My Dear Father:
I seize my pen, which I laid down an hour ago in order to follow to
his burial the son of our hostess, to recount to you one of the most
extraordinary things which ever happened. I fear my trembling fingers
will scarcely express legibly what I have to tell you.
When the burial train of Samuel had formed to go to the grave, the
deep grief of poor Ruth overcame her wholly and I led her to her room,
where she sank insensible upon her couch. I could not leave her in her
situation, and the procession went forth from the house without me.
As the funeral train passed the lattice, it seemed endless, but at
length it passed by, and I was left alone with the motionless Ruth. As
I gazed on the marble countenance of the bereaved maiden, I could not
but pray that she might never recover from her swoon, to revive to the
bitter realization of her loss.
Suddenly I heard a great shout. I started and hastened to the lattice.
It was repeated louder and with a glad tone. It seemed to come from
beyond the city walls, and from a hundred voices raised in unison. I
knew that the house-top overlooked the walls, and seeing Ruth moved
not, I ascended rapidly to the parapet, the shouts and glad cries still
increasing as I went up. Upon reaching the flat roof and stepping on
the parapet, I saw coming along the street towards the house, with the
speed of the antelope, Elec, our Gibeonite slave. He was waving his
hands wildly, and crying out something which I could not distinctly
hear. Behind him I saw two youths running also, appearing to be the
bearers of some great tidings.
I knew something wonderful must have occurred, but could not divine
what it could be. On looking towards the gate, from which direction
the shouts at intervals continued to approach, I discovered on the
hillside of the cemetery many people crowded together, and evidently
surrounding some person in their midst, for the whole order of the
procession was broken up. The bier I could not discern, nor could I
comprehend how the solemnity of the march of the funeral train was
suddenly changed to a confused multitude, rending the sky with loud
acclamations. The whole body of people was pressing back towards the
city. The persons whom I had first seen running along the street, now
made themselves audible as they drew nigher.
"He is alive! He is alive!" shouted Elec.
"He has risen from the dead!" cried the young man next behind him.
"He lives, and is walking back to the city!" called the third.
"Who--who is alive?" I eagerly demanded of Elec, as he passed beneath
the parapet. "What is this shouting, O Elec?"
He looked up to me with a face expressive of the keenest delight, mixed
with awe, and said:
"Young Rabbi Samuel is come to life! He is no longer dead! You will
soon see him, for they are escorting him back to the city, and
everybody is mad with joy. Where is Ruth, the maiden? I am come to tell
her the glorious news."
With emotion that I cannot describe, hardly believing what I heard,
I hastened to Ruth, in order to prevent the effects of too sudden
joy. Upon reaching the apartment, I found that the voice of Elec, who
had shouted the news of which he was the bearer into her ears, had
aroused her from her stupor of grief. She was looking at him wildly and
incomprehensively. I ran to her, and folding her in my arms, said:
"Dear Ruth, there is news--good news! It must be true! Hear the shouts
of gladness in all the town!"
"Lives!" she repeated, shaking her head. "No--no--no! Yes, there!" she
said, raising her beautiful, glittering eyes to heaven and pointing
upward.
"But on earth also!" cried Elec, with positiveness. "I saw him sit up,
and heard him speak, as well as ever he was!"
"How was it? Let me know all!" I cried.
"How? Who could have done such a miracle but the mighty Prophet we saw
at Jerusalem!" he answered.
"Jesus?" I exclaimed, with joy.
"Who else could it be. Yes, he met the bier just outside the-- But here
they come!"
Elec was interrupted in his narrative by the increased noise of voices
in the streets and the tramp of hundreds of feet. The next moment the
room was filled with a crowd of the most excited persons, some weeping,
some laughing, as if beside themselves. In their midst I beheld Samuel
walking, alive and well! his mother clinging to him, like a vine upon
an oak.
"Where is Ruth?" he cried. "Oh, where is she! Let me make her happy
with my presence!"