The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-11-15

uiCs, shS WIN VA -
ocean steamer. \ man was holding q
baby In his arms, and the baby was
looking up into the Mans face and
smiling. The title of the picture In
gilt letters on the frame was simply
"Motherless."
F. 1t was one of those pictures that ap-
peal to q common humanity, and the
crowd on the sidewalk was irresistibly
drawn to 1t. But the effect on Faith
was electrical. AS soon as she had
seen the face OF the man on the can
vas she exclaimed aloud, why, that's
father"
Those nearest her looked at her In
surprise. She checked herself and was
silent. But there before her was the
likeness of Malcom Kirk as she had
seen him in the sketch her mother had
often shown her. And the story of
the baby whose mother had died In
midocean was familiar to all the chill
dren at home.
She looked at the corner Of the can
vas and saw the artists name, Francis
Raleigh. A card in the window an
nounced the fact that the picture was
sold and that the artists studio was
in one of the new blocks on Randolph
street.
Faith slowly pushed ont Of the crowd
and went on her way. But the picture
affected her deeply. The sight Of the
dear father protecting that motherlcss
baby made her cry. And 1t also
strengthened hcr purpose not to appeal
for financial help from home. She
could not have told why that feeling
accompanied her sight Of the picture.
But It did. and she determined that she
would iua&r every effort to support
herself without help from home.
| The crd Of the following week found
her without a place, and as she came
away from the studio that Saturday
evening she realized as never before In
her life what it meant to girl without
any friends or home to face great
city without work or means. She knew
that she could go home Mt any time or
get help from that source If she asked
for 1t. But how about the great army
of unemployed that had not even that
resort? She shivcrcd rs she turned
down toward the great artery Of the
city's human traffic and was swept
along with it.
She went up by the window where
the picture was still on exhibition, and
there was the usual crowd in front
| OF it.
She stopped again and looked hun
grily at it. 1t was like getting a
glimpse into the dear home circle IN
the parsonage Mt Conrad.
1t was perhaps little strange that
she had not entertained the idea OF
calling at RaleigA's studio and telling
him that she was the daughter Of his
subject in the picture. But Faith was
very shy in some ways, and she simply
never thought Of trying to meet the
artist.
AS she stood there this Saturday
night two men in the crowd were talk
Ing about the picture. They stood sc
near her that she could not help hear
ing what they said.
"ti ~seglns'e c" hod.to-taka the picture
out OF the window"
I'VE can leave 1t there anothe
week. ''sI.
, "When do you start west" 49,
, "The last of next MONTH"
"Better leave it here till then"
81 think so too. But what force
has, Malcom."
Faith started ut the familiar nam
: and looked up.
The man who spoke was q middl
: aged gray bearded gentleman, and til
: man whom he called "Malcom" wa
! perhaps % years old, stalwart, fin
looking fellow, with something in hi
face that made Faith puzzle owe
something foreign there. For an II
slant their eyes met. Then Fait
blushed and moved back out Of th
crowd and went on. She did not loo
back, but she seemed to feel that til
two gentlemen were looking after her.
"Thcy are the persons who hav
bought the picture and will take
away she said as she walked along
She was sad at the thought, for sh
lad come to cherish the look at tn
fathers face which she had enjoye
every day since she first saw it there.
During the next few weeks Fait
had an experience that tried her Il
she had never been tried.
She visited scores of photographers
studios to get piecework. In some o
them she would find waiting doze
girls all on the same errand. She prov
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