Options；
  by　O。　Henry
  CONTENTS
  〃The　Rose　of　Dixie〃
  The　Third　Ingredient
  The　Hiding　of　Black　Bill
  Schools　and　Schools
  Thimble；　Thimble
  Supply　and　Demand
  Buried　Treasure
  To　Him　Who　Waits
  He　Also　Serves
  The　Moment　of　Victory
  The　Head…Hunter
  No　Story
  The　Higher　Pragmatism
  Best…Seller
  Rus　in　Urbe
  A　Poor　Rule
  OPTIONS
  〃THE　ROSE　OF　DIXIE〃
  When　The　Rose　of　Dixie　magazine　was　started　by　a　stock　company　in　　Toombs　City；　Georgia；　there　was　never　but　one　candidate　for　its　chief　　editorial　position　in　the　minds　of　its　owners。　　Col。　　Aquila　Telfair　　was　the　man　for　the　place。　　By　all　the　rights　of　learning；　family；　　reputation；　and　Southern　traditions；　he　was　its　foreordained；　fit；　and　　logical　editor。　　So；　a　committee　of　the　patriotic　Georgia　citizens　who　　had　subscribed　the　founding　fund　of　100；000　called　upon　Colonel　　Telfair　at　his　residence；　Cedar　Heights；　fearful　lest　the　enterprise　　and　the　South　should　suffer　by　his　possible　refusal。
  The　colonel　received　them　in　his　great　library；　where　he　spent　most　of　　his　days。　　The　library　had　descended　to　him　from　his　father。　　It　　contained　ten　thousand　volumes；　some　of　which　had　been　published　as　　late　as　the　year　1861。　　When　the　deputation　arrived；　Colonel　Telfair　　was　seated　at　his　massive　white…pine　centre…table；　reading　Burton's　　Anatomy　of　Melancholy。　　He　arose　and　shook　hands　punctiliously　with　　each　member　of　the　committee。　　If　you　were　familiar　with　The　Rose　of　　Dixie　you　will　remember　the　colonel's　portrait；　which　appeared　in　it　　from　time　to　time。　　You　could　not　forget　the　long；　carefully　brushed　　white　hair；　the　hooked；　high…bridged　nose；　slightly　twisted　to　the　　left；　the　keen　eyes　under　the　still　black　eyebrows；　the　classic　mouth　　beneath　the　drooping　white　mustache；　slightly　frazzled　at　the　ends。
  The　committee　solicitously　offered　him　the　position　of　managing　　editor；　humbly　presenting　an　outline　of　the　field　that　the　publication　　was　designed　to　cover　and　mentioning　a　comfortable　salary。　　The　　colonel's　lands　were　growing　poorer　each　year　and　were　much　cut　up　by　　red　gullies。　　Besides；　the　honor　was　not　one　to　be　refused。
  In　a　forty…minute　speech　of　acceptance；　Colonel　Telfair　gave　an　　outline　of　English　literature　from　Chaucer　to　Macaulay；　re…fought　the　　battle　of　Chancellorsville；　and　said　that；　God　helping　him；　he　would　　so　conduct　The　Rose　of　Dixie　that　its　fragrance　and　beauty　would　　permeate　the　entire　world；　hurling　back　into　the　teeth　of　the　Northern　　minions　their　belief　that　no　genius　or　good　could　exist　in　the　brains　　and　hearts　of　the　people　whose　property　they　had　destroyed　and　whose　　rights　they　had　curtailed。
  Offices　for　the　magazine　were　partitioned　off　and　furnished　in　the　　second　floor　of　the　First　National　Bank　building；　and　it　was　for　the　　colonel　to　cause　The　Rose　of　Dixie　to　blossom　and　flourish　or　to　wilt　　in　the　balmy　air　of　the　land　of　flowers。
