Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-04-06
Gabrielle E. Jackson.

Presently 10 his abrupt way be said,
You're in ar awful mess. aren't YOU
boking At her pretty spring gown. ut
terly ruined by The water
I'll Is only my dress. pnt you must be
soaked through. and have been too
selfish to think about H. You VIII
surely take cold | can't leave Nelly
until her mother comes from mass. but
wish you would 20 TO my home and
lei my father make you comfortable
You can't mistake DR.. Burds house.
just beyond the church"
"And what shall l say 10 him when
| get thcref' he asked, laughing.
Here's one Herbert Parker, soaked
tramp. whom you are to take 10 and
warm and clothe? No. thank you. I'm
not much the worse for my ducking,
and by the time you have got that kid
all right shall be. too. and then, If
you won't think such move too bare
faced. I'll walk back with you. You
don't know me from Adam, and ! new.
er laid eyes on you till today, but
you've made the turn heads instead Of
hniiS, ditutptiEu y ou bpb hiDN th"t "
.her." And he stopped over the child
to stroke her wet hair.
Ibid the lilies get wet" She asked
him
what lilies. you squeezed up bit Of
humanity
''lhe lilies Miss Burd was a-bringin
me. That's why she came. She alters
does on Easter. and loves her dearly"
GOOD sense. what lilies does she
mean"
Il must have dropped them by the
pit. quite forgot them"
"Ill hunt them up" said the accom-
modating man as he went out, only to
return moment later with some II tn
er bedlaggled lilies.
"Here they are said he. Somewhat
the worse for wear. but a souse viii
set them right. | guess" He dipped
them into pail Of water. then. shak-
ing off the clingng drops, handed them
TO the child Keep them, and they'll
make you think of her"
Noting tie surprised expression on
Mary Burd's face, he said to her:
DO you think you have met 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 a breath can alter our whole lives.
Ten days ago | started out on my
wheel didn't know where was GO
ing In fact didn't care much. One
place WAS rs 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
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
save this KIDS life just so sure has
your singing helped me to wake up.
Now shake hands or not. just as YOU
choose"
AS the man spoke Mary Burd had ris-
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
stinctively how great a crisis in the
life Of human being she had come up
on, all tlat was noblest in her charac-
ter Instantly responded to the cali
made uprn her.
Surely she was not far from the az
gelic be.wg he had named her when,
holding ont to him small white hand.
she said in voice which would trem-
Bile.
mo. do not know you. nor do you
know me We are utter strangers. YET
the one whose resurrection we haze
sung today would not have hesitated
10 put forth a helping hand where it
was needed If | have been his I'm.
worthy instrument, am glad indeed.
and this Easter day will be memora
bic one"
He held the pretty hand while she
was speaking and when she had finish
&c bent one knee and reverently 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 and now. as though a
higher power dictated. she said
"Plcase sing. Miss Mary
Scatiug herself beside the child'S he'd
she began 10 sing death and Life"
soldier Boy Made First Lieutenant
Rudolf f. Smyser of York. Pa. en-
listed In a PENNSYLVANIA regiment