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Show THE RAlllli i 'and " TnEMt'sni-' TnEMt'sni-' CkS'L I ATAt.or.KlcAtiji, Itwast apptoacfiiiig, the etfttcnth hotirj the usy hum ol ihcAdly city had sunt In td comparative tilWs't and, save some stragglttig wtiyfarers, ud field laborer la-borer returning front, their toll, few passengers pas-sengers wero to bo. seeit In tha .streets ot JcruaaJemv One middle-aged mart nfone kept hts seat la tho Water Ontei looking ? jwitli placid smile along, tho rugged.. Toadji which led down to iho. Valley or JchOshii- pbaU a sliver gef ah. wns held, between his fingers, ns In the act of giving on aim! , b4 for soma mlimic. rju object, oppcarca ' onVhomH.mtgU'protJCtly be' bestowed. He rose from his eut, uiul galheritijf hi flowing robe .a round )ltni, tyos jircpariug to depurtj, when tlicllgnre of an Dgcd,nrtn (ottering' slowly up thef ?tecp; arrc sled his attention. 'lvhe old mh'a ws iiicanly clad; ami; at lie Icatit, feebly pit, his plaff, to tukohrcatfi nftcf Ills' toilsome ascent, hisglance rested utott tho person of the sage ltabw Abiraelech, for it'waii hd'who fat In the gate distributing his daily nlnis 0 the poor", the. Jrangrjr, .and. the way. farcn ,'- . v '?f ha Lord dircct-thy going' out ami thy" comtug In, .said the lUbhi, with a Sclf-satUfied tmile, dropping the coin Into the extended palm of tlio.strangcr, "Lot I have tart led from the' ninth hour, until iho towers and pintfritlcs'of tLb Teuiplo have thtowji .their .tlarfc shadows across the brpok of CedrolvcVett unto tho base oi tho1 Mottut of Olives, -W besiovr this Inst gertth Of ffirly ,iu an aliunccordiiig to a vow whichul made last' i'entccost; and behold, ,t!iou art herd to icctivoit.'! "Ji'reciou fs the' gift tvlileh comcth from tho hearty moro precious than the Arabian frankincense, and. swi-etcr.' than the rich, honey of Hebron, H. J might know my lordi name, roy heart" would not forget it wheal lirt up) my volco in prayer to lhd .Huler ,of Israel said the strangtr respectfully. "I am called tlie ltabbi Abimclcch."' "HO' whom me; term tho; siulcsstf wltoso voice js.as.tho neighing' of" a jwn horso it) the-temple; whoso works' arefbd works of righteousness; who clothes the iiakt'dn fceds.tlie hftngry,.and gives, alms of the' tenth part of his substance?" asked thostronger, I "The some," answered, the .self-glorified Rabbi; "and now let me pray thee; thy. name, and In what city art, tthou a dwcllerf" ' Alasl," answered the. stranger,, 'I 'am as, a reproach to my kindred, and aj namo is a' defilement to the lips of art Israelite." Is-raelite." , . ''Unfortunate man Jju what hast; thou offended against the lav" ; "In thls4blug I,;havrj. offended. .Behold, .Be-hold, I went forth nt tho last vintage season Mo tlio .vineyards, rand 'the vintagers vinta-gers .were pressing the grapes lit tho wine presses; aud. the ; red, wine . ran Into the vats, even tub red wine ofLebanon -and, being. weary with tho toil nmljieat of tbo dOVi was tempted, aiid -in .foolishnesa 1 did drink of tho wmo, ivhicb.Ebouldhava bccn;nn abomlutttlon uutome, seeing that lam a Kazaritofrqra my. yotJif". , , .The scrupulous Kabbt shrank front the degraded Israelite as .-from a tainted Irpef, nnd clevtttiug his. brow,-saidwith a s tuctinioiiious airi Tho way -of the w.fao man is pleasant, but iho feet, of the fool treadeth f ta the.inirc -. . , "Stdpl?said the strangcr,ns tholtibll wasidepartlug. Mlaitnotnls'osaWthai the vuin-glorious man shall fall in the- snares of his own proud heart?' Itabbl AM-melech, AM-melech, thy life has been rfghtcons, .but : (Irts, hath bot yet .trlcdi nor water purified j thee; JSbt Ihai'thou tt'andfaU vhen thi time toihtlAJt -' ' At theso words ' tlift stranger, with more alertness than his Scenting feeblciiess indicated, turned Into'nh . obscure street; while Ahhtielcclfponderlttg brt,tha warning warn-ing of tlie strange" inauj tdok'hts ivay' toward to-ward his own dweliiug. On reaching hls'housc, Abhnelcclt retired io hk owu chamber.. It was a sntatr'closet or oratory ora-tory on the