Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-26

astonishing and absurd feeling come
over him. He was not thinking about
his German scholarship or about the
superintendent. The superintendent
would have been smitten into bewilder-
ment IL he could have, read Kinks
thought. What Kirk was saying to
himself was, How can Dorothy Gil
bert and live on $500 a year in
home missionary church?"
Well" the superintendent spoke,
with a slight trace of impatience,
what do you say? Give me favor
able answer. You can make your mark
out there; plenty Of hard work, but
good field Tell me you'll take it."
Very well, | promise to take the
field if it is open when finish my
studies abroad"
Kirk spoke quietly, but his lips closed
firmly. and he turned his head and
looked out over the campus again.
There was a little more talk between
them, and the superintendent went out.
The minute he was gone Kirk pulled
down his curtains and locked his door.
1t was little after noon, and the reg
ular commencement dinner was served
at l. He walked up and down his
darkened room talking to himself. Ills
future was at last decided-at least for
a time. He had some place in the
world. Some one wanted him. He was
ambitious, as q Christian gentleman
should be. He wanted to do great
things in the kingdom of God on earth.
Coula he do them in that little home
missionary church?
1t was not at all contrary to his reg
ulnr habits of life that he kneeled down
and prayed. 1t was prayer Of thanks
giving and also one of petition. He
knew with perfect clearness as he
kneeled in his darkened room that he
loved Dorothy Gilbert with all his
might. The complete absurdity of his
position had nothing to do with the
fact that he loved her. She was rich,
she was accomplished, she was beauti-
full she was of an old and distinguish
ed family, but he loved her. He was
poor, he was plain looking, he had no
prospects beyond his scholarship and
$7O0 OF $500 year in home mission
airy church, but he loved Dorothy Gill
bert. 1t made no difference that his
Christian training seemed to rebuke
his choice of one so far removed from
him in every way. That did not de-
stroy his feeling for her and did not
change it. In his prayer he cried for
wisdom; he asked to be led by the
Spirit.
He was not the man to wreck q life
of Christian service on passion of the
heart, even if its hunger were never
fed. But when he arose and went over
to the alumni hall to join the class
there ut the final banquet he carried
with him the knowledge that the fu-
ture for him must have Dorothy Gil
bert with it il he would do or be all
that he felt he had right to pray for.
The week that followed commence
ment day at Hermon found Kirk al
most alone in the seminary building.
He had been employed by one of the
professors in doing some special copy
ing of a book manuscript. In few
days this would be finished. He had
fixed on the following Thursday to sail
for Liverpool. He had determined to
begin his studies as soon as possible.
He had been to see the president of
the faculty about his scholarship and,
to his great relief, found that he was
largely free to study in the way that
seemed OF most value to himself
You see, it's this way, SIR" he had
explained to the president. sit will do
me very little good to go to a German
university and take some special course
in language or history. 1 feel the need
of another method of sthdy. If can
use this scholarship to study human
conditions in large cities, going to the
people for my material at first hand, it
will be of infinitely larger value to me
aud to the seminary than course in
lectures and books
You are free to mark out your own
methods of study" replied the presi-
dent. According to the terms of the
scholarship, the only condition is a
year spent abroad in some regular
course of study, with report of it to
be made within six months to the SEM
inarv"
So Kirk was happy in his thought of
the years work. and when the treas
urer had given him the check for the
$500 and he had gone to Boston and en-
gagged his passage in the intermediate
cabin he felt as if he had very inter-
esting years life before him.
He had come back to his room and
made his final preparations for leaving.
They were very simple necessarily. He
was going light handed to live in the
most frugal, economical manner posi-
BILE. 1t was now Tuesday evening. His
vessel sailed Thursday afternoon. He
was all ready to go, and yet he had an
irresistible longing to see Dorothy Gil
bert before he went.
He fought against the inclination I'm.
til s o'clock and then did what he knew
he would do all along-he dressed in
the most careful manner he knew how
and walked straight across the campus
to her house.
AS he went up the steps he heard the