The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-06-26

&d E|z,IA1h.4
!@. sMs
"Oh, Mrs. KIRK, mag God help you! For
giVe mel"
which had been fast bound within her
as II 1t would burst, felt the first relief
she had known. God was leading her.
She still did not know that what NAL
com had experienced had come to her
also. But the lonely, stricken woman
in the little study, representing so
much human sorrow Of a kind that
neither Dorothy nor Malcolm knew, had
touched her. She also was able to say
to her husband years afterward that
she felt as If the coming Of that other
burden into their own heavy hearted
lives was a part of the loving Fathers
plan for their victory in overcoming
the world, the world of what might
have grown to be a very selfish sorrow.
What happened, all that was said in
that little study room after that, is not
easy to tell; but when Mrs. Barton
went out Malcom Kirk went with her.
Dorothy went into her own little room
and prayed. and there was that in her
prayer that revealed to her the loving
Father. For the first time she saw her
baby surrounded by the infinite love,
and when she came back to her work
in the kitchen there were hope, immor-
tai hope, and a large measure of the
peace of Christ in her heart.
Malcom Kirk got into the farm wag-
on with Mrs. Barton, and they drove
down to the main business street Of
Conrad.
"Now, Mrs. Barton" Malcolm had
said, eff you will wait outside I'll go
into the saloons and see if l can find
your boy. While I'm looking you
might question passersby and ask
them if they have seen the hay wagon
and horses anywhere"
She thanked him gratefully, and he
noted that ven in the burning sun her
thin, sorrowful figure trembled and
shivered. and her lips quivered as if
she were cold. His compassion for her
motherhood increased every moment.
God help her." he said as he stepped
down out of the wagon. 'This boy
is n of the lost ones in this town
that Dorothy and l pledged ourselves
three years ago to rescue. Heaven
give me strength and wisdom to make
that promise good"
He had never been inside of a saloon
in his life. He shrank from the ordeal
before him with all the shuddering Of
a highly sensitive spirit in the presence
Of an ugly, repulsive, hideous evil. But
he went at once into the first saloon
on the main street and stopped inside
near the door and looked around him.
1t was not. yet 10 o'clock in the morn
ing, but there were a dozen men and
boys in the room, which was quite
large, seated with stools and furnished
with small, round tables.
At first his entrance attracted no at
tention. A few Of the men were
lounging at the bar. The rest were
seated at the tables. But as he re-
NAMED by the door two or three of
those nearest him turned and looked at
him. One Of the men was a laborer
who had several times been employed
by Malcolm in odd jobs about the house.
Instantly Kirk walked over to him
and held out his hand. Carver, do
you know Mrs. Barton's boy? Philip
is his name. She is looking for him.
He left home Saturday, and she is
sure he is in one Of the saloons some
where"
The man looked very much embar-
raised. He shuf1ed his feet nervously
in the dirty sawdust under the table.
II saw him yesterday. He was in
Valmer's place in the next block"
"Thank you," said Malcolm slowly.
"Can any of you gentlemen tell me
anything about him? Has any one
seen him today"
No n answered, and there was a
painful silence. The barkeeper, who
had been eying Kirk, suddenly broke
the silence by saying with q short
laugh:
"You won't find him here. / won't
say he hasn't been here. He knows a
good thing when he sees it. Won't
you step up and take a glass of iced
beer this morning? We keep the best
in the town on tap for preachers"
There was a laugh from one or two
of the men nearest the speaker, but
Malcom simply looked him in the face
without a word. He then laid his
hand on Carver's shoulder and said
softly:
'sI'm sorry to see you here, Carver.
You promised me you would quit it,"
The man writhed in his seat, but did
not say a word. Kirk looked at him
sorrowfully.
"Come, Carver; come out of this. I'll
give you something to do. Don't lose
your soul in this place."
Say" said the b%arkeeper, who had
been leaning with his elbows on the
bar listening, as had also every other
man in the saloon. "You leave nv Gus.