Transcriber’s Note: Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by _underscores_; those in blackletter font are surrounded by ~tildes~. THE DUQUESNE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY THE DUQUESNE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY AS WRITTEN BY THOMAS WOOD STEVENS TO BE ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF DUQUESNE PENNSYLVANIA XXIII DECEMBER MCMXVI [Illustration: colophon] WITH DECORATIONS BY HARRY LAWRENCE GAGE Copyright 1916 By Thomas Wood Stevens All rights reserved [Illustration: decorative banner] BEFORE US _is a steep hillside, crossed midway by a paved road. Up the center of the hill are stairways of stone, with wide landings; at the top, blocking out the stars, is a dark building with crenellated turrets. Beside the roadway is a windowless hut--a mere blind wall--and at each side of this wall the stairways ascend. Below is a playing field, and beyond this, further down, a river, with great mills beside it, where even at Christmastide the loud forges are flaming._ _From the high turrets a sound as of many trumpets floats down. Then a light breaks on the level above the roof of the hut, and one sees dimly three figures, grave, majestic, imperative--the Prophets Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah._ ISAIAH List ye, as it is written, so spake I Isaiah: For the Lord Himself shall send Ye forth a sign; a virgin shall conceive, And bear a son, and ye shall call his name Immanuel.... And to thy light shall come Gentiles, and kings unto the brightness of Thy risen star. MICAH List ye, as it is written, so spake I, Micah, prophet of God’s will: Thou, Bethlehem, though thou be little among The thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come Him who shall rule in Israel, whose path Hath from of old been destined, everlasting. HOSEA List ye, as it is written, so spake I, Hosea: When Israel was a child I loved him well, and for his sake I called My son out of dark Egypt. ISAIAH So spake we, prophets of the wandering years, Lifting our hearts in hope to beat with God. List ye, for He hath wrought our visions out, And He hath sent His Son to feed His flock Like to a shepherd. He hath gathered home The lambs unto His bosom. Praise His name. _The three Prophets disappear. Below, on the hillside, three Eastern Kings are seen approaching._