Mr.
Gum--more often called Clerk Gum in the village--had never done a wrong thing in his life, or fallen into a scrape.

He had been altogether a pattern to Calne in general, and to its black sheep in particular.

Dr.
Ashton himself could not have had less brought against him than Clerk Gum; and it would just have broken Mr.Gum's heart had his good name been tarnished in ever so slight a degree.

Perhaps no man living had been born with a larger share of self-esteem than Jabez Gum.

Clerk of the parish longer than Dr.Ashton had been its Rector, Jabez Gum had lived at his ease in a pecuniary point of view.