The Boss of Little Arcady

left open just north of Cady's mill. Everything was going along finely until two hopeless busybodies were attracted to the spot by his screams, and fished him out.

cting upon those benign ends which the gods chose to make him serve, I can but marvel how lightly each o

t suspicion of his portents could not well have been aroused in one lacking discernment like unto the gods' very own. So trivially, so utterly

y, whose caprice it is to affect remoteness from u

s paragraph, and a flippant incivility might

hey May!" Indeed, we do know Solon. Often enough has the Argus hewn inexorably to the line, when that line led straight through the heart of its guiding genius and through the hearts of us all. One who had seen him, as

vity and tones of weight,-for he will not infrequently seem to be both trivial and serious in the same breath. Again, he is amazingly sensitive for one not devoid of humor. In a pleasant sense he is acutely aware of himself, and he does not

are-knows that he is fit to wield the mightiest lever o

ce existed which did not even ripple the surface of that

le of "Boss of Little Arcady," a title first rendered unto him somewhat in derision, I regre

y cents. They look like cuckoos and keep good time." "Not much news this week," the item blithely ran, "so we hereby start the rumor that 'Upright' Potts is going to leave town. We would incite no community to lawless endeavor, but-may the Colonel encounter swiftly in his new environment that warm reception to which his

-more than one of us read it so hurriedly, perhaps with so passionate a longing to have it the truth, as not to perceive

pawned a veritable inspiration. Several of our most pub

town-why should he not see

tion of Potts's residence among us. Some of these had required a too definite and artificial abruptness in the mechanics of his removal; others, like Eustace Eubanks's plot for having all our best people refuse to notice him, depended upon a sens

of Solon Denney's set our minds

lf a dozen of us discussed it while we waited for the noon mail. There seemed to be a h

the Argus. "Threats of violence, forcible expulsion, disbarment proceedings-all crude-and besides

ce Eubanks, who was one of us. "He is well aware

; but more than a canning factory it needs a Boss,-one of those strong characters that make tools of their fellow-men, who ru

as afterward seen to be unfortunate fo

estley Keyts. "Let's b

don't mind telling us?" Solon had alre

om one gentleman to another gentleman.' Well, then, say to him, 'Now, Potts, you know as well as any man in this town that you're an all-round no-good-you're a human Not-and a darn scalawag into the bargain. So what's the use? Will you go, or won't you?' Then if he'd begin to hem and haw and try to put it off with one thing or another, why, just h

downright business man with a square forehead and a blunt jaw and red hair that bristles with challenges. But he se

h one of your cleavers and have his noble head stuffed and mounted to hang up over Barney Skeyhan's bar, but it wouldn't be subtle-it would not

the way like I did, asking him,-not mad-like, you understand,-'Now will you go or won't you?' just

we looked to Solon for a more tenuous subtlety. Nor did he fail us. Two days later P

eran of our late civil conflict. He was shiftless, untidy, a borrower, a pompous braggart, a trouble-maker, forever driving some poor devil into senseless litigation. Moreover, he was blithely unscrupulous in his dealings with the Court, his clients, his brother-at

er build and a bony frame, except in front. His long, single-breasted frock-coat hung loosely enough about his shoulders, yet buttoned tightly over a stomach that was so incongruous as to seem artificial. The sleeves of the coat were glossy from much desk rubbing, and its front advertised a rather inattentive behavior at table. The Colonel's dress was completed by drab overgaiters and poorly draped trousers of the same once-delicate hue. Upon his bald head, which was high and peaked, like Sir Walter Scott's, he carried a silk hat in an inferior state of prese

t Solon Denney completed those mysterious negotiations with him he was as far

e Colonel that there were richer fields of endeavor to the west of us; newer, larger towns, fitter abodes for a man of his parts; commu

rtain disadvantages,-"a stranger in a strange land," etc.,

anger were to go fortified with certificates of ch

hese certificates of his excellence might be obtained. The bar and the commercial element of Little Arcady had been c

rom every citizen in town whose testimony would be of weight; also a half-column of fit praise in the next issue of the Argus, twelve c

, royally promising a purse of gold to take him on his w

s agreement. By tact alone had he achieved that which open sneers, covert insult, abuse, ridicule, contumely, and forthr

nning spirit of concession; "I can see that, now. He's the Bo

mewhat peevishly, if it seemed quite honest to send Potts to another town with a satchel full of letters cer

ndy," said Solon; and I believe I a

ley Keyts bro

n them, and they'll have a lot of fun out of it, and then send the old cuss along to another town with some

he nearest approach to diplo

is a world of give and take. '

these matters, you know, Bund

ed, for we were weak unto

parting townsman; his honesty of purpose, his integrity of character, his learning in the law, his wide range of achievement, civic and military,-all th

s would not take Potts far enough. Eustace said that a man could travel an immense distance for fift

s little chin-whisker, "let us do it thoroughly. A hundred dollars can't take Potts any too

from this town those letters are read,

eliver to Potts. The Argus came out with its promised eulogy, a thing so fulsome

e that last day a subdued but confident gayety a

eing festal, and Solon Denney was its hero. He sought to bear his honors with the modesty that is native to him, but in his heart he

me by Solon, touched me strangely. It was, therefore, with real embarrassment that I read the Argus notice. "With profound regret," it began, "we are obliged to announce to our readers the determination of our distinguished fellow-townsman, Colonel J. Rodney Potts, to shake the dust of Little Arcady from his feet. Deaf to entreaties from

rless pleader and Prince of Gentlemen." It ended with the assurance that Colonel Potts would take with him the cordial good-will of every me

trage upon a guileless, defenceless ne'er-do-well. For my share of the guilt, I resolved to convey to Potts privately on the morrow a mor