temple mount, just one month lacking two days* 
 from the time the first gate fell in Jerusalem, he noticed 
 from the north- west a great cloud of dust. Nearer and 
 nearer it came, and once more the glittering paraphernalia 
 of armed men burst upon his sight, together with chariots, 
 horses, camels, and great carts. 
 
 Was not this poor remnant of Judah to be left alive, or 
 were they coming to devastate the city? 
 
 In a moment ho was in the streets warning the people, 
 and many lied and secreted themselves in the ruined 
 tombs that were plentiful in the valley; but Asaph went 
 back to the Temple, and there uttering a prayer to Crod, 
 
 * Authorities differ about the date.
 
 186 ASAPH. 
 
 he went into the inclosure that contained the opening to 
 the immense cisterns beneath the Temple. After looking 
 down some time he lowered the great bucket, then fast 
 ened the rope so that it could descend no further, then he 
 grasped the rope firmly with both hands and feet and de 
 scended slowly, so as not to tear his ilesh. At first he 
 could distingiush nothing in the semi-darkness, then look 
 ing beneath him he could see the water shining in the 
 shaft of light that came from the opening above. 
 
 He grasped the rope still firmer and paused in his de 
 scent. How deep was the water, and how to reach the rocky 
 ledges that projected all around above the little sea? lie 
 thought for a moment, then gently swayed the rope till it 
 assumed an oscillating motion whose area became larger 
 and larger as he descended. Now he almost touched the 
 rocks again, but his foot slipped; this time he must ac 
 complish it. lie planted his feet firmly, but with diffi 
 culty retained the rope, which he needed for future use; 
 he secured it by placing a heavy rock in the bucket. 
 
 His eyes soon became accustomed to the bright spot of 
 light that radiated for a space around but left much of 
 the immense place in utter darkness. 
 
 For awhile he forgot all else as he traversed the rocky 
 ledges and wondered at the gigantic arches that supported 
 the Temple foundations. What a wtmdrous work was 
 here! and the water so clear and sparkling. The cistern, 
 or rather immense cavern, was capable of containing un 
 told quantities, so it was to this superhuman work of the 
 wise Solomon that they owed their lives for not famishing 
 for lack of water as well as food.
 
 ASAPH. 187 
 
 The time passed away unnoticed by Asaph till he was 
 aroused by the shouting of many voices and the sound of 
 heavy blows in the Temple above the beautiful Temple 
 that had never echoed even to the sound of hammer and 
 saw to be thus desecrated by the destructive blows of Is- 
 rael s cruel enemies! 
 
 He would ascend immediately and defend it with his 
 life: but suddenly the thought came to him that God s 
 word was being fulfilled that had been spoken by (he 
 Prophet Jeremiah; so he was powerless to interfere. Still 
 he could not help suffering intense mental pain at the 
 thought of the ruthless destruction of the magnificent 
 holy Temple. 
 
 After many hours of anxious listening the water in the 
 cistern changed to blood. Asaph s heart seemed to leap 
 into his throat. 
 
 "Oh, God! oh, God! Thy Temple is on fire!" he 
 cried, and fell on the rocks and writhed in the intensify of 
 his grief. 
 
 How long he remained in the cistern he could not tell 
 whether it was hours or days. At last he became faint 
 from hunger and exhausted by his painful emotions. 
 
 Death seemed the easiest way to end his misery; but 
 suddenly the thought of his mother and Elia aroused him. 
 Perhaps even now they were needing him, and watching 
 each passing face in hopes that it would be his. He would 
 go to them. He felt for the rope it was gone! In his 
 grief he had touched the bucket; it had rolled from the 
 rock, and now hung in the center of the water. He threw 
 u stone to try the depth. From the sound it was immeas-
 
 188 ASAPH. 
 
 urably deep. He was entombed alive! After the first 
 shock of horror was over a sweet peace came over him, 
 and he slept. 
 
 When he awoke he was very sveak. Clouds of smoke 
 darkened the opening above; then for a moment it would be 
 clear and bright, then blood red with yellow flashing flames. 
 
 lie groped about the dark to try and find some means 
 of egress; but he had to feel every footstep lest he should 
 plunge unwittingly into the deep water. How many times 
 he went around the immense place or whether he ever 
 skirted it once he could not tell; but the time seemed 
 long, and he was about to give up in despair, when he 
 suddenly came upon a llight of steps cut in a deep recess. 
 He cautiously ascended them, his heart beating fast with 
 excitement. At last he came to a door. He tried it, but 
 it did not yield to his hand; then he picked up a rock and 
 pounded it with the strength of despair. At last the lock 
 gave way, and the door swung open. What a sight met 
 his gaze! The Temple a smoldering mass, and the city be 
 yond only heaps of burning ruins! The gates were still 
 on fire, and the walls broken and destroyed, and in many 
 places leveled to the ground.* 
 
 Away ol? in the valley he could see, by the light of the 
 rising moon, great masses of people moving toward the 
 north. 
 
 " I will go to my mother," he said. And with a last 
 lingering loving look toward Jerusalem, he followed after 
 them. 
 
 * The Temple was burned four hundred and seventy years six 
 months and ten days after it was built.
 
 ASA PH. 189 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 BABYLON. 
 
 FOOTSORE and weary Asaph kept on the fearful march, 
 resting when the army rested, and living on the crumbs of 
 food left in their path. Sometimes he found wild honey, 
 and sometimes shot and cooked a clean bird. 
 
 When he came to a well or stream he never neglected to 
 purify himself and perform his devotions; so when at last 
 they arrived at the great city his beauty was scarcely 
 marred save the rounded contour of his graceful limbs 
 was just a little shrunk from their fair proportions. 
 
 Jle entered with the stragglers, and when the watchman 
 at the gate saw him he wondered at his beauty and spoke 
 to the captain. 
 
 " Thou hast brought a young god in beauty among thy 
 captives. The king will thank thee for such a present/ 
 
 The captain looked. 
 
 " Why, 1 saw him not before. Didst thou come with 
 us?" he said. 
 
 " Ay, but voluntarily," Asaph answered. 
 
 " Art thou not a captive, and an Israelite?" 
 
 "An Israelite, ay, but a captive, no. See, I have no 
 chains." 
 
 "Why didst thou come, then? the captain asked, SIF- 
 tonished.
 
 11)0 ASAPH. 
 
 " 1 would serve Nebuchadnezzar and live in Babylon; 
 my mother and my friends are here as captives." 
 
 The captain, Nebuzar-adan, took Asaph to his own house 
 and fed and clothed him in rich apparel. The first day the 
 king gave audience to his people the captain presented 
 Asaph to him. At a sign from his protector he prostrated 
 himself to the floor. Nebuchadnezzar extended his scep 
 ter for him to arise. When he stood before his feet all the 
 glory of his transcendant beauty and his fair proportions 
 struck the king s eye with amazement aiid pleasure, for of 
 all the kings of the earth Nebuchadnezzar most loved 
 beauty of form and color. 
 
 " Speak! what would st thou? he said. 
 
 " Oh, king, live forever!" Asaph replied, making a sec 
 ond obeisance. " 1 would serve thee, oh, Nebuchadnez 
 zar. My mother is a captive Israelite. I would be near 
 her and live in Babylon." 
 
 The king smiled at this unusual speech that would have 
 cost others dearly; but Asaph s golden hair, his glorious 
 beauty drove all other thoughts from Nebuchadnezzar s 
 breast save pleasure at the sight. 
 
 " Art thou not also a captive?" he asked. 
 
 " Nay, great king. I came to thee voluntarily, walk 
 ing all the weary way." 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar s brow darkened. 
 
 " Art thou the treacherous Zedekiah s son?" he asked. 
 
 " Nay, oh, king, 1 am a friend of Jeremiah and serv 
 ant of the great Jehovah. I drew not a single bow against 
 thy men of war." 
 
