The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-12-22
Mather Byles.

| manner bylts was tue VIII OF Boston. Ht
,ktd even at sellJus times. When Klng's
Chapel was being erected, be remarked, re-
ferring to the upper tier OF narrow win
dows, that he had heard OF the csnons OF
the church, but had never seen PORTFOLIOS
before.
He was Tory and would talk Tory poll
tics. He so ridiculed the patriots In their
opposition to the King that the authorities
resolved to pu. him under guard. He lived
on what Is Low Hollis ct.
A soldier was sent to guard him, who
marched up and down before the door 10
al official aud pompous manner
0ae day the merry rector came out Of his
house,
Halt said The soldier.
want you to 20 down to Kings ct. and
do an errand for me, said DR.. Byles.
But am On guard.
Yes, bu. let me have your gun, and
will stand grlrd over myself.
The.peop!e who "a hertd about the scene
saw that se!tiLg guard ovir the irrepress-
ible man was ridiculous. 50 the guard was
Withdrawn.
But the fancy doctor began to talk again,
politically. The magistrates placed an
other guard over him, who was also W ith-
drawn.
When this was done the doctor said to
one Of the magistrates, or forefathers
"What state Is mine have been guard
ed, re-guarded, and now am disregsrded,
which Is the most unhsppy condition Of
man.
A dark day fell upon New England. Ac-
cordipg to the language Of settled lore,
"Thc fowls went to roost at noon." As
there was no eclipse set for that day, many |
people thought that the end Of the world
had come.
There was woman, probably member
Of DR.. Byles' parish, who was greatly
alarmed and distressed as the darkness
deepened. She said to her little SON. "Gc,
feel your way along to Or. Byles' door,
strike the kpocker, and tell him that have
sent you. Say to him that am In dark
ness, and ask him what Is the cause Of this
appalling obscurity,"
The boy went IS directed.
The doctor answered the banging. He
opened the door, probably In gown and wig,
md possibly with snuff box.
DR.. By les, my mother sends me to you.
She is In the dark, ard the fowls have gone
O roost, and she Is afraid that the end has
,ome- She wished me to say to you:
What is the cause Of this appalling OBJ.
curity?
Yes, yes, said the live doctor In some
reputation. Well well, you 20 back and 1
ell your mother, tell her that am as much 9
D the dark as she y.
This story was told with many variations :
q the latter days Of the Red Settle charm 8
! Ike on he dark day was accounted f
1order. KIDg's:Chspel appears now as in 4
be Red Settle days. In the chapel yard Is b
he grave OF Mary Chiffon, who vac said 9
, be the first passenger on the MiyHower
, leap on shore at Plymouth Rock. n
There was story Of Mather Byles that b
,aush boys liked to hear. d
II msy have happened In the days Of the q
ei
Two boys had climbed the house ladder,
ID were looking down the chimney, when
e doctor, hearing sounds In the chimney,
ought he would investigate the cause II
! locking up. He was probably rUnIed "
ID bewlgged. 81
As be looked up the boys scrambled away
1t CT the angie Ct vision, and sent down "
oud Of soot, which powdered the doctor, O,
X, tUiilss, velyets ard all. But be did cl
It lose bis sense Of humor, not be. He b,
n cut, snd looked Up to tho frightened
ys on the roof, who mutt have expected
at they would feel the reps Of his care
Boys, he said, you may down now; you O,
We jast "tooted me-" df
With bis magnsniuous invitation they
obably compiled, ard the three, all feel gr
Z foollib, parted friends. ht