St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1906-06-30

D ~ 1Ol LAO COW1u6 VI
:; !: !: !; : !;
ll4 some one, and
kEl lJH. when her search
ELL NV ing gaze was un-
M+@I.K rewarded, a sigh
wv " "a escaped her, and
the lines of anx-
ious care upon
her face deepened. She was aroused
at last from her reverie by the
bleating Of . lamb tethered close
by the door, which now came and
pressed Its soft, moist nose in her
hand. Looking down, she patted the
creatures head, gently, saying, softly:
mo, had not forgotten you, little
lamb, but thought of you makes me
anxious for Abidan's return
And again the woman lifted her
eyes and searched the distant horizon,
but nothing was to be seen but the
groups OF low-lying huts Of the He
brews and an occasional tree or bush,
which, moving In the breeze, she tried
figure, and might be Abidan. but a.
her eyes watched intently and she
found 1t neither advanced nor receded,
she knew she was mistaken. For near
~ a week now she had been expecting
her sons return. Word had been
sent him far down in Egypt as soon
as Moses had commanded the people to
prepare for the Passover, and when the
necessary time had elapsed for his
arrival she had watched with grow
ing anxiety, and every moment che
could steal from her work she wclld
slip to the doorway and look in the
direction from which he would come.
When the tenth day arrived and the
lamb had been chosen, her anxiety had
Increased, for In four days more the
lamb was to be slain and all of the
household who were not behind the
sheltering blood would perish, as the
Lord had said. And that little lamb
under her eye all day long was con-
slant reminder Of the vital importance
Of her sons return.
what II he comes not In time?" she
asked herself over and over again,
and as the third day since the lamb
had been chosen drew towards close
and still he was absent, she felt her
heart would break with its burden Of
anxiety.
The little lamb gave a plaintive bleat
as though he had entered into sym
pathetic feeling with his mistress In
her troubles. Again the woman
looked down, and then, dropping or
the ground at his side, she threw hel
arm about the gentle creature, and
having no one else to talk to, fol
her husband was away at his tasks and
the children were out, she poured thu
thoughts Of her heart into his ear, ant
the little lamb listened as though hi
understood all that was said to him
and responded occasionally with an ex
pressive bleat.
"Oh, Lamby, why don't he Gomez
she said. "All the other absent ones
have returned. Even Sheber, neighbol
Ephah's son, has come, and he was
far to the south Of where Abidan was
at service. had hoped he would bring
some tidings Of my boy, but he die
not, and now 1t Is but one more day
and then
She paused abruptly.
EYES," she broke out at last, swal
lowing hard to keep down the sob. Nv,
shall be sheltered behind thy blood.
And almost reverently she laid hel
hand upon the head Of the lamb. "Bu
what Of Abidan? What Of Abidan'
The Lord has said He would pas
through the land, and II Abidan, m!
first born son, b not With US In tn
house, he will perish. even as the Lore
has said. Uuless," and z new note o
hope sounded In her voice,-"unles
some other Hebrew home where tn
blood is sprinkled gives him shelter.
The thought brought glimmer o
comfort to her heart, and set her t
thinking. II her boy was far ava,
and dependent upon some other He
brew family to give him shelter, per
haps some other mothers boy was II
her neighborhood who would need Al
invitation and a sheltering roof to pro
tact him. Why had she been SO wrap
ned up in her own as to forget thos
about her? Had not Moses spoken ex
pressly that the lamb and the HON
was to be shared With the family to
small to need one lamb or too poor
procure one? And here for days Oh
had been SO filled with the thought q
the return of her own boy that sh
had not looked about her to SEQ VII
there might be who would need he
helm. She blamed herself for her sell
ishness and thoughtlessness, and ris
ing to her feet she hustled about he
work with q new purpose while ever
now and then she nodded towards til
little lamb approvingly and said:
eyes. your precious life shall shelte
IA many as can find who will hav
no other place to 60. Surely God vi
ba pleased to have 1t thus, and pei
hans some other mother will loo
after my boy, II he return not"
After her husbands return In th
evening twilight and the simple me.
had been partaken Of, she told him
her plans and they met his approva
Leaving the older children to loo
after the younger ones and put thel
| to bed she fastened on down the roa'
for as she had studied over in hi
mind what she could do there had r
Cured to her mind that down the roa
= piece there lived family that ha
had hard work in getting even Il
barest necessities of life. The husban
!, and rather had been sick and when !