 The king s brow cleared again, and his admiration for
 
 ASAPH. 191 
 
 Asaph increased each moment for Nebuchadnezzar could 
 love long and tenderly those who were truly his friends, 
 and he could hate as long and bitterly those who had 
 proved false to him. 
 
 The king looked at him in silence, scanning him from 
 head to foot. 
 
 "Thou art a young god in beauty!" at last he cried 
 enthusiastically. Then noticing the scar: " But what has 
 thus marred thy fair face?" 
 
 For a moment Asaph drooped his head, then said: 
 
 " Oh, king, as a little child they would pass me through 
 the fire to Moloch; but my mother saved me." 
 
 " Those Jews were a cruel people. The worship of our 
 gods is not so sanguinary. Thy mother did well to save 
 theo for my service. " Then turning to the captain he 
 said: "Tis well." 
 
 Nebuzar-adan felt a thrill of joy, for that was praise 
 enough. 
 
 " Take the young man to thy house. Stay what is thy 
 name?" 
 
 " Asaph, oh, king!" he replied. 
 
 " It has a pleasant sound. I will not change it." 
 
 The audience was ended, so Asaph made obeisance and 
 departed with his new friend. 
 
 With an absolute monarch like Nebuchadnezzar every 
 thing is possible that is achievable by human ingenuity or 
 intellect or unlimited power; so Ilelah was soon found 
 and installed with Asaph in the royal palace, surrounded 
 by every luxury and attention.
 
 1!)2 ASAPH. 
 
 The venerable Shalmai was given a place of liouor, and 
 Asaph was his friend during the rest of his life. 
 
 Each day the affection of Nebuchadnezzar for Asaph 
 seemed to increase, for he was in the very flower of his 
 youth and beauty, so he almost immediately appointed 
 him one of his outriders. 
 
 Dressed in magnificent garments, with his beautiful hair 
 falling below his shoulders and profusely powdered with 
 gold dust, riding on a spirited horse with the other youths, 
 each morning he preceded the king in his daily drives. 
 The sight was so entrancingly beautiful that people flocked 
 to their doors and gave thanks to all their gods for being 
 permitted to behold it, then sighed as the cavalcade swept 
 on into the distance and was lost to view. 
 
 The king would scarcely ever let Asaph leave his pres 
 ence, so made him one of his cup-bearers also; he seemed 
 to delight in the admiration he excited; and it was indeed 
 a picture worthy to be preserved for all time. Asaph s 
 fair angelic beauty standing out like an ideal sun-god s 
 against the dusky, brilliant, fascinating splendor of the 
 thrice-handsome Nebuchadnezzar, with his hair black and 
 nhining as the raven s wing, arranged in stately curls, his 
 beard of the same hue and waving almost to his waist, and 
 his eyes cruel and black when angry, but with those he 
 loved soft and tender as a mother s. 
 
 The king never allowed him to accompany him on his 
 war expeditions. 
 
 " No, no," he would say, " thou hast had hurt enough; 
 remain to glad my sight on my return." 
 
 Everything possible to make Asaph happy and content-
 
 ASAPH. 193 
 
 ed was done by both king and officers; but he had a pain 
 in his heart nothing could assuage he was ignorant of 
 the fate of his loved princess \vhether she was yet living, 
 a captive with her uncle, or carried off by some of the 
 brutal allies, or dead, he could not ascertain, 
 
 Day by day, as he rode before the king, he scrutinized 
 each face in the hope of seeing hers he loved; but each 
 day he was disappointed of his hope. Half the night he 
 took from sleep and wandered disguised through the vari 
 ous quarters assigned to his exiled people. He listened to 
 every plaintive cry of the homesick Israelites sighing for 
 their beautiful mountains and almost cursing the hot 
 level plains of Babylon, still he heard no speech that 
 thrilled him with the sweet sound of Elia s voice. 
 
 Knowing how the king hated Zedekiah, he dared not 
 mention one of the royal family, so he searched all alone 
 and with a breaking heart; yet before the king he must 
 ever be smiling and happy. 
 
 About this time Nebuchadnezzar had an immense beau 
 tiful golden image constructed and set up in the plain of 
 Dura, near Babylon. He was a restless, ambitious man, 
 always desiring some greater god to worship. The prepa 
 rations for the dedication of this image were of unusual 
 magnitude and grandeur, and all the princes and people 
 were summoned to be present and take part in its worship. 
 But Asaph determined he would lose his life before he 
 would thus insult the true God. So when the magnificent 
 festival was at its height the herald cried: 
 
 " To you it is commanded, oh, people, nations, and lan 
 guages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, 
 
 7
 
 194 ASAPH. 
 
 flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of 
 music, ye fall down and worship the image that Nebu 
 chadnezzar the kind hath set up. And whoso falleth not 
 down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast in the 
 midst of a burning fiery furnace." 
 
 Then the music sounded, and all bowed and worshiped, 
 even the Jews, save only a few. 
 
 But Asaph, on whom the king leaned, being somewhat 
 shorter in stature, stood erect to support him, and no one 
 noticed. 
 
 But the native princes were jealous of the power pos 
 sessed by some of the captive race, and accused them be 
 fore the king, and they were condemned to a terrible pun 
 ishment. 
 
 But God was with them, and used the miraculous escape 
 of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as a means to en 
 lighten Xebuchadnezzar as to the true God, and for awhile 
 he worshiped the great Jehovah; but he had not attained 
 as yet to a true understanding of the Most High, and his 
 lapses to idolatry were numerous.
 
 ASAPH. 195 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 THE LION HUNT. THE ARENA. 
 
 STILL no news of Elia came to the waiting, watching 
 Asaph. llelah sympathized with her son, for she too 
 loved the gentle beautiful princess. 
 
 Each night before his search began he would visit his 
 mother and tell her the news of the day, and ascertain 
 from her aught that had occurred of interest to either of 
 them, or that would give him any hope of ultimate success 
 in his weary search. 
 
 One day the palace was in a state of subdued excite 
 ment, for the king was going hunting, and extra prepara 
 tions were being made. All the young men composing his 
 outriders were each one busy with several attendants 
 combing their hair out from its curl till it lay in waves 
 upon their shoulders, then powdering it profusely with 
 fine gold dust, painting their faces both red and white, 
 and rubbing their bodies with rich, sweet-scented un 
 guents, placing their finest ear-rings in their ears, and 
 dressing them in their most magnificent apparel. 
 
 The king s robes were embroidered and fringed till not 
 a spot remained unadorned; his high head-dress was a 
 mass of gold and jeweled work, with several flying horned 
 horses in filigree around the crown. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar dearly loved this regal display when he
 
 196 A8APH. 
 
 drove through the streets of Babylon, " the city which is 
 the delight of mine eyes." 
 
 How gloriously did Asaph s beauty show by contrast 
 with these bepainted youths! And as the splendid caval 
 cade swept through the palace gates, to the flourish of 
 trumpets and the plaudits of the people, Nebuchadnezzar s 
 heart swelled with love for the beautiful boy. On they 
 dashed, through the fine, broad streets, the populace lin 
 ing the way, ani cheering as they passed, for all loved or 
 respected the king even the Jews, finding him a lenient 
 master and well disposed toward the flower of Israel, gave 
 him just praise. 
 
 They crossed the Euphrates on the great bridge, then 
 passed out of one of the hundred gates the Gate of Nein 
 on, on into the wilderness. 
 
 Asaph rode neur to the chariot s side. Nebuchadnezzar 
 looked upon him as almost a being from another world, 
 for he had heard the story of his descent from the sons of 
 God, and his beauty, purity, and goodness were all factors 
 to enhance the king s regard. 
 
 On still further into the wilderness, still no game ap 
 peared. Asaph left the chariot s side for a moment, and 
 gave a low, peculiar cry. After a pause he repeated it, 
 but unobserved by all; then from the forest came a low 
 roar; another cry from Asaph, then a magnificent lion 
 slowly emerged from the wilderness, looking about as if 
 seeking for its mate, whose cry of distress Asaph had so 
 well imitated. 
 
