St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-10-28

~ .4-npfMfFfJ |fAA the SuelleIlHS CdA-
LGA opy has reached
W 1 ~ at last the head of
<% the elder man and
|S@ssS><AA lighted up with a
%s~> rare sp1endor the
S/As% silver gray Of the
~ flowing locks The
face is in the shadow, but It can be
seen that it is a goodly face, in which
are traceable the marks Of discipline
and sorrow, such as sometimes come
In the later years of life, as though
they would exact tardy recompense
for the peace and prosperity and smil-
ing skies which have crowned the
years of the earlier life. Although the
form is bent and the poise and vigor
of manhood's prime have departed,
still 1t can be seen that the clean,
wholesome living of the earlier years
has left as worthy legacy preserved
and splendid old age. As he speaks
the head is slightly averted so as to
bring the ear rather than the eyes OPP
posite his companion, for he is blind
and the sense of hearing must be alert
and in measure recompense for The
loY of sight,
Jacob he is saying, 1T Is good to
hear how graeiously the Lord hath
dealt with thee during all these years
I knew He would lead thee back to the
land which hath been promised to
Abraham and his seed. But why tar
REST thou on the very border Of thine
Inheritance? Why shou1dst thou not
dwell in the places which thy father
Isaac and thy fathers father Abraham
knew before thee?"
81 have all need for my docks and
herds, father. What shall It profit me
to go elsewhere?"
But shouldst not thy feet traverse
the length and breadth OF the land
which is to become the possession Of
thy children?"
ooh, am weary of the journey, and
who knows what trials and perils one
may encounter on the way was the
somewhat impatient response.
Jacob had made the long Journey
from Succoth to Beersheba, where his
father still continued to dwell, in re-
Spouse to the urgent message which
the old man Isaac had sent to his son
when tidings had reached him that the
long absent boy had departed from
Syria with all his substance and had
again entered the land of Canaan. The
meeting between the father and the
son was touching in the extreme, and
without reference to the painful Incl
dents which had driven the boy 20
years before to seek refuge with his
mothers people, they had rehearsed to
one another the events which had
transpired since then It was sad
homecoming for Jacob, for the loving,
indulgent mother was not there to
give him welcome. Some years before
she had died, ana Isaac with Streaming
eyes and broken voice told Of this, the
crowning sorrow of his life and of
his loneliness since she had gone from
him.
"Her heart yearned after thee, Jacob.
She longed to see thee before she died,
but she dared not send Tor thee be-
cause Esau was not yet gone to Edom,
and she knew not whether the bitter
ness had died out OF his heart. wish
she could have known OF thy reconcil-
iation with thy brother. It takes the
one burden from my heart, and now
can die in peace when Tod shall so
WILL
The old man paused, and, reaching
out his hands, he felt In the uncertain
manner OF the blind until they rested
on the arm OF his son, and then con-
tinued, earnestly:
Remembered thou the blessing
with which blessed thee when thou
didst depart from Padan-aram ~
THAT the blessing Of Abraham
should be mine, and that and my
seed should inherit the land which God
gave to Abraham" Jacob responded
fervently.
"Yea, I see that thou hast not for
gotten and pleased expression light.
ed up the grizzled face of the old man.
"And the last message which thy
mother left for thee was this: Tell
Jacob not to forget that the Lord hath
spoken good concerning him. and that
He will fulf1ll all His promises spoken
Ito Abraham and to Isaac 8
s.Forget?' earnestly exclaimed Jacob
ssWas 1t not the memory Of Gods bless.
ing that kept me patient and faithful
during all the long hard service under
Laban? And had not God been with
me, had returned empty handed