The Rice belt journal., 1906-05-18

~ ~. = ;sss,.se.f - the dust and dirt
-: 49, which had aCCum-
ulateu. Ana as though this filthy con-
dition was not enough annoyance to
the priests, whose religious rites and
ceremonies required sch rigid tath-
ing and cleansing, the stencil arising
from the heaps of dead frogs in the
open spaces about the temple ulled the
air and made the situation almost un-
bearable.
James and Jambres, the chief
priests of the temple, were in any
thing but an amiable mood, AMI as
they passed through the court of the
temple on the WY to their apart
ments, they lifted their white linen
robes high that they might not be
smirChed by the filth on the pavement
and grumbled as they went. Noticing
the slow movements Of one of the at
tendants, Jambres angrily exclaimed:
Faster! You will never get this
filth cleaned oct at such pace as
that"
The poor fellow, too weary almost
to feel resentment tried to hasten his
efforts, and James, with more feeling
than his colleague, said:
But they have been laboring day
and night to rid the place Of the
frogs, and it is no wonder they are
weary. Curses be upon the Hebrews,
who have brought this upon US.
AYE, but we may be thankful that
the king is more than ever inCensed
against them, and it is certain that
he will not let them go, as they have
requested" responded Jambres.
Had we not bodily withstood him
though after he had pleaded with
Moses to ask his God to remove the
loathsome pests, fear he might have
yielded"
Yea, but did we not tell him that
Just as the bloody waters of Egypt
would recover their freshness, so
would this plague subside? Are the
gods of Egypt dead that we should
listen to a despised Hebrew?"
They had now entered their private
apartments, which they found as filthy
as the otner portions of the temple.
Seating themselves, they continued
their conversation.
They had just returned from the
palace, where they had been discuss
ing the situation with Pharaoh. The
feeling of hatred against Moses and
Aaron burned fierCely in their breasts,
for they secretly feared their growing
power and were apprehensive of their
next move.
Where obtained he this skill?"
James exlaimed, at last, while he
poked with his staff in the dust on the
floor in an aimless sort of way.
"Never before have any possessed
such powers outside Of the priesthood
Of Egypt, and thou knOwest how such
skill is obtained by us only after the
most painful and persistent practice" ="
well, if our plot had not ia len
through just when we were on the
eve of success" exclaimed Jam RS,
savagely, there would be no Moses
now to trouble us. But the fellow WHO
bungled the job won't spoil any more
of our carefully laid plans, that's sure.
But what's that?" he CRED, pointing
excitedly at the dust through which
James still continued to poke his
staff.
1t appeared to become suddenly ami
mated and the thick covering upon
the floor and furniture about the room
became wriggling, moving mass.
With startled cry of mingled fear
and horror, the two men, forgetful of
their priestly dignity sprang upon the
chairs where they were sitting, but
even there the squirming mass fol-
lowed them, and the rustic of their
robes started up a cloud of dust that
was transformed in it's flight into the
same little green mites, and these set
biSN upotA IAAOli -upGll tn61I uSduS, ana
hands, and faces, and covered the r
robes and quickly burrowed within
and CraWled over the flesh of the
body.
Their disgust and terror was now
augmented by the pain caused by the
creeping, crawling, biting things, and
with a cry of distress they rushed
from the room and into the outer
court. But there there was even great
er confusion. The attendants, who
had been busily cleaning the temsle,
were jumping and running about as
though mad. They were tearing their
scant attire from them and sIapping
and rubbing their bodies first here
and then there. The temple was fair
ly alive with the loathsome mites.
The floor was literally rolling
Squirming sea of them, and the men as
II Shiny and slippery mass.
At that moment runner burst into
their midst, calling loudly that the
king had sent for his magicians, de-
handing that they come at once to
the palace, for he was in distress.
Despite their discomfort, James and
Iornhras started ST once As thav