A Governor's Gift 



ance and friendship with the parents. 

 And so it chanced that the boy's first 

 knowledge of what sort of thing a 

 "Governor" really was came to him 

 when he was probably six years old. 

 He had heard a lot about the Gover- 

 nor's coming, but when the great day 

 arrived he relished not at all the idea 

 of meeting it face to face. As a matter 

 of fact, the boy had never been more 

 thoroughly alarmed than on that fate- 

 ful afternoon. He avoided the house 

 as the hour drew near, but presently 

 he knew that the Governor was in the 

 parlor. That sanctuary was not opened 

 up in those days except upon state 

 occasions, of which this was of course 

 a most important one. I suppose the 

 black haircloth on the chairs might 

 have been damaged if light were ad- 

 mitted. The green "shutters" were 

 drawn as usual, but, determined to 

 get some sort of preliminary notion of 

 whatever was now inside before having 

 to undergo the ordeal of meeting it, 



