I shall avoid any unnecessary excitement in this connection.
"In private life the padre is really very decent.

We have great smokes together, and talks.

On all subjects he has very decided opinions, and in everything but religion, liberal views.

I lure him into philosophic discussions, and overwhelm him with my newest and biggest metaphysical terms, which always reduce his enormous cocksureness to more reasonable dimensions.
"The minister's wife is quite another proposition.

She argues, too, but unfortunately she asks questions, in the meekest way possible acknowledging her ignorance of my big terms, and insisting upon definitions and exact meanings, and then it's all over with me.