CHAPTER XV.
CONSULTATIONS AND A SURPRISE.
John Kittach went away home, and as soon as he found an opportunity, he introduced the subject.
"It is wonderful, Mary," said he, "what an amount of good Shiana is doing all about the country. I don't know in the world how his money holds out. I don't believe there is one, or hardly one, poor person in the parish now who has not received something from him."
"No, father, there isn't," said she, "nor if you said in the seven parishes next to it. I often wonder very much too, when I hear the people talking, how it is that he has not gone bankrupt long ago. It is not in shillings nor in pounds the money is going from him, but in scores and in hundreds of pounds."
"I often think," said John, "that it is very surprising that he should let it go from him like that. Why, a man could do good, and give alms, and distribute charity, without wronging himself to such an extent. What many people say is, that he is out of his mind."
"Out of his mind!" said she. "It is hard to escape their tongues. If he were a mean-spirited, good-for-nothing fellow they would find fault with him; they would say he was making his money by avarice and stinginess. Now, when he can't be accused of avarice or of meanness, nothing will do but to say he is out of his mind. It is well for him that he cares very little for what they say. Whatever object he has in doing so much good, I dare say he knows his own mind."
