The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-07-31
Miscfllanp.
THE STORY OF JOSEPH.
BY MARK TWAIN.


ing twelve in all. He is dead now. Joseph was
the youngest but one, and best beloved. So we'll
beloved was he that his father gave him q coat Of
many coors They went good deal on coats Of
many colors in those days Joseph vas only .
thoughtless lad Of H. and that coat corralled his
sympsthies.
He used to swell around and put on many
fills among his brethren, insomuch that they
reasoned among themselves and said: As ia
cob, our father, liveth, there is too much style
about this upstsrt." For, behold, even before
these days they were down ON him.
Not satisfied with having GOAT of many COL
ors, Joseph proceeded to other atrocities and be-
gan to dream dreams. And he had a fashion of
interpreting them in way which was very COM
forting to himseif-in way that seemed to fore.
shadow that he would one day be exalted high
above his father Jasob aud his own brethren.
These things made the wrath of the eleven to in
crease many fold. and in greater degree than
ever were they down on him.
In the fulness of time Jacob sent his sons away
into the north country to pasture their ocks, and
BY and by the mails got irregular and he won
dered If anything was the matter, because of his
not hearing from them.
SO he sent Joseph to look into the matter, and,
just like boy, he started eff through the vilest,
rockiest, busiest country in Asia, tricked out
his trotting harness-gotten up regardless of
expense, arrayed in the pride of his heart, in his
beautiful claw.hammer coat of many colOrs.
When the other boys saw him coming they
said, "Lo, here is the dreaner-let us kill him."
But Reuben pleaded with tender elo1uence for
his innocent brother, and said, 20, pity him |"
Wherefore they pitted him. And the selfsame
pit that they pitted him in is here in this place
even to this day. And here it will remain until
the next detachment of imagebreakers and tomb
decorators arrives from the Quaker City excur-
sion and they will infallibly dig it up and carry
1t away with them. For behold in them is nc rev.
O. e for the solemn monuments of the past and
w"ithersoever that they go they destroy and do
not spare Then the brethren sold Joseph to
some lshmaelites at the ruling rates. 10 per cent
OIL for cash. and dabbled his coat in the blood of
kid and sent it to their father, who rent his
garments and believed that his boy the Jewel of
his heart and the joy of his old age, was gone, to
him to return no more forever
The ishmselites took Jsseph into Egypt and
sold him to Potiphar, an officer of the kings
household. and lost money on him which served
them right Joseph became foreman of Poti- |
phar's affairs, and prospered finely. He had the
run OF the whole establishment, and was trusted |
to the utmost He got into trouble with Poti- |
phar's wife at last and both gave their version
OF the affair, but the lady's was plausible, and
Joseph's was outrageously shakey. So they put |
him into prison, and he stayed there two years. |
lie got to eating too much, and consequently got |
to dreaming The same was the case with 9TH |
or prisoners. They all wanted their dreams in. |
terpreted. This was Joseph's strong sxit The
interpretations proved correct This came tn
Pharaohs ears after while, and most luckily |
just at that time, when he had had couple Of
curious dreams himself, and had run 80 short of
dreaming material that he had dreamt them over |
again, which astonished him. Joseph enlighten- |
cd him. He said: "Sire, your dreams signify |
that there are going to be years of extraor-
binary plenty in Egypt, and they will be follow
ed by bowling famine that will distress the
world for a full seven years." He then closed
one eye and looked exceedingly shrewd out of |
the other, after the manner of man who know
eth what he is about, and said 1Behold thou !
and thy servants can gather together divers and \
sundry shekels out of this tking let US bear the
market, and buy against this season of the fam |
me-" And Pharaoh said, Il perceive that thou |
art none OF them that know not to come in when |
1T rains; and behold, it shall be Just as thou |
sayest."
Wherefore he made Joseph ruler Of the land Of |
Egypt, and gave unto him chsriots and horses, |
and servants to wait upon him, and clothed him |
IN suInptuous garments whereunto the coat Of |
many co!ors was not circumstance. Then did !
Joseph show them what manner of man he was.
He beared the markets and bought all the coru
that was raised in Egypt for seven years to come,
and stored it away. And when the first year of
the famine was approaching, he bought again at
Six months, buyers option, and surprised the
boys very greatly, for when he called his stock
they could not deliver. In that day MANY q man
sold short, and Joseph had them on the hin, and
their names were posted and they forfeited their
seats in the board. And during all those years
OF famine, ships came from far countries that
were in Distress and 10, the corn that Joeeph had
bought at forty cents he sold unto them at s+v.
en- dollars and halt. Before q time and a half
or two times had passed over their heads, Joseph
and Pharaoh owned about two-thirds of Epypt:
and it il estimated that if Pharaoh could have
dreamed one more dream and got joseph to in.
terpret It, they could have shortly owned the bal
ance OF 1T.
BY and by Jacob sent two OF his sons down to
Egypt. to buy corn. Joseph knew them, but
never let on.
he called them spies and backguarded them
until he had got even with them for selling him
out, and then sold them corn. hid his money in
their sacks, and sent them home. But he held
on to Simeon and bound him. He appeared to
have special grudge at Simeon. He said he
would hold on to Simeon and crowd him all he
could until they brought down BENJAMIN. the
one they left at home. So he made it lively for
Simeon.
jacob was sore distressed when he heard the
news, but as the boys had only one sack OF corn
apiece after travelling all the way to Egypt, they
necessarily ran out shortly and were morally
Obliged to go again. Jacob nerved his heart and
parted with his young boy.
lhe brethren saw Joseph again, end again he
knew them, and said not a word. Thew got
tneir corn and went away, but once more they
got INTO trouble. Young Benjamin, with the
Artess simplicity of youth, nipped silver cup,
Ana tne servant OF Joseph found it in his sack
vuau