the
"_Herald_ Addition," and was offering a choice quarter-block as a prize
to the person who could guess nearest to the average monthly increase in
values in the addition, as shown by the record of sales. Real estate
appeared as a part of the business of hardware stores and milliners'
shops, so that one was constantly reminded of the heterogeneous
announcements on the signboard of Mr. Wegg. But while all this went on,
and transactions "in dirt" were larger than ever, one could see
indications that there was in them a larger and larger element of
credit, and less and less cash. So one day, at a syndicate conference, I
sought to ease my mind by asking where this thing was to stop, and when
we could hope for a time when the town would not have to be held up by
main strength.

"Why, that's a very remarkable question!" said Mr. Hinckley. "We surely
haven't reached the point where we can think of stopping. Why, with the
history before us of the cities of America which, without half our
natural advantages, have grown to so many times the size of this, I'm
surprised that such a thing should be thought of! Just think of what
Chicago was in '54 when I came through. A village without a harbor,
built along the ditches of a frog-pond! And see it now; see it now!"

There was a little quiver in Mr. Hinckley's voice, a little infirmity of
his chin, which told of advancing years. His ideas were becoming more
fixed. It was plain that the notion of Lattimore's continued and
uninterrupted progress was one to which he would cling with the mild and
unreasoning stubbornness of gentlemanly senility. But Cornish welcomed
the discussion with something like eagerness.

"I'm glad the matter has come up," said he. "We've had a few good years
here; but, in the nature of things, won't the time come when things
will be--slower? We've got our first plans pretty well worked out. The
mills, factories, and live-stock industries are supporting population,
and making tonnage which the railroad is carrying. But what next? We
can't expect to build any more railroads soon. No line of less than five
hundred miles will do any good, strategically speaking, and sending out
stubs just to annex territory for our shippers is too slow and expensive
business for this crowd. Things are booming along now; but the Eastern
banks are getting finicky about paper, and--I think things are going to
be--slower--and that we ought to act accordingly."

There was a long silen