house-top, furnished in a stylo of siniplieliy approaching to tndencss.inid v c;ou, . cheerless appearance was In- ' creased by tho' dinr'twijighf. There was stitlt however, "sufficient light for Abi mcloclt ti distinguisU a female figure sttindirig lit ajkoughtful ottUude lu the cc'ntrb ofth'o nr)'urt'mcnt. A rich, tael-otV tael-otV llglit fcjl'npon licr. shape, which exceeded ex-ceeded In hcfgli'f'Uid usual standard or hcraci, bitt wns W' exquisitely fyropor-tioucd fyropor-tioucd as (q cotvey otily an Idea of graceful, grace-ful, dignity to tho'behdtder. . Her eye; as sho turned It. Vpon Abimelccli, seemed dark'utid lusirous, aud her smite was as a iaiibcam upon the; bosom of' "the still waters. Thu Ilabbi stood motionless, for hV never before" had beheld su much beauty r a riew'pulscf sllrrcd In his bosom, nml nu utiusuaf fire' burned, lu hls-Vcius. and. nstoulshmciit'. '"Fair damsel cried he1, "tliy visit Is unforeseen but thou art'mbre wclcOm'o'tQ my chain-berthan chain-berthan thq'pletisaut odor of the 'young vines In the.sprlug." ' 'I am,"' said iho abashed Intruder, wbile a rwscato blush ovcrsjiread the marble whiteness Of her soft check and lofty brow, "I nm, asydu icny perceive, a stranger and," Oeutlle; unworthy to come beneath the roof of the 'far-famed Habbi Abimclech, the. words of whose lips nro wisdom, and whose nrccenls are as pearls great price. Nevertheless, lei ' thy handmaiden find favor iu thy sight, and turn aside, I pray thee, unto my lodgings, which are nigh at hand, and let. thy handmaiden rejoice In tho light of Uiy countenance and In the sweet sound of thy, volco." The Ilabbi, though surprised sur-prised nVlliis uovel address, felt a strange sensation thrill through his frame. Dazing Daz-ing npou the, lovely speaker, his resolution resolu-tion began fo waver, proceeding at a rapid pace toward tho western quarter of tho city, they at length stopped before a house Of haudsorao exterior, but which Abimclcch could not remember ever having hav-ing seen before. A siuglo tap at the door caused it ta open, uqd the IUbbl, still folldwiug his mysterious conductor, entered a hall, feebly lighted with a single lamp. Here she motioned him to remain for a short time, and disapjearing through a passage, the Itabbl was left alone to meditate upon the- strange ad. ventnrp In whlclio wa engaged. Bnt he had, little tima nlhwcii him.ot- relcc tlon; tro, iho,oaijy Wds of a rurtam, which overhung a small (toor,,wcro jt-, tially wlthdriwo anda falrband undsweet soft voktjt Invited luni.to enter. Heap, proaehctl, lifted up the curtain, n f ' hcW a. superbly-lttraisltcd, apart ntcu t lit I with sUverlmnps.i fed with the pcrfunica oil of Samaria, Allrroraof poliihcd metal hutip around, tliet rooai, whitc oti a low conch, sat, or rattier reclined, (he beautl ful stranger, whose" charms uonf shone I Willi a splendor lr surpassing anjlhiiig , tho llabbl couldlmsgtue of mortal mould, fife cssaved iasncsk. tut the words dvVill Upon, hi lips. She beckoucd. him Xo take a scat bestda, her. He obeyed trcmW'ng-ly; trcmW'ng-ly; but the gentle, assuring smile which she cast upon hJinj at opco banished his tfmlditytiHd..Buirercd)iiscycs lo watidcr la unrestrained freedprn ovef thuso vbtup-tuous vbtup-tuous beauties till, thu slglit became jialu-rul jialu-rul froftv extreme dcllght.t A female a(-ttndant a(-ttndant spread before them n Ugh? but luxurious repast dtTrcsh and, dried Trults; gropes, figv,apricOlp, otlu-s, twrncgrnna-tcs,.and twrncgrnna-tcs,.and datt-s Ifileriiperied with pota of pure hbney, rosocakes ot'Damascuti; and bananas jq( Rosttta; with Egyptian syrup, and crjsial vase's, wtiich th? rich" nine of lUbOtt,,saikltd temptlug with. brU-llancni. brU-llancni. j?4 " s. . ' ' "fairest Of thd daughters M men.'tu : I crave thy home, riml that 5f thyfatltfr's housci" puht the HabbT, addressing his Unknown companion. "My name, is JWrah," rcptlctl thcdarasel. "Afy father; Is .61 (ho children of Ishmticl, an aMdcr In tho, desert (ho fame of the sago . Abimclcch , ha reached u'utb, tho farther iohltrs of the