  The　staff　of　assistants　and　contributors　that　Editor…Colonel　Telfair　　drew　about　him　was　a　peach。　　It　was　a　whole　crate　of　Georgia　peaches。　　　The　first　assistant　editor；　Tolliver　Lee　Fairfax；　had　had　a　father　　killed　during　Pickett's　charge。　　The　second　assistant；　Keats　Unthank；　　was　the　nephew　of　one　of　Morgan's　Raiders。　　The　book　reviewer；　Jackson　　Rockingham；　had　been　the　youngest　soldier　in　the　Confederate　army；　　having　appeared　on　the　field　of　battle　with　a　sword　in　one　hand　and　a　　milk…bottle　in　the　other。　　The　art　editor；　Roncesvalles　Sykes；　was　a　　third　cousin　to　a　nephew　of　Jefferson　Davis。　　Miss　Lavinia　Terhune；　　the　colonel's　stenographer　and　typewriter；　had　an　aunt　who　had　once　　been　kissed　by　Stonewall　Jackson。　　Tommy　Webster；　the　head　office…boy；　　got　his　job　by　having　recited　Father　Ryan's　poems；　complete；　at　the　　commencement　exercises　of　the　Toombs　City　High　School。　　The　girls　who　　wrapped　and　addressed　the　magazines　were　members　of　old　Southern　　families　in　Reduced　Circumstances。　　The　cashier　was　a　scrub　named　　Hawkins；　from　Ann　Arbor；　Michigan；　who　had　recommendations　and　a　bond　　from　a　guarantee　company　filed　with　the　owners。　　Even　Georgia　stock　　companies　sometimes　realize　that　it　takes　live　ones　to　bury　the　dead。
  Well；　sir；　if　you　believe　me；　The　Rose　of　Dixie　blossomed　five　times　　before　anybody　heard　of　it　except　the　people　who　buy　their　hooks　and　　eyes　in　Toombs　City。　　Then　Hawkins　climbed　off　his　stool　and　told　on　　'em　to　the　stock　company。　　Even　in　Ann　Arbor　he　had　been　used　to　　having　his　business　propositions　heard　of　at　least　as　far　away　as　　Detroit。　　So　an　advertising　manager　was　engaged　　Beauregard　Fitzhugh　　Banks；　a　young　man　in　a　lavender　necktie；　whose　grandfather　had　been　　the　Exalted　High　Pillow…slip　of　the　Kuklux　Klan。
  In　spite　of　which　The　Rose　of　Dixie　kept　coming　out　every　month。　　　Although　in　every　issue　it　ran　photos　of　either　the　Taj　Mahal　or　the　　Luxembourg　Gardens；　or　Carmencita　or　La　Follette；　a　certain　number　of　　people　bought　it　and　subscribed　for　it。　　As　a　boom　for　it；　Editor…　Colonel　Telfair　ran　three　different　views　of　Andrew　Jackson's　old　　home；　〃The　Hermitage；〃　a　full…page　engraving　of　the　second　battle　of　　Manassas；　entitled　〃Lee　to　the　Rear！〃　and　a　five…thousand…word　　biography　of　Belle　Boyd　in　the　same　number。　　The　subscription　list　　that　month　advanced　118。　　Also　there　were　poems　in　the　same　issue　by　　Leonina　Vashti　Haricot　（pen…name）；　related　to　the　Haricots　of　　Charleston；　South　Carolina；　and　Bill　Thompson；　nephew　of　one　of　the　　stockholders。　　And　an　article　from　a　special　society　correspondent　　describing　a　tea…party　given　by　the　swell　Boston　and　English　set；　　where　a　lot　of　tea　was　spilled　overboard　by　some　of　the　guests　　masquerading　as　Indians。
  One　day　a　person　whose　breath　would　easily　cloud　a　mirror；　he　was　so　　much　alive；　entered　the　office　of　The　Rose　of　Dixie。　　He　was　a　man　　about　the　size　of　a　real…estate　agent；　with　a　self…tied　tie　and　a　　manner　that　he　must　have　borrowed　conjointly　from　W　J。　　Bryan；　　Hackenschmidt；　and　Hetty　Green。　　He　was　shown　into　the　editor…　colonel's　pons　asinorum。　　Colonel　Telfair　rose　and　began　a　Prince　　Albert　bow。
  〃I'm　Thacker；〃　said　the　intruder；　taking　the　editor's　chair〃T。　T。　　Thacker；　of　New　York。〃
