They found the Deacon at home, and all adjourned to the parlor, where ’Bias Smith stated his business, which was to ask the Deacon to act as Moderator at the town meeting on the following Monday.  The Deacon objected at first, but finally consented, after Mr. Smith had explained several matters to him.

“Yer know,” said the Deacon, “my fellow citizens have tried on several occasions to have me run for selectman, but I reckoned thet I wuz too old to be out so late nights and have to drive home from Eastborough at ten or ’leven o’clock at night.  Besides I’ve worked hard in my day, and there’s no place I like so well as my own home.  I’m alwus sorry to go away in the mornin’ and alwus glad ter git home at night, and although I consider that every citizen ought ter do everything he can for the public good, I reckon thet there’s a good many more anxious than I am to serve the town, and I’m not so consated but thet I think they know how ter do it better’n I could.  But as that Moderator work comes in the daytime, as I stand ready to do all I can for my young friend here,” turning towards Quincy, “I’ll be on hand Monday mornin’ and do the best I can to serve public and private interests at the same time.”

Wallace Stackpole, while the others were talking, had taken a couple of newspapers from his pocket, and as Deacon Mason finished, he looked up and said, “There’s an item here in the ‘Eastborough Express,’ Deacon, that I imagine you’ll be interested in.  I’ll read it to you:  ’We are informed on the best authority that Miss Huldy Mason, only daughter of Deacon Abraham Mason of Mason’s Corner, is engaged to Mr. Ezekiel Pettengill.  The day of the marriage has not been fixed, but our readers will be informed in due season.’”

“I’m afraid, Deacon,” said Quincy, “that’s all my fault.  I met young Chisholm last Tuesday when I was over to the Centre, and he told me something that actually obliged me to confide in him the fact that I knew that your daughter was not likely to become Mrs. Obadiah Strout, but he promised me on his word of honor that he would not put it in the paper unless he got the same information from some other source.”

The Deacon haw-hawed in good old-fashioned country style.

“Waal,” said he, “young Chisholm tackled me, and said he heard a rumor abeout Huldy and Strout, and, as you say, Mr. Sawyer, he kinder ’bliged me to set him right.  But he made me a promise, as he did you, thet he wouldn’t say anythin’ abeout it unless some other feller told him the same thing.”

“That young man is sure to get ahead in the world; he buncoed us both, Deacon,” said Quincy.

“Waal, I dunno as I know just what you mean by buncoed,” said the Deacon, “but I kinder think he got the best of both on us on thet point.”

As they took their places again in the carryall, Quincy said to Mr. Smith, “If you can drive to Mr. Pettengill’s house and wait a few minutes, I think I’ll go over to Eastborough Centre with you.  I’m going to Boston this afternoon, and shall not be back again until Monday night.”