ind did have some monkey blood in
'em. You'll find we're a different sort here."

The young minister preserved silence for a little, until it became
apparent that the old trustee had had his say out. Even then he raised
his head slowly, and at last made answer in a hesitating and irresolute
way.

"You have been very frank," he said. "I am obliged to you. A clergyman
coming to a new charge cannot be better served than by having
laid before him a clear statement of the views and--and spiritual
tendencies--of his new flock, quite at the outset. I feel it to be
of especial value in this case, because I am young in years and in my
ministry, and am conscious of a great weakness of the flesh. I can
see how daily contact with a people so attached to the old, simple,
primitive Methodism of Wesley and Asbury may be a source of much
strength to me. I may take it," he added upon second thought, with an
inquiring glance at Mr. Winch, "that Brother Pierce's description of our
charge, and its tastes and needs, meets with your approval?"

Erastus Winch nodded his head and smiled expansively. "Whatever Brother
Pierce says, goes!" he declared. The lawyer, sitting behind at the desk
by the window, said nothing.

"The place is jest overrun with Irish," Brother Pierce began again.
"They've got two Catholic churches here now to our one, and they do jest
as they blamed please at the Charter elections. It'd be a good idee to
pitch into Catholics in general whenever you can. You could make a hit
that way. I say the State ought to make 'em pay taxes on their church
property. They've no right to be exempted, because they ain't Christians
at all. They're idolaters, that's what they are! I know 'em! I've had
'em in my quarries for years, an' they ain't got no idee of decency or
fair dealin'. Every time the price of stone went up, every man of 'em
would jine to screw more wages out o' me. Why, they used to keep account
o' the amount o' business I done, an' figger up my profits, an' have
the face to come an' talk to me about 'em, as if that had anything to do
with wages. It's my belief their priests put 'em up to it. People
don't begin to reelize--that church of idolatry 'll be the ruin o' this
country, if it ain't checked in time. Jest you go at 'em hammer 'n'
tongs! I've got Eyetalians in the quarries now. They're sensible
fellows: they know when they're well off--a dollar a day, an' they're
satisfied, an' everything goes smooth."

"But they'