The Religious "Slot-Machine"

1899

In the Adirondack Mountains, at a place of popular resort, there is a chapel where the contributions are often liberal in the summer season, but where the contributions still chiefly consist, as far as bulk goes, of small coins. The rector of this church, who is a man of dignified and ministerial appearance, is accustomed to go with the Sunday offering to one of the hotels, and receive a check for the amount of it.

One Monday morning he was counting the money at the desk of the hotel cashier, and was at that moment scraping together the nickels and coppers, which were in abundant supply. Just then a bell-boy came up who seemed to have something on his mind.

"What is it, my little man?" asked the rector, in his most honeyed tone.

"Beg pardon, sir," said the boy, "but are you the man what runs the slot-machine down-stairs?"

The boy could never understand why all the people, including the rector, laughed at him. The laugh was really on the Sunday contributors to the church funds. Many clergymen, we have no doubt, will sympathize with this supposed proprietor of the slot-machine. — Youth's Companion.