[Gutenberg 44601] • The Little Maid of Israel

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

[4]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Speak not thus, my son," she murmured, with infinite tenderness. "Thy mother loveth thee but the more tenderly because of thy affliction,[6] and well dost thou know how thy sister's heart yearneth over thee."

A faint smile touched the lad's pale lips.

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

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

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

Ezra went forward and lifted her to the ground.

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

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

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

"Why didst thou tarry so long, my child?" asked Sarah.