Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-02-01
BISHOP POTTS.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

happy father Of fifteen interesting child
rem. Early in the Winter the bishop
determined that his little ones should
have good time on Christmas, SO he
concluded to take trip down to San
/ Francisco to see what he could find in
the shape of toys with which to crafty
and amuse them. The good bishop
packed his carret-bag, embraced Mrs.
Potts one by one, and kissed each of
her affectionately, and started upon his
journey.
He was gone little more than week,
when he came back with fifteen beau
tiful mouth-organs in his valisc for his
darlings. He got out of the train at
Salt Lake, thinking how joyous and ex-
hilarating it would be at home on Christ
mas morning when the whole fifteen of
those mouth organs would be in oper-
alton upon different tunes at the same
moment. But just as he entered the
depot he saw a group of women stand
ing in the ladies' room apparently wait
ing 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
Welcome, dear, dear Theodore! We'll
come once more to the bosom of your
family" and then the entire score of
them fell upon his neck and cried over
his shirt front and mussed him.
TIE bishop seemed surprised and
embarrassed. Struggling to disengase
himself, he blushcd and said
" Really, ladies, this kind of thing is
we'll enough-it is interesting and all
that; but there must be some kind of a
that is an awkward sort of a--excuse
me, ladies, there seems to be, rs itwere,
a slight misunderstanding about the
am Bishop Potts.
eve know it, we know it, dearest" "
they exclaimed in chorus, "and we are
50 glad to see YOU safe, safe at home.
We have all been right we'll while you
were away, love"
cit gratifes me-" remarked the bish-
op, Z" to learn that none of you have
been prey to disease. 1 am filed
with blissful serenity when I contem-
plate the fact; but really do not un-
derstand why you should rush into this
railway station and hug me because
your lives are active and your digestion
good. The precedent is bad; it is
bad; it is dangerous!'
"Oh, but we didn'tr' they exclaimed
in chorus. eve came here to welcome
you because you are our husband"
Pardon me, but there must be some
lttle-that is to say, as it were, should
think not. Women, you have mistaken
your man!'
''Oh no, dearest!' they shouted; we
were married to you while you were
away"
What!" exclaimed the bishop;
"you don't mean to say that"
Yes, love. Our husband, William
Brown, died on Monday. and on Thurs
dap Brigham had vision in which he
was directed to seal us to you; and so
he performed the ceremony at once by
proxy"
Th-th-th-th-under" observed the
bishop, in general sort of way.
"And, darling, We are all living with
you now-we and the dear children"
"Children! childrenw exclaimed
Bishop Potts, turning pale; "you don t
mean to say that there is a pack of
children too?"
eyes, love, but only one hundred
and twenty-five, not counting the eight
twins and the triplet."
Observation-Disclosures d. you say ?''
gasped the bishop, in cold perspira-
ton; one hundred and twenty-five!
One hundred and twenty-five children
and twenty more wives! 1t is too much
it is awful!' and the bishop sat down
and groaned, while the late Mrs. Brown,
the bride, stood around in a semicircle
and famed him with her bonnets, all
except the red-haired one, and she in
her trepidation made futile effort to
fan him with the coal-scuttle.
But after awhile the bishop became
reconciled to his new alliance, knowing
well that the protests would be unavail-
ing; SO he walked home. holding as
many OF the little hands of the bride as