St. Tammany farmer., 1905-12-09


!. !: !: /: !. !. !: !: ] ; !: !: ! !: !:
| HTl4. I,N to the palace a
| Vt%%''SAYl1[< Heliopolis. The
| MS~NES had come from ia
| ANN MIu u and near. Ever
| MASU1N0 j temple had sen
| MI AifH ! Its most Learned
lN 4 MMI sage, and the gath
NtllGllM& ering at the i'm
~13WNN..I perial city of S,
distinguished
body OF men created a profound i'm
preston throughout the realm. Dis
cussion of the unusual proceeding wa:
upon everybody's lips in the city, an(
when the aged priest from Thebes
and his retinue of sages disembarkeG
from their barges, which had brought
them down the Nile as swiftly as the
best rivermen could bring them, the
excitement was at fever heat. With
silent awe the crowds watched the
stately procession as 1t proceeded tc
the palace. Surely now the king would
obtain the counsel which he needed.
Various rumors had gotten abroad as
to the nature of the matter which
troubled the king. Some said that a
foreign foe threatened the country
Others said that the king was plan.
ming an expedition to the south, and
desired to know the mind of the gods
In regard to the enterprise. Still 9th
ers declared that it had been reported
by the servants of the palace and those
close to the king that a strange dream
had troubled him and that he sought
m Interpretation thereof, a thing
which up to the present time the wise
men and the magicians had been un-
able to give But there was still hope,
for had not the astrologers and wise
men of the temple at Thebes arrived,
and would not the kings heart now be
satisfied?
AS the procession neared the palace
the crowds of people became denser
and denser, for all were eager to catch
q glimpse of these mer who knew the
secrets of the gods and could discern
the future. 1t was with increasing diff
fculty that the Egyptian officers
cleared a pathway, and at last it be-
came necessary to use stern measures.
One fellow, more determined and in
Quisitive than the rest of the throng,
pushed and elbowed his way to the
front, and burst at last into the very
pathway which the policemen had sue
ceeded in forcing. He was instantly
seized, and after a severe beating for
his temerity, was dragged off to the
prison. This incident was sufficient
warning to the crowd, and without
further trouble the palace was reached
and the wise men admitted to the
presence of the king, who since early
morning had been impatiently await
ing their arrival.
In the meantime the unruly specta-
tor had been hurried to the city pris-
on, but 1t being full, it was found nee
essary to take him to the kings pris-
on, where Joseph, the steward of the
Jail, entered the charges of the police
man upon the parchment and then
placed the prisoner in the inner dun
geon. The word or two which had
been dropped by the prisoner and the
policeman aroused the interest of Jo-
seph, who up to the present time had
not heard of the excitement in the
palace, for save as prisoners came into
the Jail, bringing news, he had no
means Of knowing what was transpir-
ing in the outer world AS soon as
offered. therefore, he sum
moned the man to him and eagerly
questioned him further.
"And what think you is troubling
the king?" he asked.
There are many rumors afloat, but
the report which gains the largest
credence Is that the king has had a.
dream upon his bed which gives him
great anxiety, and up to the coming
Of the wise men from Thebes, none
had been able to explain to the king
the meaning thereof"
Joseph's heart leaped within HIM as
The man mentioned dream, and, seek
Ing the seclusion Of his own quarters,
he threw himself upon his face to the
ground, and cried out in the anguish
of his soul:
"Oh, God, does not the Interpretation
of dreams belong unto Thee? Didst
not Thou give Thy servant wisdom to
tell the chief baker and the chief but
Ter the meaning Of their dreams, and
lid 1t not come to pass as Thy word
,aid? Oh, Lord, let the chief butler
,,,noI> Pnr,oro hlx> hnfnro %hn l,iuo ~ %l,ssa
lime of Thy servant. It may be that
he Lord would give Pharaoh answer
% tha questionings Of his heart"
Ano as Joseph lay there his mind
an back over the long, weary months
which had dragged themselves out
|ince two full years before he had
Urged the chief butler to remember
him when he again served in the pres
nee Of Pharaoh. How expectantly he
lad waited. Each day saw him look
ng for deliverance from the dreary |
Prison, and IN spite Of the long de-
erred hope, the deep-seated conviction
hat God was yet going to bless and
lelp him still possessed him. Prompt
= and faithfully, and even chserfully,
ach days duties had been PEA 1ormed,
or. said he, over and over again to
himself: !
Tomorrow, It may be. God will /
ring me out Of this place. I win be
eady to depart"
Often the recollection Of his boy
lood dreams came "A Sa vague and per-
licking memory to him, but in spite Of
he discouragements and hardness Of