“This beats all,” he cried. “So this is Washington, Why, it don't compare to St. Louis, except we haven't got the White House and the Capitol. Jinny, it would take a scow to get across the street, and we don't have ramshackly stores and nigger cabins bang up against fine Houses like that. This is ragged. That's what it is, ragged. We don't have any dirty pickaninnies dodging among the horses in our residence streets. I declare, Jinny, if those aren't pigs!”
Virginia laughed. She could not help it.
“Poor Lige!” she said. “I hope Uncle Daniel has some breakfast for you. You've had a good deal to put up with on this trip.”
“Lordy, Jinny,” said the Captain, “I'd put up with a good deal more than this for the sake of going anywhere with you.”
“Even to such a doleful place as this?” she sighed.
“This is all right, if the sun'll only come out and dry things up and let us see the green on those trees,” he said, “Lordy, how I do love to see the spring green in the sunlight!”
She put out her hand over his.
“Lige,” she said, “you know you're just trying to keep up my spirits. You've been doing that ever since we left home.”
“No such thing,” he replied with vehemence. “There's nothing for you to be cast down about.”
“Oh, but there is!” she cried. “Suppose I can't make your Black Republican President pardon Clarence!”