Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1906-05-10


and they shall BE- turned 10 bloot-
A howl Of indignant protest arose
from the priests. and they would have
rushed upon Moses for speaking thus
against their sacred river had not the
king BY a gesture held them back and
babe them be silent
And the esh that Is In the river shall
die. and the river shall stink. and thou
and thy people shall loathe to drink OF
the water
The words rang ont clear and sharp
and as Moses ceased speaking. an op-
presstve silence bruoded over the great
assembly Of people. Ike the ominugs
calm which precedes the storm. Every
eye vas rfvete,t upon the king. but with
an tmperious air and a steruness which
made those about him trembIe. he
ruarsd.
Enough Of this. Let the ceremonies
proceed The god OF the great river
awaits our homage and uotioning TO
the priests they again struck up the
chant.
Hail. o Nile. thou crmest forth over
this land. thou eumest In peace. giving
life % Egypt. o hftf<sen god"
As the wprvts. % htaden rusf. we're
spoken Moses placed the rod IN Aaron 5
hand and the latter stepped to the wa
rer's edzs and smote the river.
instantly the sparkling waters Of the
Nile were transformed before the vision
oc the king and all the people Instead
Of the siIvery sheen they bsheid with
horror their sacred river t1ks cr the
hue Of blood
The priests stopped their chant. ant
from the CHASTITY sight q the river the
eyes Of all turned tnwarsis the king in
quirfnxiy. What could he say to tbs
What could Ae 30 10 show thai the rosi
ot the Nile was more powerful than the
God Of the Hebrews IN ssSsc uane this
wonder had been Derforrse, The arst
I0ck of horror and CONSERVATION passed.
from the tas-s Of Pharzoh and an sxpres-
sfpu Of Iuperious tisssafn sook It's place
and he curlmanie,i that his uastcians
and sorrpr~rs b. brought
Now there was IN the x7rssen where
the hing and people had <athsred a
beautiful artidsial lake IN the center of
xhich a great fountain played throw
ing ap It's crystal spray IKE showers Of
flashing diamonds. To this body OF
water now al turned As the magicians
of Pharaoh <7thered upon rs brink
that they night Try BY their enchant-
n1enrs On perform n wonder Ike that
whsch Moses a1d Aaron had Just
wrought. rnreutly the vast assenhlags
waited whiIe the incantztion was be-
ing said and then the nagieians struck
the waters and called upon their gods.
But there was NJ change. The waters
still Law silver white and tie fountain 8
spray flashed and sparzlesf In the bright
sunlight
50 intense vas ire suspense that peo-
pie scarcely br-athe,t- Were Pharaoh 5
uiagicians defeated. The people
turned 10 look IN the direction 0f their
King. and BY way Of answer be thun-
terett-
Let Jannes and Jambres De brought
The gods Of Egypt VIII speak through
them
Hastily MESSENGERS we're sent 20 th-
temple 70 SUMMON the ehiefesc OF
Pharaoh's zorcerers. and while the peo-
pie waited they took up the cry OF
James. Jamhres.- and kept up the
tunuIC until there came an answering
call from the opposite shore OF the Lake
and the royal barge vas seen approach
ing swiftly
As il drew near the shore and an
chored. James and Jamhres were seen
standing in the bow Waving the peo-
pie I'd silence. they called 10 the king
saying
Let NOT the king Be troubled The
god OF the Nile Is angry at the action
Of Moses and Aaron this day. and that
the king may know that il Is not the
god Of the Hebrews who has done this
things let the waters here be turned to
blood"
As they finished. they leaned out over
the lake and ehanted their mysterious
phrases and even while they were
speaking. the waters were seen TO slow
Iy change from the blush tfnge. which
reflected the perfect blue Of the sky
above. to the deep. dark hlood-red hue
which but n short time before had been
noted upon the waters OF the Nile.
A shout Of triumph broke from the
thruats of the multitude, which was
quickly hushed as they looked out over
the lake before them and saw its sur
face covered with the sacred gold and
silver fish placed there in token OF the
favor Of the gods upon Pharaoh's daily
visits thither-
Pharaoh noted the look and con-
scious Of the silence turned and spoke
TO James and Jambres who stood near
him and these two. lifting their voices
strong and clear 50 that all the multi
trde could hear, shouted
But even the gods of Egypt are will
ing to sacrifice the sacred fish Of the
royal gardens il but the god Of Moses
and Aaron may be dishonored- Who
Is the god Of the Hebrews that We
should listen TO him. BegDne. Moses
and Aaron to thy people and tell them
that Pharaoh will not let them GO"