"Him? Why not? I knew his house."
"But a clergyman! Does it seem quite fair?"
"Oh, that's all right," laughed the other. "He's got a-plenty. It
don't have to come out of his salary, you know."
"Why not?"
"Because, he's got a rich wife. You didn't suppose he lived in that
palace of a house on his own salary, did you?"
"I hadn't thought anything about it."
"Well, he's all right--he married one of the richest girls in town.
And she'll keep his nest feathered."
There was a pause. "Don't you think that Dr. Vince is a good man?"
asked Samuel.
"I don't know," said the other. "I've got no quarrel with him. But I
don't like his trade."
"Doesn't he do a great deal of good to people?"
"Maybe," said the other, shrugging his shoulders.
"To poor people?" persisted Samuel.
"I dare say," admitted Charlie. "But you'll notice it takes all the
sand out of them--makes them into beggars. And I ain't that sort."
"Why do you think he tries to help them?"
"Well, he gets paid for it, don't he?"
"But the other people in the church--the ones who pay the money. Why
do you think they do it?"
The burglar thought for a moment. "I reckon they do it to make
themselves feel good," he said.
"To make themselves feel good," repeated the other perplexed.
"Sure!" said the man. "You take one of those rich women--she's got a
lot of money that she never earned, and she spends all her life
amusing herself and ordering servants about.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173