that's getting too common everywhere."

"Oh, no, I'm not; I'm talking the words of Jesus Himself. Aren't they
good enough for you? or are you like children at the table who will
take only what suits them, and ignore everything else?"

"Such talks never do any good, judge," said the deacon, buttoning his
overcoat and turning up the collar. "I've spent a good deal of my life
thinking about sacred subjects and trying to lead my fellow-men in the
right way. You're not going to make me believe at my time of life that
I've been all wrong, and that Jesus Christ came on earth only to start
a charity society."

"Nor to teach people to live right?"

"He wants them first to know how to die right. I should think, judge,
that Sam Kimper had been converting you over again and doing it
backwards. That fellow has only got hold of one end of the
Scripture--one little jag end of it."

"Too small an end to be worthy of your attention, I suppose, deacon?"

"This is all wasted time and idle talk, Judge Prency," said the deacon,
leaving the place so quickly that he forgot to ask for his letters.




CHAPTER XI.