"But most _Schnorrers_ be Synagogue-knockers!" "Most _Schnorrers_ are Congregation-men or Psalms-men," retorted the Spaniard witheringly. "But I call it debasing. What! To assist at the services for a fee! To worship one's Maker for hire! Under such conditions to pray is to work." His breast swelled with majesty and scorn. "I cannot call it vork," protested the _Schnorrer_. "Vy at dat rate you vould make out dat de minister vorks? or de preacher? Vy, I reckon fourteen pounds a year to my services as Congregation-man." "Fourteen pounds! As much as that?" "Yes, you see dere's my private customers as vell as de Synagogue. Ven dere is mourning in a house dey cannot alvays get together ten friends for de services, so I make von. How can you call that vork? It is friendship. And the more dey pay me de more friendship I feel," asserted Yankelé with a twinkle. "Den de Synagogue allows me a little extra for announcing de dead." In those primitive times, when a Jewish newspaper was undreamt of, the day's obituary was published by a peripatetic _Schnorrer_, who went about the Ghetto rattling a pyx--a copper money-box with a handle and a lid closed by a padlock. On hearing this death-rattle, anyone who felt curious would ask the _Schnorrer_: "Who's dead to-day?" "So-and-so ben So-and-so--funeral on such a day--mourning service at such an hour," the _Schnorrer_ would reply, and the enquirer would piously put something into the "byx," as it was called. The collection was handed over to the Holy Society--in other words, the Burial Society. "P'raps you call that vork?" concluded Yankelé, in timid challenge. "Of course I do. What do you call it?" "Valking exercise. It keeps me healty. Vonce von of my customers (from whom I _schnorred_ half-a-crown a veek) said he was tired of my coming and getting it every Friday. He vanted to compound mid me for six pound a year, but I vouldn't." "But it was a very fair offer. He only deducted ten shillings for the interest on his money." "Dat I didn't mind. But I vanted a pound more for his depriving me of my valking exercise, and dat he vouldn't pay, so he still goes on giving me de half-crown a veek. Some of dese charitable persons are terribly mean. But vat I vant to say is dat I carry de byx mostly in the streets vere my customers lay, and it gives me more standing as a _Schnorrer_."