EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN A CHURCH.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2546, 3 November 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN A CHURCH.

A cnuituii h a curious place for a battle royal, even between excited females. A few dsiys ago, however, just after Mass had been solemnised in a couutry parish church iu France, a married woman and a spinster raced to the Confessional, each declining to give way to ' tho other. "What do you want?" asked the one. "To confess," replied tho other. '• I shall pass before you," was the retort. "Ah, e'est comme en!" exclaimed the wedded one, as she dealt the maiden a sound box on the ear. Tho other seized her by her raven tresses; she followed suit, and soon the pair were jumping about tho church screaming, scratching, and tearing each other's garments, to the bewilderment of the spectators of this odd scene. The Cure, attracted by the noise, repaired to the spot, and tried hard to calm the irate females ; but the married woman only became more excited at his intervention. She abused him roundly ; said that he had left her iu tho lurch, and asked him why he had preferred the spinster. He was a prefidious creature unworthy to celebrate Mass, and eertainly>he had gained nothing by throwing over another priest—whom she narr.ed — for him. The unlucky cure, utterly overco.ne l>y the lady's indiscrete conduct, beat a rapid retreat, after asking the two belligerents tc repair to tho rectory, there to talk matters over. So he fled, but the married woman, who had begun tho attack, (lung herself at full length on his doorstep, and defied her rival to make her way into the house, It was terribly awkward now—far worse, indeed, than in the comparative privacy of the church. The spinster soon arrived upon the scene, and there was a fresh alteration livelier than tho last. The villagers, hearing the row, hurried up, ami soon the ground in front of- the rectory and the garden-walls were crammed with grinmiig peasants, who thoroughly enjoyed the queer situation, The priest this time kept out of the way, but enough was said, aud the Municipal Council is to assemble in a few days for the express purpose of drawing up a resolution for the removal of this gay reetov to another tield of labour,