St. Tammany farmer., 1906-05-12

man before her, and as she did so shs
detected the unmistakable features Of
the Hebrew race.
"Who are you?" she demanded, and
then frightened by her boldness of
speech in thus addressing an Egyptian,
she added. by way of apology: ..Your
dress proclaims you an Egypt In, but
your face is that of a Hebrew"
"And am" was the reply. Twenty
five years ago my home was here In
Goshen, when prominent Egyptian
carried me OF to Thebes and there
I have lived since. I found favor
in his sight and he educated me as he
might son, and as the years went by
and he grew old he more and more de-
pended upon me. In spirit Of grati-
tude before his death he gave me my
liberty, which freedom was not slow
in improving in getting back to Goshen
and my people"
"Are you Joshua?" exclaimed the
woman in astonishment, and then turn
ing and rushing into the rear room Of
the hut she called, excitedly:
Aaron! Moses! Joshua has come!
Joshua has comet"
Thus aroused from the snatch of sleep
the men were trying to get before the
gathering that night, they came hurry
ing out and soon an excited and en-
thusiastic group of men were talking
snd asking questions.
"Now Elishama will come" cried
Elisheba, breaking into the conversa-
tion. Il will go and tell him." and as
she moved towards the door she added,
in reply to the remonstrances OF the
men: "You would not have time to go
| and get to the place of meeting in time,
and besides you want to talk over mat
ters. No, will go!" and she was OH.
The hour is late. The meeting of the
| officers and elders of the people is al
most over But still Elishama has not
come, and Joshua with growing disap-
pointment searched among the large as
sembly for him. In the secluded retreat
where SO often before in the dead OF
| night they had gathered, they have
listened to all the words Of Moses and
Aaron, and in the clear moonlight they
have witnessed the confirming signs
which God had given. The rod as 1t was
cast upon the ground became serpent
| and the people turned to fee before 1t,
and then stood in awe and wonder as
Moses stopped and picked it up and 1t
became rod in his hands again. He
thrust his hand in his bosom and, as
he drew It forth and the people beheld
it white with leoprosy, they trembled
and cried out in dismay. Then as ne
thrust it again into his bosom and with
drew it restored like the other hand, q
shout went up that rang about the walls
of the clay pit, and the people cried:
"God has heard our cry. Moses Is ous
leader! Moses is our ieader!"
"Yea," shouted Moses, "and not only
has God heard our cry but He has re-
stored the young man Joshua to his
people," At the same time leading him
out before the assembly.
Again the shout went up and as II
died away there came from the outer
| fringe Of the crowd the glad, wild CRY
of an old man, and the crowd parted to
make way for him as he struggled up te
where Joshua was standing.
cart thou Joshua? Tell me! Ar
thou Joshua?" the old man fairly
/ screamed in the intensity Of his emotion
while he peered into the face Of the
young man.
For answer Joshua threw his arm.
about the trembling form Of Elishams
and embraced him fervidly. and ther
whispered:
'.Believest now that the Lord hal
visited his people?"
'Yea, verify He hath" And turning
about and facing his brethren who hat
been watching in silence the touching
reunion, he shouted in the vigor Of hi
returning faith:
asurely, the Lord hath looked upol
the affliction of His people. He hatl
done great things for us this day. LIE
us worship Him" And as he bowed hi
head and Moses lifted up the rod all tn
people bowed In reverent worship.