And these men, he further informed me, spent the greater part of this in drink and pleasuring on their off-days.

They will have good food and the best, too--such as I cannot afford, in these days of high butchers' bills; notwithstanding that they make such a poor show for their money, and save none of it, either! I do not complain of this, politically speaking, for, `an Englishman's house is his castle,' you know, and he has the right to live as he pleases; but, I do say, that when poor curates and clerks are so taxed, these men ought to bear their share of the taxation, possessing, as they do, incomes quite as large and in many cases greater." "But, they are taxed indirectly, though, are they not ?"--I asked.
"Certainly; but, so also are all of us, the larger number of _real_ working-men of the country--quite in addition to the heavy burden we have to bear of local and direct taxation! The pseudo `working-man' should fairly contribute his quota to all this--particularly, since his bottle-holders have been so clamourous for giving him a share in the government of the state.

If he wants `a share in the government,' why, he should help to support it:--that's what I say!" And the vicar then went off into a tirade against class legislators and radical politics, not forgetting to animadvert, too, on the "Manchester School"-- his great bete noir.
"I wonder what Mr Mawley would say, to hear you run down his favourite party so!"-- I said, when he gave me another opening to put in a word.--"He's such a rabid Liberal." "Mawley is thorough," said the vicar; "I do not agree with his views, certainly; but _he_ really believes in them and acts up to his theories, which is more than can be said for a good many of our `Liberal' statesmen! What can _one_ think of them when one hears them talking of `economy,' and cutting down the poor clerk's salary, without dreaming of touching their own little snug incomes of five thousand a-year!" "But what has all this got to do with Frank's appointment, brother ?" asked Miss Pimpernell, with a sly chuckle of satisfaction.

She always said she disliked arguments; but, she was never better pleased than to hear the vicar expressing his sentiments on topics of the day.

He was so earnest and delighted when he got a good listener--although, he was rather shy of speaking before strangers.
"Dear me!"-- exclaimed the vicar, rubbing his forehead vigorously.--"I declare, I thought I was talking to Parole d'Honneur! You must forgive me, Frank." "Do you think you could manage to get him an appointment, my dear ?"-- repeated my little old friend, bringing the vicar back to our main question, now that she had unhorsed him from his Radical charger.
"Yes, certainly,"-- replied the vicar, cordially,--"I do not see why I should not.