58 AN ESKIMO VILLAGE 



the truth to Zakki. The child was in the last stage 

 of consumption ; it was a miracle that he had sur- 

 vived the journey. And as the doctor raised his 

 troubled face to look at Zakki, he met the hope of 

 a father's soul gleaming from a father's smiling eyes. 

 And Zakki asked : " How long will it be before he 

 is better and I can take him home again }" 



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The father's smile did not change, but his eyes 

 were full of tears. He simply said, " It is the Lord's 

 will ; let Him do as seemeth Him good " ; but he 

 said it with the earnestness of a simple soul that 

 trusts and knows. 



It seemed as though he lavished the pent-up love 

 of a lifetime on the child during those last few days. 

 The boy liked best to lie in his father's arms ; and 

 hour after hour Zakki would hold him, and though 

 his arms were often cramped and his eyes heavy 

 from lack of sleep, he smiled just smiled because 

 he loved. He brought all kinds of Eskimo dainties 

 to tempt the poor flickering appetite ; he told scraps 

 of news from the village ; he read words of comfort 

 from God's Book. " Shall I read ?" he would say. 

 "Yes, read," said little Zakki; and the father 

 would open the Book and read about the wonderful 

 city, where "God shall wipe away all tears from 

 their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, 

 neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be 

 any more pain ; for the former things are passed 

 away." 



And as little Zakki slept, God took him, the little 



