"Why?" the same voice asked. "Couldn't he stand up to the job?"
"Not exactly. He was a hard worker, but he found it almost impossible to understand the ways, ah, how shall I put it? of refined society. That is, he could not mingle freely with the social element which is so prominent at St. Margaret's. He preferred the lower life, such as is found along the water-front, and in the poorer sections of the city. He was more at home there."
"I am afraid, sir, that the new parson will not suit here," the chairman announced. "According to your words, he is not a gentleman, and does not understand the ways of polite society. Now, we want a man all can respect, who understands his people, and yet who has the true ring of a natural born gentleman."
"Who is he, anyway?" a man asked. "Where did he come from?"
"He was brought up on a farm, and worked his way through college," Dr. Rannage explained. "He understands country ways and should suit very nicely here."
"Why don't ye say 'the bush'?" Bill Simmonds shouted. "Anything will suit us here."
The laugh which followed this remark annoyed Dr. Rannage.
"I am almost inclined to believe you are right," he angrily retorted.
"Ye believe it already, an' we know it."
"Order!" the chairman sternly demanded. "Bill Simmonds, you had better leave the hall, if you can't behave yourself."