But there are various ways of conquering even one’s physical ills,--at least to the extent of sparing poor children the infliction of fines because they have noses which occasionally give them trouble. The begging cleric is of all sacerdotal figures the one most familiar to the general community. One can seldom attend a church without hearing the mendicant’s plea. If the collection taken were indeed for the poor, and one felt that it was really and truly going to help feed the starving and nourish the sick, how gladly most of us would contribute, to the very best of our ability! But sad experience teaches us that this is not so. There are “Funds” of other mettle than for the sick and poor,--“restoration” funds especially. For many years a famous church was in debt owing to “restorations,” and Sunday after Sunday the vicar implored his congregation to lift “the burden” off its time-honoured walls--in vain! At last one parishioner paid the amount required in full. The vicar acknowledged the cheque,--put a recording line in the “Parish Magazine,”--wrote a formal letter of thanks regretting that the donor did not “show a good example by attending public worship on Sundays,”--after which, _for more than a year he did not speak to that parishioner again_! This is a fact. Neither he nor his wife during that time ever showed the slightest common civility to the one individual who, out of all the parish, had “lifted the burden,” concerning which so many pious exordiums had been preached. _Till_ the debt was paid, the vicar showed every friendliness to the person in question--but afterwards--well!--one can only suppose it was a case of “Othello’s occupation gone!” He could beg no more,--not for that particular object. But I understand he has started fresh “restorations” lately, so till he finds another trusting sheep in the way of a too sympathetic parishioner, he will be quite happy.