ricts, where there is little business to transact and the day is
before them, the citizens like to hear discussion, especially if the
disputants get into a passion or interject a little fun. Then everybody
takes a hand and the main question is so confused and lost that even the
moderator cannot restate it. Party spirit rages, old feuds come to life
and men remember all the ugly doings and sayings of their neighbors and
are hot to pay off old scores and get even, as they say. Suddenly, at
the height of the wrangle, the whole matter is dropped, peace reigns and
the regular business is resumed as if nothing had happened. These
tempests clear the air for a year, and everybody is in better humor
having discharged his accumulation of grudges and animosities. I have
heard closer speech, more sententious, more convincing and in more
direct and forcible language in town meeting than from any other forum.
Men are not so much ambitious of eloquence as they are to carry their
point. There is often more fun, wit and sarcasm as well as logic than
goes with more pretentious and popular rostrums. When the town-meeting
is abolished freedom will have lost her humble but most powerful ally.
When the town grows to a city all is lost; for our freedom and
individual rights depend on direct and individual participation in
public affairs. Otherwise, all is compromise, averages, irresponsibility
and mere chance how affairs turn out. The larger the city, the easier it
is for rascals to rule.

The town meeting was succeeded in April by Fast Day, appointed always
for a Thursday. For some unknown reason Thursday in New England was an
almost sacred day, a sort of secular Sabbath. Thanksgiving was
invariably on that day of the week; also evening prayer meetings and
usually religious conventions, quarterly meetings, Sunday-school
conferences and weddings. There is an ancient proverb which says
"Thursday come, the week is gone;" for farmers and laboring people it
was uphill to that day, and an easy and quick descent to the end of the
week. By Friday, or, at least, Saturday we could go a-fishing or
visiting; or to the store for some Sunday snuff, tobacco or "West Injy"
goods. Work relaxed a little, the strain to finish a job was less, we
went to bed and arose somewhat later. Boys were not generally compelled
to attend the Fast Day religious service. It had ceased to be as
strictly kept as formerly. In villages and centers of towns there was
customarily