in'
on."

"Well, I guess you'll find out when they get back to the Town Hall,"
remarked Mr. Parsons; and he stepped forward to greet three or four
other citizens, who leaned over and whispered in his ear.

Mr. Parsons smiled and nodded, and opening the door admitted them to the
dining-room.

"Well, that beats all," said Abner, as he went out on the platform in
front of the hotel. "They jest whispered somethin' to him and he let 'em
right in. I kinder think somethin's goin' on and thet Strout ain't up to
it. Guess I'll go back and tell him," which he proceeded to do.

He found Strout and some sixty or seventy of the citizens still
remaining in the Town Hall, the majority of whom were eating the
luncheons that they had brought with them from home. Taking Strout
aside, Abner confided to him the intelligence of which he had become
possessed.

"'D'yer know what it means?" asked Abner.

"No, I don't," said Strout, "but I bet a dollar that it's some of that
city chap's doin's. Is he 'round about town this mornin'?"

"No," said Abner, "he went to Bosting on the same train with Miss Lindy
Putnam, for I fetched her down, and I saw him git inter the same car
with her as I wuz drivin' off."

One o'clock soon arrived, and the large party that had regaled
themselves with the appetizing viands and non-alcoholic beverages
supplied by mine host of the Eagle Hotel came back to the Town Hall in
the best of spirits. The majority of them were smoking good cigars,
which had been handed to them by the proprietor, as they passed from the
dining-room.

When asked if there was anything to pay, Mr. Parsons shook his head and
remarked sententiously, "This is not the only present that the town has
received to-day," which was a delicate way of insinuating the name of
the donor of the feast without actually mentioning it.

The election of a dozen minor officers calls for no special attention,
except to record the fact that Abner Stiles, who had cautiously taken a
position several settees removed from Strout, arose as the nominations
were made for each office, and in every case nominated Mr. Obadiah
Strout for the position, and it is needless to add that Mr. Obadiah
Strout had at least one vote for each office in the gift of the town.

The nomination of a collector of taxes for the town was finally reached.
Abner Stiles was first on his feet, and being recognized by the
Moderator, nominated "Mr. Obadiah Strout, who had performed the duti