The Little Maid of Israel.

Chapter I.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A faint smile touched the lad's pale lips.

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

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

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

Ezra went forward and lifted her to the ground.

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

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

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

"Why didst thou tarry so long, my child?" asked Sarah. "Thy brother has sorely fretted, fearing that some ill had befallen thee."

"I am sorry that thou didst fret, brother," said the maiden, bending to kiss his pale brow.

"Hadst thou trouble in disposing of the fruits, maiden?" asked Ezra.

"No, dear father," replied Leah, turning towards him with a smile. "I was but a little while selling the fruits and making the purchases for my mother."

"Then it was the slowness of our neighbor's ass which did delay thee," said Ezra.

"I will tell thee, father, why I did tarry so long in Samaria," said the maiden. "They were talking in Samaria of the wonders wrought by the prophet, Elisha, and I lingered to listen. 'Twas of his last miracle that they did speak. Father, mother, brother, knoweth thou that the prophet, Elisha, hath power to raise the dead to life?"

She paused and turned her eyes upon the helpless form of the cripple lad while the color deepened upon her cheek and her breath came quickly. Isaac spoke not, but, as his eyes met his sister's, they lighted with passionate eagerness and a long, panting sigh left his lips.

"What sayeth thou, maiden, that the prophet, Elisha, hath power to raise the dead to life?" cried Ezra, wonderingly and incredulously.

"Yes, father," answered Leah. "Listen, and I will tell to thee what I heard in Samaria. There is a woman in Shunem who didst bear to her husband in his old age a son. This woman, who is charitable and good, is well known to Elisha. Indeed she had prepared a chamber for him in her home where he did rest and take refreshment when he travelled on foot from place to place. One morning, when the woman's child was but five years of age, he went into the field where his father was gathering in the harvest, and, there, he suddenly sickened from the heat of the sun. They carried him to his mother, she held him in her arms and, after some hours, he died. She took him up to the little chamber where the prophet had rested and laid him upon the bed. Then, commanding the servant to saddle an ass, she set out to seek Elisha who was at Mount Carmel.

"Elisha, standing upon the summit, near the altar of Jehovah, saw her a-far off, for he sent his servant to inquire if all were well with her. But the woman would herself speak with the prophet, and, falling at his feet, did tell him that her son was dead. Elisha then returned with the woman to Shunem and shut himself into the room with the dead child. After a little while he called his servant and told him to summon the mother, and, when she did come into the room, Elisha said to her, 'Take up thy child,' and the child was risen from the dead."

The little maid ceased speaking, and throwing herself on her knees beside the couch, put her arms gently about Isaac's frail form.

"Sister," murmured the lad, touching tenderly with his thin fingers the curling hair which fell upon her shoulders, "I know the