the american claimant-第3章

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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。　　〃Nothing；　Washington？　　I　ask　you　this：　to　be　a
perpetual　Member　and　the　only　Perpetual　Member　of　a　Diplomatic　Body
accredited　to　the　greatest　country　on　earth　do　you　call　that　nothing？

It　was　Washington's　turn　to　be　amazed。　　He　was　stricken　dumb；　but　the
wide…eyed　wonder；　the　reverent　admiration　expressed　in　his　face　were　more
eloquent　than　any　words　could　have　been。　　The　Colonel's　wounded　spirit
was　healed　and　he　resumed　his　seat　pleased　and　content。　　He　leaned
forward　and　said　impressively：

〃What　was　due　to　a　man　who　had　become　forever　conspicuous　by　an
experience　without　precedent　in　the　history　of　the　world？a　man　made
permanently　and　diplomatically　sacred；　so　to　speak；　by　having　been
connected；　temporarily；　through　solicitation；　with　every　single
diplomatic　post　in　the　roster　of　this　government；　from　Envoy
Extraordinary　and　Minister　Plenipotentiary　to　the　Court　of　St。　James　all
the　way　down　to　Consul　to　a　guano　rock　in　the　Straits　of　Sundasalary
payable　in　guanowhich　disappeared　by　volcanic　convulsion　the　day　before
they　got　down　to　my　name　in　the　list　of　applicants。　　Certainly　something
august　enough　to　be　answerable　to　the　size　of　this　unique　and　memorable
experience　was　my　due；　and　I　got　it。　　By　the　common　voice　of　this
community；　by　acclamation　of　the　people；　that　mighty；　utterance　which
brushes　aside　laws　and　legislation；　and　from　whose　decrees　there　is　no
appeal；　I　was　named　Perpetual　Member　of　the　Diplomatic　Body　representing
the　multifarious　sovereignties　and　civilizations　of　the　globe　near　the
republican　court　of　the　United　States　of　America。　　And　they　brought　me
home　with　a　torchlight　procession。〃

〃It　is　wonderful；　Colonel；　simply　wonderful。〃

〃It's　the　loftiest　official　position　in　the　whole　earth。〃

〃I　should　think　so…and　the　most　commanding。〃

〃You　have　named　the　word。　　Think　of　it。　　I　frown；　and　there　is　war；　I
smile；　and　contending　nations　lay　down　their　arms。〃

〃It　is　awful。　　The　responsibility；　I　mean。〃

〃It　is　nothing。　　Responsibility　is　no　burden　to　me；　I　am　used　to　it；　have
always　been　used　to　it。〃

〃And　the　workthe　work！　　Do　you　have　to　attend　all　the　sittings？〃

〃Who；　I？　　Does　the　Emperor　of　Russia　attend　the　conclaves　of　the
governors　of　the　provinces？　　He　sits　at　home；　and　indicates　his
pleasure。〃

Washington　was　silent　a　moment；　then　a　deep　sigh　escaped　him。

〃How　proud　I　was　an　hour　ago；　how　paltry　seems　my　little　promotion　now！
Colonel；　the　reason　I　came　to　Washington　is；I　am　Congressional　Delegate
from　Cherokee　Strip！〃

The　Colonel　sprang　to　his　feet　and　broke　out　with　prodigious　enthusiasm：

〃Give　me　your　hand；　my　boythis　is　immense　news！　　I　congratulate　you
with　all　my　heart。　　My　prophecies　stand　confirmed。　　I　always　said　it　was
in　you。　　I　always　said　you　were　born　for　high　distinction　and　would
achieve　it。　　You　ask　Polly　if　I　didn't。〃

Washington　was　dazed　by　this　most　unexpected　demonstration。

〃Why；　Colonel；　there's　nothing　to　it。　　That　little　narrow；　desolate；
unpeopled；　oblong　streak　of　grass　and　gravel；　lost　in　the　remote　wastes
of　the　vast　continentwhy；　it's　like　representing　a　billiard　tablea
discarded　one。〃

〃Tut…tut；　it's　a　great；　it's　a　staving　preferment；　and　just　opulent　with
influence　here。〃

〃Shucks；　Colonel；　I　haven't　even　a　vote。〃

〃That's　nothing；　you　can　make　speeches。〃

〃No；　I　can't。　　The　population's　only　two；　hundred〃

〃That's　all　right；　that's　all　right〃

〃And　they　hadn't　any　right　to　elect　me；　we're　not　even　a　territory；
there's　no　Organic　Act；　the　government　hasn't　any　official　knowledge　of
us　whatever。〃

〃Never　mind　about　that；　I'll　fix　that。　　I'll　rush　the　thing　through；　I'll
get　you　organized　in　no　time。〃

〃Will　you；　Colonel？it's　too　good　of　you；　but　it's　just　your　old
sterling　self；　the　same　old　ever…faithful　friend；〃　and　the　grateful　tears
welled　up　in　Washington's　eyes。

〃It's　just　as　good　as　done；　my　boy；　just　as　good　as　done。　　Shake　hands。
We'll　hitch　teams　together；　you　and　I；　and　we'll　make　things　hum！〃



CHAPTER　III。

Mrs。　Sellers　returned；　now；　with　her　composure　restored；　and　began　to　ask
after　Hawkins's　wife；　and　about　his　children；　and　the　number　of　them；　and
so　on；　and　her　examination　of　the　witness　resulted　in　a　circumstantial
history　of　the　family's　ups　and　downs　and　driftings　to　and　fro　in　the　far
West　during　the　previous　fifteen　years。　　There　was　a　message；　now；　from
out　back；　and　Colonel　Sellers　went　out　there　in　answer　to　it。　　Hawkins
took　this　opportunity　to　ask　how　the　world　had　been　using　the　Colonel
during　the　past　half…generation。

〃Oh；　it's　been　using　him　just　the　same；　it　couldn't　change　its　way　of
using　him　if　it　wanted　to；　for　he　wouldn't　let　it。〃

〃I　can　easily　believe　that；　Mrs。　　Sellers。〃

〃Yes；　you　see；　he　doesn't　change；　himselfnot　the　least　little　bit　in
the　worldhe's　always　Mulberry　Sellers。〃

〃I　can　see　that　plain　enough。〃

〃Just　the　same　old　scheming；　generous；　good…hearted；　moonshiny；　hopeful；
no…account　failure　he　always　was；　and　still　everybody　likes　him　just　as
well　as　if　he　was　the　shiningest　success。〃

〃They　always　did：　and　it　was　natural；　because　he　was　so　obliging　and
accommodating；　and　had　something　about　him　that　made　it　kind　of　easy　to
ask　help　of　him；　or　favorsyou　didn't　feel　shy；　you　know；　or　have　that
wishyoudidn'thavetotry　feeling　that　you　have　with　other
people。〃

〃It's　just　so；　yet；　and　a　body　wonders　at　it；　too；　because　he's　been
shamefully　treated；　many　times；　by　people　that　had　used　him　for　a　ladder
to　climb　up　by；　and　then　kicked　him　down　when　they　didn't　need　him　any
more。　　For　a　time　you　can　see　he's　hurt；　his　pride's　wounded；　because　he
shrinks　away　from　that　thing　and　don't　want　to　talk　about　itand　so　I
used　to　think　now　he's　learned　something　and　he'll　be　more　careful
hereafterbut　laws！　in　a　couple　of　weeks　he's　forgotten　all　about　it；
and　any　selfish　tramp　out　of　nobody　knows　where　can　come　and　put　up　a
poor　mouth　and　walk　right　into　his　heart　with　his　boots　on。〃

