uth End, where the Great House stood
with many smaller homes of the town to the south of it. Always the little
boy started with this injunction:

"Learn all you can, David, of town affairs. Inquire about the doings of
the General Court. This is our country, David, and we must know what
happens."

The cutting of staves proved to be a means of meeting their simple daily
needs. The abundant forests everywhere prevented a demand for the
shipment of staves to other ports; so it was an exultant David who came
home one fall day with the word that Mr. John Cutt, the wealthy merchant
of Portsmouth, wanted all the staves John Stevens could make. They had
proved the best of the kind that Mr. Cutt had yet found. With the little
that David could do on the garden the two managed to make a living. Yet
all this effort to live was held before David as a small matter compared
with the life of the country.

"You must remember, David," his uncle impressed upon him, "that the
country must live whether we are here or not, and its life, lad, depends
upon what we can do for it while we are here."

With this quickened interest in the big country, of which he could see so
small a part, David returned from town early in January of 1680, with
stirring news for his uncle.

"Listen to this, Uncle John," he cried, excitedly, "Our King in England
has seen fit to separate New Hampshire from the government of
Massachusetts, and he has appointed our Mr. John Cutt as President. The
Royal Charter is already here!"

John Stevens leaned forward, as if to grasp the thought.

"Say it again, David, every word." Then, after the boy had repeated the
news, his uncle slowly shook his head.

"It is a heavy responsibility for us, lad. We have but four small towns
in New Hampshire. Yet I have confidence in the honored gentleman
appointed to lead us."

Actually to withdraw from the rule of Massachusetts required time, during
which period David never returned home without bringing some interesting
news. One day it was, "Uncle John, Portsmouth has seventy-one men who can
vote; Dover has sixty-one; Hampton, fifty-seven; and Exeter, twenty." At
another time he announced, "There is to be an important meeting in March,
to which every town of New Hampshire is to send three representatives
except Exeter, which sends two."

On the 16th of March, the day of the General Assembly, John Stevens sent
the boy off to town for the whole day.

"Learn everything for me, Dav