The Boss of Little Arcady

enney might have found cause for misgiving in this circumstance of Potts's prompt exodus. In the immediate flush of his triumph, however, the editor of the Argus had no leisure for negative reflec

th prophecies of benefit to be derived by our public from the advent of Mrs. Aurelia Potts. With a gallant show of anticipation, a sprig o

e earth-a day conducive to forebodings. But Solon Denney's spirit, to th

s gained partly by word of mouth and partly b

med to register traces of some thirty-five earnest but not unprofitable years. Even in the quick glance she bestowed up and down Washington Street before the hotel swallowed her up, her quality was to be noted by the discerning,-the quality of a commander, of one born to prevail. The flash of her gray-green eye wa

er known him wear. Open before him was that week's Argus, but his eyes narrowed to its neat columns only at intervals. For the most part his gaze plunged far into virgin realms of

o you believ

ind of

ery kind-just powers-m

out more details," I answered with

has. There is something in her eye that paralyzes the will

exa

ith her that the Argus is

deed savored of t

d she do

that's all,-and to

You're s

e Hundred Common Errors in Writing and Speaking,' and she says the split infinitive is a crime in this nine

to cheer him. "If the woman talks like that, I'll bet Billy can

y thoughtful ga

is town or not. She may in a way-and in a way she may not. She will be disturbing,-I

she s

ion she used. I'll tell you what you do. You come along with m

y climbing the stairs that led to

bent a more knowing look, as upon one whose frailties have already been revealed. She gave us chairs and she talked. Little Roscoe Potts writhed near by upon an ottoman and betrayed

me," she began briskly. "I felt it strongly when I perused the column

the cabbage-like flowers in

at I have ventured among you," cont

most seems now as if I had been guided here. It is true that my husband has gone, but that shall not distress me. Rodney is a drifter-I may say a natural-born drifter, and I cannot underta

choed it. Hereupon little Roscoe b

h but kind-hearted and worthy folk, and abounding with

r, "kindly tell the gentlemen w

fts by reading and conversation," a

Mr. Denney-" she turned to Solon with the latest Argus in her

midst. He reports a busy time of

is not accurate, of course, and which would be indelicate if it were. Now I let my eye descend the column to your account of a certain social function. You say, 'The table fairly groaned with the weight of good things, and a good time was had by all present.' Sur

and again he was forced to meet the kindly, almost whimsically

r question of taste. Under the heading 'Hanged in Carroll County,' I read an item beginning, 'At eight-thirty, A.M., last Friday the soul of Martin G. Buckley, dressed in a neat-fitting suit of black, with a low collar and

ittle Roscoe. The bland but inexorable regard o

on to this item." And she did, rea

er halves looked on from across the street. Kye had Sym down and was doing some good work with his right, when his wife called to him, "Now, Kye Mayabb, you come right away from there before you get into troub

ppancy, I may note again, mars the following item: 'They tell a good story of old Sarsius Lambert over at Bethel. His wife was drowned a couple of weeks ago, and Link Talbot went to break the news to the old man. "Uncle Sarsh," s

speak of the grief-stricken husband and to conclude with a fitting sentiment such as

entured Solon, meekly. "I did

, for example, you could elevate your sheet by eliminating certain misapplied colloquialisms. Her

the brow of

say that your paper is not yet one that I could

f to-day is the man of to-morrow. Parents cannot be too careful about what their little ones will re

ce at her boy, "and you, Mr. Denney, should feel proud indeed of your sacred mission to ins

y, but gloom again oversprea

t goes each week into many homes where the light must be sorely needed, and surely you and I would not be adequately sensible of our responsibilities if we continu

or societies for mental improvement that might exist among us. And she asked about Families. We were obliged to confess that there were no Families in Little Arcady, in the true sense of the term, though we did not divine its true sense until she favored us with the

istinction gracefully, and w

rather like to know 'who'

was dropped. But at his retort the lady merely elevated her rather fine brows and remarked, "Really, Mr.

public scrutiny. We stood a moment in the autumn silence outside the hotel door, watching a maple across the street, the line of its boughs showing

an," I said at last, having decided that th

owers," said Solon, i

o make something of y

to fight, and the next I surre

watching the splendid death of summer. Above the hills, now royally colored, as by great rugs of brown and crimson velvet flung over their fla