The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-10-18

thought l should be material for sucl
a story myself"
Malcom looked at her, and deep II
his heart there was a battle going OIL
that he hardly dared to analyze. H.
only knew that he longed somehow I,
be able to grapple physical, Tangible
something and fight 1t for Dorothy
sake and prove to her that he coult
be more than poor man.
"Malcom." Dorothy said as she cam,
over and sat down on a stool near BY
and put her hands In his great brown
palm, looking up at his sober, anxiou.
face-"Malcom. once for all. IL l need
to say 1t. l am not afraid Of beins
poor. trust you. You do not think
will add to your burden by being weal
at such n time as this? Was II no,
through sickness and health, for bet.
ter, for worse, that | vowed to give
you all have and am until death dc
us part"
Malcom Kirk caught up his wife,
and great shadow swept out Of his
soul, and great burden fell Off his
heart. He had not really doubted Dor.
othys ability to face any possible
| event in their lives, but he eagerly
welcomed her loving unconditional
statement of it.
Nevertheless he began his struggle
Tor new church and parsonage dur
Ing the weeks that followed with
vague questiOnlngs of his choice of n
place for his life work. lie no longer
had any fears for Dorothy's sake. But
he found himself longing TO give her
what he could not give from any hu.
man foresight in the Home Missionary
field whore they now were.
II Hda 1t this time. with this expert.
snce personal and peculiar to his mar.
ried life, that Malcom Kirk. fighting
against great odds, began a work in
Conrad that had the furthest possible
results on its after life. This work
was an attempt to unite the various
churches In combined and constant
crusade against the saloon Matters
were nearing crisis for the temper.
ance cause. All over the state meet.
inSs were being held. The agitation
for prohibitory amendment was
growing into such proportions that men
who felt tho pulse of the common peo-
pie predicted victory. And still the
whisky forces snecred at the possi
bility of an amendment.
Kirk succeeded in uniting the five
other churches with his own in n Sc.
res Of union meetings during the week
as well as on sundays. His own church
occurred FOR the use of worship a little
storcrOOm on the main street while
waiting 10 hear from the Church Build
ing society to which they had made
application for grant Of 5000 to help
rebuild church and parsonage.
Together with all this work in the
town Malcom was constantly sent for
to speak in the district schoolhouses.
His reputation rs n temperance talker
was growing. He often went out dur
ing the week and spoke TO crowded
houses, returning late at night.
1t was d.'ring his absence from Con
rad on one Of these schoolhouse cam
paigns that one evening four letters
came to him, and Dorothy opened |
them, rs Malcom had always asked |
her to do, in order that answers might |
be sent in case he was detained from |
home several days at Il time.
The first letter was from the super |
intcndcnt of the Home Missionary so
ciety and read as follows:
Rev. Malcolm Kirk, Conrad, KAN:
Dear Brother-lt is with great regret that the |
society is compelled to announce TO many OF the |
brethren who are commissioned the frontier |
that, owing to a lack OF funds in the New York |
treasury, 1t will be impossible to forward the
quarters salary when due. 1t is with the greatest
possible regret that ] am obliged TO make this
statement, but 1t is unavoidable. 1t is probable
there may be a delay Of three or four months be-
lore the money be sent. Meanwhile your
church must lie urged to DO all it can for your
support until the wealthicr churches respond to
the special appeal now being sent out by the So
,iety in behalf Of the missionaries at the front.
I'M, your brother, etc
The second letter that Dorothy open
ed was from the Church Building so
ciety expressing great regret that, ow-
Ing TO excessive calls from other fields,
the society did not have the funds to
spare at present to assist the unfortu-
nate church at Conrad, but hoped to
De able 10 do SO at some future time,
etc.
Dorothy hesitatcd before she opened
the next letter and in spite of her eff
fort at self control n tear fell with
hot splash on the envelope. She knew
only too well what a real disappoint-
mcnt the letters she had already open
ed would be TO Malcolm. I,
The third letter bore II Boston post
mark and was from the editor of re-
igious paper. 1t acknowledged the re-
reipt Of an article sent by Malcom'
some two months before and retained
t with view to publication when the
press Of matter already accepted would
permit, etc. Payment for the article
would be sent when it was published.
Dorothy's face flushed with pride at
Malcom's success as n writer, and at
the same time she could not help feel.
ng that if the editor of that paper on
L..