New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-05
THE REV. Mr.. BROWNS HAT.

The Nova Scotia press is greatly agitatcd over
recent actions OF the Rev. Joshua Brown, rector
of the Episcopal Church at Middleton. lie is
being roundly denounced on all sides in the
Province, and no doubt to-day or tomorrow he
will he taken up in this country and adversely
criticised. The particular act for Which the rev.
erend gentleman is being condemned is the thrash
ing which he recently administered To a divinity
student on a railroad train, it being held that
the assault was uncalled for. Let us glance Of
the circumstance in a calm, judicial spirit, and
see If the clergyman is deserving of the abuse he
Is receiving.
The Rev. Mr.. Brown, of Christ Church, Middle
ton, was travelling on the Annapolis train, occu-
pying a seat alone. lie had a pencil in one hand
and a pad of soft paper In the other, and was
working out his sermon for the next Sunday.
jotting down notes as they occurred to him. lie
had selected rs the subject Of his intended dis
course the 39th verse Of the With Chapter OF the
Gospel according to st. Matthew: But / say
unto you, that We resist not evil; but whatsoever
shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him
the other also" On the opposite seat he had
placed his silk hat thc ear being warm. care
fully. and right side up. A word as to the wear
ing of silk hats. No man who has never become
addicted to their use can understand the care and
anxiety which they cause their wcarers. Absolute
peace Of mind is a thing unknown TO the habituai
wearer of n silk hat; he always has a lurking.
narrowing suspicion that the nap may he rupped
the wrong way. A cabdriver is the only man IN
the world who can wear a silk hat with the nap
disarranecd, and even he will always embrace the
earliest opportunity to polish it up on his coat
sleeve. Clcrgynen arc particularly susceptible 10
the influence of a silk hat, heing usually OF a
sensitive nature, and always expected to make a
good appcarance. Mr.. Brown is no exception to
this rule. lie has been wearing SILK hats TOT
inward of thirty years. He has always made a
practice of having his hat ironed daily, and when'
on the occasion under consideration, he placed the
one he was wearing on the seat before MIN not
n fibre was ont of place on its glossy surface.
The Rev. Mr.. Brown had almost hnisneo oiocN-
ing ont his sermon and the train was nearing
Annapolis when a divinity student named King,
from Acadia College, wolfviIle, came through the
oar and. spyinr the reverend gentleman, deter
mined to embrace the opportunity to get several
kno,ty theological points cleared up in his mind.
All, good morning, Mr.. Brown; ] wanted to ask
Won some questions concerning future PUNISH
ment.' he said. The clergyman extended his
hand. and replied " Certainly sit down." Then
the Young man sat on the older mans hat. AS he
came down on it the top at first settled quietly
two or three inches: then, as the imprisoned ar
couId not ESCAPE, and as his full weight rested on
It.. there ~aame q loud report like the firing OF a
small cannon, and fur, satin, burlap, llnoleum
and other Ingredients of the modern SILK nat new
about the car. The Rev. Mr.. Brown rose In MS
nace. Throwing his left arm firmly about the
neck Of the unfortunate seeker after views on
future punishment he drew his head down INTO
cbanccry and with his right fist proceeded TO play
on his face at short range for upward OF TWO mn
utes. or. in the words of a dispatch, "punched
Young KINGS face in the most approved pugiTsE
fashion, breaking his nose and backing both eyes
This. and this alone, is what the Rev. Mr.. Brown
10 ho;no criticised for. Viewed by itself, the bat
tering Of the young mans countenance was Ger
tajnIv rpprehcnsible, but we think that all wear
cs Of silk hats at least will agree that he had
great provocation. We doubt If even Mayor
Gleason, of Long Island City, could have con-
rained himself under the circumstances. III was
the only hat that Mr.. Brown had with him, and
we may add that when he got to Annapolis ana
ATTEMPTED to wear it from the station to the notei
he was arrested on the second corner for drunk
enncss. though he is a strict ahstainer. lie doubt
loss forrsaw this. o. course, he might have let
tbe student of n little easier, perhaps; he might,
say. have been content with backing one eye and
dislocatinc his nose but what guarantee would
he have had that the young man would not con-
tinuc in his evil ways? Mr.. Brown believed IN
making a thorough job Of it, and he did. 1t is
safe to say that the young man Will SIT down on
no more silk hats. The Rev. Mr.. Brown is de-
serving of sympathy rather than censure.