she answered, smiling. "But that isn't all I am here to say. If you
don't mind and will let me get through it will save time, and then
questions can be asked and answered. Last year the rate of interest on
all taxable property was one dollar and twenty-five cents per one
hundred dollars. This year, Mr. Councilmen, if you really love Yorkburg,
you will raise it to one dollar and thirty-five cents.

"Oh, I know," She laughed and lifted her hand as if to stop the unspoken
protest of certain stirrings. "I know the name of taxes isn't truly
pleasant to any one. But I have with me a list of taxpayers who agree to
the increase asked for, and if you would like to see it, there is no
objection to your doing so."

She opened her bag and took from it a roll of paper, and as she
unwound it she threw one end to Mr. Ash, the chairman of the finance
committee.

"This," she said, "is a list of the people who love their town enough to
put their hands in their pockets to prove it. A truly trying test!" She
held up her end of the paper. "There," she said, "there is the list."

Instinctively many leaned forward to see the paper which for reasons of
her own she had made in one long, narrow ribbon, and as they did so
she laughed again and nodded to the men at the desks. "The will of your
constituents.

"And now"--she stepped back--"there is one thing more. Yorkburg has
a friend who is greatly interested in its welfare. This friend believes
the time has come when the town should take stock of itself, should look
itself in the face and see just what sort of a town it is, and what it