Carson spoke. "You mean he was an Owenite; all for
equality and community of goods, and that kind of absurdity."
"No, no! John Barton was no fool. No need to tell him that were
all men equal to-night, some would get the start by rising an hour
earlier to-morrow. Nor yet did he care for goods, nor wealth--no
man less, so that he could get daily bread for him and his; but what
hurt him sore, and rankled in him as long as I knew him (and, sir,
it rankles in many a poor man's heart far more than the want of any
creature-comforts, and puts a sting into starvation itself), was
that those who wore finer clothes, and eat better food, and had more
money in their pockets, kept him at arm's length, and cared not
whether his heart was sorry or glad; whether he lived or died,--
whether he was bound for heaven or hell. It seemed hard to him that
a heap of gold should part him and his brother so far asunder. For
he was a loving man before he grew mad with seeing such as he was
slighted, as if Christ Himself had not been poor. At one time, I've
heard him say, he felt kindly towards every man, rich or poor,
because he thought they were all men alike.
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