The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-20

As&AsA way along which
wv he had just come
iatih and turned in to-
wards the low entrance to the rude hut.
The door was flung open before he
reached it, and a voice called out:
you are late, Mosest What success
Poor, Aaron. poor!' Moses replied
dejectedly, entering and throwing nm
self on the rough bench by the door
"El!shama will not come, and others OF
the elders whom | have seen are only
half-bearted in their responses, But
how was it with y0u?'
Little better, | fear. than Ftth you,'
was the dubious reply. None whom
have seen have refused to come, but
there is much depression of ipirits, me
oppression has been so lorg and bitter
that the people have quite given up
hope. But what of Elisbhma? Gave
he you no encouragement p
None, whatever. He declares that
hope died within him yhars ago when
his son, Nun, was killed and his grand
son, Joshua, was taken from him The
subject was so evidently painful to him
that l forebore questiOnirghtm concern
ing the matter. Know you the details?'
THAT | do, and sad they are, indeed"
Aaron replied. LET us see he con-
tinued, thoughtfully, lit is nearly %
years ago that Nun was bIutally slain by
the Egyptian. You remember NUM-
Moses nodded, and Aaron went on,
slowly.
He was deeply interested in your
discoveries at Joseph's tomb, and after
0 u flight was Jealous IN teaching the
people of his tribe of God and Gods
promises to His people. Thus the years
went by, and in spite of the bitter OPP
preston he continued to hope. In some
way it reached the ears Of II Of the
Egyptian overseers that he was encour-
aging the people to look for deliyerance
from bondage, and seeking him out the
Egyptian demanded that he cease to so
teach the people. This he refused to do,
and so bravely withsto0d the Egyptian
that the latter flew into a towering rage
and slew him on the spot. This proved
a severe shock to his father, Elishama,
and embittEred his heart against God.
And when a year later his grandson,
Joshua, a noble youth of some 20 years,
was seized and carried off by an Egyp-
tian official living far to the south who
had been attracted by the manly bear
servant in his household, he was inCOn-
solable. No word has ever been heard
Of the boy since, and as the years have
come and gone Elishama has grown
more morose and taciturn. And / am not
surprised that you did not prevail upon
him TO meet with the elders tonight.
But | had hoped that he would yield, for
as head of the tribe of Ephraim we shall
need his help"
"The outlook is not bright, but we
will have to do the best We can and leave
the rest with God" Moses remarked,
breaking the silence which followed
Aaron's story. 81 had not expected to
find the people SO dispirited, Why is
IT,"
81 have been surprised and puzzled by
the conditions, for / had expected that
with your return the people would be
filled with enthusiasm, but last night I
think | learned the reason" Aaron re-
piled, 1T seems that after my de-
parture for you the impression got
abroad among the people that during
your long absence you had obtained the
help of some strong ally and were to
return and by mighty hand wrest de-
liverance from Egypt. And when you
came with your staff and simple shep-
herds dress of the east, the people lost
heart, saying: How can deliverance
ever come with such a leader?'"
An anxious, troubled look crossed
Moses face, but it o 0 gave place to one
Of hone and cheer, as he said:
But when they see the signs, they
will believe. God is mightier than all
the armies of the east"
What signs?" asked Elisheba,
Aaron's wife, who had been listening at
tentively to the conversation of the TWO
men.
The signs which God gave to me in
the mount" Moses replied.
Surely, the people will believe" ex-
claimed Elisheba, after she had heard
the story, but many times during the
day her heart misgave her as she
thought of Elishama. What If others of
the leaders refused to come as did he?
And she racked her brain to try and
think of some way in which she might
overcome EIishama's obduracy. She
knew that further argument was use
less, for Moses had pleaded with him,
and Aaron in the afternoon had visited
him in last effort to win him over.
What could she do? AS the afternoon
waned and the evening shadows began
to gather, she became more agitated
over the matter, and the conviction grew
upon her that she must somehow get
Elishama TO the meeting that night.
A knock at the door interrupted her
troubled thought, and she opened It to
find an Egyptian standing there. She