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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2207e84 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #51777 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51777) diff --git a/old/51777-0.txt b/old/51777-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0caa864..0000000 --- a/old/51777-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7173 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Other Fools and Their Doings, by Anonymous - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Other Fools and Their Doings - or, Life among the Freedmen - -Author: Anonymous - -Release Date: April 17, 2016 [EBook #51777] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OTHER FOOLS AND THEIR DOINGS *** - - - - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: - -—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. - - -[Illustration: “HAM STERNS, I RECKON YOU KNOW ME.”—Page 190.] - - - - - OTHER FOOLS - AND THEIR DOINGS, - - OR, - - LIFE AMONG THE FREEDMEN. - - BY ONE WHO HAS SEEN IT. - - NEW YORK: - J. S. OGILVIE & COMPANY, - 29 ROSE STREET. - - - - - COPYRIGHT - 1880. - BY J. S. OGILVIE & CO. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - CHAP. PAGE - - I. THE BEAN ISLAND PEOPLE 7 - - II. DISTRUST 28 - - III. THE GLORIOUS FOURTH 45 - - IV. LEGAL REDRESS 60 - - V. PREPARATIONS 74 - - VI. THE CLOUD THICKENS 87 - - VII. PORTENTOUS DARKNESS 108 - - VIII. MEMORY AND EXPERIENCE 129 - - IX. THE SITUATION 148 - - X. THE ATTACK 157 - - XI. A MASSACRE 179 - - XII. INCIDENTS AND PARTICULARS 197 - - XIII. THE SCALLAWAG 219 - - - - - OTHER FOOLS - AND THEIR DOINGS. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE BEAN ISLAND PEOPLE. - - “O Tam! hadst thou but been sae wise - As ta’en thy ain wife Kate’s advice!” - - —TAM O’SHANTER. - - -IT was April, 1876, and Deacon Atwood and Captain Black were riding -along the sandy highway in the sparsely settled vicinity of Bean -Island, in the State of South Carolina. - -Though the sun shone uncomfortably hot, neither the men nor the horses -they bestrode seemed anxious to escape its rays, for they traveled -quite leisurely several miles, till they reached a point where the road -forked. - -There they paused a few moments, and continued their conversation in -the same low, earnest tones they had previously employed. - -The Deacon was fifty years of age, large, broad-chested, red-faced, -with full fiery red beard and thin brown hair, which gathered in -sodden, tapering hanks about his short neck and large ears; and his -pale-blue eyes looked out of little triangular orifices on either -side of a pyramidal nose, upon the apex of which was balanced a -narrow forehead of a “quirked ogee” pattern. His hands were large and -freckled, and he kept them in constant motion, like his huge feet, -which seemed even too heavy for his clumsy legs. His snuff-colored -suit, and the slouched hat he wore on the back part of his head, were -dusty with travel. - -His companion was younger, taller, and less stoutly built than he. His -eyes were large and dark, and his head, crowned with bushy black hair, -was poised upon a long, slim neck. His manners indicated more culture -than the Deacon had received. - -“Well, Deacon,” said he, rising in his stirrups, “we have submitted -long enough, and too long, and there must be a change: and I am bound -to do my share to secure it.” - -“And I won’t be behind yo’, Cap’n,” replied Deacon Atwood. “These -niggers must be put down where they belong, and the carpet-baggers -driven back where they came from.” - -“It’s doubtful whether many of them would be received there. I -apprehend that the most of them “left their country for their country’s -good” when they came here. A man don’t emigrate for nothing, and I -expect they have been run out of the North for some mean acts, and have -come to the South to prey upon a conquered people.” - -“I reckon that’s so, and I wonder how yo’ men that ’a’n’t no church -obligations on yo’ ken keep from swearing when yo’ think of it. I -declar, when I get to turning it over in my mind I get so mad that -I can’t hardly keep from it myself. As yo’ war saying, it reaches -everywhere. Less than half the people is white to be sure, but then -we own nine-tenths o’ the land, and yet we must be taxed to support -nigger schools, and niggers and carpet-baggers in all the offices, and -new offices trumped up where there a’n’t enough to serve them as wants -’em—health officers in every little town, and scavengers even, under -pretense of fear of yellow fever, to give salaries to dumb niggers as -don’t know nothing only how to rob Southern gentlemen, and all sorts of -yankee “public improvements” as they call ’em! Why, I’m taxed this year -to mend a road that runs down past me there, and nobody but niggers -never travels on it. It is positively insulting and oppressive!” - -“Well, Deacon, I suppose your statement that niggers and carpet-baggers -are in all the offices might be called a slight exaggeration, but then -we could sit here till dark and not finish enumerating the grievances -this State government, backed by that Cæsar Grant, at Washington, -imposes upon the people of South Carolina—those that ought to be the -ruling class—the South Carolinians. - -“But the best thing we can do is to take hold of these military clubs -and work them; and in that way bring about a better state of things. -I, for one, am determined this State shall go Democratic this coming -fall; and if we unite in this method I’ve been explaining to you, we -can effect it. Just bring this Mississippi method up in your club -to-night—or support Lamb, if he does—and we’ll whip the rascals. -Nigger voters are too thick—must be weeded out!” - -“That’s just what I’m going to do,” replied Deacon Atwood; “and in -order to do it, I reckon we’ll have to go on.” - -“Yes; my sabre club meets this evening, too, for drill. So good -evening!” - -“Good evening, Captain.” And the two men separated. The Captain kept -the main road, and the Deacon took a sort of back, plantation route, -seldom traveled except by the farmers residing upon it, where he soon -fell into deep meditation, his chin dropping upon his breast, and his -respiration becoming slow and heavy. His old white horse, even, seeming -to pass into a similar state of somnambulency, walked dreamily along, -till his nose, far down towards the ground, came in contact with a -fresh and tender shrub, around which his long tongue instinctively -wrapped itself, and he came to a full stop. - -“Hud up!” said the startled Deacon, gathering up his bridle with a -nervous jerk; and his small eyes quickly swept a circle around him. - -With something like a shudder and an audible sigh of relief, he -composed himself again, for only a quiet landscape had met his vision. - -A swampy forest was on his left hand, and long stretches of scrub -palmettos, interspersed with cotton-patches, on his right. - -Seeing two colored men at work in one of the latter, and probably -feeling a need of human companionship, he rode up to the crooked rail -fence, and shouted “Howdy?” - -“Why, howdy? Deacon, howdy?” was the friendly response, as one of the -men laid down his heavy cotton hoe, and approached the fence. - -“How is work, January?” asked Deacon Atwood, pleasantly. - -“I gets along mighty well, I thank yo’. I hope yo’ do,” said the -freedman, who, though about the age of his neighbor, was too much -accustomed to being addressed as a boy, and by his Christian name, to -take offense at the familiarity. - -“Well, I’ll be blamed if yo’ niggers don’t get along better’n the white -folks! These confounded carpet-baggers are larnin’ yo’ how to fleece us -that owns the land, and blowed if yo’ ain’t doing it!” - -“Why, Deacon, I don’t know what yo’ mean. I ha’n’t been fleecing -nobody, I’m shor’. If God Almighty gives me my freedom, and gives -me strength to work what land I’m able, and makes the crops grow, -why ha’n’t I a right to get ’long? I can’t see who’s hurt, not to my -serious knowledge?” - -“It a’n’t yo’r working, it’s yo’r voting. Yo’ vote them villains into -office, and they’re bleeding the country to death with taxes. Now, we -a’n’t gwine to stand it. All the gentleman has agreed together that -yo’ve got to come over to our side. It’s for yo’r interest to be thar.” - -“Can’t do it, nohow, Deacon,” replied the negro, smiling good-humoredly. - -“If yo’ don’t there’ll lots of yo’ be killed,” said Deacon A., kindling. - -“Now, Deacon Atwood,” said January Kelly, deliberately, “I think a -parcel of gentleman that was raised and been college-bred, men that -would undertake to ride over things by killing out a few niggers—well, -I think its a very small idea for an educated man. I think they must -have lost all conscience of heart; I think all conscience of heart -are gone when they come to do that, _I do_; but you a’n’t in earnest, -Deacon? You’re a Christian man. I ha’nt got _no neighbors_ as would -hurt me. I’m a honest man as works hard, and minds my own business, and -takes care o’ my family; and nobody ain’t gwoine to kill me, nohow.” - -“Oh, no, January; nobody won’t hurt honest, hard-working darkies like -you, if they let politics alone; but then there’ll be lots of the -leaders be killed, ’fo’ election, if just such men as yo’ don’t come -over and help us save the State,” said the Deacon. - -“Why the State is all here. I don’t see as it’s lost, nor gwoine to -smash, either; and if we have a Government we’ve got to have leaders. -If all the men stayed to home and worked land like I do, there wouldn’t -be no Government.” - -“So much the better,” snapped the Deacon. “The strong could take care -of themselves and look out for the weak ones too.” - -“Well, I don’t know about that. The rogues would steal and kill all -the same, and who’d take care of our lives and our property, and -collect the taxes, and build the bridges the war burned down, and the -school-houses, and pay the teachers, and all them things?” - -“There is too many of them now; and South Carolinians shall rule South -Carolina!” broke forth Deacon Atwood, with great vehemence; “and I want -you to come over to the democratic party where you won’t get hurt. -We’ll all help you if you will.” - -“Why Deacon, I thought yo’ was just saying we is getting along the -best. I was born in South Car’lina, an’ so was mos’ all the collud -people in the State to-day, and ain’t we South Carolinians then? Now -all I has got to say is, _that it’s a mighty mean man as won’t stand -to his own_. It war the ’publican party as made me a free man, an’ I -reckon I shall vote ’publican _long as I breaves_! That is all I can -say, Deacon. I don’t know no mo’.” - -“Hud up!” said the Deacon, and he rode abruptly away. - -“What on earth has come over Deacon Atwood, I wonder,” said Mr. Kelley, -to a tall, muscular black man, who, swinging his hoe lazily, had at -length planted his row abreast with the spot where his employer had -dropped his when the Deacon saluted him. - -“Talking ’bout politics, I reckon!” was the drawling reply. - -“Yes, and he did make some awful threats! Why, Pompey, he said they’d -lots of the niggers ’round here get killed ’fo’ election if we didn’t -come ovah to the democratic party! Now I’ve hearn that kind o’ talk -ever since reconstruction, but I never did, myself, hear the Deacon, -nor no such ’spectable and ’ligious men talk it ’fo’; though they say -they did talk it, an’ gone done it, too, in some places. He says it’s a -general thing now, from shor’ to shor’ this time ’mong the gem’men. He -says the taxes is ruining the country, an’ niggers an’ carpet-baggers -is in all the offices, an’ the money is wasted, an’ there’s got to be a -change.” - -“Oh, —— —— him! It’s just the odder way about—shutting up -offices—doing away wid ’em, an’ turning de niggahs out to make room -for old confederate soldiers! I hearn Kanrasp, an’ Striker, an’ -Rathburn, an’ some o’ them big fellahs talkin’ ’bout it dar in Aiken.” - -(Pompey had boarded in a certain public institution at the county seat -for the greater safety of the contents of market-wagons in the town -where he resided.) - -“The land mos’ all b’longs to the white folks, sho nuff, an’ the rent -is so awful high that a nigger has got to work hisself an’ his family -mos’ to death to keep from gittin’ inter debt to de boss, let alone a -decent livin’, an’ now the gem’men is bound to resist the taxes fo’ the -schools, so our chillun can’t have no schools. I thinks it’s toughest -on our side!” said Kelley. - -“Kanrasp said de Governor is doin’ splendid,” continued Pompey, -“cuttin’ down expenses so dey is a gwoine to save a million an’ -seventeen hundred an’ nineteen thousand dollars an’ mo’ in one year; or -he did save it last year.” - -(Pompey had a memory for numbers, though neither gift nor training for -mathematical calculations.) - -“Striker, he was mad cause de Governor made ’em put down an’ print just -ebberyting wouldn’t let ’em buy no “sundies” or somethings—I do’nt -know. De white folks wouldn’t let de niggers have no money in old slave -times, an’ now dis Governor Chamberlain dat ’tends to be a ’publican, -he makes de nigger an’ de Legislature men as come from de North be -mighty careful dey don’t get no cent o’ de white folk’s taxes ’thout -printing jes’what it’s all boughtened.” - -“Well, now, that’s right and honest like,” replied Kelly, “‘cause -they’ve been thieves don’t make it right for us to steal; and then the -niggers pays taxes, too, and don’t ort to be cheated neither; and I’d -like to know if them ways don’t make the taxes easier? They do say -they was a mighty sight o’ stealin’ from the treasury going on thar in -Columbya a while ago. I reckon Governer Chamberlain is a honest man, -and don’t steal hisself neither.” - -“Certainly, de taxes is easier. Lawyer Crafty, dar in Aiken—he’s a -democrat too, you know—he joined in de talk some, and he said it is -easier’n it was; fo’ de taxes used to be thirteen or sixteen mills on a -dollar (if yo’ know what dat means), but now it is only eleven.” - -“I don’t prezackly understood it,” said Kelly, “but I know eleven ain’t -so much as thirteen nor sixteen; and I do reckon it makes it easier. -I reckon it’s mo’ cause the white folks wants all the money and the -offices theirselves, as makes the fuss.” - -“Yes,” drawled Pompey, “and dey makes any man a carpet-bagger dat -wa’n’t baun in de South, an’ some ’publicans as was. De Governor has -been in de State, an’ all he’s got, now ’leven year; Kanrasp said so; -an’ Cummings—de head teacher o’ de big school in Columby—de Versity -dey calls it—he’s been in de South thirty year an’ mo’; an’ dey calls -him a carpet-bagger, too, an’ all his boys; but de boys was baun here. -But den dey is ’publicans an’ teaches niggers, too, I wonder is dey any -carpet-baggers up North or anywhere?” - -“I don’t know, I never did hear tell of ’em; but the No’th beat in -the wa’, you know. But ’bout this killin’ niggers; I’m a thinken, the -Lo’d knows we has had enough o’ that: but I can’t help thinking,” -said Kelly, and the two men entered into a long conversation upon -the subject which we will not follow, as our present interest is -with Deacon Atwood, who had resumed his way with Kelly’s quaint and -expressive phrase “must have lost all conscience of heart,” as his -constant and sole companion, for he had not yet “lost _all_ conscience -of heart.” - -Arrived at home, he ate his evening meal in haste and silence, and -immediately set out for the hall where his Rifle Club met, accompanied -by his eldest son, who was a minor by a few months. - -Mrs. A. shouted after him, admonishing to an early return, as she did -“detest these night meetings, anyhow.” - -The father and son rode in silence, while the short Southern twilight -faded, and night settled upon the picturesque landscape, soft as the -brooding wing of peace; and balmy breezes rustled through the gigantic -long-leaved pines and mammoth live-oaks, and over fields of sprouting -corn and cotton; and the dark soil seemed to sleep calmly and sweetly -under the white moonlight and a sprinkling of white sand, which -sparkled like snow. - -“Watson, my son,” said the Deacon at length. - -“Yes, father.” - -An ominous silence warned the boy of a weighty communication -forthcoming. - -“I’d rather yo’d ’a ’staid to home to-night, but as I’d promised yo’ -going, it couldn’t be helped. I reckon we’ll have an exciting time, -but now as yo’ are a going, _try to keep cool_. Like enough thar’ll be -some things said that better not; but as yo’ll be present, now mind -what I say, and keep cool. Try to be careful. Don’t get excited nor be -imprudent. It’ll do for us to foller the rest. Just let them take the -lead and the responsibility.” - -“Well, father,” replied the youth demurely, well knowing that his -cautious parent would be the first tinder to take fire and lead any -conflagration that might be imminent. - -It is not to our purpose to report the doings of that political Rifle -Club’s meeting—the stirring speeches of citizens of the State, who -forgot that they were also citizens of the Nation against which their -treasonable resolutions were moved, discussed, and voted; nor the -inflammatory harangues of Deacon Atwood; nor the courageous utterances -of one little man of broader intelligence and views than his -neighbors, who urged that the coming political campaign be prosecuted -in a fair, straightforward, lawful and honest manner, which should -command respect everywhere, and convince the hitherto intractable -colored voters that their former masters were disposed to accept the -situation resultant upon the war, and with their support, reconstruct -the politics of the State upon a basis of mutual interests, in place of -the antagonism of races which had prevailed ever since the emancipation -and enfranchisement of the slaves. - -While these discussions relieved over-accumulations of eloquence and -over-wrought imaginations, they also disclosed the true state of -feeling, and the deep smouldering embers of bitterness that once “fired -the Southern heart” to fratricidal war. - -Unfortunately, good and calming counsels often gain least by -interchange of expression with those of passion, and so it came that -young men, and men whose years should have brought them ripe judgment, -but did not, shuddered the next morning at the recollection of words -they had uttered, and decisions made in that club-room, from which it -would be difficult to recede. - -Betrayed by his sanguine temperament and his implacable foe—the love -of strong drink—Deacon Atwood was one of these. - -“It’s a pretty pass when a man at yo’r time of life stays out till two -o’clock in the mornin’ drinkin’, and mercy knows what, I do declar!” -said Mrs. A. as she met her liege lord at the door of their domicile, -“And takin’ his only son out to initiate him, too, and yo’ a church -officer.” - -“Wh—wh—why didn’t yo’ go to bed, Ja—Ja—Janette, I didn’t -ex—ex—expect to find yo’ up.” - -“No, I shouldn’t reckon yo’ did, judging by yo’ exes. Making a fool and -a beast o’ yo’self, and tempting yo’ son, when we’ve been praying for -his conversion so long.” - -“Wal Ja—Janette, yo’ ’ort to ha’ prayed for me, too, fo’ I’ve made a -’nough sight mo’ fool o’ myself than Wat has o’ hissen. But I’ve been -true to the State,” drawled and stammered the Deacon, with thick and -maudlin utterance, “and if I could stand as much w’iskey as some on em, -I’d a’ been true to myself also. But who’s been here, Ja—Janette?” -Vainly trying to stand erect, and pointing with nerveless finger to an -armful of crooked sticks that lay upon the blazing hearth. “Who brung -’em in?” - -“It wa’n’t yo’, Deacon Atwood; I might ha’ froze to death walking this -house, and nigh fainting with fear, thinking some nigger had outened -yo’ smoke fo’ yo’ fo’ allus’ on this earth.” (He was fumbling in his -pocket for an old clay pipe he carried there.) “I do believe uncle -Jesse and aunt Phebe are the best Christians on this plantation. Yo’r -old mother took her toddy, and went to snoring hours ago, thinking -nothing o’ what might happen yo’—her only son, who she’s dependent on -to manage all her thousand acres o’ land; though gracious knows I wish -she’d give yo’ a foot or two of it, without waiting to all eternity -fo’ her to die ’fo’ we can call an earthly thing our own. I couldn’t -get that story I hearn yo’ telling Den Bardon ’to’ther day, out o’ my -head, and I war that scarred I couldn’t go to bed.” - -“What story was that?” asked Watson, as he hung his whip and saddle -upon a wooden peg in a corner of the kitchen where the trio were. - -“Why, about that Texas Jack that is around here, killing niggers and -everybody; and he don’t have more ’n a word with a man till he shoots -him down. If I had a knowed yo’ was coming home tight, father, I’d a -been scarred ’clar to death shor’. A pretty mess yo’ll hev’ in the -church now, Deacon Atwood! Elder Titmouse’ll