wilderness, and be-iold,.tlic be-iold,.tlic heart of thy handtnhldcn tyas tnqfett to see (he man bfwhose,wisilomll h'atiofisspeak,"-, " . ', "Lovely CoraUr cxcmltricd the, enamored enam-ored sage, ."my wisdom. U ucedmo ns fwithctcd'grass before ..thy beauty, mid (he strength" of my heart-as. detf br the cousnmlng" light of thrna .eyes. Suffer me, therefore, to ho unto1 thfe even as Boaz,unl6 ltdthand to,lov.,lhco with the love1 Wherewith1 Jacot 1 Jored':llacql.,, - Zbrah. smifc4 at the carntstness with which these Vord wire, uttered, nnd' .filling, .fill-ing, tho cup, presented It to the delighted llabbl, wl(0 Instinctively shrank" from' thp daugcronsMibation; but. Zorah noutd, not be denied, i- ' - '",.,' , , , "Urgctnfr not, falr idamstl," said lie. "I have a tow iiKniiist the juice of the vthe until next new moo'n." Zornh's countenance fell, and the, big tear hung tremblingly on het dark eyes' Klikcn lash, Abimclcch, torn' wftb conflicting con-flicting passions; passed bis arm atound her' waist,, and' drew her . unresistingly 'to Ids bosom; . he felt the quick puh.es of her heart, throb ogalnst his her warm sighs were'opbn his cheek; and.1 the', perfumed wine-cup at hts lips; human strength could resist pp longer, he seized the' ctip,' with depfcrtie; liartdi, ntd at a kirigle tlraitght qtiafed:k totheibbttOm'JuWic' wat brotenl amlhavlng, nothing-further "to hope or fear, draught followed ' draught id.fluick.suc'c'csfiion, tilt his flushed cheeks and Sparkling eyes bore evidence that he was no loriicr tinder thd dominion of Tca-WtiA Tca-WtiA ; , t. ' "t'Zorahf myb'eautlrur.Zbrahl'' cried; he; ''my.love'fc-r tliCQ.li' us'tha'lova floods canJnqt"qncnclf,;Dbr,' many-water's drown: Tliou art the light; tof mine eyes Ircan not part from Ihcof let ,ui therefore, flee unto thy father's tchtJ even unto1 this wilderness as'outb a city of reftlge."-1 r "Ahl, my lord, thyservont hath neither gold nor sllver.-.tq Bear ihc chargt. Could we live like the raven o the 'stork of the acscr'tjn' - -Tins objection had not' (Struck-Abiraelech before; he was rich himself, but he could not tmmtdrately convert bis possessions pos-sessions Into" money, and'IiTs passion was tbo'violent to admit delay. .He. seemed vterpttscd and spoke nor, tjH Zoralt In-cmlrc'd, In-cmlrc'd, 1tirn..carelfss mauhcr, If his. next ttbor tiuighbor w'as npt the. rich republican, republi-can, Aaron Ben Rabiat, - ' "It is cvcti so' replied the -Rabbi, sjill .musing ' "" " "And;hoha'tlr( l am told, cbffcrs filled' with shekels of pure silver?"' " "It is said Id," 1 ' -' "Atid 1st)ekcts "of gbldf arid pots' of double- maccabccs, and prccions stones;' ttcarls, and sardonyx,, and ca'rbnncles more costly thair-the wels of the high priestVbrcast-t)lafe?,tv '. "Ha'hJ',5cxclaimcdrAbImelecli; ns lfla sudden ray of light hail dftrtcdcrosi his mlud; "speak, oft."' " " "Aardtt Hen Rabiat stricken in years, nmVllvclh alone riclictf aro to him ris, the .lust of the earth tlie'te ls a private way from thy' bouse Into'llis,"" 'Stop, Stop! crjed' thb ngltsted man, grasping Ihe arm of Iho 4tcmpter convulsively. convul-sively. "What wbuld'st'tbour Shall I peril my''onl tu this thing? Zorahl'Zorahl thy words tiro pleasant to my cars as the murmurs offallen tattrs in the desert, buttthe 'bltte'riiess qr Marali, even' the bitterness of death;!. In their toStef never-thetess,;Jwth.s never-thetess,;Jwth.s also will 1 obey theo. " ' "Qo about It then.i bis'taiitly," sold Zorah, rising "thquknowest the private J'assago Into ;the 6ld miser's chamber., fake thw weapon tfioti mayest need It and when thou host secured this1 treasure, trea-sure, returu quickly hlther.-and all things shall be, ready for our flight." 