The Little Maid of Israel Read online

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  The Little Maid of Israel.

  BY

  Emma Howard Wight.

  SECOND EDITION

  ST. LOUIS, MO., 1910 PUBLISHED BY B. HERDER 17 SOUTH BROADWAY FREIBURG (BADEN) LONDON, W. C. GERMANY 68, GREAT RUSSELL ST.

  Copyright, 1900, by Jos. Gummersbach.

  -- BECKTOLD -- PRINTING AND BOOK MFG. CO. ST. LOUIS, MO.

  THE LITTLE MAID OF ISRAEL.

  BY EMMA HOWARD WIGHT.

  CHAPTER I.

  In the Land of Israel, not a great distance from the city of Samaria,dwelt Ezra with his wife, Sarah, and their two children, Isaac andLeah. The sun was sinking behind the hills as Ezra and Sarah sat beforethe door of their humble dwelling resting after the labors of the day.On a couch in the doorway reclined a youth with a pale, sickly face andemaciated limbs. Isaac, the eldest-born of Ezra and Sarah, had beena cripple from birth. His eyes, dull and languid from constant pain,tired and sad, were fixed eagerly upon the wide white road stretchingaway in the distance until it was lost among the hills.

  At length, with an impatient sigh, he turned his pale, wan face towardshis mother and said:

  "See, mother, the sun has nearly set; why tarryeth Leah so long? 'Twasbut sunrise when she did set out for Samaria, surely she should havereturned ere this."

  "Thou dost forget, my son, that thy sister had much to do in Samaria,"replied Sarah, soothingly. "First to dispose of the fruits and then topurchase necessities for our household; also the ass of our neighborbeing old and stiff, can travel but slowly."

  "All that thou urgeth be true, mother," exclaimed the lad, petulantly."But my sister has ever the same tasks, still she always returnedfrom Samaria before the setting of the sun. I fear that some ill hathbefallen her," and his lip quivered with pain while his large, softeyes dilated with fear.

  "How now, lad! why dost thou frighten thy mother with thy sicklyfancies?" cried Ezra, impatiently, as Sarah's cheek grew pale. "Whatill could have befallen thy sister?"

  "She may have fallen into the hands of the Syrians, whom thou knowethdo make raids into our country and carry off captives," answered thelad, tremulously. "Oh, if I were only as other lads these burdensshould not fall upon the weak shoulders of a maiden. 'Twould be I whowould journey into Samaria with the fruits," and tears of bitter painand humiliation filled his eyes.

  Sarah leaned forward and gently smoothed back the dark, curling hairfrom his white brow.

  "Speak not thus, my son," she murmured, with infinite tenderness. "Thymother loveth thee but the more tenderly because of thy affliction,and well dost thou know how thy sister's heart yearneth over thee."

  A faint smile touched the lad's pale lips.

  "Ah, mother," he said, "it is wicked of me to repine at my afflictionwhen thou and my sister, Leah, do love me so well. But, oh, mother, ifI were but strong and whole," and, covering his face with his hands, hesobbed aloud.

  "Look up, lad, and dry thy tears, for yonder cometh our Leah," criedEzra.

  With an exclamation of joy, Isaac obeyed, and, lifting himself eagerlyupon his elbow, watched with joyous eyes, the slow approach of an assupon which was seated a maiden.

  Ezra went forward and lifted her to the ground.

  "Leah! sister! thou art come at last!" cried Isaac.

  She ran to the couch and bent over him; his weak arms clasped her neck,his eyes looked lovingly into her face.

  The brother and sister had the same fine-cut features and beautiful,soft, dark eyes, but the lad's face was white and wan, while the richbloom of health colored the cheeks and lips of the maiden. Her darkhair, curly and silken, fell to her waist; she was slenderly built, buterect, graceful and quick of movement.

  "Why didst thou tarry so long, my child?" asked Sarah. "Thy brother hassorely fretted, fearing that some ill had befallen thee."

  "I am sorry that thou didst fret, brother," said the maiden, bending tokiss his pale brow.

  "Hadst thou trouble in disposing of the fruits, maiden?" asked Ezra.

  "No, dear father," replied Leah, turning towards him with a smile. "Iwas but a little while selling the fruits and making the purchases formy mother."

  "Then it was the slowness of our neighbor's ass which did delay thee,"said Ezra.

  "I will tell thee, father, why I did tarry so long in Samaria," saidthe maiden. "They were talking in Samaria of the wonders wrought by theprophet, Elisha, and I lingered to listen. 'Twas of his last miraclethat they did speak. Father, mother, brother, knoweth thou that theprophet, Elisha, hath power to raise the dead to life?"

  She paused and turned her eyes upon the helpless form of the cripplelad while the color deepened upon her cheek and her breath camequickly. Isaac spoke not, but, as his eyes met his sister's, theylighted with passionate eagerness and a long, panting sigh left hislips.

  "What sayeth thou, maiden, that the prophet, Elisha, hath power toraise the dead to life?" cried Ezra, wonderingly and incredulously.

  "Yes, father," answered Leah. "Listen, and I will tell to thee whatI heard in Samaria. There is a woman in Shunem who didst bear to herhusband in his old age a son. This woman, who is charitable and good,is well known to Elisha. Indeed she had prepared a chamber for himin her home where he did rest and take refreshment when he travelledon foot from place to place. One morning, when the woman's child wasbut five years of age, he went into the field where his father wasgathering in the harvest, and, there, he suddenly sickened from theheat of the sun. They carried him to his mother, she held him in herarms and, after some hours, he died. She took him up to the littlechamber where the prophet had rested and laid him upon the bed. Then,commanding the servant to saddle an ass, she set out to seek Elisha whowas at Mount Carmel.

