Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-04-06

You can't mistake DR.. Burd's house.
just beyond the church."
"And what shall | say to him when
l get thcrc?' he asked, laughing
"IIere's one Herbert Parker, n soaked
tramp, whom You are to take i'll and
warm and clothc? No, thank you. I'm
not much the worse for my duckin%,
and by the time you have got that kid
all right | shall be, too, and then, if
you won't think such Il move too bare
faced, I'll walk back with you. You
don't know me from Adam, and | ncv-
er laid eyes on you till today, but
you've made the turn heads instead of
tails, although you don't know that ci-
ther." And he stopped over the child
to stroke her wet hair
did the lilies get wct:' she asked
him.
What lilies, you squeezed up bit of
humanity:'
"The lilies Miss Burd was a-brin@in
me. That's why she caInc. She alters
does on Easter, and loves her dearly
Good sense, what lilies does she
mcan:"
81 must have dropped them by the
pit. | quite forgot them"
"I'll hunt them up" said the accom-
modating man as he went out, only to
return Il moment later with some rath
er bedragglcd lilies.
"IIerc they are" said he. somewhat
the worse for wear, but a souse will
set them right, | guess" He dipped
them into a pail of water, then. shal-
ing off the clingng drops, handed them
to the child. keep them, and they'll
make you think of her"
Noting the surprised expression on
Mary Burd'S face, he said to her:
''Do you think you have met Il mad
man? You have not | never was
saner in my life, for I've learned today
what little bits of dirt we ali are and
how n breath can alter our whole lives.
Ten days ago | started out on my
wheel. | didn't know where | was 60
ing. In fact. l didn't care much. one
place was as good as another The
Union station hove in view. | went in
and took the first train that left. 1t
happened to bring me here, and here
I've staid till today. Thought Id ride
out and see the country, it's so pretty.
Came along through the village; saw
the church,; heard you singing; went in
to see what you looked like; after the
service followed you here. There,
you've got the whole history, and now
you may think what you like, but just
as sure as | happened along in time to
1t, fn ho.
your singing helped me to wake up.
Now shake hands or not just as you
choose"
AS the man spoke Mary Burd had rs-
en- to her feet, her color coming and
going and her eyes shining like stars.
Probably no woman had ever before
been spoken to in just that way, but
Mary Burd, although only 20 years old,
was no ordinary woman. Feeling in
stinctivcly how great a crisis in the
life of a human being she had come up
on, all that was nobest in her charac-
ter instantly responded to the call
made upon her.
Surely she was not far from the an
gclic being he had named her when,
holding out to him Il small white hand.
she said in a voice which would trem-
Bile:
"No, | do not know you, nor do you
know me. We are utter strangers, yet
the One whose resurrection we have
sung today would not have hesitated
to put forth Il helping hand where it
was needed. If | have been his I'M
worthy instrument, | am glad indeed
and this Easter day will be mcmora-
bic one"
He held the pretty hand while she
was speaking and when she had finish
ed bent one knee and revcrcntly kissed
the trembling fingers; then, drawing
himself to his full height, he stood
waiting for what might follow.
Nelly had been looking at them with
her big eyes, ana now, as though a
higher power dictated, she said:
'PleaSe sing, Miss Mary"
Seating herself beside the childs bed,
she began to sing death aid Life"