 In a moment the outriders parted to the right and left, 
 and Nebuchadnezzar and Asaph swept to the front.
 
 ASAPH. 197 
 
 Again Asapli repeated the cry, then let the king ad 
 vance alone to have all the glory of the capture, for he had 
 said at first sight of the lion: 
 
 " 1 will not kill so glorious a beast, but only wound and 
 bind him." 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar drew a steady bow, and his aim was 
 sure. Quickly the dart transfixed the lion s paw, and held 
 him to the ground. The king leaped from his chariot, 
 and throwing several cords about the beast, soon had him 
 bound and helpless. He was placed in a separate chariot, 
 the driver of which proceeded immediately behind the 
 king. 
 
 This was glory enough for one day, so Nebuchadnezzar 
 gave orders for the return. An outrider hastened with all 
 speed back to the city, and informed the officers and peo 
 ple of the great event. 
 
 When the king entered the gates of Babylon, it was as 
 if he had returned triumphant from the wars; the whole 
 city came forth to meet and cheer him and throw flowers 
 in his way. The eunuchs and chief officers of the king s 
 household, wishing to show their admiration for his won 
 derful prowess in capturing alive the magnificent king of 
 beasts, also wishing to flatter him in a new and most 
 unique manner, presented an humble petition, asking for 
 permission to erect a temporary building* where the lion 
 could be exhibited to his delighted people, and that for 
 once those condemned to the lion s den might be given a 
 chance to fight for their lives in public. 
 
 * This is an historical liberty, as it was several hundred years 
 after that the first amphitheater was built.
 
 198 ASAPH. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar graciously granted this request, and the 
 work progressed rapidly. 
 
 In the meantime there was a magnificent festival to Bel- 
 tis, in her beautiful shrine in the immense Temple of 
 Bel us. Before the goddess stood two golden lions and two 
 enormous silver serpents, and many seats. Here were 
 crowded the women worshipers, who, no matter how 
 wealthy or how high their social position, were compelled 
 once in their lives to sacrifice their chastity to the first 
 man who threw a silver coin in their lap.* The coin was 
 considered sacred to the goddess, and could not be refused. 
 
 The festival progressed with music and merriment, and 
 the coming and going of many strangers attracted by this 
 unique but unchaste custom, and the constant arrival and 
 departure of the women, many coming in .conveyances 
 with retinues of attendants, bearing food and change of 
 apparel as all were compelled to remain till the goddess 
 was obeyed, some, being old or ill-favored, not leaving the 
 Temple for years. 
 
 Suddenly, at the first great shrine of Bel, as clouds of 
 inceuso arose from the thousand talents worth burned 
 daily, a lovely figure appeared, like an apparition, out of 
 the soft mist. But clinging to its skirts was an Ethio 
 pian, black arid shining, but silent with terror. 
 
 " Xo, no!" she cried, as two priestesses attempted to 
 force her up the incline that wound around the seven de 
 creasing elevations that led to the shrines of Bel and Bel- 
 tis, " I will not go. 1 am a daughter of Zion, a child of 
 Israel. I will not pollute my body by this worship of the 
 
 * Rftwliuson.
 
 ASAPH. 199 
 
 false gods of Babylon! I adore Jehovah alone, the one 
 true God!" 
 
 " Impious wretch!" cried one of the priestesses. " How 
 darest thou thus slander our great goddess? Thy mouth 
 should burn with thy words!" 
 
 And she struck her on her tender lips till the blood 
 trickled down in a little stream and fell upon her gar 
 ments. 
 
 " I will not no, I will not thus break the pure laws of 
 our most gracious God! I will not shame the name of our 
 poor captive people!" 
 
 " Aha! thon art a captive Jewess, and thus defy our 
 sacred rites! There is a way to make thee submit the 
 fiery furnace, the lion s den!" cried the priestess. 
 
 " The fiery furnace would be a bed of roses compared to 
 the wickedness of this worship of thy detested goddess, the 
 embrace of the lion kindness to that to which thou wouldst 
 have me submit!" 
 
 " No, no; no burn up in furnace. Cleo die! no let lion 
 eat up pretty white flesh!" 
 
 "Impious, impious!" shrieked the priestess. "Thou 
 wast born under an evil star, and on an unlucky day!" 
 
 Then, as they obstructed the way and the crowd began 
 to laugh, she beckoned to a priest, and said: 
 
 "Take this wretch away and put her in a dungeon 
 until the furnace is prepared or the lions ready!" 
 
 " Thrice-welcome death!" the maiden cried, as she was 
 borne away, the Ethiopian shrieking wildly and tearing 
 her garments.
 
 200 ASAl H. 
 
 At length the day arrived for the public spectacle to the 
 king anil people. All the city was in a state of wild enjoy 
 ment; houses, temples, palaces, were all decorated with 
 the utmost splendor, for it was the king s birthday, and 
 all wished to do honor to the occasion. 
 
 lu the amphitheater, tier on tier ot faces arose from the 
 floor to the height of the great wall; all Babylon would 
 have been present had it been possible. 
 
 The great Nebuchadnezzar, with his beloved wife, Ani} - 
 itis, and his son, Enil-Merodach, together with his especial 
 favorites and guards, occupied a special portion decorated 
 with banners and ensigns of Babylonia placed above the 
 beautiful captured insignia of his many vassals. 
 
 Asaph, pale and sad, stood by the king s side. He had 
 heard some slight intimation that the games were to be 
 cruel, and perhaps blood would be shed, and he whose 
 heart was so gentle could not contemplate the sufferings 
 of others, or of even poor dumb animals, without his own 
 heart enduring all their pain. 
 
 Inspiring music made glad the vast assemblage, and 
 from the elegantly dressed people the intoxicating per 
 fume from delicate unguents filled the air. 
 
 With a flourish of trumpets the games commenced. 
 There was wrestling, vaulting, running, and jumping by 
 those skilled in these arts, both among the native youths 
 and those of the many captured nations. These sports 
 were miu-h enjoyed by the spectators, as each was " on his 
 mettle " to do his very best before such an illustrious as 
 semblage. Asaph s heart beat fast, and ever and anon he 
 could almost fancy himself one of the contestants, espe-
 
 ASA PH. 201 
 
 ciully as they sped around the arena fleet as the wind, 
 lie, too, joined in the applause, giving a sigh of relief, 
 thinking the exhibition was to end in these peaceful 
 games. But the hush of expectation that fell upon the 
 audience told him something more exciting was to come. 
 
 The music burst forth in the strains of a national hymn. 
 JS ow they knew what was coming. 
 
 " The lion! the lion!" they shouted, and the excitement 
 knew no bounds. 
 
 Several gaudily dressed attendants entered from a side 
 door, bearing a great wooden cage; they placed it in the 
 arena in full view of the people; then one mounted on top 
 of it, and remained like a statue. It contained the capt 
 ured lion. Suddenly a herald came from an opposite 
 door, and stood in the arena; he blew a shrill blast upon 
 the trumpet, then cried: 
 
 " Oh, king, live forever! One of the meanest of thy 
 slaves has dared to defy thy power, neither worshiping thy 
 great image on the plain, nor giving tribute to our good 
 Beltis. She scandalized the service of the godess and 
 brought our religion into contempt. She has been con 
 demned by divine command to punishment by furnace or 
 by beasts. 
 
 " But, oh, king of all the earth, knowing thy wondrous 
 kindness, \vo ask thy permission to grant this maiden a 
 chance of life, even with the lion thou hast caught, or that 
 one fight for her who feels inclined!" 
 
 The king extended his scepter, and plaudits filled the 
 air. Ah! now there will be fine sport, for there was
 
 202 ASA PH. 
 
 enough natural cruelty in this bitter hasty nation to 
 enjoy the contest even to the shedding of blood. 
 
