earth,
Jim. A race lives ther filled with energy and hope, a race as is generous
and brave, 'nd warm-hearted, holdin' within 'em vitality enough ter found
a dozen empires, but chained by poverty 'nd superstition, 'nd hate of the
bruiser on this side of ther channel; nussin' impossible dreams 'ev a
nationality which ther kentry couldn't support ef once obtained; proud ez
Lucifer of a past which hez little in it 'cept wrong 'nd tyranny 'nd
sufferin'; all ther exertions confined in a narrer groove, all ther work
of no avail because uv indirection; clingin' ter homes which keeps 'em
helpless 'nd only accomplishin' somethin' when transplanted to other
fields, 'nd then carryin' on ther world's work, fiten' ther world's
battles, sailin' ther world's ships, workin' ther world's mines, subduen'
ther world's wildernesses, runnin' ther world's primaries, 'nd bein' ther
world's perlicemen. I tell yo', Jim, it war pitiful.

"When I told 'em I war an American, they opened ther arms ter me ter
once, 'nd took me in. What questions they asked! And when I told 'em
about ther broad acres in Texas, how they cud go thar and each in a few
months or years own his own farm half a mile squar, how ther eyes flashed
'nd ther faces glowed! It teched my heart, Jim, ter see 'em, 'nd made a
old fool uv me in one place, shore.

"I stopped in a house one night whar ther war ther old man 'nd woman, a
grown-up son 'nd a girl who war, maybe, eighteen year old. Thet girl,
Jim, war fine. Blue eyes 'nd har that war the color which ware 'twixt a
brown and a flaxen, with er blush rose shadin'; a clear-cut face like
that of a Greek stater; dainty form 'nd limbs; the roundest arms yo' ever
seen 'nd a hand like Aferdites. I noticed, too--axidentally in course,
that ther thick brogans on her feet were little 'nd shapely ef ther war
thick brogans. But, finest of all war her complexion. Ther warm air as
blows over the Gulf Stream are good ter all complexions in Ireland, but
it had done extra fur thet girl. It war perfect.

"Then, over all, she hed a proud, shy, dainty way 'bout her which war
exquisite.

"We had a jolly evenin' together. I told 'em 'bout America; they told me
all 'bout Ireland from ther time of ther Irish kings. They fired jokes at
each other that would sell for forty dollars apiece in Texas, and they
war ez thick ez though jokes growed on trees.

"At last ther boy wanted his sister to sing, but she got rosy red, 'nd
told him ter be quiet. I to