The commonwealth., 1905-11-10

A8 AAdllg Z q II "a q
81 I% travels fast Thi
81 EAIt Is true today an,
Nh IL was no les
| %NN Ykzanxg true in ancien
! IN J I Egypt The peo
| H 1Gsa!NFPes=Y pie who thronEej
/ La' fg4mT1 TIV the streets in tht
!. !. J. !. !. !. T: d. q. !: ]: :
! rukI N ID neighborhood Of
| IMI1N the royal build
| VI ~ | inss at Hcliopolis
| fE|Hl | IN were whispering
| I~Sl | - and cxpectant. II
SAs < %~J was evident that
something unusual had happened, OF
was about to happen, The people
stood in groups talking in low tones
while at the same time their eyes
were on the alert as though unwilling
to miss some expected sight
Yes, | knew about 1t this morn
ing. for Knaklas, Potiphar's head
gardener told me, said one with
superior air. and all in the group
pressed close abous him, exclaiming;
oh, do tell us all about IT,"
Well. calculated one of the listen
| Crs. after the speaker had finished his
story that's what comes from put
ting so much power and authority in
the hands OF a Hebrew slave" and
the words were accompanied by a
sinister sneer and angry shake of the
head
He'll surely be hanged" spoke up
another
Hush Here they come cautioned
the first speaker, and all eyes wero
suddenly turned in the direction he
pointed.
A guard of soldiers was clearing a
pathway through the crowded street
and behind them walked one of the
prison attendants leading by rope
the prisoner, whose hands were man
acled, but instead of the covering look
of fear, the tagging step and the bowed
form, such as was TO be expected from
one who was charged with so heinous
crime and who faced almost certain
death, the form was erect, the step
firm and the face, though drawn and
tense, had upon it no lines Of fear
or cringinG subserviency The manly.
dignitied bearing, the self.contained
pOise of the head, the earnest open
countcnanCe, the frank eyes looking
out straight before them we're all
noted by the curious, unsympathetic
crowds as he passed, and the taunts
of derision and ieers of contempt died
away on their lips And while they
were lost in wonder Joseph the pris-
oner, the accused Hebrew slave, dis.
appeared behind the dark doors of the
kings prison. With scant ceremony
he was thrust into the dark cell of the
inner court, there to wait his doom.
Were it not that he had been such
a faithful servant and that all my
| business had prospered in his hands,
| would order his execution at once"
Potiphar exclaimed, as he paced up
and down in the Offices of the keeper
of the prison.
| IT could be seen that he was deeply
agitatcd He was angry with Joseph,
but 1t was quite apparent that he felt
kcenly the downfall of so valued a
slave. Turning suddenly upon the
keeper, he continued
See what thou canst do with him.
If he will but confess his guilt and
express repentance | will restore him
his place. But plead and threaten
as | will | can wiring from him no
word or look that would condemn
him. He stubbornly maintains his in.
nocence. Deal harshly with him. it
may be he will consider the folly of
his ways"
Tho keeper Of the prison bowed his
acceptance of the commission and
Potiphar departed. That was the be.
ginning of severe days of trial for the
accused Joseph. Seated on the hard
floor of his dark, gloomy quarters he
waited Had God forgotten? What profit
now for all his Loyalty TO God and his
faithful service? Did it pay to do
right? Yes, he thought, as the light
of Gods presence stole into his heart,
| 1t is better to be able to look up into
His face in innocency than to hold
all that Egypt could give, or even
life itself. IL 1t must be won by wrong.
doing Virtue is her own reward,
after all, and the clean heart and life
kept so by firm purpose in the face
of sore temptation possess an in.
ward peace and confidence which can.
not be shaken or destroyed by even
the bitterest prosecutions from with
out. During the days which followed
his first interview with Joseph he
tried to frighten and crush him
into submission. Scant was his fare,
and the bastinado was repeatedly used
upon him to wiring from him the con-
fession which Potiphar so much
wanted. But all to no purpose, and
at last the keeper of the prison re-
solved that he would resort to ex-
treme measures. If Joseph would not
| admit his guilt he should hang, and
in order 10 Impress him with the
awfulness of the penalty which threat.
ened him, it was arranged that bo
should witness the execution of one Of
the kings servants who had incurred