 Again the herald blew the trumpet, then opening a door 
 close to the lion s cage he led forth a most lovely maiden 
 dressed in flowing white robes, with her black hair falling 
 nearly to her feet, and, clinging to her like her shadow, 
 the Ethiopian slave it was the Princess Elia and the 
 faithful Cleo. 
 
 Asapli started back in terror. It was the Princess Elia. 
 All the blood left his face and he shook like one with ague. 
 
 Again the herald sounded the trumpet and cried: 
 
 " Oh, king! live forever, and oh, all ye people! will one 
 from among your number, moved by the compassion of 
 the gods, encounter the noble beast to save this fair cap 
 tive maiden?" 
 
 Quick as a flash, Asaph stripped from his shoulders his 
 garments of state, ran to the separating wall, and vaulted 
 over it like a trained athlete. 
 
 Standing in the center of the arena, with his bow and 
 arrows in his hands which he had concealed he cried: 
 
 " I, Asaph, the Israelite, will fight for the captive 
 maiden!" 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar turned ashy pale. Should the boy he 
 so loved be torn to pieces for a worthless slave? He was 
 about to cry out in his agony to let the slave go free and 
 save the youth, when suddenly the princess and the herald 
 having retired to their places, the attendant on the top of 
 the cage raised the barred gate, and the lion came forth. 
 
 For a moment Asaph gazed into his eyes; the vast as 
 semblage held their breath from fear; then, uttering a low
 
 ASAPH. 203 
 
 cry, ho turned suddenly and ran. For a moment the lion 
 stood still, but Asaph repeated the cry still louder, and 
 with a roar the lion followed fast upon his tr ack. 
 
 The people all loved the beautiful youth, and their 
 spirits fell as they saw him thus turn and run, without one 
 effort to save his life. 
 
 On and on he ran around the arena, then around again; 
 no racer in the games had made such time. Still on and 
 on, the lion gaining slowly but surely; ever and anon the 
 low cry of an animal in distress came from Asaph s lips; 
 the people were so excited they could scarcely keep their 
 seats. 
 
 Still on and on would he never tire? Nearer and 
 nearer came the lion; yet faster and faster flew the boy, 
 till his feet seemed scarcely to touch the earth. With ter 
 rific roars the lion made greater efforts, swaying his great, 
 shaggy head from side to side. Ah! a few more steps, and 
 there would be a bloody corpse upon the sand! 
 
 Nearer and nearer came the beast, till Asaph could feel 
 his panting breath upon his limbs. Suddenly he caught a 
 portion of Asaph s garment and tore it with his cruel 
 fangs. A great sob went up from the people. Nebu 
 chadnezzar turned the hue of a corpse, and the princess 
 from her door, where she could see it all, gave a loud 
 shriek of despair that, rang through the vast amphithe 
 ater. 
 
 But Asaph sprung lightly aside and countermarched 
 upon the lion, who continued his way, roaring and shak 
 ing his inane. 
 
 His impetus had been so great that he had finished the
 
 204 ASAPH. 
 
 circuit of the arena before he seemed to realize that his 
 prey had escaped him. 
 
 Asaph, slowing his paces to a walk, awaited the ap 
 proach of the infuriated beast, who, catching sight of him, 
 again advanced with renewed roars of anger. Asaph 
 affixed an arrow to his bow, and calmly drew the string, 
 then another, and another, and the king of beasts lay dead 
 by the princess s door, transfixed by three arrows through 
 his heart. 
 
 Asaph opened the door, and taking Elia by the hand, 
 he cried: 
 
 " Oh, king, live forever! Grant me of thy mercy this 
 maiden s life!" 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar, as with a sob of joy, extended his 
 scepter, and the vast assemblage shouted till the walls of 
 Babylon gave back the sound again and again like rolling 
 thunder.
 
 ASAPH. 205 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 ASAPH WEDS THE PRINCESS. 
 
 AT the palace there was a great feast, and all was hap 
 piness. The king s strong nature gave every evidence of 
 his joy at the safety of his loved Asaph. From his pecul 
 iar golden hair and radiantly fair skin all the princes and 
 officers and eunuchs of the court looked at him as outside 
 the pale of their petty jealousy, as a being really descend 
 ed from the gods, so they revered him as well as loved 
 him, and all rejoiced that he had escaped the fangs of the 
 fierce lion. 
 
 Amyitis was almost as glad as the king himself. 
 
 " How brave thou wert, my pretty boy; when the lion 
 tore thy garment my heart gave a great bound, for I did 
 not think thou wert such a master of the art as to be able 
 to deceive the king of beasts himself." 
 
 And so they all praised him; and his mother looked 
 glad and happy. 
 
 To-night Asaph was unusually joyous. He had found 
 his princess, and had saved her life. When Nebuchad 
 nezzar was leaning on his loved cup-bearer s arm and 
 speaking to him gently, his heart being glad with wine, 
 Asaph told him of his love for the princess, and asked his 
 permission to espouse her. 
 
 The king was silent for awhile, then said :
 
 206 AS A PH. 
 
 " So that is the reason thou hast often looked sad? 
 Will she take thy heart away from thy king?" 
 
 " Kay, oh, king. I worship thee forever, as the sun 
 thut brightens all my life. Thou wilt have two to love 
 and serve thee now in place of one." 
 
 After a pause Nebuchadnezzar said: 
 
 " Wouldst thou forego the custom of thy people and ask 
 not the year of rest from attendance on the lord thy 
 king?" 
 
 " Most willingly, oh, king! A year without the light of 
 thy countenance would be a year of darkness to thy serv 
 ant." 
 
 The king smiled. 
 
 " Be it as thou wishest, and according to thine own cus 
 toms; but I will have the ceremonies with such grandeur 
 as befits a favorite of the king and a princess of royal 
 blood." 
 
 Then the music burst forth, and the singers and dancers 
 appeare:!, and so amusements followed close upon each 
 other till all were summoned to the magnificent banquet 
 ing chambers, and there they remained till the stars grew 
 dim. 
 
 Asaph could neither interpret dreams nor foretell events 
 by the configuration of the stars, but he could answer the 
 king in his own language in chosen befitting words, and 
 could make his heart glad with a seraphic smile or sad 
 with a look of sorrow. 
 
 He never disputed with the wise Chaldeans; and even 
 the dignified Daniel looked upon him as scarce more than
 
 ASAPH. 207 
 
 a pretty boy, but deep in Asaph s heart was a yearning to 
 enlighten his captive brethren, to instill into their minds a 
 greater reverence for the true God, a clearer idea of His 
 mercy and goodness, to arouse them from the apathy into 
 which they had often fallen by the almost impossibility of 
 being perfect in practice in the stern school of the Mosaic 
 dispensation of the law. But his attendance was so con 
 stant that he could not fulfill his heart s desire; but many 
 times late into the night he would lay prostrate on the 
 floor of his chamber and pray for light to the great Je 
 hovah. 
 
 Asaph often passed the royal prison, where the gentle 
 Jehoiakim and Zedekiah resided, and where a certain 
 amount of liberty was allowed them for the king did not 
 forget they were of the royal blood. One day, as they 
 were walking in the small garden, the poor blind Zedekiah, 
 leaning on the arm of the young king, Asaph paused at the 
 iron-barred gate. The sentinnel advanced. 
 
 " 1 would speak a moment to the captives," Asaph 
 said; and as the man recognized the king s cup-bearer, he 
 withdrew a pace. " King Jehoiakim," called Asaph, 
 softly. 
 
 " Who calls?" asked Zedekiah, with the quicker ear of 
 the blind. 
 
 " Asaph, who brought thee food in Jerusalem." 
 
 Jehoiakim turned quickly. 
 
 " Oh, king, thy sister is alive and well. We are to 
 wed. The great Nebuchadnezzar has sanctioned it; dost 
 thou consent?" 
 
