"
And here was Mr. Caldwell himself, Member of Congress, Leader of the
Sixth District, Favourably Mentioned for Governor, drawing up at my
gate, deliberately descending from his buggy, with dignity stopping to
take the tie-rein from under the seat, carefully tying his horse to my
hitching-post.
I confess I could not help feeling a thrill of excitement. Here was a
veritable Celebrity come to my house to explain himself! I would not
have it known, of course, outside of our select circle of friends, but I
confess that although I am a pretty independent person (when I talk) in
reality there are few things in this world I would rather see than a new
person coming up the walk to my door. We cannot, of course, let the
celebrities know it, lest they grow intolerable in their top-loftiness,
but if they must have us, we cannot well get along without them--without
the colour and variety which they lend to a gray world. I have spent
many a precious moment alone in my fields looking up the road (with what
wistful casualness!) for some new Socrates or Mark Twain, and I have not
been wholly disappointed when I have had to content myself with the
Travelling Evangelist or the Syrian Woman who comes this way monthly
bearing her pack of cheap suspenders and blue bandana handkerchiefs.
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