But I struck in here, and couldn't help it, and, sez I, "That is what
Boston has always thought;" and, sez I, candidly, "That is what has
always been thought about Jonesville."

He looked pityin'ly at me, and, sez he, "Where is Jonesville?"

And I sez, "Jest where I told you, in the very centre of the earth, as
nigh as we can make out."

"How old is the place?" sez Mr. Bolster.

Sez I proudly, "It is more than a hundred and fifty years old, for Uncle
Nate Bently's grandfather built the first store there, and helped build
the first Meetin'-House; and," sez I, "Uncle Nate is over ninety."

"How many inhabitants has it?" sez he briskly.

And then my own feathers had to droop; and as I paused to collect my
thoughts, Josiah spoke up--he is always so forward--and, sez he, "About
200 and 10 or 11."

But I sez, with dignity, "Perhaps I know more about some things than
you do, Josiah. There may be, by this time, one or two more
inhabitants."

Sez Mr. Bolster, "A growth of about 200 in one hundred years! Chicago is
about half as old, and has one million eight hundred thousand
population. In ten years the population has increased 108 per cent, and
property has increased in the same time 656 per cent, the greatest
growth in the world."