Project Gutenberg's The Rivet in Grandfather's Neck, by James Branch Cabell

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Title: The Rivet in Grandfather's Neck
A Comedy of Limitations

Author: James Branch Cabell

Release Date: November 11, 2003 [EBook #10041]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE RIVET IN GRANDFATHER'S NECK

A Comedy of Limitations

BY

JAMES BRANCH CABELL

"_To this new South, who values her high past in chief, as fit
foundation of that edifice whereon she labors day by day, and with
augmenting strokes_."

1915

TO

PRISCILLA BRADLEY CABELL

"Nightly I mark and praise, or great or small,
Such stars as proudly struggle one by one
To heaven's highest place, as Procyon,
Antares, Naoes, Tejat and Nibal
Attain supremacy, and proudly fall,
Still glorious, and glitter, and are gone
So very soon;--whilst steadfast and alone
Polaris gleams, and is not changed at all.

"Daily I find some gallant dream that ranges
The heights of heaven; and as others do,
I serve my dream until my dream estranges
Its errant bondage, and I note anew
That nothing dims, nor shakes, nor mars, nor changes,
Fond faith in you and in my love of you."

CONTENTS

PART ONE - PROPINQUITY

PART TWO - RENASCENCE

PART THREE - TERTIUS

PART FOUR - APPRECIATION

PART FIVE - SOUVENIR

PART SIX - BYWAYS

PART SEVEN - YOKED

PART EIGHT - HARVEST

PART NINE - RELICS

PART TEN - IMPRIMIS

In the middle of the cupboard door was the carved figure of a man....
He had goat's legs, little horns on his head, and a long beard; the
children in the room called him, "Major-General-field-sergeant
-commander-Billy-goat's-legs" ... He was always looking at the
table under the looking-glass where stood a very pretty little
shepherdess made of china.... Close by her side stood a little
chimney-sweep, as black as coal and also made of china.... Near
to them stood another figure.... He was an old Chinaman who could nod
his head, and used to pretend he was the grandfather of the shep