The Empire County argus. [volume] (Coloma, El Dorado County, Cal.) 1853-1857, 1853-12-10

a CURIOUS SORT OF PREAcHER.-Rev, DR.. Byles
was the most original compound of religion and
mrth, conspicuous in the latter half of the last GEN.
tury, in New England. With a good heart mind
of stable principles, and decent reverence for his
holy Office he nevertheless possessed buoyant and
genial flow Of spirits constantly running over with
puns or with conceits. He maintained his connec-
ton with his (tho Hollis street, church for forty
three years. He was hale yet aged man when the
Revolutionary war began; and in his political pre-
dilections leaned toward the royal side.
In May, III, it was deemed necessary to arrest
him Tory. He was condemned to be placed on
board guard-ship, and sent to England Subse-
qucntly the sentence was changed to confinement in
his house A sentinel was kept before his door day
and night. whom he wont to call lis obScrre-a-
tory AT last the vigilance Of the board Of war re-
laxcd, and the sentinel disappeared after awhile he
was replaced, and little after removed altogether
The Doctor used pleasantly to remark that he had
been guarded, regarded and disrcgafdcd, 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 honest but
simple fellow, and actually induced him to 60 after
the milk while he the Doctor kept guard over HIM
self! The ncighbors were filled with wondermcnt
to see their pastor walking in measured stripes be-
fore his own door with the scntinel's Gun at his
shoulder and when the story got abroad it fur
nished food for town gossip and mcrriment for sew
eral days.
The Doctor had rather shrewish wife; so one
day he called at the old dstilery that used to stand
on Lincoln street, and accosted the proprietor thus
DO you still 2
THAT is my business, replied Mr., Hill, the pro-
pretor
We'll, then, said the Doctor, 4 should like to
have you go and still my wife J.
He served rather an ungallant trick upon this
same good lady at another time. He had some GU
riosities which people occasionally called to see.
One day two ladies called. Mrs Byes was in the
suds, and begged her husband to shut her closet
while he exhibited his curostes He did So Af-
ter exhibiting everything else, he said Now ladies,
have reserved my greatest curiosity to the last,
whereupOn he opened the closet door and exhibited
Mrs. Byles to the ladies'
There was an unseemly slough Of despond before
his door, in the shape of quagmire, which he had
repeatedly urged the town authorities to mend
At last, two of the town authorities in n carriage
got fairly stuck in it. They whipped the horse
they hawed and gced but they could not get out.
Dr. Byles saw them from his window lie stepped
out into the street, 81 am delighted, gcntlcmcn :"
said he, rubbing his hands with glec, to see you
staring IN this matter at last!a The sore in the
ground was healed soon after.
Going along the street one day he found himself
in great crowd near the old North Church.
What is the matter 2 inquired he of by-stand-
Why, sir, there is man going to fly from the
steeplc.'
Poh, poh ! said he, do you come here to see q
man fly ! why have seen horse fly
A learned lady Of Boston dispatched note to
him on the great dark day-Dlay l9, l7S0-in
the following style:
Dear Doctor,--how do you account for this dark
ness 2
His reply was
Dear Aladam,--I am as much IN the dark as you
are'
Tho immortality of the age is a standing topic Of
complaint with some men. But if any one likes to
be moral we can nothing in the age to prevent
him.
Affection, like spring flowers, breaks through the
most frozen ground at last and the heart which
seeks but for another heart to make it happy, will