,christmas ,light ,illustration ,christmas ,light ,,by ,,ethel ,,calvert ,,phillips ,with ,illustrations ,illustration ,,boston ,,and ,,new ,,york ,,houghton ,,mifflin ,,company ,the ,riverside ,press ,cambridge #aibb ,,copyright1 #aibb1 ,,by ,,ethel ,,calvert ,,phillips ,,all ,,rights ,,reserved ,the ,riverside ,press ,,cambridge ,,massachusetts ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,u4,s4,a4 ,,to ,,my ,,mother ,light of the world1 the world is dark about ,thee2 ,far out on ,judah's hills the night is deep4 ,not yet the day is come when men shall doubt ,thee1 ,not yet the hour when ,thou must wake and weep2 ,o little one1 ,o ,lord of ,glory1 sleep6 ,love of all heaven1 love's arms are folded round ,thee1 ,love's heart shall be the pillow for ,thy cheek4 ,not yet the hour has come when hate shall wound ,thee1 ,not yet for shelter vainly must ,thou seek4 ,rest1 little one1 so mighty and so weak4 ,lie still and rest1 ,thou ,rest of earth and heaven2 ,rest1 little hands--our ,hope of bliss ye keep2 ,rest1 little heart--one day shalt ,thou be riven2 ,o newborn ,life1 ,o ,life eternal1 sleep6 ,far out on ,judah's hills the night is deep4 ,illustration ,illustration ,contents ,i4 ,naomi's ,garden #a ,,ii4 ,one ,sabbath #bj ,,iii4 ,the ,trip to ,jerusalem #cg ,,iv4 ,in the ,dark #fj ,v4 ,all the ,world ,comes ,visiting #gc ,,vi4 ,the ,shepherds #hh ,,vii4 ,in a ,manger #aja ,,viii4 ,the ,light of the ,world #aaf ,illustration ,christmas ,light ,,chapter ,i ,,naomi',s ,,garden ,it was in a little garden in the village of ,bethlehem1 many and many a year ago1 that four scarlet poppies stood side by side and swayed gently back and forth upon their slim green stalks in the soft afternoon wind4 ,a little girl came running over the grass and halted before the poppies4 ,how beautiful you are6 said the little girl1 whose name was ,naomi1 and who was eight years old4 ,she clasped her hands before her in delight1 and stood smiling down upon the flowers that seemed to nod courteously in reply4 ,this little ,jewish girl had dark curling hair and gentle brown eyes4 ,her cheeks were as rosy as the poppies1 and she wore a gay little robe of scarlet and yellow striped stuff1 while upon her bare brown feet were tied soft leather sandals4 ,how beautiful you are6 said ,naomi again to the poppies4 ,you are mine1 for ,i made you grow1 and you are the most beautiful flowers in all our lovely garden4 ,and she looked as proudly round the tiny garden plot as if it were as spacious and as wonderful as the famous gardens of the wicked ,king ,herod1 or even those of the ,temple ,high ,priest himself4 ,in the center of the grass plot stood an orange-tree1 and under it1 in the shade of its glossy leaves1 had been placed a light wooden bench4 ,a tall hedge of prickly thorns prevented passers-by on the narrow village street from peeping in4 ,at one end a heavy grapevine clambered over a trellis1 while at the other there were several rich clumps of myrtle that showed dark against the surrounding grass4 ,below the thorn hedge stood a row of bold flaunting tulips1 and there were two flower-beds1 one of white1 the other of tall red lilies4 ,the garden was indeed a pleasant place1 and ,naomi's happiest hours were spent here1 whether playing peacefully alone1 or amusing baby ,jonas1 or when the family gathered together under the orange-tree1 ,father and ,mother1 brother ,ezra1 baby ,jonas1 and herself4 ,to be sure there were vines and flowers growing on the roof of ,naomi's house1 which was often used as a place to sit in the cool of the day and even to sleep when the house grew unbearably warm4 ,for ,naomi's dwelling looked like nothing so much as a square box turned upside down with only a door cut in the front and not a window to break the smooth white sides4 ,within1 there was a single room1 round which ran a bench where were kept the gay quilts1 tightly rolled1 which made the only beds ,naomi knew4 ,here1 too1 lay the cushions upon which the family sat when at meals round the table1 which was then pulled out from the wall4 ,there was a great carved chest in which were kept the ,sabbath clothes1 the crescent of coins which belonged to ,naomi's mother and which she wore upon her head as an ornament on festive occasions1 and the long parchment rolls of ,scripture in which ,naomi's father took the keenest pride4 ,at the door stood a tall water-jar with herbs floating on the top to keep the water cool4 ,in a niche in the doorpost hung a small roll of parchment in a case4 ,naomi was used to seeing her father and his friends touch it reverently when passing in or out1 and then kiss the fingers that had touched the ,name of the ,most ,high4 ,she could even recite as well as ,ezra the verses she knew were written there1 beginning1 ,hear1 ,o ,israel3 ,jehovah our ,god is one ,jehovah1 and ending and thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thy house and upon thy gates4 ,in a small building near by stood the oven where ,naomi's mother did her baking and which she used in common with several other families4 ,it was often a meeting-place for the children1 who hung about the door on baking-days hoping for hot crumbs--stout ,solomon from across the road2 ,rachel and ,rebekah1 ,naomi's particular friends2 little ,enoch1 who walked with a limp and who would never grow any taller1 though he might live to be ever so old4 ,i would that my ,aunt ,miriam used our oven1 ,naomi often thought1 for she bakes every day1 and1 oh1 such good things as she makes4 ,naomi's aunt kept the village inn or khan that stood just outside the city gates on one of the little hills upon which ,bethlehem was built4 ,many travelers stopped the night at the khan and even longer1 for the village lay only one mile to the right of the great road which led from ,jerusalem1 six miles away1 to the old town of ,hebron1 and then down into the far-away1 mysterious land of ,egypt itself4 ,where the road from ,bethlehem joined the ,jerusalem highway stood the tomb of ,rachel1 and many a time had ,naomi1 loitering in the courtyard of the inn1 heard pious pilgrims1 fresh from the spot1 tell the stories of ,rachel and ,jacob1 and their sons ,joseph and ,benjamin4 ,naomi's little head was packed full of the stories of the great people of her race4 ,ezra1 eleven years old1 went to school in the synagogue every day with the other boys of the village1 and diligently studied the ,law and the ,prophets4 ,at home1 ,naomi was taught by her mother1 not only the care of the house1 but the history of the ,hebrew people1 their songs1 their prayers1 and their hopes4 ,i know ten hymns without a mistake1 ,naomi would boast1 and by hymns she meant what we call psalms4 ,i can recite the ,song of ,deborah and the ,song of ,hannah4 ,i can tell all the story about them1 too1 and1 oh1 ever so many more4 ,her favorite story was that of the ,naomi for whom she had been named4 ,but this summer afternoon she was thinking of nothing save of the pretty blossoms that now swung before her after so many days of patient toil and care4 ,she caught sight of her mother in the doorway and eagerly called her to come and see the sight4 ,come1 ,mother1 come1 she called4 ,my poppies are all out1 every one4 ,four of them in a row6 ,see--even the smallest one that ,i feared would not bloom at all4 ,there is one for each of thee3 ,father1 ,mother1 ,ezra1 ,jonas4 ,the smallest one is for ,jonas1 and verily it is the prettiest one of all4 ,naomi's mother came smiling down the path4 ,she carried a water-pitcher or urn1 and astride her left shoulder sat baby ,jonas1 steadying himself by clutching his mother's thick dark hair4 ,the flowers are beautiful1 ,naomi1 said she pleasantly4 ,they well repay thee for all thy patience and care4 ,i go now to the fountain for water4 ,it lacks but half an hour to sundown4 ,watch thy little brother ,jonas well and keep him happy until ,i return4 ,and slipping ,jonas from her shoulder to the grass1 and pulling her white linen veil into place1 she stepped quickly out into the village street1 her urn securely balanced upon her head4 ,jonas had already crept over to the bench1 and1 dragging himself up upon his unsteady legs1 he looked into his sister's face with a smile4 ,the smallest poppy is thine1 ,jonas1 ,naomi told him1 but thou must touch it not4 ,come now with me and see the pigeons4 ,behind the house1 a step out of the garden1 stood a dove-cote made of mud4 ,inside were two wide-mouthed earthen jars that served as nesting-boxes4 ,the pigeons were stepping majestically about on the ground1 the sun touching their soft gray feathers with blue and green and rose4 ,jonas made several lunges at them in the hope of capturing a new plaything1 but he succeeded only in stubbing his toe and sitting down hard upon the ground4 ,no1 neither must thou touch them1 said ,naomi1 helping him tenderly to his feet and brushing off the dirt4 ,it seems to me that there are a great many things that thou must not touch4 ,but ,i know something that thou canst do4 ,it is my secret1 but ,i do not mind telling thee because thou canst not talk4 ,thou mayst help me dig a well6 ,naomi's voice sank mysteriously as she guided the tottering ,jonas back into the garden and over to a bare spot of ground behind the largest of the myrtle bushes4 ,sit ye down1 ,jonas1 said ,naomi1 sinking cross-legged to the ground4 ,i mean to dig the well here1 it will be so handy for ,mother4 ,then never will she have to walk down to the fountain unless she likes4 ,you take that stick and ,i will use this one4 ,for a few moments the little girl worked industriously1 loosening the dry sun-baked soil1 while ,jonas scratched vigorously with his sharp-pointed stick4 ,it is hard work1 ,jonas1 sighed ,naomi1 pausing to shake back her curls4 ,but it will be worth it when once the well is made4 ,it will be called ',naomi's well' for me1 and years and years from now my great-great-grandchildren will be proud of me because ,i made it4 ,and when ,i am an old woman1 all thin and brown and dried-up like lame ,enoch's grandmother1 ,i will say to my grandchildren1 all standing round and listening to every word ,i say--,i will say1 ',grandchildren1 ,i well remember the day thy dear uncle--that is thou1 ,jonas--and ,i dug this'--,oh6 ,oh6 ,and ,naomi screamed aloud and jumped to her feet4 ,something cold and wet had been placed against the back of her neck1 and little shivers were running over her as she turned and saw her brother ,ezra behind her1 smiling at her fright4 ,in his arms he held a small white lamb1 and it was this little animal's nose that had been pressed to ,naomi's neck1 and that had brought her day-dreaming to such an abrupt close4 ,wilt thou not tell the grandchildren anything about their dear ,uncle ,ezra8 inquired ,ezra with a comical look4 ,who sharpened those sticks for thee1 ,i would fain know1 and thou didst not even tell me what use they were for4 ,how dost thou think the grandchildren would like to hear that8 ,how unkind thou art to listen and then laugh at me1 said ,naomi1 putting out her under lip4 ,i would have told thee1 ,ezra1 about the well only it was a secret4 ,do not tell ,mother1 wilt thou8 ,i would fain surprise her4 ,promise thou wilt not tell1 ,ezra6 ,promise6 ,and ,naomi laid an imploring hand upon her brother's arm4 ,ezra's only answer was to laugh and shake his head4 ,though he had no intention of telling1 he wanted to tease ,naomi a little before making any promises4 ,he was fond of his little sister1 and was far more gentle and kindly than many another brother would have been in those days in old ,palestine4 ,for in the ,jewish family1 girls were not valued so highly as boys1 and were made to feel their unimportance in many ways that would be highly displeasing to little sisters of to-day4 ,girls were taught to wait upon their brothers and to treat them with respect4 ,it was impressed upon them that the duty of a girl was to be useful and modest and quiet1 and that her chief pleasure should lie in making home happy and comfortable for her father and brothers4 ,but in the household of ,samuel the weaver1 ,naomi's lot had not been quite that of the ordinary ,jewish girl4 ,her father was proud of his bright1 lovable little daughter and had made her his special pet4 ,her mother1 who had been well taught by her own mother1 a wise woman of her day1 was careful that ,naomi seldom missed the daily lesson that kept the little girl1 to her great delight1 only a short way behind ,ezra on the hard road of knowledge4 ,so ,ezra1 though he felt his superiority as a boy and the first-born of his family1 could not long resist ,naomi's pleading glance nor the pressure of her little brown hand4 ,what wilt thou give me if ,i do not tell8 asked ,ezra1 not wishing to seem to relent too quickly4 ,the first bright shekel ,i find in