The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-02-18

distance. Then Cain suddenly ex-
claimed:
81 shall make an offering to the
Lord of the fruits of my fields.
But, brother interrupted Abel,
sssuch is not the manner Of offerings
GOO would have us make. God would
have us remember rams sin and need,
and how He provided for that need in
the slain lamb. about which, as you
recall, father told us.
An impatient grunt was all the re-
spouse that Cain offered, and there
the conversation ended. Abel was soon
busy rounding up his sheep and lambs,
while Cain wandered through his
fruitful fields.
The brothers did not meet again ur1-
til they both came to the place of Of
fering. Cain. with the discerning care
of the careful husDandman. had Sc
leeted the best of his fruits and grains
and with self-confident, self-satisfied
air he brought them and placed them
upon the altar.
Abel, with humble heart and faith
reaching up in obedience towards God,
brought his precious lamb and as its
life blood flowed he bowed in repent
ant grief at the thought of sin which
made such sacrifice necessary.
While thus bowed before the altar
on which the lamb rested the ire Of
Gods presence came down and con-
sumed the sacrifice, and Cain, standing
with proud, unbending head before his
altar, noted the evidence of Gods ac-
ceptance Of Abel's offering, while his
own Offering remained undisturbed and
unaccepted.
And he was very wroth, and his
eountenance fell.
And the voice of God came to Cain
and said:
why art thou wroth? and why is
thy countenance fallen? Il thou vert
innocent and sinless, a thank Offering
of thy fruits would have been accepted
as a token of thy dependence as a
creature, butas thou art a. sinner,a sin
Offering is necessary, by the bringing
of which thou wouIdst have met with
acceptance, even as was the case with
| Abel, thy brother.
On his return home that night Cain
| had made no mention of the incidents
Of the day and his mother, noting his
sullen demeanor, kent silence and next
morning watched him depart with that
awful froWn upon his face. And her
| heart was sore troubled. All, mother,
to-day shalt thou drink the bitter cup
which thy disobediGnee back in the
garden hath poured for theei
Toward noon, unable to stand the
pressure of that vague terror which
| filed her heart, she started from the
house. She knew not why she went
She noticed not whittier she went, but
irresistibly her feet were drawn to
wards the distant fields where AbePs
focEs peacefully fed. a deathEke still
ness brooded over the spot, save fol
the occasional bleating of a little suck
ling lamb as it sought it's mothers
side. or the twitter of some mother
| bird as she fed her young in the tree
| TOP. No herdsman's CHEEKY call as n
talked to his sheep! no tall form NOV.
ing about in loving care among nj
sheep!
The mothers heart stood still. She
tried to cry out in the agony OF bel
/ heart: abel! Abel!!" But thu
words would not come and she hal
ran. half stumbled on. What was tina
dark form lying on the green sWard
from which the sheep seemed to draw
| with dread away She had never seel
| one lie SO cold and still before. Thos'
eyes. staring wildly up toward
heaveni The agony Of that whit
face! The gaping wound in the side
The ground all crimson with the life
blood! With horror unspeakable tn
mother drew back. and slowly upol
her. dazed senses there broke the on
word God had spoken back in the gar
den-DEATH. And this was death
This was sins fruitage! Death
DEATH!
But mother love quickly asserted 1t
self. and with one wild, heart-prokel
cry of anguish, Mother Eve threw her
self upon the form of her beloved boy
We may not intrude on the sacred scene
The hours spent there with her preclou
dead no eye but Gods saw, and non
hut His tender ear heard. And there
late in the night, while the stars KEEP
their silent watch overhead and tn
moons gentle beams guided his fee
Adam found her. and mingled his tear
with hers. and felt the heart throD c
her anguish.
a But what Of Cain? While the berei
parents keep watch by the side OF thel
+ dead boy, he is well on his way to tn
land of Nod, whittier he turned h1sstep
after his interview with God. But ho'
changed he is. Gods mark upon hi
brow has fastened there forever tn
hideous and vengefu1 face which glow
cred over his innocent and defenseles
brother. as he drove the sharp-polnte
: flint knife again and again into h1
d nniyering side His mad rage spent, h
: Jealous hate satiated, still that face
ali its horrible. misshapen frenzy wa
i fixed for all time. It was a sign set b
i God lest any finding him should ri
: him.
By the early morning lisHt TIE te4us
5 hands of that sorrowing father an
mother laid the dear form Of their bo
Abel. to rest by the side Of the alt:
where but so shortly before he ha
e stood an humble and accepted Wo
Il SHIPPER BY faith he had offered MOI
excellent sacrifice than Cain, and it W.
d that faith that gave him abundant e
(, trance to the presence Of God. And
1t faith the parents. as they wended the