A Good Story is told of a worthy clergyman of very short stature, who resided some miles from a village in the interior.
Upon a certain Sunday, some years ago, this clergyman was invited by the pastor of a church in that village to fill his pulpit for the day. The invitation was accepted, and Sunday morning he was in the pulpit. Now, it appeared that the pulpit was a very high one, and consequently nearly hid the poor little clergyman from view. However, the congregation, out of respect, managed to keep their countenances, and with over-pious faces seemed religiously anxious for the text. They were not obliged to wait long, for a nose and two little eyes suddenly appeared over the top of the pulpit and a squeaking tremulous voice proclaimed in nasal tones the text. "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid." A general fettering followed the announcement — the clergyman became confused and turned all sorts of colors. Many in the general uproar left the church, and it was a long time before the minister was enabled to proceed with the sermon, so abruptly, broken off afternoon came, and the little man, standing on a foot-stool had a fair view of his audience. The text was announced in due form: "A little while we shall not see me." In the course of his sermon he repeated his text with great earnestness, and stopping back lost his elevated footing, and disappeared from all his hearest. The effect may be more readily imagined than described.
