The Tupelo journal., 1905-02-10

~ QeatH!
~&0~ What strange,
mysterious infiu-
ence isit which steals upon the soul sohie-
times bringing vague dread ana lear vi
some impending trouble or Tragedy
while vet the coming Tragedy OF 'foupie
is unforeseen and unknown! why Tic
unexplained depression OF spirits "hile
vat all is sunshine about and no cloud
of the coming storm is visible upon iiie
horizon? Like the ominous CAIN thdI
romes as the silent prelude to the angry
tempest in the tropics. so IN human eA-
perience the storm of distress ana SUI
row which sometimes sweeps IN upon
the life is preceded by an ominous calm
leading to inner forebodings.
So it was with Mother Eve on the
morning of our story. The day was
filled with the beauty and gladness VI
nature. The song of birds was heard
inviting a glad response from her hear''
and the sunlight bursting in through
the doorway, sought by its brightness TO
turn her thoughts upward. But the
happy mother of that happy home could
not dispel the cloud that brooded like an
ill-omen over her heart. Not since
those blissful days in the garden wnen,
ere the temptation and fall mysterl-
ons dread had touched her heart While
vet unknown to her Satan was plot
ting her ruin, had such feeling come
upon her. She was conscious OF the de-
preston almost with her first waking
thoughts. and the dark look on the brow
of her son Cain as he left the house en-
his way to the fields drove the arrows OF
apprehension more sharply into her
soul.
Once. long before, she recalled hav-
ing seen such a look upon Cams face.
II was upOn the occasion of one of their
DAYS of worship and sacrifice. rather
Adam had made the Offering OF the lamp
AS God had instructed him to do, ano
for the first time hew was telling to the two
bovs-for they were then old enough to
hear the story-of the first lamb God
had slain in order that he might pro-
vide garments to clothe himself and
their mother.
Abel listened with reverent. earnest
attention. but his elder twin brother
with apparent Indifference. played with
the pebbles at his feet. and when has
father paused in his story, blurted out:
Il don't see why the skins were any
better clothing than the garments you
made for yourselves.
Before Adam could reply to the irrev-
| erent taunt, Abel, whose heart was stirred
bv the story of God and Gods care, in
CURED:
But. father. if such garments were
| needed. why did not God provide them
when He created you
A painful silence followed. Could he
tell the sad. dark side to his life? Coul(
he reveal the tragic secret of his life
and the life of Mother Eve? 1t was g
| subject which had not been referred tc
| since the expulsion from the garden
| Rut the question of Abel came as rev
citation to the fathers heart, and he saw
| that he must make plain to his boys how
| God had created man in His own image
sinless and pure, and how, by disobedi
| ence. man had fallen from that STATE
| into one of sin. At last he looked uI
with tear-dimmed eyes and with fal
tering voice he went on and told all th'
long. sad story.
Cain. impressed momentarily by thu
solemnity of the occasion, even though
the story itself did not seem to affec
him, kept silent for time after hi
father ceased speaking, and then impa
tiently exclaimed:
THAT was small thing for God tt
make so much fuss about, and don't SCI
how it concerns me, anyway"
Father Adam turned in sharp re
buke upon Cain for his irreverence am
willful refusal to receive and under
stand Gods dealings with man.
Meanwhile, Mother Eve and Abe
were holding earnest converse, Abe
asking questions and his mother ex
planning these strange mysteries inso
far as she could The father noted thi
as he was speaking, and he concludes
his rebuke by pointing to Abel, and say
ing:
"Well. might you follow the exampl
of your brother there, and seek wit.
, him to understand these mysteries!"
, At that moment Neither Eve locke
} up and her quick eye noted the darf
awful frown which for a momen
! rested on the face Of Cain as he she
an angry glance towards his brother
) But it was quickly gone, and tn
, mother thought no more of it. In fac
she had quite forgotten it until tina
} morning when she noted the same ev
: lines distorting his face. She watche
him disappear in the distance Will
} the anxious dread and underlined tel
, ror clutched at her heart. She tMe
5 to think what it could mean.
The day before Abel had left wit
his fiocks for pasturage at some dis
ance from home, and had RENAME
with them all night, as was often ri
custom. Before starting he mentione
J, the fact that it was the purpose of hi
heart to make an offering to the Lor
of the firstlings ofghis flock and bot
mother and father had commence