"
She carried her letter to the post and stopped to talk a few minutes
with the postmaster, who transacted his official business in a small
shop where sides of bacon and hams hung suspended from the ceiling,
while groceries, flannels, dress prints, and glass bottles of sweet
stuff filled the shelves. "Mr. Tewson's" was the central point of
Stornham in a commercial sense. The establishment had also certain
social qualifications.
Mr. Tewson knew the secrets of all hearts within the village radius,
also the secrets of all constitutions. He knew by some occult means who
had been "taken bad," or who had "taken a turn," and was aware at once
when anyone was "sinkin' fast." With such differences of opinion as
occasionally arose between the vicar and his churchwardens he was
immediately familiar. The history of the fever among the hop pickers at
Dunstan village he had been able to relate in detail from the moment of
its outbreak. It was he who had first dramatically revealed the truth of
the action Miss Vanderpoel had taken in the matter, which revelation had
aroused such enthusiasm as had filled The Clock Inn to overflowing and
given an impetus to the sale of beer. Tread, it was said, had even
made a speech which he had ended with vague but excellent intentions by
proposing the joint healths of her ladyship's sister and the "President
of America.
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