"What's funny?" we asked.

"Why, about that sofy he calls a davenport. You see, I bought that off
John, too," says Adoniram.





HIS NATIVE HEATH


I never could quite understand why the folks at Wellmouth made me
selectman. I s'pose likely 'twas on account of Jonadab and me and Peter
Brown making such a go of the Old Home House and turning Wellmouth Port
from a sand fleas' paradise into a hospital where city folks could
have their bank accounts amputated and not suffer more'n was necessary.
Anyway, I was elected unanimous at town meeting, and Peter was mighty
anxious for me to take the job.

"Barzilla," says Peter, "I jedge that a selectman is a sort of dwarf
alderman. Now, I've had friends who've been aldermen, and they say
it's a sure thing, like shaking with your own dice. If you're straight,
there's the honor and the advertisement; if you're crooked, there's the
graft. Either way the house wins. Go in, and glory be with you."

So I finally agreed to serve, and the very first meeting I went to,
the question of Asaph Blueworthy and the poorhouse comes up. Zoeth
Tiddit--he was town clerk--he puts it this way: