The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-09-27

the old campus, its great avenues +
elms, the noble landscape of hills lid
woods, Dorothy's home across the cab.
pus. his own dingy little room. his ! le
for the woman who now was shary g
this great trouble with him. And le
cried without attempt at concealmt I,
for his heart was sore at the con, g
loss Of the baby out Of home wh e
God himself had blessed the love c o
mun and wife as rarely IN human ufs
1t has been blessed.
Finally he lifted up his face ard
spoke calmly:
"We've hoped all along, of courl l,.
but the long continued heat has be n
against his recovery. It's hard to pat
with the little fellow. See Malcm
Kirk rose and took the baby in
from his wife, while Dorothy So n
near n table and laid her II
head on her arms, but still S $
without a tear. See, the little v
smiles at me still" =
The baby opened his eyes, looked}p }p
into Malcolm Kinks gaunt, agoniMd
countenance, and Il faint light we t
over its face.
"Malcom, oh, Malcomw cried Do I.
thy. 81 can't endure it."
1t was the first protest that had :
capped her. Like him, the presencer
this friend from the old loved place, 4
the east had stirred her heart, [
even as she cried aloud in her angul a
the pent up tears came, and she cri,d
In sobs that rent her husbands hea.t
even more than the baby's sad SMILE
Wilson choked as he rose to go q ID
said: Kirk. may God bless and htlp
you at this time. would stay aid
watch with you or help in any way
mo; it will not be necessary. Tie
neighbors and church people have BEEN
very kind to us. No one can do any
more"
to come in the morning to inquire, ard
the night grew on for Malcom ard
Dorothy. The doctor came In, few bf
the most intimate church members IL
so, but no one could do any more, aid
Malcom Kirk held the baby with az :
derness that relieved Its suffering. .
they had not Leen able to plars
body in resrrul position Gu bed. and
1t had grown used to its cradle Of lcng,
strong arms.
1t was toward morning, when no one
was In the room except Maltom and
Dorothy, that the baby died. 1t SEEM
ed to these two as they watched 1t 80
that their hearts broke. and tre world
turned black and empty before them
when the last breath was dr. n by
that frail, trembling body. Fol little
while Malcom held lin. Then laid
the body down on cou"h, an, neel.
ing there with his arms oDo his
wife, he Joined with her In a moment
Of unspeakable anguish for the death
of their iirStborn.
The sun came up dry and red, the
heat Of another day began to pour In
to the little room. and 1t seemed to the
bereaved parents as II the earth was a
great, dry, burned out wilderness. The
neighbors called. Wilson came, and
his presence and silent sympathy were
a blessing to Malcom and Dorothy
But when, later in the day, the baby
had been laid In the little coffin and
placed in the center Of the room with
a bunch of white geraniums on its
breast brought In by the members OF
Dorothy's primary Sunday school class
Dorothy laid her head down on tn.
table beside the casket and her grief
was very, very great Malcom stood
beside her, looking hungrily at hi.
baby's face, and the people Ia the lit
tie room quietly went out and left
them alone for awhile.
Next day Wilson read the funera
service and prayed at the house, ant
after the simple service q little com
pany went with Malcom and Dorothy
to the cemetery just on the edge OF thu
town. and tho baby was buried there
, and these children Of the All Fothel
went back to the little parsonage.
1t was great blessing to them a
this time that Wilson was with them
lie, seeing how they clung to his pres
ence, staid over Sunday and preached
for Malcom. 1t was during this sta!
that he learned something Of wha
Malcolm and Dorothy had been doing
A short extract from letter writer
by him to his wife In the east will
show us something Of the first thre
years of Malcom Kirk and his wife
attempt to make good their pledge t
help redeem the lives Of the people o
Conrad:
a cannot tell you what profoun
sense Of sympathy have felt for m
old classmate and his wife during thei
| great trouble, but am simply aston
ished to find how great work the
have done IN the three years they hav
been here. This IL place OF abou
1000 people. 1t is having C boom
| the present time.
1.-The agitation over the saloon 70 II
creasing, and l am told by Kirk an
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