be after yo’ shor.” - -“Hi, hi, hi,” laughed the Deacon. “Hic, a-hic, a-hic, hi, hi. No danger -o’ that, old gal. He’d have to be after the whole church, and take the -lead of the leaviners hisself. He’s the Chaplain o’ the Club, and the -d-r-u-n-kest man in town to-night. The old bell-sheep jumped the fence -first, and helter skelter! all the flock jumped after him. Hick, a-hic. -But who, hic, taken that wood, hic, from the yard, hic, and brung it -thar?” demanded the head o’ the house, with changed mood, ominous of a -coming domestic storm. “Dina’s gone, and Tom’s gone, and yo’ wouldn’t -do it if yo’ froze.” - -“Wal, now, I was feeling powerful bad, a-walking the house, and crying -and praying mighty hard, and fust I knowed I heard a humming and a -singing, and who should come up to the do’ but Aunt Phebe, and Uncle -Jesse close behind? They reckoned thar was sickness, and they come -to help. Now, I call that Christian, if they be niggers. “Why yo’re -freezing,” says Uncle Jess, “and yo’ll git the fever.” So he brung the -wood and made the fire, and we all prayed for _yo’_, a heap mo’n yo’re -worth; fo’, as I say, I war a thinking o’ Texas Jack. When we heahed -ole Duke whinny they went home, and this minute they’ve blowed their -light out.” - -“Hi! hi! Old gal, we’ve been _making_ Texas Jacks—setting ’em up all -night; and they’ll be thicker ’n bumble bees and yaller jackets ’fo’ -’lection. But they don’t know how to kill nobody but radicals—niggers -and carpet-baggers and scalawags.” - -“Now, Deacon, if yo’ve been setting up anything agin such men as Jesse -and Den, and Penny Loo, I just hope yo’ll git chawed up by yo’re own -Jacks?” said this Southern aristocratic female Christian, in great ire. - -“No danger o’ Texas Jack’s hurting _me_. He won’t chaw his own arms,” -shouted the Deacon, triumphantly. “I’m fo’ defending the State and the -white man’s rights; South Car’linans shall rule South Car’lina,” and he -reeled about the room, swinging his limp arms, and shouting, “Hurrah -for South Car’lina! Hurrah for the old Pal-met-to State!” - -“Come, come father,” said his son, “let me help you to bed. You talk -like a crazy man.” With the assistance of Mrs. A., the Deacon was soon -where his lips were safely guarded by slumber. - -“It is a pity you hadn’t let father join the Good Templers with me, but -may be he wouldn’t ha’ stuck to the pledge,” said the boy, sadly, as -he bade his mother good night. - -Near eleven o’clock the next morning, with nerves unstrung, head sore, -and stomach disordered, and altogether in an irritable condition of -mind and body, Deacon Atwood sauntered out into one of his mother’s -fields, where a large mulatto man was mending a somewhat dilapidated -rail-fence. The hands of the farmer, were keeping time to a succession -of old plantation “spirituals” which rolled from his capacious chest -like the sound of a trumpet. - -“O, believer, go ring that be—l—l.” - - * * * * * - -“Don’t you think I’m gwoine to ring that beautiful bel—l—l?” - - * * * * * - -“This winter’ll soon be ovah.” - - * * * * * - -“When the bride-grooms comes.” - - * * * * * - -“We’ll march through the valley in that field.” - -“Yo’ seem to be mighty happy this morning, Jesse,” growled the Deacon. - -“Well, Deacon, why shouldn’t I be happy? I’m well, and my wife is well, -and my children is well, and we’re all about our business, and the -children in school a learning, and God Almighty is saving my soul, and -raining his spirit into my soul, and raining this beautiful sunshine -down unto the cawn (corn) and the cotton, to make ’em grow, and why -shouldn’t I sing? Why, brother Atwood, I feel like I’d like to ring -that beautiful bell so loud that all the folks in the worl’’d hear it; -a proclaiming that the Lord Jesus’ll save every poor sinnah that’ll let -him,” and the dark face shone with the spirit-beams that glowed within. - -The Deacon winced under the churchly title of brotherhood, and what he -thought a covert reproof, but yielding to the power of a stronger and -more rational nature than his own, he did not remark upon it, though -fondly imagining that he felt himself vastly the superior. - -“It is well enough to be happy if yo’ can, I reckon,” said he, -snappishly, “but I don’t feel so. I confess I’m thinking more about -politics now-a-days than about religion.” - -“That’s no wonder then that yo’ a’n’t happy. It don’t pay to get away -from the Laud into politics—brings trouble.” - -“Oh, a plague on yo’r preaching! We must attend to politics sometime: -we can’t leave it to yo’ niggers all the time. The Democratic Party has -got to beat next fall, or we’ll all be ruined together.” - -“Of course it is right for you to think about politics,” replied Jesse, -“and to talk about politics, and to vote about politics, but you know -“_what-sa-ever_ ye do—whether ye eat, or drink, or _what-sa-ever_ ye -do, you must be a thinking of the glory of the Laud.” - -“We wouldn’t have no trouble in carrying this next election if it -wasn’t for these leading radicals,” said the Deacon, in an angry mood, -which had not been improved by Uncle Jesse’s reproof. “There is not -more than one in a thousand of the niggers that knows how to read and -write, but is an office-seeker; but I tell yo’, Jesse, every one of ’em -will be killed!” - -A silence ensued, during which Deacon Atwood repeatedly thrust his heel -into the soft soil, and turning the toe of his boot about, as though -crushing some reptile, he made a row of circular depressions along the -side of a cotton hill. - -Pausing in his work, and pointing at the busy, great foot, Mr. Roome -(for that was Uncle Jesse’s name) remarked, with a broad smile, “Deacon -Atwood, them is nice looking little places you’re making there, but -allow me to tell you that I reckon your wife won’t like the looks -o’ that black streak you’r making on the bottom of that leg o’ them -light-colored trousers o’ yourn.” - -Vexed beyond control that he could not disturb the equanimity of the -colored man, the irate Deacon now squared himself about, and, thrusting -both his itching fists deep into the pockets of the abused articles of -his apparel, he looked fiercely into the face of the negro, saying: - -“Maybe you don’t believe me, but it is true, and all settled; and I’ll -bet you that Elly and Watta and Kanrasp will be killed before another -’lection, and I can give you the names of twenty more that will be -killed, and among them is ‘Old Bald-head’” (the Governor). - -A shadow passed quickly across the dusky face, and a set of fine teeth -were firmly set together for a moment. But that soon passed, and -the face wore its usual expression: “What are you going to do with -President Grant and his soldiers?” - -“Oh, all the No’th is on our side,” was the prompt response. “And if it -a’n’t, we don’t care for Grant nor his soldiers. I carried a gun once, -and I can again.” - -The farmer had completed his work, and, folding his arms, he now -confronted his “Boss,” and spoke slowly and impressively. - -“Mind, now, what you’re doing, Deacon, for the United States is _mighty -strong_. You recollect once you had two Presidents here, and it cost a -long and bloody war, and the country ha’n’t got over it yet.” - -“Yes, sir, but the No’th is on our side now, I tell yo’, and we shall -be able to carry our point.” - -“May be so, I can’t tell,” said Jesse, dropping his hands by his -sides, “but I shall be very sorry to see another war started here, -and I didn’t live in the No’th from ’61 to ’67 to come back here and -believe that the people there is going to stand by you in killing us -off to carry the election. Maybe they’re tired of protecting us, and -disgusted with our blunders and our ignorance, but they won’t join you -nor nobody, nor uphold nobody in killing us off that way.” - -“Well, you’ll see we shall carry this next ’lection if we have to -carry it with the musket—if we have to wade through blood to our -saddle-girths,” said the Deacon. “And more—this black Militia Company -at Baconsville has got to stop drilling; it has got to be broken up. -It is too much for southern gentlemen to stand—flaunting their flag -and beating their drum right under our noses! It is a general thing -with us now from shor’ to shor’, and the law can’t do nothing with so -many of us if we do break it up, and we’re going to.” - -“Now, just be careful, Mr. Atwood, what you say, and what you do. I -a’n’t going to uphold our colored folks in violating no law, and you -know I ha’n’t, nor nobody else neither. I believe in law, and I say -let’s stick by the law; and,” gathering up his implements of labor, “I -suppose you’ll excuse me, for I’ve got to go around to the other side -of this oat field, by the woods there, and mend that other gap; that -is, if you don’t care to walk around that way.” - -The Deacon did not care to walk that way, and so the conversation -ended for the time; though the subject was frequently renewed during -the subsequent summer months, in the hope of inducing Roome, who was -influential among his people, to declare for the white man’s party, but -in vain. - -A scion of a family that, in the early settlement of the State, had -procured a large tract of land at five cents per acre, and had retained -much of it through unprolific generations by penuriousness that had -been niggardly and cruel in its exactions upon slave labor, Deacon -Atwood was coarse and gross in temperament, and had received little -culture of any kind. All his patrimony had vanished through the war -and its results; for the parsimony of his ancestors had formed no part -of his inheritance, and he had pledged all for the Confederate loan. - -His aged mother—a violent rebel, and a widow before the war—yet -refused to pledge her land to raise funds for what became the “Lost -Cause,” and found means to retain possession of one thousand acres -of cotton land, for the management of which her son was now acting -as her agent. Mrs. Deacon Atwood was what the reader has seen her, -and not an ill-selected specimen of the average planters’ wives, who -but seldom left the schoolless vicinities of their homes; and as her -family had fared no better than her husband’s in the general financial -overthrow, they were quite naturally and rapidly drifting towards their -affinity—the social stratum called in ante-bellum times, “poor white -trash.” - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -DISTRUST. - - “The murky shades o’ care - With starless gloom o’ercast my sullen sky.” - - —BURNS. - - -“WALK in, Mr. Roome; walk in. Glad to see you. Have a chair? Well, what -is the news from Bean Island and Baconsville?” - -“Bad, Mr. Elly, bad!” replied Uncle Jesse, as he seated himself, and -took from his hat a huge red cotton pocket-handkerchief, with which he -proceeded with great deliberation to wipe his dusky face and bald head. - -“I did not know it was so warm out,” said the courteous host. “This -office is such a cool place that I come up here Sunday afternoons to be -cool and quiet. It is a good place to read.” - -“I reckon it is not so warm to most folks. I’m hotter’n I ought to be, -I know; but I’m worreted,” said Uncle Jesse, still wiping industriously -with both hands at once, and then thrusting the handkerchief into his -hat which he had been holding tightly between his knees, he placed it -carefully upon the floor beside him, and putting a hand upon either -knee, he leaned forward, looked earnestly into Mr. Elly’s face, and -with a significant expression, and in a low tone asked, “Is you alone, -Mr. Elly?” - -“Yes; or, but—well, Mr. Watta is in the back office, but I can close -the door”—rising. - -“No, no,” said Uncle Jesse, raising both hands deprecatingly. “Ask him -in; ask him in. Or, why can’t I go in there?” glancing around at doors -and windows. - -“Certainly you can,” replied Elly. “Did you want to see Mr. Watta?” - -“I reckon so; yes. Well, now, this is what I call providential; and -I reckon I wa’n’t fur wrong in coming, if it is Sunday. The folks in -No’thern Ohio don’t do no business on Sundays, and money paid Sunday -a’n’t paid at all—can be collected over again; but work is driving -awfully now. The freshet put the cawn back so for awhile; but it is -ketching up now. But I knowed I ought to come.” - -Handshakings and preliminaries over, the trio were soon seated around -a large writing table—colored men all of them. Both Elly and Watta -were tall and slender—the former quite black, and the latter very -light—and both had enjoyed the blessing of education at a Northern -school established for the benefit of freedmen, and almost sanctified -to the race by bearing the name of “Lincoln.” - -Jesse Roome’s northern experiences had not been with books, save at -evening schools, of which he had eagerly availed himself; but his -naturally well-balanced mind and keen powers of observation had not -been idle; and sensible ideas of common duties and relations of life in -a highly-civilized and enlightened community were his reward. - -Elly was a thriving lawyer and ex-member of the State Legislature, -where he had been “Speaker of the House,” and, ever with an eye to -business, he had already scented a fee in his visitor’s troubled manner -and reply. - -“You must excuse my abruptness, but I leave on the train for Columbia -in half an hour,” said he, “and you and Watta can talk after I am gone. -Now, what can I do for you?” - -“First of all, I want some money for my services as constable; and -second I want to talk about the political situation, and to tell you -some things I have heard men say that is interested. Well, how I got to -know this thing—” - -“What thing?” asked the lawyer. “Why, that Elly and Watta and Kanrasp -and some score of other radicals, has got to be killed,” said Uncle -Jesse, lowering his voice to a husky whisper. - -“Ha! ha! ha?” roared Elly, throwing himself back in his chair, till his -head seemed in danger of getting wedged between the chair-back and a -bookcase behind him. “Why, Roome, I thought you was a sensible man,” -said he, when he had recovered his breath. “The days of the Ku-Klux -Klan’s are over, and all done in this State. When we punished two -hundred and fifty of the fifteen hundred ‘very respectable gentlemen,’ -as they called each other, who were arrested in 1871-’2, the thing was -killed out here, you see.” - -“No, I don’t see,” said Roome. - -“But do you suppose a man really means what he says when he talks like -that now-a-days?” and the two threatened men laughed, and wriggled in -great apparent merriment, and in true negro fashion, though really -quaking with fear. - -“I certainly do believe it, Mr. Elly, and Mr. Watta, and I only hope -the good Laud will show that I’ve been afeared for you for nothing. The -parties was in earnest, and intended it, I’m shor’; and you know I’m -not a old woman, nor a baby to be scart for nothing. - -“I’ve took the trouble to resk my life to tell yo’ to take care of -you’n, and now I’ve done my part. I didn’t tell Watta right there to -home, because I reckon as yo’ is a lawyer, Mr. Elly, I’d best tell you -first, and see what is best to do for your protection. I taken trouble -to do this. But Watta is here now, and I’m done,” said the old man in a -grieved tone. - -“We are much obliged for your kind intentions, though you needn’t have -been so much scared about us.” - -“Well, now, let me tell you,” and the farmer proceeded to narrate -minutely the incidents and facts with which the reader is already -acquainted, and others of similar import. - -“Give me names and I’ll put them through in the law, for threats,” said -Elly. - -“I can’t do that,” said Jesse, folding his arms tightly. - -“Why not?” - -“Because I live in the woods, and my life wouldn’t be worth anything; -and I a’n’t going to tell yo’, though you’ll believe me yet.” - -“I believe _you_ now, but I don’t believe you’re a white man.” - -“You will yet though, I ha’n’t nothing more to say now, but just mind -what I tell you. You is both men that is marked to be killed, because -you is leading radicals; so the white folks says they is gwine to kill -you and a score more right round here close; I can’t help it, but I’ve -done my duty, and you must take car’ of yourselves. It wouldn’t be no -use to prosecute this man. It would only make the whole of ’em mad, and -worse than ever ’em open a hornet’s nest; but I want to ax you this -favor, just remember my life now, as I’ve remembered your’n, and not -tell that I told you this.” - -“Oh, we won’t tell, and we’re much obliged to you for your good -intentions but we don’t scare worth a cent, after all.” - -Uncle Jesse left the office, and the other men walked down to the -railroad station to meet the through train going north. - -“What do you think of the old man’s story?” asked Watta. - -“I don’t think much of it. He has maintained such an equivocal attitude -that it is hard to tell whose hands he is playing into. He has been on -one side and then on the other—with the colored people and then with -the whites, till there is no telling where he is now.” - -“Elly, you are unfair. That man is just as true as steel; he is solid -gold all through. He is with the side that is right, that is all, -only he has more courage to speak out than some of us have. I reckon -the fact is that the right hasn’t _always_ been the colored side. I’m -afraid it hasn’t, though we’ve had so much the worst chance since -we’ve had a chance at all, and such an outrageous list of grievances to -remember, and to bear, that it isn’t an ordinary man that can look at -things fairly here.” - -Now, I have a mind to think there is something serious in this matter, -and that there will be more and more as election approaches. The white -men at Baconsville are _awful mad_, because our Militia Company has -been reorganized lately, and has been preparing for the centennial -Fourth of July. One would think they expected to be massacred in their -beds; and so they go to work and do things that might make every nigger -mad at them. Sensible, isn’t it? - -“They are just raving, the white men are, some of them, and they do -talk dreadfully. Old man Bob Baker there, gets into a passion whenever -he sees us drilling on Market street. He hates to see a nigger he has -hunted in the swamps before the war, and his dogs couldn’t catch, or -could, practicing the use of arms with a State gun in his hands, and -the Union flag over his head. He is like a mad bull, and “the stars -and stripes” is the red rag that sets him a roaring and tearing up the -ground.” - -Here Watta, the speaker, slapped his companion’s shoulder, and both -broke into a loud laugh. - -“He has got an idea,” he resumed, “that all the roads within five miles -of his plantation belong to _him_, I reckon, by the way he swears -whenever he meets or passes the Company. I tell the boys to give the -flag an extra spread whenever he is in sight, and we have it out.” - -“It is the flag of the Union that you carry, and you are the National -Guards of South Carolina, too,” replied Elly. - -“Well, it _is cutting_ to the old rebel and slave-hunter!” he -continued. His occupation is gone, gone forever; and I don’t suppose he -or his trained blood-hounds take kindly to such cheap game as possoms. -There is a mighty sight of brag and bluster about these southern -whites, though they’ll dodge quick enough at sight of a United States -musket with a Yankee behind it. They hav’n’t forgotten their whipping -yet.” - -“Yes, but they’ll dodge back again just as quick, when the musket and -Yankee soldier are withdrawn, and they are fast forgetting the past; -and this centennial year and celebration are unwelcome reminders of it -which they would like to resent.” - -“Well, yes, I reckon so. You see the mention of the rebellion as one of -the hard strains which the Union has survived cannot well be avoided, -and so the “red rag,” as you call it, is in their faces pretty often if -they take a newspaper, or steal the reading of one. There are only five -white men, ‘gentlemen,’ who call upon me regularly to get the reading -of my papers, free of course, and call me a ‘nigger.’ They don’t take a -single paper themselves, nor buy one, nor say ‘thank ye’ for mine; nor -always think to ask if I have read it myself. - -“Ah, there she comes! right on time;” and Elly closed and pocketed his -gold watch, while the train approached the platform. - -“You’ll see, Jesse? Please get that name out of him, and I’ll put the -rascal through for threats; though I’m not afraid of him. Good day,” -and with the grace of a courtier he waved adieu to his friend, as the -train moved away. - -He was soon comfortably seated, and gazing out at the window. He was -very well dressed, in strong contrast with a large majority of his race -in the southern States. His tall shining hat lay beside him upon the -crimson plush cushion of the seat, leaving his crisp and glossy frizzed -hair the only covering of his shapely head. - -Among the occupants of the car were many “northerners” returning from -winter residences in Florida. - -“We talk of the receding foreheads and projecting jaws of the African,” -said a lady sitting opposite, in a subdued tone to her masculine -companion, “but just imagine those two men with hair and complexions -exchanged,” indicating Elly and a man in the seat immediately in front -of him, who was in a double sense, a fair specimen of southern “poor -white trash.” - - “‘Now, deil-ma-care about their jaws, - The senseless, gawky million,’ - -“As Burns says, - - ‘I’ll cock my nose aboon them a’,’ - -“For I’m bound for dear New England, away from this land of rags -and dirt, slatterly ways, lazy habits, flowing whiskey and tobacco, -narrow brows and wide mouths, and people of all imaginable shades, -from ebony to cream-color or white,” replied the gentleman. “If you -like to continue studying and comparing these faces, do so; but don’t -suggest it to me, for I long to be where the very air is not darkened -with—‘nigger, _nigger_’ and my ears shall rest from the sound of their -uncouth voices.” - -“Their voices are expressive. You should call out the smooth tones.” - -“But I can’t always. I’m sure I can’t forget the night of our arrival -at Jacksonville,” he continued, “Thirty, weren’t there _fifty_ -black men standing near that train, all _barking_ their loudest for -passengers? Yes, you may reprove me, I know these don’t sound like -the words of an abolitionist. But I am one, I insist; but if upon -oath describing that sound that greeted our arrival in that city, I -must say the voices of ‘thirty yelping curs;’ and to pass through -among them, with their grabbing for one’s baggage, and those frightful -sounds in one’s ears, and the knowledge of the unsettled state of the -country—the antagonism between the races—I’d as lief—well, I don’t -know what I wouldn’t choose!” - -“Yes, but if, when that big-mouthed, two-fisted fellow grabbed your -satchel, you, instead of striking him with your cane and umbrella, -had looked kindly into his great-rolling eyes, and mildly said you -preferred to walk and carry it yourself, I think he would have dropped -it as quickly, and more quietly, and been more likely to remember -you kindly. I remember quite similar scenes in the North, with Irish -hackmen. But we have outgrown them; and so will the South, and the -negroes out-grow these scenes; and for me, the more I see these colored -faces, the more that is intelligent and agreeable I see in them.” - -Elly’s face had been singularly bright and cheerful before over-hearing -this colloquy; but then a change came, and presently he leaned out -of the window, gazing at a large dilapidated mansion (it could not -worthily be called a ruin,) which stood some rods from the railroad. - -Many a day he had played about the door of a poor little cabin in its -rear, or ran at the bidding of his young mistress as she walked in a -small grove the train was just then entering; or had held the bridles -for the gentlemen mounting at the door of “the great house,” watching -well their movements, least, as is the habit of some men to cut their -dogs with their whips and laugh at their yelps and leaps, they should -thus enjoy an exhibition of his agility. - -Under that great tree, in the edge of yonder cornfield, his mother -writhed under the lash, for complaining that her task was too heavy; -and obliged to witness the rising of the great welts upon her naked -back, his father had snatched the instrument of torture from the hand -that wielded it, and on an attempt being made to dispossess him of it, -had dealt the overseer a smart blow across the back of his hand. - -Then had followed a gathering of “the hands” from that and neighboring -plantations, to witness the “maintenance of discipline,” and Elly’s -father—a valuable specimen of plantation stock—was made, under the -cat o’ nine tails, a physical wreck. - -Beside that old decaying cotton-house, now scarcely visible, his oldest -sister was once hung up by her hands and severely whipped, because she -preferred field labor by the side of the father of her child, who was -called her husband, to what was called an easier life—in “the big -house after Missus got sick, and was agwoine’ to die.” - -Next, the train rattled over a long stretch of spiling though a -cane-brake, where were familiar trees, under which Elly had paused for -breath, and standing upon their knotted roots, listened to the baying -of pursuing blood-hounds; and so vivid was his recollection of this, -his first attempt to escape from slavery, that the sick, cringing, -trembling feeling returned as he observed the bent canes leaning away -from the half-submerged ties of the railroad track; an involuntarily -moving of his feet upon the car floor, as if again seeking a footing -upon their bent stalks, a semiconsciousness of present circumstances -was restored, through which his mind leaped over the terrible capture -and chastisement, and he seemed again to hear the sounds of the “Yankee -Camp,” and felt the joy of his happy entrance there, a “Contraband of -war,” but a chattel slave no longer. - -Then came a realization of the inestimable service the “Yankee -Governess” had rendered him when she stealthily taught him to read, -and spurred his young master’s lazy efforts, by contrasting his -acquirements with those of the listening slave boy. - -Through that poor beginning, made in weakness and danger on the -part of both pupil and teacher, when it was a crime, punishable by -imprisonment in the State’s Prison, he had made his way to positions of -honor and emolument. - -What meekness, humility and honesty must not a man of such experiences -possess, if, conning them over, pride did not lift up his heart, -resentment make his arm restless, and a sense of robbery long-endured, -make his present powerful position seem a providential opportunity -for retaliation and self-reimbursement! From an abyss of enforced -degradation and ignorance and despair he had emerged into the light and -life of personal and political liberty, equality, respectability and -honor; and the young master whose opportunities he once so earnestly -coveted, and before whose absolute will he was forced to bow, now sued -for favors at his hands, and found “none so poor to do him reverence.” -Was ever the nobility of human nature put to stronger tests than in -these two peoples? - -“Good evening, Mr. Elly,” said a broad-browed, florid-faced, red-haired -man in the aisle beside him. - -“Good evening, Marmor, good evening;” was the hearty response. “Take a -seat?” removing his hat to make room. - -“I will gladly take the seat, if you will just step out and let me -turn over the back of this one in front, so that we can have the use -of the two sofas, for my feet are at their old tricks and troubling -me a good deal. They are easier when I lay them up. One might as well -personate ‘Young America’ in this Centennial year when it makes him -more comfortable.” - -“Mind you don’t get them too high now,” said Elly, as they seated -themselves after the change, and he spread a newspaper upon the cushion -before them, to protect it from Marmor’s boot-blacking. “You might -share the misfortune of Ike Partington; and if all your brains _should_ -run down into your head, what would become of “The Times?” and Elly -laughed and wriggled, in strange and silly contrast with his usually -dignified manner. - -“I don’t furnish brains for “The Times”, said Marmor, “I only publish -it. But what is the campaign going to be, do you think?” - -“Oh, of course we shall win.” - -Marmor kept his eyes fixed upon his middle finger nail, which he was -carefully cutting, and did not reply. - -Elly scrutinized his face awhile, and then asked, “Don’t you think so?” - -“I am not so positive as I wish I was.” - -“You don’t think the colored voters of the State are going back on the -party that gave them freedom, and the only one that will preserve it -for them? They’ll all vote the Republican ticket, of course.” - -“Yes, unless they are intimidated.” - -“Now, Marmor, I’ve seen a hint—or what I take for one—in your paper; -but I hope you don’t really think there will be trouble.” - -“I _am_ afraid there will be trouble. Hanson Baker told me the other -day that there are fifteen hundred men ready and waiting to come there -and break up the Militia Company in Baconsville, and that they are -going to do it; and it is a frequent boast among the men—the white -Southerners, I mean—that they will carry the election if they have to -do it at the point of the bayonet. They can’t do it honestly, that’s -shor’; but I’m afraid there will be trouble.” - -A pause ensued, after which Marmor resumed. “I’m almost tired of -this State, and if my business could be squared up I’d get away; but -I shan’t be driven out. I wish the colored people had the spunk to -emigrate to some of the idle western land. It is a heap better and -richer than this here, by all accounts; and though it might be some -colder, it would make them stronger and smarter, and they’d be heaps -better off than they are here.” - -“There _are_ a great many _talking about it_, don’t you know—going by -colonies? It would be a deal better than going to Africa. I shall go -myself if the old Confederates ever get into power here again.” - -“See you stick to that, Elly; and, as for me, I reckon I shall have -to go by that time, or before. I was born in South Carolina, and shed -my blood in defense of her (as I thought then), at Fort Sumter, got -wounded there, and I was as good as any of them till I consented to -accept a clerical office under a Republican administration; and then -the old Confederates persecuted me and my wife, till I found out how it -felt to others, and I have seen under what tyranny a man lives here. -He dares not think for himself at all. I served under Hampton in the -war, before I got my eyes open. Like most of the private soldiers, -and plenty of commissioned officers, I was made to believe a lie, or -I never would have raised a hand against the National Government in -the world. I used to say just this way: If the No’th would only let us -manage our State matters ourselves, and would let our slaves alone (you -know I owned a few slaves), I didn’t care if the Territories and new -States were free. But Lincoln, and Garrison, and Greeley shouldn’t come -down here, and take our nigger property away from us; they shouldn’t -be emancipated by the United States Government—the slaves shouldn’t. -Enough others said the same, and dozens of our speakers said it on -the stump and platform, and plenty of the great leaders were right -there—consenting by their silence, if not saying the same things, when -_they_ knew well enough that these were just the principles of the -Republican party—the ‘Unionists’ who elected Lincoln. What did _we_ -care for their ‘sympathy for the slaves,’ or their _wishes_ for the -‘constitutional right’ to liberate them, so long as they admitted they -hadn’t got it, and we knew they couldn’t get it short of a two-thirds -indorsement by the States through a direct vote of the people? There -was slave property enough in sixteen of the thirty-four States to make -us pretty sure on that score, in addition to the interests of cotton -manufacturers and sugar dealers in the No’th who wanted our products -and no interruption of business. Then we had the Fugitive Slave Law for -the return of our runaways.” - -“But you know the Republican idea was that the new States coming -in, being all free, they could at last secure the constitutional -two-thirds.” - -“Yes, at _last_” said Marmor, derisively, “_at the last great day_, -while slave-owners had each a vote for three out of every five of his -slaves without asking their assent. But our hot-headed course hastened -emancipation about a hundred years; and now that it is over I’m glad -of it, though it did cost an ocean of blood and treasure. Slavery -cursed the whites as well as the blacks, and ought to. When I think of -all I saw in that war—I got this difficulty in my feet there (moving -them with a grimace), and of the horrible sufferings it brought on our -people, and how those leading villains knew all the time that they were -deceiving us, I can’t think what wouldn’t be too good for them! And -when that war was over, and the No’th had us in her hand as helpless as -a trapped mouse, she not only spared their lives, but gave everything -back to them which they had forfeited; and now you hear them go on -about the National Government and the northern people, especially any -that come and settle among us and try to develop the resources of the -State, in a way that is simply outrageous! You would think the South -was the magnanimous _patron_ of the stiff-necked and rebellious No’th. -I verily believe the South would have liked the No’th better if it had -put its foot upon her after she fell. Conquer your rebellious child or -yield to his dictation without demur. - -“There are some who know no such thing as equality. Somebody must be -the ‘Boss’, in their practice.” - -“But republican principles would not allow the government to hold these -States as provinces,” remarked lawyer Elly. - -“They should have been held as territories,” said Marmor, “consistently -or not. My blood is German (my father emigrated from Germany to -Charleston when a small boy), but it has got the South Car’lina heat in -it. I’m for _efficiency_.” - -“Nineteen-twentieths of what they call carpet-baggers, and make folks -believe are just adventurers, are northern men, capitalists generally, -who in emigrating did not leave their manhood behind. It matters -not how heavy taxes they may pay, nor how long they remain in the -State; if they vote the Republican ticket and maintain the principles -and practice of equal justice for all men in the State, they are -‘carpet-baggers;’ and if they vote Democratic, according to the will -of the confederate whites, though they vote ‘early and often,’ and -at points far removed from each other, they escape the opprobious -epithet.” - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -THE GLORIOUS FOURTH. - - “Plumes himself in Freedom’s pride - Tyrant stern to all beside.” - - —BURNS. - - -ON an insignificant little village built on a narrow flat beside the -Savannah river, the sun had been pouring his red hot rays all day, with -even greater intensity than was usual at that season of the year. - -The inhabitants, however, paid little heed to the extreme heat, and -only when the sun sank to the western horizon did they leave their -fields and workshops and wend their ways homewards. - -Two railroad bridges, and another for the public highway, connected -this little village with the city of A——, on the opposite side of the -river, and in the neighboring State of Georgia. - -A long low trestle carried one of those railroad tracks two or three -squares or streets back from the stream towards the hills a half-mile -away. - -Not far from this trestle, on a broad street which ran parallel with -and along the brink of the stream, stood a strong, two-story brick -building. Its uses had been various; but at the time of which we write -it did service as an armory or drill room for Co. A of the Eighteenth -Regiment of National Guards of South Carolina; and also as a dwelling -for the Captain of the Company, who, having just returned from his -day’s work in the city, now sat with his chair tilted back against the -post of the open door, tossing his infant and conversing with his wife, -who was preparing their evening meal. - -It might be mentioned that the parties in this little domestic scene -were of African descent. - -“Howdy? Cap’n Doc, Howdy?” shouted a negro teamster, driving up to the -door with a great dash and rattling of wheels. - -“Hello! That yo’, Dan?” replied the Captain, letting the front legs of -his chair down upon the floor with a bump that came near unseating him. -“Come in, won’t ye?” - -“I’m obliged to yo’, but I couldn’t nohow. I just wants, to know what -sort of a combustification is we gwoine to hev to-morrow; and when does -de militia come out?” - -The speaker was evidently “the worse for the drink,” which must account -for his forgetfulmess of what he had been well informed of, and he -wriggled and giggled as if greatly tickled. - -“The militia,” said Captain Doc, “has got to faum (form) and march down -to the grounds, when the doings begin, and stand guard; and after the -speeches and all is ovah, we shall go through the usual everlutions, -accompanied with music and the flag. I’m sorry we didn’t get that -shooting-match I tried to have, so we could ha’ got some unifaum; but -I shall inspeck yo’s guns and accouterments mighty close, and put yo’ -through mighty sharp on the drill.” - -“But a nigger that don’t car’ ’nough ’bout the Centennial fo’th o’ July -to get to know all ’bout the doings fo’ the third o’ July, don’t ’zerve -to be baun free and ekil.” - -“Wal, I wa’n’t baun free an’ ekil, an’ I don’t ’speck to be baun free -an’ ekil, nuther, but ’fo’ I done gone ovah to ’Gusta wid dis ere load -o’ truck, I knowed all ’bout it. But I met dat are _magnifishent_ young -gem’man, Tom Bakah, and, oh, laws!” (spreading his horny palms, with -fingers extended and rolling his head and eyes from side to side), -“‘mose put my eyes out o’ my head! All upsot my idees! His nose turned -up, ’pears like six feet high; no, six inches high; and he drove he -horse so scrumbunctious like, ’mose upset my little ambulancer,” and -Dan turned to his two little rats of donkeys in harness of knotted -raw-hides, which resembled old and assorted clothes lines. - -The little creatures stood meekly before an indescribable vehicle, a -ridiculous cross between a rude hay-rick and a huge crockery-crate on -wheels. It was all out of proportion to the little team, whose backs -were scarcely as high as the waist-bands of stumpy Dan. - -“Tough little fellahs, dese is,” said the teamster, patting them -affectionately, “but mighty feared o’ Mars’ Tom, a’n’t yo’,—Eigh, -Jack?” - -“See dat nigh critter cock his eye now, and wag dat off ear,” continued -Dan, winking at Captain Doc, and giggling and wriggling as before. - -“Don’t like Mars’ Tom, do yo’, Jack?” again addressing the intelligent -donkey, which not only wagged his off ear, but shook his head in a -most decided manner, to the great amusement of his owner. - -“Oh, Dan, you musn’t mind the antics of that boy Tom,” said a voice -behind him; whereupon Dan wriggled and jumped, and whirled about, and -bowed himself double, and made grimaces, and giggled and wriggled, and -danced a jig; and finally, with another low bow and long scrape of his -right foot, he shook hands with the speaker, who was no other than -our friend Marmor. “Tom is only just home from school, you know, and -of course the man who knew more before he was born than could ever be -cudgeled into that knowledge-box of hissen, is _nothing_ to him! Let -him alone, and let him swell though, just as big as he can, he’ll bust -the quicker, and we’ll find out the quicker how big he really is when -the vacuum is gone, and what is left is packed down solid.” - -“‘Pears like dis yere young Tom cat tinks he smell a mice, or a niggah -he’s huntin,” said Dan, “an’ he’s gwoine fo’ to _chaw ’im up_ mighty -quick!” (suiting his gesture to his words by a long sniff, and a quick -motion of his jaws.) - -Dan’s buffoonery was irresistible, and the half dozen persons who -had gathered at the captain’s door manifested their appreciation by -hilarious applause. - -“‘Pears like I couldn’t leave such ’stinguished comp’ny, nohow,” he -continued, “but dey is a panoramia fo’ my vishum which am decomrated by -hoe cakes an’ hominy, an’ lasses an’ bacon, an’ sich tings;” and with -his hands upon his empty stomach, Dan bowed very low and obsequiously, -and mounting his “ambulancer,” gathered up the ragged ends of his -raw-hide ribbons, touched Jack with his long green stick, and rattled -away, while Captain Doc shouted after him, “Two o’clock, and no tipsy -men on parade.” - -The queer little turnout, which would have been a spectacle in any part -of the northern states, though common enough in the southern, crept -slowly up the steep hill in the rear of the village, where buildings of -curious and indescribable styles were scattered without order or taste, -and few indications of thrift. Stopping on the outskirts of the town, -and before a small cabin built of one thickness of rough boards, the -vertical cracks between which would nearly receive the fingers of an -adult, and the windows of which, without sash or glazing, were closed -only by clumsy wooden shutters—the usual style of cabin inhabited by -the southern negro—Dan leaped from his vehicle, and entering, sniffed -and looked about searchingly, till a tall, angular mulatto woman -entered from the back door with an armful of wood. - -“Any suppah yet, Mira?” - -“No, sah. Yo’ suppah ha’n’t ready yit, but I’s cookin’ it. I’s mighty -tired. I’s done done all dat whole big cotton field.” - -“Good, chile! good, chile!” said the husband, approaching and -attempting to kiss her as she stooped to replenish the open fire. - -No sooner had his breath touched her face than she turned, with a stick -of wood in one hand, and confronted him, while the smoke and flame -leaped out in alarming proximity to her dress. - -“See here now, yo’ Dan; yo’ been drinkin’ gin,” fixing her dark eyes -reprovingly upon his silly face. “Dat’s de way yo’ been spendin’ yo’ -money.” - -“Mira Pipsie, yo’s de smartest woman in de whole worl’. Yo’s got ’em -zackly, I reckon” (wriggling and curveting about the room and back to -her side again). “I nebber boughtened me no finery o’ no kind; no new -bonnet, nor nuffin. Yo’ buys what yo’ wants, an’ so does I.” - -“Yes; but yo’ comes home an’ wants suppah, an’ it’s de cotton o’ my -raisin’ as buys yo’ suppah.” - -“Yah! yah! yah! I’s a lucky dog, shor!” and he executed a jig followed -by a double shuffle, knocking his heels upon the bare floor with what -vigor he could command, and at the same time improvising as follows: - - “I’s de smartest little wife - Ebber seen in all yo’ life; - She marks her cotton-bag - Wid a little calico rag, - An’ gits de biggis’ price, - An’ as slick as any mice - She smiles, an’ bows, an’ flies aroun’, - An’ totes her cotton off to town. - Home she comes, an’ O my! - See de new bonnet! _Oh, my eye!