The Tupelo journal., 1906-04-27

groups gathered IN the streets, n IN
the market place rehearsing these
stories and with each repetition some
new and awful detail was added until at
last that which started as vague and UNI
certain rumor was told and believed as
actual fact.
They cannot be very far from the
city now" remarked n of a group
standing near the city's gate, for this
morning my brother came in owe the
road which runs to the north and he
told me he saw many of the h~alf-naked
Hebrews lurking in the fields andscur-
rying here and there like rats over a
dung heap"
why are not the soldiers called out?"
broke in a voice, nervously. Il always
felt those Hebrews would cause
trouble"
YES" spoke up a third, they say that
Moses has returned and this uprising
is doubtless his work. It's known that
he has been before Pharaoh, and the
report is that he demanded that his peo-
| pie be let go into the wilderness to hold
a fast to their god"
"And what did Pharaoh say" several
voices demanded in chorus, but before
answer could be made the attention Of
| all was directed to a man who at that
moment entered the city. AS he passed
| the group the excitement mirrored in
| the faces there, or the intent stare with
which his movements were followed, i'm
| PEELED him to stop.
whats in the wind?" he inquired.
why you look as solemn and concerned
as though the sacred bull was dead, or
Osiris had forgotten to shine upon
Egypt"
well, it's quite as bad" one of the
| group replied, for the Hebrew hordes
in Goshen have broken forth and are
pillaging the land"
The stranger greeted this bit of news
with a loud guffaw and clapped his
! hands on his knees in the excess of his
| amusement.
when did you learn to be frightened
| at a shadow" at last he managed to ask
between his bursts of laughter. "The
Hebrews are swarming over the land, all
| right, but they're doing nothing worse
than clearing the stubble from the fields.
Have you not heard of Pharaoh's latest
order? It's a dry bit of humor."
Tell us! tell u.s." was the eager cry
of a dozen voices.
when they asked to go into the
wilderness he told them that they must
be idle to have time to think about such
things, and has ordered that no more
straw be given them for the making of
bricks. And for this reason they are
scattered over the land searching for
the stubble."
"Are you certain of this thing?" ques-
satisfied.
Certainly" sharply rejoined the
stranger, have not l just come from
Goshen?"
why, if it isn't Akhoris," exclaimed
an individual who at that moment
| stepped up to the group, and who
pressed his way through the crowd and
| greeted the stranger. How about these
disturbing reports?" he asked. 81 was
in hopes that some of you overseers
would be coming in to Memphis"
Nothing in them, Mykerinus, as 1
| have been telling these men here" And
he vent on to repeat his story.
"As l thought" responded Mykerinus
when Akhoris had finished. This per-
| haps will be a lesson to Moses and Aaron
not to NEEDLE in the affairs of the
Hebrews, and will teach the latter not
to listen to their misguided leaders,"
Exactly" Akhoris replied. And the
two left the group and passed on up the
street. Il tell you Mykerinus the Off
GERS of these people are learning a les
son or two these days. Gave one fellow
a beating last night before l left for
Memphis, which he won't forget in a
hurry, and l only ceased when he had
| called down all the curses of the Egyp-
tians upon the heads of Moses and Aaron.
You see when the people do no supply
the usual tale of brick we hold the
11cUIcW OIlCClo OFCl IlIOhl dCCOu1ltoU-C
and they are beginning to learn that the
efforts of Moses and Aaron in their be-
half are multiplying their troubles in
stead of tightening them"
But / fear one result of driving the
| people broadcast over the land"
What is that? It certainly will be
a good thing getting the fields cleared
of stubble."
"True, but as the Hebrews go
throughout the land of Egypt they
will come to realize their strength
of numbers and will learn the secrets
of the land and it's wealth, and, fur
thermore, they will by their great dis
! tress and miserable condition win the
sympathy of the people. Pharaoh,
as you know, is as much hated as
feared by the lower casts. 1t is the
| priestly power and the soldiers which
| maintain his throne. Is it not peril
| GUS, therefore, to cause these Hebrews
to scatter thus over the face of the
country"
"There is some truth in what you
| say, in fact the business which brings
me to Memphis has somewhat to do
| with this phase of the matter. 1t
seems that the princess who years
| ago reared and educated Moses, and
| showed kindnesses unto his people,
| has left a strong following of influ-
| entail people, both among the mem
J bers Of her branch of the royal fam