“Well, I’m sorry,” said Mr. Parsons, “but I cannot accommodate any more than have already applied.  You can get a lunch over to the railroad station, you know, if you want one.”

“I know,” answered Abner, “but I kinder ‘magine they’re talkin’ over ‘lection matters in there, and I’d rather like ter know what’s goin’ on.”

“Well, I guess you’ll find out when they get back to the Town Hall,” remarked Mr. Parsons; and he stepped forward to greet three or four other citizens, who leaned over and whispered in his ear.

Mr. Parsons smiled and nodded, and opening the door admitted them to the dining-room.

“Well, that beats all,” said Abner, as he went out on the platform in front of the hotel.  “They jest whispered somethin’ to him and he let ’em right in.  I kinder think somethin’s goin’ on and thet Strout ain’t up to it.  Guess I’ll go back and tell him,” which he proceeded to do.

He found Strout and some sixty or seventy of the citizens still remaining in the Town Hall, the majority of whom were eating the luncheons that they had brought with them from home.  Taking Strout aside, Abner confided to him the intelligence of which he had become possessed.

“’D’yer know what it means?” asked Abner.

“No, I don’t,” said Strout, “but I bet a dollar that it’s some of that city chap’s doin’s.  Is he ’round about town this mornin’?”

“No,” said Abner, “he went to Bosting on the same train with Miss Lindy Putnam, for I fetched her down, and I saw him git inter the same car with her as I wuz drivin’ off.”

One o’clock soon arrived, and the large party that had regaled themselves with the appetizing viands and non-alcoholic beverages supplied by mine host of the Eagle Hotel came back to the Town Hall in the best of spirits.  The majority of them were smoking good cigars, which had been handed to them by the proprietor, as they passed from the dining-room.

When asked if there was anything to pay, Mr. Parsons shook his head and remarked sententiously, “This is not the only present that the town has received to-day,” which was a delicate way of insinuating the name of the donor of the feast without actually mentioning it.

The election of a dozen minor officers calls for no special attention, except to record the fact that Abner Stiles, who had cautiously taken a position several settees removed from Strout, arose as the nominations were made for each office, and in every case nominated Mr. Obadiah Strout for the position, and it is needless to add that Mr. Obadiah Strout had at least one vote for each office in the gift of the town.

The nomination of a collector of taxes for the town was finally reached.  Abner Stiles was first on his feet, and being recognized by the Moderator, nominated “Mr. Obadiah Strout, who had performed the duties of the office so efficiently during the past year.”

Now the battle royal began.  Mr. Tobias Smith next obtained the floor and nominated Mr. Wallace Stackpole.