Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-12-15

" expected, and he
felt instinctively
that 1t was only further evidence OF
the ill-will which his older brothers
were coming more and more to show
towards him. He often wondered why
they should feel so, and had he not
been of such an open, frank, CHEEKY dis
position, overlooking sights and I'M
kindly words and trying persistentiy
to meet his brothers on friendly
ground, he would long before have
given up in despair.
Nothing which they did seemed TO
ruftie his even temper, and so pure
hearted and noble and generous In
thought was he that il never entered
his mind to question their motives
towards him. He thought no evil con-
corning them, for his nature so lived
In the upper currents Of Gods love and
sunshine that he had no conception
of the base and selfish motives which
lurked in the shadows and darkness
on the lower levels. To be sure. he
was keenly sensitive TO evil and wrong
to rebuke it, but never in critical or
unkindly spirit or with that offensive
m-holier-than-thou manner. He de-
lighted in that which was good and
right, and II never entered his mind
but that others must feel the same as
he. When with his brothers and OBJ
serving their evil ways, as was often
ho xnhn MI
the fiocks and yielded 10 the tempta-
tons to unclean living. the result of
the influences of the heather nations
among whom they dwelt, he would in
his modest. unassuming way point out
the wrongdoing, and just as the clear
full rays of the sun reveal without
fear or favor the pure lily reaching
up towards heavens blue as well as
the loathsome bug crawling in the dirt
at It's foot, so Joseph, in talking with
his father, openly and freely and
frankly told all that transpired. Ii
would have been as hard for him TO
conceal and cover up as to share in
the wrongdoing itself, and so not only
had he incurred the dislike of his
brothers through his innate good quail.
ties, for evil is always condemned and
disquieted in the presence of that
which is good, but they hated him for
bringing the stories OF their doings TO
their father. And so it had come to
pass that they could not speak peace
ably to him, and as they saw him com
ing towards them that morning they
had no smile or word of greeting for
him.
Without apparently noticing their
unfriendly looks and surly response to
his CHEEKY: Peace be to thee" the
common salutation when persons met,
he unslung his skin bottle OF goats
milk and placed it on the ground be-
side the basket of bread, saying as he
did so:
There's a treat for you. Father
thought the milk and the fresh-baked
bread would taste better than the pro-
visions you brought with you"
Without a thank YOU" save from
Reuben, the Oldest son. who rudely
CALCULATED: well, you do do some
thing useful once in awhile" the
brothers seated themselves on the
ground and eagerly fell TO, devouring
the food Joseph had brought with that
enthusiasm and relish which comes
from a good appetite, stimulated by
their vigorous outdoor life.
Father said | could stay and help
you finish with the harvesting" Jo-
seph said, as he took up one of the
sickies and set to work on the waving
grain before him. After some half dozen
sheaves had been thus deftly finished.
he paused TO lay aside his outer robe.
which hampered the full freedom of
movement, and as he did so he
CHANGED to glance in the direction of
his brothers and noted that they were
eying the garment with peculiar in
terest. Proudly holding it out, he ex-
clsimed:
Father made IL for me. Is it not
p,etty?"
There was no response save an i'll
natured grunt of apparent disapproval.
and Joseph. without noticing il, went
on 10 say:
He got the different colored cloths
from a trader who stopped with us the
other day. l wanted him to make IL