Connecticut western news., 1921-05-12

~ ONISTON was a small village upon a shelf on mountain > side, commanding one of the gorgeous views characteristic of lit- tie commonwealth which has many larger sister state, but none worthier.
 The politics of the place was under the control of the Church party, whieh something more than three-quarters of a century ago held sway over many of the towns of New England. But the career of "Old Hickory" was giv- ing a new impulse to democracy and portended little good to any ruling class, whatever its virtues. All that was needed was a leader and one was found in a young man named Jethro Bass, who was the son of a well-to-do tanner. Jethro inherited from his fa- ther a snug little fortune, but his edu- cation had been almost wholly neg lected. He skillfully made use of the rising discontent by appeals to ambi- tion and personal interest. It became clear that the ruling party was to be challenged at the coming town meet ing and so presumptuous a thing stirred society to its depths.
 The spiritual leader of the Church party was the clergyman. His lovely daughter, Cynthia, filled large place drawn to him by the unmistakable signs of power apparent under his awkward exterior. They used some times to meet by chance, and, unlike as they were in point of cultivation, they were really very much in love with each other, a circumstance that had rather to be inferred because Jeth- initiative and say anything about it. Once when in Boston he bought a beautiful locket and had engraved upon it Cynthia from Jethro," but he never mustered up the courage to pre- sent it. When the political tempest was rising Cynthia, who sympathized strongly with her fathers party de cided to go to JethrO and plead with him to stop the fight Before he knew her purpC 2 broke his silence and declared li@ ., re. Perhaps if he had been given a C1ance for reflection and had not been so upset by his own confession he would have granted her request, but that did not seem pOssi ble at the moment. Cynthia took his refusal as a decree of srnaratiOn; and she left him never to Sec him again and he set out upon the c,'nor which ended in his becoming the I."rrowned king of the state.
 The tOI T meeting fight went on and Jethro wa. "hosen first selectn,an, the only office a ever held and in which he continued for 36 years. Cynthia went to Boston, where she became teacher in a high school, and in the course of time married William Weth- erill, the clerk who had sold JethrO the lOcket. She first learned about the Iocket from her husband and con 1 fessed to him her love for Jethro. After a few years she died, leaving little girl who bore her name. Weth- erill moved to ConistOn, taking young Cynthia with him, and went to keep ing the village store.
 In the years that had gone by JethrO l had found COniston too small and was engaged in carrying on the govern ment of the state. He had his lieuten- ants in every county and possessed such an organization that he was able to select most of the men who held the important offices and to control their actions afterwards. In brief, he be- came the "Boss'' of the state and peO- ple who desired legislation or offices found it necessary to visit him. Ava rice did not seem to be the motive