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158
Adventures in Contentment
·
David Grayson
141
You
laugh!
But
we
do--exactly
that.
It
is
in
the
Baxters'
shops
(not
in
Broadway,
not
in
State
Street)
where
the
presidents
are
decided
upon.
In
the
little
grocery
stores
you
and
I
know,
in
the
blacksmithies,
in
the
schoolhouses
back
in
the
country!
Forgive
me!
I
did
not
intend
to
wander
away.
I
meant
to
keep
to
my
subject--but
the
moment
I
began
to
talk
of
politics
in
the
country
I
was
beset
by
a
compelling
vision
of
Charles
Baxter
coming
out
of
his
shop
in
the
dusk
of
the
evening,
carrying
his
curious
old
reflector
lamp
and
leading
the
way
down
the
road
to
the
schoolhouse.
And
thinking
of
the
lamp
brought
a
vision
of
the
joys
of
Baxter's
shop,
and
thinking
of
the
shop
brought
me
naturally
around
to
politics
and
presidents;
and
here
I
am
again
where
I
started!
Baxter's
lamp
is,
somehow,
inextricably
associated
in
my
mind
with
politics.
Being
busy
farmers,
we
hold
our
caucuses
and
other
meetings
in
the
evening
and
usually
in
the
schoolhouse.
The
schoolhouse
is
conveniently
near
to
Baxter's
shop,
so
we
gather
at
Baxter's
shop.
Baxter
takes
his
lamp
down
from
the
bracket
above
his
bench,
reflector
and
all,
and
you
will
see
us,
a
row
of
dusky
figures,
Baxter
in
the
lead,
proceeding
down
the
roadway
to
the
schoolhouse.
Having
arrived,
some
one
scratches
a
match,
shields
it
with
his
hand
(I
see
yet
the
sudden
fitful
illumination
of
the
brown-bearded,
watchful
faces
of
my
neighbours!)
and
Baxter
guides
us
into
the
schoolhouse--with
its
shut-in
dusty
odours
of
chalk
and
varnished
desks
and--yes,
leftover
lunches!
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
