Excuse me, gentlemen--strangers in St. Louis? Ah, yes-yes. From the

East, perhaps? Ah; just so, just so. Eastern born myself--Virginia.

Sellers is my name--Beriah Sellers.

Ah! by the way--New York, did you say? That reminds me; just met some

gentlemen from your State, a week or two ago--very prominent gentlemen

-in public life they are; you must know them, without doubt. Let me see

-let me see. Curious those names have escaped me. I know they were from

your State, because I remember afterward my old friend Governor Shackleby

said to me--fine man, is the Governor--one of the finest men our country

has produced--said he, 'Colonel, how did you like those New York

gentlemen?--not many such men in the world,--Colonel Sellers,' said the

Governor--yes, it was New York he said--I remember it distinctly.

I can't recall those names, somehow. But no matter. Stopping here,

gentlemen--stopping at the Southern?"

In shaping their reply in their minds, the title "Mr." had a place in it;

but when their turn had arrived to speak, the title "Colonel" came from

their lips instead.

They said yes, they were abiding at the Southern, and thought it a very

good house.

"Yes, yes, the Southern is fair. I myself go to the Planter's, old,

aristocratic house. We Southern gentlemen don't change our ways, you

know. I always make it my home there when I run down from Hawkeye--my

140

The Gilded Age