"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 ti