The next morning at about nine o'clock, Abbott Smith arrived at
Pettengill's, having with him Mr. Wallace Stackpole. Quincy was ready
for the trip, and they started immediately for Eastborough Centre. On
the way Quincy had plenty of time for conversation with Mr. Stackpole.
The latter gave a true account of the cause that had led to his losing
his election as tax collector at the town meeting a year before. He had
been taken sick on the train while coming from Boston, and a kind
passenger had given him a drink of brandy. He acknowledged that he took
too much, and that he really was unable to walk when he reached the
station at Eastborough Centre; but he said that he was not a drinking
man, and would not have taken the brandy if he had not been sick. They
reached Eastborough Centre in due season, but made no stop, continuing
on to West Eastborough to the home of Abbott Smith's father.
Here Quincy was introduced to 'Bias Smith, and found that what had been
said about him was not overstated. He was a tall, heavily-built man,
with a hard, rugged face, but with a pleasant and powerful countenance,
and, in the course of conversation, ran the whole gamut of oratorical
expression.
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