BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 71

sition. Beyond the narrow limit of his own tribe, an
Ishmaelite had no friends—he wanted none. His sword was
always ready to leap from its scabbard, his quiver was
always full of arrows, poison-tipped, and he himself eagerly
watchful for foes.

Who would care to live a life like this? Ishmael’s was
largely a wasted life, and but for the romantic and pathetic -
passage in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba, would almost be
forgotten.

For the sake of boys who are fond of reciting to their
friends, we quote part of N. P. Willis’ beautiful description
of that scene where God opened the eyes of the heart-
broken slave-mother, Hagar, to see the well in the
wilderness.

“The morning pass'd, and Asia’s sun rode up
In the clear heaven, and every beam was heat.
The cattle of the hills were in the shade,
And the bright plumage of the Orient lay
On beating bosoms in her spicy trees.
It was an hour of rest! but Hagar found
No shelter in the wilderness, and on
She kept her weary way, until the boy
Hung down his head, and open'd his parch’d lips
For water; but she could not give it him.
She laid him down beneath the sultry sky—
For it was better than the close, hot breath
Of the thick pines—-and tried to comfort him;
But he was sore athirst, and his blue eyes
Were dim and blood-shot, and he could not know
Why God denied him water in the wild.
She sat a little longer, and he grew
Ghastly and faint, as if he would have died.
It was too much for her. She lifted him,
And bore him further on, and laid his head
Beneath the shadow of a desert shrub;
And, shrouding up her face, she went away,
And sat to watch, where he could see her not,
Till he should die; and, watching him, she mourn’d :—