Sometimes they can be traced back to their spring, as a stream can: one lucky or unlucky word or deed, years ago, made a friend or an enemy of one person, and that person's influence has divided itself again and again, as brooks part off and divide into countless rivulets, and water whole districts.

But generally one finds it impossible to trace the like or dislike to its beginning.

A stranger, asking the reason of it, is answered in an off-hand way,--"Oh, everybody'll tell you the same thing.

There isn't a soul in the town but hates him;" or, "Well, he's just the most popular man in the town.

You'll never hear a word said against him,--never; not if you were to settle right down here, and live." It was months before Stephen realized that there was slowly forming in the town a dislike to him.