the highway1 answered ,naomi saucily4 ,she was smiling now1 and her hand was gently stroking the little lamb's nose4 ,what lamb is this1 ,ezra8 she asked4 ,and why hast thou brought it home8 ,it seems sleepy1 poor little creature4 ,look1 its eyes are half shut4 ,it is one of the ,temple flock1 answered ,ezra1 looking down at the quiet little animal in his arms4 ,but it has a blemish4 ,it runs on three legs1 and it does not see very well4 ,they will not keep it in the flock--it is not fit for ,temple use--and shepherd ,eli gave it to me this afternoon for my own4 ,i helped him find an old ewe that had caught her foot between two stones1 and when ,i was leaving he gave me the lamb4 ,by the ,temple flock ,ezra meant the sheep that were destined to be used as sacrifices in the great ,temple at ,jerusalem1 and which were encamped all the year round on the hills outside the city4 ,the shepherds of the flock were friendly to the boy1 who declared he meant when a man to be a ,temple shepherd himself4 ,ezra spent most of his spare time with them1 helping them in their work and listening with delight to their thrilling stories of encounters with wolves and jackals4 ,many of the shepherds were friends of his father1 for both were connected with the ,temple1 since ,samuel the weaver spent his days1 in common with a number of others in ,bethlehem1 in making the gorgeous curtains and veils that were used in the sacred building4 ,stand up1 ,three ,legs1 said ,ezra1 putting his lamb on the ground and showing ,naomi its pitifully shrunken limb4 ,in naming it ,three ,legs ,ezra was following the custom of the shepherds who called their charges by any peculiarity they might possess1 such as ,black ,ear or ,long ,tail4 ,i mean to make a little wagon and teach ,three ,legs to draw it4 ,and if he is not able to do that1 ,i shall sell him for whatever ,i can get4 ,oh1 no1 ,ezra1 said ,naomi whose tender heart was touched by the forlorn little animal4 ,he is sick1 he is not able to draw a wagon4 ,give him to me and let me take care of him4 ,ezra shook his head4 ,i will sell him first1 said he with determination4 ,i will not give him away4 ,sell him to me6 cried ,naomi2 sell him to me6 ,the lamb had toppled over in a little heap and was looking patiently and with half-closed eyes into ,naomi's face bent above him4 ,it seemed to the little girl that she would gladly give her dearest possession if she might have the lamb for her own to nurse and care for4 ,sell him to me1 ,ezra4 ,i will give thee anything thou mayst ask4 ,what hast thou to give8 asked ,ezra shrewdly4 ,he felt sure the lamb could never draw a wagon1 and the prospect of selling a sick animal was small4 ,anything thou mayst ask1 was ,naomi's reckless answer4 ,the lamb had put out a limp pink tongue and was licking her fingers4 ,thy poppies8 ,ezra had heard his aunt say that very day1 ,i need poppies sorely for my brew for the palsy1 and not a single one has bloomed in the khan garden this year4 ,surely four poppies would be worth a rich cake or two1 or perhaps even a piece of money4 ,my poppies8 ,naomi looked aghast4 ,my poppies8 ,all four8 ,why1 there is just one apiece6 ,father and ,mother1 thou and ,jonas6 ,my poppies8 ,the lamb stirred and with a little sigh of content snuggled his nose into the palm of ,naomi's hand4 ,take them6 ,naomi stood up and gathered the lamb in her arms4 ,take them1 only let me not see thee4 ,she turned her back upon ,ezra and shut her eyes4 ,quickly he gathered the flowers and ran out of the garden4 ,naomi opened her eyes4 ,she gave one look at her despoiled flower-bed and bent again over the lamb4 ,i am glad1 ,three ,legs1 said she warmly4 ,thou art much better than many poppies1 thou poor little creature1 and ,i am glad ,i did it4 ,i am glad6 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,one ,,sabbath ,it was ,sabbath morning1 and ,naomi and her mother and ,ezra were on their way to the synagogue4 ,they chose back streets as they went1 and they met only women and children on their way1 for the front roads on the ,sabbath day were given up to the men4 ,naomi was happy as she walked quietly along holding fast to her mother's hand1 for she wore her new hyacinth-blue robe that her mother had spun and her father had woven for her4 ,ezra had other thoughts1 and presently he whispered in ,naomi's ear3 ,in two years' time ,i shall be a ,son of the ,law1 and then ,i shall sit on the men's side in the synagogue1 and walk on the front streets on ,sabbath4 ,thou and ,mother will have to come alone4 ,naomi shook her head4 ,jonas will walk with us then1 she whispered back4 ,boaster6 ,she did not really blame ,ezra for his lordly words and air1 for she knew how every ,jewish boy looked forward to what was called his ,day of ,freedom1 when by a priest in the synagogue he was made a ,son of the ,law4 ,then he would be no longer a child1 but a young man4 ,his school days would be over4 ,he would choose a trade and begin to earn his own living4 ,but it was a comfort to ,naomi to think that1 with ,ezra gone1 little ,jonas would trot along by her side1 and she was thinking of baby ,jonas1 left every ,sabbath morning in the care of lame ,enoch's old grandmother1 now grown too feeble to climb the hill to the synagogue1 when ,aunt ,miriam overtook them4 ,aunt ,miriam's husband1 ,simon1 was a wealthy man in the village of ,bethlehem4 ,he was the owner of the guest-house or khan that stood a little below the town on the way leading down into ,egypt1 and which was believed to have been the dwelling of ,boaz and ,ruth1 and the birth-place of ,king ,david himself4 ,to-day ,aunt ,miriam wore a robe of fine linen1 covered with a wide cloak of black and white stripes1 and her earrings and bracelets tinkled at every step4 ,on week-days the children knew her to be bustling and chatty and fond of a jest4 ,but the ,sabbath saw her a different woman4 ,stately and dignified she walked beside them now1 her brown eyes gazing far away and full of holy thought4 ,the children felt awed and shy with her as they might with a stranger4 ,ezra stopped his whispering4 ,naomi glanced timidly up1 her head held sideways like a little bird4 ,how good ,aunt ,miriam is6 she mused4 ,but her aunt's thoughts wandered for a moment from their pious meditations4 ,suddenly she loosened the veil that was pulled across her face and spoke briefly to ,naomi's mother4 ,i shall come to see thee to-night after sundown4 ,i go to ,jerusalem to-morrow1 and there may be room in the cart for a certain good little maid4 ,naomi's heart leaped4 ,did ,aunt ,miriam mean her8 ,what other little girl might she take with her8 ,but she had said a good little maid1 and ,naomi remembered with a pang of regret how she and ,ezra had quarreled yesterday1 and had not ceased their bickering until at sunset the three blasts of the silver trumpet1 blown by the priest on the synagogue roof1 had reminded them that ,sabbath eve had come4 ,she longed to ask outright3 ,dost thou mean to take me to ,jerusalem with thee1 ,aunt ,miriam8 ,but they had reached the flat-roofed little synagogue1 and once inside the gate the children silently followed their mother and aunt into the women's court and seated themselves on the mats that covered the stone floor4 ,naomi's mind was so occupied by the thought of a possible trip to ,jerusalem that she forgot to peep1 according to her wont1 through the lattice that separated the men's court from that of the women1 in the hope of seeing her father4 ,she usually watched with interest while the sacred ,rolls were taken from their curtained shrine1 before which burned the holy lamp1 and their outer cover of gold-embroidered silk and inner cover of linen removed4 ,but this morning she scarcely heard the voice of the visiting rabbi who read the lesson for the day1 and her mother was obliged to twitch her vigorously when1 during the prayers1 the congregation rose to their feet and turned toward the ,holy ,city4 ,the ,sabbath day seemed endless to the eager little girl4 ,all work and play were forbidden4 ,no fire might be lighted1 no bed made4 ,naomi had been well taught in the ,law4 ,she knew that it would be sinful for her even to carry a handkerchief tucked in her belt4 ,and so surely not until ,sabbath was over would the trip to ,jerusalem be discussed4 ,she sat alone in the shade of the fig-tree that grew beside their door1 and wished that she might see her friends ,rachel and ,rebekah to tell them the good news4 ,she watched the great sun flame through the bright ,syrian sky until her eyes burned and ached1 but still it was not sundown4 ,at last she curled herself up on the floor of the house with heavy-eyed ,three ,legs at her side and fell asleep4 ,when she woke it was the ,first ,watch of the ,evening1 six o'clock1 and the crimson sun was sinking out of sight behind the ,judean hills4 ,naomi sprang up and ran into the garden4 ,there on the bench under the orange-tree sat her father and mother and ,aunt ,miriam4 ,aunt ,miriam was talking4 ,and so1 since ,simon is still sick with a heavy summer cold1 nothing will do but ,i must ride to ,jerusalem to-morrow with the load of grapes1 she was saying4 ,simon had large vineyards and owned many olive-trees1 beside being host at the inn4 ,to be sure1 ,jacob is a good serving-lad and manages well without his master4 ,but there is no one1 after himself1 who makes a better bargain than ,i1 ,simon says1 and so ,i must ride with the fruit to see that justice is done my lord ,simon in the trade4 ,here ,aunt ,miriam laughed so heartily that ,samuel and his wife were forced to smile in sympathy4 ,but ,samuel was not altogether pleased with ,aunt ,miriam's little joke about her husband1 who was in truth her lord and master and worthy of her deepest respect4 ,he changed the subject by asking3 ,and what does the physician say of ,simon8 ,he recommended that he kiss the nose of a mule1 ,aunt ,miriam answered gravely4 ,to her and to her audience there was nothing amusing about this prescription4 ,stranger remedies than that had been ordered by the wise doctors of the day3 a broth of beetle's legs1 crab's eyes1 the heads of mice1 bruised flies to cure the sting of a hornet6 ,but in spite of this1 she continued1 he is still flat on his back1 groaning with aches and pains4 ,so1 to-morrow1 ,jacob and ,i start at sunrise with the bullock cart1 and no doubt there will be room among the baskets of grapes for ,naomi1 if thou wilt permit her to go4 ,naomi1 at her father's elbow1 glanced imploringly into his face1 but she did not speak a word4 ,her mother1 from the end of the bench1 smiled hopefully at the little girl1 but she1 too1 waited in deferent silence until1 to ,naomi's great relief1 her father gave a nod of consent4 ,it is kind of thee1 sister ,miriam1 said he1 putting his arm about ,naomi and drawing her to his side1 to think of giving our little daughter this pleasure4 ,naomi must be good and obedient and not make herself troublesome in any way1 said her mother warningly1 leaning forward to pull ,naomi's little robe straight4 ,thy aunt will be occupied with her business1 ,naomi1 and thou must be as quiet as a mouse so that she will not regret that thou art with her4 ,never fear that1 said ,aunt ,miriam heartily1 ,naomi is as dear to me as my own4 ,i shall not be so busy that she will have to play mouse all day4 ,she shall see something of the city1 and eat a good dinner at the house of ,simon's sister ,anna1 and make friends1 perhaps1 with ,anna's little ,martha who is just her age4 ,i will be quiet1 promised ,naomi1 her face bright with smiles4 ,i will be good4 ,i will not speak a word nor stir all day long4 ,great are thy promises1 ,naomi1 answered ,aunt ,miriam1 rising to go and laying a kindly hand upon the curly head of her niece4 ,i will give thee a hot breakfast at the khan to stay thee on thy journey1 so be not late4 ,we start at sunrise6 ,oh1 ,father1 cried ,naomi1 throwing her arms about her father's neck1 how good ,i mean to be always after this6 ,dost think ,i shall see the ,temple8 ,and1 ,mother1 which am ,i to wear--my new blue robe or my yellow and red striped one8 ,i am really to go to ,jerusalem6 ,oh1 what will ,ezra say when he hears the good news ,i have to tell6 ,the next morning at daybreak1 when the purple shadows lay heavily in the east and the sky was still gray overhead1 ,naomi1 wearing a gay little cloak of scarlet over her best blue robe1 ran hastily down the stony road that led to the ,bethlehem khan4 ,the drowsy gate-keeper had already unlocked the heavy town gates1 for day begins early in hot countries1 and at sight of ,naomi1 whom he knew well1 he uttered a sleepy ,peace be with thee6 as a morning greeting4 ,with thee be peace6 piped ,naomi in return4 ,oh1 ,nathan1 ,i go to-day to ,jerusalem with my ,aunt ,miriam4 ,this very day ,i go6 ,old ,nathan nodded his head solemnly and muttered in his beard4 ,beautiful for situation1 the joy of the whole earth is ,mount ,zion1 responded the pious old ,jew4 ,but ,naomi was half-way down the hill and did not hear one word4 ,there before her at the crossroads stood the old khan1 with its great wall of stone and its stout gate behind which all night long sat a watchman on the alert4 ,below the inn lay the very fields among which ,ruth1 long1 long ago1 had gleaned the golden corn1 and where later ,king ,david as a shepherd lad had tended his flock4 ,naomi slipped through the open gate into the courtyard of the khan and stood for a moment watching the bustle and confusion of the scene before her4 ,in the center of the court was the fountain1 and round it now crowded the pilgrims and travelers1 drawing water for the morning meal or in which to wash before eating4 ,the archways which lined the wall formed the rooms of the ancient inn1 for the building at the end of the court in which ,simon the host and ,aunt ,miriam lived was not open to strangers4 ,shelter and food were not provided within4 ,each man in his little archway must spread his own carpet1 light his own brazier1 cook his own food1 and eat from his own dish4 ,a ,syrian khan of that period was not at all like the inns of our day4 ,it was expected to supply nothing but water and straw for a bed4 ,it was a refuge from thieves and wild animals1 a shelter from heat and dust1 a spot where a trader might sell his wares4 ,naomi looked with interest at the patient camels already kneeling to receive their load1 perhaps of precious ointment or sweet spices4 ,here were the merchants spreading their wares3 gold work from ,cairo2 shawls of ,tyrian dye1 royal purple or scarlet2 rich perfumes in their vases of alabaster1 large and small4 ,in one corner a group of dogs1 snapping and snarling1 quarreled over a bone4 ,a caravan was starting for ,egypt1 and as the ,bethlehem khan was the first night's rest after leaving ,zion1 many friends of the travelers had come with them from ,jerusalem and were now sorrowfully saying their last farewells4 ,naomi stood watching an old father tenderly kiss his departing son upon either cheek and then lay his hand upon the boy's head in blessing4 ,a little lad1 carrying his pet monkey1 was lifted to the back of a camel1 and ,naomi was staring so intently that she did not see the serving-lad ,jacob until he was close upon her4 ,thy aunt calls for thee1 said he to ,naomi4 ,the cart stands ready loaded and we start as soon as thou hast eaten4 ,i would that we were going down into ,egypt1 ,jacob1 said ,naomi1 skipping toward the house as she spoke4 ,to ride to ,jerusalem is nothing4 ,we shall be back to-morrow in this very spot4 ,aye1 if the robbers do not catch us1 answered ,jacob1 wagging his head wisely4 ,it was the first time he had been trusted to ride to ,jerusalem with a load1 and the responsibility weighed heavily upon him4 ,robbers8 ,aunt ,miriam1 will there be robbers on the way to-day1 think you8 ,aunt ,miriam paused in her brisk stepping about the room4 ,here is a bowl of hot pottage and a warm cake for thee1 ,naomi4 ,eat all of it1 she commanded4 ,and talk not to me of robbers4 ,in truth1 there are as many robbers in the khan at ,bethlehem as upon the length of ,jerusalem highway4 ,the caravan to ,egypt will pay for straw for six camels and ten mules1 will they1 when ,i myself counted no less than twenty animals in their train8 ,jacob1 bring hither the leader of the caravan that ,i may talk with him4 ,robbers1 indeed6 ,robbers6 ,aunt ,miriam's red cheeks and flashing eyes boded ill for the leader of the caravan for ,egypt4 ,naomi ate her lentil pottage and munched her cake leisurely in a quiet corner1 but she had long finished her meal when ,aunt ,miriam was at last satisfied and ready to start4 ,the bullock cart stood loaded with baskets piled high with great bunches of purple grapes4 ,over them were spread the dewy green leaves of the vine to protect the fruit from the sun and to keep it fresh and moist4 ,aunt ,miriam1 with a sigh of relief1 settled herself in place in the front of the cart4 ,naomi was tucked into a comfortable corner between two great brown baskets of woven rushes4 ,jacob1 standing at the cattle's head1 cracked his long whip1 the animals strained forward1 the cart wheels creaked and turned1 and they were off for ,jerusalem4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,trip ,,to ,,jerusalem ,the road to ,jerusalem stretched white and hot in the blazing sunshine4 ,the deep blue sky was without a cloud1 and the insects1 hidden in the roadside grass1 hummed in the heat4 ,a cloud of dust in the distance told that the three ,roman soldiers who1 only a moment ago1 it seemed1 had galloped past the slowly moving ox cart1 were nearing their destination1 the ,holy ,city4 ,naomi had watched the glitter of their helmets and the flashing of their bright lances with the same interest she had given to a string of melancholy gray camels led along the road by a country lad in his cool white tunic and broad red leather belt4 ,everything was interesting this morning to ,naomi4 ,she stared at the dusty gray olive-trees1 the shabby scrub oaks1 the low-branched sycamores as if she had not been familiar with them all her life4 ,to-day the birds seemed to dart about more swiftly and to utter sweeter songs as they flew4 ,the few sheep she spied nibbling the sparse grass on the rocky hillsides were surely whiter than those at home4 ,the field flowers1 with faces upturned to the bright sun1 glowed with splendid color4 ,the whole world was glad to-day4 ,they are all happy because ,i am happy1 mused ,naomi1 smiling at her own thought4 ,she glanced at ,jacob plodding contentedly along beside his beasts1 at ,aunt ,miriam who sat silent1 her usually busy hands folded in her lap1 enjoying this little rest from her many household cares4 ,tap1 tap1 tap6 ,naomi peered about1 and ,aunt ,miriam sat up straight at this sound upon the road4 ,tap1 tap1 tap6 ,now the shuffling of cautious feet was to be heard1 too4 ,down the ,jerusalem highway came six men walking in single file1 each with a staff in hand and the other hand resting upon the shoulder of the man before him4 ,they were all blind6 ,even their guide1 who tapped the ground as he walked1 was sightless1 the blind leading the blind4 ,naomi stared curiously4 ,she had often seen as many as a dozen blind men walking in such a row1 and they were always to be found by the wayside or near the village gates at home1 in company with the lame and the helpless1 holding out a little bowl for money or food4 ,jacob6 called ,aunt ,miriam4 ,she took a piece of money from her purse1 securely fastened in her belt1 and ,jacob1 without being told1 dropped it in the bowl of the blind leader4 ,he was accustomed to the charity of his good master and mistress4 ,had not ,moses the ,lawgiver bade those who fear their ,god have sympathy for the blind8 ,the blind men at sound of the cart had drawn up by the side of the road1 and now they leaned upon their staffs and turned their sightless faces toward their unseen benefactress4 ,they were glad of an excuse to rest and also to talk1 for time meant little to them1 and they liked nothing better than to recount1 each one1 the detailed history of his misfortune4 ,but ,aunt ,miriam did not mean to spend several hours this morning in idle talk upon the highway4 ,she motioned ,jacob to move on1 and in response to the thanks and blessings showered upon her for her gift1 she called3 ,peace be unto thee1 friends6 ,we hasten on to ,jerusalem before the sun mounts high4 ,may all good things await thee in ,bethlehem6 ,up the steep hill climbed the bullock cart1 and once round the curve in the road ,aunt ,miriam pointed4 ,naomi--the ,city6 she said4 ,see the ,temple6 ,how it gleams6 ,high above the flat roofs and massive walls of ,jerusalem shone the great gold and white ,temple of the ,hebrews4 ,the little party halted at the sight4 ,aunt ,miriam's lips moved in prayer4 ,naomi was silent as she gazed4 ,she recalled the lines in one of the hymns her mother had taught her3 ,we have thought on thy lovingkindness1 ,o ,god1 in the midst of thy temple4 ,to the pious little ,jewish girl there could be no more beautiful nor inspiring sight than that of the sacred ,temple set in the midst of the ,holy ,city4 ,she kept a reverent silence until they reached the ,bethlehem gate where entered all the trade and travel from ,egypt and the sea4 ,but once ,naomi was lifted down from the cart1 and placed in the shade of the huge gateway to wait with ,aunt ,miriam while ,jacob justified their presence in the city to the haughty ,roman guard1 her tongue wagged on as merrily as before4 ,we have no watch-tower like this one on our gateway at home1 ,aunt ,miriam1 she observed1 glancing up and down and roundabout4 ,i suppose that ten soldiers could stand in this one at once if they liked4 ,her aunt nodded absently4 ,her thoughts were with ,jacob1 still talking with the ,roman guard4 ,she hoped there would be no trouble on this day of all days when ,simon was not with them4 ,wilt thou buy me a drink1 ,aunt ,miriam8 ,naomi asked next4 ,not of water1 but of honey of wine4 ,the water-carriers were rough-looking bearded men who ran about in short frocks1 shouting and rattling their brass cups1 with dingy goatskin bottles lashed upon their backs4 ,naomi was afraid of them4 ,she liked far better the row of peasant women with grape juice to sell1 who sat against the wall and called out3 ,honey of wine6 ,who will buy8 ,honey of wine6 ,ho1 every one that is athirst1 come6 ,buy and drink6 ,honey of wine6 ,a moment later she had forgotten that she was thirsty and was watching two poor women who sat in a corner on the ground grinding at a stone mill4 ,near by stood a man selling the cakes new made from the meal the women had ground4 ,it was hard work turning the handles that pressed the meal between the upper and nether millstones1 and the women worked wearily4 ,how slow they are6 said ,naomi scornfully4 ,i could work much faster than they1 could ,i not1 ,aunt ,miriam8 ,could ,i not grind fast if ,i tried8 ,naomi's aunt did not answer4 ,with a gentle hand she pushed the little girl back against the wall4 ,stand there1 thou chattering sparrow1 said she with a smile1 and hold thy peace4 ,here comes one ,solomon the goldbeater1 thy ,uncle ,simon's friend4 ,the load of grapes was brought here at his order1 and it is my task to-day to see that he offers a fair price for them4 ,peace6 ,it seemed a long time to ,naomi that ,solomon the goldbeater and ,jacob the serving-lad1 standing at a little distance from the wall1 haggled over the load of grapes4 ,but at last ,jacob came to report to his mistress the sum offered1 and since she was satisfied the bargain was soon made4 ,then up they went through the narrow dingy streets with their overhanging houses that made a pleasant shade1 past the quarters of the tinsmiths and the jewelers1 the tailors and the sandal-makers4 ,naomi looked eagerly in at the gay bazaars piled high with fine linens and embroideries1 rich scarves and veils1 spices and coffee1 dried fruits and nuts4 ,on they went1 past the street of the potters where anything might be bought1 from water-jars as tall as ,naomi herself to the tiny cup-shaped ,virgin's lamps which1 filled with sweet oil1 were carried by the ,jewish girls4 ,look well about thee1 child1 instructed ,aunt ,miriam from behind her veil4 ,we shall not come this way again4 ,i can tell it all now to ,ezra1 answered ,naomi confidently4 ,i have not forgotten a single sight4 ,so far ,i liked it best of all when the great ,pharisee gave alms to the poor in the market-place just now1 when we were waiting there for ,jacob4 ,i liked it when his servant blew upon the trumpet1 and the poor came hurrying1 and every one turned to look4 ,and next best ,i liked the cages of sparrows for sale4 ,we have them in the market-place at home1 but not so many nor so fat4 ,and next-- ,and next1 interrupted her aunt with a smile1 thou wouldst like thy dinner1 perhaps4 ,here is the home of ,simon's sister ,anna1 and verily ,i believe her little ,martha is watching for us through the wicket in the gate4 ,little ,martha1 with the help of the porter1 threw open the gate before ,aunt ,miriam could say another word1 and ,naomi stepped through a passageway under the house into a courtyard with a tiny fountain playing in the center and a palm growing on either side of it4 ,little ,martha was as fair as ,naomi was dark4 ,she had light reddish hair and blue eyes1 and well pleased was her mother that it should be so1 for this was called ,king ,david's coloring and was supposed to have been that of the great ,king himself4 ,she wore a soft little robe of white