When the speech was read to Rachel her eyes overflowed with tears of joy. Aaron, coming in shortly afterwards, found her holding the newspaper to her heart. She took his hand, and raised it to her lips.
"No, no," he said; "you humble me."
He folded her in his arms, where she lay, contented and happy.
As a matter of course he was sometimes beguiled into bestowing money upon unworthy objects or persons, but it did not affect him. "Where lives the man who does not make mistakes?" he said. "If there is one deserving case in ten I am satisfied." In the wide scope of his charities he had some curious experiences, and one of these, becoming known, was the theme of much comment, both serious and humorous. A gentleman called upon him and solicited a contribution to an old-established society, the name of which he did not mention. He contented himself with saying that it was known all the world over, and that its objects were universally approved of.
"You do not, I suppose," said Aaron, "expect me to give in the dark. Favour me with the name of the society."
"You have doubtless heard of it," replied the gentleman. "It is the Society for the Promotion of Christianity amongst the Jews."
Aaron smiled as he said, "Yes, I have heard of it. But, my dear sir, I am myself a Jew."
"I am aware of it," said the gentleman, "and the reason I make the appeal is that you have been described to me as a man who has no narrow prejudices, and who is in no sense dogmatic or bigoted."
"It is, then, a compliment you are paying me when you ask me to contribute to a fund which is antagonistic to my race."
"In your view antagonistic," observed the gentleman. "There are generally two sides to a question."