Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1906-01-04

nuhdle upon tue nOor, now build you
ark
And he trimmed the reeds CAREFUL
to the right length while his wife an,
Miriam with deft fingers wovs then
back and forth How he hated TO ieav
that morning n seemed to him a
though he must stay and follow IN,
fortunes % the little craft But h,
dared not. Already he was late. II,
caught the baby mp TOR one last EN-
brace. ami breathing a prayer. wa
zDue-
Il Is right here. mother. where tbs
princess comes said Miriam Wher
she had piiotsd her mother to the
river sble. With lingering tenderness
rhe mother placed the ark In the water
amidst m. rushss She watched the
stsunch little craft ride bravery on the
quiet water ant then when she dare
linger M lougpr she sped honewari
fearing % ook back lest her heart
SHOULD fail her.
The morning wore away Oh ~ slow-
~. Wa II not time for Miriam 10
come In her heart -breaking anxiety
The mother went 70 the door again and
again. AMI gazed intently toward the
river q seemed impossible TO restrain
her Impulse % rush out To learn her
tlrlings fate. BIT No. she must wait
and trust she had done what she
could. she must leave the rest with
Col
Al Inst she heard hurrying footsteps
AMI sprsng 20 the door
Mother sasped Miriam. Princess
-has-baby, Wants-aar.sf
Wirl a fervid prayer u thanksgiving
the mother sped a-ier her daughter as
she fed ha.a - the river and a. she
drew Fear the little group gathered
about her baby she strove harIi 10 calm
herself As n a dream she heard
Pharaohs daughter say % her.
-Tass this child away and nurse il
Tor M and viii give thee thy
wages
She feit she must scream for very
joy Her heart beat unanimously and
her hands Jrembled a. she bent over
her darling and took him IN her arms.
tie cu,itled CLOSE and hushed his plain
tive waii-the baby cry thar had gDne
straight 10 the princess heart She
wls half afraid to have him - demon
I strative All. foolish mother. did she
think she or her baby could act a part {,
I she glanced furriveIy into the princess
face A smile Of rare sweetness and
I tenderness rested there and II the
[ eyes shous a half-amused light
I 4 am sure be viii b. good with
YOU. she said. a suspicion OF playful
[ ness IL her voice He Is a beautiful
boy Here-cIasping her golden chain
and signst about his neck-he sail
wear this token that be belongs to
me-
That afternoon a. the mother sat
with her babe in her arms before the
T open door. through which the sunlight
came streaming she could hardly rea-
I lie il was not all dream. The hu-s
she gave be- darling 70 make sure II
was really he vho nestled in her arms
caused the lirrle fellow 10 squirm-
Won't papa be surprised said
/ Miriam
Yes. child the mother responded.
with smile. but I wish he lew
now. she added. and her face sobered
az the thought Of what his suspense
and anxiety must be. and while AM
/ rams wife and daughter thought OF
him. and impariently awaited his home
coming. be in turn thought Of them.
and wondered what fortune had fol-
lowed the little ark As his hands
worked. his heart prayed. and over and
+ over again he cried:
Lord Thou alone eanst help"
Has not God helped thee already. 80
reprOvingiy arose the question. a. he
remembered the past three months.
and viii He not continue TO protect
the ehild'' and quiet confidence stole
into his heart Worry was not faith,
he would leave it all with God
So absorbed was he in this inner
contemplation. that he was oblivious
% all tEat was going on about him.
That's the man he heard some one
say. and looking up with start he
saw the Egyptian whom he had en-
eountered the night before pointing to-
wards him
+ All right, the overseer responded,
gTuftiy. take him along"
The struggle Of the morning and the
victory Of faith quietsd the first ris-
tngs OF fear. and Anram heard the
I words without a treuOr. He laid down
his tools a. ordered without a word,
and followed the Egyptian 50 calmly
that the latter marveIed- Walking
along the Nile they soon neared the
point where the ark was to have been
concealed that day and Amram found
his eyes searching anxiousIy among
the reeds All at once a little dark OBJ
tect eaught his eye His heart almost
stood still, and in spite of himself. he
paused and the muscles of his face
twitched nervousIy- The Egyptian de
tsetsd the look and following the di-
rsction OF Abrams eyes. he saw what
had II first escaped his notice
\ II was the little ark
Tie Egyptian sprang forward, and
Amram- with a groan of apprehension
followed But 70 his intense relief they
found the ark empty
As they turned from the river path
and his home came into view. Amran
saw Miriam dance out of the doorway
and her sweet voice foared TO him on
the fresh afternoon breeze Never
seemed vision or song more heavenly
Surely all was well with the child
But did his eyes deceive him, Their.
in the doorway stood the mother with
the child in her arms. The astoundec
father stopped short What did il
mean Why did his wife stand theirs
so calm and CONFIDENT He tried tc
shout To her, but no sound escaped
his parchsf throat He tried to pursue
the hurrying Egyptian. but his
strength failed him He could only
stare IN wild-eyed wonder. But vhal