and a fine gold chain about her neck4 ,she joyfully led the visitors to her mother who was waiting for them at the end of the court4 ,come in1 thou blessed of the ,lord1 was the gracious greeting ,anna gave them1 and she ushered them up the stairs and into a room that actually had two windows cut in the side4 ,they were the first windows ,naomi had ever looked from1 and she held tight to the sill for fear of falling into the street below4 ,i would that ,i had windows in my house1 thought ,naomi ruefully4 ,i would be so proud if ,i were ,martha4 ,but then she has no brother ,ezra nor baby ,jonas to play with her4 ,in spite of the windows little ,martha did not seem at all proud4 ,she helped her mother bring bowls of water for the guests to wash in1 and when the meal was ready she patted the plump cushions into shape on the divans placed before the gayly painted table4 ,sit by me1 she whispered to ,naomi1 breaking off a neat three-cornered piece of barley cake which was to serve ,naomi as knife and fork and spoon4 ,for dinner there was a dish of young kid stewed with olives1 hot barley cakes1 fresh and dried fruit--apricots1 figs1 pomegranates--and a bowl of amber honey4 ,not an easy thing is it to serve one's self with neatness and dispatch without knife or fork1 and only one's fingers and a bit of bread to rely upon4 ,but ,naomi and ,martha were able to dip their food from the common dish with a bit of barley cake quite as nicely as the grown people did1 and they sat quiet and respectful while ,aunt ,miriam told of ,simon's illness and the reason for this trip to ,jerusalem4 ,when the meal was over1 ,martha ran for fresh bowls of water1 for the ,jews were careful to wash both before and after eating1 and as ,naomi dabbled her fingers daintily ,martha whispered to her3 ,mother says we are all to go about the twelfth hour1 in the cool of the day1 to show thee the ,temple and to see ,king ,herod's garden4 ,oh6 ,oh6 ,and she squeezed her new friend's arm with such fervor that the pretty bowl was barely saved from falling to the floor4 ,later in the day when the first evening breezes were drifting down the dark ravines that swept round the city1 the little party of sight-seers slowly climbed the steep lanes that led toward ,mount ,moriah on which the ,temple stood4 ,built of white marble and glittering with gold1 it dazzled the eyes of little village-bred ,naomi and made her heart thrill as she gazed up the flights of steps at the very ,house of ,god4 ,it was a flat-roofed1 oblong building1 this ,temple of the ,hebrews1 divided within by a curtain of the finest work into two great rooms1 the ,holy of ,holies and the ,holy ,place4 ,the ,holy of ,holies was the dwelling-place of the ,most ,high1 never to be trodden1 never to be seen1 except upon the rarest occasions1 by mortal man4 ,it was now bare and empty1 since the loss years before1 in the war with ,babylon1 of the ,ark with its ,mercy ,seat and two golden cherubim4 ,in the outer chamber1 the ,holy ,place1 lying to the east1 stood the golden candlestick bearing seven lamps1 the golden table of shew bread with its twelve loaves arranged in two rows1 and the golden ,altar of ,incense1 having thirteen spices burning night and day to signify that all the produce of the earth belongs to ,god4 ,in the huge doorway of this room1 where only the priests might enter1 and facing the sunrise1 hung a second curtain or veil of fine linen richly embroidered in blue and scarlet1 purple and flax4 ,these colors were meant to be an image of the world4 ,the scarlet represented fire1 the flax earth1 the blue sky1 and the purple sea4 ,along the wall ran golden vines and clusters of the grape1 the typical plant of ,israel4 ,all this ,naomi could picture perfectly so often had she heard it described1 but she saw it with the eye of her mind only1 for the women of ,israel had a court set apart for them many flights below the ,temple building itself and at the east of the men's ,court of the ,israelites1 as it was called4 ,martha stood at the little girl's elbow1 gazing about1 too1 but not with the same eager interest that ,naomi showed1 since a visit to the ,temple was no great rarity to her4 ,thou shouldst see the ,temple at ,passover1 ,naomi1 she murmured2 the crowds of people1 and the priests at sunrise upon the walls blowing a thousand silver trumpets1 and the long procession in the streets carrying the lambs for the offering4 ,father hath promised to bring us all next ,passover1 ,naomi answered happily4 ,but now ,i long mightily to see the great ,altar of ,burnt ,offering in the ,court of the ,priests4 ,it is made of unhewn stone1 ,ezra says1 and there1 too1 stands the bronze basin where the priests wash hands and feet before entering the ,holy ,place4 ,ezra has learned all about it at school4 ,i long to see it4 ,little ,martha shook her head4 ,nay1 she murmured reprovingly1 that is not a sight for me and thee4 ,i have seen the smoke rising--that is all4 ,naomi stared up at the great group of buildings--courts1 halls1 cloisters1 terraces1 and walls1 topped by the splendid golden front of the ,holy ,place1 in silent awe4 ,if once ,i should lose sight of ,aunt ,miriam1 she thought1 ,i might wander about here for days and days and never find her again4 ,and she took such a firm hold upon her aunt's cloak that she1 feeling the tug1 thought the little girl was impatient to move on4 ,yes1 child1 yes1 said she4 ,we go down now into the ,court of the ,gentiles4 ,do thou and little ,martha walk on ahead4 ,pick thy way carefully1 for this flight of steps is steep4 ,the ,court of the ,gentiles was open to the men of all nations1 since it was not strictly a part of the ,temple4 ,it was a sort of sacred market-place1 and ,naomi and little ,martha1 as they walked about1 held tight to one another when they passed the pens of sheep and oxen destined to be burnt offerings1 and which were restlessly shouldering one another and lowing and bleating as if in some way they sensed their approaching doom4 ,here the seller of doves and pigeons kept his cotes1 for many a worshiper could not afford to buy a kid or a lamb4 ,here1 too1 were the booths and stalls of the moneychangers who did a brisk trade1 since no coin might be offered in the ,temple save the sacred shekel4 ,art thou ready at last to leave the ,temple1 child8 asked ,aunt ,miriam1 coming up behind ,naomi as she stood gazing in at a penful of young lambs4 ,wilt thou be able to tell all this to ,ezra1 think you8 ,naomi nodded slowly4 ,she was not listening to what her aunt said4 ,she was wondering why at times the sheep looked so strangely blurred1 and why little black specks seemed to dance before her eyes4 ,over there is a little lamb that looks like my ,three ,legs1 ,aunt ,miriam1 said she4 ,i am glad he is not here1 shut up in one of these great pens1 and to die1 perhaps1 before another day4 ,she moved listlessly along1 and when her aunt took her hand she clung to her so heavily that good ,aunt ,miriam stopped short on the side of the hill4 ,what ails thee1 child8 said she1 bending over ,naomi4 ,thou art not like thyself4 ,thine eyes look strangely heavy1 even like those of little ,three ,legs4 ,art thou ill8 ,nay1 said ,naomi crossly4 ,surely to have sudden pains shoot through one's eyes was not to be ill4 ,i would see the gardens of ,king ,herod4 ,that is what ,i want4 ,the child is weary1 said little ,martha's mother kindly4 ,she has had a long journey to-day besides this visit to the ,temple4 ,the gardens of ,king ,herod will wait for thee1 ,naomi1 until another time when thou art rested4 ,they will not run away4 ,but ,naomi would not smile at this little joke4 ,she pulled pettishly away when good friend ,anna placed her hand upon her forehead to see if she were feverish4 ,i would see the gardens of ,king ,herod1 she repeated plaintively1 rubbing her eyes as she spoke4 ,ezra saw them1 with rivers and flowers and fountains4 ,he saw doves and pigeons flying through the air4 ,he saw a great beast that spouted water from its mouth1 and ,i would fain see it1 too4 ,the magnificent gardens of the ,king of ,judea were open all day long to any one who wished to enter and enjoy their beauty1 their coolness1 and their shade4 ,canals flowed between green banks1 flowers bloomed and trees rustled1 fountains played in the sunlight1 and tiny fish darted hither and thither in the artificial pools4 ,but there1 too1 bright against the green1 was to be seen the white marble of statues--nymphs1 and dryads1 figures symbolizing grace and beauty--and for this reason1 since to him all statues were idols1 no ,jew would set foot within ,king ,herod's garden4 ,all that ,naomi could hope to do1 beside gazing at the three famous castles of white marble1 with their battlements and turrets1 built by ,herod the ,great1 and at his own splendid palace with its massive walls and towers1 was to peep at the garden through the open gateways or perhaps from the top of the wall1 as ,ezra had done4 ,but ,aunt ,miriam1 with sturdy common sense1 had no intention of taking the weary and ailing little girl on the long trip across ,cheesemonger's ,valley from the ,mount of the ,temple to ,mount ,zion where the palaces stood4 ,she beckoned to ,jacob who had walked near them all the way1 and when he came forward she said3 ,carry the little maid home1 ,jacob4 ,she is exceedingly weary and needs a night's rest4 ,naomi1 without a protest1 turned to ,jacob and gladly hid her heavy1 aching eyes upon his broad shoulder4 ,i am like ,three ,legs1 thought ,naomi1 as the procession moved homeward4 ,but then ,three ,legs has been sick a long1 long time1 and ,i shall be well in the morning4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,in ,,the ,,dark ,mother1 is it sunrise yet8 ,no1 ,naomi1 it but nears the end of the ,third ,watch4 ,mother1 does the lamp still burn8 ,yes1 child1 as always1 on the table4 ,lie still1 ,naomi1 and try to sleep4 ,thou hast a journey before thee to-day4 ,aye1 said the little girl1 turning restlessly on her quilt4 ,i know1 to the ,pool of ,bethesda4 ,perhaps ,i shall come home with opened eyes1 ,mother4 ,perhaps ,i shall see when ,i come home to-day4 ,dost thou believe that the ,angel of the ,pool will open mine eyes8 ,yea1 child1 ,i do believe1 answered her mother earnestly4 ,thou shalt see again4 ,i hope it with all my heart4 ,and then ,i shall help thee once more about the house1 said ,naomi hopefully1 and learn my lesson every day1 and care for baby ,jonas when thou art busy4 ,then ,i shall run and wait upon my father as of old1 and he will place his hand upon my head and say1 ',naomi1 thou art as quick and light upon thy feet as a young hart or doe4' ,that he cannot say now and speak the truth4 ,but this very day it may be ,i shall have my sight again4 ,and with this hope to comfort her1 ,naomi lay quietly down upon her bed and let her thoughts go back to her last trip to ,jerusalem and its sad homecoming4 ,she remembered the long ride in the jolting bullock cart1 which ,jacob guided as carefully as he knew how in order to spare ,naomi's aching head and throbbing eyeballs4 ,for the night's rest had not cured ,naomi4 ,she had awakened with swollen eyelids that were so heavy she could not hold them up1 and sharp little stabs of pain had caused her to moan and twist in the arms of kind ,aunt ,miriam who held her tenderly on the long homeward ride4 ,then came days and nights of pain1 and a visit from one of the great doctors of ,palestine who ordered poultices of earth mixed with the saliva of one who had been long fasting4 ,and when ,naomi could no longer bear the heavy weight of this remedy upon her tortured eyes1 he kindly changed the poultice to one of owl's brains1 as being not only more comfortable but a trifle quicker in its action4 ,at last the day arrived when ,naomi was free from pain1 but when also1 alas6 as she raised her head weakly and looked about1 she did not see the familiar room with its carved chest and gay cushions and little table pushed against the wall1 she did not see the loving anxious faces of her father and mother and ,ezra1 but only a black curtain dotted with blacker stars that danced and winked and danced again4 ,i cannot see thee6 ,where art thou1 ,mother8 ,is it night8 ,how black it is6 ,oh1 am ,i blind8 ,and ,naomi clung fast to her father and mother as if they must save her from this dreadful fate4 ,blind6 thought her mother1 remembering with a shudder the numberless figures that stretched pitiful hands by the ,bethlehem roadside4 ,my little ,naomi1 blind8 ,an amulet will cure her1 said worried ,samuel stoutly4 ,be not downhearted1 my little maid4 ,thy father will buy for thee an amulet that will open those brown eyes of thine wider than ever before4 ,so ,naomi wore about her neck for weeks a small three-cornered bag1 in which