interruption of his walk. Hastily, and somewhat
peremptorily, the father calls him away. The stranger looks up, and
casting a glance around, from an eye to whose brilliance that of the
eagle would look dim, he for the first time sees the little intruder.
Gently placing a hand on the child's head, "Bless thee," he said, in a
voice whose every tone was melody: "Bless thee, little one; the
blessing of the God of Israel be upon thee," and calmly resumed his
walk. The child, as if awed, mutely returned to his friends, who,
after casting a glance of reverence and admiration, returned to the
camp.

Here, scattered all around, are groups occupied in those varied kinds
of busy idleness which will naturally engage the moments of an
intelligent multitude at the close of an active day. Here a knot of
men in the pride of manhood, whose flashing eyes have lost none of
their fire, whose raven locks are yet not varied by a single silver
line, are talking politics--such politics as the warlike men of Israel
would talk, when discoursing of the promised land and the hostile
hosts through whose serried ranks they must cut their intrepid way
thither, and whom, impatient of all delay, they burn to engage. Here
were elder ones, "whose natural force" was in some degree "abated,"
and who were lamenting the decree, however justly incurred, which
forbade them to lay their bones in the land of their lifelong hope;
and here was a patriarch, bowed down with the weight of years, whose
silver hairs lay on his shoulders, whose snow-white beard flowed upon
his breast, who as he leaned upon his staff was recounting to his rapt
auditors the dealing of Jehovah with his people in ancient days; how
the Most High visited his father Abraham, and had sworn unto Jacob
that his seed should be brought out of captivity, and revisit the
promised land. "And behold," said the old man, "it will now come to
pass."

But what is passing in that detached portion of the camp? who sojourn
in yonder tents which attract more general attention than all the
others, and in which all ages and degrees seem interested? Now a group
of females are there, eagerly conversing; anon a Hebrew mother leads
her youthful and beautiful daughter, and seems to incite her to remain
there; now a hoary priest enters, and in a few moments returns
pondering; and anon a trio of more youthful Levites with pleased and
animated countenances return from the same spot.

On a sudden is every eye turned