The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-02-02

The p0mp and ceremony are over
POpulaCe and cOurtiers and king have
Wed with each other in paying tribute
to the returned hero and his army.
The king from the balcony overlook
ing the great courtway before the pal,
ace has reviewed the passing troops
and has sh0wered upon Moses as he
passed the costly necklaces Of gold,
which bespoke the special royal favor,
And then in the house of pillars, the
great audience room of the palace, the
King has bestowed upon him the title
OF "Fanbearer IN the Right Hand Of
the King, and Nearest Friend" the
highest hon0rs to be won by an Egyp.
tian. And now all Is over and Moses
and the princess mother have EN-.
barked upon one Of the royal barges
on their return to their home above
Memphis. The placid waters are gay
with the colors of the many boats,
and the songs Of the rowers, as they
keep time to the beat OF their oars,
floats up to them from below.
As they sat watching the busy
scenes about them, Thermutis searched
the face Of Moses 10 see if she could
read there any answer to the ques.
tions that filled her heart, and which
she almost feared to ask. He seemed
in no mood to talk, and to her light
sallics he responded bat half-heartedly.
What" she exclaimed, as she
noted that the small jeweled battleax
and the exquisite fan, the insignia of
his new titles, had slipped from his
hands, hast thou SO soon tired of the
tokens Of thy great honors?'
The soft touch of her hands as she
sought to replace the AK and fan, and
her words, reused him, and as the
faint smile which passed over his fea
lures died away, he half impatiently
exclaimed:
What can they mean to me now!
What Is there that Egypt can give me,
seeing that the hope of the Hebrew
people leads away from Egypt"
Thou hast new Light" his mother
asked, with suspicious huskiness in
her voice, What hast thou learned?
Bjdst thou find Amrrihud?'
ITO answer thy last question first
and thus start at the beginning of my
story: | found Ammihud after long
search and much adventure, and while
he is unable to give the details Of the
records said to rest in the tomb of J0
scph. he declares positively that the
land promised by God to Abraham
Isaac and Jacob is Canaan and that JO
seph took pledge of his sons that they
would carry up his body with them
assuring them that God would surely
visit them and lead them out
Thermutia' brow darkencd and the
lines about her mouth set in stern de.
termination, She would not yield her
cherished dreams without a struggle.
and her mind quickly set to work tC
harmonize the newly-discOvcred facts,
if facts they were, with the plans for
Moses and his people as she had con.
ceiyed them, She waited in silence for
Moses to continue his story, but his
eyes were gazing out across the water
and he showed no inclination to say
more.
"WeIl?" at last she expostulated, un-
able to keep still longer.
THAT is all" Moses responded with
quiet seriousness. Save that Ammihud
declares the time Of deliverance is at
hand, as the records in Joseph's tomn
will show"
And what does this all mean to you?'
she demanded, abruptly.
Il hardly know how to answer, moth
err he said, slowly, save that | am
eager to know Gods plans for His peo'
pie, and am trying to be willing to fo.'
low Him, cost what it may"
But admitting the truth of all that
Ammihud has revealed. what is there
that need be so disconcerting to thee?
Need it change one whit your plans or
your hopes as an Egyptian prince? AS
king may il not be that thou art to lead
thy armies to the conquest OF Canaan!
and may it not be thy pleasure to settle
there thy delivered peopleg and was 1t
not to be expected that Joseph should
choose final resting place with Abraham,
and Isaac and Jacob in Canaan? and as
to the time being neal at hand, DO we not
know that the king is growing old and
feeble and that at no distant day thy
opportunity will Gomez"
Thermutis spoke with intense earn
estress. and Moses felt her eyes upon
him. but he dared not look up. He did
not feel that he could trust himself 10
enter into her plans for him then. Her
plea was certainly plausible, and the
temptation was Stroag to follow her
brilliant scheme, but he was conscious
that it was God rather than his mother
he must follow,
I'VE must wait" he said at last with
effort, God will lead the way"
And during the remainder of the long
trip no further reference was made 10
the subject. but each was busy with the
tumult of thought which ragged within.
each was struggling with the question
of the future and what it. held in store
for them; and each was trying to calm
the rising fears Of some impending
tragedy.