was sewn a scrap of parchment taken from a religious book1 written after certain rules and with a diagram so mysterious that not even ,samuel could understand it4 ,and how were the contents of this little three-cornered bag to restore ,naomi's eyesight8 ,why1 by charming away the wicked spirit who had cast an evil eye upon her4 ,or perhaps ,naomi had chanced to rub her eyes upon waking before she had washed her hands4 ,being unclean1 the devil present had slipped from her fingers into her eyes1 and now must be charmed out again by the holy words about her neck4 ,not a thought that ,naomi1 daily handling sick little ,three ,legs1 might have caught the malady that first darkened the vision of the poor little animal1 and then caused the frail life to flicker out altogether4 ,naomi missed her pet sorely1 but its death was only one more grief added to the burden that overshadowed all her days4 ,she could no longer play in the garden4 ,her well1 begun so happily1 was neglected1 though not forgotten1 and little ,jonas was the leader now1 guiding her faltering steps with such good-will that ,naomi forgave him when he led her straight into the orange-tree or neglected to warn her that the myrtle bush was in her path4 ,her friends ,rachel and ,rebekah had deserted her1 for at the first mention of the evil eye they had looked askance1 and now they never came to play nor to entertain her with their talk4 ,little lame ,enoch proved a faithful friend1 and ,naomi felt comfortable with him as a playmate1 for he1 too1 suffered from a handicap and yet was cheerful and gay notwithstanding4 ,he knew a host of stories told him by his old grandmother1 and the long hours slipped away quickly while their little tongues chattered1 though their hands and feet were pathetically still4 ,but of all the comfort ,naomi knew1 apart from the love of her father and mother1 the companionship of ,ezra was the greatest4 ,he amused her1 he waited upon her1 he revived her drooping spirits with his own high hopes and plans for her4 ,thou shalt see again1 ,naomi1 he would declare confidently4 ,all the cures have not been tried yet4 ,thou art not like the beggars by the roadside4 ,say not that again1 or ,i will dip thee some day in the well behind the myrtle bush that thou wilt be digging ere long4 ,most of the wayside beggars are old men with not an eyeball left1 whilst thou1 ,naomi1 art young1 and thine eyes from without look as clear and strong as mine4 ,wait until my father has taken thee to the ,pool of ,bethesda6 ,have patience1 ,naomi6 ,thou shalt see again6 ,the ,bethesda ,pool lay in ,jerusalem on the ,temple mount1 a stone's throw from the ,sheep ,gate of the ,court of the ,gentiles1 where ,naomi had lingered before the sheep-pens on the afternoon that now seemed so far away4 ,perhaps in these days we should say that the great pool contained a mineral spring1 but in ,naomi's time it was not doubted that an angel had wrought the cures that were told far and wide of this well of healing4 ,about it were always clustered the sick1 the lame1 the halt1 and the blind1 in the belief that when the angel troubled the waters the first to dip himself therein would be healed4 ,so ,samuel the weaver purposed to take ,naomi thither1 and1 even while the little girl lay thinking long1 long thoughts and wishing for daybreak1 the moments slipped by1 the ,fourth ,watch or ,morning came1 and ,naomi's mother rose to prepare the meal so the travelers might have an early start4 ,a stout little donkey1 borrowed from the khan stable1 carried ,naomi and her father briskly over the familiar ,jerusalem highway4 ,the little girl remembered how happy she had been on her journey with ,aunt ,miriam and how all the world had seemed gay that morning4 ,then she recalled the tap1 tap1 tap of the blind men on the road1 and she hid her face in her father's cloak and trembled4 ,o that the ,angel of the ,pool may open my eyes6 prayed ,naomi4 ,o that the ,angel of the ,pool may open my eyes6 ,the ,pool of ,bethesda was a pretty spot4 ,about it had been built five porches1 and in their shelter lay the sick and the withered1 the lame and the blind1 waiting for a chance to push their way in the moment the waters began to move4 ,when ,naomi and her father arrived1 the pool lay still in the sunlight1 so ,samuel established himself close to the edge with his arm about ,naomi1 and fell into conversation with a professional letter-writer who sat1 bearded and grave1 with ink-horn fastened at his side4 ,thy little maid has felt the hand of the ,lord8 queried the letter-writer1 looking compassionately at ,naomi who stood picking with nervous fingers at her father's sleeve4 ,samuel nodded sadly4 ,in a few words he told the story of ,naomi's trouble4 ,she is indeed grievously afflicted1 observed the letter-writer1 shaking his gray head and uttering a sigh4 ,and my friend here1 whom ,i come to lift into the pool1 has lain helpless upon his bed for eight and twenty years4 ,o that the ,messiah would come6 ',then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped4 ,then shall the lame man leap as a hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing4' ,think you the ,messiah will come shortly8 inquired ,samuel4 ,this was a burning question of the day4 ,the desire for the coming of the ,kingdom of ,god was a flame that was consuming the ,jewish nation4 ,the letter-writer tapped his forehead thoughtfully with a brown forefinger4 ,thou knowest the saying of the ,pharisees1 that if all ,israel could keep the ,law perfectly for a single day1 ,messiah would come4 ,as for me1 ,i long with a mighty longing to see ,israel restored1 to be delivered from our enemies1 and to have our sins forgiven4 ,naomi stirred restlessly4 ,what did all this talk of a ,messiah mean to her8 ,well enough for the grown folk to look forward to the coming of a ,saviour4 ,as for her1 all she asked of all the world was that the ,angel of the ,bethesda ,pool might come with healing in his wings and lay his cool fingers upon her closed eyes and open them again4 ,perhaps ,i shall see ,mother's face to-night1 she thought4 ,and ,ezra will be at the village gate waiting for me4 ,he promised4 ,and ,i am to wave my girdle at the first turn in the road if my eyes are opened4 ,o ,angel of the ,pool1 remember me1 ,naomi6 ,remember me here in the dark6 ,naomi's father1 who had never taken his eyes from the pool1 leaned forward4 ,it moves1 ,naomi1 he whispered4 ,the ,angel comes1 although we see him not4 ,be ready1 for ,i must act quickly4 ,the surface of the pool began to heave and swell1 and at the precise moment that the water boiled up1 ,samuel bent over with ,naomi in his arms and dipped her head under the water once1 twice1 three times6 ,dripping1 sputtering1 and crying1 ,naomi was placed upon her feet1 while her father endeavored to wipe away the water that ran down into her neck and stained her little robe4 ,dost thou see1 ,naomi8 asked ,samuel with a tremble in his voice4 ,open thine eyes and look6 ,dost thou see1 my little pomegranate8 ,if the ,angel of the ,pool failed them1 where should he turn for help8 ,naomi obediently opened her brown eyes and stared1 sightless as ever1 into her father's face4 ,the ,angel of the ,pool had failed them6 ,,chapter ,v ,,all ,,the ,,world ,,comes ,,visiting ,it was the winter season in ,palestine4 ,in the darkness and despair that followed her trip to the ,pool of ,bethesda1 ,naomi had not cared what the weather might be4 ,she had listened with indifference to the whistling1 roaring wind-storm that had come suddenly one night in ,october telling the weather-wise that summer was over and the rainy season at hand4 ,huddled over the brazier of charcoal that smouldered under a rug in a shallow hole in the middle of the floor1 ,naomi had not heeded the wild dash of rain against the house nor its melancholy dripping in the deserted garden4 ,even the excitement of ,ezra and ,jonas over a slight fall of snow1 the first either one had ever seen1 had failed to rouse her4 ,samuel and his wife were troubled beyond words at this calamity that had come upon their child4 ,aunt ,miriam and ,simon were sympathetic1 but could offer no advice4 ,ezra was at his wits' ends1 for all his schemes and devices to amuse failed1 and the hollow words of encouragement died upon his honest lips4 ,samuel1 too1 had a fresh worry of which ,naomi knew nothing1 and which1 slight though it was in comparison with the little girl's misfortune1 did not tend to make the daily life of the family more pleasant4 ,aye1 ,samuel the weaver's child is blind1 said the neighbors1 wagging their heads in knowing fashion4 ,what sin hath he committed1 think you1 that this calamity befalls him8 ,truly the way of the transgressor is hard4 ,it may be that his wife is the sinner1 was whispered about4 ,or perhaps both4 ,and little by little the village people turned aside when they saw ,samuel coming1 and fewer and fewer were the friendly words said to ,naomi's mother when she went patiently down to the fountain for her supply of water4 ,ezra felt himself more fortunate than the grown people1 for at the first unkind word from his former friend1 fat ,solomon across the road1 he had flown at him in a fury1 and had shortly enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing his blubbering enemy lick the dust4 ,mole1 indeed6 shouted ,ezra1 doubling up his fists4 ,thou wilt call my sister a blind mole1 wilt thou8 ,thou serpent1 feeding upon the dust6 ,thou snake6 ,rise not up or ,i will rub thy nose in the dirt again4 ,so cautious ,solomon1 having learned his lesson well1 was forced to content himself with calling names from behind the wall1 which ,ezra was prompt to answer with sticks and stones4 ,no one was happy in the little household1 and faces were sober and voices hushed as they went about their tasks1 until one day ,aunt ,miriam called ,ezra and whispered in his ear4 ,his eyes opened wide and his face brightened1 and for more than a week he neglected his friends1 the shepherds1 and spent all his spare time at the khan4 ,then1 one afternoon1 when the rain had ceased and the little olive leaves glistened in the cold bright light1 ,naomi's mother approached the forlorn little figure crouched in a corner and raised her to her feet4 ,here is thy warm cloak1 beloved1 said she1 coaxingly1 laying her hand on the soft brown curls that seemed to hang limply now that ,naomi never tossed them back with a proud little shake of the head4 ,before the door stand thy aunt1 thy father1 and thy brother4 ,they wait for thee4 ,and1 little ,naomi1 there waits a surprise for thee also4 ,come and listen by the doorway4 ,from behind the door ,naomi heard an unfamiliar stamping1 a running about1 and ,ezra's excited voice4 ,be careful1 ,jonas1 called ,ezra sharply4 ,wilt thou be stepped on8 ,stand from under4 ,naomi1 where art thou8 ,mother6 ,oh1 she comes6 ,aunt ,miriam1 ,father1 she comes6 ,naomi's mother led out the white-faced little girl and ,samuel took her gently by the hand4 ,a gift for thee1 little ,naomi1 said he1 smiling more happily than in many a long day1 from thy good ,aunt ,miriam4 ,put out thy hand and guess4 ,naomi stretched out a timid hand and touched a soft furry nose4 ,a donkey6 said ,naomi4 ,to take me for a ride6 ,aye1 burst out ,ezra1 his face shining with unselfish joy2 to take thee for a ride every day and everywhere4 ,up and down the hills and roundabout4 ,we shall go everywhere together1 thou and ,i4 ,speak more plainly1 ,ezra1 said ,aunt ,miriam1 seeing the puzzled look upon his sister's face4 ,the donkey is thine1 ,naomi4 ,thy ,uncle ,simon and ,i have given it to thee4 ,ezra means that he will take thee riding upon it whenever and wherever thou wilt4 ,no longer shalt thou lurk in the house with white cheeks from sunrise to sunrise4 ,we shall have thee as rosy as a poppy again ere long4 ,and her tender-hearted aunt first wiped her brimming eyes upon the corner of her veil1 and then caught back ,jonas by his leather pinafore from under the donkey's heels1 where he seemed determined to meet with a speedy death4 ,now the trick6 cried ,ezra1 who had been hopping from foot to foot during his aunt's long speech4 ,have ,i not been teaching him for more than a week8 ,say thy lesson well1 little donkey6 ,stand here before him1 ,naomi6 ,samuel placed ,naomi in position4 ,thy donkey's name1 ,naomi1 went on ,ezra1 is ,michmash1 because he comes from the town of that name4 ,now place thy hands upon the tips of his ears4 ,do not pinch or he will kick4 ,i know4 ,samuel guided the little girl's hands until they rested upon the tips of the long gray ears4 ,now say his name slowly1 instructed ,ezra1 his face aglow4 ,mich1 said ,naomi1 and down came a furry ear1 mash1 and down came the other4 ,then the little donkey winked both ears violently1 