"You would?" said a member of the council, who happened to hear this
remark.

"Certainly I would."

"You are really in earnest?"

"Undoubtedly. Go and select a public square from any of my
unappropriated land on the west side of the city, and I will pass
you the title as a free gift to-morrow, and feel pleasure in doing
so."

"That is public spirit," said the councilman.

"Call it what you will. I am pleased in making the offer."

Now, let it not be supposed that Mr. Jones was shrewdly calculating
the advantage which would result to him from having a park at the
west side of the city. No such thought had yet entered his mind. He
spoke from the impulse of a generous feeling.

Time passed on, and the session day of the council came round--a day
to which Smith had looked forward with no ordinary feelings of
interest, that were touched at times by the coldness of doubt, and
the agitation of uncertainty. Several times he had more than half
repented of his refusal to accept the liberal offer of five thousand
dollars, and of having fixed so positively upon six thousand as the
"lowest figure."

The morning of the day passed, and Smith began to grow uneasy. He