CHAPTER ONE

by Ellis Parker Butler

　　If you take a pie and cut it in two, the track of your knife willrepresent the course of Mud River through the town of Gloning, and thatpart of the pie to the left of your knife will be the East Side, whilethe part to the right will be the West Side. Away out on the edge of thepie, where the town fritters away into the fields and shanties on theEast Side, dwells Mrs. Deacon, and a fatter, better-natured creaturenever trod the crust of the earth or made the crust of a pie. Beingin reduced circumstances, owing to the inability of Mr. Deacon toappreciate the beneficial effects of work, Mrs. Deacon turned herfamous baking ability to account, and in a small way began selling herexcellent homemade pies to those who liked a superior article. Intime Mrs. Deacon established a considerable trade among the people ofGloning, and Mr. Deacon was wrested from his customary seat on the backsteps to make daily delivery trips with the Deacon home-made pies.

　　Ephraim Deacon was a deep thinker and philosopher. He was above hisenvironment, or at least he felt so, and while waiting for opportunityto approach and give his talents full vent he scorned labor. So he sataround a good deal, and jawed a good deal, and smoked.