The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-04
4 TRAMP BISHOP.
Strange Freak OF an EpiscopalIan
Prelate OF Delaware,

Strange Freak OF an EPiseopalian
Prslate of Delaware,
BISHOP COLEMEN'S LONG TRIP
THROUGH THE COUNTRY IN THE
DISGUISE OF a HoBo-wEARY
AND IN NEED OF REST FINDS
HEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN
THE LIFE OF A HOMELESS
UNDERGRADUATES as NILES
IN TEN DAYS, WORKING FOR
BOARD AND LoDaiEe-AN IN
rEREsTINe AND INSTRUCTIVE
=ToRY.
New York world: The Right Rev.
leighton Coleman, bishop of Delaware,
bas lust gone through 'humerous and
extraordinary adventure on country
roads in the garb Of trdmp. Altogether
,t.s one of the most remarkable expert
snces on record. Unknownand In the
coarse apparel, he walked 9 distance OF
2ss miles recently. in the mountains Of
West virginia, stopping where night
overlook him and frequently doing hard
labor for his food and lodging. Some
times he went hungry and slept in
barns or under the friendly cover Of
some tree. once, late at night having
been denied shelter In a spnrsely settled
reulon. ne climbed dnto the window OF a
deserted schoOl-house and found his rest
IN ire hard floor. It's a wonderful
Story-that OF the kindly and much hon
orei bishop and his wanderlngs. HIS
bone is Blshopstead, a fne old mansion
ot Wilmington, Del. There last Thurs
dav he gave TO a World stan corcespon-
dent an account Of his strange tramp,
which had Just ended.
An old man, white bearded. walking
On the lonely mountain roads in coarse
and dusty apparel with a stan and
kpapsack-that Is the picture.
he has walked from Martinsburg TO
Pomney in West Virginia; then he has
crossed the Blue Ridge, descending TO
Grafton, and is coming down the long
VALLEY of the Cumberland. He stops
frequently to rest and perhaps to oathe
hJs face. now black with sweat and
dust. In the cold water OF the mountain
brooks,
often he lays his knapsack in the
beep grass beside the highway and lies
down to sleep under the broad dome Of
heaven, In q little while he rises, eats
q crust OF bread, lifts his knapsack TO
his shoulders aud trudges on at smart
mace. A traveller in wagon overtakes
MIN shortly. He looks curiously at the
lonely and venerable figure, then he
pulls up and asks:
Coin far?"
''To Washington" says the old gen-
Col" says the man in the wagon.
hthal's a long way of. It's rather tough
Ger a man O. your age to be walking
along the road this way. Can We work?"
"The man at that little store down
Vonder In the valley wants a hand. Bet
fer 20 down an see him. You seem 60
have good education an ] wouldn't
wonder II you could git the job. Git IN
mo. thank you, 10 rather walk"
Then the man drives on with look
Of surprise and pity.
Night comes by and by, and then the
old gentleman turns in at the hrst gate
70 ask for shelter
This venerable man walking along the
highways in the livery of destitution,
breaking bread with the lowly and sly-
ing them good counsel as did the great
prophet Of Nazareth in Galilee, Is the
Right Rev. Leighton Coleman, bishop OF
Delaware, and one Of the great men OF
the Episcopal church.
The story OF his wandering unknown
among the poor is like a romance OF the
middle ages. There Is In 1t the plctur-
esoue figure OF Lear and the mystery
OF the Black Prince In "IVanhoe.
He went primarily for rest-the rest
that comes from adventure, from the
changing phases OF the country road
from the quiet Of the woods. from the
vitalIzlng touch OF nature. The weary
millions IN our country, TO whom the
problem ofFest Is one that has SO much
OF life or death In It, would do well TO
consider the unique plan OF the good
bishop. For, mind Fou. he has never
suffered a palm or an ache in all his life,
save that Of an Unframed eye. Hale and
hearty and sixty-one years old, and
walking 23S miles in ten and half days
Is a record to envy, taken altogether
A fair was in progress on the ample
grounds OF Bishopstead, his uncovered
home in Wilmington, when called there
Thursday afternoon. Pretty girls IN
white dresses were serving cream and
cake under the trees. The good people
Of the parish thronged the lawn and
halls Of the old mansion. The bishop
took me aside to one OF the tables cover
ed with SNOWY linen under a tree.
"This travelling in old clothes is no
new story with me-" he said. I've done
st for years, more or less. You see. IL
they knew me 1t would spoil 1t all. Peo-
pie are apt to play part in the pres
ence OF a clergyman. They don't show
you their hearts, and want to see
them as they are. It's a help TO me-
There are three other good reasons why
travel incognito.
''First-Most men meet wouldn't
know what bishop was.
''Second-If they did know they'd
think was lying. 4tr
''Thlrd-They wouldn't have as good
an opinion Of bishop as they had be-
fore. ss
81 may say further that I so in
strange placeg because don't wish to