Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-05-24
she has none either"

Lis ldSS OeNoAS Suuu4J S'o
"There is something about Edith,
however, that 1 must con6de to you,
he said, something that no one alive
knows save 1 myself. Under the cir
cumstauces, Arthur, you should know
it, too. l disclose it under the seal
of the confessional as something you
must never mention at any time nor
under any stress.
Van Ruyven bent his head slowly
in acknowledgment of his obligation.
Edith" said the bishop very gent
ly, as ifeven the confession of 1t cost
him a pang, "is not my own child"
Van Ruyven eat up in surprise.
"Not your child?" he repeated in
credulously.
mo" said the bishop. "Years ago,
when l was in charge of very hum.
BILE ecountry parish, she was left on the
steps OF the rectory one night, a tiny
mite, wrapped in an old horse blanket.
We intended at first to send ber to an
asylum, but there was something about
those big dark eyes and those tiny
arms even then that cried out to us.
You know there were never any chill
dren of our own, and she came to fill
the vacant niche in our lives" He
paused moment and smiled reminis-
Gently. 81 thought you ought to
know of this, even if
"My dear bishop" Van Ruyven
interrupted, 81 doubt if she could
have been really more yours had she
been born to you. Why. she has your
traits. She even has your penetrat-
ing way of looking at one.
"I don't think the accident OF her
birth has made very much difference
with her or with me, the bishop said.
"My own daughter could not have
been more to me, Arthur. " The
bishops eyes were moist in his ear
nestness. "She has never once dis
appointed me. Even her intentions
seem to be mine"
r
There was a commotion down stairs,
then the sound of footsteps on the
polished stairs, and vigorous knock
on the Intel. The portiere was
whisked aside and au excited maid
came into the room-so excited that
she gave no heed to the bish ops
trown of mid reproof at her unseem-
l1 euIlduOe.
"Plaze, sor," she gasped, "Miss
Edith do be wantin' yer down stairs
at once, sor. They's been a baby left
on the doorstip"
The bishop almost sprang from his
chair.
"a what ?" he said.
"a baby, sor-lift on the doorstip,
sor."
"There seems something almost
ominous in this coincidence, Arthur"
he said nervously. pardon me a
moment. I'll be back directly.
After the bishop had left the room,
Van Ruyven tiptoed cautiously into
the hall and peered over the banisters.
1t was indeed strange group that
stood in the hall below-Mrs. Briggs,
the housekeeper, with the much
swathed foundling in her arms
Edith, tall and stately, standing near.
by, her arms and ueck showing like
ivory against the dark tapestry on
on the wall; the bishop peering into
the depths of the old shawl that
wrapped the child two maids cram
ing over his shoulder, and the statues
que Rigging explaining, to such ae
cared to listen, how he had come to
find the bundle when he had answer.
ed the bell.
And what'll we do with it?' ask
ed Mrs. Briggs, when Higgins tale Of
woe had come to an end.
do ?" said Edith. why, we'll
take it to the home, of course.
my dear" the bishop remonstrat.
ed mildly, why not keep it here
with US? To take it to the home
seems to me to be very much like
casting it into outer darkness. Of
course, we can't look after all the
waits; but suppose We take this one,
who has been left at our very door,
and give it chancein the world.
Edith laughed unsympathetically.
"Why, father. dear. what a silly idea,
she began. "of course We can't keep
it."
'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these" quoted the
bishop.