The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-05-11

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Robert
You don happen to have pocket in
your dress?''
mo, dear Bishop. That is one of the
Woman Rights still denied US. But
you have bunch Of keys in your pocket.
Let me try if any of those will fit.
The clergyman and the Bishop tested
all the frst-story windows, while Mrs.
Percival tried keys in the impassive lock.
The windows were all secured and none of
the keys fitted. Then they held council.
The Bishop unwonted exertiun had made
him warm, and when he stood still, the icy
wind blowing against his heated forur was
chilly and uncomfortable enoted men
tally that the clergyman and his wife had
not yet lost themselves in abusive language.
Company manners hold pretty strong
if Is only restraint, he reflected, and
watched, forgetting his own annoyance.
Suddenly Mrs Pereiyal laughed low,
quick laugh Of deep amusement.
Robert, She said softly. and her voice
rippled with fun, Robert. I'm afraid
you Il have to 90 down the coal chute =
The clergyman gasped at the idea. The
cyai-ehute was a long, box like tunnel
about twelve by eighteen inches in size.
black and smutty, Of course, which ran
under the porch on a slight incline and
communicated by means Of glass window
NiIh the coal bin in the cellar The eler-
gymau removed lat,iced screen in the
from; Of the porch that concealed the coal
chute from outside view and surveyed the
small, square, black hole obviously. Mrs.
Percisal aud the Bishop surveyed it too
Are ven sure you have tried all the
windows the Bishop asked Of the clergy
man
Every one on the first story.
Are you ~are the key Is not in your
pocket, dear Madam be asked Of Mrs.
Perriyal
Mrs. Perciyal feI, again furlely
1T must have dropped out when tossed
ny coat on the back Of q chair in the dress
in. rom, she said sadly.
Then there nothing else for il. my
dear man, IN hold your coa;
The clergyman removed his DveToaat aud
handed it 60 the Bishop With sigh for
his best casi he clambered feet raremos,
into the chute Mrs Pergivai fclt hysger
isiL The Bishop would never engage a
cAijuior whom he could recollect having
,.,eu under ,neh uudiguiliel circumstances,
The clergyman wriihed down the chute
Ike an ylao-Aisi crab, until his patent
icajheT shgs- came in contact With the eel
hy widow {, vas necessary 10 remove
,hls obstacle 10 his further progress. Cler.
-yus~n are supposed, eonsiitutionally or
becauye of their cloth, 10 know nothing
about dauc'ng. Bui though even a eler
gyman coald perform double shuttle on
level ground st put 10 it, when lying on
one back al an angle of twenty-five de-
Erces in narrow. bax Ike tunnel simple
b. Is more difFieult of execution
The clergy uao d,d his strenuous best,
aud at the end came a crunch Of splinterpd
woodwork aud the crash IL glass This
sound va followed 80 the ears Of the aux-
Ious listeners above by a daIl thud and then
a -iekcnins silen,e Mrs Pereiyal squeezed
the Bishop arm apprehensirely.
The chute take, sudden drop at the
window and ,herv In l much coal in the
b,a 10 YOU suppose he Is very badly
bur;
Call down 10 him, suggested the
Bishop in voice OF concern
Rnbertl caIlei Hrs. Perciyal, Rob.
ert.
There vas moment of breathIess 81
lengc. aud then lhe clergyman voice
c1ns oul 90 then ho,lavly
The door at the top Of the cellar steps
is locked oa the other side
Mrs Pcrc,gal was ,peechless at the
tragedy of the situation She plunged her
hands into her coat pockets 70 search for
her haudk rrehief, for she double purpose
of wiplng away her tears and stopping up
her mouth, for the laughter would come.
The Bishop had not grasPed the signif
eauce Of the clergyman worls That he
could speak assured them that Robert was
safe, and he waited patiently for him to 60
through the house TO the front door aud
ley thrm in. The nigh, wind vas bleak
and the Bishop was no longer young
Suddenly Mrs Percival shE'eked. 1t
was a los toned, scmi-yoiced shrek, but il
spoke 4 volume OF enigmas. The Bishop
thought she had stuck herself on a pin.
The clergyman down in the dark cellar in-
tcrprcted it as frenzy Of dismay,
Perhaps can break it open, he called
up through the sepulchral medium Of the
chute
oh Robert, his wife replied, her
voice floating down To him as dalcet as
spring breeze blowing over clover, "Oh
Robert, I'm 50, 50 sorry. VIII you for
give me
The Bishop listened with amazement
But the clergyman, whose keen mind had
an almost feminine power Of jumping at
conclusions smiled bit grimly, perhaps,
but he smiled
Where was it p he called
The Bishop stared at a sound Of ripping,
and saw Mrs. perciyal arm plunge into
the reeesses of her coat, far below the
limit drawn for the depth Of even a woman ;
pocket
"There-there was hole in my pock-
ct, She called in confession, and slowly
drew furth-,he missing key.
Here was the Bishops test. He held
his breath 1t would never do to engage
a coadjutor whom he knew 10 be addicted
to the use Of strong language, nor one who
quarreled with bis wife.
"Wen, hurry up and unlock the door,
and remember [ IN prisoner down here,
called the clergyman with incredible anna
blity. "Tm thankful we We found the
key to the situation.
The Bishop shivered in the cold night
air and shook his head twas company
manners. Anything else under the cir
cumstances would be unnatural. He would
listen with his bedroom door ajar for the
aftermath. The decision at stake justified
the act
Mrs Percival unlocked and opened the
front door, aud while the Bishop stood over
the register she disappeared into the back
entry. There was the sound of with
drawal of bolts and of persons cropping in
the dark Then the clergyman emerged,
I l.