Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-06-18
THE JOKING CLERGYMAN.

HE ooiAiSU VAii4NuANaH'
Rev. Dr.. Byles was the most orig
inal compound Of religion and mir,h,
conspicuous in the latter part Of the
las. century, in New England. With
a good heart, a mind Of stable princi-
plca, and q decent reverence for his
holy Office, he nevertheless possessed
buoyaut and genial flow Of spirits,
constantly running over with puns or
witty concci,sD He maintained his
connection with his (ho Hollis strect)
church for forty.three years. He was
n hale yet aged man when the Revo.
lu,ionary war began; and in his po-
Iitical predictions leaned towards
tho royal side. .
In May, 1777, it was deemed neces-
sary to arrcs, him as a Tory. He was
condemned to be placed on board 4
grard-ship and sent to England, Sub.
sequen,ly the sentence was changed
to confinement in his house. a SEN
tinel was KEEP, before his door day and
night, whom he was wont to call his
oJscrv.a.tmy. At the last the vigi-
lance of the board ofwar relaxed, and
tho sentinel disappeared; after a
while he was replaced; ard then
removed altogether. The Doctor
used pleasantly to remark that he had
been guarded, regarded an disre-
garded." Once the Doctor tried to
have the sentinel let him go after some
milk for his family; but he was firm.
and would not he then argued the
case with the homes. bu, simple fcl-
low, and actually induced him to 60
after tho milk while he, the Doctor.
kept guard over himself! The neigh.
bors were filed with wonderment to
sec their pastor walking in measured
strides before his own door with tho
scntinel's gun a. bis shoulder, and
when the story got abroad it furnish
ed food for town gossip andsmerri-
ment Tor severa! days.
The Doctor had rather shrcwish
wife, SO one day he called at the old
lis'illery that used to stand on Lin
coin street. aud accostcd the proprie-
tor thus:
"Do you s,ill7"
That is my business" replied Mr..
Ilill, the proprietor.
"Well, them" said tie Doctor, II
should like to have you go and still
my wife"
lie served rather an ungallan, trick
upon this same good lady at another
time. He had some curiosities which
people occasionally called to Sec
One day two ladies called, Mrs. B.
was "in the suls," and begged her
husband to shut her in closet while
he exhibited his curiosities. He did
SO. After exhibiting everything else
he said. "Now, ladies, have reserved
my greatest curiosity TO the last" and
opening the door, he exhibited Mrs.
B. to the ladies.
AT another time lie frightened his
good lady, (who loved him dearly de-
spite his rude jokcs,) by sending his
servant maid-a stupid Irish girl--to
a neighbor, 10 inform hcrthat the DR..
had "put an end to himself" On
reaching the house in brea,hlcss
haste, accompanied by half the neigh
borhood. they found him quietly walk
ing about with an ownerlcss cows
tail, carefully adjusted to that part Of
his body where Lord Monbodo sup
posed that such things originally
grew!
There was an unseemly slough of
,lcspond" before his door, in theshape
of u quagmirc, which lie had repeat
elly urged the town authorities to re-
move. At last two of the town Off.
GERS in q carriage got fairly stuck in
it. They whipped the horse, they
hawed and gced, bu. they could NOT
get out. DR.. Byles saw them from
his window. He stepped out into the
s,rcet-"l am delighted, gentlomen,"
said he, rubbing his hands with gloe.
ITO see you stirring IN THIS matter ut
last!" The sore in the ground waa
healed soon after. u
Going along the street ono day he
found himself in great crowd near
the old North Church.
"lVha, is the mat.erl" inquired he
of bystandcr.
"Why, sir, there is man going to
Ay from tho ssoeplc."
"Poh poh !" said 10, "lo you all
come here to sec n,m Ryq Why l
have seen horse fly"
A learned lady Of Bostondospatch-
ed note to him on the Great Dark
Day, (May 10, l7So.)in the following
style:
dear Doctor-How DO you ac,
count For this darknessl"
His reply was
"Dear Madam am Us much ~
| lie dark as YOU are. ."-.iR0nymoQS.