The record-union., 1893-03-18
CLERICAL CHOLBR AROUSED
He Slipped on Banana skin and Lost
His Temper.


Justice of the poetic variety overlook a
nanana-peel fiend on lower Broadway the
other afternoon, says the Sun. He was
puffy, red-faced, bloated-looking man,
with bleary eyes, a pink necktie and
other evidences of total depravity. The
bananas which furnished him with am
muniiion he had purchased of a peram-
bulating peddler at the corner of Park
place and Broadway about t o'clock.
Munching them one by one, he walked
along by City Hall Park and scattered
destruction as he went.
Just behind him walked a nervous
looking little man whose black hat and
white choker indicated that he was
Clergyman, an indication which was borne
out by subsequent events. Presently the
little man stepped on one of the fiend's
banana peels His feet scared heaven
ward and he landed with a force that
fairly shook the ground. With an air of
Christian resignation he arose and made
feeble endeavor to remove some of the
mud which he had collected in his fall.
! Then he proceeded, with the expression
of one who would rub himself if there
weren't crowd around. He had walked
but a few rods when another banana peel
doomed before him. The little man picked
J IL up gingerly and looked about him
Just then the fiend in front dropped
third peel. Without a moments hesita-
he caught up with him. Holding up the
deadly skin before him he said in a care
fully modulated tone:
81 believe you dropped something,
sir"
"Humph,' replied the fiend. "From
the way you look, you dropped some
thing, TOO"
The little mans face fairly bristIed
with violently repressed profanity.
Look you, SIR" he cried. II am a
minister of the gospel, sir; a clergyman,
sir, and don't want to say anything un-
betting one of my cloth, sir, but | want
to ask you, sir, what in darnation you
banana peels under my feet, sir" He
waved the aforesaid peel violently about
his head as he spoke.
The red-faced man glanced contemptu-
ously over the minister's slight figure.
"W'ot you goin' to do about it?' he
sneered. "Praps you'd take contract
to do me up"
BY this time few people had gathered
about and the little man, noting this,
lowered his voice, but there was an omi-
nousIy set expression about his face as he
SAID: Il want you to make an apology,
here and now.'
Apology be damned" was the reply.
well, sir, l will not strike you,' said
the clergyman, his voice unsteady with
anger, because l do"
because you amt man enough"
sneered the bigger man. because you
dOn't-Spt-t-t. Phe-e-e-e-w. Pr-r-r-r-t.
Phtr
With rapid movement the little man
had jammed the banana peel into the big
mans mouth and rubbed it vigorously
in.
How do you like that?'' he inquired,
with evident and unministerial satisfac-
ton in his performance. The only an
swer was vicious lunge, which the little
man lodged. Then and their his con-
sclentious scruples vanished and he
struck out with the vigor and accuracy of
a champion. The blow took the banana
peel tiend under The chin and over he
went, as the minister had gone only
few moments before. There was no more
fight left in him, and when he arose it
was only to Sink around a corner.
The crowd, which was notlarge, for the
whole affair had taken less than min
ute, expressed emphatic approval of the
clergyman's performance. He looked
rather shametaced, however, as he pro-
ceeded up Broadway.
Really" said he in meditative tone.
really, Pm afraid I lost my temper"