8o -A AVENGED FOR iMYl TWO E'ES."

cities of the Philistines, named Gaza, which means, the
strong." When the Philistines knew that Samson had
gone into Gaza, they fastened the great gates of brass,
thinking he could not escape, and they would kill him in
the morning. At midnight Samson went out, pulled up
the gate, took it on his shoulders and carried it away.
 Once while Samson was asleep, a woman who had
been hired to do it, cut off his long hair. Then his
strength was gone; the Philistines took him and put out
his eyes, brought him to the very city from which he
carried the gate, "bound him with fetters of brass, and
he did grind in the prison-house." Weeks and months
passed; his hair grew long again, God was giving him
back his strength. There was a great feast in honor of a
heathen god, and they came to their temple with music
and rejoicing, glad, most of all, that they had Samson in
chains. Bring him out; let him make sport for us,"
they cried. They led out the blind prisoner, they cheered,
men and women, lords and ladies; crowds in the courts
and on the open roof could see where Samson stood. Two
great pillars held up the roof. Samson asked a boy to
lead him where he could lean on the pillars. He prayed
to God, Strengthen me--only this once." He clasped
the pillars, one with each arm, they tottered; he bowed
himself, they fell, the roof fell in one crash of ruin. Sam-
son died, and with him thousands of the enemies of Israel.