CHAPTER XL. THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

lidingdownthroughthecheckered,leafyroof,threwfragmentsandgleamsoflight,whichmovedcapriciouslyhereandthereovertheground,revealingnowagreatsilveryfern-leaf,andthenatuftofwhiteflowers,gildingspotsonthebranchesandtrunksofthetreeswhileeverymomentthedeepershadowswerelightedupbythegleamingoffire-flies.Thechildwouldraiseherheadawhile,andlookonthestillscenearound,andthensinkonherfragrantpillowindreamydelight.Everythingwassostill,socalm,sopure,nowondershewaspreparedtobelievethattheangelsoftheLordweretobefoundinthewilderness.Theywhohavewalkedinclosestcommunionwithnaturehaveeverfoundthattheyhavenotdepartedthence.Thewildernessandsolitaryplacesarestillgladforthem,andtheirpresencemakesthedeserttorejoiceandblossomastherose. WhenFannyandTeddywerebothasleep,OldTiffkneltdownandaddressedhimselftohisprayersand,thoughhehadneitherprayer-book,norcushion,norformula,hiswordswentrighttothemark,inthebestEnglishhecouldcommandforanyoccasionand,sonearaswecouldcollectfromthesoundofhiswords,Tiff'sprayerranasfollows:— "Oh,goodLord,nowpleasedolookdownondeseyerchil'en.Istarted'emout,asyoutelledmeandnowwharweistogo,andwharweistogetanybreakfast,I'ssureIdon'know.But,ohgoodLord,youhasgoteverytingindeworldinyerhands,andit'smightyeasyforyoutobehelpingonusandIhasfaithtobelievedatyouwill.Oh,bressedLordJesus,datwascarriedoffintoEgyptforfearofdeKingHerod,do,pray,lookdownondeseyerporchil'en,forI'ssuredatarwomanisasbadasHerod,anyday.GoodLord,you'sseenhowshe'sbeentreatingon'emandnowdoprayopenawayforusthroughdewildernesstodepromisedland.Everlasting—Amen." ThelasttwowordsTiffalwaysaddedtohisprayers,fromasortofsenseofpropriety,feelingasiftheyroundedofftheprayer,andmadeit,ashewouldhavephrasedit,morelikeawhiteprayer.Wehaveonlytosay,tothosewhoquestionconcerningthismannerofprayer,that,iftheywillexaminethesupplicationsofpatriarchsofancienttimes,theywillfindthat,withtheexceptionofthebrokenEnglishandbadgrammar,theywereinsubstanceverymuchlikethisofTiff. TheBibledividesmenintotwoclasses:thosewhotrustinthemselves,andthosewhotrustinGod.Theoneclasswalkbytheirownlight,trustintheirownstrength,fighttheirownbattles,andhavenoconfidenceotherwise.Theother,notneglectingtousethewisdomandstrengthwhichGodhasgiventhem,stilltrustinhiswisdomandhisstrengthtocarryouttheweaknessoftheirs.TheoneclassgothroughlifeasorphanstheotherhaveaFather. Tiff'sprayerhadatleastthisrecommendation,thathefeltperfectlysurethatsomethingwastocomeofit.HadhenottoldtheLordallaboutit?Certainlyhehadandofcoursehewouldbehelped.AndthisconfidenceTifftook,asJacobdidastone,forhispillow,ashelaydownbetweenhischildrenandsleptsoundly. Howinnocent,soft,andkind,areallGod'sworks!Fromthesilentshadowsoftheforestthetenderandlovingpresencewhichoursinexiledfromthehauntsofmenhathnotyetdeparted.Sweetfallthemoonbeamsthroughthedewyleavespeacefulisthebreezethatwavesthebranchesofthepinesmercifulandtenderthelittlewindthatshakesthesmallflowersandtremulouswood-grassesflutteringovertheheadsofthemotherlesschildren.Ohthouwhobearestintheeahearthotandweary,sickandfaintwiththevaintumultsandconfusionsofthehauntsofmen,gotothewilderness,andthoushaltfindHimtherewhosaith,"Asonewhomhismothercomforteth,sowillIcomfortyou.IwillbeasthedewtoIsrael.Heshallgrowasalily,andcastforthhisrootsasLebanon." Well,theyslepttherequietly,allnightlong.Betweenthreeandfouro'clock,anoriole,whohadhishabitationinthevineabovetheirheads,beganagentletwitteringconversationwithsomeofhisneighborsnotaloudsong,Iwouldgiveyoutounderstand,butalittle,lowinquiryastowhato'clockitwas.Andthen,ifyouhadbeeninastillroomatthattime,youmighthaveheard,throughallthetreesofpine,beech,holly,sweet-gum,andlarch,alittle,tremulousstirandflutterofbirdsawakingandstretchingtheirwings.Littleeyeswereopeninginathousandclimbingvines,wheresoft,featheryhabitantshadhung,swingingbreezily,allnight.Lowtwitteringsandchirpingswereheardthenaloud,clear,echoingchorusofharmonyansweringfromtreetotree,jubilantandjoyousasifthereneverhadbeenamorningbefore.Themorningstarhadnotyetgonedown,norwerethepurplecurtainsoftheeastundrawnandthemoon,whichhadbeenshiningfullallnight,stillstoodlikeapatient,late-burninglightinaquietchamber.Itis