Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-04-28
The Clergy I'm an Ugly Snap--Hopes Blight
ed. the Cat Out of the Wallet, and
the Jig Near About Up.


and upwards. As soon as Mr.. Glendy reaches
town, he discovered bis loss, and immediate
search was made, but without success. He ad
vertised his loss in the papers, and although ,
Liberal reward was offered, no trace of tn,
missing money could be found. 1sssE -.
Shortly after this, o slave belonging to DR.. A
Graham, Henry Allen by name, pretty much o
scamp by reputation, and Negro Parson By
profession, began to exhibit signs of the mos
unwonted prosperity for one In his condition.
The Parson was flush in funds, the world wen
on swimmingly with him, and his days were
crowned with riches and honor. He eboughta wag
Ion and two fine horses, so as thereby TO increase
his stores of filthy lucre." He was Inspired with
the desire for freedom, and accordingly he EN-.
ployed Jim Holly, @ free negro, COOPER, who
had proved himself quite thrifty in his vocation,
To buy his time aud services from his MASTER
He furnished Jim with some $500 to accom-.
! plish this bene6cent object. jim succeeded,
procured bill of sale from the Parsons master,
and placed it in the Parsons hands. ExultiDg
| in his dream Of freedom, the Parson waxed great
in the estimation of his colored parishioners, and
in temporal prospects fourished like green bay
tree. Up to this time the sky bent brightly o.
yer the prosperous Parson. But somehow or
other he became suspicious of Holly, was under
the impression that Holly might in some way
deal falsely with him, and in an evil hour nip
his honors aud prosperity In the bud and bring
him down from his high estate. To guard g.
gainst so disastrous a contingency the Parson
returned the bill of sale to his master, Dr. A.
Graham, more inclined to trust to his protection
than to continue under the power of the thrifty
cooper. s - =
Rpt clouds were gathering overhead and
shronding the sun of the Parsons glory. James
Johnston, sort of Preacher too, the slave OF
d. P Curry, Esq jealous, perhaps, of Parson
Aliens superior good fortune, made some deyel-
op,nents, We understand, which callsed = suSpi
cion on the public mind that the Rev. Mr. Allen
had very comfortably appropriated TO himself
The twelve hundred dollars which Mr.. Glendy
had lost. At the time this discovery was made
last week, the Rev. Mr.. Allen was out ON mis-
-ionary tour in some of the counties up the Val
ley. A messenger was sent after his Reverence,
who brought him back Thursday evening, and
placed him uLder the protection Of Thos. l.. Per-
ry, TO look through the wires of the county jug
and moralze ON the vanity OF earthly affairs. =
Holly was also arrested,
The case came up for inves igation before
Chas. Warner, Esq, on Friday. and the follow.
ing incidents connected with this romantic ad
venture Of the Cooper and Parson, were made
known.
The Rev. David Kenney, q kind of Deacon and
Preacher combined in his single person, who
belongs to Mr.. Thomas Kerr, near Monmouth,
was On his way to Mr. Thomas Bowlen's, where
Parson David's wife resides, and found the
money which Mr.. Glendy had lost little while
before, stuffed it in his pocket went to bis wifes
house, stole look at the contents OF the pack
age thunderstruck by the magnitude OF the
prize, Parson Kenney's tongue refused to keep
silence, and be burst forth with the exultant ex-
clamation, smy God" Mrs. ParsOn David's
curiosity was excited, but her lord and master
kept his own counsels, and fearing to trust so
important secret to the mercy Of woman's
tongue. re. committed the treasure to his pocket
and was mum. But tthestake was too great for the
country ParsOn to manage, 50 Ire sought consul
tation with his learned brother Allen, the city
Parson, and deposited the money with him
making him sort of clerical banker, on whom
he might draw whenever he stood in need of
the .brunt." He succeeded in getting only fif
teen dollars from the shrewd Ecclesiastic of the
town. The country Parson was verdant, and
taking advantage Of this simplicity Of heart, Par
SON Allen outwitted him, and expended all the
money in his own behalf, piously intending ct
some future day to repay the amount to his
country friend and as an earnest OF this right
eous purpose ParsUn Allen executed his note to
Parson Kenney for the sum of three hundred
and fitry doars-and thus did the country Par
sous dream of riches vanish away. ~
| But Parson Aliens hopes were destined to be
blasted in the bud. "Cheating never thrives" is
u motto in marble playing, which his Reverence
Inns found out applies as we'll to game Of trick
| cry between colored Clergymen, as it does to
game of knucks between unsophisticated urchlns.
| The Parsons fine pair of horses have sid away
| from his possession into the hands OF Mr.. Glen
ldy. The Parsons hopes of freedom have ended
| in the cruel mockery of an unreal dream. The
Parsons clerical labors have been brought to O
disastrous termination, aud the sphere Of his af
tections and the field of his usefulness have been
suddenly narrowed down TO distressDgy small
extent, for he is a prisoner.
| On searching Parson Allen after his arrest, q
| box of percussion caps was found on his conse'
Grated person.. His valise was also examined,
and. alas! for the reputation Of this preacher Of
ueace and temperance, loaded pistol, powder
and ball, whiskey bottle and a Bible were
f,und nesting snugly together--the bottle ap.
peared to have met with the hardest usage, 10Y
IL was empty its contents had gone TO renew
the strength aud refresh the energies OF the Ear
sou.
Parson Allen continues to occupy close room
in the County Hotel. Jim Holly was admitted
10 bail in The sum Of five hundred dollars tt
stand his trial at the May term Of the County
Court-Lezington &azette.
|