, and looking off across the square, as
if lost in meditation.

A dragon-fly with steely wings lit upon the trough and, skilled little
acrobat, balanced upon the extreme edge as if thus to take in the full
beauty of old Dobbin's reflection.

Exhaling a long breath as he lifted his shaggy head, the old horse sent a
shower of bright drops upon the dragon-fly who, considering the act to be
a great breach of etiquette, took zigzag flight across the sunny square,
and up the winding road toward the mill.

It looked as if Dobbin might drink the trough dry if he chose, for an
animated conversation was in progress at Barnes' store, and his master was
one of the leaders in every discussion, whether the topic chanced to be
political, or simply a tale of village gossip.

A chubby urchin made little hills of dust, using a well worn slipper for a
trowel, and Dobbin kicked and stamped impatiently, occasionally taking
another drink, and still the discussion went on.

"Naow I argy, that a leetle deestrict school wus good 'nough fer me, an'
look at me!

"Own my farm free an' clear, got a good lot er stock an' tools on the
place, an' I'm wuth two thousand dollars in cash!"

The speaker was old Josiah Boyden, one of the "_see_lectmen," and a member
of the school committee. His greatest pride lay in the fact that he was a
self-made man, and truly he looked as if constructed upon a home made
pattern.

The group of farmers, obedient to his command, turned and looked at the
speaker, while from behind the stove which, hot weather or cold, held the
place of honor in the centre of the store, a shrill voice ventured to
question the pompous owner of so great a property.

"Be ye goin' ter say, Josiah, that every feller what's edicated at a
deestrict school can git ter own sech a fort'n as yourn?"

"Huh! Wal, no, not exactly," was the admission, for while this good
committee-man was fighting a suggestion which had been made relative to
securing better quarters for the school which promised to be larger than
on any previous year, he did not wish to diminish his own glory by
inferring that any one, however bright, or ambitious, could possibly
arrive at his eminence.

"I think, friends," said Parson Spooner in his soft, pleasant voice, "that
our scholars should be given every comfort and advantage which our
village can possibly afford to grant."

"That's it, that's it," assented Josiah Boyden, "but the thing is, she
can't afford to offer