1 Abimclcch, whoso scruples had by this" lime completfely vduishcd.Mvas no less eager than his impetuous mistress to accomplish ac-complish the deed J ho ran with Incredible spefed through the now, silent streets, nnd quickly reached bis qwn'.dwelling. Light-ing Light-ing a. small ainp. be, entered a private passagcf which In times of danger had been contrived, between the two bonses, aud jn a few minutes found himself in the strong chamber of 'Aaron Hen Rabiat, Around hira lay coffers filled with gold and kiiver coins ami caskets charged with precious stone's, that trembled wfth-voricd but Incessant lustre In tho sickly beams of the lamp ho bore. He had raised one jewel-box to bis eyes, to examiuo it more closely, When slipping from his fingers It fell to the floor with o loud crash, and the next moment the alarmed miser rushed into tho apartment.. Seeing a strauger at such nn hour, In thesouctuary or the god or his Idolatry, ho uttered a piercing scream, and throwing himself ujwn the robber, grappled with almost supernatural strength. Vainly did Ab'h wlcch endeavor to escape from tho old man's grasp, or to still his Screams every moment increased his1 danger; : be heard (he steps of persohs ascending the stairs not aii'mstant was io be loaf tho dogger dog-ger hlch;Zoral,haa' glyih llm was Jq hlSKit.dler-.he drcVt It, and Jijungcd It Into In-to (he heart 'of the old tnhn. A piercing shVlek ran through the chamber) and the unjottutiate Aaron Ucit Rabiat fill lifeless life-less en the floor; Instead of providing; for Ids' safety, the gnllty.Babbi Stood petrified, pet-rified, with liorror over the, quivering body or lifir victim, wateblos; thd life-strcatn welling from his.slde lu a bubbling; tide. When, the persons attracted by tho .publican's .pub-lican's scream cntcrW the reoni.lte made no aitemtit to, escape, but surrendered "himself quietly Into (hfcir bands. He W Inslauil v- hurried to lirlson. and amid tho reviling or the ifbwd, was pluttgcd itifd atudat-tf, tlolsqmd dungeon, to await the public Ignominy ot atrial oti the following follow-ing day, lit the.' slglit of that people befoto Whom he had "set himself ,up as. an example ex-ample of righteousness. Dashing bitasclf 00 the earth, he lay", writhing In bitter agony, cursing thbltdnr or Ins birth and thofatal madness wlifclt had led his steps from the tmths of Irlrtoc, whe suifdcnly aray 'bf I'sut illum'jnuUd his prlsou-lio looked up--H was1 Zdfoh, -Her; eyes' dark 'orbs still shone' wttli undiminished luster, but thcro Vras lu tho jiroud smile which curled Itcri elevated JliV an cxtircision of demdntae tr!umph,,whfch chilled (ho Rabbi'sfclbod. UWing his face fit-Ins robe, llc cxcfolntc'd. "Fatso tempter, bcgoncl I have done: thy Mdiliiig and Idl Innocent blood fs opon my hands, ; I'am'brokcn .and trou-j dctt ub'der fool iike a tlerilcd thing. Tho inipof triyiprldeltssbecn Alted.wilh gall. Depart, tlicrcfot'e, I pray thee, lest in the bltterncssofwnttli 1 curse theoalso," ; "llabbl Abimclcch, ills sn.d, .Wio vainglorious vain-glorious man shall fait in the snare of his own heart' "TAc fttne MtA eo'mt iindjhah antl&twfstantt fqtt, , ';Racca,'art thoa tBcrc?' slioutcd AW-mclcch, AW-mclcch, as he 'rcc'dgiifzed in tho speaker the- voic'q of the: mer-tlfcnnt, to whbni , he had given the almrattho Water Gate on tho previous evculng. Burntiig with rage, ho.scizcd th,e prophet' of cvit by- ihc J tliroatibuVtha.strenbtti'of the wnnfarcxij ceedctl his.ownj and Tic flung hint to the e'artli,. with a violence .that shook . his frame. Starting 'up ho jbettcldynqt ihe old bcggar'of the4 Water Oatc," nqr the tbhiptcr Zqralk Ho wa ttlbrto; hot "In the dungeon of a prijoii. but in'; his little chamber,- with in ;yeliow harvest-moon streaming through the lattice. .Severn! minutes elapsed before he could convince, himself that, tho horrors he find undergone were but tho airy painting of a (dream, and then, prostrating himself opon the ground, he exclaimed lu tho fullness of his heorff ' ; .. ,. "'Il ls a lesson frdih "the Lord.- I w'as proud qf my own strength, and when (he trial came, I mi delivered to' thb -Evil One". , . ' ' ,. .'-From that ilay. forth ;,th"e Rabbi -Abl-melech .walked In'.ihe ' paths "of humilily; Uc had cxpcricncea'lhc1 dangers 5of self-ConGdclt'cepnnd self-ConGdclt'cepnnd hd learned to jiity 'father than condemn'ttibko who, like hlmscll, lind fallctrlh ihc-struggtcwfUi If TemiHer. Lifillilmte,ir |
