th to the South.

* * * * *

Fully conscious of the stupendous character of his undertaking, Earl
walked slowly up the walk leading to the office of the Governor of
M----, a Southern state. He was steadying himself for the coming
effort.

When shown to the governor's office he said:

"This is the governor of the state of M----, I believe."

"They say that such is the case," responded the governor, smilingly.

"I am just from the North and am making a tour of the South. I am
traveling _incognito_ and would like to be known to you as John Blue. As
I shall broach only matters of common public interest in case you honor
me with an interview, I shall be pleased to have you excuse me from
making myself further known to you in a personal way," said Earl, with
great affability.

The governor was captured at once by Earl's suave manner and actually
fancied that some Northerner of exceeding great note was paying him a
visit.

"Well, I am glad to see you--glad to see you. The more you men of the
North see our Southern 'niggers' the more you will sympathize with us,"
said the governor.

"Do you think that either we Northerners or you Southerners get anything
like an adequate view of the Negro?" asked Earl Bluefield, alias John
Blue.

"Why not?" asked the governor.

"Well, you Southern people don't mix with them socially, practically
never enter their best homes, and would be amazed, I am told, if you
really knew of the high order of their development socially. It is said
that you call them 'niggers,' that your children speak of them as such,
that you often speak harshly of them in your home circles, that many of
your men are not as refined as they might be when they are dealing with
Negro women, and that for these reasons the better grade of Negroes are
leaving your domestic service, so that your observation of the Negro is
more and more centered upon the type that does not represent the race at
its best."

"I had never thought of that. We do call them 'niggers.' I have a lot of
trouble in keeping a cook. I wonder if that is the reason. Well, well,
who would have thought that there was anything about a 'nigger' that
Southerners would have to be told by a Northerner," remarked the
governor, winding up with a loud guffaw.

"As for the tourist class of Northerners," resumed John Blue, "and
Northerners residing in the South, they see only the rougher side of
Negro life, much as do you So