  "Elisha, standing upon the summit, near the altar of Jehovah, saw hera-far off, for he sent his servant to inquire if all were well withher. But the woman would herself speak with the prophet, and, fallingat his feet, did tell him that her son was dead. Elisha then returnedwith the woman to Shunem and shut himself into the room with the deadchild. After a little while he called his servant and told him tosummon the mother, and, when she did come into the room, Elisha said toher, 'Take up thy child,' and the child was risen from the dead."

  The little maid ceased speaking, and throwing herself on her kneesbeside the couch, put her arms gently about Isaac's frail form.

  "Sister," murmured the lad, touching tenderly with his thin fingers thecurling hair which fell upon her shoulders, "I know the thoughts in thytender heart. Thou art thinking that if this great prophet hath powerto raise the dead to life, then also hath he the power to make strongand straight these poor limbs of mine. Tell me, dear sister, are notthese thy thoughts?"

  "Yes! ah, indeed, yes!" cried the maiden, in a voice of passionatetenderness and yearning. "But I did not wish thee to know what was inmy heart until I had spoken with our parents."

  She arose and turned towards Ezra and Sarah. Both regarded her insilence; Ezra, pale and grave, Sarah, with tears in her eyes.

  "Father, wilt thou give me leave to seek the prophet, Elisha, whodwelleth in Samaria that I may beg of him to heal my brother?" askedthe maiden.

  "Dost thou believe, maiden, that the wonderful things they relate ofthis Elisha be true?" asked Ezra.

  Into the maiden's soft eyes there crept a troubled look.

  "Oh, dear father speak not thus," she cried, imploringly. "Surely thouknoweth that unless we have faith, nothing will be granted unto us. Whyshouldst thou or I doubt the wonders imputed to Elisha, for is he not aholy man of God?"

  "Thou art only a maiden, but thou speaketh words of wisdom which d
orebuke thy father," said Ezra. "Tell me, my son," turning to Isaac,"dost thou also believe that this man, Elisha, hath power to heal thee,who art from thy birth a cripple?"

  The lad looked, smiling, up into his father's face.

  "Yes, father, I do indeed believe that Elisha hath power to heal me,"he replied. "Even though he had not raised the dead to life still wouldmy faith in him be great, for, as Leah sayeth, he be a holy man of God."

  Ezra moved forward and laid his hand on the maiden's dark head.

  "Thy brother also hath great faith," he said. "Thou shalt seek Elishain Samaria and make known to him thy desire."

  Leah caught her father's hand and raised it to her lips.

  "I thank thee, my father," she murmured.

  "Dost thou think that Elisha will harken to thy request?" asked Ezra.

  "I am sure that he will, for Elisha never turneth a deaf ear to thesorrowful and the afflicted," answered Leah. "Father, when may Ijourney to Samaria and seek the prophet?"

  "Nay, nay, have patience, maiden," said Ezra. "We will talk of thatlater, now 'tis time to prepare the evening meal. Assist thy mother,while I go forth and feed our neighbor's ass."

  He turned away.

  The sun had set, but a faint flush of crimson still lingered in thewest. The ass stood patiently, with drooping head.

  A light flashed out from the low doorway. Ezra, as he fed and wateredthe tired beast, could see his wife and daughter moving about within;also the form of the cripple lad stretched upon the couch. Would thatwan cheek ever glow with health? mused Ezra. That weak body be uprightand sturdy, those helpless limbs strong and straight?

  "From his birth hath he been a cripple, sickly and helpless," murmuredEzra. "But surely this man who hath power even to raise the dead tolife can heal a cripple lad."

  "Father! father!"

  Leah stood in the doorway, her cheeks the color of roses, the nightbreeze lifting her heavy curls, her soft eyes gazing forth into thegathering shadows.

  "Come, dear father, the evening meal is ready," she said.

  The day's tasks were done. Isaac, exhausted with the emotions andexcitement of the day, slept heavily upon his couch. Ezra and Sarah satin the doorway and the little maid lay upon the ground at their feet,with her curly head resting against her mother's knee.

  "Art thou fatigued with thy journey, maiden?" asked Sarah, touchingcaressingly Leah's rose-flushed cheek.

  "Fatigued!" repeated the maiden, with a smile. "No, dear mother, thyLeah is young and strong; 'tis only the poor old ass that is weary."

  Ezra sat buried in thought. Now and again the little maid glancedwistfully up into his face. She longed passionately to learn when itwas his will for her to seek the prophet in Samaria, but it neveroccurred to her to question her father or manifest any signs ofimpatience.

  A silence fell upon the three. Sarah thought that the little maid hadfallen asleep, so still she lay, but, as Ezra suddenly roused himselfand spoke, Leah, sat upright, her eyes eagerly seeking his face acrosswhich the light from within fell.

  "Maiden," said Ezra, "I have been considering the matter of thy seekingthe prophet, Elisha, in Samaria. When ten days have passed the fruitswill again have ripened; then will I borrow the ass of our neighborand thou shalt journey to Samaria. When thou hast sold thy fruits thoucanst seek the prophet, Elisha."

  Leah's eyes filled with tears, her lips quivered, she was bitterlydisappointed. To wait ten days when she hoped and longed to start withthe coming dawn for Samaria.

  "Thou didst hear me, maiden?" said Ezra, as she did not speak.

  "Yes, my father," she replied, as she wiped away her tears. "'Tis thywill that I again journey to Samaria when ten days shall have passed."

  "Such is my will," said Ezra.

  The little maid laid her head again upon her mother's lap and looked,with longing, wistful eyes, into the darkness towards Samaria.