66 BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

had, but *now she was determined to make an end of it,,
and Hagar and Ishmael must go.

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian mock--
ing, wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this.
bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman.
shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.”

This was a sad blow to Abraham, for he loved that:
wild impulsive lad. But he saw there would never be any
more peace in the tents as long as Hagar and Ishmael
lingered there. And so he sent them forth. It is a sad.
piece of business altogether. Neither Sarah nor Abraham
are to be greatly admired. We need shed no tears for
Ishmael, for he shed none for himself. He was just as glad
to get away from Sarah, as Sarah was to get rid of him,.
with his mocking and his mischief.

Of all that family, the poor slave mother Hagar was.
most to be pitied. ‘The shame and disgrace of being driven
away from home was bad enough, but the future of her
boy was the one sad question that filled her heart with
anxious care.

The morning of departure came. The venerable Abraham:
rose up early, and having provided for their immediate:
wants, sent them forth, and they wandered into the wilder--
ness of Beer-sheba. Of that sad wandering and the perils.
through which Hagar and Ishmael passed, Dr. Talmage:
draws the following graphic picture:

“The scorching noon comes on. The air is stifling and.
moves across the desert with insufferable  suffocation..
Ishmael, the boy, begins to complain and lies down, but
Hagar rouses him up, saying nothing about her own weari-
ness or the sweltering heat; for mothers can endure anything.
Trudge—trudge—trudge. Crossing the dead level of the: