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"They air powerful seein' glasses, and I'm aweer some folks read a heap easier with spectacles than without 'em." After a moment's scrutiny of the paper that Balaam had thrust in his hand, Carrington began: "To the Sheriff of the County of Cumberland: Greetings." "He means me," explained Balaam. "He always makes 'em out to the sheriff, but they are returned to me and I serve 'em."

The Virginian pulled them back rather sharply. "Want to go back to Balaam's?" he inquired of them. "I thought you had more sense." I asked, "Who was Balaam?" "A maltreater of hawsses," replied the cowpuncher. "His ranch is on Butte Creek oveh yondeh." And he pointed to where the diverging road melted into space. "The Judge bought Buck and Muggins from him in the spring." "So he maltreats horses?"

Not having the stick, he seized the animal's unresisting head and shook it. The Virginian watched him a moment, and rose to stop such a spectacle. Then, as if conscious he was doing no real hurt, Balaam ceased, and turning again in slow fashion looked across the level, where the runaways were still visible. "I'll have to take your horse," he said, "mine's played out on me."

The moral of this is that asses stand the best chance of salvation, and that wise men run a frightful risk of damnation until they lose their wits. Balaam recognised the awful mess he was in, and being by this time as limp as a wet rag, he made the most abject apology. "I have sinned," he said, "for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me."

From which completion of all these predictions that he made, one may easily guess that the rest will have their completion in time to come. But Balak being very angry that the Israelites were not cursed, sent away Balaam without thinking him worthy of any honor.

If you begin arguing with God's law, excusing yourself from it, inventing reasons why YOU need not obey it in this particular instance, though every one else ought, then you will end, like Balaam, in disobeying the law, and it will grind you to powder.

Having written two leaves this morning, I think I will turn out to my walk, though two hours earlier than usual. Egad, I could not persuade myself that it was such bad Balaam after all. April 30. I corrected this morning a quantity of proofs and copy, and dawdled about a little, the weather of late becoming rather milder, though not much of that.

But Balaam could say, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord." Behold, then, how far a man may go in repentance, and yet be short of that which is called, "Repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of." Second. Have they that shall be saved, faith?

Balaam replied to these scornful words of Balak: "Rise up, Balak. Thou mayest not be seated when God's words are spoken. God is not like a man of flesh and blood, that makes friends and disowns them, as soon as he finds such as are better than they.

In the next chapter we read how Moses, and Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, put down those filthy abominations with a high hand; and how Balaam's detestable plot, instead of making peace, makes war; and in chapter xxxi. you read the terrible destruction of the whole nation of the Midianites, and among it this one short and terrible hint: 'Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword.