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 and
Leah. The sun was sinking behind the hills as Ezra and Sarah sat before
the 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 and
emaciated limbs. Isaac, the eldest-born of Ezra and Sarah, had been
a cripple from birth. His eyes, dull and languid from constant pain,
tired and sad, were fixed eagerly upon the wide white road stretching
away in the distance until it was lost among the hills.
At length, with an impatient sigh, he turned his pale, wan face towards
his mother and said:
"See, mother, the sun has nearly set; why tarryeth Leah so long? 'Twas
but sunrise when she did set out for Samaria, surely she should have
returned 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 to
purchase necessities for our household; also the ass of our neighbor
being 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 returned
from Samaria before the setting of the sun. I fear that some ill hath
befallen her," and his lip quivered with pain while his large, soft
eyes dilated with fear.
"How now, lad! why dost thou frighten thy mother with thy sickly
fancies?" cried Ezra, impatiently, as Sarah's cheek grew pale. "What
ill could have befallen thy sister?"
"She may have fallen into the hands of the Syrians, whom thou knoweth
do make raids into our country and carry off captives," answered the
lad, tremulously. "Oh, if I were only as other lads these burdens
should not fall upon the weak shoulders of a maiden. 'Twould be I who
would journey into Samaria with the fruits," and tears of bitter pain
and humiliation filled his eyes.
Sarah leaned forward and gently smoothed back the dark, curling hair
from his white brow.
"Speak not thus, my son," she murmured, with infinite tenderness. "Thy
mother 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 affliction
when thou and my sister, Leah, do love me so well. But, oh, mother, if
I were but strong and whole," and, covering his face with his hands, he
sobbed aloud.
"Look up, lad, and dry thy tears, for yonder cometh our Leah," cried
Ezra.
With an exclamation of joy, Isaac obeyed, and, lifting himself eagerly
upon his elbow, watched with joyous eyes, the slow approach of an ass
upon 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 rich
bloom of health colored the cheeks and lips of the maiden. Her dark
hair, curly and silken, fell to her waist; she was slenderly built, but
erect, graceful and quick of movement.
"Why didst thou tarry so long, my child?" asked Sarah. "Thy brother has
sorely fretted, fearing that some ill had befallen thee."
"I am sorry that thou didst fret, brother," said the maiden, bending to
kiss 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. "I
was but a little while selling the fruits and making the purchases for
my 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," said
the maiden. "They were talking in Samaria of the wonders wrought by the
prophet, Elisha, and I lingered to listen. 'Twas of his last miracle
that they did speak. Father, mother, brother, knoweth thou that the
prophet, Elisha, hath power to raise the dead to life?"
She paused and turned her eyes upon the helpless form of the cripple
lad while the color deepened upon her cheek and her breath came
quickly. Isaac spoke not, but, as his eyes met his sister's, they
lighted with passionate eagerness and a long, panting sigh left his
lips.
"What sayeth thou, maiden, that the prophet, Elisha, hath power to
raise the dead to life?" cried Ezra, wonderingly and incredulously.
"Yes, father," answered Leah. "Listen, and I will tell to thee what
I heard in Samaria. There is a woman in Shunem who didst bear to her
husband 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 him
in her home where he did rest and take refreshment when he travelled
on foot from place to place. One morning, when the woman's child was
but five years of age, he went into the field where his father was
gathering in the harvest, and, there, he suddenly sickened from the
heat of the sun. They carried him to his mother, she held him in her
arms and, after some hours, he died. She took him up to the little
chamber 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 who
was at Mount Carmel.
"Elisha, standing upon the summit, near the altar of Jehovah, saw her
a-far off, for he sent his servant to inquire if all were well with
her. But the woman would herself speak with the prophet, and, falling
at his feet, did tell him that her son was dead. Elisha then returned
with the woman to Shunem and shut himself into the room with the dead
child. After a little while he called his servant and told him to
summon the mother, and, when she did come into the room, Elisha said to
her, 'Take up thy child,' and the child was risen from the dead."
The little maid ceased speaking, and throwing herself on her knees
beside the couch, put her arms gently about Isaac's frail form.
"Sister," murmured the lad, touching tenderly with his thin fingers the
curling hair which fell upon her shoulders, "I know the thoughts in thy
tender heart. Thou art thinking that if this great prophet hath power
to raise the dead to life, then also hath he the power to make strong
and straight these poor limbs of mine. Tell me, dear sister, are not
these thy thoughts?"
"Yes! ah, indeed, yes!" cried the maiden, in a voice of passionate
tenderness and yearning. "But I did not wish thee to know what was in
my heart until I had spoken with our parents."
She arose and turned towards Ezra and Sarah. Both regarded her in
silence; Ezra, pale and grave, Sarah, with tears in her eyes.
"Father, wilt thou give me leave to seek the prophet, Elisha, who
dwelleth in Samaria that I may beg of him to heal my brother?" asked
the maiden.
"Dost thou believe, maiden, that the wonderful things they relate of
this 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 thou
knoweth that unless we have faith, nothing will be granted unto us. Why
shouldst thou or I doubt the wonders imputed to Elisha, for is he not a
holy man of God?"
"Thou art only a maiden, but thou speaketh words of wisdom which do
rebuke 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 would
my 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 Elisha
in 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 the
sorrowful and the afflicted," answered Leah. "Father, when may I
journey to Samaria and seek the prophet?"
"Nay, nay, have patience, maiden," said Ezra. "We will talk of that
later, 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 the
west. The ass stood patiently, with drooping head.
A light flashed out from the low doorway. Ezra, as he fed and watered
the tired beast, could see his wife and daughter moving about within;
also the form of the cripple lad stretched upon the couch. Would that
wan cheek ever glow with health? mused Ezra. That weak body be upright
and sturdy, those helpless limbs strong and straight?
"From his birth hath he been a cripple, sickly and helpless," murmured
Ezra. "But surely this man who hath power even to raise the dead to
life can heal a cripple lad."
"Father! father!"
Leah stood in the doorway, her cheeks the color of roses, the night
breeze lifting her heavy curls, her soft eyes gazing forth into the
gathering shadows.
"Come, dear father, the evening meal is ready," she said.
The day's tasks were done. Isaac, exhausted with the emotions and
excitement of the day, slept heavily upon his couch. Ezra and Sarah sat
in 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, touching
caressingly Leah's rose-flushed cheek.
"Fatigued!" repeated the maiden, with a smile. "No, dear mother, thy
Leah is young and strong; 'tis only the poor old ass that is weary."
Ezra sat buried in thought. Now and again the little maid glanced
wistfully up into his face. She longed passionately to learn when it
was his will for her to seek the prophet in Samaria, but it never
occurred to her to question her father or manifest any signs of
impatience.
A silence fell upon the three. Sarah thought that the little maid had
fallen asleep, so still she lay, but, as Ezra suddenly roused himself
and spoke, Leah, sat upright, her eyes eagerly seeking his face across
which the light from within fell.
"Maiden," said Ezra, "I have been considering the matter of thy seeking
the prophet, Elisha, in Samaria. When ten days have passed the fruits
will again have ripened; then will I borrow the ass of our neighbor
and thou shalt journey to Samaria. When thou hast sold thy fruits thou
canst seek the prophet, Elisha."
Leah's eyes filled with tears, her lips quivered, she was bitterly
disappointed. To wait ten days when she hoped and longed to start with
the 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 thy
will 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.