-townsmen. The dismissal of the teacher, indeed,
was put down to a regrettable misconception on the part of "one of the
prudential committee," who had confessed his mistake in "a manly and
altogether praiseworthy speech." The article was as near the truth,
perhaps, as the Clarions may come on such matters--which is not very
near. Cynthia would have been better pleased if Mr. Page had spared
his readers the recital of her qualities, and she did not in the least
recognize the paragon whom Miss Lucretia had befriended and defended.
She was thankful that Mr. Page did pot state that the celebrity had come
up from Boston on her account. Miss Penniman had been "actuated by a
sudden desire to see once more the beauties of her old home, to look
into the faces of the old friends who had followed her career with such
pardonable pride." The speech of the president of the literary club,
you may be sure, was printed in full, for Mr. Ives himself had taken the
trouble to write it out for the editor--by request, of course.

Cynthia turned over the sheet, and read many interesting items: one
concerning the beauty and fashion and intellect which attended the party
at Mr. Gamaliel Ives's; in the Clovelly notes she saw that Miss Judy
Hatch, of Coniston, was visiting relatives there; she learned the output
of the Worthington Mills for the past week. Cynthia was about to fold up
the paper and send it to Miss Lucretia, whom she thought it would amuse,
when her eyes were arrested by the sight of a familiar name.

"Jethro Bass come to life again.
From the State Tribune."

That was the heading. "One of the greatest political surprises in many
years was the arrival in the capital on Wednesday of Judge Bass, whom
it was thought, had permanently retired from politics. This, at least,
seems to have been the confident belief of a faction in the state who
have at heart the consolidation of certain lines of railroads. Judge
Bass was found by a Tribune reporter in the familiar Throne Room at the
Pelican, but, as usual, he could not be induced to talk for publication.
He was in conference throughout the afternoon with several well-known
leaders from the North Country. The return of Jethro Bass to activity
seriously complicates the railroad situation, and many prominent
politicians are freely predicting to-night that, in spite of the
town-meeting returns, the proposed bill for consolidation will not go
through. Judge Bass is a man of s