—Indeed they do Mr. Gear. There is never any lack of candidates for a favorable parish. I have got half a dozen letters in my pocket now. One man writes and sends me copies of two or three letters of recommendation. Another gives me a glowing account of the revival that has followed his labors in other fields. Then there's a letter from a daughter that really moved me a good deal. She pleads hard for her father who is poor and is getting old, and needs the salary sadly-poor man.
Mr. Gear.:
—Well, all I have got to say, is that when any of those candidates come to preach I hope you'll notify me, and I'll stay away.
Mr. Hardcap.:
—I have no patience with these new fangled notions of these young up-start preachers. I reckon the ways our fathers got their preachers are good enough for us.
Mr. Gear.:
—And what do you say as to that point he makes about Paul's preaching as a candidate, Mr. Hardcap?
Mr. Hardcap.:
—Oh! that's different, altogether-very different. The apostle was inspired, Mr. Gear.
I notice that this is a very popular style of argument with Mr. Hardcap. Whenever he is posed in argument his never failing rejoinder is "Oh! that's different, altogether different." And I think I have observed that the Hardcap logic is not confined to Mr. Hardcap, but is in high regard in other quarters, where I should least look for it.