"But,--tell me what
are you doing here?"
"Here! my dear madam? Doing good for mankind and the truth of
religion. I claim merit of the parish, for my pursuit is laudable,
and saves the parish much trouble," says the Elder, beginning to wax
warm in the goodness of his pursuit, before anyone has undertaken to
dispute him, or question the purity of his purpose.
"Still speculating in infirmity; making a resurrection man of
yourself! You are death's strongest opponent; you fight the great
slayer for small dollars and cents."
"Well, now," interrupts the Elder, with a serious smile, "I'd rather
face a Mexican army than a woman's insinuating questions,--in matters
of this kind! But it's business, ye see! according to law; and ye
can't get over that. There's no getting over the law; and he that
serveth the Lord, no matter how, deserveth recompense; my recompense
is in the amount of life I saves for the nigger."
"That is not what I asked; you evade my questions, Elder! better
acknowledge honestly, for the sake of the country, where did you
pick up these poor wretches?"
"I goes round the district, madam, and picks up a cripple here, and
a cancer case there, and a dropsy doubtful yonder; and then, some on
em's got diseases what don't get out until one comes to apply
medical skill. Shan't make much on these sort o' cases,--"
The lady interrupts him, by bidding him good morning, and advising
him, whenever he affects to serve the Lord, to serve him honestly,
without a selfish motive.
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