_ - Away to church she sing an’ pray, - Hallelujah! look dis way! - Dina Duncan’s in de shade, - Mira beats all on dress parade. - But jes’ see Dina’s _bran new shawl_! - Can’t heah no mo’ preachin’ af’er all. - Elder, I’m gone nex’ Sunday sho’, - Can’t wear dis here ole shawl o’ mine no mo’!” - -Here the song abruptly terminated, for the “smartest little wife,” -who was some inches taller than her husband, and by no means slender, -took her liege lord by the damp, unstarched collar of his soiled blue -shirt, and marching him to the door, seated him upon the step, saying -in a low, decided, and well recognized tone, “Now yo’ jes’ set dar, -yo’ drunk niggah, yo’, an’ don’t yo’ open dat big red mouf o’ yo’n no -mo’ till I git some hominy to fill it up. I don’t want no niggah’s -heels scratchin’ roun’ on my flo’. Ef yo’d buy bettah finery ’n dem -ole trowsahs, an’ go to church, an’ let whiskey ’lone, yo’ cotton’d be -some good. Ef I didn’t mark my cotton o’ my raisin’, an’ toat de money -myself, I’d jes like t’ know whar yo’d git yo’ tea, an’ coffee, an’ -flou’h, an’ all dem tings?” - -With an admonitory shake of her finger, she entered the house, and -resumed her culinary operations; but soon reappeared, bearing a gun and -accoutrements, and sundry materials for polishing them; having first -dexterously examined it, and found it without charge. - -“Heah now, yo’ Pipsie; yo’ got sense ’nough t’ clean dis ’ere gun?” she -asked. “Reckon you’ll be mighty proud o’ dis ’ere ‘finery,’ marchin’ up -an’ down long o’ de res’, an’ de folks all lookin’ on.” - -“He, he! Didn’t I say ‘smartest little wife’? Reckon I kin do dat are. -Reckon I’ll p’rade on de fo’th, an’ yo’ll wait till Sunday.” - -Two of his neighbors presently joined Mr. Pipsie, with whom he was soon -discussing the anticipated celebration, which was quite a novelty in -the locality. Suddenly a loud sound of wheels was heard. - -“Hello!” cried Dan, springing from his seat. “Heah comes my friend -Bakah! Hello, Babe! Bett’ take car, dat team, else yo’ git toated clean -off, an gone to smash ’fo’ yo’ muddah knows nuffin ’bout it. Reckon yo’ -didn’t ax her mout yo’ gwout alone?” - -The sound of the jolting wagon rendered this speech inaudible to the -youthful driver, who was passing without a “Howdy!” (an offense in that -locality) but the loud, derisive “guffaw” of the three colored men, -which followed Dan’s sally, did not fail to reach him, and he paused -suddenly, just past the door. - -He was tall and large, but unusually boyish for a youth of twenty -years. In an angry tone he shouted: - -“Dan Pipsie, come out here! I want to see yer.” - -That individual made his way, quite deliberately, to the side of the -vehicle, and with a strange mixture of timidity and bravado in his -manner. - -“What do you mean by cursing me in that way? I ha’n’t done nothing to -you,” said the boy. - -“Oh, laws! I’s jest in fun, an’ I’s shor’ yo’ didn’t heah yo’r name -mixin’ up in it. A man’s a right to talk or cuss on his own do’,” -(door) “an’ nothin’ to no man no’ his boy gwoine ’long de road.” - -The youngster’s eyes flashed, and his face was pale with rage. -What! _he_ to be called a _boy_ by a “nigger?” He looked down upon -the diminutive black figure beside him, in whose hands was one of -Remington’s best rifles, and that alone restrained him from laying the -long lash of his driving-whip close about the “black biped,” as he -mentally called him. He did venture to retort with some asperity. - -The altercation was brief, but heated, and soon the whip was cracked -decidedly closer to Pipsie’s left ear than was comfortable to its owner. - -“Yo’ jes be little mo’ ca’ful, yo’ young man!” said Pipsie, rubbing -the ear briskly. “Yo’ not got no runaway niggah slave heah now. I’se a -free man, an’ got as much rights as yo’, an’ mo’n dat, too, I’se got -a United States gun heah, an’ I knows how to shoot, too. Yo’ needn’t -’sult no National Guards fo’ nuffin’. Ef yo’ ha’n’t got no mo’ yo’ -want say t’ me, yo’ bes’ jes’ git ’long ’bout yo’ business, or yo’ may -git hurt!” and he made a feint to raise the empty gun to his eye, when -young Tom Baker rode away in great haste. - -Baconsville had never witnessed such a “celebration” as it enjoyed the -next day, which came bright and beautiful. - -Though usually tardy in morning rising—possibly from dread of the -malaria, which the sun dissipates by nine o’clock, on this memorable -day, the inhabitants of the village were astir at an early hour, for, -through the heavy fog which crept up from the river, and shrouded the -whole valley, the red-haired and fair-skinned Marmor, and the largest, -strongest, and blackest citizen, with a few followers, were dimly -visible, dragging a blacksmith’s anvil along the principal streets. - -They paused frequently in front of the residences and shops of the -chief citizens to salute them by an explosion of gunpowder upon the -anvil—the nearest approach to a cannonade possible in the impecuneous -little city. But not earlier than four o’clock in the afternoon was -the excitement at its height. At that time the brass band was playing -national airs under a great oak tree on a vacant plot of ground on -which a platform had been erected; and a few seats placed in front -of it for the accommodation of the gentler sex were rapidly filling; -for, at a safe distance, thirteen explosions upon the anvil, in -commemoration of the thirteen original colonies, were being followed by -thirty-seven, in honor of the then existing States of the Union. - -These were the recognized signals for the commencement of the most -important exercises of the day; and the militia having formed at the -armory, marched to the rostrum, bearing the “Stars and Stripes,” and -were disposed on either side of the speaker’s stand, while other free -and patriotic citizens stood in compact groups near and about the -well-filled seats. - -All being ready, a chairman elected, the glass of water and bouquet -of flowers placed before the speaker, and the band having duly -discoursed, a short, smooth-voiced negro—an accredited preacher of -the Methodist persuasion, and member of the State Legislature from -that district—was introduced. He made a long, peculiarly energetic, -interesting and instructive address, rich in metaphor and quaint -expressions, glowing with native eloquence, and abounding in graphic -description, wholesome counsel, and eulogy of the “United States.” - -Not an allusion was made to the past relations of the races in the -South, unless an exhortation to gratitude towards the United States -be so construed, in view of the fact that the very few whites present -acknowledged no such debt. - -After the address, music followed, and then Marmor was formally -introduced to his neighbors, and read in clear, loud tones the -inevitable “Preamble and Declaration of Independence,” to the manifest -disgust of a small group of men who stood in the rear of the crowd. - -A tall, muscular man, with iron-gray hair and bushy beard, turned upon -his heel with an oath, saying: “Marmor, the contemptible radical, takes -too much pleasure in reading that preamble to me, and I’m a fool to -hear it any way. _All men created equal!_ It is a self-evident lie!” -and he strode away, followed by the boyish young man, Tom, to whom the -reader has already been introduced. - -“Father,” said he, “that red-headed fool acts like a Yankee. You -wouldn’t suppose he fought for the Lost Cause.” - -“It is the cursed German blood in him!” replied “the old man Baker,” as -his neighbors called him. “He hasn’t been in the State long enough to -get the Republican taint out of it. His father wasn’t born here.” - -“It is a pity that a Yankee bullet hadn’t hit _him_, instead of brother -Will.” He’s a scalawag and a carpet-bagger, both in one.” - -“Yes, I’d like to rid the State of his presence, and the niggers of -one leader. If it wasn’t for the leaders, we could manage the ignorant -ones.” - -The exercises at “the stand” closed at five o’clock, and the Militia -soon formed, thirty or forty strong, and marched off up Market street; -which being over one hundred and fifty feet in width, afforded ample -space for the evolutions which the men performed with commendable -precision for nearly an hour. - -At length they stood resting at the upper end of the street. - -“Have you noticed the clouds, Captain?” asked the tall -second-lieutenant, approaching his superior with raised cap, “That’s -so, Watta,” replied Captain Doc, glancing at the clouds, “We’ll march -down to the armory and dismiss. Attention, Company.” - -The necessary orders being given, they proceeded by fours, interval -march, open order, with guns across their shoulders, and arms over -their guns; thus occupying little over one third of the width of the -street. - -Soon after they had thus started, a single buggy occupied by two young -men, turned from Main street into Market street, entering it two or -three streets in front of them and approached the advancing Militia-men -at a slow trot. The horse was old and steady, and neither the -glittering guns, nor flag, nor fife and drum disturbed his equanimity; -and, urged by his driver, he did not pause nor turn aside till in the -very face of the soldiers, who had already halted. - -The road was broad and level, but the travel had been confined mostly -to one track, and the remainder of the surface was overgrown with grass -and May weeds. - -Just at the place of their meeting, a well occupied a few feet in the -centre of the street; and a shallow ditch crossed the half of the -street at the right of the vehicle. Yet fully fifteen feet of the level -highway was unoccupied at the right of the Militia, and the driver -could easily have passed around the Company, had he chosen to do so, -instead of urging his horse directly upon the advancing column. - -The discourtesy of this act was aggravated by the fact that the young -men had, during a half-hour previously, been driving leisurely from -one bar-room to another, or sitting in their carriage and watching -the movements of the Company in common with a large number of -other citizens, both white and colored, during which time frequent -opportunities had occurred in which they might have driven up the then -totally unoccupied street. - -These young men were Tom Baker and his sister’s husband, Harry Gaston, -who, like his father-in-law, had often expressed his aversion to “the -Nigger Militia Company.” - -Captain Doc left his position, and approaching them said: - -“Mr. Gaston, I do not know for what reason you treat me in this manner.” - -“What manner?” - -“Aiming to drive through my company when you have room enough on the -outside to drive in the road.” - -“Well, this is the rut I always travel in,” was the contemptuous reply, -made with an oath. - -“That may be true,” replied the Captain, “but if ever you had a company -out here, I should not have treated you in this kind of a manner. I -should have gone around, and showed some respect to you.” - -“Well,” retorted Gaston, “this is the rut I always travel in, and I -don’t intend to get out of it for no niggers!” - -“You don’t intend to break up our drill do you?” asked Lieutenant -Watta; his yellow face growing visibly pale. - -“All I want is to pass through and go home.” - -“But you want to drive through our ranks.” - -“No! ——. He can’t go through here,” said another voice. - -“We will stay here all night before we will give way to them,” said -Watta, the conversation with lawyer Elly and Uncle Jesse recurring to -his memory. - -“Never mind,” said Gaston with an oath, “you won’t always be insulting -me. You had better stop now, for you’ll find you’ve got to.” - -“Egh, Watta, don’t yos’ mind what Mann Harris said—tole that Hanson -Baker, Tom’s brother, said a month ago that there’s gwoine to be the -—— to pay in Baconsville pretty soon? Reckon the white folks is begun -that p’ogramme he tole ’bout,” said another militia man. “He said -fifteen hundred of ’em was ready to break us up, an’ of co’se Gasten’s -one of ’em.” - -A volley of oaths and abusive epithets was rolling from Tommy Baker’s -lips; which was indeed their most familiar utterance when addressing -persons of color; and some members of the company began to return the -charge in kind. - -“Attention, company!” shouted Capt. Doc. “It is going to rain, and we -had best house our guns. We won’t hold any contention with these men. -Now, yo’ hush up! I’ll settle this matter. Open order, and let them go -through.” - -The command was obeyed, but not without murmurs of discontent, which, -however, were soon quieted, as a slight shower descended, and they -hastened off to the armory. - -Marmor, with his two little children, had been standing a few rods -away, watching and praising the exercise. - -When the altercation occurred, being a Warden of the town, he sent John -Carr, the Town Marshal, or Chief of Police, to ascertain its cause; but -it was passed before his arrival at the scene. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -LEGAL REDRESS. - - ‘O thou dread Power! whose empire-giving hand - Has oft been stretched to shield the honored land!’ - - -SO trivial a quarrel as that narrated in the closing part of our last -chapter, had it occurred elsewhere than in a community in which the -inhabitants had so recently sustained the relations of masters and -slaves, would scarcely have elicited remark upon a subsequent day; -but over the three or four hundred colored, and forty or fifty white -residents of Baconsville there settled a dark cloud of anxiety and -apprehension of coming evil. - -Angry looks and threats of violence on the part of the whites were -recalled and anxiously discussed by the colored people, as were also -the recent and frequently expressed determination to “carry the next -election for the Democratic Party, if even through blood waist deep,” -though the colored voters were largely in the majority, and almost -without exception, if unintimidated, voted the Republican ticket. - -These, with the oft-repeated boast that the illegal Rifle Clubs, -trained cavalry companies, were ready to co-operate for the suppression -and utter dispersion of this colored company of State militia, with the -fact that similar acts of violence were by no means new experiences to -the ex-slaves in the South, but were even then being perpetrated in -the surrounding country, made the outlook for the colored population -gloomy, indeed. - -On the other hand, the officers of the town, with the single exception -of our friend Marmor, were all of the colored race, and as he was a -Republican native, he was even more repugnant to his white neighbors -than a “nigger.” - -On the other hand, during the two months preceding this encounter, -these militia-men were known to have been drilling as often as once or -twice a week, though the law required such practice but once a month. -This alarmed the whites, with whom anticipations of “insurrections” are -still either congenital or feigned. - -In the days of slavery, and also by the South Carolina “Black -Code” (the only exclusively white legislation in the State since -reconstruction), arms were strictly forbidden to the negroes, and under -heavy penalties; yet, through the subsequent Republican legislation, -they rejoiced in being the “National Guards,” bearing the same flag -which Sherman “carried down to the sea,” and under which Captain Doc -learned tactics and heroism in the “Black Regiment,” which once swept -over Fort Fisher, and closed the last port of the rebellious States. - -What signified it to those conscience-accused whites that these were -poor men maneuvering by the light of the moon to save the expense of -lighting their drill room; and, unable to spare time from their toil, -they took it from the hours of their rest, to prepare for a creditable -performance on the Nation’s Centennial birthday? So much the worse. The -Fourth of July was the birthday of the “national nonsense” that “all -men are created equal;” and it was not the fault or credit of these -white men that there was left a nation to celebrate its Centennial. - -Now that the sole militia of the State was enrolled from this -emancipated race (white men would not enlist under charters, because -unassured that they should not be subordinated to colored officers, and -they might be required to sustain a State government of the colored -majority), how should one expect the former masters to be content and -at ease, even though no concerted outbreak had ever occurred among -the freedmen, whose temper is naturally peaceable and timid even to -servility? - -Undoubtedly, the fears of those once reputed hard masters, or who -still find it difficult to conform to the new conditions, are often -distressing. They are also nature’s incontrovertible testimony to the -wisdom and divine origin of equal rights. - -Great was the excitement of the Baker families when the young men -arrived with the tale of their “narrow escape from the militia men.” - -Early the next morning, the old slave-hunter and his three sons set -out for the office of Trial Justice Rives, who, though a colored man, -it was thought could be more easily induced to meet out punishment to -those miserable offenders, than Louis Marmor, who was the only other -competent magistrate in the town. - -Of course, as has been the custom of the whites there, from the -earliest settlement of that country, these gentlemen all wore their -side-arms, and for greater safety these were put into the very best -condition, and fully loaded, as they suspected the Town Marshal, who -ran after them on the previous evening, might attempt a counter-arrest -for the same offense. - -Young Tommy did not feel quite safe from Dan Pipsie without his -eighteen-shooting rifle in addition; and so, with it in hand, he -mounted his young bay horse, while beside him rode his brother-in-law, -Harry Gaston,—the best shot in town, bearing also his carbine; while -the father and his eldest son, Hanson, were seated in a light wagon in -which were placed additional firearms, lightly covered with a lap-robe. - -Thus equipped, they proceeded in safety, through the quiet little -village to the Justice’s office; and finding it closed, went two miles -further on, to his plantation, and returned with him to his office; -quite a formidable party to be sure. Arrived there, they entered -complaints against Dan Pipsie for threats to kill, and against the -officers of the Militia Company for “obstructing the highway.” - -The Justice, being himself Major-general of that division of the State -Militia, after thoughtfully scratching his crispy locks awhile, said: - -“I reckon it is best to hear a _statement_ of the testimony, and then -decide whether it is a case for court-martialing, or for trial under -the _civil law_.” - -Ten o’clock of the next morning was fixed as the time for hearing the -case. - -At that hour Justice Rives was found seated behind his desk, and busily -examining papers and documents. - -The Bakers made their appearance, accompanied by a few friends, among -whom were two professional men—a Reverend, and an M. D.; though -not with compresses and consolations for the possible wounded and -dying, (for South Carolina chivalry does not fight its duels with -“niggers,”) but with bail money (modified from bullets), should that -counter-arrest, which they feared, be attempted. - -Automatically, or through force of habit, each race in the southern -States still assumes, in assemblies, the positions and attitudes -imposed in the days