and turned a patient eye upon his young teacher as if asking praise4 ,he did it6 ,he did it6 cried the teacher4 ,he did not forget his lesson and he will do it every time4 ,michmash6 ,and as the long ears fell again1 ,ezra threw his arms about ,naomi and hugged her close4 ,wilt thou come for a ride with me now8 he whispered4 ,the sun shines and the wind blows and it will be pleasant out upon the hills4 ,so seated upon the back of ,michmash1 ,naomi rode off1 with such a bright look upon her wan face that her father and mother could not help thinking that better days were in store for them all4 ,every pleasant day ,ezra1 leading ,michmash1 took ,naomi1 wrapped in her little scarlet cloak1 out riding1 and as they moved along in the crisp1 bracing air they talked--long1 long talks of what they were passing1 of ,ezra's day at school1 or of the thoughts and fancies that filled ,naomi's active little mind4 ,ezra1 said she one day1 as ,michmash felt his way securely up the side of one of the stony little ,judean hills1 ,ezra1 dost thou remember what was told thee that the letter-writer said that day by the ,pool of ,bethesda8 ,her lip trembled as she spoke1 but ,ezra answered her instantly4 ,yea1 said he1 ,i do1 indeed4 ,he spoke of the ,messiah4 ,and what think you of the ,messiah8 asked ,naomi timidly4 ,what think you he will do when he cometh1 ,ezra8 ,dost think that he will open the eyes of the blind8 ,ezra1 in order to speak more earnestly1 halted ,michmash1 who gladly fell to cropping the coarse grass4 ,the ,messiah1 ,naomi1 said ,ezra slowly1 will do what the prophet ,isaiah promised of him4 ,never fear4 ,he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf4 ,he will make the lame man leap and the dumb man sing for joy4 ,when he cometh1 we shall all see the salvation of the ,lord and our sins shall be forgiven us4 ,all ,israel shall rejoice4 ,aye1 even stout ,solomon also1 added ,ezra grimly4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god will come1 and the ,messiah will rule in righteousness1 and he shall put our enemies to flight4 ,no longer then will we pay tribute to the ,emperor ,caesar ,augustus at ,rome4 ,no longer will we tolerate the wicked ,king ,herod in our city of ,jerusalem4 ,and the ,roman eagle that hangs above our ,temple gates will be torn down and trampled under foot4 ,ezra spoke warmly4 ,he had been well taught in school and synagogue1 and had listened carefully to his father and his friends as they talked in the market-place and elsewhere4 ,oh1 ,i would that the ,messiah would come quickly1 said ,naomi wistfully4 ,and if he can make me see1 he can make lame ,enoch straight4 ,i would that ,enoch's old grandmother had not died and that he had not gone so far away to live as ,jericho4 ,i miss him4 ,think now of this new numbering of all the world1 went on ,ezra1 whose heart burned within him at the wrongs of his nation4 ,every man must travel to the town whence his family sprang1 whether he live near or far and whether or no he be rich enough to stand a journey4 ,and why8 ,because the ,emperor at ,rome has ordered so4 ,i stood in the market-place when the ,roman heralds with their trumpets summoned all ,bethlehem thither1 and told of this new enrollment and of the taxing to follow4 ,i saw the black looks and heard the muttering1 but did any man speak out8 ,nay--afeard of the short sword the ,roman soldier carries4 ,oh1 aye1 ,i am afeard of it myself1 admitted ,ezra indulgently2 but when the ,messiah cometh things will not be so4 ,mother says that many have already traveled to ,bethlehem to be enrolled1 said ,naomi1 and that we shall have a houseful when the caravan from ,nazareth comes in4 ,i would fain be a help to her just now and not a trouble1 but ,i can do nothing at all1 nothing1 only keep out of the way4 ,and the tears rolled down poor ,naomi's cheeks4 ,do not cry1 said ,ezra pitifully1 and with a patience wonderful in a boy of his years4 ,we all love thee1 ,naomi1 better than if thou hadst the sharp sight of an eagle4 ,come1 greedy one1 he went on1 pulling at ,michmash's bridle4 ,wilt thou eat all night8 ,come6 ,they stood upon a hill that looked toward the north1 and as ,ezra waited for lazy little ,michmash to finish his mouthful1 his eye caught a line of tiny black figures perhaps a mile away from ,bethlehem village4 ,the caravan from ,nazareth1 ,i verily believe6 he exclaimed4 ,hold fast1 ,naomi1 and ,i will take thee down to the gate4 ,there ,i will tell thee all the sights as they come in4 ,rattling over the stones and down the steep paths in reckless fashion1 the little brother and sister were soon established in a spot where ,ezra could see all that was needful1 and whisper what he saw in ,naomi's ear4 ,it is the caravan from ,nazareth1 he announced1 and they ride on horses1 camels1 mules1 but some walk4 ,there are great numbers of them and more are still to come4 ,some have fallen behind1 they say1 and are far back upon the road4 ,they are very weary and they smile but little4 ,who would want to take the long journey in winter only to part with money in the end8 ,when ,ezra and ,naomi reached home1 they found that1 as their mother had said1 their house was full to overflowing with company from the ,nazareth caravan4 ,abner and ,joel1 merchants of ,nazareth1 were there with ,joel's son ,amos and his wife ,elisabeth4 ,samuel's cousin1 ,daniel1 who owned a large farm in fruitful ,galilee1 had come1 bringing with him as a matter of course his friends1 ,david and ,phineas1 neighboring farmers4 ,all these people had originally sprung from this city of ,david1 and now back they came to it1 some in good1 some in ill humor1 but to a man obeying the command of the ,emperor at ,rome4 ,every inch of floor space in ,samuel's little house was occupied that night when the soft quilts were spread out1 and the family and their guests lay down to rest4 ,naomi and ,jonas were cuddled in a corner next their mother4 ,but when ,ezra came in late from feeding ,michmash1 the dim light of the little oil lamp1 that burned each night in all but the poorest of ,jewish homes1 showed him a floor so crowded with soundly sleeping guests that he knew not how to reach his own bed spread at his father's right hand4 ,father6 whispered ,ezra4 ,my son1 answered ,samuel in a cautious voice4 ,father1 it is so crowded here ,i would fain spend the night with old ,eli in the fields with the sheep4 ,they are encamped below the khan in the ,fields of ,david4 ,may ,i go8 ,old ,eli said but yesterday that ,i had neglected him of late4 ,go1 my son4 ,give greetings to old ,eli1 and ,god's peace attend thee4 ,so ,ezra slipped out under the dark starry sky to join the shepherds abiding in the field1 keeping watch over their flock by night4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,shepherds ,ezra picked his way carefully down the dark ,bethlehem lanes until he reached the town gate1 swung shut and locked hours before at sunset4 ,nathan6 ,nathan6 he called1 until the old gate-keeper peered out from his little booth and muttered a friendly greeting to the lad4 ,nathan1 ,i would go down into the fields with shepherd ,eli to-night1 explained ,ezra politely4 ,wilt thou not let me pass through the strait gate8 ,just this once6 ,i will never ask thee again4 ,old ,eli is thy friend and mine4 ,do the favor for him1 ,i beg of thee1 and ,i will bless thee all my days4 ,nathan could not help laughing at the old-fashioned speech of the boy4 ,whether ,i do it for thee or for shepherd ,eli1 the deed is done1 he cackled1 and threw open the small gate standing beside the large one and known as the strait gate4 ,ask me not again1 ,i warn thee2 ask me not again4 ,past the ,bethlehem khan ,ezra hurried1 and down through the piece of fertile land that lay to the east1 where the reapers of ,boaz had swung their rude sickles and where ,ruth had gleaned the golden sheaves4 ,a walk of two miles brought him to the pasture land where the shepherd lad ,david had watched his father's sheep1 battling with lion and bear when the need arose1 and where1 too1 many of his sweetest songs had been written4 ,the boy scurried along at a good pace1 for on these dark and lonely roads to meet with wolf or jackal or1 still more terrifying1 with robbers1 singly or in bands1 was not unknown4 ,at the end of the road ,ezra peered about in the starlight until he could distinguish a number of dark forms huddled before one of the caves in the hillside4 ,within the shallow cave lay the flock asleep1 and before it1 on his rough bed of brushwood and rushes1 sat shepherd ,eli1 with only a dog or two to keep him company4 ,beside him lay his shepherd's crook1 his club tipped with iron the better to protect his charges1 and his sling with which he was wont to throw stones just beyond his sheep to bring them back when they were going astray4 ,ezra chose to leap over the rude stone wall that enclosed this sheepfold instead of passing through the narrow gateway4 ,the two great sheep dogs1 gaunt and rough1 who had spied him on the edge of the pasture land long before he had seen them1 leaped fawning upon him with sharp yelps of affection4 ,down6 ,down6 cried ,ezra1 half laughing1 half impatient4 ,eli1 my father sends thee greeting4 ,as for me1 ,i would fain spend the night with thee here in the fields4 ,i am crowded out of my father's house by visitors from ,nazareth who come to be listed for the census4 ,i will make myself useful1 ,eli4 ,perhaps thou canst steal a nap while ,i keep watch of the sheep4 ,but why art thou alone to-night8 ,where are the other shepherds8 ,and the dogs8 ,aye1 aye1 responded shepherd ,eli1 slowly wagging his head and drawing his sheepskin cloak about him4 ,thou art always welcome1 lad4 ,as for sleep1 never at cockcrow was ,i more wakeful than at this moment to-night4 ,for there is something strange in the air1 lad4 ,the very dogs feel it4 ,they lie quiet and still2 they neither twist nor turn4 ,whether it be that friend or foe approaches1 ,i know not4 ,something beyond our ken is a-wing to-night4 ,but1 ,eli1 said ,ezra1 if it were wolves or jackals1 the dogs would be barking4 ,and where are the other shepherds8 ,wilt thou battle alone if the wild beasts come8 ,nay1 child1 nay1 said ,eli patiently4 ,i look not for wild beasts to-night1 nor do the dogs expect their ancient enemy4 ,thou sayest truly1 like a wise little shepherd1 that they behave not thus when wolf or jackal is abroad4 ,the other shepherds read not the signs as do ,i4 ,thieves lurk near at hand1 say they1 and with the dogs they go to rout them out4 ,what dost thou expect1 ,eli8 asked ,ezra timidly4 ,he was thrilled and frightened and thrilled in turn at this talk4 ,the old man sat with his face turned to the brilliant ,oriental sky powdered thick with stars4 ',he numbereth the stars1 ,he calleth them all by name1' said ,eli softly4 ,expect8 ,child1 ,i know not what ,i expect except that ,he who hath promised us salvation from our enemies and remission of our sins shall keep ,his holy word4 ,and there are signs that the time draws near4 ,surely thou hast heard of the priest ,zacharias1 who was smitten dumb as he served in the ,temple1 and of the birth of his son ,john who1 it is promised1 is to go before the face of the ,lord to make ready ,his ways4 ,who made the promise8 ,who but the ,angel of the ,lord1 ,gabriel1 who stands in the presence of ,god4 ,think you his word shall fail8 ,nay1 ,i tell thee the times are ripe4 ,but ,eli-- ,ezra began in his shrill little voice1 when the old shepherd cut him short with a sudden gesture4 ,the men return1 muttered ,eli4 ,once already to-night they have heard what they term 'an old man's babbling4' ,let us listen to their story now4 ,how many thieves caught ye1 friends8 he called out4 ,did ye surprise the enemy in his lair8 ,the shepherds filed in through the narrow opening and threw themselves heavily on the ground beside ,eli and the lad4 ,the dogs crouched low1 with nose between paws1 and closed their eyes4 ,thieves8 ,nay1 said one of the shepherds brusquely4 ,we saw naught amiss1 and had but the walk for our pains4 ,the shepherds wrapped their heavy woolen mantles about them and talked together in low voices4 ,no one seemed disposed to sleep1 though the day's work had been hard and all needed a night's rest4 ,ezra sat silent1 thinking of old ,eli's words and scarce hearing the conversation that went on about him4 ,suddenly the old shepherd grasped ,ezra's arm4 ,one of the younger men was speaking4 ,the night has grown so still1 said he4 ,note ye that the wind dies down and that a hush falls o'er all8 ,his voice ended on a trembling note4 ,he covered his face with his mantle and fell forward among his prostrate companions4 ,only old ,eli1 with his arm about shaking little ,ezra1 held his white head erect--joyous1 confident1 