The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10
MRS. MILLS D. VAN wAGENEN

Oh-Mag! Shame on you not to
know the name even Of the Bishop Of
the great State of-yes, the lean, short
little Bishop with a little white beard,
and the softest eye and the softest
heart and-my very own Bishop, Nancy
Oldens Bishop. And this was his wife.
Tut-tut, Mag! OF course not A
Bishops wife may be a kleptomaniac;
it's only Cruelty girls thar really steal
from stores.
i've met the Bishop, Mrs. Van
Wagenen." I didn't say how-she
wouldn't appreciate that story. "And
he was once very kind to me- But he
would be the first to tell me to do my
duty now. I'll do it as quietly as 1
can for his sake. But you must come
with me or 1 must arrest ="
She put up a shaking hand. Dear
little old guyl
"Don't-don't say it! It's all mis-
take, which can be rectified in a mo-
ment. I've been trying to match this
piece of lace for years. 1 got it at
Malta when-when Mills and lon our
honeymoon. When 1 saw it there on
the counter 1 was so delighted-I never
thought intended taking it to the
light to be sure the pattern was the
same, my eyesight is so wretched-and
when you spoke to me it was the first
inl1ling I had that 1 had really taken
it without paying! You certainly un-
derstand,' she pleaded in agitation. L
have no need to steal-you must know
that-Oh, that I wou1dn't-that
couldn't If you will just let me pay
you"
Here now. Mag Monahan. don't you
get to sneering. She vas straight
right on the level. all right. You
couldn't listen to that cracked little
voice of hers a minute without being
sure of it.
I was just about to permit her gra-
ciously to pay me the money-for my
friend, the dear Bishops sake, of
course-when a big fioorwalker hap
pened to catch sight OF Us.
IF you'll come with me, Mrs. Van
Wagenen, to a dressing-room, I'll ar
range your collar for you," l said very
loud. And then, in a whisper: "Of
course, 1 understand, but the thing may
look different to other people. And
that big floorwalker there gets COM
mission from the newspapers every
time he tells them"
She gave a squawk for all the world
like a dried-up little hen scuttling out
of a yellow dogs way, and we took
the elevator to the second floor.
The minute I closed the door Of the
little fitting room she held out the lace
to me.
4 have changed my mind she said,
6.I T
will not keep it. 1 cannot cannot
bear the sight of it. 1t terrifies me
and shocks me. l can take no pleasure
in it. Besides-besides, it will be dis
cipline for me to do without it now that
I have found it after all these years.
Every day l shall look at the place in
my collection which it would have oc-
cupied, and I shall say to myself:
Maria Van Wagenen, take warning.
See to- what terrible straits a worldly
passion may bring one; what uncon-
scious greed may do!' 1 shall give the
money to Mills for charity and 1 will
never-never fill that place in my col
lection"
What good will that do?" I asked.
puzzled, while / folded the collar UP
into a very small package.
"Ycu mean that / ought to submit
to the exposure-that deserve the
lesson and the punishment-not for
stealing, but for being absorbed in
worldly things. Perhaps you are right.
1t certainly shows that you have at
some time been under Mills spiritual
care, my dear. 1 wonder if he would
insist-whether L ought-yes, suppose
he would. OH"
A saleswoman's head was thrust in
the door Excuse me-" she said, Il
thought the room was empty"
We've just finished trying on" I
said sweetly.
Don't go!" The Bishops wife
turned to her, her little fiuttering
hands held out appealingly. And do
not misunderstood me. The thing may
seem wrong in your eyes, as this young
woman says, but If you will listen pa
tiently to my explanation, I am sure
you will see that 1t was a mere eager
oversight-the fault of absent minded
ness, hardly the sin of covetousness,
and surely not a crime. am making
this confession"
The tender conscience of the dear,
blameless little soull She was actually
giving herself away. Worse-she was
giving me away, too. But 1 couldn't
stand that. 1 saw the saleswoman's
puzzled face-she was a tall woman
with a big bust, big hips and the big
head all right, and she wore her long
train black rig for all the world like a
Cruelty girl who had stolen the ma
irons skirts to play lady" in / got
behind little Mrs. Bishop, and looking
out over her head, tapped my fore
head significantly.
The saleswoman tumbled. That was
all right. But so did the Bishops wife;
for she turned and caught me at it.
You shall not save me from myself