 " What, the Moloch boy?" he replied, in astonishment.
 
 208 ASA PH. 
 
 " No, the king s cup-bearer. I saved her life from the 
 cruel lion. We love each other; and thy consent will 
 make us still more happy, and thine too, oh, Zedekiah." 
 
 " What matters the consent of two poor prisoners, one 
 with blinded eyes who can never look upon thy face again, 
 yet I remember it was a kindly face. And thou art rich 
 and honored now, while I am but a captive slave." And 
 Jehoiukim bowed his head. 
 
 " Thy consent, oh, kings! We will remember thee in all 
 our prayers to the God of Israel," said Asaph, softly. 
 
 " Thou hast it, boy," they replied, " and may Jehovah 
 smile upon you both." 
 
 " Peace be upon you now and forever, Asaph replied 
 softly, then moved away. 
 
 The marriage of Asaph and the Princess Elia was cele 
 brated with the utmost magnificence, and the festivities 
 were kept up for many days, and Asaph was in the full 
 ness of his happiness. Helah nightly gave thanks to Je 
 hovah for the one loved son that He had given her.
 
 ASAPH. 209 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 NEBUCHADNEZZAB S MADNESS. 
 
 YEARS passed away. Asaph still waited on the king; 
 sons and daughters were born to him, and he was honored 
 and respected. 
 
 The captive Israelites in and around Babylon were slow 
 ly but surely turning again to the true God. Asaph be 
 lieving that old customs and traditions were passing away, 
 arid that this very captivity was to work out Jehovah s 
 plan of turning the whole world to His knowledge and 
 worship, taught the Jews secretly in the underground hid 
 den places, many of which were built for cool retreats dur 
 ing the torrid heat of summer. 
 
 A number of Israelites of advanced opinions were accus 
 tomed to come each night and listen to him and treasure 
 each word that fell from his lips as though from a 
 prophet s. 
 
 One night an ancient asked him: 
 
 " Master, why in our father s time was the least igno 
 rant infringement of the law so severely punished?" 
 
 " The law is unchangeable and inexorable now and for 
 ever, since the beginning, knowing neither mercy, pity, 
 nor compassion; certain consequences followed, and still 
 their breaking, and no one can escape their effects save by 
 Divine interposition. If a man falls from a great height 
 the la\v of force causes him injuries of which he may die.
 
 210 ASAPH. 
 
 Should a heavy substance strike him in a vifal part, even 
 in his eagerness and joy to serve Jehovah, he may die as 
 witness Uzzah trying to steady the ark, which, according 
 to the light I have so prayed to receive, was not punished 
 for good intentions; but the law of force was violated by 
 his coming too near in his eagerness, and, being struck by 
 the heavy cart, died. Our early history is so wrapped 
 in mystery and myths that it is difficult to know the true 
 from the false, yet I think we may be safe in believing that 
 God would not make a law and give it to His people with 
 all solemnity, and almost immediately ask them to 
 break it." 
 
 " Oh, rabbi, master, why did the great Jehovah punish 
 our fathers so terribly for desiring other food than manna, 
 of which their human appetite had sickened?" 
 
 " According to my light, they eat to such excess even 
 birds raw, and with the blood that sickness ensued for 
 thus violating the laws of health." 
 
 Why, oh, master, were they punished so terribly for 
 their commerce with strange women?" 
 
 " It was the consequence of the violated law of chastity 
 that caused their sickness and death." 
 
 At another time they asked him: " Why, oh, master, 
 did Jehovah require so many olTerings and sacriiices of 
 animals and incense upon His altars?" 
 
 " Our kind, compassionate God hath Himself said that 
 in the wilderness He required neither sacrifices nor olTer- 
 ings; but when our fathers came into the Promised Land 
 they who had never witnessed the idol worship of fair
 
 ASAPH. 211 
 
 Egypt sa\v idolatry on every side where gifts of every de 
 scription were offered to the gods for protection, interces 
 sion, or vengeance on their foes. To give gifts to those 
 we love or revere, or whose good offices we wish to pro 
 pitiate, is inherent in human nature. Our Father, to 
 whom all hearts are as open books, to lead them gently 
 back from this idolatry to which they were rapidly turn 
 ing, encouraged them to transfer their worship from the 
 false to the true God without a violent change in form; 
 then many of the sacrifices were for His priests and their 
 families support. The killing of cattle in sight of or by 
 the priest was that it should be mercifully accomplished 
 without unnecessary cruelty t& the beasts, of whom God 
 Himself is tender, tempering the wind to the shorn 
 lamb, and noticing a sparrow that falls to the ground. 
 Also that it should be performed in such a manner as was 
 for the best health of those who eat." 
 
 " But why the incense, good master?" 
 
 " Besides being pleasant to both God and man, it was 
 healthy, and helped to kill the germs of sickness engen 
 dered by the shedding of so much blood in one locality, and 
 to correct the disagreeable odor of the burning flesh." 
 
 " Should we still offer these things to our God, oh, mas 
 ter?" 
 
 " According to the light of faith, our compassionate 
 One hath given u-s a silent guide the still, small voice of 
 conscience. Follow it, and we shall never err; for it ever 
 breathes forth God s laws of love and kindness to our 
 neighbors nay, even to our enemy." 
 
 Again, on another night, they ashed him:
 
 212 ASAPF. 
 
 " Oh, rabbi, master, vvouldst thou have us put aside all 
 our ceremonies and festivals?" 
 
 " Nay, not so; many are held in grateful remembrance 
 of Jehovah s mercies to His chosen people. Keep them 
 by way of thanks and rejoicing. Do we not keep our do 
 mestic feasts when a child is born, and many other days in 
 the progress of its life? We do these for love and gladness 
 to the creature, how much more should we do for the Cre 
 ator?" 
 
 * * * # # * * 
 
 And so the years passed away. Asaph s children were 
 growing up, lovely in face and gentle in disposition. It 
 was a pleasant sight to see the five little maidens with fair, 
 long hair like their father, and the seven sturdy boys with 
 the handsome Jewish features of their mother, and Ilelah 
 lived her youth over again with such blessed young com 
 panions. 
 
 But now came sadness to Asaph s gentle heart. The 
 king, great Nebuchadnezzar, whom he had so learned to 
 love, was warned by a dream, which was interpreted by 
 the wise Daniel, of his strange approaching madness; then 
 Daniel fearlessly exhorted him to break off his sins and 
 show mercy to the poor. 
 
 For a whole year Asaph feared each moment the fulfill 
 ment of the dream, for Daniel had never erred in such in 
 terpretations. 
 
 At hist one day, as Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his 
 palace, leaning on Asaph s arm, he looked from this high 
 ground over his beautiful city the city that had so aston 
 ished the Israelites by its magnificence that they had
 
 ASAPH. 213 
 
 almost ceased to grieve for their own land. There, on the 
 one hand, was the gorgeous Temple of Bel-Merodach and 
 the smaller palace; there the Euphrates flashing in the 
 sun; nearer, the beautiful hanging gardens he had built 
 for his loved Amyitis towered in the air; there the great 
 pools and canals he had built; yonder, in the distance, the 
 vast fields and forests inclosed within the city s mighty 
 walls; each house and palace had its beautiful garden, and 
 the picture might well excite his pride he who had done 
 so much for Babylon in the art of beautiful and stupend 
 ous building, painting, sculpture, and the sister arts and 
 sciences. So he exclaimed, with perhaps too much pride 
 for one whom God had so helped to prosper, and taking 
 too much credit to himself for that which, without Divine 
 aid, he could never have accomplished: 
 
 " Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the 
 house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for 
 the honor of my majesty?"* 
 
 Then the voice of his doom broke from the clouds, and 
 the king went mad. 
 
 Away off those beautiful fields, where he had gazed with 
 delight a few moments before, he was driven on his hands 
 and feet like a beast of the wilderness, and Asaph tended 
 him day and night. 
 
