St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-07-01

BY way of response simultaneous
rush was made for the door through
which Lot and his family had just
come, and the blind man, with slow,
uncertain footsteps, followed as best he
could, and soon high carnival reigned
within.
In the meantime the messengers.
elinging fast hold of their half-reluc-
tant charges, FASTENED towards the
city's gate. Past the busy scenes OF
the city's life, without stopping to note
the dark sneers, or heed the hooking
laugh and insulting speech Of the
groups of people that filled the streets,
they soon came to the market place
where for so many years Lot had ruled.
There was his seat of authority, there
were the merchants gathered, there
were all the activities and interests
over which he had ruled SO success
fully, and now dignity, honor, treasure
gone, he was being swept helplessly by
the scenes of his triumphs and out OF
the city by these Two strangers! Is 1t
any wonder that shout of derision
and scorn arose? Is it any wonder
that in that wicked city hell was let
loose that morning and the pande-
monium of reckless spirits ruled? An.
what a parting message that! was to
Lot from his fellow-townsmen!
Lot breathed sigh of relief when
the awful ordeal was over, and the
messengers had gotten them we'll out
Of the city, but they never paused in
their flight until they came to the
place where Lot had first pitched his
tent years before, and where, yielding
to the attractions of Sodom, he had
moved thither. Then spake one OF the
messengers, saying:
Escape for thy life; look not be-
hind thee, neither stay thou in all the
plain; escape to the mountain, lest
thou be consumed"
And Lot said unto them:
ooh, not so, my Lord! Behold now,
thy servant hath found grace in thy
sight. and thou hast magnifed thy
mercy. which thou hast showed unto
me in saving my life; and I cannot
escape to the mountain, lest some evil
take me and I die. Behold now. this
city is near to flee unto. and it is a
little one. Oh, let me escape thither
lis it not little one?) and my soul
shall live
And he said unto him:
.'see, have accepted thee concern
ing this thing also, that I will not
overthrow this city, for which thou
hast spoken. Haste thee, escape
thither; for cannot do anything till
thou be come thith-rr." And with this
parting warning, the messengers OF
the Lord disappeared, leaving Lot and
his wife and daughters to make their
way alone.
"Come! Let us hasten!" cried
Lot, feeling the terror of the impend-
ing Judgment, and needing the parting
warning.
Thus on they continued their fight,
and the only sounds which broke the
stiffness of the morning air were the
songs of the birds as they Skinned on
the bosom of the suns golden light,
then streaming over the earth, and an
occasional sob and moan from Mrs.
Lot.
But soon her steps began to lag be-
hind, and to Lots urgent appeal that
she remember the warning to linger
not or look behind, she returned impa-
tient and angry reply. Her heart and
her treasure were behind her, and
how could her feet move where her
heart and desire did not go also?
In agony of fear, Lot half dragged,
half pushed his wife along, the while
pleading with her to remember the
warnings and the destruction which
lay behind.
Let go! Not another step will /
take!" at last she exclaimed, f1ercely.
And then, losing herself completely,
she began to rave over the treasures
and life which she had left behind.
"sodom to be destroyed! I don't
believe it," she shouted. Go on to
Zoar, if you want to! I'm going back
to sodom!" and tearing herself loose
from the grasp OF her husband, she
sped back over the plain.
Lot dare not pursue after her, for
the words of the Lords messengers
sounded in his ear: Look not be-
hind thee; neither stay thou in all
the plain And so, beating his bosom
in the agony of his increasing despair,
he continued ON his way with his two
daughters, who were weeping bitterly.
So they came to Zoar, and as they
entered sudden, fearful roar rent
the air, the earth tremb1ed beneath
their feet, a lurid fash crossed tie
heavens. brighter than the suns glare.
and then darkness covered Zoar, while
over the plain below there rose the
fire and smoke, as though from
mighty furnace.
And away of to the northwest, on
Hebron's lofty heights, q solitary soul
kept silent vigil. Early that morn.
ing Abraham had sought the place
where he stood before the Lord. No
sleep had closed his eyes that night.
And now, as he looked towards Sodom
and Gomorrah, and towards all the
land of the plain, he beheld, and 10.
the smoke OF the country went up as
the smoke OF furnace. And Abra-
ham. as he stood there, had the sweet
consciousness OF the Lords presence,
and that his prayer had been heard,
and Lot delivered from the overflow,
and as he bowed his head reyerently,
he said:
Thanks be to Thee, Thou God OF
heaven and earth, for thy changeless
love and thy enduring mercy. Let me
not depart therefrom.