The Washington herald., 1921-05-22
An Q. Henry Story
THIMBLE, THIMBLE.

/ the watch that he brings you-it's
almost a decoration. 1t has been
worn by true Carterets, and there
isn't a stain upon II nor a false
movement of the wheels. Bringing
il to you is the crowning JOY Of old
Jake's life. I wanted him to have
that little outing and that happiness
before IL is too late. You have Of
ten heard us talk about how Jake,
pretty badly wounded himself.
crawled through the reddened grass
at Chancellorsville to where your
father lay with the bullet in his
dear heart. and took the watch from
his pocket to- keep it from the
.-Yanks."
'So,. my son, when the old man
comes consider him as a frail but
worthy messenger from the old
time life and home.
You have been so long away
from home. and SO long among the
people that we have always regard
ed as aliens that I'm not sure that
Jake will know you when he sees
you. But Jake has keen percep-
tion. and l rather believe that he
will know a Virginia Carteret at
sight. l can't conceive that even
ten years in Ysnkeeland could
change a boy of mine. Anyway, I'm
sure you will know Jake. 1 put
eighteen collars in his valise. If
he should have to buy others, he
wears a number 15h. Please see
that he gets the right ones. He will
be no trouble to you at all.
"IfN you are not too busy. I'd
like for you to find him a place to
board where they have white-meal
cornbread, and try to keep him
from taking his shoes off in your
office or on the street. His right
foot swells a little. and he likes to
be comfortable.
III you can spare the time,
count his handkerchiefs when they
come back from the wash. 1
bought him a dozen new ones be-
/ fore he left. He should be there
about the time this letter reaches
you. ! told him to go straight to
your office when he arrives"
As soon as Blandford had finish
ed the reading of this. something
happened (as there should happen
in stories and must happen on the
! staCe.)
! Percival, the office boy. with his
air of despising the worlds output
VI illlll SuppiltS anu IcdlntE DtlI-
ing, came in to announce that a
colored gentleman was outside to
see Mr.. Blandford Carteret
Bring him in." said Blandford,
rising
John Carteret swung around in
his chair and said to Percival:
Ask him to wait a few minutes
outside. Wen let you know when
to bring him in"
| Then he turned to his cousin
with one of those broad. slow
smiles that was an inheritance of
all the Carterets. and said:
/ Bland. I've always had a con-
s'Iroing curiosity to understand the
differences that you naughty South
erners believe to exist between you
all and the people of the North. OF
course. / know that you consider
yourselves made out of finer clay
and look upon Adam as only a COL
lateral branch Of your ancestry. but
l don't know why. / never could
understand the differences between
US"
/ We'll. John" said Blandford,
/ laughingly. what you don't under
stand about it is just the difference.
I or course. / suppose 1t was the
feudal way in which we lived that
gave us our lordly baronial airs
and feeling of superiority"
! But you are not feudaI. now"
went on John. Since we licked
you and stole your cotton and
/ mules you've had to go to work
just as we 'damyankees,' as you
call us, have always been doing.
And you're just as proud and ex-
elusive and upper-classy as you
were before the war. So it wasn't
your money that caused it,"
Maybe it was the climate" said
Blandford, lightly. "or maybe our
/ negroes spoiled us I'll call old