The parson looks it o’er and frets. 
    It puts him out of sorts
  To see how many times he gets
    A penny for his thoughts.

  —­J.J.  O’Connell.

There were introductions all around.  The big man stared in a puzzled way at the club guest.  “You look like a man I’ve seen somewhere, Mr. Blinker,” he said.  “Your face seems familiar.  I fancy you have a double.  And a funny thing about it is that I remember I formed a strong prejudice against the man who looks like you—­although, I’m quite sure, we never met.”

The little guest softly laughed.  “I’m the man,” he answered, “and I know why you formed the prejudice.  I passed the contribution plate for two years in the church you attended.”

The collections had fallen off badly in the colored church and the pastor made a short address before the box was passed.

“I don’ want any man to gib mo’ dan his share, bredern,” he said gently, “but we mus’ all gib ercordin’ to what we rightly hab.  I say ’rightly hab,” bredern, because we don’t want no tainted money in dis box.  ‘Squire Jones tol’ me dat he done miss some chickens dis week.  Now if any of our bredern hab fallen by de wayside in connection wif dose chickens let him stay his hand from de box.

“Now, Deacon Smiff, please pass de box while I watch de signs an’ see if dere’s any one in dis congregation dat needs me ter wrastle in prayer fer him.”

A newly appointed Scotch minister on his first Sunday of office had reason to complain of the poorness of the collection.  “Mon,” replied one of the elders, “they are close—­vera close.”

“But,” confidentially, “the auld meenister he put three or four saxpenses into the plate hissel’, just to gie them a start.  Of course he took the saxpenses awa’ with him afterward.”  The new minister tried the same plan, but the next Sunday he again had to report a dismal failure.  The total collection was not only small, but he was grieved to find that his own sixpences were missing.  “Ye may be a better preacher than the auld meenister,” exclaimed the elder, “but if ye had half the knowledge o’ the world, an’ o’ yer ain flock in particular, ye’d ha’ done what he did an’ glued the saxpenses to the plate.”

POLICE COMMISSIONER—­“If you were ordered to disperse a mob, what would you do?”

APPLICANT—­“Pass around the hat, sir.”

POLICE COMMISSIONER—­“That’ll do; you’re engaged.”

“I advertized that the poor were made welcome in this church,” said the vicar to his congregation, “and as the offertory amounts to ninety-five cents, I see that they have come.”

See also Salvation.

CONUNDRUMS

“Mose, what is the difference between a bucket of milk in a rain storm and a conversation between two confidence men?”

“Say, boss, dat nut am too hard to crack; I’se gwine to give it up.”