El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-10

as he finished his toast. The
l. world had smiled on him; so
why should he not smile. too?
He was spending his first holiday in
the homeland after doing five years
hard labor in his Central African do
cese, and the change was not unwel-
come. He had come home laden with
honor and good repute, and somewhat
J weakened by the after-effects of
sharp attack of malarial fever; put
! the Harley-street specialist had now
given him clean bill of health. He
had nothing to DO but to enjoy him
self, varied by few engagements to
preach and address meetings. He had
| plenty of money to spend, for-though
his episcopal income was barely
! enough to cover expenses-he had
| good private means, and was IN a po-
/ sition to make himself comfortable.
| Now he was considering how ne
( should best spend the day. Why not
| run down by a morning train and
| spend a few pleasant hours beside the
waves?
/ There was a train from Charing
Cross about 10. So the bishop packed
/ his bag hastily, called a taxi, and was
soon on his way TO the station There
were few passengers that morning,
]
/ he was going to have his compartment
! to himself But just as the whistle
| blew and the train was beginning to
move, the door was flung open and a
/ short, stoutish man tumbled in he
was just about the bishops figure,
and, like him, was clean shaver.
Narrow squeak, that" painted the
man, as he mopped his brow with
green and red silk handkerchief
Very, my dear sir" answered the
bishop. Sudden exertion of that kind
is trying at our time Of life and TO
men of our build I always make 1t
point to be in ample time myself But
] I make no doubt that urgent circum-
stances caused you to be pressed for
time"
"Confoundedly urgent" snorted the
other. 81 suppose you don't object TO
smoking?"
Now, if there was one thing in this
world that She bishop hated more than
another it was the smell of tobacco
smoke. But be was the soul of good
nature; so he untruthtully said, Not
at ALL and congratulated himself on
the fact that he heat of the day would
be a good excuse for keeping the win
dows open. Then he opened his bag
to get out the copy of the journal
which he had put aside to read, and
found to his Vexation that he had for
gotten it There was nothing in the
shape of reading matter except time
table and his sermon for the evening
But his companion had observed the
look of disappointment, and asked II
he would care to look at the paper
The bishop accepted the Sffer with
gratitude.
The bishop started with the front
page, coming TO an anecdote about a
little French actress that opened wen
and promised to be interesting But
before he had finished it his cheeks
were even redder than nature had
made them. The bishop was not
squeamish. His work lay in a coun-
try where a string of beads was full
dress for a lady, and the men went
about as nature made them But this
story-Well, really, some rascally COM
positor must have been playing most
reprehensible trick on the editor! The
bishop hastily turned the page.
The rest of the paper did not greatly
interest him.
At last the train drew into Battle
ham The sun shone glorious
", the sea was as calm as a millpond,
and the promenade was crowded with
people in holiday garb.
Now. there is only one drawback to
a bishops enjoyment on a summer
day. 1t is q question of dress The
episcopal garment is a trifle worrying
at times. True there are bishops who
go holiday-makin in multi, and dress
on such occasions in secular fannels;
but his lordship of WandOranga was
not of their school He felt his re-
The bishop dearly loved swim.
After all, why should he not have a
bath? There was nothing in itself
unseemly about a bishop taking a
swim. 1t was really getting too hot
for endurance; even an African bishop
needs to cool down sometimes. So he
made up his mind, and then made his
way towards the machines.
A hairy Individual provided him
els, and directed him to an unoccupied
machine at a little distance. The
bishop clambered in, and speedily
ceased to look like a bishop. When
undressed he peered with some diff
Guilty at the number on the door, for
a man cannot battle in spectacles, and
made it out to be So. Then he plunged
in, and soon was swimming with long,
slow breast strokes in a direction pa
rallel with the shore. He enjoyed him. |
self hugely.
All went well till he decided that he /
had had enough. He walked gingerly I
along the pebbly beach behind the ma
chimes, and was almost knocked oyer !
by a short man who was about 20
enter one of the machines but :
evidently saw that it was the wrong
one, for he started back rather sud-
denly and FASTENED away in another
direction. The bishop wondered if
that would prove to be his machine;
and, on peering at the number, he
thought he recognized SS-thOugh as
a matter of fact, it was IS.
The bishop climbed carefully up the /
steps and entered. But he was scarce J
" inside when someone caught hold |
of his arm and exclaimed, Now we've /
got you, my birdp'
Il beg your pardon, my dear SIR |
cried the bishop; IT would not have
had such a thing happen for the !
world. My sight is very imperfect, |
and have evidently mistaken the ma !
chine I thought this was No. SO. 1 |
will retire at once, and beg you to ac- /
cept my most sincere apologies"
mo, you don't, my artful cove" an
swered the man in possession, as he |
thrust a huge, blue-coated body be- |
tween the bishop and the door We've !
had trouble enough to catch you; and l
we don't let you get away again in a /
hurry"
But you are under some extTaordi-
nary mistake" urged the bishop
There's no mistake about it," re-
torted the policeman. Il watched YOU
get in, and I got in after you to make /
sure of you Now, you had better put |