Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-16
CHAPTER I.

H DRY snow had fallen steadily
 A throughout the still night so
 that when cold, upper wind A A cleared the sky gloriously ill the morning the incongruous Indiana town shone in white harmony ledge and earth as evenly covered as by moonlight. There was no thaw. Only where the line of factories fol lowed the big bend of the frozen river, their distant chimneys like exclama- tlon points on blank page, was there first threat against the supreme wilderness. The wind passed quickly and on high, the shouting of the school children had ceased at 9 o'clock with pltiful audiences, no sleigh bells laughed out on the air, and the muf- fling of the thoroughfares wrought an unaccustomed peace like that of Sun day. This was the phenomenon which afforded the opening of the morning debate of the sages in the wide win dows of the National House.
 Only such unf0rtunates as have so far failed to visit Canaan do not know that the National House is on the Main street side of the Courthouse square and has the advantage of being within two minutes walk of the rail road station, which is in plain sight of the windows, an inestimable benefit to the conversation of the aged men who occupied these windows on this white morning even as they were wont in summer to hold against all corners the cane seated chairs on the pavement outside.
 Mail time had come to mean that bright hour when they all got their feet on the brass rod which protected the sills of the two big windows, with the steam radiators sizzling like kettles against the side wall. MT. Jenas Tabor, who had sold his hardware business magnificently (not magnificently for his nephew. the purchaser) some ten years before, was usually, in spite of the fact that he remained bachelor at seventy nine. the last to settle down with the others. though often the first to reach the hotel. which he always en- tered by a side door, because he did not believe in the treating system. And 1t twas MT. Eskew Arp. only seventy-five. but already thoroughly capable cyn- ic, who almost invariably ''opened the argument" and it was he who discov- cred the sinister intention behind the weather of this particular morning.
 The malcvolence of his voice and manner when he shook his finger at the town beyond the windows and exclaim- ed with bitter laugh. Look at it" was no surprise to his companions. "Jest look at it! I tell you the devil is mighty smart! Ha, ha! Mighty smarte'
 Through custom it was the duty of Squire Buckalew Justice of the peace in 1S59) to be the first to take up Mir. Arp. The others looked to him for it. Therefore he asked sharply:
 What's the devil got to do with snow?"
 Everything to do with it. sir" Mir. Arp retorted. "Its plain as day to anybody with eyes and sense."
 ''Then I wish you'd pint it out" said Buckalew. ''if you've got either"
 By the Almighty. squire'-Mr. Arp turned in his chair with sudden heat "if I'd lived as long as you"-
 "You have" interrupted the other. stung. Twelve years ago."
 "If I'd lived as long as you." MT. Arp repeated unwincingly fin a louder voice, "and had follered Satan's trail as long as you have and yet couldn't recognize it when I see it I'd git converted and vote Prohibitionist"
 'T don't see it." interjected Uncle Joe Davey in his querulous voice. (He was the patriarch of them all) "I can't find no cloven hoof prints in the snow"
 "All over 1t, sirr cried the cynic. "All over it, Old Satan loves tricks like this. Here's town that's jest one squirmin' mass of lies and envy and vice and wickedness and corruption"-
 Hold on-' exclaimed Colonel Fit croft. That's a islander upon our hearths and our government. Why. when I was in the council''-
 "It wasn't a bit worse then" Mfr. Arp returned unreasonably. Jest you look how the devil fools us. He drops down this here virgin mantle on Ca naan and makes 1t look as good as you pretend you think it is-as good as the Sunday school room of country church. though that''-he went of on a tangent venomously generally only another whited sepulcher, and the superintendent mighty apt to have a bottle of whisky hid behind the organ and--
 Look here, Eskew." said Jonas Ta- GOT. ''that's got nothin' to do with"-
 "why ain't it? Answer me-' cried Ar. Arp. continuing without pause: -Why ain't it? Can't you wait till Fit through? You listen to me. and when I'm ready I'll listen to-
 "See here.- began the colonel. mak- ing himself heard over three others, 'T want to ask you
 "No. si-,' Mir. Arp pounded the floor irascibly with his hickory stick. Don't you ask me anything. How can you tell that I'm rot going to answer your question without your asking 1t till I've got through? You listen first. I say. here's a town of nearly 5000 inhabitants. every last one Of 'em- men women and children-selfsh and cOwardly and sinful if you could see their innerm0st natures; town of the ,.-lf.-@ .r.7 r-~s h.-=f% r..----- = .h~