 He would eat no food but grass and edible roots that 
 grew in the fields, and his robes were torn to shreds, and 
 his hair grew long also upon his poor body, and his nails 
 became claws. But Asaph kept him out of the sight of 
 men, and wept and prayed continually. 
 
 * Daniel, iv Chapter, 30 verse.
 
 214 ASAPH. 
 
 The beauty of his majesty was changed; he knew not 
 those he loved, and Asaph s task made lines of sorrow on 
 his glorious beauty. 
 
 Thus seven years passed away, when one morning, as 
 Asa ph. was on his knees praying, he noticed the king 
 standing upright and wavching him. Suddenly Nebuchad 
 nezzar fell down beside him and cried: 
 
 " 1 bless the Most Hi^h, and 1 praise and honor Him 
 that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting do 
 minion, and His kingdom is from generation to genera 
 tion. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as 
 nothing, and He doeth according to His will in the army of 
 Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none 
 can stay His hand or say unto Him, What dost thou?"* 
 
 Asaph fell on his face, and gave thanks to God for the 
 king s return to reason. He dressed him in his kingly gar 
 ments, and arranged his hair and made him like himself 
 again. 
 
 The Babylonians received their recovered king with de 
 light, and his reign was brighter and happier than ever, 
 for now he believed in the one true God, and tried to turn 
 his people to the same faith, and glory and honors accu 
 mulated unto him. 
 
 Not long after he fell asleep, full of yearsf and great 
 works, such a king as the world had never seen before, 
 and such a one as it will not see in time to come. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar was buried with great magnificence, 
 and odors and spices were burned for him, and all Baby 
 lon mourned for many days. 
 
 * Dauicl, vi Chapter, 31 verso. f About c-ighty,
 
 ASAPH. 215 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 HAGGITH WARNS ASAPH OF THE CONSPIRACY. 
 
 AFTER the magnificent ceremonies of mourning for the 
 king, great Nebuchadnezzar, and the scarcely less impos 
 ing splendors of the coronation of his son Enil-Merodach, 
 had passed, Babylon resumed its usual appearance. 
 
 Asaph had been the loved darling of the great king, his 
 plaything, his beautiful boy; but he was loved by his son 
 as a companion, and from his earliest residence at the pal 
 ace he had spent a few moments each day with the gentle 
 Enil-Merodach. Together they had visited the young im 
 prisoned kings, and when poor, blind Zedekiah had sick 
 ened and died, and Nebuchadnezzar had given him a 
 grand funeral, as became a king, the two young friends 
 had wept bitterly, and then taken the young Jeconiah into 
 their hearts, and all these years they had been fast but 
 secret friends. 
 
 Now, when Enil-Merodach came to the great dignity of 
 reigning over mighty Babylon, his first thought was of his 
 friends. He advanced Asaph to the highest honors, and 
 liberated Jeconiah from prison, and did all in his power to 
 make him forget his unhappy past and the injustice done 
 him; so he set his throne above all the other captive kings, 
 and showed him much honor. 
 
 Many of the Babylonians had turned to God after the 
 miraculous conversion of Nebuchadnezzar, so these gentle
 
 216 ASAPH. 
 
 friends passed many hours together, conversing about the 
 wonderful, the merciful Jehovah, and how to continue His 
 work. Elia would steal in and with one hand in her 
 brother s clasp, and the other in her husband s, she was a 
 happy woman, and her radiant face inspired them to noble 
 deeds and thrice-noble thoughts. 
 
 But this happiness was not destined to be of long dura 
 tion, for many of the Babylonians were jealous and envi 
 ous of the favorites, and stirred up the people against 
 them. 
 
 The king was accused of many things foreign to his 
 gentle nature, and a conspiracy was formed against his 
 life. 
 
 One night, when Asaph was teaching the Jews and the 
 secret converts among the Babylonians in one of the hid 
 den underground places for the greater part of the peo 
 ple despised the religion and practices of the Hebrews, so 
 they had to bo extremely cautious lest a disaffected person 
 should gain an entrance and betray them a peculiar 
 knock was heard. 
 
 It was midnight; the lesson was ended, and all were 
 prostrate on the floor in prayer. In a moment they were 
 on their feet with drawn swords in their hands. 
 
 " Tis not the perfect knock, oh, master!" said a dark- 
 skinned Chaldean. 
 
 The knock was repeated. After a pause, Asaph said: 
 
 " AVho is it that wishes entrance here?" 
 
 u I would speak with Asaph, the Israelite, oh, mas 
 ter!" replied a woman s voice.
 
 ASAPH. 217 
 
 In a moment the swords were sheathed aud the door un 
 barred. A veiled figure entered. 
 
 " 1 would speak with thee alone," she said, her exposed 
 eyes glancing in fear at the others. 
 
 At a motion from Asaph they stole silently away, and 
 they two were alone. 
 
 Throwing her veil from her face, she said: 
 
 " Dost thou not know me, master?" 
 
 x\saph looked at her searchingly, then slowly shook his 
 head. 
 
 " Ay! I m not the comely damsel I was when I sold 
 flowers in the market-place/ she said, with a short, bitter 
 laugh. 
 
 " Ilaggith!" 
 
 " Ay, thou mayst well look in pity on my poor scarred 
 face! I ve had a hard master, and for years have been a 
 prisoner. But tis not of that I would speak. Thou art 
 the friend of the king. His life is in danger!" 
 
 " Ah! How knowest thou that?" 
 
 " My master had company at his house to-night. 
 While serving wine, 1 heard thy name mentioned, and 
 when he saw me listening he drove me from the room with 
 blows; but I hid and heard all their wicked plans. They 
 are going to kill the king, aud thy life, too, is in danger. 
 They spoke the day and the hour, but I could not under 
 stand all the words in their cursed heathen tongue. But 
 hasten, for it may even now be too late!" 
 
 " How didst thou find me?" 
 
 " Dost forget? I loved thee once; tis no sin to tell 
 thee now, with this marred face and whitening hair. He
 
 218 ASAPH. 
 
 did it when I was young, in jealous rage. Ah! but he is 
 a brutal master! I escaped him, though, to save thy life; 
 but" 
 
 She tottered and would have fallen but he caught her 
 and thus discovered her arm was broken. 
 
 " Tis nothing. I did not know the window was so 
 high. " 
 
 " Come, Haggith, to where 1 live, and thou shalt have 
 my good wife s teuderest care/ 
 
 "What! The Princess Elia! Nay, nay! I will go 
 back to my brute; 1 am used to him, and and But has" 
 ten thou!" 
 
 " Come, poor Haggith!" 
 
 " Nay, 1 will not. Save thy friend. Farewell!" 
 
 And she was gone out into the midnight darkness. 
 
 Asaph hurried to the palace. He had not forgotten the 
 (rick of his boyhood, and ran like a deer. 
 
 It was past midnight, and the palace was in utter dark 
 ness, save the windows of the king s chamber. 
 
 Asaph hurried to a secret door, known only to himself 
 and a few trusted friends of the king. As he traversed 
 the long, dark passages that led to it he heard subdued 
 sounds of strife, which increased as he came nearer. 
 
 " Help, help! in Jehovah s name!" 
 
 It was the voice of the king, but no one answered, no 
 help carne. 
 
 " Where are the guards?" Asaph muttered. " Oh, 
 God! oh, Father, help! Are they all turned traitors?" 
 
 Now he was at the door, but it resisted all his efforts to 
 open it. The cries of distress were more pitiful. What
 
 ASA PH. 219 
 
 should he do? In the dark it was difficult to find the 
 secret spring, but love quickened all his senses, and when 
 the despairing cry of " Asaph, my friend, save me!" came 
 to his ears, he struck his body with all his force against 
 the door; it yielded, and in a moment he had entered and 
 thrown himself in front of the king, who was defending 
 himself against several assailants, conspirators against his 
 life and throne, the chief of whom Asaph instantly recog 
 nized. 
 