of slavery. In the churches of the colored people -one or more of the most desirable seats are reserved for whites, and -these often remain vacant, or nearly so, during a lengthy service, -while church members stand to exhaustion for want of seats. - -Hence, the front seats of Gen. Justice Rives’ court-room were occupied -by the plaintiffs and their friends, and the defendants and their -friends sat at a respectful distance in the rear, while a number of -boys and women of color gathered outside of the door. - -The magistrate, who had not altogether escaped the envy of his less -fortunate neighbors, had often been accused by them of a sycophantic -weakness for the approval of the whites; while the latter declared -that justice could not be obtained by them before a colored officer, -and that, as a political canvass was approaching, they would not again -submit to negro magistrates. - -He therefore felt his position peculiarly trying, especially when he -saw that they were all thoroughly armed. - -He held both his official positions by appointments of the Governor, -to be sure; yet he knew that the preponderance of wealth, intelligence -and bravery was with the white race; while at the same time he did not -forget that if “a traitor to his race,” he would probably, through -ostracism and insult, reap a bitter retribution from his own people. - -A peace warrant was, however, soon issued against Dan Pipsie, his -“Daddy” being present to give bail for his future good behavior. Then, -with some apparent reluctance and nervousness, the Justice called the -principal case. - -Mr. Watta arose and announced that lawyer Kanrasp, from the county seat -would appear for the defense. - -To this Robert Baker strenuously objected, as, not having been advised -that attorneys would be employed, he had none. He therefore asked a -postponement of the case. - -Kanrasp then suggested to his client that inasmuch as the proceedings -had thus far been very informal—the paper served being neither a writ -nor summons, and not at all a legal paper—he would withdraw from the -case, and let Rives take judgment if he chose, when the case could be -appealed to the Superior Court, where justice might be had. - -This he did on account of the extreme indignation manifested by the -Bakers and their friends. - -Gaston, who was a shriveled, weason-faced specimen of the _genus homo_, -with sandy hair, flaming whiskers, and a face in which whiskey held a -profusion of freckles in purple solution, was the first to testify, -which he did in accordance with his views of the affair. - -“Now, Captain,” said the Judge, when Gaston had finished, “as you have -no counsel, you may question the witness if you want to.” - -Captain Doc was a well-made, medium sized and shrewd man, little -less than forty years of age, with very dark complexion, having -three-fourths African blood. - -He arose from his seat quite slowly, and squarely fronting Gaston, -asked: - -“Mr. Gaston, did I treat yo’ with any disrespect when I spoke to yo’? -Didn’t I treat yo’ politely?” - -“I ca’n’t say that you treated me with any disrespect; but I can say -this much, that there was two or three members of your company that -showed some impudence to me, and I also saw them load their guns.” - -“Mr. Gaston,” replied the Captain, looking searchingly in the eyes of -the little man, “didn’t yo’ see me examining the cartridge-boxes and -the pockets of the company, to see if they had any ammunition before we -went on drill?” - -“Yes, I did.” - -“Did yo’ see any?” - -“No.” - -“_I_ did. I found one man with a cartridge in his pocket, and I took it -away, and scolded him about it.” - -Gaston replied, “Yes, I saw that.” - -“Well then, are yo’ _certain_ that these men loaded their guns?” - -“I saw them moving them, and I thought they were loading them.” - -“And so yo’ came here to _swear_ that we wanted to kill yo’? That’s -about as much as a colored man can get for his care not to give -offense. A man is a fool to go out of his way for any of yo’ white -folks anyway. Yo’ had no right to aim to drive through our Company as -yo’ did; but when I gave in and got out of yo’r way, and let you go -‘long—gave yo’ the road that b’longed to us—yo’ just come heah with -such a lie as that against us.” - -“Captain, I don’t want you to treat my court with contempt,” said -Rives, severely. “If you can’t address the gentleman more politely you -must sit down.” - -“Judge, I don’t mean no contempt,” said Doc, in a conciliatory tone, -“not if I know myself. I never expect to treat no lawful court with -any contempt. I was only asking questions, but if the questions is not -legal, then I don’t want to ask him. I won’t ask no mo’, but leave it -to yo’r discretion,” and he sat down. - -“Well, sir, to sit down without permission is contempt of court.” - -With such an air of drollery as only a negro can assume, Doc sprung to -his feet again, saying— - -“Yo’ mus’ pardon me sah. I’s not accustomed to law offices. If sitting -down or anything else is contempt, I’m asking yo’r pardon this minute; -for I didn’t mean to contempt this court.” - -“It is contempt, sir!” thundered the judge, “and I put you under -arrest, and dismiss this court till July the 8th at four o’clock in the -evening.” - -Some protestations were made on account of the lateness of the hour, -but Rives insisted he could not leave his plantation labor earlier, and -immediately declared the court adjourned. - -Neither the day nor hour was satisfactory to the complainants, as it -was on Saturday afternoon, when many country negroes were certain to -visit the village shops, stores, and market; but as the whites were -more generally masters of their own time, it is possible Rives feared -he might need the presence and support of his own race should he not -condemn the accused. - -Harry Gaston was enraged and strutted about like a bantam cock; his -face became almost livid, and his hands nervously bobbed in and out -of the breast pockets of his short coat, where rested a well-prepared -pistol on one side, and a flask of whiskey on the other. Alas, the -_flask_ knew little rest. - -“I pray you be calm, my dear nephew,” said the Reverend Mr. Mealy, -who, though inwardly _seething_, was so enswathed in his own innate -mealiness, that he was measurably cool. “Do not allow this degraded -black to disturb you. Remember your position in society. You have -been raised by me as my own son. Do not disgrace yourself and me by -condescending to dispute with one in his station, and of his color,” -and grasping the young man’s arm, he moved towards the door. - -Lieutenant Watta, who had been sitting beside his Captain, now -sprung to his feet, and grasping Doc’s arm, rushed towards the door, -attempting to lead him out. - -Doc, however, hung back, and having extricated himself, said in a low -tone, “Watta, keep cool!” and he sat down again. - -“I won’t keep cool!” retorted the lieutenant. This white-livered judge -has shown partiality. Look at the arms in this court room! and Rives -is afraid!” (with a sneer.) “They may shed my blood if they can, but I -won’t keep still and see my captain arrested for contempt just because -in questioning, he got ahead of these unrebuked and cowardly bullies -when you humbled us all, on the Fourth of July, to avoid a fuss and -concilliate their lordships;” and the enraged man strode out of the -building, threw the gate back upon its hinges, and standing in the -opening thus made, drew himself to his full height, and threw out his -empty palms exclaiming - -“I carry no arms; but we’ve got arms.” - -“Yes, you’ve got arms, but you’ll see how it’ll be yourselves!” said -Hanson Baker, who had been haranguing the people outside the court -house. “There’s a fellow from Texas here, two or more of ’em, and -they’re going to kill that Town Marshall, and nobody isn’t going to -know who done it, and then they’ll leave.” - -“What does he or they know about John Carr, the Marshall?” asked a very -large, but irresolute-looking black man. - -“He’s been informed of his character, and I tell you John Carr won’t be -living in this town three months, neither will some o’ the rest.” - -“How about that Harmony Case?” asked the same voice (a case of massacre -of blacks). - -“Well, I wasn’t there, but they done it, and there’s a programme laid -down for the white folks _this_ year.” - -“That is wrong,” said a voice. - -“Well, if it _is_ wrong, it is no matter; it’ll be done all the same. -There is no laws now.” - -“Ha! ha!” laughed the crowd, the whites applauding, and the blacks -deriding the threats. - -“Does yo’ pretend to say there a’n’t no law in the State now?” - -“No, there a’n’t no law in this State, nor any other State. It’s been -a hundred years since the Constitution of the United States, and it’s -played out now, and every man can do as he likes. We’re going to get -Chamberlain and his crowd out o’ the State House.” - -“How about Grant? You know he’s President.” - -“By——! we’ll have him too.” - -“Take care, that is treason,” said another. - -Harrison Baker and Watta proceeded, each with his harangue, and paid no -heed to each other, till the plaintiffs and their friends crowded out -of the building, pistols in hand, ready for instantaneous use. - -A frightened old mammy bawled out, with great eyes rolling, and great -hands waving, “See the pistols and guns! See the pistols and guns! Oh, -Lor’! they ort to be shot down theirselves!” but the next instant she -cowered under the same fierce gaze of the “old man Baker,” which had -made many a stalwart runaway stand tamely after the dogs were taken off -and while the shackles were put on. - -“Uncle, Uncle, let me go,” said Gaston impatiently, striving to free -himself from that worthy’s grasp. “I want to shut that yellow chap’s -mouth with this little bit of lead. The judge ought to arrest _him_, -but I’ll take his case if you’ll let me go, I’ll give him a mouthful to -chaw!” - -“Shut my mouth, would you?” retorted Watta, who had caught the words -as the two men approached the door. “You’ll find that hard business -before you are through with it, if you try. The whites have ruled us -long enough. Two hundred and fifty years they bought and sold us like -cattle, till the United States set us free; and since then, colored -citizens have been tied and whipped, and shot, and murdered in cold -blood, and driven from their homes, and their property destroyed, to -this day. But it is all no matter here before this white-livered judge. -It’ll take a regiment to tie and whip _me_, or spill what black blood -_I_ have.” - -“Do not speak to him, my nephew,” said the Rev. Mr. Mealy. - -“A regiment!” cried Gaston, with a sneer. “Let me go and whip him -myself;” but the readiness with which he yielded to the pressure of his -uncle’s hands, was amusingly in contrast with his words. - -“We will have this matter settled by law now, and know whether we -are to be run over in this way. We will know which are to rule this -place—the blacks or the whites,” said Rev. Mr. Mealy. “We’ll know what -rights this militia company have. They have got an idea that they can -do whatever they please. We’ll have it settled now.” - -“This court is a mockery of justice,” continued Watta. “Look at those -arms on the side of wealth, and an unarmed poor man arrested for -contempt, because he has a dark skin and cornered his opponent by -lawful questions. The next time a white swell rides into our ranks -while we are on parade we will see that he doesn’t take us to court for -obstructing his way.” - -Rev. Mr. Mealy, Dr. Shall, and General Rives were active and nearest -in efforts to control the now highly incensed Baker family and Gaston; -and an influential colored man succeeded in getting Watta out of the -street. With deep muttered threats and oaths, the Bakers and their -friends at length betook themselves to their conveyances and their -homes. - -Captain Doc conversed with the constable, in the justice’s office, -while the latter official went to his dinner and returned. Re-entering, -Rives approached, and extending his hand said good-humoredly, “Shake -hands Doc.” - -“I don’t know,” replied he, with averted eyes. - -“Yes, you will. I couldn’t help it. You was bearing on so hard that -they would have shot you in two minutes more. I did it to save you.” - -“Is that so, judge? Then here’s my hand. I didn’t mean no contempt; but -if I’ve contempted you, or your court I’m sorry.” - -“That’s all right now, and I’ll remit the fine. Now let me tell you, -you’d best settle this matter somehow, if it is possible. I’m afraid -trouble will come of this. I wish Watta had ’a’ kept still.” - -“So do I. He’s a marked man now, shor’, and his life an’t worth much,” -said Nat Wellman, the constable. - -“Settle it?” said Capt. Doc. “Major General Rives, nothing will settle -it but to let the company be broken up. I won’t do that, and my oath to -the State, that I have taken as Captain, wonldn’t let me if I wanted -to.” - -“I can’t see the end of this yet, I can’t,” said the Judge, with a -sigh, as the trio separated. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -PREPARATIONS. - - “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, - Like a Colossus; and we petty men - Walk under his huge legs, and peep about - To find ourselves dishonorable graves.” - - CASCA, IN JULIUS CAESAR. - - -THE 8th of July, 1876, was an exceedingly hot day, and few white -residents of the State of South Carolina ventured out of doors in the -hotter hours, though, as is usual, the colored race needed less caution -to avoid sunstroke. - -About nine o’clock, A. M., two gentlemen issued from an attractive -residence, which was situated on a slight eminence on the outskirts of -a little village called Enfield Court-House. Leaving the broad piazza, -they walked leisurely down the gently sloping lawn to the street. As -they closed the gate behind them a covered buggy passed, in which was -seated a middle-aged man who bore a decidedly commanding air. - -His hat lay upon the seat beside him, and the light hot breeze lifted -the long iron-gray hair which lay upon his shoulders, and fluttered his -linen duster and the loose flapping curtains of the carriage with a -cool and comfortable appearance. - -His horse was fresh, and so spirited that the neatly-gloved hands of -the gentleman were well-exercised in controlling him. - -He found time to gaze at the two gentlemen upon the ground, however, -but gave no sign of recognition, save possibly a little more lofty -elevation of the head. - -“The General is off on professional business, judging from his manner -and duster,” remarked the elder of the two pedestrians. - -“I often find it hard to repress a smile, even in his presence, at -his _wondrous pomposity_. What kind of a business would he do in the -North—Ohio, say—with all his airs? He wouldn’t have a client.” - -“Oh, yes, he would. There are plenty of people everywhere, who never -know what estimate to put upon others till they, or some one else tell -them. But the General’s “airs,” as you call them, are his stock in -trade here.” - -Both men laughed heartily. - -“But to think of a man passing his neighbor and State Senator as he did -you, Mr. Cone! He should respect your office, at least.” - -“Ah! that’s what he does not do when a radical is the incumbent. He was -once quite condescending and affable to me, when I let politics and -education alone, and didn’t meddle with them at all.” - -“Meddle! Senator! Who has a better right than you to take an interest -in politics?” - -“Young man you forget yourself, you must learn meekness and -discretion—not to put too fine a point on it—or you will get into -trouble.” - -“But we are immensely in the majority,—the State is really in our -hands. Why should we cringle and bow to this haughty minority just -because the blood of their families, is in our veins, mixed with -various proportions of African?” - -“But you’re a ‘nigger’!” - -“True, and they used to say that black men had no rights that white men -were bound to respect. That was their day. This is ours.” - -“Ah, but I want a better pattern for my life than they have been. I -say, because we are in the majority, let us take all the honors and -offices we can, but wear them meekly for our safety’s sake, and fill -them honorably for conscience’s sake. Good morning!” and the twain -separated to go, the one to his law studies, and the other to his -duties as planter and legislator. - -We will accompany the General. Right through the torrid heat he kept -on, over hill and valley, only stopping occasionally to cool his -reeking horse in the shade of some friendly tree, or to converse with -some white man whose house he entered briefly, or whom he beckoned to -his carriage if within call. - -At length he descended a long hill, and, reining his horse below the -bridge, he drove into a small stream, where, in the shade of some -overhanging trees, he paused a few moments, allowing his horse to drink -while he hastily pencilled a few figures in his notebook. Adding them -up he shook his head thoughtfully, and said, in a low tone: “That will -not do. Which way next?” - -On looking up, he descried a horseman descending the hill before him. -Driving out of the water, and regaining the road, he awaited his -approach. - -“Howdy do, General?” said the equestrian, pausing beside the carriage. -“Hot day this.” - -“Infernally hot, Dr. Wise!” and he grasped the extended hand, as he -wiped the perspiration from his face and neck with his left, and, -though apparently irritated by the heat, he shook hands cordially. - -“It _is_ hot here, hot as that hottest of all places, and I hear they -are going to have that over here in Baconsville pretty soon; I hear -so,” and the Doctor shook his fat sides with a chuckling laugh, adding: -“You must have important business to call you out to-day.” - -“It is quite important, _quite_,” replied General Baker. “I have got a -suit on hand in Baconsville that is quite important, and if that other -place you are talking about comes there, I hope I shall not find it -hotter than this hollow is. Niggers may stand it, but I cannot.” - -Both gentlemen were delighted and laughed loudly. - -“I’ve just come from there,” said Dr. Wise. - -“From where—Baconsville? or the other hot place?” - -“Oh, from Baconsville,” replied the medical man, laughing. “I couldn’t -have got away from the other place with all this fat.” - -The laugh again subsiding, he continued: “You see I have a patient I -am watching over there; and being in the neighborhood, was called in -to see two or three of the better class of colored people. I’m afraid -you’ll have trouble, there, at that suit. The niggers are saucy, and -very angry about that collision between the Bakers and the militia.” - -“Well, Doctor, the colored people in South Carolina have become so -insolent and insurrectionary, and intractable, and have taken on so -many intolerable airs, that they must be made to know their places. -You will see their wenches on the streets of Augusta and Charleston, -and all our cities, with their “pin-backs” and “button shoes,” and -“bustles,” and indeed imitating our ladies in everything; and they -even act as though they expected a white man to step aside and let -them pass, as if they were the ladies themselves. I saw an affair in -Charleston the other day that _made my blood boil_, and I involuntarily -laid my hand upon my pistol, but fortunately I was preserved from using -it. - -“Three great black—_creatures_, I suppose I must call them _men_—were -walking up the street, and met three young ladies whom I know to be -members of one of our best families. What do you think but that these -impudent brutes actually crowded our ladies into the gutter—made -them actually step off the pavement for want of room to pass! Quite -fortunately the ditch was dry, and not deep—four or five inches, at -most. But such indignities are too great a tax on the forbearance of a -gentleman of gallantry! Only one of the ladies actually stepped off, -but then, time was when I could have blown out the brains of all three -of the rascals, and the community and the State would have sustained -me. But those were days of “home rule.” Alas! when shall we ever see -them again! - -“I do not know what they are meditating at Baconsville, but I hear they -have been performing military evolutions, with arms in their hands, two -or three times a week, recently, and at night too; and I am called over -to put a stop to it. Why, we are not safe in our beds! It is one of the -atrocities of our carpet-bag government that they are allowed arms _at -all_, and now they have attacked our people.” - -“Now, you don’t say so, General!” exclaimed the Doctor. - -“To be sure! This case of mine would bear that construction; though Mr. -Robert Baker has, in the absence of counsel, very mildly, and I fear -unwisely, put it on the ground of ‘obstructing the highway.’ He might -have made a case much stronger, for they obstructed the way with their -guns and bayonets, and Gaston says some of them, at least, were seen to -load their guns on the spot.” - -“It is a case of positive violence, then, and insurrection?” - -“Oh, positive insubordination,” said the General, with great emphasis -and indignation. “And they have been making such threats that I’m -called over to see if there is any redress possible—any law or means -by which they can be restrained.” - -“If anybody can straighten them out, _you_ can, General; whether it -is to be done by law or by force of arms. We haven’t forgotten your -record in the Confederate service. But have you no help? You will need -backing, I fear.” - -“I have called upon several gentlemen along the way, and interested -them and their clubs, I think; and the club at Enfield promise to come -over to my assistance one hundred strong at least. But I have just been -computing and could desire even a larger force, especially should the -Judge decide adversely to us; for something _must_ be done to insure -our protection. I confess I feel some concern.” - -“On reflection, I think you need not, General, for the community is -fully aroused by a report that the negroes intend to _mob_ those young -men.” - -“Mob them!” ejaculated General Baker, with an oath. “They will scarcely -dare to do that. They know my military reputation too well to try that, -and I shall be prepared for them, now that you have kindly forewarned -me. But to be so Doctor, I must bid you good-day, and hasten forward, -for a good seven miles lies before me yet.” - -“I have great confidence in your ability to command success, and am -sure the darkies have a wholesome respect for the same. So, wishing you -all success, I also bid you good-day.” - -The General now called more frequently upon the white people along the -way, but soon found them anticipating his coming and ready to join him -soon; forming quite an escort of cavalry as they proceeded. - -It was two o’clock and intensely hot when they arrived at Sommer Hill, -and found about one hundred and fifty men grouped in the shade of two -wide-spreading oak trees near a church there, and around a grog shop -opposite. - -The General’s arrival was greeted with three cheers, three times -repeated, and three “tigers;” and the men, anxious to do him honor, -pressed around his carriage to shake his hand and assure him that they -still cherished the recollections of his gallantry on behalf of the -“lost cause.” - -Though quite animated, this scene was brief, for courteously declining -the scores of invitations to “drink,” General Baker informed his -followers that the call to duty was still more imperative to his mind -than those to eat or drink, and he must hasten forward to consult with -his clients before the hour for court arrived. - -Directing them to remain there till signaled, and to keep an outlook -from the brow of the hill overlooking Baconsville, two miles away, -he bravely rode thitherward entirely unattended, notwithstanding the -earnest protestations of his numerous friends. - -“So brave a man who can decline such entreaties to drink, and as -gracefully as the General did, ought to be at the head of a temperance -society,” said a young man, lounging near the church. - -“That’s so, Jimminy!” replied a comrade. “Wonder if he isn’t.” - -“I’m afraid not. I suppose he takes his wine, and probably something -stronger sometimes; though he wants a cool head now. I wish those -fellows over there wouldn’t drink so. I’m for breaking up the nigger -militia; but we want cool heads for it. We can _scare_ the niggers out -of it if we work it right, and all keep sober.” - -“That’s what I think, but you see already how it will be. I would go -home and give it up, but they’ll say I was afraid. I don’t want to get -into no collisions with the United States, for my part; and if a lot -of them get drunk, I’m afraid something will be done that will lead to -that.” - -Less than half a mile from where this conversation was passing, Harry -Gaston sat in his shady porch. - -“Don’t set there doing nothing but watching,” said a tall lean young -woman who sat just inside of the door, busying herself by rocking in an -easy chair. “The General will think yo’ reckon on ’im awfully, an’ he’s -conceited enough now, mercy knows! There, take them old papers of yo’re -uncle’s, and make as if yo’ was studying politics on yo’ own hook;” and -she tossed a handful of newspapers upon the floor beside him. - -He took up a copy of that celebrated democratic organ of the South, the -Charleston _News and Courier_, dated May, 1875, and read— - -“Governor Chamberlain richly deserves the confidence of the people of -this State. The people of South Carolina, who have all at stake, who -see and hear what persons outside the State cannot know, are satisfied -with his honesty. They believe in him as well they may.” - -“Bah! the contemptible carpet-bagger!” said Gaston, dashing the paper -on the floor; and picking up another, dated February, 1876, he read -again— - -“We believe that, without regard to consequences or to his party, he -(the Governor) will go on in the narrow path of right.” - -Another—“January, 1876. In South Carolina the conspicuous leader in -the fight for reform, the one man who has made reform possible at an -early day, is Governor Chamberlain, whose election was the greatest -blessing in disguise that this people has ever known.” - -“The greatest curse!” exclaimed Gaston kicking the paper off the porch. - -“That the _Courier_?” drawled Mrs. Gaston. “I thought that used to be -the best paper in the South—true to the Confederacy all through the -war. Has it gone over to the Radicals?” - -“It don’t pretend so, but it has been bribed, I reckon.” - -A voice from the highway, now called the husband away to hold a brief -colloquy with General Baker. - -“My horse is very tired and warm, and I myself am in need of -refreshment; so, Mr. Gaston, I shall be obliged if you will strike -across the fields and notify your father-in-law of my arrival, and -bring him and your brother-in-law, Tom, to the store of Mr. Dunn to -meet me for conference about the suit we have in hand,” and the great -man drove on. - -“Mary, General Baker wants me to go across the fields to your father’s -for him,” said the young man, with a demure countenance, on re-entering -the house. - -“Well, I reckon yo’ won’t do no such a thing!” she replied, forcibly. -“A mighty easy thing it would be for some nigger to pop you over, and -nobody to see. Yo’ won’t go that way.” - -“I’ll just gallop down the other road and get to the village ahead o’ -the General; Tom’s thar’, we can go together after the old man; though -I a’n’t afraid of the niggers.” - -“See! see! Meester Dunn,” said that worthy’s helpful “frau,” as they -sat at their dinner in a room immediately in the rear of their grocery. -“Dar is Shinneral Paker from Enefield, an’ er pe shtopping right here! -Pe quick, now. My laws! but dis vill pe ine goot ebening by de bar! -De Shenneral shtop ’ere, an’ all de gem’mans and companies come, too! -Hurry, now Shorge!” - -“Dat alle right now. I fix ’m mit ole Bob gester-tag,” said the -shrewd though moderate husband, George, arising from the table, and -shuffling through the glass door by which the dining-room and grocery -(or more accurately _groggery_), communicated, he greeted the great -military dignity with a volume of broken English that was almost -incomprehensible. - -Shaking the dust from his apparel, the distinguished guest ordered food -and drink for his beast, after time given him to cool; adding that he -would refresh himself while waiting for the appearance of his clients. - -“Alle right! alle right! De ole voman vill serve you,” replied Dunn, as -he followed his colored servant and the weary horse to the stables. - -Gaston and Tommy were by this time crossing the great truck-farm of -Robert Baker, every rood of which was purchased with the earnings of -trained blood-hounds, chasing fugitives from justice or labor, and -mainly the latter. - -In a sag of land, between the hills on the right and the river on the -left, was a brickyard, in the office of which Mr. Robert Baker and his -son Hanson were found. - -The four men were soon _en route_ for Baconsville. A colored boy, bound -apprentice to the older Baker, skulked along the crooked fence by the -wayside. - -“Joe,” said the old man, stopping the horse, “Joe, come here.” The -personal appearance and reputation of the old man, and recollections of -a recent chastisement for drumming for the militia company, made little -Joe’s dark skin quiver as he timidly approached the vehicle. - -“Get in,” said the same gruff voice, as room was made for the child -at Baker’s feet, where he gathered himself into the smallest possible -ball, from which two great, soft, timid eyes looked from one face to -another, and from the two glittering guns of the young men who rode on -either side, and the pistol-shaped lumps on the left breasts of their -thin coats, to the breasts of the two men fronting him in the carriage, -where he could see two more bright and shining “nine-shooters” peeping -out. - -The wind presently raised a paper from a basket standing beside him, -and disclosed two great horse-pistols lying on a clean white napkin. - -“I wonder is dey gwoine to shoot Doc and Watta wid dem ’ar’, as Ned -Dunn said dey is?” thought the child. “Dat looks like dar’s a mighty -nice lunch undah ’em, anyhow?” - -Hanson Baker jerked the lap-robe from his knees, and covered the basket -from view. - -They soon reached Dunn’s store, and alighted, and removing the basket, -bade Joe return with the horse and carriage, and remember to stay there -closely. - -As they sat in close conversation in the back part of that groggery, -while the General partook of the “nice lunch” the basket did contain, -it was plain that “Old Bob Baker, the slave catcher,” and the -aristocratic General had little in common except their patronymic and -their political opinions and ideas. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE CLOUD THICKENS. - - “Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look; - He thinks too much: such men are dangerous. - Fear him not, Cæsar, he’s not dangerous; - He is a noble Roman and well given.” - - —JULIUS CÆSAR. - - -THE State of South Carolina was settled by political refugees and -desperadoes of every description and from every nation, with no unity -of ideas or interests; and African slavery was introduced but two years -after the first settlement had secured a permanent footing. Hence, -arrogance and oppression, rapacity and murder, early became the rule -and occupation of the people. - -The existence and perpetuation of slavery during more than eight -generations caused and necessitated an arrest of progress in -civilization, and the war which resulted in the emancipation of -the slaves and the re-establishment of the Union, found the whites -in several of the Southern States, in many respects not far in -advance of the people of England in the sixteenth century; and as -those feudalistic and inharmonious families—the descendants of the -earliest settlers—are still recognized as “the first families,” the -“aristocracy of the State”—in the year of our Lord 1876, and of -the Republic one hundred—boasting and bravado were accomplishments -ostentatiously displayed there, and often sustained by such brutal -assault and lawless violence and outrage, as those of the worst days of -feudalism. - -This state of society alone explains the temerity of the threats and -preparations for violence, and their fearful consummation, which -blacken the history of the Republic’s centennial year. - -While Robert Baker and his sons were in Dunn’s groggery, informing -their counsel respecting the particulars of the suit he was about -to conduct for them, many exciting scenes were transpiring in the -vicinity, and the streets of the doomed village were becoming lively -with the presence of armed men, who were freely imbibing whisky, and -threatening to “kill every —— nigger in Baconsville that day.” -Especially loud and frequent were the threats against the Captain and -Second Lieutenant of the militia company. - -As soon as half-past three o’clock, quite a crowd had gathered around -George Dunn’s store, and the bar was evidently reaping the rich harvest -Mrs. D. had anticipated; while with loud and excessively revolting -profanity, the case shortly to be tried was canvassed, and rumors of a -“negro insurrection” rehearsed. - -“Who is that coming?” asked one, as a quiet man of medium size -approached. - -“Oh, that is Judge Kanrasp of the county seat, he is a cursed Northern -Republican,” was the reply, accompanied by a shocking oath. - -The wrathful eyes of the entire crowd were fixed upon him as he came -up, and, entering the store, approached the place where the two Bakers -sat, and addressing the General said, “Mr. Gaston informed me that you -wished to see me.” - -This was not his first interview with Mr. _Robert_ Baker in connection -with this difficulty. The latter had stopped him that morning upon the -streets of the city opposite, to speak of the pending trial. - -The Judge had then stated his opinion that Gaston’s testimony had -thus far developed no legal case against the colored men, and urged -the abandonment of the case, as to push it further, would merely -excite ill-feeling between the two races at a time when it was most -undesirable—at the commencement of a political campaign—and even -should the plaintiffs secure a judgment, it was a matter which could be -appealed, and in a higher court their case could not stand a moment. - -“I shall do no such thing,” replied Mr. Baker. “The negroes of -Baconsville have been very offensive; they have interfered with my -sons, and I am _determined that they shall be punished. The case shall -be prosecuted_, and so far as any feeling is concerned, I don’t care -for that. Some of my friends and neighbors from the country have been -informed that the trial will take place this evening, and they will be -present, not less than twenty-five or thirty of them.” - -“Mr. Baker, perhaps there will be two or three hundred,” said Kanrasp. - -“Well, yes (with an oath), two or three thousand!” and the two men -separated, and the Judge at once crossed the river to Baconsville, and -confidentially communicated all to a discreet colored man there, in -whose cool, quiet determination he had great confidence; commissioning -him to see the officers of the militia company, and instruct them -to present themselves at the Court, submit to judgment whatever it -might be, and then, by an appeal to a higher court, find an easy way -out of the difficulty; as the “precept” or informal paper which had -been served upon them, must cause the judgment to fail there; and -stating that in case of an attempted defense before Justice Rives, he -apprehended serious trouble from the throng that would undoubtedly be -present. - -Other important business detained both Kanrasp and his influential -friend Springer till the middle of the afternoon, when, on re-entering -the street, they saw the village thickly besprinkled with squads of men -from the rifle clubs of the vicinity. These clubs or military companies -existed in open defiance of law and the Governor’s prohibitive -proclamation. - -“This looks like trouble,” said Judge Kanrasp to his friend. “Strange -way to attend a simple trial! Now go right up and see those officers -_immediately_, and urge them to be on hand at court, and stand -judgment.” So saying he went to Marmor’s office upon other business, -where Gaston soon rode up, bringing Gen. Baker’s request for the -interview, to which we find him responding. - -“I am here to represent my cousin, Mr. Robert Baker, in this matter,” -said the General, “and wish you, Mr. Kanrasp, to sit down and tell me -what it is.” - -Judge K. complied, adding the advice he had given his clients. - -“We have been annoyed a great deal by the negroes about here, and I am -determined to get satisfaction, and Gen. Baker has been brought here as -my attorney, to see that satisfaction is given us,” said Robert Baker, -in a loud and vehement tone. - -“Now, Judge Kanrasp,” said the General, “will you not go and see those -officers of this company and request them to call upon me? I desire -to tell them what I think is necessary for them to do to prevent the -possibility of difficulty in the future. A great deal of feeling has -been growing between Mr. Robert Baker’s family and immediate neighbors, -and these colored people in Baconsville.” - -“What proposition do you make them?” - -“Well, I think it will be necessary for them to apologize to my cousin -and surrender their arms.” - -As he did not say to whom their arms should be surrendered, the Judge -replied—— - -“Well, General, you know I am, like yourself, merely an incident -in Baconsville; and whilst I have, of course, a certain amount -of influence with the colored people, on account of my political -affiliations with them, I cannot undertake to say that they will -respond to your request. I will do what I can to induce them to do so. -But suppose these negotiations and propositions fail, is it likely -that that there will be a collision?” - -“I think there will.” - -“Well, as I am one of a very few white ‘radicals’ here, if a collision -takes place I suppose I shall stand a pretty poor chance.” - -“I have no doubt that you will.” - -Shortly after Judge K. left Mr. Marmor’s office (which adjoined -his dwelling), Capt. Doc, Lieut. Watta, Mr. Springer and Rev. Mr. -Jackson (the Legislative member who had delivered the oration on the -4th), entered. Mr. Jackson was much excited, and walked up and down -the room, interlarding questions and ejaculations and prayers quite -promiscuously; unheeding the kindly solicitude of a bright little boy -of five years, with shining auburn ringlets, and great, soft, spiritual -eyes, which looked eagerly towards “the Elder’s” face as he went -tugging a large Bible back and forth behind him. - -“Ha! Jackson, hear that boy now,” said Doc. “The child is the best -Christian of the two, come to the pinch.” - -“What? What was you saying Doc?” asked the Reverend Honorable. - -“Why, just see what that boy has got, and hear what he’s saying. _He_ -don’t scare worth a cent. Do you Bub? You’ll make a soldier some day, -won’t you?” - -“No sir, I reckon I won’t, cause soldiers kill. ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ -That’s the sixth commandment.” - -“What about the book, sonny,” asked Elder Jackson. - -“My Sunday school teacher says when I’m afraid, I must ask God what to -do; and this is His letter, He wrote it. It’s big,” tugging to raise it -to the level of the man’s hand. - -The Elder took the Bible, sat down, drew the child to his side, opened -it at random, and read, Isaiah xviii: 7: “In that time shall the -present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and -peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a -nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have -spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the Mount Zion.” - -He closed the book muttering, “Yes, the freshet came clear up to the -church, clear up to the church.” - -“The whole matter is that the Bakers are determined to break up this -drilling,” said Marmor. “You’re too good a drill master, Doc. The old -man himself told me that it was wrong, and that the niggers shouldn’t -have no militia company, and that it was wrong for you to drill by -moonlight. I told him that the white militia over here in Georgia -drilled on the streets every night. ‘Well, it’s wrong for the niggers -to drill at _all_,’ says he.” - -“Well, now, it does ’pear to me like the white folks is determined -to put the devil into the colored people’s heads anyhow. Now, we’re -honest in this matter, and only want to have a nice militia company -like the white folks does, and like free citizens has got a right -to, and to protect the State when it needs it and the Governor calls -for us; but they just goes to work, and by talking about what they -pretend the colored people is a going, or _intending_ to do, they just -makes the colored people mad, and puts these bad ideas into their -heads, and by-and-by the colored people, maybe will get courage enough -to undertake to do as they is really instructing us to do. And then -there’s more’n that in it too. Mor’n two months ago Hanson Baker tole -me and John Peters, Press Wells, and John Bade, and if I mistake not, -Lem Panesly, that the Democrats had made it up in their own minds, -and they had gone over the State, and also had about thirty men from -Texas and Mississippi to come into this State, and they were feeding -them, and organizing all the white men into certain different clubs; -and before election that there had to be a certain number of negroes -killed—leading men; and if after that they found out they couldn’t -carry the State that way, they was gwoine to kill enough so that they -could carry the majority. He said it is a fact that that has to be -done, and he said in the presence of these men, that it had to start -right here in Baconsville. He said Baconsville is the leading place in -the county (for the niggers, you know), and if they could be successful -in killing them that they wanted to in Baconsville, they could carry -the county; but the same has to be done in all the counties, that there -was no way to prevent it. I told him we had some laws, and a Governor -and a President. He says he didn’t belong to none o’ the clubs, and -hadn’t nothing to do with it, but it would be done, shor. I says, -‘Suppose the colored men have a poll to themselves, and the white men -to themselves,’ and he said, ‘It don’t make a bit o’ difference what -sort o’ polls they have; it is the voting we want to stop; and these -voting niggers has got to be killed. The white men has declared that -the State has got to be ruled by white men again, and we have got to -have just such a government as we had before the war; and when we git -it, all the poor men and the niggers has got to be disfranchised, and -the rich men will rule! And he tole me then that our town marshal, -John Carr and Dan will certainly be killed. I asked why? and he said -there was plenty of men that had plenty against them, and they would -kill them _shor_. Says I, ‘Mr. Baker will I be in that number?’ he -says, ‘No, I don’t know whether yo’r name is down or no, but it depends -on how yo’ behave yo’self.’ He’d been drinking some, or he wouldn’t -ha’ been so free to tell. Well, then I received a note the other -day—a letter with my name, and specifying a dozen or more in this -neighborhood that have to be killed; and _I was shor_ to be killed. -Now, this is the beginning of it shor. They want to disband this -company so that the Governor won’t have nothing to call on to put them -down, and we can’t get no protection till the United States can send -soldiers from somewhere, after we can get word to the Governor, and he -can git it to Grant. They must think we’re just cowards and fools if -we’ll let ’em break us up, though I’ll agree that the men ha’n’t got -much fight in ’em, but I have, and I wish _they_ had,” and Captain Doc -tossed a newspaper to the extreme end of the room. - -“Scattered and peeled!” “Scattered and peeled!” said the Elder, as he -resumed his striding about the apartment. - -While these excited men thus conversed, there were borne from the -street to their ears the sound of blood-curdling oaths, and shouts of -“We’ll carry the State about the time we’ve killed four or five hundred -of these niggers and their carpet-bag cronies.” We’ve got to have South -Carolina.” “The white men have got to rule.” “This shall be a white -man’s government again.” - -“Just hear that chap singing,” said Marmor with a ghastly smile: - -“We’re going to redeem South Carolina to-day. This is the beginning of -the redemption of my Caroline.” The poor, maudlin fellow sat upon his -horse near the corner of the street hard by, and improvised a lengthy -political madrigal evidently to his own exquisite delight. - -“I reckon you’ve got the right of it Doc,” said Marmor; “the political -side of this fuss swallows up all the rest. The fuss on the Fourth, was -only got up for making a spot to strike at.” - -“Well,” said Doe, both goes together; for all the politics they know is -to put the niggers down, and themselves up atop; and they are trying to -fool the ignorant ones into believing that the constitutions has all -run out, so they won’t try to take the law on ’em.” - -“They’d better look out, or they may feel the law themselves. If -Chamberlain can’t enforce it, there is a United States, they’ll find!” - -“I reckon so! I reckon so!” chimed in all present. - -“Capt. Doc,” said Elder Jackson, “you must remember that it is not your -own life and your company’s lives that is in danger, but that of every -colored individual in town; and the happiness and prosperity of all -will be at their mercy if a fight takes place; and so I beg you to come -to terms with Baker. Bend and apologize a little for the sake of them -that had nothing to do with the Fourth of July difficulty.” - -“What can _I_ do? Just tell me. I haven’t failed to think of that, I -tell you. That part of it is the biggest trouble to me now.” - -“It is Watta that has offended them the most,” said Springer; “for he -got so mad last Thursday. He’s got too much white blood in him to stand -their abuse, and he was nigh about as abusive as Hanson Baker himself, -that day. - -It was all true enough what he said, but that didn’t make it no better -for them to take.” - -“Now, Brother Watta, just you go, as you know you ought to, and -acknowledge you ought to have kept your temper, and that’ll make the -whole thing right, and Doc’ll apologize too,” said the apparently -confiding Elder. - -“Do you think so? Well, suppose you come along with us,” said Watta, a -slight veil of credulity scarcely concealing a sarcasm that bordered -upon contempt for the self-loving simplicity of the Elder. “I’d rather -get on my knees to them,” he added more seriously, “bad as I hate them, -than have my wife and children as scared as they are to-day. But I -doubt the success of even that, unless I would give them my gun, and -promise to lie there, and let them kick me when they chose, or shoot -me if they like, and I’m afraid my _temper_ would rise _then_, if I -didn’t.” - -In defiance of fears, the men all laughed at the ludicrous picture -of this tall, genteel-appearing, light yellow _gentleman_, brimful -of the same “spirit” that fired some of the noblest heroes the South -ever boasted of, and in whose veins coursed much of the same ancestral -blood, cringing in such a pusillanimous fashion. - -“It is no time for fun,” said Springer. “Will you go with _me_, Adam -Watta, and see General Baker?” - -“If you say you think it’ll do any good, I will go.” - -“You can but perish if you go,” said Elder Jackson, who was, like many -another, very courageous for his neighbors, and quite willing to bid -them Godspeed in any efforts for the safety of the town, including -Elder J. and his possessions. - -But the men paused in the doorway. “Ask a man to run the gauntlet of -all those armed and half-drunken enemies? I tell you I can’t do it; I’m -not prepared to die, and I sha’n’t go. I could _fight_, but to go right -into a crowd to be _murdered_, I’m not ready,” and Watta turned back. -Looking out upon the constantly increasing mob, Springer did not urge -him. - -“I’m going to Prince Rives’s house,” said Doc, and strode out of the -office and down the street. - -The cry of an infant was heard in an adjoining room, followed by the -sound of a rocking cradle, and the voice of the little boy singing in -chanting style, “You must not cry, little sister; for the wicked men is -all agoing around to kill all the little children, ‘from two years old -and under,’ and they will shoot your papa, and make your mamma cry. So -take this rattle and be still.” - -“Louie,” called Marmor, from the office. “Don’t say such things. -Nobody’ll hurt you, nor the baby. Where is your mamma?” - -“She is here crying—sitting right here crying.” - -“The man arose quickly, and entered the room. “Why, Jane,” said he, -“what are you crying about? It will be all settled, and there’ll be no -fuss.” - -“Don’t you wish you could make me believe that, when you know you don’t -believe it yourself? I do wish you would go away over to the city, and -take the train somewhere. I know they will be after you. You know they -want you killed, because you are a radical leader; and now will be -their time.” - -“Do you suppose I would go and leave you and the children?” - -“You know you couldn’t defend us, and we don’t need it. We’re a great -deal safer without you than with you. I should fret all the time for -fear that you had fallen into their hands, to be sure; but I _know_ -there is no chance for you to escape death if you stay here.” - -Marmor returned to his office, and found that his friends had all left. -He saw them approaching Rives’s house. There they found Captain Doc -and the Trial Justice in earnest conversation. - -“I can’t appear before your court, Judge Rives—not to-day,” said the -captain; “for I feel that your court is unable to protect my life, and -I believe my life is unsafe. I am willing that yo’ should go to work -and draw up a bond, that yo’ think proper, and I am willing to give -bonds to a higher court, where I think my life will be safe. The reason -I come to yo’ to tell yo’, is because I don’t want yo’ to suppose that -I treat yo’r court with no disrespect by not coming; but it is because -I don’t think my life is safe.” - -The Justice reflected. - -“Well, you must use your own judgment,” said he. “Of course, if your -life is unsafe, and if these men intend to take your life, of course, -I can’t protect you. I haven’t protection enough to protect you; my -constables can’t do much!” - -“That is my belief,” replied Doc, “and for that reason I don’t want to -go befo’ yo’r court without yo’ force me to; and then if I am killed, -yo’ will be responsible.” - -“You can use your own judgment, Captain. I shall go to court at the -proper time. Your name, of course, will be called, and if you don’t -answer to your name—well, _you won’t be there to answer_. It’s a pity -but this thing couldn’t be settled without going to court. I’m afraid -once at the court room it will be impossible to get along without -trouble.” - -“Well, I want it settled,” said Doc. “And I,” “And I,” said the two -Lieutenants. - -“Well, then, suppose I go for you, and ask what will give -satisfaction,” said Springer. - -“All right,” was the ready response from all. - -Mr. Springer met Judge Kanrasp coming down the street, from his -interview with the General, and each communicated the message he bore, -and thought the best thing for the safety of the town, was to get the -parties together with the crowd excluded. - -“Who is to take the guns?” asked Mr. Springer. - -“I don’t know. The Governor, I suppose. If not, that may alter the -case.” - -“If Gen. Baker will guarantee the safety of the men, I believe they -will be safe, but he should guarantee the safety of the town also.” - -“So say I,” replied Judge Kanrasp, and each passed on his errand. - -Judge K. reported to the officers only Gen. Baker’s request for an -interview, and withheld his proposition for a settlement. - -Soon Mr. Springer returned with the same request from the General. -They all approached the door, and Doc went out upon the street, but -re-entered immediately. - -“There is no one more readier than I am to settle, but I see a great -crowd down there at Dunn’s store, all armed, and drunk, or playing off -drunk. Springer, yo’ tell Gen. Baker that I would meet him, but that I -would like for him to come away from where them men are, and that I am -willing to meet him at yo’r house, if that is agreeable.” - -The aspect of things became more gloomy very soon. A company of -twenty-five or thirty thoroughly-armed and mounted men had entered the -village some time before, since which squads had been seen coming in -from all directions. - -Several leading citizens had joined the group at Rives’s house, and all -united in urging the officers to comply with Gen. Baker’s request; but -they were more and more reluctant to go, fearing it was only a ruse to -decoy them there, secure, disarm, and then murder them. - -The suspicion was but natural, as similar transactions had been far -from rare since reconstruction. At length, after it had been reported -that Gen. Baker had sworn to lay the town in ashes if they did not -comply with his demands, all the members of the company again consented -to go, but on approaching the door, fell back again. - -“You must go to save the town,” said Springer; “but don’t take your -guns.” - -“We won’t go without them,” said all the men. - -“But he’ll make a demand for their surrender. Better leave them behind.” - -“Yes, that is just it,” said Watta. “You men have been keeping that -back. Why should we go to General Baker? Why doesn’t he come to us if -he wants to see us? There are no drunken rowdies here for him to fear. -Two men drove into our ranks, an organized a legally chartered company -of the State militia, with loyal guns in our loyal hands, and a flag -which brought us freedom from these old masters—the right to stand -up like men, and not fear their nigger-catching blood-hounds; and we -have sworn to be true to that flag—to the United States, and to the -State, and ourselves, and to take care of these guns that belong to -the State, and to yield them up only to lawful authority. These two -nigger-catchers whose occupation is gone, drove into our ranks; and we, -like a set of cowards, opened ranks and let them go through; and now -they bring this ex-confederate General, who got the only title he has -and of which he and they are so proud, in fighting the United States; -they bring this General Baker here, and he asks us to go down to old -Baker’s feet and apologize—for what? _I_ don’t know; and to give up -our guns that we have sworn to protect from all enemies of the Union, -and all unauthorized persons—to give them to this ex-confederate -General, who boasts to-day, and is applauded by these, his old -confederate soldiers around him to-day, for what he did against the -Government. _He_, surrounded by those who love and revere him for what -he did to destroy the Union and keep us and our parents and children in -slavery—he demands our guns and ourselves! Pretty _National Guards_!! -Which are we, men, cowards or traitors?” - -“Don’t take your guns, and may be possible you can get along without -giving the guns up. I surely don’t want you to be traitors,” said the -Elder; “but I trust an apology will do.” - -“And I trust no such thing,” said Doc. “And where shall we be after -this, living or dead? It won’t make much difference. They want to break -us up! that’s it—and enslave us!” - -“Where shall we be? On our knees forever at their feet,” replied Watta; -“that is, if a single man of us ever got away alive, which I’ll warrant -we never should if we refused to give up our guns.” - -“But remember, there’ll be bloodshed if you don’t go,” said Elder -Jackson. “Better humble yourselves than be killed.” - -“And remember, too, the women and children, and the property,” added -Springer. - -“You men is mighty thoughtful; suppose yo’ ’go yo’selves. ’Twouldn’t -be no blood shed if _they_ got killed, I reckon yo’ think,” said a man -from the ranks. - -They had retired to an upper room, and Kanrasp approached a window -looking towards Dunn’s store. Doc followed, and then Watta, and then -others. - -Still more armed men were seen coming into the town, and the mob around -the General’s headquarters was more dense and disorderly. - -“You all know that it would be only my dead body that would ever leave -that place, if I went there,” said Watta. “I should be riddled with -bullets in no time. Those men standing outside of that groggery are -thirsting for my blood this minute.” - -[Illustration: “BUT I ‘AM ONLY A NIGGER,’ (BARING HIS YELLOW ARM TO HIS -ELBOW.)”—Page 105.] - -“I have known Gen. Baker for several years, and I believe he is an -honorable man, and he will protect you,” said Judge K——. - -“An honorable man?” repeated Watta. “‘An honorable man’ he may be when -dealing with those he acknowledges his equals, if there are any such; -but I am ‘only a nigger’ (baring his yellow arm to his elbow.) “Honor? -He’ll ventilate no honor when a nigger or politics is concerned. I -don’t mean any disrespect to you, Judge; but Gen. Baker doesn’t hold -the same views about colored people that you do, as you know.” - -“Well, I’m going,” said the First Lieutenant, “and I talked as bad as -any of you on the Fourth. I’ll apologize.” - -“But they hate me more than all the rest of you,” resumed Watta, still -inspecting his bare arm. “I’m nearer their color, and the best thing -they can say of a man of my complexion is that he’s a smart fellow, -but needs watching. And they do watch us, and they magnify everything -we do or say, and misconstrue it, and lie about us. And then you know -I’m that heinous offender—a ‘nigger school teacher, and a Republican -newspaper correspondent.’ Why, Gen. Baker _can’t protect me_. I should -be shot a dozen times before he knew I was coming. And then he’d regret -it. That wouldn’t do me much good, nor my family. I tell you it is only -a trap, a decoy, to get us up there and massacre us. If they kill me, -they must come after me, I a’n’t fool enough to go to them to get shot.” - -“If the General could get shet of them armed men, would you go?” asked -Springer. - -“Yes, certainly.” - -“Then, I’ll try if he will go to my house,” and he slipped cautiously -out of the dwelling, for the whites thought the officers were in the -Armory, and he did not wish to undeceive them. - -He was successful on his mission, and soon returned; but the officers -had seen the shouting throng surround and follow their General, and as -the streets were rife with warlike menaces, _all_ now utterly refused -to go to a house so near Dunn’s store and the main crowd. - -“See! see!” they exclaimed. “They are coming down the street to meet -us! Gen. Baker can’t protect us!” All of which Springer could not -dispute, so he sadly returned to Gen. Baker, who, on his approaching, -called out: - -“I suppose you couldn’t get those fellows to meet me?” - -“No, General, they are too afraid of these armed bodies of men you have -around you. That is the only reason.” - -“Armed men? armed men? I don’t see any armed men!” and that military -dignitary rolled his eyes about as if in pantomime. “Well Sam, there’s -no use parleying any longer. Now, by —— I want those guns, and I’ll -be —— if I don’t have them!” - -A movement of expectancy swayed the throng as these words were heard -and passed from lip to lip, and then a shout rent the air. - -Mr. Springer wended his way back through the crowd of men on horseback, -and men on foot, whose fingers fidgeted upon the triggers of their -firearms, and he sought the house of Justice Rives with a heavier heart -than he had ever borne before; while General Baker entered his carriage -again, as the hour for court drew near. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -PORTENTIOUS DARKNESS. - - “Ye gods, it doth amaze me! - A man of such feeble temper should - So get the start of the majestic world.” - - —CASCA. - - -A SMALL, dark man, with a lithe form and sparkling eyes, had been busy -preparing Justice Rives’s office for the expected court, as he had been -previously directed, and was unaware of the excitement prevailing in -other parts of the village. His task completed, he seated himself in an -armchair, adjusted his feet high upon the post of the open door, and -with his coat off and fan in hand, sat leisurely reading. - -About half past three o’clock he was startled by an imperative voice, -asking, “Where is Rives?” - -On looking up from his newspaper, he saw Robert Baker and his legal -counsel seated in the latter’s carriage, which stood before the door. - -“Mr. Rives is at his house, I reckon; but he’ll be here directly,” was -the reply. - -“Go and tell him to come here to me,” commanded the General. - -“I’m not Mr. Rives’s office-boy. I am a constable, and am here -attending to my business. He told me he would be here by four o’clock, -and he won’t come any quicker by my going after him.” - -General B.—“Do you know who you are talking to?” - -Constable Newton.—“I’m talking to General Baker, I believe.” - -Gen. B.—“Well, you scamp! bring me some paper here.” - -Newton.—“Here is the office, and here is the chairs, and here is -the paper, and pen and ink, sir; and here is the chairs for all the -attorneys that wants to do business here to come in and sit down.” - -Gen. B. (with an oath).—“Bring it to me, sir!” - -Newton.—“I won’t do it. Come in, sir, and sit at the table.” - -The irate General sprang from his carriage, and, followed by the -ever-ready Gaston, rushed into the court room in a menacing manner. But -the imperturbable constable did not move, nor show signs of disturbance. - -Gen. B. (with a vile epithet and oaths, which the reader should -imagine, thickly strewn throughout this colloquy).—“Give me that -chair!” - -Newton.—“There is a chair.” - -General B. thundered.—“_Give me that chair you are sitting on!_ Get -out of that chair, and give it to me! I want this chair and intend to -have it!” - -“All right,” replied Newton, after a pause; “if this chair suits you -better than the others, take it.” - -Gen. B.—“You —— leatherhead radical! You sitting down there fanning -yourself!” - -Newton.—“I am fanning myself, sitting in my own office, and attending -to my own business.” - -Gen. B.