Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-03
Observation-Disclosures!
MALCOM KIRK.
Tale Of Moral Heroism In Overcoming the World
Observation-Disclosures Illustrations BY Herman Observation-Disclosures

BY CHARLES M. SHELDON
Author OF in His Steps," "Crucifxion Philip Strong
Hardy's Seven Days.
COPYRIGHT, 1900. BY THE ADVANCE PUBLISHING co.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Observation-Disclosures
| 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 n continual
ton 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.
| 1t 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 OF in
| tone of sentiment. He wrote very in
teresting letter. Dorothy enjoyed read
ing It, while she felt little disturbed
| to think she must answer She did not
want to encourage him too much. AT
the same time his I'm doubted love for
her and his great talents as an artist
| appealed to her strongly. The only
reason she had not accepted his affec-
| ton 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
If they We're in any way comparative
strangers. She also knew well enough
that her father favored Raleigh'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 a
scene on the vessel during his recent
voyage across.
| you may remember" the letter
went on after description of some
famous paintings in the National gal
lery, "a theological student of the
name of Malcolm Kirk, who graduated
this year. Had an unusually good
voice for theologue and received the
German scholarship at gradua ton. You
would remember him if for no other
reason CT 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
tell the truth. not at oil like the typical
theologue. There was somewhat
tragical affair in the intermediate de-
partment, where Kirk was passenger.
| A poor woman the fifth day out died of
consumption, leaving a 6-month-old
baby for the passengers to take care
Of Kirk got in the habit of holding
the baby good deal, and the last two
days of the trip he used to come out
on deck and hold the baby there. Once
or twice he sat just below the stairs
leading up to the promenade deck, and
l had good chance to get good
sketch Of him. l inclose it, thinking
you may be interested in little touch
of humor. 1t is not exaggerated much,
and pride myself on having caught
Kinks attitude pretty well. / showed
the sketch to him in order to save my
self from a feeling that had possibly
done an unfair thing to take him I'M
awares, and he laughed very good ma
turedly and seemed very much amused
without particle of resentment. He
asked me to let him have the sketch,
and drew him another, which he took
with evident pleasure. He is a gentle
man and will do some good work in his
line, but should think his general
appearance would always stand in the
way Of his advancement in the minis
try"
Dorothy spread the sketch out on the
table and looked at it. Raleigh had not
said too much when he wrote that he
had caught Kinks attitude very well.
1t was, besides, splendid likeness.
AhCiS W as JuoI q AillAC CAa66CldIlOn "
the stubborn brown hair, little touch
of unnecessary grotesqueness to the
face, but 1t was "Malcom Kirk plain
enough" as he used to say Of himself.
The baby lay In his arms satisfied and
smiling. There were tears in Doro-
thy's eyes after she had looked little
while. Malcom Kinks great hearted
love of humanity as 1t was represented
by that helpless bit Of it in his long
arms somehow appealed to her. She
seemed to feel as If there was a world
there into which she had never enter
ed, but which she could enjoy with all
her eager enthusiasm If once she We're
introduced to it. She folded up the
sketch and carefully laid it away by
itself. She did not put it with col
lection of drawings which Raleigh had
given her when he finished his course
in art.
Malcom Kirk went over on the conti-
nent and spent the year in France,
Italy GERMANY and aven tvun xvoalro IN