e way it
was put.

"I told Ball I was seeing everybody in Leith," he answered, "and that I
had called on you, and you weren't at home. Ball inferred that you had a
somewhat singular way of seeing people."

"You don't understand," was Mr. Braden's somewhat enigmatic reply.

"I understand pretty well," said Mr. Crewe. "I'm a candidate for the
Republican nomination for representative from Leith, and I want your vote
and influence. You probably know what I have done for the town, and that
I'm the biggest taxpayer, and an all-the-year-round resident."

"S--some in Noo York--hain't you?"

"Well, you can't expect a man in my position and with my interests to
stay at home all the time. I feel that I have a right to ask the town for
this nomination. I have some bills here which I'll request you to read
over, and you will see that I have ideas which are of real value to the
State. The State needs waking up-progressive measures. You're a farmer,
ain't you?"

"Well, I have be'n."

"I can improve the condition of the farmer one hundred per cent, and if
my road system is followed, he can get his goods to market for about a
tenth of what it costs him now. We have infinitely valuable forests in
the State which are being wasted by lumbermen, which ought to be
preserved. You read those bills, and what I have written about them."

"You don't understand," said Mr. Braden, drawing a little closer and
waving aside the manuscript with his cigar.

"Don't understand what?"

"Don't seem to understand," repeated Mr. Braden, confidingly laying his
hand on Mr. Crewe's knee. "Candidate for representative, be you?"

"Yes," replied Mr. Crewe, who was beginning to resent the manner in which
he deemed he was being played with, "I told you I was."

"M--made all them bills out before you was chose?" said Mr. Braden.

Mr. Crewe grew red in the face.

"I am interested in these questions," he said stiffly.

"Little mite hasty, wahn't it?" Mr. Braden remarked equably, "but you've
got plenty of time and money to fool with such things, if you've a mind
to. Them don't amount to a hill of beans in politics. Nobody pays any
attention to that sort of fireworks down to the capital, and if they was
to get into committee them Northeastern Railroads fellers'd bury 'em
deeper than the bottom of Salem pond. They don't want no such things as
them to pass."

"Pardon me," said Mr. Crewe, "but you haven't read 'em."

"I know what they be," said Mr. Brade