Year: 1871

thought he, if l could only procure that
monster, what dainty morsel it would
make" His reason, faint as it was, kept
him from graspng at the snake on the first
impulse as might have been expected
Though actually starving, he took time to
consider, His greatest fear was that he
might by moving scare the snake and cause
him to retreat. He decided to shove his
knife from below, and endeayor TO run the
blade through his neck, and thus prevent
him from sliding back into his hole, and at
the same time secure a means by which he
could draw him out. He made the attempt,
and by dint of great caution it proved sue
cessful. He did not hang this up TO dry as
he had the first. On the coaasary, he d..
vested him Of hts hide, and even swallowed
some of what to him was sweet meat before
the tail of the reptile had ceased to squrm
in his grasp. By means Of the nourishment
thus afforded he was enabled to hold out
much langer than he would would otherwise
have done.


On the tenth day-two days after he had
eaten the last snake--he again felt that life
could last with him. but little longer. He Won
dered why God should choose to punish him
by protractng his miserable life in this way.
Or, thought he, does He send these snakes
as food for me until such time as He shall
see fit to send relief? Or, does He not wish
to protract my life until shall have tho
roughly repented of all my sins, and then as
a reward for my suffering take me to Him
as His own, to dwell forever with the sane
tilted and the redeemed in glory?" This
last reflection comforted him, and caused
him to feel more resigned and to renew his
peacemaking with his God With more
earnest devotion than he had ever felt be-
fore, he knelt to pray. In his prayer he
fervently besought God that, if he must die
shut out from all but his God, that he might
know none but Him and His in the world
that awaited him. eff it is Thy will that
be saved, may it be to glorify Thy name
here on EARTH" and concluded with " Thy
will not mine be done.


He scarcely had finished thus praying
when he heard a voice at a short distance
utter, in tone of amentaton, these words:
sob, my son, my son, my son! Where, O,
where can he be? ?" lie stood for moment
as one bowidered, and then, as though
startled, he cried out: "Father, father, am
here" The father stopped, as though
voice had spoke to him from the skies, and
then he cried, almost unconsciously:-
"Where, where are you?" "Here, in a
shaft" answered Joab. In few moments
the father stood at the brink, looking down
upon his weak, emaciated and almost maniac
son. A few words between them sufficed,
when the father FASTENED home, and soon
returned, accompanied by Joab's mother,
who had some refreshments in basket, and
the father carrying ladder. The poor old
mother at the sight of her son could not bear
up amy longer. With the cry, God has
answered our prayers, she sank to the earth.


Notwithstanding this interruption the lad
der was soon put down in the shaft, and in
moment Joab was once more in the embrace
of his dear parents, who had mourned him
as dead, and whom he had despailed of ever
seeing again on earth.


He was very weak, but by the united ef-
forts of his parents he finally reached home,
where he was tenderly cared for until he
grew strong.


Joab often tells this story for the enter
tainment of lis friends, but most of them
seem to think it big story, and as the
bones of the snakes have become scattered
and decayed, he has nothing left to prove it.