Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-08-26
BIsHop poTTER,s WIT.
Sometimes II Flavored His Sermons,
but Oftener His Conversation.

wit, which sometimes favored his
sermons. but was, perhaps. more in
teresting In his private conyersa-
tion. ~
He was never rttualistic. He re-
fused for short time to visit the
most advanced Of the ritualistic
churches in New York, but his refu-
sal arose less from his objection to
The services than from the disobedi-
ence Of some Of the clergy in per-
sisting In practices against his au-
thority. He frequently attended the
most elaborately ritualistic services,
wearing only his lawn sleeves and
black silk gown, however ornate the
vestments of the others might be.
1t was after such service that he
met one of his old friends, woman
active In the work of the diocese, but
rather prejudiced against the ritual
istic practices.
And you mean to say that you
were at that church, Bishop?" she
said to him one day. Don't you
know they call that man 'Father?'
Don't you think that is outrageous?"
"Oh, l can't say that 1 do, Mrs.
Smith," was the deliberate reply of
the Bishop. "He certainly has a
right to be called father. Everybody
tells me that he has five very attract
i've children. If Ave don't give man
the right to that title I'd like to
know how many it takes"
1t was after the marriage of Bishop
Potter and Mrs. Clarke that the story
of his step-sons was told among his
friends. The second Mrs. Potter had
several sons who were grown up at
the time of the wedding, but much
younger than their step-father.
Bishop Potter also had several
daughters.
do you know, think I'll ask
your daughters" Mrs. Potter said
one day to her husband, "to call me
Elizabeth, my first name"
The Bishop was contemplative for
second.
Perhaps you'd better not after
ALL" he answered with his invaria-
BILE calmness. "lf you do maybe
your sons would want to call me
Henry"
The suggestion, made as it was in
spirit OF humor, appealed to the
wife and his daughters were not re-
quested to call her Elizabeth.
The Potter family at one time rep
resented the most conventional Of
New York's social ideas, but that
was as far back as the time in which
Mrs. James Brown Potter became an
actress. 1t was not, as a matter of
fact, an unprecedented thing for a
Bishop to have relatives on the stage.
Marie Wainwright, for instance, is
the daughter Of Bishop. But until
the wife Of Bishop Potter's nephew
took to the professional stage moth
ing Of the kind had happened in
New York. 1t was once while cele-
brating founders night at the Play
ers' Club that one Of a small party
In a corner joked the Bishop about
the propriety Of his presence in a
club of actors.
"Oh, l realize how we'll am suit
ed to this gathering" he said with a
twinkle in his eye. "You know ac-
tresses will happen in the best regu-
lated families"
One Of the stories that Bishop
Potter always loved to tell about
himself dated back to visit to Tux
edo, where he went to confirm class
Of candidates. He stopped as usual
at the house Of member of the
church he was visiting. He passed
a comfortable night and the next day
returned to New York for other du-
tiles.
Several days elapsed before he re-
ceived a letter from his hostess. In
1t she vaguely, but with evident con-
cern, referred to the silver toilet set
that had been spread out on the
dressing table. She even ventured to
wonder If the Bishop had. by mistake
packed it up with his own things
| when he went away.
1t was then he remembered what
had happened to the pieces. So he
sent telegram to quiet the appre-
hension Of the nervous hostess. 1t
read:
mot guilty. Look in the top bu-
reau drawer"
The magniflcence of the silver out
| laY had haan too much fnI. Ia 4