Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-29
A BISHOP on A TRAMP.
Right Rev. Leighton Coleman ne
turns from ~ Long Walking Tour.

turns from ~ Long w hihi"E i""''
A Wilmington Oel) special says:
Bishop Leighton Coleman, Of the Epis-
copal Diocese of Delaware, returned last
night from his annual outing. II has been
the custom of the Bishop for years to
make an annual tramp incognito, and he
has had many and amusing experiences.
on his present trip the Bishop travelled
on foot 235 miles I'm Maryland and Vir-
ginia and through the mountains Of West
Virginia He left Wilmington two weeks
ago. and went by train to Martinsburg,
W. va, and from that place his tramp
began.
The Bishop went i'm the direction of
Grafton and up into the Blue Ridge
Mountains. which he crossed several
times. lie retraced his steps TO Cumber-
land, Md. and returned to Wilmington
by rail- A long macintosh, SLOUGH nat
"a heavy cane. and heavy walking shoes
changed his usual appearance so that
his best friends would hardly have re-
cOgniZed him.
The oueer-clad stranger puzzled many
folks along the route he travelled. Farm
ers offered 10 give him a ride. and could
not understand why he preferred to walk
Some thought he was a real estate pros
pector. He was often an object of pity
on the part Of the people, and many OF
them expressed sympathy for the poor
old man. who had to walk"
Had the Bishop so desired, he could
have made money during his trip lie
knows thoroughly the mechanism or
clocks. and is skilled in repairing them.
At several farm houses where the Bishop
stopped TO get something 10 eat he no
ticed that the clocks were out OF repair,
and he volunteered to fix them. Soon the
clock would be going all right, ana the
Bishop would be offered money by the
farmer. but he always declined.
one night darkness overlook the Bishop
on a. walk and he applied TO a farm house
for lodging. but the place was full and he
could not be accommodated. He was not
allowed to sleep even on the floor. TAX
ing up his staff the Bishop continued his
tourney in the darkness until he came
upon dilapidated-looking barn. He
CROPPED his way into the building, and,
picking out some new hay made bed,
and the crickets sang him TO sleep. Most
of his nights. however, he spent in farm
houses, and he found the people hospi-
table.
on another dark night he was again
caught with no place TO sleep. FINALLY
he reached an old school-house In lonely
road. The teacher had left one OF the
windows open. Climbing in through the
window. the Bishop passed the night on
the hard floor
In speaking OF the trip. Bishop cole
man says that once he met family, con-
sisting Of a father, mother, and six large
children none of whom could read or
write. The parents had not permitted the
children TO attend school because they
could not afford to buy them clothes.
At Tunnelsville. w. Va. the Bishop at
tended a political meeting. where candi-
date for Congress was making an address.
The Bishop was presented to him and in
vited TO take part in the meeting, but de-
clined. At Grafton he attended court.
The longest distance he covered In any
one day Was twenty-six miles The Bishop
considers this a good gait for man of
Ct years.