 " Ah, Neriglissar, thou traitor! Wouklst kill thy lord 
 and brother?" 
 
 With that he seized a triangular stool, the legs of which 
 were heavily incased with gold, and struck at him. Ho 
 sprung quickly aside, but did not altogether escape the 
 blow, which fell on his left hand, making him wild with 
 pain. 
 
 " Ha! the curse of Nebo light on thee, thou impious 
 Israelite!" he cried, striking wi dly with his sword, which, 
 being short, failed to do Asaph any injury. 
 
 " How darest thou, slave, to raise thy hand against our 
 leader?" cried Nabonardius, aiming a fierce blow at 
 Asaph s still glorious, golden-wreathed head; but he was 
 as, agile as in the days of his youth, so, dropping the stool, 
 he grasped his assailant before he recovered from the im 
 petus of his unavailing blow, and threw him to the floor. 
 Then the other assailants rushed to the rescue and Asaph 
 and Enil-Merodach had to use all their force to defend 
 themselves. But they were so valiant and held their lives 
 so dear that for awhile the contest seemed doubtful. 
 
 Asaph had never weakened himself with wine and
 
 220 ASAPH. 
 
 women, and had never ceased since his boyhood to exer 
 cise each day, so that he was a match for more than one 
 of these Babylonians whose constant drunken revels had 
 weakened and enervated them. 
 
 Again and again he threw one of the conspirators, then 
 seizing the stool, he struck right and left and called: 
 
 "Escape, oh, king! thy enemies are well-nigh van 
 quished!" 
 
 But before Enil-Merodach could reach the secret door, 
 several of the conspirators had revived from the confusion 
 of their blows and rushed after the fleeing king. Asaph 
 threw himself before him, but quick as a flash Neriglissar 
 thrust his short, thick sword between Asaph s arm and 
 body, cutting his flesh and pinning the king to the wall. 
 
 " Escape I die!" cried the king, falling forward, dead- 
 Asaph paused a moment in horror at the sight, then cried: 
 
 " The vengeance of Jehovah light on thee forever, thou 
 impious murderer!" and disappeared through the secret 
 door, which closed fast behind him.
 
 ASAPH. 221 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 A NEW MYSTEKY. 
 
 FEOM this time Asaph disappeared from public sight 
 together with his wife and family and his choicest house 
 hold treasures. 
 
 Day and night the conspirators sought for him, but in 
 vain, and Neriglissar now being king, chafed and fretted 
 on his throne. 
 
 Asaph had taken up his abode in one of those under 
 ground places that he knew so well, and had had it en 
 larged and beautified, but the entrance he kept secret by 
 blindfolding the workmen. Many a night he sallied forth, 
 disguised, and no man knew him. 
 
 Once in his early manhood Nebuchadnezzar had allowed 
 him, as a great favor, to go to Egypt for a short time, and 
 there he had visited Jeremiah and obtained from him 
 copies of his prophecies and fragments of the writings of 
 those who had preceded him. Since his friend, " the 
 great king s " death, having his time less peremptorily de 
 manded, he had studied these writings night and day. 
 
 One night, after many months of thought and prayer 
 over certain passages, when he was well-nigh worn out and 
 exhausted with his mental efforts to dispel the darkness 
 that hung over the words so that he should understand 
 them as the great Jehovah intended, his mind became 
 suddenly illuminated, a glorious refulgence seemed to fill
 
 222 ASAPH. 
 
 his soul, and his whole life became transfigured, and his 
 ecstasy was too great to be borne alone, so he hastened to 
 hie beloved Elia and initiated her into this grand mystery. 
 Then his heart yearned for his captive brethren to receive 
 the glorious tidings, and to enjoy with him the blessings 
 of this everlasting hope. 
 
 He went among them secretly, enjoining the greatest 
 caution, for this blessed mystery, too great and marvelous 
 for aught but graybeards to understand, must not be hid 
 den any more in dark receptacle of moldy books for fear 
 of their stern masters, warned by babbling tongues. No, 
 the Hope was for them and those who would believe with 
 them; but in the gladness of their hearts they must not be 
 too free. 
 
 It was the mystery of mysteries they were about to 
 learn the name they* had been taught in their childhood 
 as too sacred and awful to utter even to the winds was to 
 become manifest in the flesh.
 
 ASAPH. 223 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 THE WEDGE OF GOLD. 
 
 THREE years passed on. Kerig issar had added new 
 beauties to the great city, especially in his grand palace, 
 one of the most superb buildings ever erected. Dying in 
 peace with the surrounding country, he left his kingdom 
 to his son Laborosoarchod, a young boy of quick, passion 
 ate temper. As his father had obtained his throne by 
 treachery and murder, so his son lost his power and life by 
 the same means. A feeble pretext of his bad disposjtion 
 gave his enemies an opportunity of torturing him to death 
 by beating, and placing the arch-conspirator Nabonardius 
 upon the throne. 
 
 These events were watched closely by the hiding, busy 
 Asaph, who was eagerly expecting the coming of the 
 " wedge of gold " who was to rebuild his sacredly loved 
 Temple, and send his captive nation back to dear Jerusa 
 lem laden with gifts of gold and many precious things. 
 
 The new light he had received and was trying with all 
 the energy of conviction to disseminate among his breth 
 ren had convulsed the Jewish people to the foundation of 
 their faith; some believed and some were ready to pour the 
 molten fire of their wrath on Asaph s devoted head. But 
 he did not flinch; ever gentle, ever consistent, he would 
 press his arguments, read to them the prophecies, pray 
 and exhort, still the believers were but few.
 
 224: ASAPH. 
 
 " What will this mystery do for us here in Babylon?" 
 some cried. " Will the sweat pour less from our brows 
 by the diminishing of our labor, or will our food be more 
 plenteous and dainty?" "Will our country be restored 
 to us?" cried others. 
 
 " Wait, wait till the coming of God s Shepherd; He will 
 restore us our glory; then we will worship the great Jeho 
 vah in His own Temple; only wait, dear brothers." 
 
 This was Asaph s constant entreaty. 
 
 " Wait! wait! That is still thy cry! We are tired of 
 it; the grave itself will receive our worn-out bodies before 
 that time. " 
 
 " Yes, if thy new-found mystery could ease us from 
 our present troubles, it were well to hearken and believe; 
 but to wait and watch and sutler for a myth, no, no." 
 
 And some would curse him; and but for his calm dig 
 nity would have plucked him by the beard. Still he did 
 not cease from His Father s work, for was he not one of 
 the sons of God? 
 
 Years passed on. Kumors of war filled the air, and 
 with them came the name of Cyrus. 
 
 " Ah! the wedge of gold!" cried Asaph. 
 
 Now nightly the place of meeting was crowded by the 
 half-believing Israelites. The old men faintly remembered 
 years and years ago hearing of the Prophet Isaiah, and 
 when Asaph read his writings to them, mentioning the 
 very name of their deliverer, their old eyes sparkled, and 
 the younger ones soon caught their enthusiasm, and so it 
 spread and spread, so that soon there was fifty thousand 
 disaffected people in and around Babylon who wished sue-
 
 AS A PH. 225 
 
 cess to the Persian king. Still years passed away before 
 any decisive battle was fought. Babylon was fortified so 
 strongly that it seemed impossible to the waiting Israelites 
 that their deliverer could ever enter to set them free; but 
 their prophet had foretold this very name over two hun 
 dred years before, so they believed and worshiped God and 
 
 waited. 
 
 ******* 
 
 Night had fallen on Babylon, so beautiful, so peaceful 
 that no one would have believed that outside her walls a 
 mighty army was creeping to her overthrow. 
 
