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And what I am about to tell you I should long since have forgotten
had I not heard my father recite it to wondering listeners so many
times during my childhood。
I cried out at sight of one of the photographs and looked at it；
first with eagerness； and then with disappointment。 It had seemed
of a sudden most familiar； in much the same way that my father's
barn would have been in a photograph。 Then it had seemed altogether
strange。 But as I continued to look the haunting sense of
familiarity came back。
〃The Tower of David；〃 the missionary said to my mother。
〃No！〃 I cried with great positiveness。
〃You mean that isn't its name？〃 the missionary asked。
I nodded。
〃Then what is its name； my boy？〃
〃It's name is 。 。 。〃 I began； then concluded lamely； 〃I； forget。〃
〃It don't look the same now；〃 I went on after a pause。 〃They've ben
fixin' it up awful。〃
Here the missionary handed to my mother another photograph he had
sought out。
〃I was there myself six months ago； Mrs。 Standing。〃 He pointed with
his finger。 〃That is the Jaffa Gate where I walked in and right up
to the Tower of David in the back of the picture where my finger is
now。 The authorities are pretty well agreed on such matters。 El
Kul'ah； as it was known by〃
But here I broke in again； pointing to rubbish piles of ruined
masonry on the left edge of the photograph
〃Over there somewhere；〃 I said。 〃That name you just spoke was what
the Jews called it。 But we called it something else。 We called it
。 。 。 I forget。〃
〃Listen to the youngster；〃 my father chuckled。 〃You'd think he'd
ben there。〃
I nodded my head； for in that moment I knew I had been there； though
all seemed strangely different。 My father laughed the harder； but
the missionary thought I was making game of him。 He handed me
another photograph。 It was just a bleak waste of a landscape；
barren of trees and vegetation； a shallow canyon with easy…sloping
walls of rubble。 In the middle distance was a cluster of wretched；
flat…roofed hovels。
〃Now； my boy； where is that？〃 the missionary quizzed。
And the name came to me！
〃Samaria；〃 I said instantly。
My father clapped his hands with glee； my mother was perplexed at my
antic conduct； while the missionary evinced irritation。
〃The boy is right；〃 he said。 〃It is a village in Samaria。 I passed
through it。 That is why I bought it。 And it goes to show that the
boy has seen similar photographs before。〃
This my father and mother denied。
〃But it's different in the picture；〃 I volunteered； while all the
time my memory was busy reconstructing the photograph。 The general
trend of the landscape and the line of the distant hills were the
same。 The differences I noted aloud and pointed out with my finger。
〃The houses was about right here； and there was more trees； lots of
trees； and lots of grass； and lots of goats。 I can see 'em now； an'
two boys drivin' 'em。 An' right here is a lot of men walkin' behind
one man。 An' over there〃I pointed to where I had placed my
village〃is a lot of tramps。 They ain't got nothin' on exceptin'
rags。 An' they're sick。 Their faces； an' hands； an' legs is all
sores。〃
〃He's heard the story in church or somewhereyou remember； the
healing of the lepers in Luke；〃 the missionary said with a smile of
satisfaction。 〃How many sick tramps are there； my boy？〃
I had learned to count to a hundred when I was five years old； so I
went over the group carefully and announced：
〃Ten of 'em。 They're all wavin' their arms an' yellin' at the other
men。〃
〃But they don't come near them？〃 was the query。
I shook my head。 〃They just stand right there an' keep a…yellin'
like they was in trouble。〃
〃Go on；〃 urged the missionary。 〃What next？ What's the man doing in
the front of the other crowd you said was walking along？〃
〃They've all stopped； an' he's sayin' something to the sick men。
An' the boys with the goats 's stopped to look。 Everybody's
lookin'。〃
〃And then？〃
〃That's all。 The sick men are headin' for the houses。 They ain't
yellin' any more； an' they don't look sick any more。 An' I just
keep settin' on my horse a…lookin' on。〃
At this all three of my listeners broke into laughter。
〃An' I'm a big man！〃 I cried out angrily。 〃An' I got a big sword！〃
〃The ten lepers Christ healed before he passed through Jericho on
his way to Jerusalem；〃 the missionary explained to my parents。 〃The
boy has seen slides of famous paintings in some magic lantern
exhibition。〃
But neither father nor mother could remember that I had ever seen a
magic lantern。
〃Try him with another picture；〃 father suggested。
〃It's all different；〃 I complained as I studied the photograph the
missionary handed me。 〃Ain't nothin' here except that hill and them
other hills。 This ought to be a country road along here。 An' over
there ought to be gardens； an' trees； an' houses behind big stone
walls。 An' over there； on the other side； in holes in the rocks
ought to be where they buried dead folks。 You see this place？they
used to throw stones at people there until they killed 'm。 I never
seen 'm do it。 They just told me about it。〃
〃And the hill？〃 the missionary asked； pointing to the central part
of the print； for which the photograph seemed to have been taken。
〃Can you tell us the name of the hill？〃
I shook my head。
〃Never had no name。 They killed folks there。 I've seem 'm more 'n
once。〃
〃This time he agrees with the majority of the authorities；〃
announced the missionary with huge satisfaction。 〃The hill is
Golgotha； the Place of Skulls； or； as you please； so named because
it resembles a skull。 Notice the resemblance。 That is where they
crucified〃 He broke off and turned to me。 〃Whom did they crucify
there； young scholar？ Tell us what else you see。〃
Oh； I sawmy father reported that my eyes were bulging； but I shook
my head stubbornly and said：
〃I ain't a…goin' to tell you because you're laughin' at me。 I seen
lots an' lots of men killed there。 They nailed 'em up； an' it took
a long time。 I seenbut I ain't a…goin' to tell。 I don't tell
lies。 You ask dad an' ma if I tell lies。 He'd whale the stuffin'
out of me if I did。 Ask 'm。〃
And thereat not another word could the missionary get from me； even
though he baited me with more photographs that sent my head whirling
with a rush of memory…pictures and that urged and tickled my tongue
with spates of speech which I sullenly resisted and overcame。
〃He will certainly make a good Bible scholar；〃 the missionary told
father and mother after I had kissed them good…night and departed
for bed。 〃Or else； with that imagination； he'll become a successful
fiction…writer。〃
Which shows how prophecy can go agley。 I sit here in Murderers'
Row； writing these lines in my last days； or； rather； in Darrell
Standing'