The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-10-20
He obeYed.

"Say Mary had a little lamb.'"
 The man complied without pro- test.
 "Get down on your hands and knees. Play you're dog," cried one merry boy.
 Down upon all fours went the man.
 "Growl."
 He simulated the growl of dog.
 "Bark bow -wow-wowp" P"
 He initiated the bark of dog.
 "Now sit up and beg"
 His attempt to accomplish this ab- surd canine trick sent his tormentors into fresh paroxysms of laughter.
 "Take of your shoes and stockings" was the next command.
 He unlaced his shoes, and, removing them, displayed pair of large, shapely feet.
 "Now get down and bark at the cow"
 Again the man passively obeyed. During the whole of this extraor- dinary performance he had not smiled, nor had his expression changed in the least degree. His wide, brown eyes regarded the children as calmly and with as little feeling as they had viewed the hills all day. But now arose a conflict of authorities. The COW objected to the proceedings and turned upon him in & menacing man. ner, lowering her horns and making ready for active resistance. For the first time the huge fellow hesitated and looked questieningly from one to the other.
 It is impossible to say how this cu- rious conflict would have resulted, for, while the man stiii crouched upon the ground, irresolute, buggy dashed around the bend in the road, and its occupant, taking in the whole scene in a glance, refined up before the merry group.
 "For shame, Manuel For shame, Jose, and Celestine, and Johnnie, and Robbie, and little Josefo, and all the rest of youl Do school and church and the good parents at home teach you, then, no better lesson than to make mock and jest of one upon whom the hand of God has been laid? Be of now-the whole pack of youl And when any of your playMates would amuse themselves at this poor fellows expense, say to them that they will have an account to settle with Father Neal"
 The children gathered up their bas- kets and satchels in shamefaced silence, and trooped off down the road, while Father Neal gazed after them with a merry twinkle in his eye, moved by a half-humorous sympathy, recalling, no doubt, the lawless pranks of his own boyhood. In spite of his forty years and the dignified position to which he had attained, he was still more layman than priest. Witness the handsome animal he drove, as pretty piece of horse- flesh as could be found in all the country, and one not to be surpassed in speed by any nag in all the villages about, as Father Neal had proved by sundry tests upon the road. Rumor had it that the er- ratio priest had even been seen urging his favorite around the race- track, in the fair grounds near by, one moon- light night. On more than one occa- sion he had been known to take lady out to drive. He kept boat on the little lake near by and delighted in pulling an oar at daybreak, whence songs of sadly temporal nature floated across the still waters and scandalized the most pious of his par ishioners, while the less straight laced were delighted. It is true that he so far conformed to the traditions of the hoary old mission, which was his special charge, as to wear the con- ventional sackcloth gown and hempeu girdle which had always been worn by the fathers in charge but this wal by no means allowed to interfere with his mode of life. And as for cigars and winc, the grocer at the corner and the great vats of the old mission wine-cellars could have told talel that would have startled the commun. ity. These worldly proclivities hai brought Father Neal no end of troubl, with the heads of his church. Tn, bishop of his diocese, in particular, , bigoted and ascetic old gentleman who would have burned heretics a the stake had it not been for the dan ger of interference from the laws O the land, had frequently called hi younger brother to account, and oi one occasion made him the subjec of grave charges preferred befor' a high council in the church. Btu in spite of his irregularities as { clergyman, Father Neal was at hear an excellent man, 90 unselfish il time of need, 90 tender with tn ) sick, so generous to the poor, s' watchfIl of the erring, so unrelentint with evil-doers, and so generally be , loved among all his flock, that tn , council compromised with the bishoI , by putting him upon sort ot indef | S~SA I~A [.