The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1908-11-05
THE BISHOP AND THE BABY.
Bv w1N1FRED NJ. KIRKLAND.


her smile at last, but when he asked
her to come and sit with him she tum.
bled down sheepishly into her place,
and would have nothing more TO do
with him He wished she had come,
for he was lonely. He wondered If
he had put everything into his bag.
He missed his own little girl so much
when it came to packing She had al
ways taken care Of that, and Of his
letters and his yestments and his
pudse and ais engagements, Of every
thing He should never get used TO
doing without her. Five years since
she had gone. and he seemed only TO
miss her more.
The train was stopping again. On
the platform just outside the bishops
window stood a rugged old man, mut'
fed up TO the ears, peering into the
car The stolid little girl in the seat
In front jumped up, shouting, Grand
pa, grandpa, grandpa The bishop
tried to wave her a good'by but she
did not see him; she was buried in
the little old mans embrace.
There had been a time when the
bishop had thought a child's voice
would some day call him grandpa"
but the little lips had been cold be-
fore he could kiss them. Sometimes,
as he travelled, the bishop would fancy
that all on the car were going toward
their own kin. going to be welcomed
by children, parents. sisters, brothers
all but him. Every day for him
there was the shaking OF strange
hands, the speaking to strange faces.
The bishop heard his station called,
and rose stifiy.
Il miss the little girl today he
said to himself. I'm afraid I'm a lit.
tie tired for visiting"
The brakeman sprang to carry the
bishops bag. People always helped
the bishop. Every stranger was his
friend Perhaps it was because OF
the infrm sjoop OF the shoulders un.
der the old cape oyercoat; perhaps 1t
was his sweet. absentmnded eyes;
perhaps II was his smile the smile Of
| q little child on the lips Of an old man.
The rector had gone to a funeral of
/ on the bleak hills, and so old Daniel
Springer met the bishop at the train,
| and escorted him TO the rectory. shut,
| fling away at the door. however, not
accepting Doris's invitation to enter.
He left the bishop staring in sur
| prise From the gray outside world
the door had opened on a picture that
caused him. poet and artist as he was,
a keen delight. This was hardly the
minister's wife he had expected, this
| girl with the rosy baby on her arm
/ 4 slender girl in black, a knot OF old
/ lace at her throat. with rich, dark col
| or great brown eyes, brown braids
| piled high on her head, vivid, parted
| lips which showed still an expression
wistful and appealing. Just so the
little girls lips had looked when hC
had come back to her after long alb
sence.
A rich Southern voice was bidding
| aim welcome. All Doris's shyness wa:
gone. She led the bishop TO the roar
ing wood stove in the little room tha'
in the winter was diniug-room anc
parlov both in one. The baby was
tumbled on the floor. Doris was help
ing the bishop of with his overcoat
pushing a footstool to his feet. The
kettle could be heard singing in the
kitchen. In an instant a cup Of steam
ms tea was ready. This drunk, the
baby would no longer be disregarded
The bishop lifted him to his knee
They danced and trotted and patty
caked' and went TO Banbury Cross
Then the baby settled TO a long anC
silent scrutiny Of the bishops watch
only now and then lifting his head fol-
a smile Of sympathetic understanding
from the bishop. It was all very com
Portable Doris drew her little low
rocker up TO the bishops knee anC
began to darn a little sock.
/ "Ga.ga.ga.ga!" gurgled the baby.
He is saying grandpa" said Doris
And then she never knew how It hap
pened that she told it all to the bish
Cd. all that she had previously tolt
only 70 the baby. Afterward she wal
surprised at herself. but the bishol
I lad long ceased 10 be surprised tina
people should tell him many things Of
brief acquaintance. He thought /
one OF the beautiful compensation
sent him for his loneliness.
I'm the youngest" Doris told him
I'm twenty-five. Mother died when
was little, and l was the last one lef
home with pa
The bishop knew the names OF al
the sisters and brothers, Of all tn
darkies on'the place, too,-eyen Of al