veral
occasions to have me run for selectman, but I reckoned thet I wuz too
old to be out so late nights and have to drive home from Eastborough at
ten or 'leven o'clock at night. Besides I've worked hard in my day, and
there's no place I like so well as my own home. I'm alwus sorry to go
away in the mornin' and alwus glad ter git home at night, and although I
consider that every citizen ought ter do everything he can for the
public good, I reckon thet there's a good many more anxious than I am to
serve the town, and I'm not so consated but thet I think they know how
ter do it better'n I could. But as that Moderator work comes in the
daytime, as I stand ready to do all I can for my young friend here,"
turning towards Quincy, "I'll be on hand Monday mornin' and do the best
I can to serve public and private interests at the same time."

Wallace Stackpole, while the others were talking, had taken a couple of
newspapers from his pocket, and as Deacon Mason finished, he looked up
and said, "There's an item here in the 'Eastborough Express,' Deacon,
that I imagine you'll be interested in. I'll read it to you: 'We are
informed on the best authority that Miss Huldy Mason, only daughter of
Deacon Abraham Mason of Mason's Corner, is engaged to Mr. Ezekiel
Pettengill. The day of the marriage has not been fixed, but our readers
will be informed in due season.'"

"I'm afraid, Deacon," said Quincy, "that's all my fault. I met young
Chisholm last Tuesday when I was over to the Centre, and he told me
something that actually obliged me to confide in him the fact that I
knew that your daughter was not likely to become Mrs. Obadiah Strout,
but he promised me on his word of honor that he would not put it in the
paper unless he got the same information from some other source."

The Deacon haw-hawed in good old-fashioned country style.

"Waal," said he, "young Chisholm tackled me, and said he heard a rumor
abeout Huldy and Strout, and, as you say, Mr. Sawyer, he kinder 'bliged
me to set him right. But he made me a promise, as he did you, thet he
wouldn't say anythin' abeout it unless some other feller told him the
same thing."

"That young man is sure to get ahead in the world; he buncoed us both,
Deacon," said Quincy.

"Waal, I dunno as I know just what you mean by buncoed," said the
Deacon, "but I kinder think he got the best of both on us on thet
point."

As they took their places again in the carryall, Quincy said to Mr.
Smith,