THE OLD RACE OF PARSONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 14 October 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE OLD RACE OF PARSONS.

Thf, old race of parsons i* not, even now, al-, together extinct-, I knew of one, sii 1* I believe, lie vicar of a remote hamlet in one of the southern counties, who would go any distance for a good din He."; but stirring frora i his fireside and tumbler of toddy to (license | spiritual consolation to a poor parishioner, ; even only a mile distant, was <pi its another : matter. I On one occasion a neighbouring rest lent i not ninth given to hospitality, sent foi hint ' !it administer the Communion to his valet, ; a- Swiss Protestant, who was lying a; the. point of death. It was a cold night-, and i though the parson had oalv to cross tiro or. i three fields, jie ignored the .summons in i.t- ---• vou: of the mote pressing claims of a pipe , and whisky-uud-water. In the course <1 tnei • night the poor Swiss died, and his muster,, i very properly indignant'-, repaired the next, | morning to the vicarage to remonstrate with. I the negligent- pastor. You must }wutlont I me for saying," he remarked, as the vicar j received his indignant remonstrances with' ' easy nonchalance, "that in my opinion you i have incurred a very great responsibility ! in neglecting to administer the last- ri'.-es of the Church to a dying man." "Pooli! pooh!" testily retorted the man of God, " one can't be at everybody's beck and call afteri dinner 0:1 a winter's night. Beside#," lie added, contemptuously, " the follow was 4 after all. only a Frenchman! - ' Not long after this he fell out on s.omo parish question with the lord of the manor, whose sou and heir, a- squireen who d vided his time between field sports and the w.iiskvbottle. so provoked the reverend gentleman* at a village meeting that the hitter, much to the admiration of his sporting parishioners, proceeded to tweak his opponent's nose, to the accompaniment of highly uncleric.il language ! Retaliatory measures ensued with such energy that eventually magisterial intervention was invoked at the county :owu, and the reverend gentleman was bound over to keep the peace for six months, mrcli to the disgust, ot the squireen, who had 1 oped, at- l-'ast. for a heavy tine, and paraded the market place proclaiming that though the Bench might let the parson oil" titers was another tribunal that, would deal with him less leniently. "I'll put the bishop on to. 'im," lie vociferated with a vengeful flick:i of his thong, very much as lie might, th 'eaten to set- a terrier on to a rat—" I'll put the bishop on to 'im. that's what I'll do." But. the bishop was more unreasonable 1 even than the magistrates, much to the triumph of the militant parson, and the feud' ! continued with unabated bitterness till one, winter's afternoon the young squire's favour-! ite black mare galloped up the manor house, avenue with an empty saddle, her owner hav-i ing started home, from some neighbouring carouse with a loose rein and an tin iteady. ! hand on. what proved to be his last ride.; Poor 'fellow! both he and his vicar hue. come into the world a eeutury too late. They, would have made admirable studies for tha! pen of Henry Fielding! From Black'rood's; Magazine.