WANTED A FAIR CHANCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9344, 13 January 1909, Page 6

WANTED A FAIR CHANCE.

In a seaside parish in the early part of last century there lived a sporting parson. Tbe place was a favourite landing place for woodcock at the time of tbeir annual immigration, and the parson used\ to, tell olf a native to let him know as. soon as the to arrive. One Sunday he was preaching to> bis congregation, and had jtiet commenced the second head of his discourse, when the church door cautiously opened and a head appeared, followed by a beckoning’ finger. The parson either did not see or would not heed the intruder,, so the latter then gave a loud cough. The preacher stopped his preaching in the middle of a sentence, and excitedly said, “What is it, John?”" “docks is coom !” replied John?” The parson hurriedly closed his? sermon case. “Shut the door and look it,” he cried to the clerk; ‘keep the people in church till Ive got my surplice off. Let’s all have* a fair chance.”