The herald., 1898-10-23
A TRAMP BISHOP
He Walked 235 Miles Through West
Virginia Mountains

. Philadelphia Record:
Tramping incognito 235 miles in the noun
tains of West Virginia, sleeping in barns
and a schoolhouse, mending clocks and UNI
brellas for farmers, and arousing the pity
OF the country folks was the way the Right
Rev. Leighton Coleman, Episcopal Bishop
OF the Diocese of Delaware, spent his annual
vacation. The bishop returned about mid
night, coming by train from Harpers Ferry,
W. Va. He greatly enjoyed his outing, and
in Wilmington today, officiating at the
cornerstone laying of the Girls Industrial
School OF Delaware.
The bishop left Wilmington for his out
ing two weeks ago, going to Martinsburg,
w. Va. Then his tramp into the mountains
began. He crossed the Blue Mountains sew
eral times, attended court at Grafton. w.
political meeting being addressed by a can.
dldate for Congress. The stranger was in
vlted to make a speech, but the bishop never
takes part in politics.
Bishop Coleman on his tramp wore a
slouch hat. heavy shoes, long macintosh
and carried u staff He travelled in all sorts
OF weather over all kinds of roads. Ere
quently as he was trudging along the roads
some kind-hearted farmer would stop his
team and call to the pedestrian to q jump
aboard, remarking you are too old TO
walk. And the farmer would be amazed
when his invitation was declined. Others
would, stare at him and he could overhear
1 wish l could help him. " '"' " Walk
The bishop is an adept at clock repair
ing. Most of his nights were spent at
farmhouses. where the bishop usually maid
Tor nights lodging. But sometimes the
farmers would refuse to take pay. Then the
bishop would spy clock that was not run.
ning, and he would quickly repair it, to the
nj h,l
broken umbrellas. which the bishop would
mend, and he did all sorts of tinkering Jobs
about the. farms. Some dark nights, how
ever, the bishop was not so lucky in getting
a, good bed in a farmers house in which to
sleep. "'''Ni' "
At one place where he knocked for admis.
sion ne was informed that the house was full
the bishop Journeyed until he came to d.
iapidated looking barn. Into this he crept
and OF new hay he made a bed on which he
slept during the night, the crickets sing.
ing him into the land of dreams.
ABOUT night the Bishop had had luck;
ne old not Know where to sleep. He, how
ever e; ,1,l fortunately came AN upon schoolhouse
PACK window open. and in through the win
dow the Bishop climbed He slept for the
night on the hard wooden floor. At one
place where he stopped the family consist.
ed OF father, mother and six grown chill
dren, none of whom could read or write.
ne parents SAID they We're too poor to pay
Tor the clothes for their children. The long.
est distance travelled in one day was twenty
SIX miles. but the average was about twenty
miles.-Philadelphia Record.
A peculiar case of poisoning is reported
from Park Ridge n. ]. young wo-
man. who is employed in an office
where many letters are prepared for
mailing, became i'll, and the case was at
tributed to poison from the gum on post
age stamps. 1t may be that the govern
ment will take the precaution in future
to have only chewing gum used on post