"
As Deacon Mason regained the platform loud cries of "Vote! Vote! Vote!"
came from all parts of the hall.
Tellers were appointed, and in a few moments the result of the vote was
announced. In favor of Mr. Strout's motion to accept the check,
eighty-five. Opposed, two hundred and eighty. And it was not a vote.
"We will now proceed," said the Moderator, as he resumed the chair, "to
consider the question of appropriating money for the support of the
Poor-farm."
The next matter on the warrant of general interest was the appropriation
of a small sum of money to purchase some reference books for the town
library, which consisted of but a few hundred volumes stowed away in a
badly-lighted and poorly-ventilated room on the upper floor of the Town
Hall.
This question brought to his feet Zachariah Butterfield, who was looked
upon as the watchdog of the town treasury. He had not supported Strout
on the question of accepting the check, because he knew the position
taken by the Moderator was legally correct, and he was very careful in
opposing appropriations to attack only those where, as it seemed to him,
he had a good show of carrying his point.
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