Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-22
used in the manufacture Of glasgaud dye

When the victims heard Joshua's foot
step echoing from the bare rock-wall, they
feared lest some new torment should be
coming upon them, and their cries and
| lamentations were heard on all sides. But
the deiiverer had soon reached the first of
the toilers, and the glad tidings, that he
had come to put an end to their wretched
lot, were soon repeated to the furthest depths
of the caverns. Wild shouts Of ioy filed
the galleries long used to wailing and tears;
but loud cries for help. gasping, groaning
and death-rattie also fell on Joshua's ear,
for one hot-headed victim had turned on the
driver of his gang and killed him
with blow of his pick. His example fred
the vengeance Of the others, and before they
could be stopped the rest of the overseers
had met the same fate. Not without defend
ing themselves, however, and many a pris-
oner lay dead by the corpse Of his torment
ors.
In obedience to Joshua's call the liberated
throng at length made their way out to the
light of day. Wild and harsh indeed were
their shouts, mingling with the clatter Of
the chains they dragged behind them. And
the most hard-hearted among the Hebrews,
when they saw this troop of despairIng
wretches in the broad sunshine, shrank
creatures had, in former times, enioYed
every earthly blessing in their own homes,
or in the kings palace; had been loving
fathers and mothers: had rejoiced in their
power for good, and had had their part in
all the fruits which culture could bestoW on
gifted people; and now their weak and
bloodshot eyes, though they glittered at first
with the tears brought into them by the
sudden change from the night Of the caverns
to the glare of the midday sun, presently
flashed with wild and greedy CLEAN like
those of starving owls.
In their first bewilderment
and in their CONSERVATION at the
amazing change in their fortunes they trem-
ulously struggled for composure, and
suffered the Hebrews, at Joshua's bidding,
to file off the letters from their ankles; out
they soon caught sight of the disarmed SOL
diers and oyerseers, who were ranged under
a wall of rock under the eye of Ephraim
and his followers, and strange impulse
came over them. With yell and a shrek
for which there is no name, and which no
words could describe, they tore themselves
away from the men who were trying to re-
move their chains, and without word or a
sign of mutual agreement, rushed with
common instinct, needless Of their metal
bonds, on the helpless wretches. Before the
Hebrews could stay them each fell on the
one who had treated him most cruelty; and
here famished creature gripped the foe
who had been his master by the throat,
while there herd of women, stripped Of ali
clothing and horribly disfgured by want
and neglect, flew at the man who had most
brutally insulted, beaten and injured them,
and wreaked their long-repressed fury
with tooth and nail. 1t was as
though a sudden food of hatred
had broken down the dam and was
ravening unchecked for its prey.
There was frantic attack and defense, a
fearful and bloody struggle on the shifting
red sandy soil, an ear-splitting chorus of
shrieks, wailing and yells; indeed it was
hard to distinguish anything in the revolt
ing medley of men and women, which be-
came more and more inextricably tangled as
twas aggravated on one side BY the wild
est passions and desire for revenge which
was sheer blood-thirstiness, and on the other
by the dread Of death and strenuous instinct
of selfdefense.
Only a few of the prisoners had held back.
and even they shrieked encouragement to
the rest, reviled the enemy with excited We
hemence, and shook their fists. The rage
with which the released victims now fell on
their tormentors was as unmeasured as the
cruelty under which they had suffered.
But it was Joshua who had disarmed the
tyrants; they were therefore under his pro-
lection. He ordered his men to separate
the combatants, and if possible without
bloodshed; this was no easy matter, and
many fresh deed of horror was ineyitable
At last it was done, and now it could
be seen how strangely passion had lent
strength to the most exhausted and
wretched, for, though no weapons
had been used in the struggle, not few
corpses lay on the arena, and most of the
guards and overseers were bleeding from
ugly wounds.
When they set forth on their re-
back to let the elder man take
the lead; but Hur had begged
Nun, who was much older than himself, to
march at the head Of the little host, although,
after the escape of the people on the shore
of the Red Sea, he had been named the
chief captain of the Hebrew fighting men
by Moses and the elders of the tribes.
Their way led them first through level
valley. Then they mounted and crossed
pass over the ridge, this being the only road
by which there was any communication be-
tween the mines and the Red Sea- At the |
top they were to rest, waiting for the main
body of the Israelites who were to be led |
through the desert of Sin towards Dophka. |
Joshua and Hur were standing together |
on the highest point of the pass ard gazing |
down into the desolate valley of rocks, |
which, surrounded by columns and pillars |
of Gods own hewing, and Vaulted over by |
the blue dome of heaven, appeared to each |
as the most stupendous of temples.
The elder kept his eyes fixed gloomily on |
the ground; but suddenly he broke the |
silence, saying: 'It was at Succoth that 1 |
built an heap and cried upon the Lord to be |
witness between us two. But in this place, |
and in this stiffness, it seems 70 me that we |
,F =.
token" He raised his face to heaven and |
went on: Sand lift up mine eyes to Thee,
Adonai; send up my humble words
to Thee, o Jehovah, Thou God |
of Abraham and our fathers, that Thou
mayest again be witness between me and |
this man whom Thou callest to be Thy |
servant and the sword in Thy right hand p
He spoke the words loudly, with eyes and |
hands appraised to heaven. Then he turned |
to his companion and said with solemn |
gravity:
"And 1 ask thee, Joshua, son of Nun,
dost thou remember the witness borne by
thee and me by the stone at Succoth ?"
81 do remember it, was the answer.
't And in bitter ill-fortune and great dam
gers I have learnt what the Most High re-
quires of me. I am ready to devote such
strength of soul and body as He hath
youchsafed to me to Him alone, and to His !
people, which is my people. Joshua, hence
forth, be my name. ask no further help,
neither from the Egyptians nor from any
other strange folk, for it was the Lord our
God who gave me this name by the mouth
of thy wife.
HereupOn Hur broke in with earnest
words:
"This is what looked to hear; and mas
much as in this place also the Most High b