The Rise of Roscoe Paine

mercantile and social center of Denboro. Simeon Eldredge kept the store, and Simeon was also postmaster, as well as the town constable, undertaker, and auctioneer. If you wanted a spool

his professional capacities. Possibly Lute's suggestion had some sort of psychic effect and I stopped at the post-office involuntari

ere, and Alonzo Black and Alvin Baker and Thoph Newcomb. Beriah Doane and Sam Cahoon, who lived in South Denboro, were there, too, having driven over behind Beriah's horse, on an er

e first and haile

anybody else. Hey, Ros, how many hired help does he keep, anyhow?

mb, before I could answer. "There's the

it on a cook!" interrupted Mul

ks. I said he waited on them-on th

ach. I see the carriages when they come-two freight cars full of 'em. There was a o

e dog have a cart all to himself? That's a good one! You and me ain't g

e dog-cart," he repeated, "and another thing they called

s the coachman, anyhow. And a big minister-lookin' feller who was a butler, and tw

the automobiles," said Alonzo Black. "He's the tenth. Sa

ked. It was my first

nts, you know. How man

any he keeps," I sa

mazement. Thoph Newcomb voi

n! You're livin' right next door to 'em, as you might say!

dn't know the Coltons had arrived until I cam

Mullet and Black began talking all together. I learned that the Colton invasion of Denboro was a spectacle only equaled by the yearly coming of the circus to Hyannis,

you. Mrs. Colton is sort of fleshy, but as handsome a woman as you'd w

he say?" as

e was makin' such a noise she

h rich folks! Wonder you didn't tell her you drove a fish-cart and wanted her trade! As for me, I'm independent. Don't make no difference to me how we

ilarity which followed, and while the offended apostle of independence was try

previous evening and the morning's mail had not yet arrived. Therefore this letter must have been written by some one in Denboro and posted late the night before or early that morning. It was not the custom for Denboro residents to commun

ostmarked Denboro, dated that morning, and addressed in a sharp, clear masculine hand unfamiliar to me, to "Roscoe Paine, Esq." The "Esq." would have settled it, if t

a Rogers to guess, surmise and speculate for ten minutes before opening a patent medicine circular. But, though mysteries were uncommon enough in my

is conversation with the postmaster and now was bearing down majesti

r of a coaster in his early days, he had never outgrown the habit of pitching his

Lute had not quoted the saying to me, I might have behaved less like a fool when that automobile overtook me, I might not have given that young idiot, whose Christian name it seemed was Victor, the opportunity to be smart at my expense. That girl with the dark eyes might n

ah Dean. However, he wanted to talk to

means so eager, deacon he became. He was an uncompromising Democrat, but he had forced himself into the Board of Selectmen, every other member a Republican. He was director in the Denboro bank, and it was town talk that his most ardent desire at the present time was to see his daughter Helen-Nellie, we all called her-married to George Taylor, cashier of that bank. As George and Nellie were "keeping company" it seemed likely that C

u, Ros," repeated Cap

co and dress goods counter. I put the un

dered. "Come to a

e to

go down and set with her a spell this afternoon, if she

when he was not with her she talked continuously, as if to get even. A call from Matild

"She's pretty busy these days. But if she don't have

said. Captain Jed was no foo

I presume likely. You're

mured something to the effect t

t get you on this settee to charm you. I

ess! W

the one that runs through your land. Us town folks use that a whole lot. I cal

d, puzzled to know what he was driving

you wanted to you could shut it off any day. A g

guess

m, Dick and Harry drivin' fish wagons and tip carts full

d. "What harm

sleepin' on my front piazza might not harm the pia

"The land is of no value to us at present. Mother and I are glad

owns that land the Lane run

my name,

l, would yo

ip of sand and beach gr

would. I just asked if yo

presume I should,

ny chance ye

you mean

er. If you decide you would sell it and get so fu

t of that land? See here! you don't wa

o shut it off for? I use it

I don'

you decide to sell, let me know. Yes, and do

I d

u to do is to promise not to sell that land the Lane's

said, "I'll promise that. Though I c

to talk about," rising from the settee. "Oh, by the way," he added, "your neighbo

? Oh! I see; you

else? Met his

Have

humble, so to speak, 'let me make you acquainted with one of our selectmen, Cap'n Dean. Cap'n, shake hands with Mr. Colton of N

a chap is Co

s a pretty good sport, I shouldn't wonder. And he was polite enough to me, I suppose. But, darn him,

to," I said, bru

you, has he? No, course he ain'

others of

ionaire. He'll be the big show in this town from now on. When he blows his nos

his heel and

?" I aske

ubject to colds-much," he snapped. "But YOU

ain Jed had been boss of Denboro-self-appointed to that eminent position, but holding it nevertheless-and to be pushed from his perch by a city rival

land? And what did he mean by asking if I had chances to sell it? Still pondering over this puzzle, I walked toward the front of the store, past

re seems to think that because a feller comes from the city and is rich that that gi

d Thoph. "What I say is

intend to get down on yo

to the bank, intending to make a short call on George Taylor, the cashier, my most i

in conversation with Henry Small, the bookkeeper, I gave it up and walked h

I could hear the swish-swish of her broom overhead. I opened the doo

ays, and the room was in deep shadow. Mother had been a

een fifty, instead of thirty-one, Mother

other,"

or a walk? It is a beau

ring breeze on her face, or the green grass beneath her feet. Her only glimpses of the outside world were those which she got on cloudy or stormy days when the shades were rais

I had been upt

et any one?

d Newcomb and the rest. I said nothin

with you this afternoon," I said. "Provided she didn't have anything

d. "Matilda is a little tiresom

ke excuses for the Old Harry himself

And poor Matilda doesn't ta

, the Captain had a queer bee in his bonnet this morning

Lane and his hint concerning its possible pur

decided to do a

at all. What do y

I knew his reason for wanting to buy. It would be diff

tily. "But why not sell?

put many of them to a great inconvenience, particularly those who get their living alongshore.

! I have another piece of news. Did you know tha

ld me. Have you

N

it must be hard to be ill when one has so much to e

retty daughters, just then. The memory of th

coe?" asked Mother. "I suppose ther

tter in my pocket. I had

letter, a letter for me

ut the enclosure. The latter was a note, very

rge!" I excla

s it, R

t Captain Jed called the King of New

co

rt. Merely the palace of

as the

Paine

r S

day-forenoon, on a matter of business. I shall

s tr

W. C

laimed Mother. "Why! w

swered. "And I don't

sco

osition in your life? He wants to see me and he or

York and he has been accustomed to having people come at

me at any time after ten, will he? Well, as Mullet said to Alvin Baker j

can he wan

should imagine, and see what sort of a curio he is. He think

d. Mr. Colton's ways aren't ou

ke a few, f

u going to

ot until I get

ce that day, six years ago, when she was carried from it to her bedroom, she kept her interest in household affairs and insis

ng, Roscoe?"

es

he

doors; perhaps to

oy

, Mo

has gone wrong; I knew it as so

tle out of sorts to-day and that man's letter irritates

-by,

rd, where, seating myself on Lute's favorite resting place, th