trustful4 ,for an angel of the ,lord stood by them1 and the glory of the ,lord shone round about them3 and they were sore afraid4 ,and the angel said unto them3 ,be not afraid2 for behold1 ,i bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people3 for there is born to you this day in the city of ,david a ,saviour1 who is ,christ the ,lord4 ,and this is the sign unto you3 ,ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes1 and lying in a manger4 ,and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising ,god1 and saying3 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 ,on earth peace1 good will toward men4 ,ezra1 strengthened by ,eli's arm which did not waver1 ventured to open his eyes4 ,he saw a brilliant whiteness1 clear as crystal1 that seemed to light the world from end to end4 ,high above1 the sky was filled with clouds of rose and amber and amethyst4 ,all the glories of sunrise and of sunset were mingled there4 ,did he catch a flutter of white pinions8 ,did he glimpse a ,leader1 majestic1 terrible1 yet radiant with gracious love8 ,even as he stared1 unable to move1 the song grew fainter1 the colors faded and vanished4 ,the echo of the angels' song rang in his ears4 ,to his dying day it would haunt his memory4 ,the muffled figures on the ground stirred and stood erect4 ,overhead burned the stars in the frosty sky4 ,the silence was broken by old ,eli4 ,let us now go even unto ,bethlehem1 and see this thing that is come to pass1 which the ,lord hath made known unto us4 ,over the rough1 uneven ground hastened the shepherds4 ,their flocks for once were left uncared for1 save by the dogs4 ,they pressed on across the familiar pasture land1 up and over the cornfields1 and then took the sharp rise that would lead them past the ,bethlehem inn4 ,clinging to the hillside and facing the cornfields was the stable of the inn1 a rough cave in the limestone rock4 ,on a rope stretched across the wide entrance swung a lantern1 whose dim light twinkled and flickered before the eyes of the shepherds as they came up the hill4 ,old ,eli quickened his pace1 ,ezra at his heels4 ,and this is the sign unto you3 ,ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes1 and lying in a manger4 ,the boy knew that the inn was crowded to overflowing1 as was his own and every house in ,bethlehem that night4 ,was it possible that this familiar manger was the resting-place to-night of a ,heavenly ,guest8 ,were strangers lodged in the stable8 ,was this the only shelter that could be offered the latest arrivals of the ,nazareth caravan because there was no room at the inn8 ,at the stable entrance ,ezra hung back4 ,he saw a man come forward out of the shadows and talk with ,eli4 ,with a single gesture the old shepherd motioned his companions to join him4 ,lost for a moment in the gloom1 ,ezra saw them again speaking1 bending forward1 then falling upon their knees4 ,the stars had faded and an early morning wind was blowing chill when at last the shepherds made their way out of the stable4 ,the lamp1 still swinging1 burned pale in the dawn1 but its faint light fell across the white face of a little boy who lurked in the doorway and whose cold hand clutched old ,eli as he came exulting forth4 ,praise ,god6 ,praise ,god for ,his mercy1 justice1 and truth6 ,praise-- ,old ,eli started at the cold touch1 and looked down with eyes that glowed with an inward light4 ,child1 what doest thou here8 ,hinder me not4 ,i go now to spread the good tidings--to praise and to glorify ,god4 ,ezra opened his dry lips4 ,hast found ,him8 he asked4 ,is it the ,messiah8 ,is it the ,christ8 ,aye1 child1 'tis as the angel said1 answered ,eli happily2 a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes1 lying in a manger4 ,come to bring peace on earth1 our ,saviour who is ,christ the ,lord1 our long-looked-for ,messiah6 ,glory to ,god in the highest6 ,glory6 ,ezra heard no more4 ,he had turned1 and with the speed of an arrow from its bow was running up the steep road toward home4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,in ,a ,,manger ,the rising sun pushed through a bank of purple cloud and touched with long rosy beams the roof of ,samuel the weaver's house4 ,on the narrow parapet that bordered the roof walked a number of snowy pigeons1 stepping delicately with heads raised and thrown back as if to enjoy the splendor and freshness of the early morning4 ,in one corner of the roof lay a dark heap1 heedless of sunlight1 morning breeze1 or bird1 conscious only of the blackest misery1 the deepest hopelessness that an eight-year-old heart can know4 ,it was ,naomi1 who lay with hands clenched and face pressed against the cold stone1 too heartsick for tears1 wishing only in her wretchedness to creep away where she might be alone4 ,presently she stirred and lifted her head4 ,quite a different ,naomi was this from the happy1 generous child who had sacrificed her flower garden for the sake of an ailing lamb2 not at all like the little girl who had set forth so joyfully for a day's pleasure in ,jerusalem4 ,her little robe was wrinkled1 her curls were tangled and rough1 her face was pinched and pitiful4 ,with her soft little fist she beat upon the roof in time with the rhythm of her words4 ,did they think ,i could not hear8 she asked1 speaking aloud in her fullness of heart4 ,did ,elisabeth1 the wife of ,amos1 think that ,i was deaf as well as blind that she should say aloud1 ',the child ,naomi will never see again4 ,there is no hope4' ,no hope6 ,no hope6 ,and perhaps ,i shall live to be as old as lame ,enoch's grandmother lived to be4 ,who will care for me then8 ,who will give me shelter and food8 ,amos of ,nazareth thought of that1 too4 ,i heard him1 though he whispered low4 ',she will be always a burden4 ,it were better that she should die4' ,i heard him4 ,he said those words4 ',she will be always a burden4 ,it were better that she should die4' ,die8 ,die8 ,i cannot die4 ,i am well and strong4 ,i shall live and live and live4 ,my mother and father will die and leave me1 and ,ezra and ,jonas will weary of me4 ,i shall be a beggar by the roadside4 ,no hope6 ,no hope6 ,naomi sank down again in a little heap and rocked to and fro4 ,her misfortune seemed too dreadful to be borne4 ,it was incredible that such a fate should overtake her4 ,it might happen to ,rachel1 or ,rebekah1 or to stout ,solomon across the road1 but not to ,naomi1 the daughter of ,samuel the weaver4 ,as she swayed back and forth1 torn by her misery1 there came to her1 like balm upon a wound1 the familiar1 comforting words that her mother and father had used over and over of late1 to soothe the little girl's pain and to encourage hope in the sad hearts of them all4 ,i had fainted unless ,i had believed to see the goodness of ,jehovah ,in the land of the living4 ,wait for ,jehovah3 ,be strong1 and let thy heart take courage2 ,yea1 wait thou for ,jehovah4 ,naomi rose to her feet4 ,the startled pigeons withdrew a short way and stood watching her curiously with their hard1 bright eyes4 ,about her was the soft sunlight1 over her head the deep blue sky4 ,she turned her sightless face toward ,jerusalem and spoke as if to a friend present4 ,yea1 ,lord1 said the little ,jewish girl in simple faith1 ,i will wait for ,thee1 and for ,thy ,messiah who will open the eyes of the blind4 ,surely when ,messiah cometh ,i shall see4 ,and until then1 ,i will wait and pray for ,his coming4 ,i will wait4 ,on the outer stairway that led from the ground to the roof stood ,ezra1 breathless1 his hand pressed against his side4 ,he had run all the way1 without stopping1 up the steep lanes from the ,bethlehem stable1 and now1 pausing to rest an instant before speaking to ,naomi1 he could not help overhearing the last words she said4 ,so thou wilt wait8 he whispered1 his breath coming in gasps4 ,thou wilt wait for ,his coming8 ,nay1 my little sister1 thy time of waiting is over4 ,the ,messiah is here6 ,the ,christ is born6 ,o that ,i might shout it from the housetop1 that my father and mother and all the world may know that the ,lord hath kept ,his promise and the ,messiah hath come6 ,ezra's whole heart and soul were full of a great new hope1 and the sight of ,naomi's tear-stained face and groping1 outstretched hands made him long to tell her the good tidings at once4 ,but the boy's love for his unhappy little sister made him wise beyond his years4 ,if ,i tell her1 and it does not come to pass as she wishes1 it will break her heart1 he argued4 ,the ,messiah is but a tiny ,baby now1 weak and helpless4 ,it may be ,he must grow to manhood before ,he can heal the blind1 the deaf1 and the sick4 ,who knows8 ,not ,i4 ,i will not tell her yet4 ,so ,ezra clattered noisily up the remaining steps of the stairway1 calling out3 ,naomi6 ,naomi6 ,where art thou8 ,oh1 here thou art6 ,are thy sandals well tied8 ,for ,i have come to take thee down to the inn stable to show thee something there4 ,and what it is1 thou couldst never guess if thou didst guess a hundred years4 ,naomi shook her head4 ,show me8 ,what could ,i see8 ,nay1 ,i will go nowhere1 ,ezra1 she answered sadly4 ,if ,i went1 ,i could not see thy wondrous sight4 ,i would far rather stay at home4 ,but this is something to feel1 said ,ezra coaxingly1 putting his arm about ,naomi and leading her gently toward the stairway4 ,tell me1 dost thou remember when young ,deborah1 the vine-dresser's wife1 laid something soft and warm in thine arms8 ,a baby1 ,ezra8 asked ,naomi1 stopping short4 ,a baby at the inn stable8 ,aye1 said ,ezra firmly1 a ,baby6 ,a ,baby born in a stable and lying in a manger because there was no room last night at the inn4 ,but ,i cannot see it1 ,ezra1 said ,naomi mournfully4 ,why should ,i go8 ,i cannot see4 ,dost thou remember1 too1 how ,deborah's baby clung to thy finger8 said the crafty ,ezra1 guiding her tenderly down the steps as he talked4 ,and did ye not find it pleasant to hold8 ,you rocked it to and fro all day long1 ,naomi4 ,you said that you wished that ,jonas might be put back in swaddling clothes again4 ,aye1 it was pleasant1 admitted ,naomi4 ,but ,deborah brought the baby to me4 ,i will not go to the khan1 ,ezra4 ,i do not wish to meet any one4 ,my heart is heavy4 ,there will be people to stare at me and to talk in the lanes and at the stable4 ,i will not go4 ,naomi1 said ,ezra desperately1 dost thou love me8 ,aye1 thou knowest that ,i love thee1 answered ,naomi in surprise4 ,then1 to please me1 come to the inn stable1 was ,ezra's quick response4 ,ask me no questions and delay not1 but come4 ,it is early1 ,naomi4 ,we will meet no one1 ,i hope and trust4 ,give me thy hand and come4 ,naomi instantly slipped a thin little hand into her brother's outstretched palm4 ,for love of thee1 ,ezra1 said she sweetly4 ,for love of thee4 ,down the quiet road1 deserted in the winter season at this early hour1 ,ezra led ,naomi1 carefully guiding her over the stones and ruts in the rough highway4 ,unobserved1 they slipped quietly through the town gate1 and when a turn in the road brought the khan into view ,ezra threw his arm about his sister and quickened their steps4 ,he spoke but once4 ,one of thy pigeons flies before us1 ,naomi1 said he1 as if to lead us on4 ,it glistens in the sun like silver4 ,naomi only nodded and clung the tighter to ,ezra's arm4 ,past the inn and round to the stable door he led her1 and there they halted4 ,naomi1 said ,ezra1 his voice trembling with hope and fear1 thou knowest the stable well4 ,enter1 and walk forward until thy feet touch the straw before the manger4 ,there lies the ,babe6 ,with a gentle push ,ezra started ,naomi toward the ,mother and ,child1 whose figures he could dimly see on a heap of straw at the back of the cave4 ,then in the shadow of the doorway ,ezra fell upon his knees4 ,o ,lord1 he prayed1 ,i know that this is ,thy ,messiah4 ,i believe that ,thou hast sent ,him4 ,thou hast promised of old that when ,messiah cometh ,he shall open the eyes of the blind4 ,i would that ,he might open my sister ,naomi's eyes4 ,if ,thou wilt answer this prayer1 ,lord1 ,i will promise ,thee anything4 ,i will be ,thy faithful servant1 ,i will be an obedient son1 ,i will learn my lessons well at school and never shirk4 ,i will no more throw stones at stout ,solomon nor even call him names4 ,i will promise anything ,thou mayst ask of me1 if ,thy ,messiah will only open my sister ,naomi's eyes4 ,hear my prayer1 ,o ,lord1 hear my prayer4 ,within the stable ,naomi crept cautiously forward4 ,her footsteps lagged1 for she had no heart in this undertaking4 ,what pleasure could there be for her in visiting a stranger's baby which she could not even see8 ,a short time ago1 to hold the soft little body close and to feel the tiny clinging hands might have given her a moment's happiness2 but to-day her heart was so full of misery that