the american claimant-第3章

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something　about　the　place　which　betrayed　the　presence　in　the　house　of
somebody　with　a　happy　taste　and　an　effective　touch。

Even　the　deadly　chromos　on　the　walls　were　somehow　without　offence；
in　fact　they　seemed　to　belong　there　and　to　add　an　attraction　to　the　room…
…a　fascination；　anyway；　for　whoever　got　his　eye　on　one　of　them　was　like
to　gaze　and　suffer　till　he　diedyou　have　seen　that　kind　of　pictures。
Some　of　these　terrors　were　landscapes；　some　libeled　the　sea；　some　were
ostensible　portraits；　all　were　crimes。　　All　the　portraits　were
recognizable　as　dead　Americans　of　distinction；　and　yet；　through　labeling
added；　by　a　daring　hand；　they　were　all　doing　duty　here　as　〃Earls　of
Rossmore。〃　　The　newest　one　had　left　the　works　as　Andrew　Jackson；　but　was
doing　its　best　now；　as　〃Simon　Lathers　Lord　Rossmore；　Present　Earl。〃
On　one　wall　was　a　cheap　old　railroad　map　of　Warwickshire。　　This　had　been
newly　labeled　〃The　Rossmore　Estates。〃　　On　the　opposite；　wall　was　another
map；　and　this　was　the　most　imposing　decoration　of　the　establishment　and
the　first　to　catch　a　stranger's　attention；　because　of　its　great　size。
It　had　once　borne　simply　the　title　SIBERIA；　but　now　the　word　〃FUTURE〃　had
been　written　in　front　of　that　word。　　There　were　other　additions；　in　red
inkmany　cities；　with　great　populations　set　down；　scattered　over　the
vast…country　at　points　where　neither　cities　nor　populations　exist　to…day。
One　of　these　cities；　with　population　placed　at　1；500；000；　bore　the　name
〃Libertyorloffskoizalinski；〃　and　there　was　a　still　more　populous　one；
centrally　located　and　marked　〃Capital；〃　which　bore　the　name
〃Freedomolovnaivanovich。〃

The　〃mansion〃the　Colonel's　usual　name　for　the　housewas　a　rickety　old
two…story　frame　of　considerable　size；　which　had　been　painted；　some　time
or　other；　but　had　nearly　forgotten　it。　　It　was　away　out　in　the　ragged
edge　of　Washington　and　had　once　been　somebody's　country　place。　　It　had　a
neglected　yard　around　it；　with　a　paling　fence　that　needed　straightening
up；　in　places；　and　a　gate　that　would　stay　shut。　　By　the　door…post　were
several　modest　tin　signs。　　〃Col。　Mulberry　Sellers；　Attorney　at　Law　and
Claim　Agent；〃　was　the　principal　one。　　One　learned　from　the　others　that
the　Colonel　was　a　Materializer；　a　Hypnotizer；　a　Mind…Cure　dabbler；　and　so
on。　　For　he　was　a　man　who　could　always　find　things　to　do。

A　white…headed　negro　man；　with　spectacles　and　damaged　white　cotton　gloves
appeared　in　the　presence；　made　a　stately　obeisance　and　announced：

〃Marse　Washington　Hawkins；　suh。〃

〃Great　Scott！　　Show　him　in；　Dan'l；　show　him　in。〃

The　Colonel　and　his　wife　were　on　their　feet　in　a　moment；　and　the　next
moment　were　joyfully　wringing　the　hands　of　a　stoutish；　discouraged…
looking　man　whose　general　aspect　suggested　that　he　was　fifty　years　old；
but　whose　hair　swore　to　a　hundred。

〃Well；　well；　well；　Washington；　my　boy；　it　is　good　to　look　at　you　again。
Sit　down；　sit　down；　and　make　yourself　at　home。　　There；　nowwhy；　you　look
perfectly　natural；　aging　a　little；　just　a　little；　but　you'd　have　known
him　anywhere；　wouldn't　you；　Polly？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Berry；　he's　just　like　his　pa　would　have　looked　if　；he'd　lived。
Dear；　dear；　where　have　you　dropped　from？　　Let　me　see；　how　long　is　it
since〃

I　should　say　it's　all　of　fifteen‘　years；　Mrs。　　Sellers。〃

〃Well；　well；　how　time　does　get　away　with　us。　　Yes；　and　oh；　the　changes
that〃

There　was　a　sudden　catch　of　her　voice　and　a　trembling　of　the　lip；　the　men
waiting　reverently　for　her　to；　get　command　of　herself　and　go　on；　but
after　a　little　struggle　she　turned　away；　with　her　apron　to　her　eyes；　and
softly　disappeared。。

〃Seeing　you　made　her　think　of　the　children；　poor　thingdear；　dear；
they're　all　dead　but　the　youngest。

But　banish　care；　it's　no　time　for　it　nowon　with　the　dance；　let　joy　be
unconfined　is　my　motto；　whether　there's　any　dance　to　dance；　or　any　joy　to
unconfineyou'll　be　the　healthier　for　it　every　time；every　time；
Washingtonit's　my　experience；　and　I've　seen　a　good　deal　of　this　world。
Comewhere　have　you　disappeared　to　all　these　years；　and　are　you　from
there；　now；　or　where　are　you　from？〃

