Well, now I think
he's the finest old gentleman I ever saw. I didn't use to go to
Catholic chapel. Well, now I'm there often, and I rather kind o' like
it. Besides, I'm ready to argue with them all day and all night, and
what more can they expect from a fighting man?
"You see, after our war I got my hand in, and couldn't stop fighting.
The Indians wouldn't do--too much throat-cutting and savagery. So I
came over here, took a fancy to the Pope, enlisted, was at Mentana,
fit there, got promoted, went home, couldn't stand it, and here I am,
back again; though how long I'm going to be here is more'n I can tell.
The fact is, I feel kind of onsettled."
"Why so?"
"Oh, it's an aggravating place, at the best."
"How?"
"There's such an everlasting waste of resources--such tarnation bad
management. Fact is, I've noted that it's always the case wherever you
trust ministers to do business. They're sure to make a mess of it.
I've known lots of cases. Why, that's always the way with us. Look at
our stock-companies of any kind, our religious societies, and our
publishing houses--wherever they get a ministerial committee, the
whole concern goes to blazes. I _know_ that.
"Yes, _Sir_. Now that's the case here. Here's a fine country. Why,
round this here city there's a country, Sir, that, if properly
managed, might beat any of our prairies--and look at it.
"Then, again, they complain of poverty. Why, I can tell you, from my
own observation, that they've got enough capital locked up, lying
useless, in this here city, to regenerate it all, and put it on its
feet.
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