The Tupelo journal., 1909-05-28

brance a debt of the long ago. How
years before when wealth was in his
possession he had placed a goodly
sum in the hands of a certain trusted
friend named Gabael of the city Of
RACES in Media.
And now, my son Tobias, thou shalt
depart for that distant city and bring
hither those ten talents of silver"
So it was arranged that the young
man should depart, and with many
misgivings they babe him good-by.
MY son, be mindful of the Lord
our God, and take not a strange wom-
an to wife, but a daughter of thy IA
theirs tribe"
That / can remember the Lord and
serve only him | am certain" thought
Tobias to himself after he had depart
a wife as my father hath spoken OFF,
He was reused from his reverie by
the appearance of a stranger before
him with whom he fell into nvers
ton, and finding that he knew the
way to RACES, he besought him that
he would go with him, ard was much
cheered when he gave his consent.
Now Tobias knew not that it was
Gods angel who had come to guide
him on his journey, but as they pro-
ceeded Tobias and his companion,
Raphael, conversed together, and the
former unburdened his heart to Raph-
ael and told him of his perplexity in
| nhnuinu the odnnonittn rf hic father
regarding the seeking of a wife.
But is not God, who would thus
have you remember his law, able to
guide thy feet and bring thee to the
one whom thou shalt wed?" Ques-
toned Raphael.
Yea, verify" exclaimed Tobias,
~reverently, and that night as they
made camp by the side of the Tigris
river his mind vas absorbed with this
new thought. He had gone to the
river to wash and as he bent over the
rivers brink a great fish leaped forth,
and he was Upon the point of fleeing,
when the voice of Raphael sounded
out sharp and clear:
Flee not! Capture the fish and
bring IT th1tner.
This Tobias was able to do after a
fierce struggle. Raphael cut open
the fish and took therefrom the heart,
the liver and the gall, and placing
them securely in a wrapping, gave
them to Tobias and cautioned him
with many solemn words not to let
them leave his possession, for" said
he. the heart and the liver shall give
deliverance from the evil spirit, and
the gall is good to anoint a mans
eyes that he see"
Tobias heart gave a great leap as
he thought of his fathers affection.
What joy he would bring with him
upon his return. The gall should not
go from his possession, but of the
liver and the heart he knew not what
need he had therefor.
Yea, let the strangers abide under
our roof tonight. They be weary
with the long Journey" exclaimed
Raguel, a prominent Jew of Ectabane,
in response to his wife's query re-
garding two strangers who had APP
peared OF the door. And as the words
were spoken Raguel came forward
and greeted the men.
why" he exclaimed, excitedly, as
he looked closely into the face OF To
bias. thou lookest much like my
cousin Tobit."
And Tobias is my father" ex-
claimed Tobias, now equally sur
prised.
Sara, the daughter, came running
into the room at that moment. Young
and beautiful she was, and as the
eyes of Tobias fell upon her he loved
her. But as her eyes met his a look
of anguish and sorrow spread owe
her countenance.
AS the days passed and Tobias
pressed his suit, for, said he, rs not
Sara such an one as my father would
have me wed being of my family?"
he became conscious of some mystery
surrounding the beautiful girl. He
knew she loved him, and yet often
as they we're together a shudder
would pass over her as her yes would
meet his. On the day in which he
asked for the daughters hand in mar
rage, the father unfolded to him the
awful truth that an evil spirit rested
upon his house and had claimed al
ready seven young men to whom the
beautiful Sara had been welded. And
in every case this had happened upon
the wedding eve.
THE heart and the liver of the
fish," like a flash came the thought
into Tobias heart. Surely, God
hath preserved Sara for me against
my coming"
And SO it was that when they were
welded, and the evil spirit reached
forth to touch Tobias, he made
a smoke of the heart and liver.
and thus escaped, and next to the joy
of the homecoming of the son., Tobias
with his bride and the money for
which he had gone in quest, was the
JOY of the restoration of sight to tho
blind Tobit.