The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-12-15

the room where the brothers were
standing, each lost in thought and face
to face with the crisis of his life.
II they yield not, what Of their Ia
Tiers body? If they yield, what Of
their hope and the promise given to
Joseph that they would carry his body
hence? Manasseh was the first to
speak.
1--WE must be true to the God of our
father" he said, slowly, inwardly
conscious that this was the first and
al~l-important question to decide.
And in that determination, stand
with thee, my brother. But what OF
the body of our father? Its presence
with us is a sacred pledge that God
will visit US and fulfill His promises.
We may not leave it to the hatred and
passion of our grandfather"
ut should not rest in the tombs
OF Egypt, but in the midst OF our
brethren in the land Of Goshen. 1t Is
there that God will visit us, and it is
from thence that we will go up"
IJJSI LuUu lcIItlllDGi lIc h'oi
our Grandfather Jacobs house, in
Goshen?" exclaimed Ephraim, the sud
den inspiration of the thought light.
ing up his face with a new hope. The
answering CLEAN in his brothers face
told him that the memory of the place
they had discovered as boys when Wis.
iting in Goshen was still fresh and
vivid. and he fastened on to say, let.
ting his voice drop almost to a whis.
per, lest some servant passing through
the adjacent halls should hear his
words:
Let US take the coffin OF our father
thither. The place is not known to the
Egyptians. 1t will be safe there" And
then as his heart grew confident in the
thought, he added: Surely, God will
help us in this thing"
But how can it be done?" asked
Manasseh, doubtfully.
Thou art indeed slow, my brother"
responded Ephraim, with calm assur'
ance. Doth not our fathers breth-
rem return home this night? They
shall bear with them our fathers body,
while we remain in the chamber of the
dead as though we would watch and
mourn by the side of our dead, and ere
the morning light and the return of
our Grandfather ~Potipherah, the coffin
will be safely resting in the shelter Of
that secret place"
The hours wore on. AS Potipherah
waited in the temple and his grand
son came not, his assurance gave
place to doubt and doubt to anxiety,
and at last, unable to stand the sus-
pense longer, he passed out of the
temple courts and turned his feet to.
wards Joseph's house. He would make
one last appeal. They must yield. He
must save his own flesh and blood to
Egypt and Egypt's gods.
AS he turned into the road leading to
Joseph's house he encountered a good.
ly company of people. Their laden
J camels and asses and their carts all
told of the journey which was just be.
ing taken up. Curious to know who
could be passing out of the city at that
hour of the night, for it was now near
midnight, he accosted one of the men
as he passed:
What, Joseph's brethren" he NUT
tered to himself, as he continued on
his way, ut is well; for now will
Ephraim and Manasseh be free from
their baneful influence. But their 60
ing at this hour of the night seems
strange" he unused, as he reached the
house and entered. To his inquiry for
Manasseh and Ephraim, he was told
that they were watching by the side
of their dead and wished not to be dis
turbed.
otis we'll" the old priest thought,
as he settled himself upon one of the
comfortable couches in the great recep-
ton hall. "The departure of the
brothers and the presence of my grand
sons by the side Of the sacred dead
augurs good. Doubtless the brothers
departed in anger, for had it not been
81 llts HbuIu nave lClldliIeu W CUuu-
sci with and help Manasseh and Eph.
rain. The boys will yield, l feel as
sured."
And that was the last he remembered
until he awoke to find the sunlight
streaming across the marble floor. In
surprise and alarm, he jumped to his
feet, and it was some minutes before
he could collect his thoughts and re.
member how he came there and for
what purpose.
At last r~ousing himself, he turned
toward the apartment where Ephraim
and Manasseh had kept their night
vigil, muttering to himself as he went.
He knocked and entered. No one ever
knew what t%ranspired within, but after
long time the aged priest emerged, and
as he turned from the door he was
heard to say over and over to him.
self.
Let it be so, Let II be so. Perhaps
IL is best"
And some time after this Il was
known that Manasseh and Ephraim
and their fsmilies withdrew to the
land Of Goshen, and Asenath, the wife
Of Joseph, went homo TO her fathers
--.