there was no room in it for joy to enter4 ,she longed to sink down on the stable floor4 ,only her love for ,ezra kept her moving4 ,she felt the straw before the manger beneath her feet1 and she dropped to her knees and stretched out a timid hand4 ,yes1 the ,mother and ,child were before her4 ,she fingered the hem of the cloak wrapped about the young ,mother1 but she could not bring herself to touch the little ,child4 ,i care not6 ,i care not6 thought ,naomi hopelessly4 ,what to me is this ,baby8 ,why should ,ezra wish me to visit this ,child8 ,as if in answer to her unspoken question1 with a sudden lovely gesture1 the ,child leaned forward4 ,his tiny fingers touched ,naomi's forehead and ,his hands rested for an instant upon her darkened eyes4 99 99 99 99 99 ,naomi opened and closed her eyes rapidly4 ,she rose to her feet and stared about her4 ,was it a dream1 the same kind of a dream with which she had so often lightened the weary hours of darkness1 the long watches of the night1 when she had called to mind some old familiar scene--her mother at the well1 the country road1 ,ezra hastening home from school8 ,now the inn stable rose before her4 ,did she really see the nose of an ox thrusting itself over the stall8 ,or did she only dream the mound of hay1 and on it the young ,mother wrapped in a wide blue cloak and in her arms a ,child1 at the velvet touch of ,whose tiny hands the black curtain had dropped from before her eyes8 ,naomi rubbed her hands together and looked down at them4 ,yes1 they were her own hands4 ,there was the familiar little brown spot on the inside of her third finger4 ,her dress8 ,yes1 that was an old friend1 the yellow and red striped robe4 ,she had worn it the day in the garden that she had given her four scarlet poppies in exchange for little ,three ,legs4 ,then it was true6 ,she did see4 ,but how had it happened8 ,why at the touch of this ,baby hand had her sight been restored8 ,ezra6 she called1 not daring to stir4 ,ezra6 ,ezra's face1 white under the tan1 showed itself round the stable door4 ,ezra1 cried ,naomi1 ,i can see6 ,i can see6 ,i know not how it is1 but ,i was blind and now ,i see6 ,o ,ezra1 the ,baby touched me and ,i can see6 ,ezra came swiftly forward4 ,his eyes were full of tears1 but his face was radiant4 ,he knelt before the ,mother1 who was watching the scene with wondering eyes1 and the ,child1 ,who slept now in ,his ,mother's arms4 ,he pulled ,naomi down beside him4 ,naomi1 it is the ,christ ,child1 he whispered4 ,the ,messiah has come6 ,our ,saviour lies before us6 ,o ,naomi1 the ,messiah hath opened the eyes of the blind6 ,the ,lord hath heard my prayer6 ,and bending low before ,him1 they worshiped at the ,christ ,child's feet4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,the ,,light ,,of ,,the ,,world ,the household of ,samuel the weaver lay sleeping soundly4 ,the dim light of the small oil lamp revealed the figures of ,samuel and his wife wrapped in heavy slumber1 with ,jonas1 rolled into a plump little ball1 at his mother's feet4 ,naomi lay close by with arms outstretched4 ,her dreams were pleasant1 for her lips were parted in a smile4 ,ezra was missing4 ,he was again spending the night in the fields with shepherd ,eli4 ,the friendship between the old man and the lad had grown more deep and strong since the night of the ,angels' ,visit1 and they never wearied of discussing the wonderful event and all the marvels that had followed in its train4 ,these happenings had roused all the village of ,bethlehem1 and had now touched even the city of ,jerusalem since the appearance of the ,wise ,men from the ,east1 who1 following ,his star1 had come to worship the ,king of the ,jews4 ,that very evening ,ezra and ,naomi1 caught on a lonely hillside by the sudden fall of night1 had with one accord pointed to the dusky road below1 along which rocked noiselessly three tall camels bearing the ,magi rapidly in the direction of ,arabia4 ,they brought gold and frankincense and myrrh1 murmured ,ezra1 the offerings to a king4 ,aye1 to my ,king1 to my ,messiah1 answered ,naomi happily4 ,oh1 ,ezra1 ,i would that ,i had all the gold and frankincense and myrrh in all the world that ,i might lay it at ,his feet4 ,how can the neighbors doubt when they see what ,he has done for me8 ,who but the true ,messiah could open my eyes and give me sight again8 ,ezra shook his head4 ,many do believe1 ,naomi1 he answered4 ,and all thy life now thou canst be a living witness to ,god's mercy and love4 ,how happy ,he has made us all6 ,father and ,mother1 thou and ,i6 ,and ,jonas1 too1 said ,naomi quickly4 ,he laughs and plays with me now as never before4 ,he knew that something was wrong1 though he could not put it into words4 ,we are to begin again to dig our well to-morrow1 he and ,i4 ,i promised him4 ,it may be that ,naomi's dreams that night were of this pleasant task that awaited her2 it may be that in her sleep1 as in her waking hours1 her thoughts were filled with visions of the ,christ ,child even as her heart was full of love for ,him4 ,her smile deepened1 and she did not stir as the night wore on4 ,the stars were growing pale1 though morning was still far off1 when the deep silence of the village was broken by the sound of feet running lightly1 cautiously1 up the lane4 ,nearer and nearer came the footsteps until they halted before the door of ,samuel's house1 and a little figure1 panting and breathless1 stepped quickly within4 ,naomi sat upright and peered sleepily through the gloom4 ,ezra1 is it thou8 she asked in surprise4 ,is it morning yet8 ,what brings thee here8 ,i have news1 ,naomi1 bad news1 ,i fear1 the boy answered4 ,i must waken my father and mother4 ,whatever is done must be done quickly4 ,there is no time to lose4 ,i hear thee1 son1 said ,samuel's voice unexpectedly4 ,what is thy tale8 ,and my mother8 questioned ,ezra4 ,it concerns ,jonas4 ,i sleep not1 said ,jonas's mother1 broad awake in an instant1 and drawing the drowsy little ball into her arms in swift alarm4 ,tell thy story quickly4 ,as ye know1 began the boy hurriedly1 ,i went down to the ,fields of ,david at sunset to spend the night with shepherd ,eli4 ,and as ,i passed through the gate old ,nathan hailed me4 ,he told me that one of the shepherds had borrowed his warm cloak and had not yet returned it1 and that he was now full of aches and pains and sorrows because of the lack of it4 ,he charged me straitly to tell the shepherd to return it at once or he would have him haled before the magistrate at daybreak1 and that he would not cease his watch for it nor sleep that night until the cloak was round his shoulders once again4 ,when ,i reached the ,fields1 ,i gave his message1 but the shepherd who had taken his cloak was not there2 he had gone in search of a lost lamb4 ,and when1 less than an hour ago1 he returned1 he asked me to keep him company to the gateway1 and help him make his peace with angry ,nathan4 ,they know that ,nathan is friendly to me1 added the boy in explanation4 ,and ,i know that some night1 wandering about as thou dost1 thou wilt be caught by beast or robber1 growled ,samuel4 ,resume thy story4 ,the shepherd and ,i1 continued ,ezra hastily1 were passing the inn when ,i saw a figure by the roadside beckoning me to come to him4 ,it was ,joseph of ,nazareth1 and behind him in the shadow was his wife1 ,mary1 bearing the ,christ ,child in her arms4 ,he spoke low so that the shepherd should not hear4 ,he told me that an angel of the ,lord had appeared to him in a dream1 saying1 ',arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into ,egypt1 and be thou there until ,i tell thee3 for ,herod will seek the young child to destroy him4' ,he spoke no more1 ,ezra went on1 but ,i said unto him1 ',my little brother1 think you there is danger for him8' ,he nodded in reply1 and then ,i asked1 ',start you at once8' ,he nodded again and stepped back into the shadow4 ,at the gateway old ,nathan1 glad to see his cloak again1 let me through1 and ,i hastened home to tell the tale to thee4 ,ezra's mother had already arisen and1 opening the great carved chest1 had taken from it warm wrappings in which she was bundling the still sleeping ,jonas4 ,deborah1 the vine-dresser's wife1 leaves at sunrise in the caravan for ,joppa4 ,as she spoke1 she worked busily gathering ,jonas's little garments into a bundle4 ,for friendship's sake she will take ,jonas with her4 ,we have1 in her1 at least one true friend in ,bethlehem4 ,her mother lies at ,joppa sore stricken with a fever1 and it may be that our boy will take the sickness and perchance will die4 ,but rather would ,i see him in his baby grave than in the clutch of cruel ,king ,herod4 ,i will go with thee1 wife1 to carry the child1 said ,samuel gravely1 seeing that her simple preparations were now finished4 ,give thy brother a kiss in farewell1 children4 ,it may be thou wilt never see him more4 ,as ,naomi stood on tiptoe and pressed a tender kiss upon ,jonas's plump cheek1 he suddenly opened his dark eyes and1 at sight of his sister1 broke into a broad smile4 ,farewell1 ,jonas1 farewell1 whispered ,naomi1 her eyes full of tears4 ,when thou returnest we will dig the well behind the myrtle bush1 thou and ,i4 ,farewell6 ,then she laid her hand upon her father's arm4 ,father1 said she in a low voice1 the little ,messiah also traveleth far to-night4 ,i owe to ,him my sight and the happiness of us all4 ,i would fain give unto ,him a gift4 ,i would that ,i might give unto ,him my little ,michmash1 that ,he may be borne swiftly and surely on the long road that ,he must go4 ,samuel looked for an instant into the brown eyes upturned to his own4 ,he remembered the darkness1 the suffering1 the vain hope1 the despair1 then--blessed be ,jehovah6 the ,light that had appeared and that had so wondrously shone into the life of his little maid4 ,yea1 child1 said he warmly4 ,no gift that thou couldst give would be too great4 ,ezra1 cried ,naomi1 canst thou overtake them1 think you8 ,but ,ezra had already left the room1 and could be heard in the shed behind the house fitting the bridle over the astonished ,michmash's head4 ,naomi caught up her little scarlet cloak from out the carven chest1 and as ,ezra came past the door1 leading the little gray donkey1 she flung it across her brother's arm4 ,the journey down into ,egypt is far1 and the night winds are cold4 ,it may be my scarlet cloak will keep the little ,messiah warm4 ,she threw her arms about her donkey's neck and laid her cheek against his soft furry nose4 ,fare thee well1 little ,michmash1 she whispered4 ,stumble not nor falter on the way4 ,thou carriest the ,light of all the world1 the ,hope of every heart upon thy back4 ,farewell1 farewell6 ,sunrise--and again ,naomi stood alone upon the housetop4 ,her night of darkness behind her1 she turned her happy gaze upon the morning sky1 blue and rose and violet1 whose clouds touched to misty purple the hilltops and the peaks that surrounded ,bethlehem village4 ,below her lay the white stone houses1 a few steep fields of dark ruddy loam1 the sloping gardens with their vines1 their fig and olive trees4 ,from where ,naomi stood the road that led to the ,holy ,city was hidden from view by the mountain peak ,mar ,elias1 and as she looked toward it her face lighted and she clasped her hands before her4 ,for on the mountain-top rested two great clouds like angels' wings1 and with a heart full of awe and reverence and love little ,naomi felt that she stood in the very presence of ,jehovah ,god4 ,what though the promised ,messiah was fleeing secretly and in dread from ,his own country8 ,the ,lord was mindful of ,his own1 and was even now keeping watch over ,his people4 ,behold1 ,he that keepeth ,israel will neither slumber nor sleep4 ,she had no words4 ,she could only stand and let the tide of love she felt sweep over her again and again1 until softly and almost imperceptibly the ,heavenly ,pinions faded away into the blue4 ,when ,ezra came he found ,naomi looking toward the road that wound ribbon-like past the ,bethlehem inn down into the land of the ,pharaohs1 the country of the ,sphinx and the ,pyramids4 ,he nodded at the question in her eyes and silently pointed out to her a little group that moved steadily forward upon the dusty road below4 ,dost see them8 asked ,ezra softly4 ,joseph1 staff in hand1 leads little ,michmash who bears the ,mother and the ,child upon his back4 ,he steps forth bravely1 the little beast4 ,ah6 now they take the turn that hides them from our sight4 ,our little ,messiah6 ,gone from us after so short a time6 ,aye1 but to come again1 said ,naomi confidently4 ,i know it1 ,ezra4 ,i was blind and now ,i see4 ,as a tiny ,babe ,he brought the light to me alone4 ,but when ,he comes again1 ,he will be the ,light of all the world1 ,ezra1 the ,light of all the world4 ,,the ,,end