That he was a thief and a robber, no one ever denied;
yet so colossal were his thefts, so bold and successful his
robberies, the public gazed upon him with a sort of stupefied awe,
and allowed him to proceed, while miserable tramps, who stole
overcoats or robbed money drawers, were incarcerated for a term of
years, and then sternly refused assistance afterward by good people,
who place no confidence in jail birds.
But each Sunday this successful robber occupied his high-priced
church pew, devoutly listening to the divine word.
He never failed to partake of the holy communion, nor was his right
to do so ever questioned.
The rector of the church knew his record perfectly; knew that his
gains were ill-gotten blood money, ground from the suffering poor by
the power of monopoly, and from confiding fools by smart lures and
scheming tricks. But this young clergyman, having recently been
called to preside over the fashionable church, had no idea of being
so impolite as to refuse to administer the bread and wine to one of
its most liberal supporters!
There were constant demands upon the treasury of the church; it
required a vast outlay of money to maintain the splendour and
elegance of the temple which held its head so high above many others;
and there were large charities to be sustained, not to mention its
rector's princely salary.
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