The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-14
cLERIcs IN STRANGE PARTS.
Jacks Of All Trades-Curates as Stokers
and Bishops as Bus Conductors.

ana DlSAOpS as buS A0hQuSlVlS.
! A splendid specimen oil the clerical
slack of all-trades" was the late Rev.
G.. RogersoH, for many years vicar Of
Peak Forest. in Derbyshire This ener-
getic and versatile gentleman was not
only an accomplished sculptor-he carved
monuments to the memory Of Queen Vic
toria and the late Lord Salisbury a
medical man Of no mean order. He doc
tored the countryside for miles around,
and used, too, 10 help the neishboring
farmers to plough. thateh and stack at
busy times, at each Of which occupation
be was equally skilful.
To labor as d st0ker from early morn
to eve seems somewhat homogeneous oc-
cupation Tor clergyman, yet a few
years ago this strange sight might have
been witnessed at the Donoaster Gas
Works. and was the direct result OF a
curious challenge thrown out by the
stokers to Rev NJ b Soole, the curate
of st. Aiary's church. The reverend gen
tleman had attended the gas works and
invited the sf0kers TO attend a special
series of evening services he was organ
i2ing. The men replied That they were
too tired after their days work, and
added that If the clergyman had stocked
at the retorts for eight hours lie would
not want to attend any services. The
sporting curate promptly accepted the
challenge and offered to do a days
work with any Of them. He was as
good as his word and duly appeared one
morning at $3.50, working steadily with
the men until knocking of time, 1880
p. m. At midday his dinner was brought
BY the vicar, who also provided oranges
for the men,
Few people VINO have viewed the Ro-
man Catholic presbyterv at Brentford,
which was erected IN 1905, are aware
that the building Is practically the work
OF one man, The priest in charge
Father Barton, drew up the plans did
the surveying, acted as clerk of the
works and laid ont the beautiful gardens
The chief portion Of the labor was pro-
yided by the male members Of the con
gregation Some idea Of the size Of the
may be gathered from the
fact that the presbytery contains ten
rooms
1t was another Roman Catholic-Dr
Patterson, Bishop Of Emmaus-wn IN
one occasion acted as an omnibus con-
ductor The bishop was travelling BY
'hus one day, when an accident occurred,
and the conductor had to be taken to the
hospital. Anxious that the good man
should not lose his pay for the journey,
The good natured prelate took his place
and acted as conductor to the end of the Z
jorrney. taking fares and punching ;isN
ets as though to the manner born.
At the recent puglist encounter az 4
q Sighting parsan might {
have been seen in real life, the name Of {
enc. Of the participants f. Hutton Sims I
covering the identity Of a well known I
local curate. He punished bis opPo \
t1nt severely says q newspaper repor. 4
81 the proceedings, and took a cut eye \
and damaged nose in excellent part.
The recent severance Of state and
ahurcn in France has placed many Of the
poorer secular clergy in sore straits,
The Cure Of Graincpurt, in Normandy
aas. however. taken the bull BY the
horns. Being clever al machinery the
good father has fitted UP a servieeable
workshop and combines his spiritual
,uties with the repairing Of bicycles ami
motor cars. As tne cure is an expert
"a IS not doing al all badly