The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-07-17

put va Pu.A thaNss - Nae As~eAs ~r>sSsS~
weep,n' an uloanln'.
shell maybe need ye tae." he went
on dubiou>iy 10 me. "Ie're Kin o
Goctor. | hear" not committing him
self To any opinion as TO my profession
al value.
But S!avin would have none of me.
having got ;he doctor sober enough TO
prescribe.
The interest of the camp In Slavin
was greatly increased by the illness OF
his baby, which was to him as the ap-
pie OF his eye. There were few who,
impressed by Geordie's profound con-
victions upon the matter. were inclined
to favor the retribution theory and con-
uect the baby's illness with the venge-
ance OF the Almighty. Among these
few was Slavin himself. and. goaded
by his remorseful terrors. he sought re-.
lief in drink. But this brought him
only deeper and tiercer gloom. so that
between her suffering child and her
savagely despairing husband the poor
mother was desperate with terror and
grief
"Ah. madame" she sobbed to Mrs.
Mavor. my heart is broke for him.
He's heet noting for tree days, but 1is
dreenk drcenk. dreenk."
Tho next day man came for me In
haste. The baby was dying, and the
doctor was drunk. found the little
one In a convulsion lying across Mrs.
MavOr's knees. the mother kneeling be-
side It, wringing her hands in dumb
agony. and Slavin standing near, silent
and suffering. glanced ut the bottle
OF medicine upon the table and asked
Mrs. Mavor the dose and found the
baby had been poisoned. My look OF
horror told Slavin something was
wrong. and. striding to me, he caught
my arm aud asked:
"What is It? Is the medicine
wrong?'
tried to put him off. but his grip
tightcncd till his fingers seemed to
reach the bone.
"The dose is certainly too large. But
let me 20. | must do something"
He let me 20 at once, saying in q
voice that made my heart sore for him,
'He mas killed my baby; he has killed
my baby" And then he cursed the
doctor with awful curses and with n
look of such murderous fury on his
face that I was glad the doctor was too
drunk to appear.
His wife, hearing his curses and un-
derstanding the cause, broke out into
wailing hard to bear.
"Ah, mon petit angc! 1t is dat whees-
Ky dat's keel mon baby. All, mon
cheri, mon amour! All, mon Dieu! All,
Michael. How often say that vhees.
ky he's not good ting"
1t was more than Slavin could bear,
and with awful curses he passed out.
Mrs. Mavor laid the baby In its crib,
for the convulsion had passed away,
and, putting her arms about the wall
ing little Frenchwoman, cOmforted and
soothed her as mother might her
child.
"And you must help your husband"
I heard her say. HE will need you
more than ever. Think of him."
"Ah. oui. weel." was the quick re-
ply, and from that moment there was
no more waiing.
1t seemed no more than a minute till
Slavin came in again. sober, quiet and
steady. The passion was all gone from
his face, and only the grief remained
AS we stood leaning over the sleeping
child the little thing opened its eyes.
saw its father and smiled. 1t was too
much for him. The big man dropped
on his knees with dry sob.
as there no chance at all, at all?" he
whispered, but | could give him no
hope. He Immediately rose and, pull
Ing himself together. stood perfectly
quiet.
:. Few terror seized upon the mother.
"My baby is not-what you call it?'
An lie will not come to In sainte
Verge" she said, crossing herself.
"Do not fear for your little one" said
Mrs. Mavor, still with her arms about
her. "The good Saviour will take your
darling into his own arms"
But the mother would not be comfort
cd by this, and Slavin, too was uneasy.
where is Father GouletT' he asked.
"Ah, you were not good to the holy
pere de las tam, Michael" she replied
sadly "The saints are not please for
you"
Where is the priest?" he demanded.
Il know not for sure. At de Landin'
dat's LAX"
'l'll go for him." he said.
But his wife clung to him, beseechlng
him not to leave her. and indeed he was
loath to leave his little one.
found Craig and told him the diff.
Guilty. With his usual promptness he
was ready with solution.
nixon has team. He will CO."
Then he added Il wonder If they
would not like me to baptize their little
one. Father GOulet and | have eX-
changed offices before now. l remem-
Der how he came to one Of my people
in my absence, when she was dying,
rpal with her Drayed with her COM