Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-03
AN ABsENT-MINDED CLERGYMAN.

during the latter half of the last century
He worked upon farm until his Goth year,
when he spent six months in preparing for
College, and in 1850 started for Harvard
) College bare footed, carrying his shoes and
. stockings under his arm. On being exam-
ined for admission, he had dispute with
the Professor in regard to Greek reading,
in which he is said to have carried his point.
He was settled in 176l on salary OF 966
13s 3D., which, small as it was, was not
paid He was twice married. His first
wife was very tall, and her christian name
was Experience, common one at that time
After her death he said he had "learned
from Iona experience that it was good
thing to be married" and 50 he took anoth-
er WIFE, He was an ardent patriot from
the beginning of the difficulties with Eng
land, and was unsparing in his deLuncla
tions of those who were unwilling to come
out on the side of their country. lmmedl-
4 ately after the battle of Bunker Hill he join
ed the army to do what he could as min
lister to keep up the courage of the soldiers,
and to promote their welfare He gained
great notoriety by deciphering for General
4 Washington a treasonable letter from Dr.
Church to an officer of the British army, a
full account of which is contained i'll
Sparks Writings of Washington. During
the Revolutionary war he rendered import
ant service to the country. lie was an i'm
portant member of the Convention that
adopted the Constitution, and it was through
his influence that Governor Hancock was
induced to give his assent to the adoption
of the Federal Constitution.
Dr. West was remarkable for absence of
mind. During the session OF the Conven-
ton TO adopt the Constitution Of the Uni
/, ted States, he spent many of his evenings
abroad, and generally returned with his
pockets filled with handkerchiefs, silk
gloves, silk stockings, and other small ar
ticles, and was greatly distressed on find
ing there thinking that he had taken them
up and slipped them into his pocket. In
fact they had been placed there by friends
who took this method Of making him pres
ents, well knowing that he was too much
engaged in conversation to take any notice
Of it. While he was pastor his friends
would sometimes find him on his horse,
which had stopped to Craze by the way
side, the bride loose, the Doctors hands
folded on his breast, and himself wholly
4 absorbed in his own thoughts. Once he
went out to drive COW from his yard, and
striking at her with long board, missed
the cow, and was himself brought to the
ground, and split his small clothes nearly
the whole length of the leg. He knew
nOthing'of this latter accident; but gath
ering himself up, and forgetting entirely
where he was, he went on without hat
three miles, entering friends house, and
passed the night talking with him to the
4 CONSERVATION of his wife, who, on his re-
turn saw in what plight he was for vis-
it to one Of the most genteel families OF the
parish. He once met friend, and told
him that he and his wife were on their way
to make him a visit. Your wife = said
his friend Where is sheY Why repli
ed the Doctor Il thought she was on the
pillion behind me- She had got ready to
accompany him and the absent-minded Doc
tor had gone off without her He would
sometimes at the church stop at the horse
block for his wife to dismount, when she
had been forgotten and was still at home.
Once he went to MILL leading his horse and
carrying the grist on his shoulder One
who saw him on his way, states that when
before his second marriage, he went to ask
the town clerk to publish the bans, he
walked the whole distance leading his
horse, and passed directly by the house Of
the town clerk, and did not halt until he
was brought up by a log at the end of Il
wharf.
Once, upon Saturday afternoon, when
on his way home from Boston, he was over
taken by violent shower as he was riding
| on horseback. His family at home were
anXiously expecting his return, but he did
not make his appearance until the last mo-
ment on Sunday morning, when he was
seen hurrying his horse onward, with mud
dy ruffles dangling about his hands, and
another large rufe hanging ont of his bo-
som through the open vest, which he us
ually kept buttoned close to his chin. He
never had wore such embellishments be-
| fore, and never afterward could tell how
he came by them then. 1t was too late to
make a change, the congregation were
waiting His daughter buttoned up his
vest so as to hide the rullles Of the bosom,
and carefully tucked the ruliles in about
the wrists. During the opening services
all went very well, but probably feeling
uneasy about the wrists, he twitched at
at them until the rut1les were lourishing
about, and then growing warm as he ad-
vanced, he opened his vest and made such
an exhibition of muddy fnery as tended
very little to the religious edifcation of
the younger portion of his audience. He
was on terms of intimacy with Dir. Whit
ridge, physician of Tiverton, r. l., at
whose house he frequently met the celehra
ted DR.. Hopkins of Newport, another friend.
1t was not often that three such men were
brought together They usually spent
nearly the whole night i'll conversation
Dr. Hopkins sometimes required a little
sleep, but the morning light not untrequent-
ly found the others still up. On one occa-
sion, Dir. West having mounted his horse
little before light Dr. Whitridge went
out barefooted to see him off new topic
was started the horse walked on few
steps and stopped then few steps more,
the friends being still earnestly engaged
; in conversation. At last they were alarmed
by the appearance of a light in the east,
which, after short time they found was
the break of day. His absence of mind in
creased upon him as he became advanced
in years, and at length his memory failed,
although his intellect when excited, retain
ed much of its vigor. He had preached the
same sermon to his congregation three Sab
baths in succession, but no member of his