Coniston, Complete

was that gentleman's habit to spend at least one day in the month in Harwich for the purpose of paying his respects. In spite of the fact

riot about the lady in question, when he nearly fell out of his wagon. The cause of this was the sight of fat Tom coming around a corner, with Jethro Bass behind him. Lem Hallowell and the

lled up beside Jethro he had recovered sufficiently to make a few remarks on

t you, Jethro?" he asked finally, with

hat, Sam-h

Harwich last night and indicted the town for that piece of r

ay so!" sa

face. "The court'll hev to send an agent to do the j

hev to app'i

alla

didate-Sam-yo

I be," answered the u

o Harwich-

't," said Sam, not able to re

as anybody, Sam," said

isance, and he wondered whether, after all, he had done well to help Chester stir people up at this time. When he reached Harwich, instead

explained to Mr. Price the identity of the road agent that the judge of probate in the next office thought his colleague had gone mad. Afterward Mr. Price stood for some time in the entry, wh

on, where it had the effect of eliminating Mr.

nd bordered on the piece of road which had caused so much trouble, and Joe and half a dozen others had been at work there all morning under the road agent whom Judge Parkinson had appointed. Now Mrs. Northcutt was Chester's sister, a woman who in addition to other qualities possessed the only sense of humor in the family. She us

hester," he said

which came so easily to his tongue on other occasions? It is

ester," said Mrs. N

. Once seated, habit asserted itself; and he attacked the boiled di

e capital is finer than ever, Mr

s' Northcu

e, "and I never see such fine silks and bonnets in my life. Now I've often wante

l better'n I expected," a

's, Mr. Bass. Strange? Now I wouldn't

t and walked out. Chester got up instantly and went after him, and Joe, full of forebodings, followed his brother-in-law! Jethro was standing calmly on the grass plot, whittling a toothpick. C

ad, Chester-c-carry me dow

suddenly that his horse reared, while Jethro calmly climbed into the seat beside him and they drove off. It w

didate for senior Selectman! Jethro himself had said so, that he would be happy to abdicate in Che

ter?" said L

led a l

a lick of work sence noon time. Jest sets in a

e idea of Chester Perkins being Jethro's candidate. Where was reform now? If Chester were elected, i

' over to Harwich with Lem," Joe remarked p

s lap-but he was not reading. The humorous aspects of the doings of Mr. Bass did not particularly appeal to him now; and he was, in truth, beginning to hate this man whom the fates had so persistently intruded into his life. William Wetherell was not, it

ve natures. William Wetherell looked up,

readin'-great reso

ery difficult for William Wetherell to speak, but he managed to reply that reading had been a great resource to him. Jethro had a p

d of spell it out in places. Hain't had much time for readin'. But it's kind of pleasant to l'arn

had not been able to do that lately. Then he

waiting to speak to yo

ithout moving his head,

told me that yo

did-yes,

said Wetherell; "I cannot reasonably as

what will you do?" h

go back to the city and face the consequences. He

for the money-g-guess I'd

ed; "I can't hold out any hopes to you that it will ever be po

on of a smile, "I don't know but what that'

ed, suddenly goaded by another fea

not shake h

m," he answered, "same as you do books.

f cruelty as were practised by Caligula. He drew forth his cowhide wallet and produced from it

y hill farm, when the sun set, and the sky up thar above the mountain was all golden bars, and the river all a-flamin' purple, just as if it had bee

gined. Was this Jethro Bass? If so, here was a side of him the exist

ut that on paper

ade a deprecating mo

al and enjoy myself. It's like goin' to another world without any folks t

told me you didn't

the newspaper in his hand, and then We

wahn't born and raised here. If it hain't Coniston Mountain about seven o'

ssed, an extract: and as the storekeeper listened his blood began to run wi

gh the air," he said slowly. "Sh-showed it to Jim Willard, ed

said Wetherell

t man. I'll give him five dollars every week f

n and put it in his pocket, took ou

Willard

tle Gu

uess you'll know what to do with it. Er-

rticle?" said Wetherell, as the

knowed there wahn't any one is Brampton or Harwich c

reprieved. But Jethro Bass did not appear to be waiting for thanks. He cleared his throat, and had W

ether

es

about the mortgage-p-

eper to a burst of prot

the money,

-bu

d'ye suppose I'd b

of political coercion suddenly rising uppermost. Could this be what the man meant? Wetherell put hi

ny in politics-hev yo

ll's he

he ans

ke my advic

ekeeper, so loudly tha

eated Jethro,

Coniston Water, at the foot of the garden, sang the same song, but

on't you-hear thi

es

olitics, Will, s-stick to stor

his back on the storekeeper and pi

well?" h

ell, huskily. "She-she was dow

nd strode down to Coniston Water, and there he fou

hy?" said he, loo

cle Jethro,"

l me, hev you," said Jethro, plainly

ed up at him

oks-didn't you? S-sa

e replied simpl

ere lay disclosed a book with a very gorgeo

the pool. Then she opened it-not without awe, for William Wetherell's hooks were not clothed in

thy?" asked Jethro,

nthia

like it?" said he, no

at him with a pu

om the capital for

r m

Bass as he gazed upon the wonder a

it for yo

red at the cover again, Jethro looking down at her the while. To tell the truth,

Uncle Jethr

her from the beginning. He parted his coat tails and sat down on the roc

to read i

e said, and t

ad it

le the summer afternoon wore away, and the s