The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-03-04
wrong. and. strIding to me, he caught
my arm and asked;

"rong' unu, striding to me, he CAUGHT
my arm and asked:
what is i2 Is the medicine
wrong?'
tried to put him of, but his grin
frightened TIL his fingers seemed to
reach the bone.
"The dose Is certainly too large. But
let me go. 1 must do something"
He let me go at once, saying In a
voice that made my heart sore for him.
He has 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 l was glad the doctor was too
drunk to appear.
His wife. hearing his curses and I'm.
Outstanding the cause, broke out Into
waillng hard TO bear.
"Ah, mon petit ange! 1t Is dat whees.
Ky OATS keel mon baby. All, mon
cheri, mon amour! All, mon Dieu! All.
Michael! How often / say that wbccs.
ky he's not good ting"
1t was more than Slayin could bear.
ana with awful curses he passed out.
Mrs. Mavor laid the baby in its crib,
for the CONFUSION had passed away,
and, putting her arms about the wall
Ing little Frenchwoman, comforted and
soothed her as q mother might her
child.
And you must help your husband"
1 heard her say. "IIe will need you
more than eve Think of him."
"Ah. oui, l weel," was the quick re-
ply, n from that moment there was
no more wniling.
1t seemed no more than a minute till
Slavin came in again, sober, quiet and
steady. The passion was all g ne from
his face, and only the grief remained.
AS we stood leaning over the sleeping
child the little thing opened It's eyes,
saw Its father and smiled. 1t was too
much for him The big man dropped
on his knees with a dry sob.
"Is there no chance at all, ut all?" he
whispered, but l could give him no
hope. He Immediately rose and, pull
ing himself together, stood perfectly
quiet.
A new terror seized upon the mother.
"My baby is not-what you call it?"
going through the form of baptism.
can he will not come to la sainte
Yierge," she said, crossing herself.
ID 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
ed by this, and Slavln, too, was uneasy.
"Where Is Father Goulet?" 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.
81 know not for sure. At de Landin',
dat's lax"
"IIl go for him." he said.
But his wife chung to him, beseeching
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 no
was ready with n solution.
"Nixon has n team. He will CO."
Then he added: 81 wonder IL they
would not like me to baptize their little
one. Father Goulet and I have ex-
changed offices before now. l remem-
Der how he came to one of my people
in my absence, when she was dying,
read with her, prayed with her, COM
forted her and helped her across the
river. He Is q good sou and has no
nonsense about him. Send for me If
you think there Is need. 1t will make
Ito difference to the baby, but 1t will
comfort the mother"
Nixon was willing enough to go, but
when he came to the door Mrs. Mayor
saw the hard look in his face. He had
not forgotten his wrong, for day Ivy
day he was still fighting the devil with
in that Slavin had called to life. But
Mrs. Mavor, under cover Of getting him
instructions, drew him into the room.
While listening to her his eyes wan
dered from one to the other Of the
group till they rested upon the little
white face in the crib. She noticed the
change in his face.
"They fear the little one will never
see the Saviour If 1t is not baptized"
she said in q low tone.
He was eager to go.
"Ill do my best to get the priest" he
said and was gone on his sixty mile
race with death.
The long afternoon wore on, but be-
fore 1t was half gone 1 saw Nixon
could not win and that the priest would
be too late, SO / sent for Mr.. Craig.
From the moment he entered the room
he took command Of us all. He was 30
simple, 30 manly, so tender, the hearts
Of the parents instinctiyely turned to
him.
AS he was about to proceed with the
baptism the mother whispered to Mrs.
Mavor, who hesitatingly asked MI.
Craig if he would object to using holy
water.
ITO me It is the same as any other"
he replied gravely.
"An' will he make the good signr'
asked the mother timidly.
And so the child was baptized by the
Presbyterian minister with holy water
and with the sign of the Cross. / don't
suppose 1t was orthodox, and 1t render
ed chaotic some Of my religious no.
lions, but l thought more Of Craig that
moment than ever before. He was
more man than minister, or perhaps he
was so good a minister that day be.
cause SO much a man. AS he read about
the Saviour and the children and the
disciples who tried to get in between
them, and as he told US the story in his
own simple and beautiful way and
then went on to picture the home Of
the little children and the same Saviour
in the midst of them, / felt my heart
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