The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-03-02

which could supply clean linen and
needful things, for amid the poverty
OF the house they could find nothing
lit for human touch or use Early
they saw that the woman's strength
was failing, and that she could not
live. And there, in that nameless
howell, with death on the hearthstone
and death and life lowering over the
pitful bed, the three great men went
through the pain and the horror and
squalor of birth, and they knew that
they had never yet stood before so
great a mystery.
With the first wall of the newly born
infant last convulsive shudder pass
ed through the frame OF the uncon-
scious mother. Then three or four
snort gasps of breath and the spirit
passed away. She was dead. Profess
sor Biggleswade threw a corner of
the sheet over her face, for he could
not bear to see II.
They washed and dried the child as
any crone Of a midwife would have
done, and dipped a small sponge which
had always remained unused IN a cut
glass bottle in Boyne's dressing-bag
in the hot milk and water Of Bicycles
wade's thermos bottle, and put It to
his lips; and then they wrapped him
up warm In some of their own wooden
undergarments. and took him into the
kitchen and placed him on a bed made
OF their fur coats in front of the fire.
As the last piece Of fuel was exhausted
they took one of the wooden chairs
and broke 1t up and cast II into the
blaze. And then they raised the dead
man from the strip of carpet and car
ried him into the bedroom and laid
i'm - l.
wife. after which they feft the dead in
darkness and returned to the living.
And the three grave men stood over
the wisp of flesh that had been born
male into the world. Then, their
task being accomplished, reaction
came. and even Boyne, who had seen
death in many lands. turned faint
But the others, losing control OF their
nerves, shook like men stricken with
palsy.
Suddenly McCurdie cried in a high
pitched voice. MY Godl Don't you
feel It." and clutched Boyne by the
arm. An expression of terror came
on his iron features. There! It's
here with u.s."
Little Professor Biggieswade sat
on corner of the table and wiped
his forehead.
Il heard it. I felt It, 1t was like
the beating of wings"
Its the fourth time" said Nc
Curdie. The first time was Just
before l accepted the Deverills' invi-
tation. The second In the railway
carriage this afternoon. The third on
the way here. This is the fourth"
Biggleswade plucked nervously at
the fringe of whiskers under his jaws
and said family, Its the fourth time
up to now. / thought il was fancy"
ut is the Angel of Death" And he
pointed to the room where the dead
man and woman lay.
FOR Gods sake let us get away
from this" cried Biggleswade.
And leave the child to die, like tn
And leave the child to die like the
others?' said Boyne.
I'VE must see II through" said Nc
Curdie.
A silence fell upon them as they sat
round by the blaze with the newborn
babe wrapped in It's odd swaddling
clothes asleep on the pile of fur coats,
and il lasted until Sir Angus McCur-
die looked at his watch.
Good Lord" said he. Its ~
o'clock"
Christmas morning." said Bicycles
wade.
"a strange Christmas" unused
boyne-
McCurdie put up his hand There
1t is again! The beating Of wings"
And they listened like men spell
bound. McCurdie kept his hand up
lifted. and gazed over their heads at
the wall, and his gaze was that of
man in trance, and he spoke:
Unto us a child is born, unto us
son is given"
Boyne sprang from his chair, which
fell behind him with q crash.
'Man-what the devil are you say
ing?"
Then McCurdie rose and met Big
gleswade's eyes staring at him
through the great round spectacles,
and Biggleswade turned and met the
eyes Of Boyne. A pulsation like the
beating of wings stirred the air.
The three wise men shivered with
a queer exalteration. Something
strange. mystical, dynamic had hap
pened. 1t was as if scales had fallen
from their eyes and they saw with a
new vision. They stood together hum
bly,, Invested OF all their greatness,
one dnONucI llhS CnllQIGn, as
If seeking mutual protection, and they
looked with one accord, irresistably
compelled. at the child.
At last McCurdie unbent his black
brows and said hoarsely:
1T was not the Angel OF Death,
BOyne, but another messenger that
drew us here"
The tiredness seemed to pass away
from the great administrators face,
and he nodded his head with the calm
of a man who has come to the quiet
heart Of a perplexing mystery.
It's true" he murmured. Unto as
child Ia born, unto US a son is given
Unto the three Of US"
Biggleswade took on his great
round spectacles and wiped them.
"Gespar, Melchior, Balthazar. But
where are the gold. frankincense and
myrrh?"
In our hearts, man." said McCur-
die
The babe cried and stretched its
tiny limbs.
Instinctively they all knelt down