The years went by, but no tidings ever came. Slowly they tramped out all hope from the mother's heart; and when at last, slowly but surely, they trod down-never to rise again—the monster that had done her wrong, she was perhaps too old and too broken to heed it much. The 'freedom' to which she looked, would bear her to another land, where there should be 'neither sorrow nor sighing.'

So she lived on; creeping slowly about her cabin from day to day, waiting on the Lord, waiting also for him. An old woman of eighty or more years.

One day, as she passed here and there, setting her room to rights, suddenly the door swung open, and an eager step came in,-strong and brisk and cheery, and a bright voice. cried :

'Mother! don't you know me?'-It was her long-lost child. This woman of forty, in the pride of her strength. A word or two more, one look of inquiry, astonishment, recognition; and then

And he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

-For one hour the heads were not lifted!

The day passed, and the night came, and mother and child lay down together.

'I had an end o' candle,' said the old woman, and I'd been storin' it up 'gainst I was sick. But after a little I couldn't stand it no mo',-I'se bound to see dat chile's face agin. So I gets up and lights de candle and takes jes' one look. Den I think, S'pose you done took sick, and got no candle and den I blow it out quick and lie down agin.

Den presently I couldn't stand it one oder minute, and I lights de candle in a hurry and gets anoder look. An' den I puff it right out and go to bed. But 'twarn't no sort o' use! I jes' kep' dat thing up till de mornin' broke, and I could look all de time!'

And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.-GEN. xlvi. 30.

XII.

By Jacob's Bed.

And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and
kissed him.-GEN. li. 1.

SEVENTEEN years had gone by since the last tears fell between these two: seventeen years of sweet intercourse, and loving ministration, and happy, peaceful content. Joseph had fed the hunger of his heart with unceasing devotion to his father, and Israel's old age had basked, day by day, in the grandeur and goodness of his son. Now all that is suddenly at an end.

It is no unexpected change. For years the cloud of the shadow of death had been silently stealing over the fair blue; and if Joseph looked away, and shut his eyes sometimes, yet he could never wholly forget. And of late there had been warnings.

The time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph.-GEN. xlvii. 29.

-After this,

One told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick.-GEN. xlviii. 2.

—And at both times special arrangements had followed;

all full of what was coming, but also of what had been: the love, the reverence, the recognition of God.

The eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not sce.GEN. xlviii. 10.

-But faith was clear.

I had not thought to see thy face,-he said, with the two boys folded in his arms, and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed.GEN. xlviii. 11.

-One can imagine the smile with which it was said; a smile so dear, that Joseph 'bowed himself with his face to the earth,' and could answer nothing.

And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you.-GEN. xlviii. 21.

-It was to be his comfort in days to come, as it had been in days gone by.

For now, for a little, the cloud is overhead; and not on the hill-top of a meeting, but in the valley of a parting do the drops come down. And yet I say wrong; for this is higher ground than that, having a wider outlook. And see, there is no haze of disappointment here, no fog-bank rolling up of anxiety and care. The rain is clear, if it is heavy, and the evening sun shines through. And the blessed bow of promise comes down and down, until its coloured fringes lie almost at Joseph's feet.

And the waters shall no more become a flood.-GEN. ix. 18.

-In two points this time is widely different from the last: two points, of highest joy and deepest grief. For Joseph is alone now. Then, he fell on his neck,'-there was the close, responsive embrace. Now, he can but 'fall on his face,' and pour out unnoticed tears. The eyes that never failed him before in their look of love, are calmly closed to his sorrow; the brow is serene; and on the lips-once so ready with their tender answer-there is a smile in which Joseph has no part. It is neither for him nor towards him it broke there when already the curtains were drawn before the face of the much-loved son. And Joseph is heart-wrung with a sort of jealous pain that is yet half joy. For oh, what brought the smile? was it the sight of Rachel? was it the first breath of the morning wind that set this seal of ineffable content? The smile spreads over the face, until it is all bathed in the unspeakable rest of immortality.

He will swallow up death in victory: and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.-ISA. xxv. 8.

If any thought of

-And behold, it is already done. Joseph's sorrow has place in Jacob's smile, it is with the happy security that these 'light afflictions' are 'but for a moment,' and so of small account. With the light of the eternal city full in view, the darkness of earth is nowhere. As if with a pitying, 'Poor Joseph, that can see so little way!'-the father's hand lay on his head, while yet not even a glance could be spared from the opening world of glory. He can do without Joseph now!-and the thought bitter.

is very