Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-02-26
Coo e-co &C 6 & 90
; DUMMY DEE AND :
; THE BISHOP :
q
By L. E. CbiHe71iea

Dummy Dee had come TO call upon
the bishop.
The bishop and he were very par
ticular friends and therefore shook
hands, as man to man, in a very cordial
manner.
81 came" said Dummy Dee, ION very
particular business, and L would have
been awful sorry not to find you at
home"
Il am very glad to be here, Dummy
Dee" said the bishop, smiling at his
guest.
There was a short pause, Dummy
Dee frowning thoughtfully into space
for ideas and the bishop waiting to
hear the manner of his guests busi-
ness.
"Are you ever lonesome, bishopF
asked Dummy Dee at last, leaning for
ward and clasping his short arms
around his knees.
"Yes, often" said the bishop, the
note of truth vibrating through his
tone.
Childless and wifeless and of strong
and often unpopular opinions, the
scholarly bishop was indeed lonely
man. Just now particularly so.
A controversial point had forced him
into a position where he stood almost
if not quite alone. He tried to believe
his position was Il matter of principle.
His enemies said it was obstinacy and
dogmatism, and even his warmest
friends were silent and regretful over
the matter at issue.
He Lad when Dummy Dee came in
been writing on the point, and bitter,
fiery words were penned on the sheets
of paper that strewed the open desk.
He glanced at them now as he spoke,
and from them to the beautiful pictur-
ed face of his young wife, who had
died very early in their married life.
Yes, he was very lonely.
Dummy Dee nodded and looked
thoughtfully at the glowing crate fire.
mice things happen sometimes when
you're lonesomest, though he said by
way of giving small crumb of COM
fort to his friend.
'You know mother is sick and down
south getting her health and father
busy at the settlement work, and some
times l get kind of stomach ache in
my heart and lump in my throat.
my, it most chokes me-" he added
feelingly. "But just the other day the
summer boarder sent me these bicycle
trousers" sticking out his short leg
for the bishop to see, ''or / never could
have stood it in the world. She knew
how 1 felt about kits and aprons and
always having to wear something of
the other childrens count of their
growing so fast and me not. l slept
with 'em that night in bed, and once
when / woke up and thought about
mother l just reached over and felt
of these, and then I felt better. Did
you ever try anything like that?' he
asked looking at the bishops trou-
sered legs stretched out on the other
side Of the fire.
NO." the bishop replied brayely; he
had not thought of it.
''Then there are always things to do
for folks, you know, and that's one
thing I came to see about" continued
Dummy Dee. 'Tve been taking soup
and books and things up for the settle
ment people to little girl who lives in
an attic near the settlement.
'She's got a kind of mother, only she's
an aunt and awful bad to her. She
drinks something out of a bottle"-and
nyD,p,v hoo IoIvarad bis voioa tO n
shocked whisper-"and she is awful
mean to Nora
"What is the matter with NoraT p
asked the bishop.
"a spinal back l think they call it,"
said Dummy Dee, with a learned air,
land l feel SO sorry l asked father if
he'd adopt her, and he said he thought
her if necessary, but father would have
to adopt us both then. What do you
think?"
The bishops principal thought was a
desire to laugh, but he held his peace,
so Dummy Dee went on:
"She's English. I've told her about
you. She calls you lord, but 1 said
not lord exactly, only kind of next to
the Lord, you know"
At this the bishop could contain him
self no longer, but put back his head
and laughed a pealing laugh that star
tied the shadows in the dim, quiet IL
brary, and he only stopped when he
beheld Dummy Dee gazing at him in
mild surprise.
"Come," said the bishop, springing
up like a boy, 'let us go and see
Nora"
Goodbye said Dummy Dee, getting
up, or sliding down, rather, from his
chair. That's what l wanted. Let's
walk. 1t isn't very far, and it's fine
day"
But before they started the bishop
swept up the written sheets of paper
and threw them on the crate. They
blazed cheerfully.
"Hip' said Dummy Dee. "See 'em
wriggle as if they hurt"
81 intended they should hurt Others"
said the bishop softly, with curious
smile.
Many curious eyes turned to watch
the two, the dignified ecclesiastic in
his churchly garb and the sunny, romp-
ing, rosy child, who, not altogether I'M
aware of these glances, took them
largely as tribute to his beloved bicy
Gle trousers and strutted proudly.
Two delightful stops were made be-
fore they reached the tenement where
little Nora lived, and they went on,
laden with books, games and flowers.
"Father says she looks like a picked
flower without water" said Dummy
Dee as they climbed the steep, rickety
stairs.
They entered the room in response to
Nora's summons, and Dummy Dee,
somewhat embarrassed, made the bish-
op known to the pale faced child lying
on the dingy bed.
No one had ever seen the scholarly
bishop in so delightful a mood as the
two children found him that afternoon.
Nora's cheeks grew pink with happi-
ness and her eyes brighter than ever as
she listened to stories guessed riddles
and played games with the bishop and
Dummy Dee.
AT last the shadows grew longer.
"I've last story to tell you two chill
dren before we CO." said the bishop,