1847.] JVicholas Bradford. 141 



his companion. He placed himself astride the top rail before 

 Lovell had begun to climb. The pressure of Mr. Jackson's 

 weight upon the rail caused the bottom of the stakes to fly up. 

 There was then nothing to prevent the rail and its rider from 

 obeying the law of gravity. This they speedily did— the rail in 

 its descent communicating something of its rotary motion to Mr. 

 Jackson. He gathered himself up and wiped his face, and was 

 busy for a moment in removing something which had taken that 

 opportunity to get into his eyes. As he looked up, he saw Mr. 

 Bradford sitting in his sulky. He happened to be driving by, 

 and drew up as he saw Mr. Jackson's somerset. 



" I hope you haven't hurt yourself," said he. 



Mr. Jackson was somewhat vexed and made no reply. 



" Stakes are apt to get thown out by the frost," said Mr. Lov- 

 ell, feeling that the silence was rather awkward. 



" Yes," replied Mr. Bradford. " It is well to go round in the 

 spring and tighten them, but I had so much to do this spring that 

 I neglected it. I must try to do it yet, good day to you," and 

 he drove on. 



By this time Mr. Jackson had replaced the rail, and laid some 

 large stones at the bottom of the stakes, that no one else might 

 be caught ' in the same trap,' as he said, and was prepared to 

 move on. He was just vexed enough to talk freely about Mr. 

 Bradford's corn and conduct. 



" It is a shame to see such corn on such land," said he. 



" The land appears to be good," said Mr. Lovell. 



" The soil, if anything, is better than that," pointing to the field 

 which they were approaching, in which the corn was, (to use an 

 agricultural hyperbole,) " as black as your hat." 



" I don't see what the difference is owing to. This hasn't been 

 very well 'tended to be sure." 



" In the first place the ground wasn't ploughed : see there, not 

 more than half the surface was broken up at all. It is now get- 

 ting to be as hard as a rock ; nothing can grow in such a case. 

 He hired Stillwell to plough it by the acre, while he was manag- 

 ing matters for the town meeting. Stillwell slighted it, but Brad- 

 ford did not dare to say anything because he wanted his vote. 

 Then he hired a couple of voters to plant it while he was gone to 

 a county convention ; and you see how they planted it, so crook- 

 ed that it is impossible to put the plough through it more than 

 one way." 



" It looks as if it had been hoed by voters," said Lovell. 



" It was hoed by a couple of young chaps, who will be old 

 enough to be voters at the next election ; so he must be easy 

 with them." 



By this time they had reached the fence which .separated Mr. 



