The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-07-21

81 W w what story the lit
8 ~ tie Jacob wanted.
You know,
grandpa! The one about Noah, and
how he built the ark and rode on the
food, and the rainbow. and"
"oh, no, tell us about Nimrod, who
was such a mighty hunter" eagerly
ipoke up the other lad. " like to
aear how he killed the great beasts,
md was not afraid Of anything. I'm
going to be a hunter some day, Just
IKE Nimrod!" and, seizing a stick ly-
ing ON the ground, he swung It vigor-
Dusty above his head and brought 1t
down with a sounding whack ON the
trunk of the great tree under which
they we're resting.
That's the way I'll knock the wild
beasts | meet" he cried, boastfully,
putting with the energy he had put
into his blow.
Did | ever tell you the story Of Cain
and Abel? No, not the sad, sad one of
the fatal quarrel and the flight from
home Of Cain. That was the sequel,
the elimination OF earlier wrong
doing, for failure and crime are not
Matched in a minute, but are the cumu-
lative effects Of earlier habits and
misdeeds."
Did you know Cain and Abel, grand
pa?" questioned Jacob, who viewed the
gray hairs of the old man as evidence
that he had lived long enough to have
known almost everybody about whom
he talked.
Abraham laughed as he replied:
Your grandfather has lived a good
many years, and is getting pretty old
a hundred three score and ten--but his
acquaintance does not 60 back as far
as that, Noah told me the story as he
heard 1t from the lips of his grand
father, Methuselah, and Methuselah,
you will remember, lived to be a very,
very old man; in fact, he lived the
longest Of any man OF whom we have
any record, and he heard the story
KUN fAuliu . OWH lips,
SIS there anything about animals and
hunting in the STORY, grandpa" broke
in Esau, who was impatient over the
Interruption, and cared little whether
his grandfather had known Cain and
Abel or not. In fact all he cared for
In a story was the stir and action.
Details We're wecrlsome to him. He
could wait ali day to find out the nest
ing place of some coveted bird, or he
could study with greatest care anil
patience the habits of fox or hare so
that he might be able to set his trap
to capture them, but to listen to dry
facts or the details of a story he would
not II he could help 1t.
You'll have to take the story as 1t
comes, and see for yourself. GRANDPA
Their Is not going to pick out the plums
Tor you and leave the dry but whole
some bread untouched" responded the
aged patriarch, as he drew the boy
closer to his side and looked down
earnestly into his face. He had long
since come to realize that there was a
depth to Jacob which was lacking in
Esau, and he was anxious to awaken
in the latter an interest and desire for
something beyond the mere physical
and material. That morning a little
episode had occurred which brought
this characteristic Of the lad fresh to
his attention.
The two boys had been sent by their
father Isaac with a message to one Of
the herdsmen down the valley, direct
ing him to select two of the finest
lambs in the flock and send them back
by Esau and Jacob, as he desired to
make an Offering unto the Lord, and
~lnstructing the boys to be careful and
see that no harm or injury came to the |
lambs in bringing them home, for"
said Isaac, with emphasis, "our offer
ing to the Lord must be without bler1-
ish."
Thus a~dmonishod. the brothers start
ed off. In good time they arrived at
the point where the herd was feeding, |
and, having delivered their message
and having been provided with two of
the very finest lambs in the splendid
flock by the careful berdsman, they
started back towards nome, leading the
gentle creatures by the long leathern
thongs.
Now it CHANGED that their pathway
led over the route usually taken by
traders in their i%ourneying TO and fro
between Egypt ana the eastern coun-
try, and II happened that day that they
met a company of these merchants,
who had halted under the shade OF tho
little grove Of trees and were rrepar-
ing to cook their meal, having Travelled |
during the cool Of the early morning.
As the boys am UP lending thetfI
lambs, the fine appearance OF the lat
or attracted the attention OF the NOR. u
shants and they offered 10 buy chem
I'VE may not sell them, for they are,