The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-05-01

OF episcopal doubt. and then led the
way Into the garden. II was beauti-
ful West Indian night. Tropical moon
light lay pale green upon the floor OF
the veranda. Firefiies fitted In and
out The scent OF large white flowers
was heavy on the air. Travers thought
II all beautiful. He had only arriv-
ed at Tortuga that morning and had
come straight up to Bishopstow to
make his sirst impression OF the tropics
under his old friends roof and his old
friends auspices.
The bishop selected a sequestered
spot at the farthest end OF the veranda
placing long deck chair for Travers
where he was least likely to be over
heard by the two bishopinas.
Yes" he continued in a bland pro-
fessional murmur. I'VE have a great
work here. and feel that abstinence
/ from all appearance OF evil is a neces-
sity of my usefulness"
John Travers lighted cigar. Its
smoke blew. toward the bishop Capt.
tai tobacco one gets here" Travers re-
marked
The bishop shifted II regretfully. at
| hoH NtiiflOuN lTNElIufR. 4 WIFI al
init" he answered with reluctance.
Travers leaned hack in his chair and
watched the firefiies as they fitted.
/ The air was balmy. All. what times
we had ut Oxford-' he went on reflect
Ing. What times we had there. Mitch
ell, Do you remember that saucy little
girl who used to sell flowers at the cor.
ner near the Randolph? A pretty bit %
huff. Polly Peach they called her.
What fun we had chatting her, Well.
she's married n doctor now and has a
son at Brasenose."
Il am glad to hear it," the bishop an
swered. putting his thumbs and fore
fingers together. Though she was a
frivolous young woman. she was not
wholly lacking in-in what l may ven
ture 70 call the essentials of refinement
And we must remember she was plac-
ed In a position OF some temptation"
Yes, she's married" Travers went
on. ito a doctor. as l say. think you
knew him. oh. OF course We were at
a drunk together at his rooms In Bal
liol."
Il remember taking wine" the bIsh-
op admitted after a pause. with n man
named Holmes there"
THE samei The very fellow! What
a way he had with the girls too, And
then the bonfire! Do you remember
our bonfire on the night our Torpid
beat Christchurch and Oriel? How
you brought out fagots into the quad
after the bump supper and remarked
that you didn't care a something or
other for the dons and made a Jolly
good blaze and were almost sent down
for it?''
The bishop hesitated. "I have some
indistinct recollection that there was q
bonfire" he allowed at last obviously.
WAS a bonfire! Why. my dear fei-
low, you were all but sent packing for
it You can't possibly forget You were
let Off on the ground that most Of the
other men We're much more drunk than
you; you were just sober enough TO
light the fagots in the middle OF the
quad, while the other men wanted to
pile and light them against the hall and
chapel"
The bishops face was rigid with ter
ror.
Just then a cry rose on the air from
= (OttdEC LII ldI On-d WeIfU. SQTlII
cry, as Of women wailing.
Whats that" Travers asked, with
start
Saved, saved! The bishop gasped with
JOY. He remembered that Travers had
had typhoid at college and lived ever
afterward in bodily dread of zymotic
diseases. That" he replied In very
calm and measured tones, "is-only a
negro wake. The women are wailing
and keening after their kind over one
or their people who has died In this
epidemic. l regret to say. owing to our
imperfect sanitary arrangements, such
scenes are too common. We grow per
haps to disregard them with almost un-
Christian lack Of sympathy"
"Epidemic7 What epidemicY'
The bishop stretched truth as far as
II would go. yellow jack" he answer
ed In an unconcerned voice. every bad
here at present. They are dying by
thousands. the whites and browns es
pecially. 1t attacks newcomers most OF
ALL People of fiorid complexion and
full habit of body, fresh out from Eng
land, are almost sure
Travers rose In horror He was fresh
coiored and full blooded. lis 1t all over
the islandsy' he asked. with marked
eagerness.
The bishop gave a dramatic pause.
Not In barbados" he answered slow
ly. Barbados is quite wholesome.
There's steamer to Barbados tomor-
row morning"-Sketch.
Southern California has $500 acres
In beets.
The first electric street railway a
Greece has just been completed at
Patras.
The college and town OF OberiIn, O.
are raising $4,000 to modernize their
cemetery.