The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-07


one ever felt this more keenly than Mr.
Buckley. the miner canon Of Dunchester.
In his own eyes he was great man. lie
was certainly great in body. and he con-
sidered that he possessed great moral and
intellectual qualities. And yet he was only
a minor canon. Nothing could be more
CALLING TO such a man than 20 have the
epithet minor" associated with his name.
Custom is very capricious in such matters.
The lowest grade OF general is major-sen-
eraI. BY parity Of paradox the h.ghes;
grade Of canon should be minor canon.
But fl is not.
OF course, theoretically Nj Buckley
might have escaped from this tyranny OF
a word by resigning his position. But he
was a poor man and he could not afford
to do this. Moreover. though now ia
middle life. he was in love. in a vague.
distant kind Of way. with the bishops
daughter and his connection with the ca
thedral gave him opportunities OF meet
ing her which ne would not otherwise
have enjoyed. Unfortunately. however.
he had a rival, Mr.. Luxmore. a man not
50 poor as himself. and a good deal young
or. The bishop had hitherto not favored
Mr.. Bulkeleys suit.
Then all at once the unexpected hap
pened. Mr.. Bulkeleys position was radi-
cally altered. For the moment he remained
a minor canon. but his minority was. %
all intents and purposes al an end. Early
one morning 1t became known in the close
that Mr. Buckley had come into large
fortune
1t became known that the dean had asked
Mr.. Buckley to stay at the deanery while
the bishop was there He lives some way
off" said the dean; lit would be a pity TO
put him to the expense of a cab. II viii be
much more comfortable FOR him to stay in
the house, and he is certainly delightful
companion" Everyone agreed with the
dean. and sympathized with his anxiety
TO spare Mr.. Bulkcley's purse. now that il
was known to be full TO repletion.
When he arrived in the afternoon the
butler informed him that the dean and his
visitors had gone for drive and were not
10 return till just in time to dress for din
ner. Then the butler conducted Mr.
Buckley to his room.
He glanced at his watch. II was
o'clock.
He went out OF his room and went down
the corridor. As he did so he noticed that
the door of one of the rooms CHANGED to be
wide open. He could not help looking In
and was almost startled by the object that
caught his eye For there-neatly disposed
over a chair in the middle of the room
was a complete set of Episcopal robes,
surmounted by the Protestant substitute
for the mitre. the so-called mortar
board"
How very funny" said Mr.. Buckley
TO himself. Just what l was thinking
about"
TIT, =. ,,.ea . 49,. -. 49,. a.. -,
room in an undecided manner. Almos.
unconsciously he had closed the door be-
hind him.
ITS a curious compound OF garments"
he said, philosophically. Il wonder who
invented it. Or is it a product Of evolu-
tion?-the glorihcation of workmans
ordinary dress-shirt sleeves, black
waistcoat and workman's apron? Suu.
on fine-lokinog man. it looks well-very
well. What a pity it is that our dear,
good bishop has such a Ratchet face,
His handy legs don't much matter
when he's got the robes on. though
they're against him in social intercourse.
It's curious, when you come to think of
it, that man should pass his whole life
over a parenthesis.'
It is quite certain. although the fac.
is nowhere laid down in scientific text
books, that the human hands have vo-
ntion of their own. Mr. Bulkeley's hands
cudHEeu 10 come INTO contact with the
smooth satin of the chimere. They then
argued: Here are clothes: clothes are
meant TO be worn; ergo We will put them
on" BY degrees the hands accomplished
their task. one by one they endued Mr.
Bulkeley with the cassock, and the rorhet
and the chimere. Then he gave a little
start. for. in the mirror Immediately in
front Of him he suddenly caught sight
of majestic figure in fun Episcopal cos
tune. II was himself
Pom my lifei' he exclaimed, and then
stopped chort. 1t was not very Episco-
pal utterance. but then it was nor ex-
cathedra. And. at The moment. he was
a little distraught; he was at once proud
OF his appearance ana a trine ashamed
of his proceedings. Thcu a strange thing
happened Still looking at the mirror. he
was surprised. and even d little shocked.
to see the reflected figure slowly raising
its right hand, with two fingers extended,
in the act Of benediction He had never
really intended TO perform this action. 1t
was that terrible auto -vol:tion Of the
hand again. "Oh. Well" he said. rapidly
lowering his hand I'm glad I've seen
myself in them for once. But | think III
take them off now. Hullo! what's that?"
There was the sound Of heavy footsteps
approaching the room.
Good heavens! ! shall be caught"
thought Mr.. Buckley. 1t must be the
bishops valet l never thought Of him.
What on earth am 1 to do? He'll be here
before | can get the things off. l must
hide myself somewhere"
He made a bolt for the wardrobe, opened
It, and ensconced hhnself inside He was
a big man, and 1t was a wonderfully tight
1it, but he just managed to condense his
proportions into the space available He
could barely move and he could see moth
ing, but he could hear well enough
The heavy step pounded into the room.
at cannot be the valet" thought Mr..
Buckley; mo man would have a valet
who trod like an elephant" But if 1t was
not the valet. who was 1t? 1t must be the
bishop himself. The thought caused a
sudden horripilation of Mr. Buikeley's
skin.
The bishop was not alone; his daughter
was with him.
How are you row. papa?" she asked as
the bishop $50 Mr. Buckley judged from
the sudden shaking of the noor) sank into
chair. a little better. l hope?"
Thank you, my love- answered the
bishop a little peevishley; but really,
since you last asked me that question at
the foot OF the stairs there has hardly been
time for any marked change. But I am
glad I turned back when I did. The sun
was very ODDreSsivp I think had ha+ter