In this book, there are some short stories about those people that live in a small town. The name of the little town is Mariposa, which is situated on the coast of Lake Wissanotti.
At the beginning of the story, the writer describes the town named Mariposa. In Canada, there are many other towns, just like Mariposa. But Mariposa is a serene and quite place to live. If you spend sometime in this town, you will observe that the buildings of this town become taller and the population of the town thickens.
There is a hostelry on the main street in this town. The hostelry name is Jos. Smith, Prop. This hostelry's owner name is Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith is described by the writer as a fatty man who wears plaid trousers with waistcoats.
One day in the afternoon, Mr. Smith eagerly awaits a telegram. The telegram is coming from Mr Smith's legal adviser, who is presenting him before the license commissioners.The town's court had commanded Mr. Smith to close the hostel and not selling the liquor after 11 pm. Usually, he would close his hostel at 11 pm but, he would try to open the hostel doors a quiet longer if his hostel was not full.
But one day, when Mr. Smith opens his hostel after 11 pm, he finds out that judge Pepperleigh and attorney McCartney are inside the bar. Mr. Smith knows that he did wrong, but he never thought that he would close the hostel.
On that afternoon, when Mr. Smith is waiting for telegram, four men, come in the bar. There are two bank managers Mullins and Duff, and one is Gingham, the undertaker, and the other one is Diston, the high school teacher.
The four customers in the bar are talking about Mr. Smith's amiability and his unselfish disposition. They also says that he can open an inn in the city. After sometimes, the desk clerk, Billy comes in with the telegram. Mr. Smith asks him what does the telegram say? Billy tells that Mr. Smith has three months to close down the bar. Then Mr. Smith says that he have an idea.
Within one month, he transforms his hostel into a cafe. In cafe, there is a French cook who prepares delicious meals. Everyone loves Mr. Smith's new cafe in the city, including judge Pepperleigh. After doing so, the Mariposa court renews Mr. Smith's license for three years.
