“How be you, Jethro?” says Mr. Price, nasally.

“D-Democrats are talkin’ some of namin’ you Moderator next meetin’,” says the man in the coonskin cap.

“Want to know!” ejaculates Mr. Price, dropping the axe and straightening up in amazement.  For Mr. Price’s ambition soared no higher, and he had made no secret of it.  “Wal!  Whar’d you hear that, Jethro?”

“H-heerd it round—­some.  D-Democrat—­hain’t you—­Democrat?”

“Always callate to be.”

“J-Jacksonian Democrat?”

“Guess I be.”

Silence for a while, that Mr. Price may feel the gavel in his hand, which he does.

“Know somewhat about Jacksonian principles, don’t ye—­know somewhat?”

“Callate to,” says Mr. Price, proudly.

“T-talk ’em up, Sam—­t-talk ’em up.  C-canvass, Sam.”

With these words of brotherly advice Mr. Bass went off down the road, and Mr. Price chopped no more wood that night; but repeated to himself many times in his nasal voice, “I want to know!” In the course of the next few weeks various gentlemen mentioned to Mr. Price that he had been spoken of for Moderator, and he became acquainted with the names of the other candidates on the same mysterious ticket who were mentioned.  Whereupon he girded up his loins and went forth and preached the word of Jacksonian Democracy in all the farmhouses roundabout, with such effect that Samuel Todd and others were able to talk with some fluency about the rights of American citizens.

Question before the Committee, undisposed of:  Who nominated Samuel Price for Moderator?  Samuel Price gives the evidence, tells the court he does not know, and is duly cautioned and excused.

Let us call, next, Mr. Eben Williams, if we can.  Moses Hatch, Senior, has already interrogated him with all the authority of the law and the church, for Mr. Williams is orthodox, though the deacons have to remind him of his duty once in a while.  Eben is timid, and replies to us, as to Moses, that he has heard of the Democratic ticket, and callates that Fletcher Bartlett, who has always been the leader of the Democratic party, has named the ticket.  He did not mention Jethro Bass to Deacon Hatch.  Why should he?  What has Jethro Bass got to do with politics?

Eben lives on a southern spur, next to Amos Cuthbert, where you can look off for forty miles across the billowy mountains of the west.  From no spot in Coniston town is the sunset so fine on distant Farewell Mountain, and Eben’s sheep feed on pastures where only mountain-bred sheep can cling and thrive.  Coniston, be it known, at this time is one of the famous wool towns of New England:  before the industry went West, with other industries.  But Eben Williams’s sheep do not wholly belong to him they are mortgaged—­and Eben’s farm is mortgaged.

Jethro Bass—­Eben testifies to us—­is in the habit of visiting him once a month, perhaps, when he goes to Amos Cuthbert’s.  Just friendly calls.  Is it not a fact that Jethro Bass holds his mortgage?  Yes, for eight hundred dollars.  How long has he held that mortgage?  About a year and a half.  Has the interest been paid promptly?  Well, the fact is that Eben hasn’t paid any interest yet.