Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1874 — So Many Cabbages. [ARTICLE]

So Many Cabbages.

£ Those public speakers who are afraid to venture before an audience without notes will find encouragement in the following story told of a poor country priest who preached such excellent sermons that the fame of them came to the ears of the Cardinal Archbishop of the diocese, who felt his curiosity excited and determined to go and hear for himself. He accordingly set out one Sunday morning, he and his suite —Chaplain, VicarGeneral and Secretary—and, arrayed in full canonicals, invaded the small village church filled with wondering bumpkins. The poor priest had not counted on suck goodly company, but the sight of the* Cardinal seemed to have very little effect upon him. He went through the service : in his usual simple manner, and afterward preached a sermon of such impressive eloquence that the Cardinal felt moved and followed “him into the vestry when mass was over to compliment him. Probably His Eminence was not more exempt than other folk from the occasional failing-of snobbishness; for, after hav--1 ing offered his praises, he could not resist | the temptation of adding: “ I congrat- | ulate you the more, sir, that I was afraid my presence might perhaps render you nervous and prevent you from speaking with your ordinary excellence ” “ O no, ! my lord, answered the priest, with a mild ; look at the Cardinal’s scarlet robes, “I ! make it a point in preaching to look upon my congregation as so niany cabbages, and a red cabbage more or less makes not the slightest differehce.” We are not told that the priest was promoted to a j riches benefice after this retort, but it 1 cannot have mattered much in his case,

for a man, who could have found such an answer was sure to make his way in life. —N. T. Observer.