ROLLO’S FATHER
Rollo was so delighted to hear of something that he did not have to understand that he was quite the happiest of the family whose parental heads embellish this chapter. Indeed it was necessary for the photographer to ask Rollo to please not look so pleasant before the picture could be taken. Mr. Bishop, the photographer, was anxious to take separate pictures of each, even including Jonas, who looked surprisingly well in his other suit, but Rollo’s father said kindly but firmly, “No, Mr. Bishop, that would be putting me to unnecessary expense, which would be wrong. You have said your price is three and one-half dollars a dozen. I will purchase a dozen of the pictures if they are satisfactory, and cut one up if the occasion requires. Should an enlargement of the central figure be demanded, I presume it can be arranged.”
As the family were driving home from Mr. Bishop’s studio, Rollo who sat on the front seat with Jonas said, “Jonas, why did Mr. Bishop tell Lucy and James and me to watch for the little bird in the hole in his camera when there was no little bird?”
ROLLO’S MOTHER
Jonas, with the butt of his whip, humanely removed a large horse-fly from the flank of Old Trumpeter before he said, “Mr. Bishop spoke of the little bird merely to attract the attention of you and your cousin James. While it is true that there was no little bird—or at least, I saw none—it is equally true that you and James were exceedingly restive.”
“But, Jonas,” continued Rollo, “if there was no little bird, did not Mr. Bishop tell a lie?”
While Jonas was thoughtfully removing another horse-fly from Old Trumpeter Rollo’s father leaned over his son’s shoulder and said kindly, “My son, you must not disturb Jonas while he is driving, or we shall soon all be in the ditch. It is only reasonable to suppose that Mr. Bishop was mistaken in thinking that there was a little bird in the studio. Or there may have been one under his black cloth. Did you look under the black cloth?”
“No sir,” replied Rollo.