Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-07-19

springs and shady palm trees, and the
welcome sight brought wild thrill of
JOY Gld thankfulness to the thirsty,
tired people.
For two days now since their de-
parture from the Red sea, after their
miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh,
the Hebrew people had been strug-
Cling across the hot, dusty reaches of
the wilderness. The water they had
brought with them, while not exhaust
ed, was warm and brackish, and their
thirsty bodies were longing for a
draught from some cool spring. Eager
ly as they marched, obediently follow
ing tho Cloud which went before them,
they kept keen lookout for the signs
of water, and when the cry was raised:
water! Water!" and the people saw
the welcome vision in the distance,
seemingly let down out of the very
heavens for their refreshing, they
clapped their hands and shouted for
joy, crying to their leaders to turn
and hasten thither.
But apparently unmindful of the dis
tant vision, the Cloud still led for
ward in the direction it had been 60
ing What could it mean? Surely the
Cloud was misleading them! Moses
could not have seen!
Again the people raised the cry of
water! Water!" and then the elders
of the people FASTENED forward to
find Moses. But to their inquiries and
their eXpostulations he could only
point to the cloud and say:
Whittier 1t goes, we must follow"
On and still on the Cloud led, and
the multitude reluctantly followed. All
afternoon the vision hanging in the
heavens seemed to follow them with
tantal,zing persistence, but as the sun
set and the light failed the vision
faded from their sight. A wall of dis
appointment and anger swept over the
people, and gloomily they set about
the task of pitching their tents and
settling down for the night. Jah-
ziel, man of considerable infiu-
ence who had caused Moses trouble on
former occasions, and who had been
water in the distance that day, was
loud in his denunciation of Moses, de-
claring that If he had 1t to do over
again he would go after the water
whether any others went with him OF
not.
I'm fact" he exclaimed, filled with
sudden determination, 81 am hall
minded to go this night 1t cannot be
far distant"
But perhaps the march will be
taken up in that direction in the
morning" demonstrated his friends
"Or we may find water in another
place"
And after dint of much argument
the fellow was dissuaded from hi!
plan. But the next morning when the
march was resumed, and the ClouC
| without deviation from its course O
the previous day went forward, tn,
| murmuring Of the people broke ou
afresh. Jahziel was louder than eve
in his protests. and set about secret,
to stir the people to rebellion, and al
through the morning, as the journe,
was pursued and they found no water
the people were more and more will
ing 10 listen to his seditious talk. Afte
the midday rest and the journey hat
been again taken up and still no wa
ter, JahSie' and his followers wer
upon the point Of turning back, whel
behold before them broke the welcom
sight OF pools of water.
Forgetting their disappointment ant
murmurings, and glad that they hat
not departed, Jahziel and his follower
fastened forward, and behind then
came streaming the multitudes cage
to guam their thirst at the cool pools
Casting aside their burdens and stoop
ing low, they scooped up the water il
their palms and sucked it into thei
mouths like the dry and parched cart
draws in the rain when it falls upon II
But what ails the people? Wit
wry faces they spit the water out NOR
quickly even than they had drank /
in, and howl is raised which spread
and grows as others of the multitud
crowd up to the edge of the pool an,
drink also of the water. But s
parched are the people and so cage
for a drink that again they es
say 70 drink, but again they spit tn
water out as before, and again the or
of disappointment and protest ring
forth.
"Marah! Marah!" bitterness! Bit
ternessD they cried I'VE canno
drink these waters"
And they sought out Moses and CON
planned angrily, saying:
What shall we drink? What sha
we drink? For thou has led us I
Marah, the place of bitter water"
MAY, but it is God who has led u
thither. Let us not murmur agains
him" was Moses reply.
"But thou art not going to remain 4
this TlEce?" exclaimed the people. i'm