Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-11-03
0bllo(I.. tSS;ta]Itt&G;s:inl1laCrll,... III I i L.
"THE, VOW OF CELIBACY,"
How IL WAS overcome -- The
GOwnsman's WeddIng.. slip. III
b by CHARITY FLOYD. p,

/ From the New York Sunday Times.1
| It has always seefned to me that for a
peacefully happy home there could scarce
| lyibe any place SO desirable as one of the
| English cathedral towns, There one can
find delightful society, picturesque city
full Of old historic associations, aud as
much retirement or as much s0eiability rs
one pleases. l had always supposed that
there werepo similar spots in this go, ahead
| country, that 1t was quite impossible to
find here such an arist6cratic circle com
bined with such charms of residence, until
recently visited friend who resides in
Berkeley, the cathedral town of Housa-
tonic.
Here | found IA quaint old city on the
banks of placid river. wherein dwelt a
| delightful set of people, living in handsome
| houses, each one of which stood back in
| patrcidn seclusion behind tall trees, and
| within tasteful grounds. Here found an
| Episcopal residence where the wide halls
and spacious drawing rooms were thrown
| open in lordly hospitality; adivinity school
| where crowd of young gownsmen
were being reared up TO labor for the ad-
vancement of the church, and beautiful
stone chapel where the morning and even
| ing service was daily chanted with all the
pomp and circumstance prescribed by the
| ritual. "' f.H 7r.H
| To the worldly minded outside, existence
| here might seem slow and monotonous,
| but soon found that among themselves
| the inhabitants of Berkeley had all the ex-
| citements of the great world on a small
| scale. There were quiet parties and eleri-
cal tea-tights to enliven the evenings; there
was visiting and even shoppings, on a very
| limited scale 1t Is true, to fill up the days.
Gossip, too, | found, was as abundant as
elsewhere, and, although the young ladies
looked demure and the young "parsons"
sanity, there was quite as much filtration
going on slyly here as anywhere, and l
strongly suspected the well behaved maid
ems of going TO the services at the chapel
very much as more dashing girls 90 to
Philharmonics, for the sake of meeting the
young men. l.'. ..H. p
In Berkeley everything yielded to the
church; its welfare and its customs were
paramount to all else. People talked Of
clerical changes with anxiety, discussed
sermons with zest, and took as much in
terest in the proceedings at convocations as
the outsiders do in the deliberations of
Congress. noticed, too, that these good
elergymen enjoyed as much as any one
quiet spree in the way of a substantial
dinner or elegant supper, aud related at
these assemblies anecdotes of their breth-
rem and repeated the last bit otchurch Cos
sip with much gustO. 1t was, indeed, curly
Gus to observe how this church element
influenced everything. The men talked of
tailOrs who could cut cassocks and gowns
stylishly, and the ladies were anxious to
know which washwoman could do up a
surplice with the most neatness. People
have regulated even their computation OF
time by church festivals, and the grand
event of the year was the ordination.
Having thus briefly sketched some de-
scription of Berkeley and its inhabitants,
will go on to relate a little romance that
came to my knowledge while there.
The Bishop of HOusatonic is a bachelor,
man of commanding appearance and fine
intellect, combined with most charming
manners. His influence over the young
men is unbounded, his great learning and
digniiied life inspired their profound re-
spect while bis interest in them and his
genial kindness won their love. 1t is not
surprising that the yo Ithful divines, seeing
him so noble mo ell, have thought him
worthy ofimitation, aud that their enthusl-
asm has led them to believe that all he does
must be right. Not only, therefore, would
they emulate his learning and piety, but
seeing that his freedom from all family ties
gives him ample leisure for all his high
duties, they, too, would devote themselves
wholly and entirely to the church, scorn-
ing matrimony because the Bishop is a
bachelor; and thus a tendency towards
lives OF celibacy has from time to
tmeappeared among the students, notwith-
standing the firtatiOns which still disturb
the serenity ofthe school. ."
/ The hero of the little romance am about
to recount is the Rev. Lawrence Paget,
who graduated in Berkeley some years ago.
When q young man he was especially noted
as most ardent, admirer of the Bishops
celibate life, proving his sincerity also by
himself avoiding entirely all female society
by practicing a strict asceticism of con-
duct, and by his complete devotion to his
studies and the ceremonies of the church.
Paget was at this time a fair haired,
handsome young fellow, with dreamy eyes,
and face which already bore something
Of a sanity look. But to these personal
advantages he seemed to be perfectly in
lifferent coldly repelling every attempt at
on the part of young ladies,
ind visiting nowhere, except at the episco-
pal residence, where he saw only kind Mrs. /
Kerr, the Bishops mother. If other wo-
men appeared he invariably fled. One day
Paget went over from the college to the
home to return a book he had bor-
owed. He took it to the parlor and sat for
, moment chatting with Mrs. Kerr, when
le was startled by ring at the bell and the |
Iound of light, girlish Laughter that floated |
N through The open window. He sprang
tp and, with hasty apology, left the room. /
As he passed down the hall the Bishop CALI, |
ID him into his library.
.Paget," he said, ''come here" i.-1
Paget went In and found him busy over !
pile of papers, in arranging which he /
legged his assistance. The young man |
vas only too happy to help his beloved |
eacher, and for half an hour they worked |
pgether almost in silence. Then the |
Bishop looked up at his young companion |
With, an odd smile "Did those young /
aides frighten you away, just now" he
ayes, sir" replied Paget, with a sudden !
,lush. ID rr. lG a.y r. asiN .-u'p.,y. -s." |
"You are an obstinate woman hater, l
lear."
II don't know that hate them, sir; but
do not care to be with Them" tald oI
"Why is that ? Have you received such,
reatment from any one as to make you
Iislike the whole sexy" 'V '
~ have never been in love, II that is |
Shat you mean, Bishop; but you know l
annot remember my mother. / never had
sister. / have seen but very little OF
women but as school teachers, and, if Il
ould, / would never again see one."oo 4
The Bishop smiled, saying; "Thps far |
,oorest possible specimens of the sex but
uppose that hereafter you were to meet
ovely young lady ~ -t.rog = n
Pa9et made gesture of contempt. aI
houid avoid her. / am resolved never to Y
no.gtt,I IJa iauJiaad n In0nanti and than Al