when a churchwarden is elected, as one is
annually, the cure may have his candidate, the opposing party theirs. At
Malbaie recently there was a sharp difference of opinion between the
cure and the people on a question relating to the cemetery. The parties
divided on the choice of a churchwarden and the cure's candidate was
defeated.

Yet the cure's position is one of great strength and authority. He has
his own income uncontrolled by the _fabrique_, which is master of the
rest of the church finances. The cure's tithe consists of one
twenty-sixth of the cereals produced by the parishioners. A further
tithe he has: the twenty-sixth child born to any pair of his
parishioners is by custom brought to the priest and he rears it;
sometimes, strange to say, this tithe is offered! From his tithe on
cereals the income is not large; at Malbaie it is probably never more
than from $1000 to $1200 a year; sometimes much less. The average income
of a cure is not more than $600. It is the custom for the parishioner to
deliver duly at the priest's house one twenty-sixth of his grain and in
the autumn a great array of vehicles may be seen making their way
thither. Usually there is considerable variety in the grain thus brought
but sometimes the cure is almost overwhelmed by a single product such as
peas; one of their number, thus paid, the neighbouring clergy christened
the "_cure des pois_." The French Canadian farmer is often narrowly
penurious and if he will not pay, as sometimes happens, the cure rarely
presses him or takes steps to recover what the law would allow. In any
case a bad harvest is likely to leave the cure poor. Changes in the type
of farming may also curtail his income. Of the products of dairy farming
he gets no share, yet it is a creditable fact that many priests have
urged their people to adopt this kind of farming. Fees for weddings
which, in Protestant Churches, go usually to the minister, are in the
Province of Quebec handed over to the general church fund. Of course the
priest has sources of income other than the tithe. He receives fees for
masses but the sums chargeable for these ceremonies are determined by
the bishop; the priest himself has no power of undue exaction. There is
indeed no evidence of a desire for such exaction. Whatever personal
differences may arise, the French Canadian cure is usually one in
thought and aim with his people. Wherever he goes he is always
respectfully saluted. To him the needy tu