nterest.

The glare of the blaze under the soup-kettle fell full on the speaker's
face. He was an old laborer, but his long hair proclaimed him a freeman.
His abundant white beard induced Mastor to suppose that he must be a Jew
or a Phoenician, but there was nothing remarkable in the old man,
who was dressed in a poor and scanty tunic, excepting his peculiarly
brilliant eyes, which were immovably fixed on the heavens, and the
oblique position in which he held his head, supporting it on the left
side with his raised hands.

"And now," said the speaker, dropping his arms, "let us go back to our
labors, my brethren. 'In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,' it
is written. It is often hard to us old men to heave stones and bend our
stiff backs for so long together, but we are nearer than you younger
ones to the happy future. Life is not easy to all of us, but it is we
who labor and are heavy laden--we above all others--that the Lord has
bidden to be his guests, and not last among us the slaves."

"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh
you," interrupted one of the younger men repeating the words of Christ.

"Yea, thus saith the Saviour," said the old man approvingly, "and he
surely then was thinking of us. I said just now our load is not light,
but how much heavier was the burden he took upon him of his own free
will to release us from woe. Every one must work, nay even Caesar
himself, but he who could dwell in the glory of his Father let himself
be mocked and scorned and spit in the face, let the crown of thorns be
pressed on his suffering head, bore his heavy cross, sinking under its
weight, and endured a death of torment, and all for our sakes, without
a murmur. But he suffered not in vain, for God accepted the sacrifice of
his Son, and did his will and said, 'All that believe on Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.' And though a new and weary day is
now beginning, and though it should be followed by a thousand wearier
still, though death is the end of life--still we believe in our
Redeemer, we have God's word bidding us out of sorrows and sufferings
into his Heaven, promising us for a brief time of misery in this world,
endless ages of joy.--Now go to work. Our sturdy friend Krates will
work for you dear Knakias until your finger is healed. When the bread
is distributed remember, each of you, the children of our poor deceased
brother Philammon. You, poor Gibbus, wil