 The palace windows sparkled with light, and inside all 
 was joy and revelry. But the young king associate with 
 his father on the throne was impious in his vanity of 
 power, for his father was absent defending some other 
 portion of his kingdom; so ordering the holy vessels of the 
 Temple service to be brought, he laughed and drank wine 
 out of their sacred depths and gave them to his favorites 
 and concubines, and the jests and mirth ran high, and 
 they derided the God of Israel, and laughed Him to scorn 
 for this was a great religious festival and thus the king 
 sought to please his gods. 
 
 Suddenly the terrible fingers wrote upon the wall 
 " Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin!" The light from the 
 candles shone upon the words brighter and brighter until 
 they seemed to be written in letters of fire. 
 
 The king was frightened. What could this mean? His 
 great Xebo, or Morodach, or Bel, had never thus pro 
 claimed their wishes, or given forth their prophecies. He 
 immediately consulted his magicians, soothsayers, and wise 
 
 8
 
 men. His priests too were celebrating this great festival 
 in different parts of the city, but most of thorn were wild 
 with religious frenzy, or sunk in drunken folly with the 
 people, so he obtained no answer to his anxious inquiries. 
 
 At last the old queen mother ^Nitoeris bade Belsha/xar 
 summon the wise Daniel. He came, and courteously de 
 clining all gifts, revealed to the terrified king that his 
 power had departed, and his kingdom was at an end for 
 Daniel knew by his prophets that Cyrus was to be their 
 deliverer, and this the year of the long looked-for event. 
 ******* 
 
 High upon an embankment stood a majestic figure, 
 with flowing hair and beard, watching the silent city. 
 The noise of revelry had gradually ceased as the votaries 
 had sunk in drunken stupor or were busy clearing a\vay 
 the immense amount of food offerings the infatuated peo 
 ple had placed before their gods, and storing them in 
 safety for their own use. 
 
 The heart of the silent watcher ached at this universal 
 idolatry, this impiousness to his Divine Father for the 
 heart of Asaph was as tender as of old. Suddenly his 
 gaxe became attracted to the great river. What was the 
 matter? The waters were diminishing, not slowly, as by 
 nature, but as if its bottom were a sieve. Thould he in 
 form the officers of the guard;* ^ot a single sentry was 
 on duty. Was it the earthquake coming to destroy them 
 all before Cyrus came and set them free? 
 
 His gaze was fascinated. Lower and lower sunk the 
 river, and the sounds of revelry ceased one by one till the
 
 ASA PH. 227* 
 
 silence became oppressive. Lower still the waters fell, till 
 here and there the rocks and rubbish of the bottom shone 
 clearly in the moonlight, and then, as he watched, he saw 
 moving specters arise as it were from the river bed, and 
 gathering at the landing-places, opened the river-gates, 
 and formed into column after column of stalwart, well- 
 armed men! 
 
 " Ah, it is the wedge of gold! he cried. " Praised be 
 .Jehovah s name!" and he hastened to meet the Persian 
 monarch. Prostrating himself thrice before him he cried, 
 " Blessed be thou, thou shepherd of the liviug God! I am 
 thy servant; and thousands of my people will bless thy 
 coming!" 
 
 Cyrus accepted this as a good omen, and graciously 
 raised Asaph, assuring him that not one hair of his people 
 should be injured he was their friend, appointed by God 
 as their deliverer. 
 
 But now some of the guards were aroused, and ran with 
 the terrible news to the palace. 
 
 Belshazzar was terror-stricken, and repented too late his 
 wicked blasphemy of Israel s God. 
 
 Asaph sped to the Jewish quarters and aroused them, 
 and they notified others, till soon an immense inside army 
 joined their deliverer. 
 
 The king in his palace shook with fear. " Mono, niene, 
 takel, upharsin," rang in his ears; the writing on the wall 
 seared his eyes; his trembling limbs could scarcely support 
 him; the mysterious hand seemed to grasp his heart; the 
 door burst open and the Persian soldiers pierced him with 
 many sword-thrusts through the heart, even where he
 
 228 ASA PH. 
 
 stood with the vessels of the Temple service scattered all 
 about him. 
 
 Outside the streets were wet with blood, and fires lighted 
 up the sky, and all was horror and confusion.
 
 ASAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 
 
 THE Temple had been rebuilt with much pain and an 
 guish and sore disappointments, and the walls of Jerusa 
 lem once more shut in the chosen people to worship the 
 great Jehovah after their own hearts and the laws given 
 them by their first leader, the great Moses. 
 
 The Feast of Harvest had arrived, and all was peace and 
 joy in dear Jerusalem. 
 
 At the door of his cottage sat an old man; his venerable 
 white beard reached far below his waist, and the curls of 
 snow upon his brow were like pale silver aureoles shedding 
 their luster upon all around; at his feet and by his knees 
 his children and children s children stood and listened as 
 he told them yet again the wondrous story. Elia, still the 
 princess, leaned upon his shoulder. Suddenly his face bo- 
 came illuminated, and his voice became as angelic music to 
 their ears. 
 
 Children, believe and teach to our dear people that 
 (iod will send His Son to redeem the world, and there 
 shall thenceforward be a reign of peace and charity and 
 love; for He that cometh shall be called Wonderful, the 
 Lamb of God, the Prince of Peace." 
 
 And thus the gentle Asaph fell asleep.
 
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 11(3. ipnilCCSS Sungblnc BY MRS. J. II. RIDDEI.L 
 
 This last novel by this popular authoress, among the recent 
 issues in Lovell s International Series, fully sustains the character 
 of this, the most popular series of novels ever published. 
 
 Mrs. Riddell is a very clever woman, and she puts "brains" into 
 all her work. " Princess Sunshine" is full of attractiveness. The 
 heroine is charming and the family life of the Gifford s is capitally 
 sketched. Charleston News. 
 
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 1 1 7. Sloane Square Scan&al BY ANNIE THOMAS 
 
 She tells a trivial story very well, and draws men and women 
 of the purely conventional sort with considerable skill. News, 
 Charleston. 
 
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 1 1 8. ftbe yiiflbt of tbe 3r& "gilt. BY H. F. WOOD 
 
 An exceedingly interesting story of London life, with strongly 
 marked and well drawn characters, and pleasing dialogue, which, 
 combined with the interest of a well laid plot, make it one of the 
 best of recent novels. 
 
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 1 1 9. Quite Bnotbcr Storg BY J KAN LNGELOW 
 
 It is not generally known that Jean Ingelow, whose poetry has 
 found an echoing chord in almost every heart among the English- 
 speaking race, is still living in England, a delightful, white-haired 
 old lady, who is still engaged in literary pursuits. The John W. 
 Lovell Co. have issued, by special arrangement with her, a volume 
 entitled " Quite Another Story," the tone of which is quite in accord 
 with her delightful poems, and which must be read to be thor 
 oughly appreciated. 
 
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 120. t)Cart Of (3ol& iW 1_. i . MEADE 
 
 Adaptibility and sympathy are two prominent qualities of L. T. 
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 121. tlbe "CdorD and Ebe lUill - BY JAMES PAYN 
 
 One of the most prolific writers in the literary life of London is 
 James Payn. Almost every year chronicles a new book from his 
 pen, but rapidity of execution with him does not mean want of care 
 for the merit of the production. He is a writer of most excellent 
 English, which it is a pleasure to read, aside from the interest 
 aroused by the plot of his stories. 
 
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 122. IDumpS BY MRS. LOUISA PARR 
 
 A healthy, interesting and well-told story, easy to read and 
 belongs to a class of which we find only too few of among the 
 novels of the present day. 
 
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 124. CbC Great flMll Street flftggterg BY ADKLINE SERGEANT 
 
 "The Great Mill St. Mystery," by Adeline Sargeant, is a story 
 which holds the readers interest until the end, a sort of old-fash 
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 ing conversation. Omaha Excelsior. 
 
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 125. JBetWCen XlfC anfr IDcatb BY FRANK BARRETT 
 
 Barrett s reputation as a writer of stories is taking first rank. 
 His stories are exciting and thoroughly original. St. Louis Republic 
 
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 DATE DUE 
 
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