The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-09-06

anu nelp hlTk OF sOlue OHe W see thae
they We're properly placed, and Kirk
started to go out. The ladies had
crowded around the baby. caressing
him as he never had been caressed be-
fore in all his meager. pitiful life.
1t was at this moment that Kirk saw
Francis Raleigh. He had come out Of
the music room. and the minute he saw
Kirk he came to him and held out his
hand.
"NIr. Kirk, isn't It? heard you at
Hermon few weeks ago. at COM
mencement You remember me? We
have met once or twice. Raleigh is my
name"
Eyes, | remember" said Kirk. He
had met Raleigh at some receptions.
Excuse me for not shaking hands.
Mine are full just now."
Excuse me. see they are" said
Raleigh. laughing. You did that very
we'll" He spoke very kindly, but in
tone that he did not mean to be patron
izing. 1t was only the Raleigh man.
ner. 1t belonged to the family. He
might have spoken differently II he
had known that in the upper vest
pocket of the homely figure before him
was the lovely face of Dorothy Gilbert.
But there was this fact about the stu
ation-Kirk knew that Raleigh was In
love with Dorothy. Raleigh did not
know that Kirk loved her or that he
had ever thought of such possibility.
81 am glad for the babys sake" re-
piled Kirk soberly. He ignored the
compliment and finally succeeded In
getting down to the lower deck again.
The intermediate cabin was excited
over the result. Nearly $500 had been
contributed. and the concert would
bring n hundred more. In fact, when
the concert was over and all of the
first cabin had been solicited nearly
$500 was given for the baby's start in
life.
When the vessel reached Liverpool.
Kirk. with the help of the surgeon and
one of the cabin passengers, secured
nurse for the baby and arranged with
one Of the women who had cared for
the mother in the intermediate to 90
down to London and see the baby safe
in its home there. Kirk himself had
the sad pleasure of meeting the sister.
and while he was in London doing his
special work of study in the east end
he secured lodging near by and often
went to see the family. He grew won.
derfully attached to the child, and
when he was obliged to leave and pur.
sue his studies on the continent he
parted from the baby with genuine sOr.
row. He supposed at the time that this
| little chapter in his life was closed and
completed 1t was one of the future
events that no man can foresee that
| opened to him afterward continua.
| tiOn of that human affection. For he
| was.unable to return to London again.
and when he said goodby he had no
dream Of ever seeing that part Of his
life return.
II was two weeks after the steamer
reached Liverpool and while Kirk was
working hard in the east end slums
that Dorothy Gilbert received letter
from Francis Raleigh. dated from Lon
don. Gordon square, near the British
! museum. She had not encouraged him
when he pleaded the privilege Of an
occasional letter; but. on the other
! hand, she had not refused him, and he
was too careful of his future to risk
the mistake of writing too often or in
| tone of sentiment. He wrote q very in.
teresting letter. Dorothy enjoyed read
| ing 1t. while she felt little disturbed
to think she must answer. She did not
| want to encourage him too much. At
the same time his un doubted love for
her and his great talents as an artist
appealed to her strongly. The only
reason she had not accepted his affec
tiOn was lack Of feeling on her own
part She was fearful of herself. She
| wanted TO be absolutely sure Of her
own heart. She had known him since
| they were both children. 1t was not as
II they were in any way comparative
strangers. She also knew well enough
that her father favored Ralcigh's suit.
There was one passage in the letter
that intensely interested her. 1t might
not have pleased Francis Raleigh If he
! had known all the reasons for her in.
terest. 1t was passage describing
scene on the vessel during his recent
voyage across.
You may remember" the letter
went on after n description Of some
: famous paintings in the National gal.
, lery, n theological student of the
/ name of Malcom Kirk, who graduated
| this year. Had an unusually good
voice for a theologue and received the
German scholarship at graduation. You
would remember him If for no other
reason on account Of his almost phe-
nomenal awkwardness. Well, he was
on the Cephalonia coming across, and
l fell in with him and had several in
teresting talks with him." Dorothy
looked up from her reading, and the
color deepened in her face as she pic.
tured the two men together. II found
him a very intelligent fellow and, to
III 4, ,n1