Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-10-17
The Joking Cler4yman,

cript relates the following anecdotes of the
Rev Ma'ther Byles, the well known
joking clergyman of Boston. Mr. Byles
lived a, the time of the revolution. and
was tory. The dis,il|ery of Thomas Hill
was at the corner of Essex and South
streets, not far from Belkman's residence
in Lincoln-street. DR. Byles called on
Mr. Hill, and inquired. "Do you still p
"Tbat is my business" Mr. Hill replied.
"Then," said Dr. Byles, "will you go
with me and still my wife ?"
As he was once occupied in mailing
some lists upon his doors, 10 exclude the
cold. a parishioner said to him, ",he wind
bIoweth wheresoever il listeth, Dr. Byle.,"
eyes sir replied the Doctor, "and man
listeth wheresoever the wind bloweth.,
In May l777. DR. Byles wa. arrested
as a tory, and subsequently tried, convic-
ted, sentenced TO confinement on hoard a
guard-ship and TO be sent to England,
with his family, in forty days. This sem
tence was changed by the board of war,
10 confinement in his own house. A
guard was placed over him. After time
the sentinel was removed-afierwardS re-
p'aced-again removed-when The Doc
tor exclaimed that "He had been guard
ed, regarded, and disregardea."
He called his sentry his obsery-n- -torv
Perceivine one morning that lie sentinel
a simple fellow was absent, and seeing
DIR Byles himself pacing before his own
door. with muske, on his shoulder, the
neighbor> stepped over to ask the cause.
"You see" saic the doctor. IL begged
the sentinel to let me 60 to get some milk
for my family. but he would not suffer me
to stir. reasoned the matter with him,
and he has gone hims elf TO get il for me,
on condition that l keep guard in his alb
sence."
One bitter December night he called
his daughters from their bed simply 10 in
qn're il they lay warm, He had small
collection OF curiosi,ies. Some visitors
called one morning, and Mrs Byles un.
willing TO be found at her ironing board,
and, in the immergency, desiring to hide
herself, as she would not be so caut by
these ladies for the world, the Doctor put
her in the closet and bnttoned her in
Alter few remarks the ladies wished to
see the Doctors curisities, which he pro-
ceeded to exhibit, and after entertaining
them very agreeably for several hours, he
told them he had kept the greatest cnrios-
ity TO the last, and proceeded 10 the clos ct
nnbuttoned the door, and exhibited Mrs
Byles. He had complained long. often
and fruitlessly to the selectmen. of quag.
mire in front his dwelling. One morn
ing two Of the fathers of the town, after a
violent rain. passing with. their chsise be-
came stuck IN this bog. As tiIey were
striving to extricaie themselves, and pull.
ing to the right and the left. The Doctor
came forth, and bowling. with great po-
liteness exclaimed: IL am delighted
gentlemen to see you stirring in this mat
ter at last"
A candidate for fame proposed TO ly
from the North Church sieeple, and had
already mounted, and was clapping his
wings, to the great delight of the mob
DIR Byles mingled with the crowd, in
CURED what was the object of the gather
ing. ave have. come, SIR" said one,
"'o see man fly" "Poh, poh." replied
the Doctor, II have seen horse fy."
Upon the 18th of May, 1880, the MEM
orsble dark day, lady wrote to the Dr..
as follows: Dear Doctor-How do
yon account for this darkness ?" And
received his immediate reply: "Dear
Madam am as much in the dark as
you are ~ This. for senten.ious brevity.
has never been surpassed, unless by the
correspondence between the comedian,
Sam Foote, and his mother: "Dear
sam-l'm in jail.' "Dear mo,her-So
am IT,
He had a! one time, remarkable stu
pid Irish girl as domestic. With look
and voice Of terror, he said to her, in
haste-"Go say TO your mistress DR.
b, les has put an end to HIMSELF" The
girl flew mp stairs, and, with face of hor-
ror, exclaimed, at the top of her lungs
'Dr Byle. has put an end to himself"
The astonished wife and daughters
rushed into the parlour-and there was
the fscetious Doctor, calmly walking abou.
with part of a cows tail, that he had
picked up in the street, tied to his coat
or cassock behind. These pleasantries
will probably survive "The Conha-
grafton" Had not this eccentric man
possessed some very excellent and amiabl-
qualities, he could not have maintained
his clerical relation to the Hollis street
Church and Society FOR three and forty
years. from 1888 to l776, and have .etr.-
rated from them, at last, for political con-
>ideration alone.