George
came home after his work was over at the shop, and sometimes went out
to supper with his wife, or read to her the newspaper, which came
once a week. Like his father, he was an ardent politician, and, from
the very beginning of the struggle, an enthusiastic Free Trader. The
Free Trade creed was, indeed, the cause of serious embarrassment, for
not only were the customers agricultural and Protectionist, but the
deacons at Tanner's Lane, being nearly all either farmers or
connected with the land, were also Protectionist, and Mr. Broad had a
hard time of it. For himself, he expressed no opinion; but once, at
a deacons' meeting, when it looked as if some controversy would
arise, he begged Brother Allen to remember that, though we might be
wise as serpents, we were also commanded to be harmless as doves.
There was a small charity connected with the chapel, which was
distributed, not in money, but in bread, and Brother Allen, not being
able to contain himself, had let fall a word or two about the price
of bread which would have raised a storm if Mr. Broad had not poured
on the troubled waters that oil of which he was a perfect reservoir.
George did his best to instruct his wife in the merits of the
controversy, and when he found anything in his newspaper read it
aloud to her.
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