new speaker. "They use the license money of this
honorable and respectable old town to replenish the library!"

"I don't see what that has to do with temperance," promptly retorted the
young man who had begun the conversation. "Using the money for a good
purpose doesn't make drunkards. To what wicked use would _you_ have the
funds put?"

"I would keep the potter's field in decent order, and defray the funeral
expenses of murderers and paupers. That would be putting liquor money to
a legitimate use, making it defray its own expenses," returned Mr.
Cranmer, composedly.

"Well but, Cranmer," interposed the old gentleman, "explain your
position. It isn't the money belonging to the poor drunken wretches
that we use for the library, it's only what we make the scamps pay for
the privilege of doing business."

"For the privilege of making drunkards," retorted Mr. Cranmer. "Here,
I'll explain my position by illustrating. As I was coming up just now I
met old Connor's boy; he was coming up here, too. The poor fellow is
hungering and thirsting after books. He has been at work over hours to
my certain knowledge, for six weeks, to earn his dollar with which to
join this Library Association. He just accomplished the feat last night,
and was rushing over here, dollar in hand, and joy in his face. Just as
he reached the door old Connor stumbled and staggered along with his jug
in his hand, of course. 'Here you,' he said to the boy, 'what you hiding
under your arm? And what you about, anyhow? Mischief, I'll be bound.
Here give it to me whatever 'tis.' Now, gentlemen, I stood there, more
shame to me, and saw that poor wretch of a father deliberately take that
hard-earned dollar away from his boy. I saw the boy go crying off, and
the father stagger to that rum hole across the street, get his jug
filled, and pay that dollar! Now when that respectable rum-seller comes
to pay his license money, he is as likely to bring that stolen dollar as
any other--and they are all stolen in the first place from wives and
children; and when this _splendid_ Library Association, which is an
honor to the town, buys its next books, it buys them with money stolen
from the Jimmy Connors of the world. That's my opinion in plain English,
and I don't propose to pay my dollar in supporting any such
anti-temperance institution."

Theodore had listened attentively to this conversation, and his blood
was roused and boiling. He turned quickly away from the long l