〃It　must　try　your　patience　pretty　sharply　sometimes。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I'm　used　to　it；　and　I'd　rather　have　him　so　than　the　other　way。
When　I　call　him　a　failure；　I　mean　to　the　world　he's　a　failure；　he　isn't
to　me。　　I　don't　know　as　I　want　him　different　much　different；　anyway。
I　have　to　scold　him　some；　snarl　at　him；　you　might　even　call　it；　but　I
reckon　I'd　do　that　just　the　same；　if　he　was　differentit's　my　make。
But　I'm　a　good　deal　less　snarly　and　more　contented　when　he's　a　failure
than　I　am　when　he　isn't。〃

〃Then　he　isn't　always　a　failure；〃　said　Hawking；　brightening。

〃Him？　　Oh；　bless　you；　no。　　He　makes　a　strike；　as　he　calls　it；　from　time
to　time。　　Then's　my　time　to　fret　and　fuss。　　For　the　money　just　flies
first　come　first　served。　　Straight　off；　he　loads　up　the　house　with
cripples　and　idiots　and　stray　cats　and　all　the　different　kinds　of　poor
wrecks　that　other　people　don't　want　and　he　does；　and　then　when　the
poverty　comes　again　I've　got　to　clear　the　most　of　them　out　or　we'd
starve；　and　that　distresses　him；　and　me　the　same；　of　course。

Here's　old　Dan'l　and　old　Jinny；　that　the　sheriff　sold　south　one　of　the
times　that　we　got　bankrupted　before　the　warthey　came　wandering　back
after　the　peace；　worn　out　and　used　up　on　the　cotton　plantations；
helpless；　and　not　another　lick　of　work　left　in　their　old　hides　for　the
rest　of　this　earthly　pilgrimageand　we　so　pinched；　oh　so　pinched　for　the
very　crumbs　to　keep　life　in　us；　and　he　just　flung　the　door　wide；　and　the
way　he　received　them　you'd　have　thought　they　had　come　straight　down　from
heaven　in　answer　to　prayer。　　I　took　him　one　side　and　said；　'Mulberry　we
can't　have　themwe've　nothing　for　ourselveswe　can't　feed　them。'
He　looked　at　me　kind　of　hurt；　and　said；　'Turn　them　out？and　they've　come
to　me　just　as　confident　and　trusting　asaswhy　Polly；　I　must　have
bought　that　confidence　sometime　or　other　a　long　time　ago；　and　given　my
note；　so　to　speakyou　don't　get　such　things　as　a　giftand　how　am　I
going　to　go　back　on　a　debt　like　that？　　And　you　see；　they're　so　poor；
and　old；　and　friendless；　and　But　I　was　ashamed　by　that　time；　and　shut
him　off；　and　somehow　felt　a　new　courage　in　me；　and　so　I　said；　softly；
'We'll　keep　themthe　Lord　will　provide。'　　He　was　glad；　and　started　to
blurt　out　one　of　those　over…confident　speeches　of　his；　but　checked
himself　in　time；　and　said　humbly；　'I　will；　anyway。'　　It　was　years　and
years　and　years　ago。　　Well；　you　see　those　old　wrecks　are　here　yet。〃

〃But　don't　they　do　your　housework？〃

〃Laws！　　The　idea。　　They　would　if　they　could；　poor　old　things；　and　perhaps
they　think　they　do　do　some　of　it。　　But　it's　a　superstition。　　Dan'l　waits
on　the　front　door；　and　sometimes　goes　on　an　errand；　and　sometimes　you'll
see　one　or　both　of　them　letting　on　to　dust　around　in　herebut　that's
because　there's　something　they　want　to　hear　about　and　mix　their　gabble
into。　　And　they're　always　around　at　meals；　for　the　same　reason。　　But　the
fact　is；　we　have　to　keep　a　young　negro　girl　just　to　take　care　of　them；
and　a　negro　woman　to　do　the　housework　and　help　take　care　of　them。〃

〃Well；　they　ought　to　be　tolerably　happy；　I　should　think。

〃It's　no　name　for　it。　　They