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。　　〃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　strea