Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-02-20

in their hearts that Malcolm Kirk Low
ed them, wretched. useless creature!
as many of them were. down at tn,
very bottom Of the human scale, dow1
where nothing but love could reacl
them.
AS they went past one Of the dance
houses they could hear the jingle OF
spurs on boots. the wild laughter Of
the women and the clink of glasses al
the bar.
Dorothy shuddered and drew up clos
err to Malcolm. TO both of them it Is
probable that there was borne in upon
them the lost abandoned life that al
ways goes with the liquor trade. the
desperate. lawless character of young
men and women who represented Sc
large a part of the social life of the
town. What relief it would be tc
get away from it ALL back to the cul.
ture and refinement Of books and com.
panionable people and the life of free.
dom from moral struggle for the life
| of others that awaited them in that
New England home that might be
theirs for the taking!
They had walked through the street
and We're out on the prairie road before
either of them said word.
Then Malcolm said, while he pressed
DOrothy's arm close to his own:
What do you think had better do?'
She was not prepared to have him
ask a question, and she was not ready
with an answer.
What would you do in my placer"
be asked after waiting for her to an
swer his first question
Don't ask me. Malcolm" cried Doro
thy almost tearfully
He bent his head and in the starlight
| saw her face moved with unusual ex-
element
1T is true" he began to talk to him.
self. lit is true. as he says. the press is
| as powerful as the pulpit in these
days. | could certainly do as much
| good that way as any. feel as if
could use my pen for the good Of hui
manity."
Yes. yes!" Dorothy cried eagerly.
She spoke as if lalcom's words had
been a great relief to her. Then she
went on almost passonately:
What can you do here, Malcolm?
You can slave yourself to death out
here with this little church and never
accomplish much. You cannot do the
church work and the writing too. You
will break down under it. How can
you ever build again. with the hard
times and so many families moving
away and winter coming on? And
your salary, little as it is. so cruelty de-
layed, it is a humiliation to keep on
this narrow. pinched life. with no com.
panionship to speak Of. no money to
buy new books. with a dead lift on a
poor struggling church that will wear
your life out before you have reached
your prime. l don't mind for myself,
sIalcOm. you know. 1t was for bet
ter. for worse, for richer. for poorer
simply thrown away if you remain out
here. Such an offer as this will not
come to you again probably. If were
you
She stopped. and Malcolm eagerly
waited for the rest.
IF | were you" Dorothy went on
strongly, Il would answer the letter at
once and accept the offer. want to
see you succeed in life want to
have the world know your strength as
l do"
He made no reply. and they walked
ON little farther. Then Malcolm
spoke as if again reasoning with him.
self:
II certainly could do as much good
that way as any"
He was silent again. They had
reached place where the road branch
ed off to "The Forks" They turned
and went back toward the town. When
they reached the first houses. they took
the street which led past the ruins of
the church and parsonage. They SEEM
ed to do this without saying to each
other that they would. Their walk
back had been in silence.
When they reached the corner where
the church and parsonage had stood,
they stopped and looked at the ruins.
These were mournful, as such ruins
always are The foundation line of
the church building looked pitifully
small to Malcom as he thought Of the
little congregations that had so often
met there for worship or the prayer
service. And still he could not even
there, as he viewed what seemed like
failure in life. he could not shut out
Of his sight the picture Of Dorothy and
himself as they had gone into the
church that first night of their ar
rival in Conrad three years before and
had there made together their solemn
promise to redeem the lost Of Conrad
Were they about to break that prom
1se because difficulties had come into
the struggle? Was it possible that
they were going to declare themselves
beaten in the attempt to overcome?
Were they about to choose the easy,
comfortable physical life and shun the
agony Of the spiritual conflict with
evil forces? Were they about to run
away from duty as towards? Was it
duty to remain in Conrad? How about
his duty to the temperance conflict?
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