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Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2352, 6 August 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

fxino'TiON.— Miss Ethel, to married friend, whom she has not scon for years, looking at portrait on wall ; "Oh, that is your husband is it? I know ho must he good-looking—-your children are so pretty !” A .story is going the rounds of an encounter between the P.isln.p of ISrolbnm-nc ami a navvy on the occasion of Urn baptism of the infant of the mud-shoveller. It is fair to suppose the story is an actual fact, though it is very similar to others we have heard. Not such a very long time ago n leading clergyman of the snnth-castere district of iSouth Australia was emle.n .m ingto address an open-air meeting, when he was interrupted at frequent intervals the local blacksmith, a m.m of am, wl. only attended the service for the purpose of making trouble. The minister appealed to him leave the ground if he was not in accord with the Mens of himself ami the other speakers. The smith declines!, and threw out a suggestion that some lay brother, of the church should come along ami eject him. The proposal was unheeded, and the annoyance continued, until the clergyman, descending from the temporary platform, expressed his willingness to accommodate his unrcgcncratn brother. A ring was promptly formed, and after twenty minutes of a good solid give and take fight the parson met his antagonist with a fair right-hander in the jaw, and sent him to sleep for a quarter of an hour or so. Strange to say he did not join the church forthwith, and become one of the headstones of the corner, as is Urn custom of sinners converted by muscular Christians. Instead ho wont on a howling drunk, and in a mild fit of delirium tremens tried to burn the parsonage down. A prosecution followed the act, hut he escaped, owing to alack of evidence against him, and shortly afterwards left the district. Stories of encounters between clergymen and roughs of their parishers are often told, lint seldom authenticated. The fore going is, however true,