Middletown transcript., 1907-09-07
THE BISHOPS 0UlVER

6naG Wdru0u H0E H0dEL, III SpItS
of its boyish roughness.
Mother laughed, and her eyes
twinkled as she looked fondly at
her boys.
Girls were dear-oh, very dear,
indeed but her boys! The blood
came into her cheeks at the
thought until they were ike pink
canoes.
Tell me about Ted, she said,
her hand in Bob's, who had taken
Beth's place with scant cere
mony. Now he has gone to find
his father.
Well, sir, began Bob, old Ted
saved the day for US in the game
last week! He came down-cut
the logical SEM for that great
once-and he sat, all the great
length, breadth and thickness of
him, coiled like a spring, on the
bleachers, and roaring Justify !;
but two men were out which
made it black for US. Then Bob
Evarts got hit by a foul, SO old
Ted unfolded his mighty klckers
and came down and won out for
us, on a score of 1 to 2 in favor
Of us uns. Oh, we coughed up
big, and filled old Ted's jeans
full of tin for his Western mission
work, and we sang, shouted and
banqueted him; and Tedums
blushed way round behind his
ears when old Prex himself
pranced out, and said, My boy,
you are like your father-he al
ways does the right thing at the
right time.
He was right! said mother,
with a thrill in her voice and
tears in her eyes. Tell me more!
Come now, dearie, we want to
fix you up, said Beth's voice from
the cottage. She, with the other
girls, had been inside, unpacking
and settling er possessions.
It's almost dinner-time.-
Mother looked appealingly at
the boys, but even they went
over to the enemy.
Go on with the girls, mudder,
| said Jack we'll have a smoke
and go down and meet dad and
Ted. We told Sam, coming up,
that he might not think much of
the beauty of the family, judging
by its youthful sprouts, but for
him to wait until he should see
our governor and his wife in
their yar-paint.
When the bishop came up later,
with his boys around him, he
nearly dropped his string of fish
in his surprise, for there was his
wife, in a filmy pale-gray gov n,
with her beautiful hair rolled
back over pearl-set combs. She
made a very entrancing picture,
but there was an expression in
her eyes that did not indicate
unalloyed joy.
Now, see here, said the bishop,
gravely, are you making your
mother unhappy by logging her
up? | won't have it She is up
here for rest of mind and body,
and she shall do as she pleases.
Look at yourselves, and look at
me we are unconventional
enough surely, and who on earth
cares up here, anyway
Why, daddy, we care said Pen
elope, in a grieved voice. Mother
is the only beauty in the family,
and we can't stand seeing her
frumpy. It's all well enough for
us, but mother is different.
Your mother looks well in
anything maintained the bishop,
stoutly. She's been wearing a
blue calico-I think-and she
looked like a dream in it
A mighty shout wdnt up at
this tribute.
Mother doesn't mind our fuss
ing-do you ? said Beth. hugging
her tight; and she does look like
a dream in all these misty grays,
and her pearl combs, that the
boys brought her. Go on, daddy,
please, and clean up a little /;
we're so ravenous.
To the bishop disappeared.and
when he came back he was stfug-
Cling into his bishops coat.
If you make my wife a martyr,
I'll share her martyrdom, he
announced, firmly and the vision
in gray felt comforted.
This gentle, lovely woman often
took herself to task over her
seeming lack Of appreciation Of
the efforts of her children in her
behalf, and she shed tears in
private over it, and said many
prayers for patience. She found
the role she had to play trihe
hard sometimes.
/ n Il 4 L Il.