Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-08-18

/ lux some Trap III tue uelu an forget al
I about his charge or II sent on an er.
rand a skurrying rabbit or other small
animal was sure 10 tempt him from the
pathway and that was the last OF the
errand. And as he grew into young
manhood lie chaifcd more and more
under restraint and The work aud life
/ OF the home, and for this reason he made
the distant fields and woods and noun
tains his favorite retreat
Such habits We're a constant source
Of irritation to Che thrifty mother. and
she coaXed and scolded and oven tried
to drive her recreaut son 20 abandon
such an aimless life But IL was am 10
no purpose. and naturally her affection
and pride conferred In the steady, pa
tent plodding, proyident jacob
But 10 the mind of Isaac the discus
sion had gone far enough. and TO escape
further controversy he withdrew, with
Out making any reply TO his wites last
remark And she was equally anxious
10 end the interview for Isaac 5 ref
erence TO Esau's inheritance as the
elder son set her TO thinking and she
wanted 10 be alone. She had become
SO accustomed to Jacobs managing,
and his domination next TO his father
In the domestic affairs that she thought
of his being always in that place, and
forgot that Esau's right as elder son
would some day change it all.
Was it right?" she asked herself.
when service and character and every
thing which the mother could think OF
except the circumstances OF birth over
which he had no control proclaimed him
the one entitled To the privileges OF the
elder SOM"
The drift of her thought carried her
back over the years and she found her.
self searching her memory for light
The strange circumstances preceding
the birth OF the two boys and the words
OF the Lord when. she had gone TO in
quire OF Him concerning the matter
had never been understood by her, and
now she found herself saying over and
over again the words which the Lord
had spoken so many years before: The
elder shall serve the younger. The
elder shall serve the younger
So absorbed was She In her thoughts,
that she did not hear footsteps. and the
voice of her son at the tent door star
tied her violently.
"Who were you talking to. MOTHER
Il talking? Did speak exclaimed
the surprised woman, regainiug her
compOsure.
Yes replied Jacob. You've been
saying over and over again The elder
shall serve the younger The elder shall
serve the younger just as if YOU were
reciting your lesson OF trying ~ men,
orize part
We'll. don't wonder We been speak
ing aloud when my thoughts have been
so wrought up and disturbed vas the
nervous rejoinder, the color mDlnting
10 her cheeks as she realized that one
of the hidden secrets of her heart had
been revealed and that her son would
next be asking for an explanation And
the request was not long delayed. for
Jacob coming to his mothers side and
looking searchingly into her eyes asked
eagerly:
What do you mean, mother ~ say
ing: The elder shah serve the
younger
The mother was troubled and per-
picked How could she explain some
thing she did not and could not under
stand herself? But she knew she must
say something and so she told him
as simply and frankly as she could the
circumstances OF the Lord 5 message
Jacob listened with an intensity that
almost startled his mother, and when
she had finished, they both sal in silence
for some minutes. Was il a feeling OF
exultation. OF triumph. or simply a
fervid recognition Of the Divine element
i'm his life which swept over Jacob as be
sat there and thought of his brother
and the possibilities Of the future years.
But suddenly a cloud swept over his
face. The mother noted the change OF
mood. the swift descent from the
ecstatic 10 the morose. Catching the
| thought with her quick intuition which
had flashed through the mint of Jacob
and wrought the change. she said. as she
! pressed his hand. reassuringly-
But the right of the elder son? Yes
we shall have 10 waltz