Evening star., 1909-07-11


story of the Man of Sorrows.
These simple hearted peasants had presented
the theme stripped OF all creed and doctrine IN
its naked actualities. And it had moved Mary
thousands of Others in their audience, by Its
terrible unadorned strength As on that child
hoods day she had wept with the sad march
for Cavalry and shuddered in anguish with
the dark climax. She recalled now the natural
homely. tender scene of the farewell at Beth
any-Mary's mother grief and mother anxiety
which with that act had placed her within the
shadow of the coming tragedy; and again. the
scene after the Cruchxion. when Mary. re-
ceiving the body on her lap. gives voice to all
her terrific sorrow IN that universal mother cry
of My sonl Ny SON"
Mary thrilled again with the recollection of
Pilates question which amid all this human
falsity and unbeef had stirred her like a sud-
den trumpet call What is TRUTH" For
within that query. she had felt. rested the illu-
mination of this dark tragedy. the power that
could transform its bitterness into hope
Gained and solaced by this last thought. as
by no other. Mary lingeringly drew together
the window sashes She felt that she might
never again SO feel the enchantment of the
night she knew that she would never again be
so conscious of the reverence it inspires
TN order to relieve her mind further of its over
wrought state. she then resorted to letter
writing AS she folded the sheets and ad-
dressed the envelops to their destinations.
Mary unused with unburdened mind and re-
read. as if for the first time. portions of her
friendly condolences To Elizabeth she had
first written AS she turned the sheets she
wondered if the American Baby. despite his
limitations was not having just as rare expert
ences as herself She read slowly the account
of Babys long deferred christening. to satisfy
herself that Elizabeth would not accuse her OF
levity.
Il have the strangest thing to tell you" she
had written Yet don't pass Judgment upon
me or what has happened until you read the
whole story. and then perhaps you will think
with me that what has come about by purest
chance to the Darlingest Baby. may rest upon
him as a blessing all his life But to explain:
The American Baby has at last been christened.
Our friends in London now no longer deny
him the right to his own name, nor criticize the
propriety of his birth and upbrnglng. 1t all
happened through of these delightful Ger
man children-Censi Crescenta-properly.
The children of the pension are very proud of
the distinction of having our Baby for
boarder But fourteen-year-oldC Censi has been
greatly troubled about his future state. When
She discovered that Baby had not been christ
ened she was more shocked and grleved than
any of your London friends.
O. Gracious frauleln.' she cried. the dear
Baby IS heather. a slave. If he Is never
| chriStenedi How can his dear parents do
their little one SO great wrong Do they not
know that his soul will be lost' Then she
| begged me to let her take him to church and
have him christened. How glad his dear
parents will be when they know that his soul is
savedl' she said
Really. Elizabeth it was hard to deny her
| the dear child was SO IT earnest and So dis
| tressed over the heather state of the Sweetest
Baby. Truly you know he IS a little pagan.
and the only gods he worshIps are his milk bot
tie and himself
WELL day before yesterday Censi came in
w lust as Roxie had dressed Baby IN his
daintiest feathers. Censi admired him ecstatic-
ally and then. talking very rapidly. begged me
-Fraulein Lechner happened not to be in the
room to interpret for me-to let her take
Baby out in his carriage. saying she would not
go farther than the church (thus | translated
her German. She wheeled him off, looking
very important and happy; but l thought
nothing of that as | have grown to expect
everyone to look exalted when they come near
the presence of the American Baby. Pulled up
with pride. forget sometimes that only
his temporary mother.
after long time Censi came back with the
Baby. Fraulein Lechner was with me. Be-
tween her gasps of astonishment, she inter
preted Censi's tale to me. Censi had asked me
for permission to take Baby to the church to
have him christened as the reverend pastor
was then at the church preparing to christen
some of the babies brought from another vii
lage. To her joy. had at once granted her re-
quest 1t was in answer to her prayer she
knew for she had prayed in the church that
morning that the dear little of America
might be saved She had hurried to the church
at once. and the reverend pastor. when he