* * * * *


ODD MISTAKE.


Judge Hall says, "I once travelled through Illinois when the waters were
high; and when I was told that _Little Mary_ would stop me, and that to
get by _Big Mary_ was impossible, I supposed them to be attractive damsels,
who, like beauteous Circe of old, amused themselves with playing _tricks
upon travellers_. But, lo! instead of blushing, blooming, and melodious
maids, I found torrents cold as ice, and boisterous as furies. Mary is too
sweet a name to be thus profaned."



* * * * *

FIGHT IN A CHURCH.


Among the ecclesiastical anecdotes of the age of the Commonwealth, is a
tradition still current at Bishop's Middleham, concerning their intrusive
vicar, John Brabant. He was a soldier in Cromwell's army; but preferring
the drum ecclesiastic to the drum military, he came with a file of troops
to Middleham, to eject the old vicar. The parishioners made a good fight
on the occasion, and succeeded in winning the pulpit, which was the key of
the position, for their proper minister; but Brabant made a soldierly
retreat into the chancel, mounted the altar, and there preached, standing,
with a brace of horse-pistols at his side. Right, however, had little