Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-29

V learned that wa
resting on the ridge witt
his father and the young fighting men, anC
drinking wine, and that Hur had pledges
himself to withdraw if Moses should ap
point Joshua to be captain of the host, be
knit brows darkened below her lofty brow
and with stern severity she replied:
f'You are my lord, and it ill-beseems tS
resist your will, even when you 50 far forge
what is due to your wife as to give way t.
the man who once dared to lift his eyes tC
her."
Rur eagerly broke in:
"But henceforth you are 9 stranger Il
him; and even if should give you bill o.
divorce he would no longer WOO you"
''Indeedl" said she with q forced smile.
sand 1t is to him that you owe this an
nou ncement?"
ssHe has devoted himself body and soul
to the welfare OF the people and renounce:
the love OF woman, replied Hur.
But she exclaimed: ''Renunciation is easy
when desire could bring nothing in its train
but rejection and disgrace. 1t is not be, who
in our day of greatest need sought help Of
lle EgNpEla0S-uOb Jul lOu VIII 0uSnS W
be our captain over the fighting men of Is
raeI-you alone who led the hebrews 10
their first victory at the storehouse of Sue
Goth. and whom the Lord Himself by His
servant Moses charged to lead the fighting
men of Israeli
At this Hur looked in some uneasiness at
this woman for whom a late but ardent love
had glowed up in him, and seeing her
bosom heave and her cheeks flush red, he
knew not wheth ito ascribe it to the fatigue
Of climbing OF the lofty ambition of her as
piring soul, which she had now transferred
% the person Of her husband.
BE was, indeed, glad to think that she
cared 50 much more Tor him than for the
younger and more heroic man, whose return
caused him some anxiety; still, he had
grown gray in the stern fulflment of duty,
and what he thought it right to do no man
could hinder his doing. To the wife of his
youth. whom he had buried many years
since, his merest sign had been a command,
and with Miriam be had as yet met with no
contradiction. That Joshua was the most
ft to command the fighting men was
beyond q doubt, and he replied, painting
somewhat, for he, too, found the as
cent hard: "Your high esteem honors
and pleases me; but although Moses and
the elders have promoted me, you must re-
member the Heap at Sueeoth, and my VOW.
I bear it in mind and shall abide by il"
She looked aside and said no more till
they had reached the top.
The victorious youths hailed them from
The summit with loud acciamationS. The joy
of meeting, the provisions they had won
from the foe, and the good drink which was
sparingly measured out to revive those who
most needed il, raised the fallen courage of
the exhausted wanderers, and the thirsty
multitude shortened their rest on the ridge
90 reach Dophka all the sooner. They had
heard from Joshua that they would find
theresnOt only some ruined tanks but also q
hidden spring of whose existence he had
been informed by the driver of the gang of
prisoners.
Their wav now lay down hill. Haste
ID the watchword when thirsty souls know
that wells are within reach; and
soon after sunset they arrived in the valley
Of turquoise mines, where they encamped at
the foot Of the hill on which the now ruined
stronghold and stoFehouses of Dophka had
lately stood. The well, hidden in a grove of
scacis sacred to Hsthor, was very soon dis
covered. Fires were quickly lighted. The
wavering hearts, which in the desert of Sin
had sunk almost to despair, now swelled
again with the love Of life, with hope and
thankful trust. The fine acacia trees indeed
whose refreshing waters worked the won
drous change.
Joshua and Miriam had met on the ridge,
but had only had time for brief greeting
Here, in the camp, they were thrown to-
gether once more.
It was already late, for the elders had
held long counsel as to the measures to be
taken for an unexpected attack on the
Amalekites. Nun and Joshua had Joined
the assembly. The princely and reverend
old mans son had been gladly welcomed,
and his counsel, that they should form
vanguard OF the younger men aud a reserve
Of the old warriors, was readily agreed to;
they Wsre also to send out small parties of
picked men to spy out the enemy. Joshua
found himself, in fact, intrusted with every
thing appertaining to the conduct and safety
Of considerable army. God Himself had
chosen him 10 be their captain,
and Moses, BY leaving him that warning
word 10 be ''steadfast and strong, "h had con-
6rmed him in the Office. Hur, likewise,
who ss yet held the post. was ready to resign
It to him; and of q surety that man would
keep his word, although he had not yet de-
clared his purpose before the elders. At
any rate Joshua was treated as though be
were indeed the captain, and he felt himself
their leader.
After the assembly Of the elders had
broken MP, Hur had desired Joshua to ac-
company him to the tent, Notwithstanding
the lsteness of the hour; and the warrior
had consented, for indeed he desired to
speak fully 70 Miriam. BE would fain
prove to her in her husbands presence that
he had found the path which she had so
Eealously pointed out to him.
We are always most prone to be angry
with those to whom we have done a wrong,
and q woman holds the gift Of her love as SO
great and precious that even the man she
afterWsrd rejects is to think of her with
gratitude forever after. And Joshua had
boasted that he had ceased to care for her
whom be had once srdently desired, and
who had confessed her love for him-yea,
even il she were offered 70 him. Aye, and
he had proved his words, for he had been
content 70 wait with the others instead of
coming 70 meet her.
Al last he came, and with
him her husband who was
% ready 10 make way for him. But she
wa still here TO keep her eyes open in be-
halfof the too generous Hur.
The older man. 70 whose fate she had