Middletown transcript., 1904-11-05
THE BISHOPS AID !.
BY LON SH4 w

now lou say ne was stupid as boy,
asked Mrs. Bronson, anticipating con-
| fidential chat with Mrs jenkins, and
anxious to stimulate her fancy therefore
with as much fact as possible.
That's the queer thing about him.
As teacher, be was pragmatic and ted
ious, persistent about ones spelling
honor with the ~ but pronouncing
hundred 'hunderd.' When we were
first married | coaxed Frank to go with
me to hear him preach, and he afterwards
said it was 'alI front, like suburban
map But lately there has been such
talk OF his eloquence that We went again,
and Frank didn't doze even bit, and
this time he said that the Bishops mind
must be late ripe whatever that may
mean. The sermon certainly was an
intellectual treat" And Mrs. Wyley
sailed away to her room, as if she knew
what would be said and didn't much
care.
''The dear Bishop! Isn't she horrid ~
exclaimed the chorus. Meanwhile the
gathering OF young folks at the other end
of the piazza, in accordance with the law
of natural selection, had separated into
harmonious pairs. There was grove in
the rear of the bowling-aley, cool and
secluded. Its pathways were just wide
enough for two to walk abreast if they
would submit to close proximity, and
through these, with delightful disre-
gard of this inconvenience, were now
strolling little Miss Peters and Thomas
Graham, a young attorney from San
Francisco
'There's no use of all this, Tom Gra-
ham," said Christina, indefinitely yet
pointedly. 81 tell you my doom is
sealed. The proclamation is out. The
Bishop comes Saturday. My uncle ad-
mires him; my aunt idolizes him. He
will ask and must accept We must
part, part foreverp'
'I suppose that's so," said Graham,
dejectedly.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Tom Graham, to yield so supinely-a
great strong man like you. You don't
care for me, that's the explanation"
"Care for you, darling r A long and
tender pause. "My love is strong enough
to remove mountains, but what can do?
Haven't l besought you to elope with
me, and don't you refuse most cruelly?"
Eyes, and always shall. My fortune
is contingent on my marrying with uncle's
consent, and 1 don't intend to enrich my
envious relations, even to please you.
Oh know what you would say-that
you love me for myself alone and would
ioyfully work your fingers off for my
dear sake. You would have to wear
stuffed gloves then, wouldn't you, dearie?
And believe you, and that's why care
SO much for you, you great big unsophis-
ticated boy. But l don't yearn for love
in a cottage except one like uncle's at
$500 month. 1t would ruin my sunny
disposition. Besides, I'm entitled to my
own fathers hard earned money, and Pm
determined to have it, which is more.
We would continually be thinking how
happy We might have been. Why, you
don't make enough now to keep you out
Of debt and what would you do if you
had me also to support? Pm not lily
of the field. You should just see some
Of my bills. Why, even uncle would
often tear his hair, if he could, poor man.
No, it isn't practicable. You must win
me by some brilliant stroke. You are
lawyer and writer with mind fertile
of expedients. Do something. You can
weave plots for your novels, sir ; make
plot for me. Entrap this Bishop, and
make him your advocate. There's an
idea for you"
"That's practicable, isn't it? l don't
even know him, and he wants you him
| self"
II thought your love could remove
mountains and it can't even stir straw.
That's the way with you men nowadays.
You have no energy, no daring, no orig
inality, no knight-errantry. He is the
family adviser. You must capture him.
This is my ult-what's the word states
men use when they announce resolu-
ton they don't intend to keep"
"Ultimatum
That's it. Well, the Bishops aid is
my ultimatum SO be impressed, sir, and
gain it. You needn't worry meanwhile.
l will never marry him. l despise him
too much"
"what2 WI his goolden chain and
(a?"
Eyes, in full panoply."
"I'll try"
"Oh, how meek and Mosey Out of
the nettle danger you must pluck the
flower safety"
"And such fowerl But l really do
tolerabIy WELL" continued Tom, after
another long pause. "Of course, my
practice doesn't amount to much. It
never does until ones friends have tried
one oil strangers. But have few
strangers as clients, and they still live
and breathe the vital air. Besides, my
writing brings in pretty bit; and then
there's PAX Why, made this vaca-
ton out OF Pax"
"And what is Pax, pray?'
"Didn't ever tell you about it !? And
didn't you ever see this notice?" And
Tom drew from his pocket printed slip
and read as follows:
Authors and professional men will do
well to advise confidentially with the
Practical Aids to Composition Society.
Terms reasonable. Address z. A. G. S.,
Box 90, San Francisco"
"How could 1 have seen it in per-
sonal column p
"Of course. Excusez moi. Well, you
see, lot OF us fellows who can write
little organized this scheme to help those
who can't, but who must. We furnish !
the lions skin and they the personality.