Mrs. Hawkins owned a buggy and carryall and a couple of fairly good
horses. They were cared for by Abner Stiles. He was often called upon to
carry passengers over to the railway station at the Centre, and was the
mail carrier between the Centre and Mason's Corner, for the latter
village had a post office, which was located in Hill's grocery, Mr.
Benoni Hill being the postmaster.

Since his return from the war Mr. Obadiah Strout had been Mrs. Hawkins's
star boarder. He sat at the head of the table and acted as moderator
during the wordy discussions which accompanied every meal. Abner Stiles
believed implicitly in the manifest superiority of Obadiah Strout over
the other residents of Mason's Corner. He was his firm ally and
henchman, serving him as a dog does his master, not for pay, but because
he loves the service.

Mr. Strout was often called the "Professor" because he was the
singing-master of the village and gave lessons in instrumental and vocal
music. The love of music was another bond of union between Strout and
Stiles, for the latter was a skilful, if not educated, performer on the
violin.

The Professor was about forty years of age, stout in person, with smooth
shaven face and florid complexion. In Eastborough town matters he was a
general factotum. He had been an undertaker's assistant and had worked
for the superintendent of the Poorhouse. In due season and in turn he
had been appointed to and had filled the positions of fence viewer, road
inspector, hog reeve, pound keeper, and the year previous he had been
chosen tax collector. Abner Stiles said that there "wasn't a better man
in town for selectman and he knew he'd get there one of these days."