  He　dribbled　hastily　upon　the　colonel's　desk　some　cards；　a　bulky　manila　　envelope；　and　a　letter　from　the　owners　of　The　Rose　of　Dixie。　　This　　letter　introduced　Mr。　Thacker；　and　politely　requested　Colonel　Telfair　　to　give　him　a　conference　and　whatever　information　about　the　magazine　　he　might　desire。
  〃I've　been　corresponding　with　the　secretary　of　the　magazine　owners　for　　some　time；〃　said　Thacker；　briskly。　　〃I'm　a　practical　magazine　man　　myself；　and　a　circulation　booster　as　good　as　any；　if　I　do　say　it。　　　I'll　guarantee　an　increase　of　anywhere　from　ten　thousand　to　a　hundred　　thousand　a　year　for　any　publication　that　isn't　printed　in　a　dead　　language。　　I've　had　my　eye　on　The　Rose　of　Dixie　ever　since　it　started。　　　I　know　every　end　of　the　business　from　editing　to　setting　up　the　　classified　ads。　　Now；　I've　come　down　here　to　put　a　good　bunch　of　money　　in　the　magazine；　if　I　can　see　my　way　clear。　　It　ought　to　be　made　to　　pay。　　The　secretary　tells　me　it's　losing　money。　　I　don't　see　why　a　　magazine　in　the　South；　if　it's　properly　handled；　shouldn't　get　a　　good　circulation　in　the　North；　too。
  〃Colonel　Telfair　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　polished　his　gold…rimmed　　glasses。
  〃Mr。　Thacker；〃　said　he；　courteously　but　firmly；　〃The　Rose　of　Dixie　is　　a　publication　devoted　to　the　fostering　and　the　voicing　of　Southern　　genius。　　Its　watchword；　which　you　may　have　seen　on　the　cover；　is　'Of；　　For；　and　By　the　South。'〃
  〃But　you　wouldn't　object　to　a　Northern　circulation；　would　you？〃　asked　　Thacker。
  〃I　suppose；〃　said　the　editor…colonel；　〃that　it　is　customary　to　open　　the　circulation　lists　to　all。　　I　do　not　know。　　I　have　nothing　to　do　　with　the　business　affairs　of　the　magazine。　　I　was　called　upon　to　　assume　editorial　control　of　it；　and　I　have　devoted　to　its　conduct　such　　poor　literary　talents　as　I　may　possess　and　whatever　store　of　erudition　　I　may　have　acquired。〃
  〃Sure；〃　said　Thacker。　　〃But　a　dollar　is　a　dollar　anywhere；　North；　　South；　or　Westwhether　you're　buying　codfish；　goober　peas；　or　Rocky　　Ford　cantaloupes。　　Now；　I've　been　looking　over　your　November　number。　　　I　see　one　here　on　your　desk。　　You　don't　mind　running　over　it　with　me？
  〃Well；　your　leading　article　is　all　right。　　A　good　write…up　of　the　　cotton…belt　with　plenty　of　photographs　is　a　winner　any　time。　　New　York　　is　always　interested　in　the　cotton　crop。　　And　this　sensational　account　　of　Hatfield…McCoy　feud；　by　a　schoolmate　of　a　niece　of　the　Governor　of　　Kentucky；　isn't　such　a　bad　idea。　　It　happened　so　long　ago　that　most　　people　have　forgotten　it。　　Now；　here's　a　poem　three　pages　long　called　　'The　Tyrant's　Foot；'　by　Lorella　Lascelles。　　I've　pawed　around　a　good　　deal　over　manuscripts；　but　I　never　saw　her　name　on　a　rejection　slip。〃
  〃Miss　Lascelles；〃　said　the　editor；　〃is　one　of　our　most　widely　　recognized　Southern　poetesses。　　She　is　closely　related　to　the　Alabama　　Lascelles　family；　and　made　with　her　own　hands　the　silken　Confederate　　banner　that　was　presented　to　the　governor　of　that　state　at　his　　inauguration。〃
  〃But　why；〃　persisted　Thacker；　〃is　the　poem　illustrated　with　a　view　of　　the　M。　　&　0。　　Railroa