Obadiah Strout, the senior partner of the
new firm of Strout & Maxwell, who formally took possession of the
property in his own name and that of his partners.
Since Abner's curt declination of a position in the store, Strout had
been looking around for some one to take his place, and had finally
settled upon William Ricker, or, as he was generally called, Billy
Ricker, a popular young resident of Montrose, as it was thought he could
control a great deal of trade in that town.
For a similar reason, Quincy and Hiram had united in choosing young
Abbott Smith, who was known by everybody in Eastborough Centre and West
Eastborough. Abbott had grown tired of driving the hotel carriage and
wished to engage in some permanent business.
The choice was naturally not particularly palatable to Strout, but he
had consented to let bygones be bygones and could offer no valid
objection. These two young men were to report for duty that Saturday
evening, and the close of that day's business terminated Benoni and
Samuel Hill's connection with the grocery store.
Sunday morning all of the Pettengill family went to church and listened
to a sermon by Mr.
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