The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-02-16

whether lie had spoken as Moses be-
lieyed. What message would the stars
speak to the priests of Egypt? What
answer could they make TO the records
which Joseph had left? Fool that she
had been! Why had she allowed her
self to be so completely led from the
faith of her fathers? She wondered
now how she could have yielded so
easily to the influence Of her adopted
son, whose early years with his own
people had so inbred into his being the
faith and hope of the Hebrew people.
This is but the result to be expected
in first yielding to his early whims
and aiding and encouraging him in his
efforts for his people," she exclaimed.
petulantly. But enough! 1t has gone
far enough" And then obeying a sud-
den inspiration, she exclaimed: THAT
is what | will do. | will return and
seek the counsel and aid of the high
priest and be ready with argument
and pleading when Moses shall return.
He shall not in folly and the %unreason-
ing impulses of religious fervor wreck
his brilliant prospects in life, and his
hope of a kingdom"
Her mind thus made up, she raped
sharply upon the metal work of her
carriage, to which her maids in wait
ing and her attendants responded, and
soon, in wondering silence. they had
turned the equipages about and were
again speeding towards the royal
barge at the river landing which but a
few hours before they had SO hastily
left.
And in the meantime, what Of
Moses? The late afternoon had found
him on the way which led to Joseph's
tomb. The place had a peculiar fas-
cination for him now. The sun was
just setting as he neared the mouth
of the cave, and its slanting rays were
streaming within.
May Gods light stream into my
heart and mark out my pathway as
plainly as does His sunlight make the
way plain for my feet here" he ex-
claimed, feryidly, as he slowly passed
within and seated himself.
The gathering shadows as they deep
ened into the blackness Of the night
were ~unheeded. Conflict ragged within
and he was unconscious of the passing
hours; he forgot his surroundings; he
remembered but one thing and that
was Gods word about the Hebrew
people and the Egyptian nation.
1t seemed to him as he sat there that
two figures rose before him, reckoning
him to follow them. One wore the
kingly robes, and a crown rested upon
his brow, while In his hand he beheld
the scepter of the Pharaohs. Down the
pathway along which he seemed about
to move as he beckpned him to follo~,
he saw unfolding as in a panorama
glorious sights of marching armies,
great cities filled with people, who
bowed low before the figure as 1t
passed along, and splendid palaces, to-
wards which from every direction he
saw in the distance the nations of the
earth flocking laden With rich tribute.
His eyes sought to penetrate beyond
the royal figure to a place in the dis
tant horizon, where it seemed to him
he could discern the pickering of an
ominous light, but the scepter was
raised in the hand of the figure and
the glittering winged sun disk at its
top so placed as to almost shut out
the ominous light beyond. For an in
slant he let his eyes rest upon the re-
splendent, dazzling emblem of Egyp-
tian worship and kingly power. He
felt an almost irresistible impulse to
spring to his feet and follow 1t. He
knew it was for him. He knew it
could be his. He felt the purpose ris-
ing like a food within him to claim it
as his own.
But must see what is beyond" he
thought, checking the impulse. What
is it that the scepter hides?"
And as he strained his eyes ~resolute-
ly to see, the scepter seemed to fade
before his vision and flashing out upon
the distant horizon he saw the one
word, Judgment" and recalled the
words of the prophecy: THAT nation
whom they serve will I judge"
And now he became conscious that
the other figure was also reckoning to
him. He noted his dress was that Of
a Hebrew slave, and instead of a
crown and a scepter he beheld a head
barred to the shifting heat of the sun
and the driving rain, and a heavy bur-
den upon the back which the hands
were striving to steady as the feet
struggled forward. On either side of
the pathway he saw people being
driven to their hard tasks by cruel
taskmasters. He saw the walls Of
great store cities rising, and he heard
the groans of the people as they la
bored. On, on, on the figure struggled,
but the farther 1t went the more dread
full became the scenes and the more
hopeless the condition of the people.
His eS es followed the pathway fever
ishly, to see If 1t had any ending, but
all seemed obscured in darkness and
uncertainty. Had It no ending? Was
the condition hopeless? In an agony
of despair he raised his eyes and
caught Just the faintest glimmer Of
light in the distance. He watched 1t
~steadfastly, eagerly. He dared not moy