Stratford Central Secondary School - Collegian Yearbook (Stratford, Ontario Canada)

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COLLEGIAN, I930 as he gazed down to the table at the newly wedded pairg Delilah, her cheek flushed with happiness and pride, and Samson, with the heady spicy wines tempting him so strong- ly. A smirking fellow, drink deaden- ing his discretion leaned towards the Philistine and whispered: Come, Shiloh! There is your chance. Get the fool befuddled with wine. It will be an easy capture. Samson, Judge of the lsraelites, tak- en by a prince of the Philistines at his own wedding feast-'Tis a mere passing fancy that has snared De- lilah. A week, a month, and you will be once more in her favour. She knows you love her. It is our mis- fortune and his success that causes him to seem so mighty. Bah!--a few soldiers with good Swords-. What say you? Shiloh's heavy fist with its mon- strous signet hurled the man aside. You fool! You sodden swine! Do you think l would waste twenty of my best men? Did he not alone kill one thousand Philistines at one time? There is another way, there is always a second way, and Shiloh has discovered it. l do but wait, never fear! Have patience and we shall have the lsraelite alive, and in chains. By Dagon, I swear it! A month passed, full of happi- ness and content for Delilah. Since her marriage the Philistines had not offered any violence to her hus- bandis people, nor had Samson com- mitted any further outrages to a- rouse their ire. People were begin- ning to look up to her, and more than once in passing through the streets, she had heard her name coupled with that of Hpeace-maker, and more than one of the oppressed Israelites had invoked blessings on her. Even the fact that she and Samson worshipped different gods did not mar her joy, for he went down the valley, or out into the de- sert to be in solitude with his God. Sometimes she wondered that he ne- ver confided in her, or offered to teach her the worship of Jehovah as he called him. But he did not, so she pushed it far back in her mind, and became busily interested in her household tasks. One day she was astonished and a little displeased to see Shiloh climbing up the rocky path to her home. Since her marriage she had studiously avoided him, for he had been an ardent suitor for her hand. With some dread she went forth tc meet him. Shiloh wore a mingled air of grief and fixed determination, as if he felt the weight of some painful task upon his shoulders. What De- lilah did not see was the gleam of slyness and cupidity in his eyes. Delilah, said he, unfortunately l have discovered something which you ought to know. l did not want to tell you, but l have strict orders from Eshtaol. It is my duty to . . . U ' 'Well ? interrupted Delilah swiftly. Have you knowledge, said Shi- loh, of who killed your father when he was travelling to Gaza three years past? That was easily seen, replied Delilah. It was quickly realized when his body was found that my father had been set upon by rob- bers, slain, and stripped of his gar- ments. What interest does that hold for you? Only this, Shiloh replied, that your father was not slain by thieves. l-lis death was caused by one lsra- elite who, when a riddle was solved by some Philistines at his wedding feast, became mad with anger, and went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty Philistines to give their gar- ments to them that had expounded the riddle. Your father had just passed from the town on his way to Gaza. Undoubtedly he was slain by this madman. Delilah paled. Who, she asked, was that man? -541

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COLLEGIAN, 1930 Shiloh's eyes closed to mere slits as he replied: Who, he repeated, has strength to slay thirty men at once? What lsraelite would dare in the sight of Ashkelton to slay thirty of our noblest Philistines? There is but one . . H Samson, Delilah Whispered- You are very clever, Delilah, Shiloh applauded. l-le came closer, Are you going to let such a deed remain unavenged? Are you going to let this dog mock you? By Dagon! the disgrace he inflicted on your fa- ther's name, even on you-. The time has come to end his terrible slaughter of our people. Three thou- sand Philistines, he has slain and heaped indignities upon, even worse than your father's. For five years he has ruined our vineyards, our corn- fields, and our olive-orchards. Deli- lah, in your hands lies the means of your people's-revenge. The slaugh- tered Philistines are appealing to you, and great are you in Dagon's favour, for to you he has given the sweetness of revenge. But that is not all. Eleven hundred pieces of silver will Eshtaol and the lords give you for the deed. It will give you luxury for life, Delilah. You shall live in Gaza like a princess. After Shiloh's vehement tirade he stood silent, motionless, watching the conflicting emotions in Delilah's face. To his satisfaction, the do- minating one was a bitter hate, and in her compressed lips and clenched hands he read a deep determination. l-le cared not for the maiden's disil- lusionment, for the interruption of her happiness which he had caused. It mattered not to him how heavy the blow. His only aim was to gain his end, and he had succeeded. De- lilah finally turned to him and asked in a low, set voice: Just what is the deed I must do? Shiloh grinned. Delilah, you are a true Philistine and your father's daughter. With you we cannot fail. There is some secret wherein this lsraelite's great strength lies. You are his wife. From you he should have no secrets. Plead with him, and find out by what means we can overcome him, and put him in chains. If you find out, come to me. l too wish to avenge my fellow comrades. There is no doubt you can succeed. Three thousand Philis- tines urge you on. Dagon guards you, and there awaits your success eleven hundred pieces of silver. Then he turned on his heel and de- parted. Delilah's bitterness was very deep against Samson. He was away in a neighbouring valley at the home of his parents in Zorah, and would not return until the following evening. All that day and the next she turn- ed the facts over in her numbed brain, bewildered by the shock of sudden discovery. Her love was buried deep under an overwhelming hate for the man who had deceived her and made a fool of her. She did not take into account the fact that Samson probably had no idea who his victims were, or that he had mur- dered his wife's father. Indeed this was quite true. When Samson returned he won- dered at Delilah's strange silence and lifeless manner and questioned her, but she made no satisfactory answer. Instead she seemed to become more remote. But the next day she was her old self. She laughed, sang, talked, questioned him on his trip and told him things that had hap- pened in his absence. It would have taken a much keener observer than Samson to notice anything forced in her manner. But suddely she sur- prised him by asking him why he was so strong. He looked startled. Delilah, it is strange that you who were never curious should so question me. Wherefore do you ask? They laugh at me down in thr village, Delilah cried. They say that I am nothing to you, that you are mocking me. I don't know any- CContinued on page 829 -55-