[Illustration: THE BOSS OF LITTLE ARCADY] [Illustration: "A-CHESTIN' OUT HIS CHEST LAHK A OLE MA'ASH FRAWG."] THE BOSS OF LITTLE ARCADY BY HARRY LEON WILSON 1905 TO MY MOTHER CONTENTS _THE BOOK OF COLONEL POTTS_ CHAPTER I. How the Boss won his Title II. The Golden Day of Colonel Potts III. The Perfect Lover IV. Dreams and Wakings V. A Mad Prank of the Gods VI. A Matter of Personal Property VII. "A World of Fine Fabling" VIII. Adventure of Billy Durgin, Sleuth IX. How the Boss saved Himself X. A Lady of Powers XI. How Little Arcady was Uplifted XII. Troubled Waters are Stilled _THE BOOK OF MISS CAROLINE_ XIII. A Catastrophe in Furniture XIV. The Coming of Miss Caroline XV. Little Arcady views a Parade XVI. The Spectre of Scandal is Raised XVII. The Truth about Shakspere at Last XVIII. In which the Game was Played XIX. A Worthless Black Hound XX. In which Something must be Done XXI. Little Arcady is grievously Shaken _THE BOOK OF LITTLE MISS_ XXII. The Time of Dreams XXIII. The Strain of Peavey XXIV. The Loyalty of Jim XXV. The Case of Fatty Budlow XXVI. A Little Mystery is Solved XXVII. How a Truce was Troublesome XXVIII. The Abdication of the Boss XXIX. In which All Rules are Broken XXX. By Another Hand ILLUSTRATIONS "A chestin' out his chest lahk a ole ma'ash frawg" "And yet I have been pestered by cheap flings at my personal bearing" "We might get him to make a barrel of it for the Sunday-school picnic" "That will do," I said severely. "Remember there is a gentleman present" The Book of COLONEL POTTS CHAPTER I HOW THE BOSS WON HIS TITLE =Late last Thursday evening one Jonas Rodney Potts, better known to this community as "Upright" Potts, stumbled into the mill-race, where it had providentially been left open just north of Cady's mill. Everything was going along finely until two hopeless busybodies were attracted to the spot by his screams, and fished him out. It is feared that he will recover. We withhold the names of his rescuers, although under strong temptation to publish them broadcast.--_Little Arcady Argus_ of May 21st.= Looking back to that time from a happier present, I am filled by a genuine awe of J. Rodney Potts. Reflecting upon those benign ends which the gods chose to make him serve, I can but marvel how lightly each of us may meet and scorn a casual Potts, unrecking his gracious and predestined office in the play of Fate. Of the present--to me--supreme drama of the Little Country, I can only say that the gods had selected their agent with a cunning so flawless that suspicion of his portents could not well have been aroused in one lacking discernment like unto the gods' very own. So trivially, so utterly, so pitiably casual, to eyes of the flesh, was this Potts of Little Arcady, from his immortal soul to the least item of his inferior raiment!