The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-12-19
MY FRIEND THE PARSON.

T HAD just arrived from Oxford, and
Il was standing at the bookstall of the
Paddington terminus, inquiring for cheap
edition of one of Leber's early novels,
when a middle-aged man, n clergyman,
came up to the same stall, and asked the
bustling newspaper man, who was busy
folding bundle of newspapers still wet
from the press, for secondhand copy of
Warburton's "Crescent and the Cross" l
hardly know why, BUT the face of my fel-
low-purchaser struck me as remarkable
one and being little of an artist, and
about as much of a physiognomist, gave
him long and studious look. He was
tall, strongly-made clergyman, in high
church costume-collarless coat cassock
waistcoat, and Roman collar and there
was deep band of Grape round his hat.
a high wide brow, rather deeply furrow-
ed by contemplation keen, cold, gray eyes;
n close pressed mouth and full bold chin,
indicating an inflexible will-were the
chief points l observed, combining to pro-
duce the face of man of strong sense and
determination. For missionary bishop,
or = Havelock-allying the soldier and the
man of religion-such a face seemed to
promise every qualification. His manner,
quiet, self-possessed, imperturbable, was
just what might have been expected from
such countenance. As head of my col
lege, as my colonel, as the head of my firm,
as my doctor in the hour of danger, as my
priest, as my bishop, ! could have believed
and confided in such man. A magnetic
sense of power, physical and mental, SEEM
ed to pass from him and instantly over
come my weaker will.
How much ?" ! said :" two shillings?"
1.-TWO shillings."
took out my purse, but found, to my
modification, | had no more silver and
only the two twenty pound notes my faith
er had sent me for my trip in Cornwall
I" am SO sorry" said to the bookstall
keeper; have no silver, and only two
twenty pound notes. l suppose ! could
not take the book, and pay for it when
return from Cornwall?' ?''
"Not exactly" said the man, insolently
rs he slapped the damp papers together !;
"Pve done that once too often. No, not
for Joseph ~
"You need not be nsolent," said rath-
er ruffled.
"We don't give credit sir at this es-
tablishment.
90 PRAY olIo1u s,,e to boyo .l,o ,,Ioo.,,,o 20
paying for the book in question:" said my
fellow purchaser, stepping towards me. 81
think l heard you say you were going
west-to Cornwall. So am /. We are
perhaps going to the same hotel"
thanked him, accepted his offer, and
explained that had some notes in nv
puise, but no silver. l was going to the
Great Western Hotel"
So was he. My luggage and his, he be-
lieyed, had just gone on by the same truck.
We walked together to the hotel. He
proved most agreeable a thorough travel
ed man of the world, full of anecdote and
humorous allusion. The Reverend Henry
Atkins, Vicarage, Bagshot, that was the
name and address he gave, as we stood in
the hotel-office taking onr bedrooms We
were both, we found, going to Exeter 10y
the 715 p. NJ. train the next day. /
changed one of my notes. paid back the
small sum borrowed, thanked him, and we
parted.
~ hope we shall meet again." he said,
ON parting.
He followed the porter who carried his
trunk and bag up stairs. ] watched him
rs he went up out Of sight, and said to
myself "That man was born for a states
man or general; what a pity such mind
should be restricted to the petty cares of a
small parish Well" thought !, "if every
one was in his right place, the world would
be very different"