The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-05-12
FRIDAY, May 70, 1911

mo, dear bishop. That is one OF
the Woman's Rights still denied us
But you have a bunch of keys in your
pocket Let me try If any OF those
flt."
The clergyman and the bishop test
ed all the frststory windows, while
Mrs, Percival tried keys in the I'M
passive lock. The windows were all
secured and none of the keys fitted
Then they held a council. The bish-
ops unwonted eXertion had made him
warm, and whsn he stood still, the
icy wind blowing against his heated
form was chilly and uncomfortable
He noted mentally that the clergyman
and his wife had not yet lost them
selves in abusive language.
Company manners hold pretty
strong, if It is only restraint" he re-
dected, and watched forgetting his
own annoyance.
Suddenly Mrs. Perciyal laughed-a
low, quick laugh of deep amusement.
Robert" she said, softly, and her
voice rippled with fun, Robert I'm
afraid youll have to go down the
coal chute"
The clergyman gasped at the idea.
The coal chute was a long, box-like
tunnel about II by 16 inches in size,
black and smutty, Of course, which
ran under the porch on a slight in
cline and communicated by means OF
a glass window with the coal bin in
the cellar. The clergyman removed
a latticed screen in the front of the
porch that concealed the coal chute
from outside view and surveyed the
small, square, black hole obviously.
Mrs. Percival and the bishop surveyed
it, too.
There's nothing else for it,,
my dear man. I'll hold your coat
The clergyman removed his over
coat and handed it to the bishop.
With a sigh for his best coat, he
clambered feet foremost into the
chute. Mrs. Percival felt hysterical.
The bishop would never engage a CO
adjutor whom he could recollect hav-
ing seen under such undignifed cir
cumstances!
The clergyman writhed down the
chute like an elongated crab, until
his patent-leather shoes came in con-
tact with the cellar window. 1t was
necessary to remove this obstacle to
his further progress.
The clergyman did his strenuous
best, and at the end came a crunch
of splintered woodwork and the crash
of glass. This sound was followed
in the ears of the anxious listeners
above by a dull thud and then a SICK
ening silence. Mrs, Percival squeezed
the bishops arm apprehensively.
"The chute takes a sudden drop
at the window and there isn't much
coal in the bin. Do you suppose he
is very badly hurt?'
Call down to him." said the bishop
in voice Of concern.
Robert" called Mrs. Percival,
Robert"
There was a moment of breathless
silence, and then the clergyman S
voice came out to them hollowly
Suddenly Mrs. Percival shrieked 1t
was a low-toned, semi-voiced shrek,
but it spoke a volume Of enigmas.
The bishop thought she had stuck
herself with a pin. The clergyman
down in the dark cellar interpreted 1t
as a frenzy OF dismay.
Perhaps l can break it open," he
called UP through the sepulchral me-
dium Of the chute.
ooh, Robert" his wife replied, her
voice floating down to him as dulcet
as a spring breeze blowing over
clover, "Oh, Robert, I'm so sorry
viii you forgive me?
The bishop listened with amaze
ment. But the clergyman, whose
keen mind had an almost feminine
power Of jumping at conclusions,
smiled-a bit grimly, perhaps, but he
smiled.
Where was it?" he called.
The bishop stared at q sound OF
ripping, and saw Mrs. Percivals arm
plunge into the recesses of her coat
far below the limit drawn for the
depth of even a womans pocket.
"There-there was a hole in my
pocket" she called, in confession, and
slowly drew forth-the missing key.
Here was the bishops test. He
held his breath. 1t would never 90
to engage a coadjutor whom he knew
to be addicted to the use Of strong
language, nor one who quarreled with
his wife.
We'll, hurry up and unlock the
door, and remember I'm a prisoner
down here" called the clergyman,
with incredible amiability. I'm thank
full we've found the key to the sit
uation."
The bishop shivered in the cold
night air and shook his head 1t was
company manners" Anything else
under the circumstances would be un'
natural. 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, and while the bishop
stood over the register she disap
peared into the back entry. There
was the sound Of withdrawal Ol
bolts and of persons cropping in the
dark. Then the clergyman emerged
looking like a coalheaver.
Apologies were exchanged hastily
The clergyman's voice shook percep
tibly, and Mrs. Percival murmured hel
good nights inaudibly, her face
ayerted.
The bishop was conscious of a dis
| tinrt cnneatinn Of dieannnintmnnt