Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08

submitted to everything, and commanded
himself to endure whatever came, like the
inevitable discomfort of rain or hairi nay,
it cost him no little effort to conceal his
gladness when the young runners, who had
been after Ephraim, came in after sunrise,
breathless and with disordered hail, bring
ing with them nothing but dog with
broken skull.
The driver could, therefore, do no more
than report to the soldiers in the first fort on
the Ethan frontier, which the prison gang
must now cross, of what had happened; and
to this point the file of men were now led.
Since Ephraim's flight all the men on
guard had changed their tone for harder
one Yesterday the unhappy wretches had
been allowed to proceed at an easy pace;
now they were hurried on as fast as possible.
The day was sultry, and the scorching sun
struggled with the storm clouds, which we're
gathering in the north in dense masses.
Joshua's frame, Injured to every kind of
fatigu,, could resist the severity of this
forced march, but his more feeble compan-
ion, who had grown gray as a scribe, often
stumbled, and at length lay where he fell.
At this the driver saw the necessity of
placing the sufferer on an ass, and lettering
Joshua to another companion. This was me
first mans brother, an overseer Of the Kings
stables, a well-grown Egyptian, who was 60
| ing to the mines for no other cause than that
it was his misfortune to be the brother of a
state criminal Linked to this sturdy mate,
walking was much easier, and Joshua lis
tened to him with sincere sympathy, and
tried to cheer him when, in a low voiee, he
confded to him all his woes lamenting sadly
that he had left a wife and child at home in
want and misery. Two of his children had
died of the pestilenee, and it weighed on his
/ IL L IL L. T,l e..
ing for their burial, for thus the two beings
he had loved were lost to him forever, even
| in the other world.
At their second resting place the bereaved
father spoke more freely. His soul was con-
sumed by thirst for revenge, and he took it
for granted that his companion felt the
same, seeing that he had fallen into dis
| grace from high Office. The overseer of
| the stables had siSter-in-law- who was one
| of the ladies about Pharaoh's court, and
through her and her sister, his wife, he had
| been informed that a conspiracy against the
King was being Matched in the woman's
house. Aye, and he knew, too, who it was
that the women purposed to set in Meneph-
! tabs place.
AS Joshua looked at him with an inquir-
ing and doubtful gaze, his comrade whis-
| pered:
"Siptah, the Kings nephew, and his
noble mother are at the head of the plot. If
| only get free will bear you in mind; and
nv sister-in-law is sure not to forget me-"
He then desired to know what had brought
] the Hebrew to the mines, and Joshua frank
| ly told him who he was. When the Egyptian
heard that he was linked together with a
Hebrew he tore madly at his chains and
cursed his fate; however, his wrath presently
/ IL I.c. .1zI, Al
which Joshua endured the hardest things,
and to Joshua himself it was a relief that
his partner besieged his ear less often with
complaints and questions.
For whole hours he could walk on un-
molested, and give himself up entirely to
his longing, to collecting his thoughts, to
giving himself clear account of the terri
I Bile experiences which his soul had gone
through in the last few days, and to making
up his mind to his new and dreadful situa-
ton.
This silent meditation and introspection
did him good, and when they again stopped
for the night he enjoyed deep and refreshing
sleep.
When he awoke the stars were still
bright in the Western sky, reminding him
of the sycamore at Succoth, and the all-im.
portant morning when his beloved had won
him over to serve her God. Above him
spread the sparkling armament, and for the
first time be was conscious of budding
hope that the Almighty Creator of heaven
and earth might find some way and means
of saving the people He had called his OWL
from the overwhelming host of the
Egyptians.
When he had thus fervently besought the
Lord to spread His protecting hand over the
feeble tribes who, in obedience to Bis word
had. left so much behind them, and had con.
fidently set forth for the remote unknown
he commended his old father, whom he him
self could not defend, to His especial care
and his soul was filed with wondrOus
peace.
The shouts of the men on guard, the rat
tie OF fetters, his wretehed fellow victims
everything about him kept him in mind o.
the fate before him. He must hencefortt
toll day and night in abject slavery, in 8
sveltering, choking cavern, berett of the
Joy CT breathing the fresh air of heaven, Of
of seeing the sunshine; loaded with chains
fogged and reviled, starving and athirst, in
a gloomy monotony Of misery, agonizine
alike to body and soul; and yet, not for mo.
ment did he lose his confident trust that thiI
fearful fate was intended for any othel
rather than him, and that something would
intervene to preserve him from 1t.
On their further march eastward, which
began at dawn, he could only think of this
confidence as folly; still, he stroYe to cling
fast to it, and he succeeded.
Their way lay across the desert, and after
few hours brisk march they reached the
| 6-st 6o-t o,1l.1 HGa<s1a Gkronohatd T.