〃I　don't　quite　think　you　would　ever　guess；　Colonel。　　Cherokee　Strip。〃

〃My　land！〃

〃Sure　as　you　live。〃

〃You　can't　mean　it。　　Actually　living　out　there？〃

〃Well；　yes；　if　a　body　may　call　it　that；　though　it's　a　pretty　strong　term
for　'dobies　and　jackass　rabbits；　boiled　beans　and　slap…jacks；　depression；
withered　hopes；　poverty　in　all　its　varieties〃

〃Louise　out　there？〃

〃Yes；　and　the　children。〃

〃Out　there　now？〃

〃Yes；　I　couldn't　afford　to　bring　them　with　me。〃

〃Oh；　I　see；you　had　to　comeclaim　against　the　government。　　Make
yourself　perfectly　easyI'll　take　care　of　that。〃

〃But　it　isn't　a　claim　against　the　government。〃

〃No？　　Want　to　be　postmaster？　　That's　all　right。　　Leave　it　to　me。　　I'll
fix　it。〃

〃But　it　isn't　postmasteryou're　all　astray　yet。〃

〃Well；　good　gracious；　Washington；　why　don't　you　come　out　and　tell　me　what
it　is？　　What；　do　you　want　to　be　so　reserved　and　distrustful　with　an　old
friend　like　me；　for？　　Don't　you　reckon　I　can　keep　a　se'

〃There's　no　secret　about　ityou　merely　don't　give　me　a　chance　to〃

〃Now　look　here；　old　friend；　I　know　the　human　race；　and　I　know　that　when　a
man　comes　to　Washington；　I　don't　care　if　it's　from　heaven；　let　alone
Cherokee…Strip；　it's　because　he　wants　something。　　And　I　know　that　as　a
rule　he's　not　going　to　get　it；　that　he'll　stay　and　tryfor　another　thing
and　won't　get　that；　the　same　luck　with　the　next　and　the　next　and　the
next；　and　keeps　on　till　he　strikes　bottom；　and　is　too　poor　and　ashamed　to
go　back；　even　to　Cherokee　Strip；　and　at　last　his　heart　breaksand　they
take　up　a　collection　and　bury　him。　　Theredon't　interrupt　me；　I　know
what　I'm　talking　about。　　Happy　and　prosperous　in　the　Far　West　wasn't　I？
You　know　that。　　Principal　citizen　of　Hawkeye；　looked　up　to　by　everybody；
kind　of　an　autocrat；　actually　a　kind　of　an　autocrat；　Washington。　　Well；
nothing　would　do　but　I　must　go　Minister　to　St。　James；　the　Governor　and
everybody　insisting；　you　know；　and　so　at　last　I　consentedno　getting　out
of　it；　had　to　do　it；　so　here　I　came。　　A　day　too　late；　Washington。　　Think
of　thatwhat　little　things　change　the　world's　historyyes；　sir；　the
place　had　been　filled。　　Well；　there　I　was；　you　see。　　I　offered　to
compromise　and　go　to　Paris。　　The　President　was　very　sorry　and　all　that；
but　that　place；　you　see；　didn't　belong　to　the　West；　so　there　I　was　again。
There　was　no　help　for　it；　so　I　had　to　stoop　a　littlewe　all　reach　the
day　some　time　or　other　when　we've　got　to　do　that；　Washington；　and　it's
not　a　bad　thing　for　us；　either；　take　it　by　and　large　and　all　around
I　had　to　stoop　a　little　and　offer　to　take　Constantinople。　　Washington；
consider　thisfor　it's　perfectly　truewithin　a　month　I　asked　for　China；
within　another　month　I　begged　for　Japan；　one　year　later　I　was　away　down；
down；　down；　supplicating　with　tears　and　anguish　for　the　bottom　office　in
the　gift　of　the　government　of　the　United　StatesFlint…Picker　in　the
cellars　of　the　War　Department。　　And　by　George　I　didn't　get　it。〃

〃Flint…Picker？〃

〃Yes。　　Office　established　in　the　time　of　the　Revolution；　last　century。
The　musket…flints　for　the　military　posts　were　supplied　from　the　capitol。
They　do　it　yet；　for　although　the　flint…arm　has　gone　out　and　the　forts
have　tumbled　down；　the　decree　hasn't　been　repealedbeen　overlooked　and
forgotten；　you　seeand　so　the　vacancies　where　old　Ticonderoga　and　others
used　to　stand；　still　get　their　six　quarts　of　gun…flints　a　year　just　the
same。〃

Washington　said　musingly　after　a　pause：

〃How　strange　it　seemsto　start　for　Minister　to　England　at　twenty
thousand　a　year　and　fail　for　flintpicker　at〃

〃Three　dollars　a　week。　　It's　human　life；　Washingtonjust　an　epitome　of
human　ambition；　and　struggle；　and　the　outcome：　you　aim　for　the　palace　and
get　drowned　in　the　sewer。〃

There　was　another　meditative　silence。　　Then　Washington　said；　with　earnest
compassion　in　his　voice

〃And　so；　after　coming　here；　against　your　inclination；　to　satisfy　your
sense　of　patriotic　duty　and　appease　a　selfish　public　clamor；　you　get
absolutely　nothing　for　it。〃

〃Nothing？〃　　The　Colonel　had　to　get　up　and　stand；　to　get　room　for　his
amazement　to　expand。　　〃Noth