Miscellaneous News.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7352, 21 July 1902, Page 2

Miscellaneous News.

THE PARSON AND THE BUCK-

JUMPER

" AUicus " writes ia the Leader : —The oldest Australian churchman has just passed away in fhe person of Dean Cowper, of' Sydney, at the ripe age of 92. Dean Oowper's Australian experiences date back to the days when the kangaroo hounded where the electric trams now mow down the unwary, and when the emu fed were bicycles now abound. He he was an Australian native, and, like a true Australian and a clergyman of the old school, could " ride like an angel" in his younger days When, the late dean first tuok up his duties as a clergyman he was called upon to preach to scattered ilorks and the ministers of those days hac to be hard riders to meet Their engagements. The Rev. W. JM. Cowper was the hardest rider oi them all. On one occasion when tue vouae parson was preaching to an up-coun-try congregation, while his h-<rse waited tethered at the back of'the small church, a newly arranged practical joke was 'carried out The joke consisted in substituting for the preacher's horse a notable local buck jumper, which, with a little 'akin* very closely resembled the Termer' The horses were changed and the in' kers to whom the Rev. Cowper was « , St +anSer' awaited developments and the expected 'overthrow of ihP ih?°\ Til e preacher « from the church, removed ihe lnrw'« owner of the horse, one of the loWs followed on the Rev. Cowp"r% hois P mm 'i - broke? and contrite. Nb moie horse jokes were played unnn the parson in that district P A. BISHOP CRICKETER. Portsmouth recently,, remarks a recent London paper, witnessed the novel spectacle of a Bishop leading a team of clerical cricketers'in a match against an eleven composed of Army men. What is more, the' eft fj«s" s.- Portsea; he. could furnish" from his many curates an•■ excellent rss^asa'SFS mm only compile' a^SM?OS™ 7; coul(1 " struck -it. rich-> •■ )ntner,; . and was .bitten .^SS v"^'^