The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-25
From the Philadelphia To-Day.l
BISHOP POTTS OF SALT LAKE
A Christmas story.
BY MAX ADEI.EE.

FRANCISCO 70 see what he could find in the
shane of TOYS with which to crafty and
am,isc them. The good Bishop packed his
csrpet-bag. embraced Mrs. Potts one by one;
aud kissed each of her affcctionately, and
started upon his journey.
re was gone little more than week,
when he came back with fifteen beautiful
mouth.oreans in bis valise for his darlngs.
He got out of the train-at Salt Lake, think
ing how joyous and exh!la'aling 1t would ne
at home on Christmas morning Whcn tue
whole fifteen Of these mouth-organs shotl'a
I've in operation upon different tunes at ire
same moment. But just as he entered tlic
t;er6t he saw group of women standing I'D
Inc ladies' room. apparently waiting for him.
As soon as he approached, the whole twenty
of them rushed up, threw their arms about
his neck, and kissed him, eXclaiming:
"Oh. Theodore, we are $3.50 glad you
have come back! Welcome home! Wei
come. dear, dear Theodore! Welcome once
more 10 the bosom of your family!' And
then the entire score Of them fell upon his
neck and cried over his shirt 'front.' ana
muSscd him.
The Bishop seemed surprised and cmhai-
raised. Struggling to diseDgage himself, ne
blushed and said:
..RcalIv. ladies, this kind Of thing is well
enouch-it is interesting and all tlmt but
there must be some kind OF a--that Is, an
awkward sort of a--cXcuSc me. !auies'
hni there seems to be, "a 1t were, Il si@hI
misunderstanding about the an bistloP
rotiS."
we know it, we know it. dearest"
they exclaimed in chorus: land W" arc 50
t,loa 10 see YOU safe, safe at home. We have
sill been right well while you were away,
love"
At rratifes me-" remarked the Bishop,
"to learn that none of you have been prey
to disease. | am filled with blisSful serenity
when contemplate the fact; but really 40
no. understand why you should rush into the
railway station and hug me because your
liyerS arc active and your digestion good.
The precedent is bad it is dangerous!'
"Ob, but we didn't" they exclaimed in
chorus. 1--WE came here TO welcome you
because you are our husband"
pardon me. but there must be some lit
1lc-that is to say, as it were, should think
not. Women, you have mistaken your
mani
"Oh, no, dearest!" they shouted; we
were married 10 YOU while you were away
"What!" exclaimed the Bishop; "you
don't mean to say that"
Eyes, love. Our husband, William Brown,
died on Monday, and on Thursday Brigham
had vision in which he was directed to seal
us to you; and so he performed the ceic-
mony at once by proxy"
"Th-t under!" observed the Bishop,
in general sort of way.
And, darling, we are all living with you
now-we and the dear children"
"Children children !" exclaimed Bishop
Potts. turning pale; you don't mean to say
that there is a pack of children, too"
"Yes, love, but only one hundred and
twenty-five, not counting the eight twins and
the triplet."
Nv Observation-Disclosures d'you say gaSpcd
the Bishop, in cold Precipitation; cone
hundred and twenty-five! One hundred
aud twenty-five children and twenty more
wives! IT Is too much ; it Is awful" ana
the Bishop SIT down and groancd, while the
late Mrs Brown, the bride, stood around III
Il senii.circle and famed him with her bon
nets, all except the rcd-harcd one, and She,
i'll her trepidution. made futile effort TO IAN
him with the coai-scuttlc.
But after awhile the Bishop became recon-
cilca to his new alliance, knowing well that
protests would DC uuaYaiiing; 80 he walked
home, holding rs many of the little hands OF
the bride as lie could conveniently grasp in
his. while the rcd-haircd woman carried his
umbrella and marched in front of the pa
radc TO remove distractions and 10 scare oil
small boys.
When the Bishop reached the house, he
went around among the cradles which filled
the back parlor and the two second-story
rooms, and attempted with much earnest
Hes; TO become acquainted with his new SONS
and daughters that he set the Whole one
hundred and twenty-five and the twins to
crying, while his own original fifteen stood
around and joined in the chorus. Then the
Bishop went out and sat on the garden fence
to white Il stick and sOlemnly think, while
Mrs. Potts distributed herself around III
twcnty-thrce places and Soothcd the chill
drcn. It occurred to the bishop Willie he
unused out there on the fence that he had
not enough mout!.-organS to go around
among the children as the family now stood,
and 50, rather than seem to be partial, he de-
tcrmiucd 10 go lack to San Francisco for one
hundred and torty-fOur more.
50 the Bishop repacked his carpct-bag,
ana began again to bid farewell to his family.
lie tenderly kissed all of the Mrs. Potts who
were at home, and started for the depot
while Mrs. Potts stood at tue various Win
dows and waved her handkcrchicfS at llinl--
I'll except the woman with the warm hair,
and she, in a fit of sent-mindednesS, held
ono OF the twins by the leg and braudishcd
ii 1T Potts is he fled down tho street.
fhe Bishop reached San Francisco, com
pleted his purchases, and was just about TO
yet on the train with his one hundred and
iorty.f0ur mouth-crgans, when 4 telegram
was handed him. 1t contained information
TO the effect that the authenticated Mrs.
Potts had just had a daughter. This induced
the Bishop to return to the city for the pur-
pose OF purchasing an additional organ.
On the following Saturday he returned
home. AS he approached his house 4 swarm
Of young children flew out OF the front gate
and ran toward him, shouting, There's pr
Here comes pa! Oh, pa, but we're glad to
see you! Hurrah for pa" ETC., etc.
The Bishop looked at the children as they
flocked around him and chung 10 his legs anG
coat, and was astOnshed to perceive thai
they were neither his nor the late Browns
He said, i" You youngsters have made a mis-
luke; | am not your father" and the BishoI
smiled good naturedly.
ooh, yes, you are, though. !" screamed
the little ones in chorus.
"But say am not" said the Bishop
severely, and irowniug; "you ought to bt
ashamed Of yourselves. Don't you know
where little Story-tcllers go? 1t is scandal
Gus for you to violate the truth in this man
ncr. Ny maine is Potts"
Eyes, we know it is" exclaimed the
children" we know it is; aud so is ours
thut is our name now, too, since the we'd
ding"
Since what weddiugs' demanded the
Bishop, turning pale.
Why, mas wedding, of course. She was
married Yesterday to you by Mr.. Young, and
we are all living at YOUR house now with our