OCR Text |
Show There was a story told of Mr. Radcliffe, a fox hunting parson in Devonshire. The Bishop of Exeter (Dr. Philpotts) came one day to visit him without notice. Parson Radcliffe, in scarlet, was just about to mount his horse and gallop off to the meet, when he heard the bishop was in the village. He had barely time to send away his hunter, run upstairs and jump, red coat and boots, into bed, when the bishop's carriage drew up at the door. "Tell his lordship I'm ill, will ye?" was his injunction to his housekeeper, as he flew to bed. "Is Mr. Radcliffe in?" asked Dr. Philpotts. "He's ill in bed," said the housekeeper. "Dear me! I am so sorry. Pray ask if I may come up and sit with him," said the bishop. The housekeeper ran upstairs in sore dismay, and entered the parson's room. The parson stealthily put his head out of the bedclothes, but was reassured when he saw the room was invaded by his housekeeper, and not by the bishop. "Please your honor, his lordship wants to come upstairs and sit with you a little." "With me," gasped the parson. "No; go down and tell his lordship I'm took cruel bad with scarlet fever; it's an aggravated case, and very catching." Enough, doubtless, to settle the bishop. |