The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-01-13
The Joking Clergyman.

Rev. DR.. Byles ope of tine most orig
nal compound Of religion and mirth con
spicuous in the later part OF the last cen
tury in New England. With good
heart, a mind of stable principles, and q
decent reverence for his holy office, he
nevertheless possessed buoyant and
genial flow of spirits, constantly running
over with puns or witty concelts: He
maintained connection with the Hollis
Street Church for forty-three years.
He was hale, yet aged man when the
Revolutionary war began, and in bis
political predictions leaned toward the
royal side.
In May, 1777, it was deemed Deccs.
sary to arrest him as a tory. He wal
condemned to be placed on board guard
ship and sent to England. Subsequent
| ly the sentence was changed to imprison
ment to his house "A sentinel was kept te'
fore the door day and night, whom be
was wont to call his observ atory.
At last the vigilance of the board OF
war relaxed, and the sentinel
disappeared after while he was re-
placed, after while removed altog ether.
The Doctor used pleasantly to remark
that he had been guarded, regarded and
disregarded.
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 urged the case with the
honest but simple fellow, and actually
induced him to go after the milk, he, the
Doctor kept guard over himself! The
neighbors were filed with wonderment
to see their pastor walking in measured
strides before his own door with the
sentinel's gun at his shoulder. and when
the story got abroad, it furnished food
for town gossip and merriment for many
days
The Doctor had rather shrewish wife,
and so one day he called at the old dis
tilery, that used to stand on Lincoln
Street and accosted the proprietor thus ::
Do you still ?
That is my business" replied MIR.
Hill the proprietor.
We'll, them" said the Doctor, IL
should like to have you 60 and stll. my
wife
He served rather an ungallant trick
upon the same good lady at another
time. He had some curiosities that peo-
pie occasionally called to see. One day
two ladies called. Mrs. B. was ''in the
suds," and begged her husband to shut
her in closet while ne exhibited his curl
osities. He did so. After exhibiting
everything else, ne said:
Now, ladies, [ have reserved my
greatest curiosity to the last y j.,
And opening the door, he exhibited
Mrs B. to the ladies'.
There was an unseemly slough OF de-
spond in the street before his door, in the
shane of a auagmire. which he had re-
peatedly. urged the town authorities to
mend. At last two of the town officers
in ascarriag, got stuck in it. They whip
ded the horse-they hawed and geed-
but they could not get out. DR.. Byles
saw them from his window. He stepped
into the street. >,
Il am delighted gentlemen, he said.
and rubbing fis hands with great glee,
'sto sec you ssrrin0 IN thas matter at
last,
The sore in the ground was soon after
healed.
Going alcng the street one day, he
found himself in a great crowd near the
old North Church.
s'What is the matter he enQulred OF
bystander.
:" Why sir thore's man going to fly
froom the steeple -
"Po poh!' said he. edo you all come
here to see man fly Why l have
seen horse fly
A learned lady of Boston dispatched a
note to him IN the Great Dark Day,
Nav 10th, 1850. in the following style
"iDear Dr.-How do you account for
this darkness ?"
His reply was
Dear Madam-I Am as much IN the
dark as you are.