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Z。 Snow and Co。 YOU won't come in； and；〃 with a twinkle； 〃I need
somebody to keep my name from gettin' lonesome on the sign。〃
Albert was delighted。
〃Bully for you； Grandfather！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You couldn't do a
better thing for Labe or for the firm。 And he deserves it； too。〃
〃Ye…es； I think he does。 Labe's a mighty faithful； capable feller；
and now that he's sworn off on those vacations of his he can be
trusted anywheres。 Yes； I've as good as made up my mind to take
him in。 Of course；〃 with the twinkle in evidence once more；
〃Issachar'll be a little mite jealous； but we'll have to bear up
under that as best we can。〃
〃I wonder what Labe will say when you tell him？〃
〃He'll say yes。 I'll tell Rachel first and she'll tell him to say
it。 And then I'll tell 'em both I won't do it unless they agree to
get married。 I've always said I didn't want to die till I'd been
to that weddin'。 I want to hear Rachel tell the minister she'll
'obey' Labe。 Ho； ho！〃
〃Do you suppose they ever will be married？〃
〃Why； yes； I kind of think so。 I shouldn't wonder if they would be
right off now if it wasn't that Rachel wouldn't think of givin' up
keepin' house for your grandmother。 She wouldn't do that and Labe
wouldn't want her to。 I've got to fix that somehow。 Perhaps they
could live along with us。 Land knows there's room enough。 They're
all right； those two。 Kind of funny to look at； and they match up
in size like a rubber boot and a slipper； but I declare I don't
know which has got the most common…sense or the biggest heart。 And
'twould be hard to tell which thinks the most of you； Al。 。 。 。
Eh？ Why； it's after half…past twelve o'clock！ Olive'll be for
combin' our topknots with a belayin' pin if we keep her dinner
waitin' like this。〃
As they were putting on their coats the captain spoke again。
〃I hadn't finished what I was sayin' to you when Labe came in；〃 he
observed。 〃'Twasn't much account； just a sort of confession； and
they say that's good for the soul。 I was just goin' to say that
when you first came here I was prejudiced against you； not only
because your father and I didn't agree； but because he was what he
was。 Because he waswas〃
Albert finished the sentence for him。
〃A Portygee；〃 he said。
〃Why； yes； that's what I called him。 That's what I used to call
about everybody that wasn't born right down here in Yankeeland。 I
used to be prejudiced against you because you was what I called a
half…breed。 I'm sorry； Al。 I'm ashamed。 See what you've turned
out to be。 I declare； I〃
〃Shh！ shh！ Don't； Grandfather。 When I came here I was a little
snob； a conceited； insufferable little〃
〃Here； here！ Hold on！ No； you wa'n't； neither。 Or if you was；
you was only a boy。 I was a man； and I ought to〃
〃No； I'm going to finish。 Whatever I am now； or whatever I may be。
I owe to you； and to Grandmother； and Rachel and Labanand Helen。
You made me over between you。 I know that now。〃
They walked home instead of riding in the new car。 Captain Zelotes
declared he had hung on to that steering wheel all the forenoon and
he was afraid if he took it again his fingers would grow fast to
the rim。 As they emerged from the office into the open air； he
said：
〃Al； regardin' that makin'…over business； I shouldn't be surprised
if it was a kind ofermutual thing between you and me。 We both
had some prejudices to get rid of； eh？〃
〃Perhaps so。 I'm sure I did。〃
〃And I'm sartin sure I did。 And the war and all that came with it
put the finishin' touches to the job。 When I think of what the
thousands and thousands of men did over there in those hell…holes
of trenches； men with names that run all the way from Jones and
Kelly toer〃
〃Speranza。〃
〃Yes； and Whiskervitch and the land knows what more。 When I think
of that I'm ready to take off my hat to 'em and swear I'll never be
so narrow again as to look down on a feller because he don't happen
to be born in Ostable County。 There's only one thing I ask of 'em；
and that is that when they come here to liveto stayunder our
laws and takin' advantage of the privileges we offer 'emthey'll
stop bein' Portygees or Russians or Polacks or whatever they used
to be or their folks were； and just be Americanslike you； Al。〃
〃That's what we must work for now； Grandfather。 It's a big job；
but it must be done。〃
They walked on in silence for a time。 Then the captain said：
〃It's a pretty fine country； after all； ain't it； Albert？〃
Albert looked about him over the rolling hills； the roofs of the
little town； the sea； the dunes； the pine groves； the scene which
had grown so familiar to him and which had become in his eyes so
precious。
〃It is MY country；〃 he declared； with emphasis。
His grandfather caught his meaning。
〃I'm glad you feel that way； son；〃 he said； 〃but 'twasn't just
South Harniss I meant then。 I meant all of it； the whole United
States。 It's got its faults； of course； lots of 'em。 And if I was
an Englishman or a Frenchman I'd probably say it wasn't as good as
England or France； whichever it happened to be。 That's all right；
I ain't findin' any fault with 'em for thatthat's the way they'd
ought to feel。 But you and I； Al； we're Americans。 So the rest of
the world must excuse us if we say that； take it by and large； it's
a mighty good country。 We've planned for it； and worked for it；
and fought for it； and we know。 Eh？〃
〃Yes。 We know。〃
〃Yes。 And no howlin'； wild…eyed bunch from somewhere else that
haven't done any of these things are goin' to come here and run it
their way if we can help itwe Americans； eh？〃
Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza； American； drew a long breath。
〃No！〃 he said； with emphasis。
〃You bet！ Well； unless I'm mistaken； I smell salt fish and potatoes；
which； accordin' to Cape Cod notion； is a good American dinner。
I don't know how you feel； Al； but I'm hungry。〃
End