Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-01-30
And she entered Il gently Just as the
gray dawn was creeping over the wa

And she entered Il gently Just as the
gray dawn was creeping over the wa
ter now dashed into great sheetsss e
spray that went clear over the decl,a
and fell in torrents on the hatchwavs
a death on board ship in miaocenn
8 Is soon known by all the passengers,
Before noon every one knew that there
was an orphan baby in the intermedi-
ate cabin. The storm increased al
the day wore on. Nearly eyery ono
was sick. One after another OF the
women In the cabins gave up the strup.
gle and retired. ~. So
This was what led to an unexnectad
experience for Malcom Kirk. The baby
woke up, and for the first time there
was no one to take care of him. The
three women stewards were busy with
their duties, and one Of them who had
prepared the baby's milk: suddenly
came up to Kirk, who was standing by
the long dining table, and asked him II
he couldn't take the baby awhile.
II don't know what We'll do" she
said in great perplexity. '.The women
are all sick, and we have our hands
full caring for them. You can hold
him all right, can't you? He's the
test baby you ever saw"
BY this tins the baby had developed
a good, healthy cry that could be east
ly heard through the roar Of the storm.
Kirk looked doubtfully at the stew
ardess.
'1'm afraid I'll drop him. he said.
"Drop him! a great strong man
like your said the woman, whom Kirk
was sure was laughing little at his
hesitation. Hell be all right as soon
as he has some dinner, poor fellow"
''Well, bring him here. thenv said
Kirk desperately. And the woman
quickly brought out the baby and plac-
ed him in Kinks long arms.
If the few passengers still in the din
ing room had not been so miserable
from approaching seasickness, they
certainly would have laughed at the
sight of Malcolm Kirk holding that
baby. He really tried to be as gentle
with it as it's own mother ever was,
but it seemed to him that he sprawled
all over the cabin In his efforts to keen
the baby where the woman said he
ought to be.
But the tremendous storm was partly
to blame for that. Kirk braced his
feet against the legs Of the table and
held on to the baby as if it was life
preserver. The milk in the bottle was
first in one end Of it and then in the
other. Every time the baby missed
getting it he cried with a vigor that
made Kirk afraid he would burst q
blood vessed or rupture his lungs. FL
nally, however, matters were adjusted
so that the baby's hunger was satisfied,
and he dropped asleep in Kinks arms.
Kirk was so afraid to carry him over
to the cabin where he had been kept
that he held him for nearly an hour.
Thestorm. howled over the vessel, and
there was a remarkable confusion of
all sorts of noises in every part of the
steamer. Kirk noticed, however, that
the stewards and one or two officers
who happened to pass through the cab
in were unconcerned. 1T will blow it.
self out before morning." was the
statement of the surgeon who came
down in lull of the tempest.
He laughed at the sight of Kirk and
the baby. But, being a man with q
baby of his own at home in Liverpool
there was also little moisture about
his eyes that was not caused by the
ocean spray. ..s.
you'll do, man." he said. "And the
boy will make fine sailor, looks like.
He sleeps through the storm as if he
were used to being rocked in the era.
die of the Deep But we must be after
looking up the ~other woman when we
get across"
eyes, yes," said Kirk eagerly. He
had long talk with the surgeon, and
next morning after the storm had sub.
sided and they had gone out to breathe
the fine salt air Kirk had no difficulty
In persuading the surgeon to keep the
body of the mother and help in some
way to get it to the sister in London.
faye, aye, We'll arrange it all right.
The company will see to that. But the
expense of the rest, man. Can't you
see to it that the passengers do some.
thing for the baby to give him a start
In life?" 49, l@s
II had already thought Of it," said
Kirk, and the fact revealed one of his
great qualifications for the ministry.
'I'll 60 up on the other deck and see
the first cabin passengers about it."
The surgeon was Scotch Irishman
with a hiQ heart He had influence