The Washington herald., 1911-10-29
THE PRODIGAL JUDGE
Bv VAUGHAN KESTER
Copyright. 1911. the BO6bsMzrin oOmpanyJ

and not TO- a matter Of hours either
but days"
How Iong?"
We'll, nigh on to three weeks
They saw Yancy's eyes widen with a
look of dumb horror.
And you don't know nothing about
my nevvy?-you amt seen or heard of
him, ma'am?' faltered Yancy.
Polly shook her head regretfully.
Ten or thereabouts, ma'am He were
a heap of comfort to me" and the
whisper on Yancy's lips was wonderfully
tender and wistful. He closed his eyes
and present, lulled by the soft ripple that
bore them company, fell into a restful
sleep.
The raft drifted on into the days heat;
and when at last Yancy awoke, it was
to find Henry and Keppel seated beside
him, each solacing him with a small
moist hand. Mrs. Cavendish appeared,
bringing Yancy's breakfast. In her
wake came Connie with the baby, and
the three little brothers who were to be
accorded the cherished privilege Of see
ing the poor gentleman eat. Cavendish
presented himself at the opening that did
duty as a door.
This looks like bein' alive, stranger
he commented geniany.
'You-all amt told me yo' name yet?"
said Yancy.
IT'S Cavendish. Richard Keppel Cav
endish."
My names Yancy-Bob Yancy."
/. Cavendish exchanged glances with
Mrs. Cavendish. BY n nod of her dim
pied chin the lady seemed to urge some
more extended confidence on his part.
Chills and Fever seated himself at the
foot of Yancy's bed.
Stranger, what I'm a-goin' to tell
you, you'll take as bein' said man, to
man." he began. with the impressive air
of one who had a secret Of great mo-
ment to impart Even hear tell Of
lords?''
look of disappointment on the faces of
his new friends.
Are you ever heard of royalty" and
Cavendish fixed the invalid's wandering
glance.
You mean kings?"
Il shore do"
YancV made a mighty mental effort
There's them Bible kings" he ven
tured at length.
Mr.. Cavendsh shook his head.
''Them's sacred kings. Are you IA
miliar with any Of the profane kings,
Mr.. Yancy?"
We'll, taking them as they come, them
Bible kings seemed to average pretty
profane." Yancy was disposed to defend
this point
You must a heard of the kings of
England. Sho'. want any Of yo' folks
in the war agin him.
ia plumb forgot. why. my daddy ft
all through the war" exclaimed Yancy.
The Cavendishes were immensely re-
leved.
Now you-alI keep still" said Caven-
dish. Il want Mr.. Yancy should get
the straight of this here, The various
orders of royalty are kings, dukes,
earls. and lords. Earls is the third from
the top Of the heap, but lords amt no
slouch."
Dick had ought to know. 70 he's an
earl himself" cried Polly exultantly.
''Sho', Richard Keppel CavendIsh. Earl
of Lambeth! Sho. that was what he
was. Sho!' and some transient feeling
of awe stamped itself upon their small
faces as they viewed the long and lin
Der figure of their parent.
These here titles go to the eldest son.
He begins by bein' a viscount," continued
Chills and Fever. 1T was my great
grandfather come over here from Eng
land His name was Richard Keppel
Cavendish. same as mine is He lived
back yonder on the Carolina coast and
went to raisin' tobacco. I heard my
grandfather tell how he'd heard folks
say his father was always hintin in his
Ticker that he was heap better than he
seemed, and If people only knOwed the
truth about him they'd respect him mo-,
and mebby treat him better. Well, sir,
he married and liz a family; there was
my grandfather and a passel of girls
and that crop Of children was the only
decent crop he ever riz.
My grandfather said he never knowed
man with the same aversion agin labor
as his father had. Folks put 1t down to
laziness, but they mistudged him, as
come-oUt later. yet he never let on.
Then one day he got his hands on a
paper that had come across in a ship
from England. All at once, he lit on
something in the paper, and he started
up and let out a yell like he'd been shot.
BY gum, I'm the Earl OF Lambeth he
says, and took out to the nearest tavern
and got bilin' full. Afterward he showed
EN- the paper and they seen with their
own eyes where Richard Keppel Caven0
dish, Earl of Lambeth, had died in Lon
don. My great grandfather told 'em
that was his uncle; that when he left
home there was several cousins.-but
they'd up and died. so the title come to
him. He never done lick of work after
that.
I'm an orphan man Of title now and