“Well, I don’t know,” said the mother-in-law, placidly.  “It seems to me—­”

A glance from Mrs. Perkins stopped the dear old lady.  I think Mrs. Perkins’s sympathetic disposition taught her that her husband was having a hard time being agreeable, and that further discussion of the lamp question was likely to prove disastrous.

Thaddeus was soon called for by his manager, and started out to meet the leading lights of the Hungarian and Italian quarters.  The Germans had been made solid the day before, and as for the Irish, they were supposed to be with Perkins on principle, because Perkins was not in accord politically with the existing administration.

“It’s too bad he’s so nervous,” said his mother-in-law, as he went out.  “They say women are nervous, but I must say I don’t think much of the endurance of men.  How absurd he was when he spoke of the gas-pipe through the chimney!”

“Well, I suppose, my dear mother,” said Mrs. Perkins, sadly—­“I suppose he can’t be bothered with little details like the lamps now.  There are other questions to be considered.”

“What is the exact issue?” asked the mother-in-law, interestedly.

“Well—­the tariff, and—­ah—­and taxes, and—­ah—­money, and—­ah—­ah—­I think the saloon question enters in somehow.  I believe Mr. Haskins wants more of them, and Thaddeus says there are too many of them as it is.  And now they are both investigating them, I fancy, because Teddy was in one the other day.”

“We ought to help him a little,” said the elder woman.  “Let’s just relieve him of the whole lamp question; decide where to put them, go to New York and pick them out, get estimates for the laying of the pipes, and surprise him by having them all ready to put up the day after election.”

“Wouldn’t it be fun!” cried Mrs. Perkins, delightedly.  “He’ll be so surprised—­poor dear boy.  I’ll do it.  I’ll send down this morning for Mr. O’Hara to come up here and see how we can make the connection and where the trenches for the pipes can be laid.  Mr. O’Hara is the best-known contractor in town, and I guess he’s the man we want.”

And immediately O’Hara was telephoned for to come up to Mr. Perkins’s, and the fair conspirators were not aware of, and probably will never realize, the importance politically of that act.  Mr. O’Hara refused to come, but it was hinted about that Perkins had summoned him, and there was great joy among the rank and file, and woe among the better elements, for O’Hara was a boss, and a boss whose power was one of the things Thaddeus was trying to break, and the cohorts fancied that the apostle of purity had realized that without O’Hara reform was fallen into the pit.  Furthermore, as cities of the third class, like Dumfries Corners, live conversationally on rumors and gossipings, it was not an hour before almost all Dumfries Corners, except Thaddeus Perkins himself and his manager, knew that the idol had bowed