The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1906-07-13

,EYr' inc SOUND. IN the
a ~, oEA distance away off
TO the left could
be clearly seen the vision of cool
springs and shady palm trees, and the
welcome sight brought wild thrill Of
Joy AID thankfulness to the thirsty,
tired people.
For two days now since their de-
partufe from the Red sea, after their
miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh,
the Hebrew people had been strug-
Cling across the hot, dusty reaches of
the wilderness. The water they had
brought with them, while not exhaust
ed, was warm and brackish, and their
thirsty bodies were longing for a
draught from some cool spring. Eager
ly as they marched, obediently follow
ing the Cloud which went before them,
they kept keen lookout for the signs
OF water, and when the cry was raised:
"Wat9Ti Water!" and the people saw
the welcome vision in the distance,
seemingly let down out of the very
heavens for their refreshing, they
Clappe1 their hands and shouted for
Joy, crying to their leaders to turn
and hasten thither.
But apparently unmindful of the dis
tant vision, the Cloud still led for
ward in the direction 1t had been 60
ing. What could it mean? Surely the
Cloud was misleading them! Moses
could not have seen!
Again the people raised the cry of
water! Water!" and then the elders
of the people fastened forward to
find Moses. But to their inquiries and
their expostulations he could only
point to the cloud and say:
WHITTIER 1t goes, we must follow"
- On and still on the Cloud led, and
the multitude reluctantly followed. All
afternoon the vision hanging in the
heavens seemed to follow them with
tantal!zing persistence, but as the sun
set and the light failed the vision
faded from their sight. A wall of dis
appointment and anger swept over the
people, and glOomily they set about
The task of pitching their tents and
settling down for the night. Jah-
ziel, man Of considerable in1u-
enCe who had caused Moses trouble on
former occasions, and who had been
the first to discover the sight of the
water in the distance that day, was
loud in his denunciation of Moses, de-
Claring that If he had it to do over
again he would go after the water,
whether any others went with him or
not.
"In fact" he exclaimed, filled with
a sudden determination, II am half
minded to 60 this night. 1t cannot be
far distant"
But perhaps the march will be
taken up in that direction in the
morning" demonstrated his friends.
Cor we may find water in another
place"
And after dint of much argument,
the fellow was dissuaded from his
plan. But the next morning when the
march was resumed, and the Cloud
without deviation from its course Of
the previous day went forward, the
murmuring of the people broke out
afresh. Jahziel was louder than ever
in his protests, and set about secretly
to stir the people to rebellion, and all
through the morning, as the journey
was pursued and they found no water,
the people were more and more will
ing 10 listen to his seditious talk. After
the midday rest and the journey had
been again taken up and still no wa
ter, Jahziel and his followers were
upon the point of turning back, when
behold before them broke the welcome
sight OF pools of water.
Forgetting their disappointment and
murmurings, and glad that they had
not departed, Jahziel and his followers
fastened forward, and behind them
came streaming the multitudes eager
to quaff their thirst at the cool pools.
Casting aside their burdens and stoop-
ing low, they scooped up the water in
their palms and sucked it into their
mouths like the dry and parched earth
draws in the rain when it falls upon 1t.
But what ais the people? With
wry faces they spit the water out more
quickly even than they had drank 1t
IN, and a howl is raised which spreads
and grows as others of the multitude
crowd up to the edge of the pool and
drink also of the water. But so
parched are the people and so eager
Tor drink that again they es-
say 70 drink, but again they spit the
water out as before, and again the crv
OF disappointment and protest rings
forth.
"Marah! Marah!" bitterness, Rit-
ternessD they cried. I've cannot
drink these waters"
And they sought out Moses and COM
planned angrily. saying:
What shall We drink? What shall
we drink? For thou has led us 10