Bassett kept pretty close to Fraserville, running into the city
occasionally for a few hours. He complained now and then because he saw
so little of his family, who continued at the lake. Dan had certain
prescribed duties, but these were not onerous. A great many of the
country newspapers began to come to the office, and it was Harwood's
business to read them and cut out any items bearing upon local
political conditions. Bassett winnowed these carefully, brushing the
chaff into his wastebasket and retaining a few kernels for later use. He
seemed thoroughly familiar with the state press and spoke of the rural
newspapers with a respect that surprised Harwood, who had little
patience with what he called the "grapevine dailies," with their scrappy
local news, patent insides, and servile partisan opinions. Still, he
began to find in a considerable number of these papers, even those
emanating from remote county seats, a certain raciness and independence.
This newspaper reading, which Dan had begun perfunctorily, soon
interested him. It was thus, he saw, that Bassett kept in touch with
state affairs. Sporadic temperance movements, squabbles over local
improvements, rows in school boards, and like matters were not beneath
Bassett's notice. He discussed these incidents and conditions with
Harwood, who was astonished to find how thoroughly Bassett knew the
state.
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