Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-02-12
dreenk. dreenk, dreenk. !"

side it. wringing her hands in dumb
agony. and Slavin standing near, silent
and suffering. I glanced at the bottle
of medicine upon the table and asked
Mrs. Mavor the dose and found the
baby bad been poisoned. My look Of
horror told Savin something was
wrong, and. striding to me, he caught
my arm and asked:
What Is it? Is the medicine
wrong?
tried to put him off. but his grip
frightened till his fingers seemed to
reach the bone.
"The dose is certainly too large. But
let me go. 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 a
look of such murderous fury on his
face that was glad the doctor was too
drunk to appear.
His wife, hearing his curses and IN
Outstanding the cause, broke out into
wailing hard to bear.
'Ah, mon petit ange! It is dat whees-
ky OATS keel mon baby. All, mon
cheri, mon amour! All, mon Dieu! All,
Michael! How often say that whees-
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 it's crib,
for the CONFUSION had passed away,
and, putting her arms about the vail
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, l weel," was the quick re-
ply, and from that moment there was
no more wailing.
1t seemed no more than 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 it's eyes,
saw it's father and smiled. 1t was too
much for him. The big man dropped
on his knees with dry sob.
'Is there no chance at all, at 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.
"An' he will not come to la sainte
VERGE" she said. crossing herself.
"Do not fear for your little one" said
Mrs. Mayor, 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 Slavin, 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
II know not for sure At de Landin',
OATS LAX
"I'll 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
I found Craig and told him the diff.
Guilty. With his usual promptness he
was ready with solution.
''Nixon has a team. He will CO."
Then he added: IT wonder If they
would not like me to baptize their little
one. Father Goulet and l have ex-
changed Offices before now. / 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 good soul and has no
nonsense about him. Send for me if
you think there is need. 1t will make
no difference to the baby, but it will
comfort the mother"
Nixon was willing enough to go, but
when he came to the door Mrs. Mavor
saw the hard look in his face. He had
not forgotten his wrong, for day by
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 it is not baptized"
she said in low tone.
He was eager to go.
'I'll 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 it was half gone I saw Nixon
could not win and that the priest would
be too late, so l sent for Mr.. Craig.
From the moment he entered the room
he took command of us all. He was so
simple, so manly, SO tender, the hearts
Of the parents instinctlvely turned to
him.
AS he was about to proceed with the
baptism the mother whispered to Mrs.
Mayor, who hesitatingly asked Mr.
Craig if he would object to using holy