—“You vile brute, you! You want to have a bullet-hole put -through you before you can move!” - -At this juncture old man Baker and one of his followers, pistols in -hand, reinforced the General, and Tommy rode as close to the door as -possible, with his trusty carbine, while others appeared outside. - -Newton arose, and taking his chair by the back, turned the seat of it -toward General Baker, and, still holding the back with both hands, said: - -“There it is, Gen. Baker, if you want it; and you can shoot me, if you -want to. Mr. Robert Baker, you know what sort of a man I am. I have -always tried to behave myself when you came in the office.” - -Robert B.—“Yes, but” (with an oath) “this drilling has got to stop. I -want you to go for Rives.” - -Newton.—“I’ve got no right to go for Rives, and I’m not going.” - -Robert B.—“Well you’ll be a dead man, and you’ll wish you had gone.” - -Newton.—“I am but one man.” - -Gen. B. (with oaths and sneers of contempt).—“Sitting down there with -your feet cocked up!” - -Newton.—“Well, General, I’m not dead; but if you’re going to kill me, -why kill me; and that is all you can do.” - -Gen. B.—“We’ll take our time about that. We’ll show you, you insolent -darkie!—you contemptible nigger!” - -The Bakers returned to their carriages in high dudgeon. - -“There is Justice Rives’ private secretary,” said the old man, as they -were about leaving the premises. “If you will speak to him, I think he -will go for Rives.” - -“No,” replied the incensed General, “I am not going to be insulted -again. You can do so if you choose.” - -Robert Baker did choose, for he preferred to reserve resentment, rather -than allow it to thwart or hinder his purposes. Gaston, however, -‘halted’ the secretary, and undertook the mission himself. - -Can the reader imagine the scene in that upper room in Rives’ house, -when a female servant announced that Gaston was at the door below, -urging the presence of Judge Rives at the court-room, as Gen. Baker and -his clients were waiting there; though the hour had not yet arrived? - -Noiselessly the entire group descended to the ground floor, and, -screened from view, listened breathlessly to the collocution which, -however, was brief and courteous, as the young man naturally wished to -conciliate the favor of the Judge. He was dismissed with the assurance -that the court should be opened promptly. - -Prince Rives (the Judge’s baptismal name was Prince—it might seem -sacrilege to designate a name given in slavery as “Christian”) stepped -quietly into his sitting-room—a perfect bower of flowers, ferns -growing under glass, and singing-birds, where his wife and eldest -daughter were anxiously watching the crowd gathering in the streets. - -“I’m going down to the office now,” said he, “and if any trouble should -occur, stay right here in the house, and keep the children in, and you -will all be safe.” - -Alas! these were assurances false even to the heart of him who made -them. - -Has the reader ever laid a kiss upon a loved one’s brow, and then -watched the dear form passing beyond recall, perhaps, (oh, that -terrible _perhaps_!) if returning at all, to come a lifeless thing—an -uninhabited tenement—or in agony and blood; while the ever active -imagination chafed and chid the hands and feet that fain would do -its bidding and follow that loved form, though duty fettered them to -inactivity? - -Or has he gone out under the benediction of love, to meet a hate that -might hold him in its deadly grasp, forbidding his return? - -To such we need not describe the adieus exchanged in that little -sitting-room; for the sweet influences of love take no cognizance of -complexion. - -Trial Justice Prince Rives soon issued from the front door of his -house, book in hand, erect and commanding, looking the true ideal -African General as he was, and walked leisurely up the street, -unattended, and apparently unarmed; as if to show the mob that at least -one negro was not afraid. - -Tall, straight, powerful, his black and shining visage perfectly calm, -he strode through the throng of armed and angry men that surrounded the -door of his office, and crowded the court-room. - -Kanrasp and Springer followed at some distance to witness should any -disturbance arise; and while attention was thus attracted towards the -court-room, the officers all made their way to the armory, whither -many other members of the Company and other citizens had already -hastened for safety behind its strong walls, doors and window-shutters. -Women and children fled across the long bridge to the city, or to -the surrounding country; though many remained to guard their small -possessions, and share the fate of husbands and fathers, should the -worst come. - -Armed men were still coming in, and yet more rapidly, and the sinking -sun heralded a brief, southern twilight and a moonless night; while a -great terror took possession of the inhabitants of the doomed village. - -A few straggling members of the Company appearing with their guns, -which they had formerly taken to their homes for cleaning, became the -unfortunate subjects of a hue and cry as they hurried along towards the -rendezvous, and were marked for the night’s barbarities. - -No small exhibition of nerve was now required of that African -Major-General of the obnoxious “National Guards,”—one of the very men -whose high military position was so offensive to the white men now -surrounding him, and thronging his court-room, that, though notably -fond of the practice of arms, they utterly disregarded the law -requiring their enrollment as State Militia-men, lest they might be -subordinated to him. - -Yet with measured step and dignified mien he passed the carriage where -the Bakers still sat, greeting them with easy politeness. - -“I should like to know whether you are sitting in the capacity of -Major-General of State Militia, or as a Trial Justice?” said Gen. -Baker, when all was in readiness. - -“That will depend upon the nature of the testimony. I am sitting as a -peace officer; and if the facts are such as to justify my sitting as a -Trial Justice, I will do so; if not, it will be otherwise.” - -“It is immaterial to me; I merely wanted to know. I want to investigate -the facts of this matter, and either capacity will be agreeable to me,” -replied the General. - -At this juncture the Intendant (Mayor), approached, and whispered to -the General, “I think if you would suspend this trial for awhile, we -could settle it.” - -“Just ask the Judge. If he suspends I am willing.” - -A brief conference ensued, after which the Judge announced a suspension -for ten minutes. - -This caused dissatisfaction among the spectators, as a peaceful -adjustment would be but a tame issue of all their military preparations. - -Intendant Garndon then conducted the plaintiffs and their attorney to -the council chamber, which was separated from Dunn’s shop on the corner -or Main Street by only one half the width of a narrow street. - -At this time the largest and most unruly part of the cavalry was -gathered about this corner groggery, and a less suitable place for the -conference could not have been selected; but each would-be peacemaker -seemed to think peace most attainable on his own premises. - -Though the distance was less than four squares, as they could proceed -but slowly through the throng, it sufficed Gen. Baker to administer a -lecture to the dusky official upon his personal culpability in having -allowed “this so-called militia company,” to train “upon Mr. Robert -Baker’s road,” and with arms in their hands—though, doubtless the -poor, berated mayor found difficulty in understanding how a public -highway could be “Mr. Robert Baker’s road,” or how he could have -disarmed the State’s militia. - -As has already been stated, quite a number of colored citizens, and of -the rank and file of the militia men, had gathered in and about the -armory, hoping to find protection there. - -Among them was Dan Pipsie, who was quite sober, and his own plucky self. - -“Well, if I war Captain Doc, I’d do anyt’ing on earth to settle dis -myself,” said Dan. “I wouldn’t have de blood of all dese collo’d -families on _my_ head. When I die, I don’t want no man’s wife cussin’ -me, noh blamin’ me fo’ his death.” - -“Capt. Doc a’n’t a bit to blame now,” replied Mann Harris. “I was ’bout -two hundred yards from ’em at the time of the fuss. I saw Gaston and -Tom Baker drive down, and get out and go into Nunberger’s store. I saw -the company coming back, an’ they was a gwoine up then, and they met -and talked awhile, an’ the company divided an’ let them go through. -Let’s go down, an’ see Rives about this, Ned O’Bran, an’ git him to -send a dispatch to the Governor to help us.” - -“Well, come on,” replied Ned. - -They entered the quiet office of the Justice, and found him sitting -there alone, and looking over books and papers. - -“General, what _is_ you doing?” asked Harris, with emphasis. - -“I am waiting for people to come into court again.” - -“If you wait here awhile longer, they’ll make you jump out o’ here -entirely!” - -“What is the matter?” - -“Well, there’s about four hundred men out there with guns and pistols.” - -“Ah! I’ll go out and see—Well, really, this is surprising! What is all -this about?” - -“I don’t know,” said the excited Harris. “They’re gwoine to take the -guns away from the armory.” - -The three men walked up the street conversing. Meanwhile Captain Doc -entered his own apartments, which it will be remembered, were in the -same building as the armory or drill room. - -“I’ve been in my shirt sleeves,” said he to his wife, “ever since I -left my bench at noon; but, (with a grim smile,) if I’m gwoine to see -such big men as General Baker or the Laud, I reckon I’d best put my -coat on.” - -“Oh, Doc, don’t talk so ’bout de Laud! I’m awful scarred to have yo’ -go.” - -“I’ve got a right to go. They say General Baker’s gone up to the -Council Chamber, and he and Garndon’ll be expecting us.” - -“I’m awful scarred fo’ yo’, an’ I’m a mind to go ’way myself. ’Spex -they’ll be shootin’ ’round yere so the baby couldn’t sleep no how. -Mann Harris, he’s taken his wife off, ’bout an hour by sun, or so, -poor soul! sick as she’s been, now mighty nigh on to a year. Mann tole -me he’d positive his word thar’ would be no fuss nor killin’; but I’d -positive my word he war’ ’feared, else he wouldn’t come totin’ Dinah -down all dem stairs, an hauled ’er off up to Miss Pipton’s; fo’ it’s -mighty nigh on to fo’ mile ovah da; and Dinah has determined to me that -it hurt her tolerable bad to stir at all.” - -The Captain had been looking out of the window while she spoke, towards -Dunn’s store and the Council Chambers, Turning abruptly, he asked— - -“Where is the baby?” - -“I done toted ’er ovah to Elder Jackson’s but I can’t let ’er stay dar. -I’ll jes lock up de house, an’ git de baby, an’ clar out ovah de rivah, -fo’ de scar o’ stayin’ in dis yere house’ll perish me out, if I’m de -onus one fo’ a quarter hour mo’.” - -“Now, Debby, yo’ get the baby, and take ’er over to Rives’s, and stay -thar, he’s been so conciliating to ’em, and they think a heap o’ him. -Blamed but I wish the baby was here a minute till I kiss ’er ’fo’ I -go up to see General Baker. Don’t get scared now. They won’t hurt the -women, I reckon. It’s only them as votes an’ can manage a gun they’re -after. Take care yo’rself,” and he kissed her. - -“Oh, ain’t yo’ scarred to go, Doc?” sobbed she, clinging to him. “I -spex yo’re forced to by persuasion; but I’m feared they’ll put a bullet -into yo’, and maybe fifty.” Here she broke down entirely, and wept -aloud, sobbing, “Oh, don’t go, Doc! don’t go!” - -“But I’ve got a right to, to save the town. He’ll lay it in ashes. I -wouldn’t like to tell yo, all the way they’re talking, and making big -threats, and abusing us to everything yo’ can think.” - -“To my knowance they’re mighty bad; and I’m mighty glad Mann Harris -sent his wife off.” - -“Well, Debby, yo’ go and get the baby, and take good care of her. I -reckon you’d best tote her ovah to your mother’s ’cross the river. Some -on ’em might hurt her if they knowed she was mine.” - -They left the house together, and Doc locked the door, and put the key -in his pocket. - -“Oh, my lawses!” exclaimed Mrs. Doc. “Don’t yo’ go up thar, Doc! Jes -see such heaps o’ men! Jes lots and piles of ’em! _Now yo’ sha’n’t go!_” - -“No mo’ I won’t! They picks out all the hardest places for a man to go -to; but his soldiers ’d follow the General anywhere. There he is now. -_He_ ain’t gwoine to meet _me_. See! He knows I’m here well enough, but -he won’t look at me. Ah! He’s gwoine over to the city. P’raps he’ll -just clar out, now he’s got the rest agoing. There’s Kanrasp, and Rives -too.” - -General Rives and his two neighbors met General Baker at the next -corner. The latter was on horseback and rode up to General Rives and -demanded the name of the Colonel of the Eighteenth Regiment. - -“Colonel Williams,” was the reply. - -“Where is he?” - -“At his house, I reckon.” - -“I want him. I want those guns, and by——I’ve got to have them.” - -“General Baker, I don’t know what to do about them. I’ll go up and see -the Captain, and consult with him, and see if he says to give them up.” - -A moment later and he met Judge Kanrasp, who was earnestly urging the -colored men, women, and children who were huddled in knots upon the -street, to go home and remain quietly in their houses. - -“Kanrasp,” said Judge Rives, “It is no use for you to stay here and get -killed; and you will be killed if you stay,—a ‘carpet-bagger and a -radical,’ like you.” - -“That’s so,” added Marmor, and Doc, and Watta, who now joined the -group; and they hastily accompanied him down to the Rail Road platform -nearly opposite the armory, and urged him to flee, as one who would be -first attacked. Rapidly crossing the river, upon the Rail Road bridge, -the train, which arrived, in ten minutes took him homewards; too soon -for the accomplishment of his purpose to learn Gen. Baker’s mission to -the city. - -Never were the combative characteristics of the whites and colored -races in the Southern States more clearly exhibited than in the scenes -at Baconsville that day, though leading colored men, whose exceptional -energy, and perhaps assertion, had made them such, were necessarily -prominent. Not bravery, so much as skill in its exercise, constitutes -the white man a leader among his fellows. - -In general terms it may be said that timidity, with extremely rare acts -of rashness, characterizes the colored race, bravado and arbitrary -assumption, of the white and both are the victims of mutual suspicion -and distrust, which often _cause_ the dreaded ill. - -Gen. Baker was absent half an hour, and on his return a general -remounting took place, while over the hill at the back of the village, -came a large company of horsemen, all well armed. - -Down Main street they rode, two abreast, and were at once distributed -throughout the town; a squad upon each street corner, attended by an -equal number of infantry; all with weapons in hand ready for immediate -action. - -Look which way they would, the distracted freedmen saw armed men, and -re-enforcements constantly arriving from all directions. - -Darkness was approaching, and though the hills around were still -touched by the glow of the setting sun, its refracted rays seemed to -exaggerate the squalor, and magnify the deformities of the little town -in the valley; and, exalting the warlike preparations, to clothe them -with every imaginable horror; while the humidity of the evening air -intensified the sounds of blood-thirsty riot. - -Justice Marmor now closed and locked his office door, and began at this -tardy moment, to think of adopting Mrs. M’s advice. - -Stepping out of his own back door, he leaped the fence into his -neighbor’s yard, and, mounting his doorsteps, stood in a closely -latticed corner of a porch, and took observations. - -The square was surrounded by the Rifle-clubs,—the remnants -and second-growth of the cropped, but not uprooted Confederate -cavalry,—standing thick, two abreast, with guns resting upon each left -arm. - -In the vernacular of the South, Marmor was “a _scallawag_,” for, though -once a brave Confederate soldier, he had become a consistent advocate -of the idea that the “all men” who are “created free and equal” -includes the colored race; and probably no man in the devoted town -stood in greater danger than he. - -“Co im ’s house, Meester Marmor:——i’m ’s house quick!” said Dan -Lemfield, opening the back-door of his dwelling. You be mine neighbor, -and shall not be shot on mine dreshold. Co hide self! Co!” - -Marmor did not decline the invitation, but stepped quickly in, and -passing to the parlor in front, peeped from behind the window shades, -which Mrs. Lemfield had drawn closely down. - -At the opposite corner of the street, his most implacable enemy, the -eldest son of Col. Baker, sat upon his horse, with self-complacent -manner waiting the appearance of his prey, or the word of command from -the great General. He was supported by eight or ten other men, not less -vigilant. - -“Oh, Mr. Marmor!” besought Mrs. Lemfield, “do go up stairs, and keep -out of sight. They have threatened about you so much that some of them -will surely come in here, and kill you! Do go up, quick! quick!” - -Marmor obeyed, and immediately the host, who had been out, re-entered -with wild eyes and white lips. - -“Vo ish dat mon, Sarah?” - -She signed with her hand, in reply; at the same time saying, in an -indifferent tone, “Oh, he’s gone up, he is not here,” for their little -child had entered, and she feared it might betray their guest. - -The excited Jew (for Lemfield was a Jew) leaped up the stairs, calling -out as he ran, “Don’t shoot! It’s me—jist me. Oh, moine goot freund! -Vat vill dese men to? Shenneral Paker say he vill hab de guns, oder he -vill pekin to fire in von half hour. Colonel A. P., dat ole man you -seen sthrapping on dem pig bistols by’me Post Office, he tole me close -up mine par in’ leetle sthore. Vell, dey ish hab too much visky now; -so I mind quick, I tell you! He tole same ting yo’ mudda, an’ she pe -shut up.” - -“Where is she?” asked Marmor. - -“My golly! Se ist plucky ole voman. Se im leetle sthore—all ’lone by -self. She not come avay.” - -“Where are my wife and children?” - -“Im house—your house. Dat ish pest blace. Nicht wahr? Pest not pe mit -you.” - -“I don’t know,” replied Marmor, absently. - -“Oh, ya! Mon come here, mon sag, ‘Meester dare sure.’ Now co dis vay,” -and he led the way to a loft; “Here co om roof van dey get you. Hark! -Vat dat noise down stair ish?” - -The next instant Mrs. Marmor rushed into the chamber and threw her arms -about her husband’s neck in a paroxysm of weeping. - -He folded her to his breast, and commanding a calm and cheerful tone, -said, “Jane, Jane, don’t give way so. Why, I’m not afraid; I shall come -off all right, and nobody will hurt you or the children. Our people are -chivalrous, and won’t hurt a woman.” - -“Oh, you don’t know! you don’t know!” she sobbed. “Capt. Baker just -now told me, as I was coming to bid you good-bye,” (here her sobs -interrupted her speech) “he told me,” she resumed, “if I wanted to -save my children from getting killed, to go into the house and lock -the doors. And so I must go and save my poor babies. Duck got scared -and ran off and left me all alone,” and she placed her cold trembling -hands on either side of her husband’s face, and kissed him. Then -pressing them upon her heart, she descended the stairs, moaning aloud. - -“Great heavens! Am I a _man_?” exclaimed Marmor, “to let my wife go -like that, and I hiding to save my own life!” and he sprang to the -stairs to follow her. - -Quick as thought, the Jew placed himself before him, and held him back. - -“She be not cry for self; just for _you_. You co da, she cry more. Man -not touch her, noh leetle kinder. Yo’ co hide now, quick!” - -Five minutes later, the same Col. Baker, her husband’s enemy, rapped -loudly upon Mrs. Marmor’s door, with the loaded handle of his -riding-whip. - -Almost too much frightened to stand, she opened the door, and peeped -out. - -“You must take your children, and leave this house if you do not want -to be killed,” said the gallant Colonel. - -“Oh, where shall I go? What shall I do?” cried the distracted mother. - -“You must get out of here, and that is all I can tell you,” said he, -with an oath. “No use to lock your door—leave it open, I tell you, and -go!” - -Nearly all the colored people had, by this time, taken the advice of -Judge Kanrasp, or of their fears, and fled the streets. Like timid -conies, some sought the vain shelter of their homes, others that of the -neighboring cornfields or river-banks and bridges, and still others -fled to the surrounding country. - -Doc, Watta and Sems went across the street after Kanrasp left, taking -about thirty or forty men with them to the drill-room on the second -floor. - -About this time four colored men were seen to issue from an humble -dwelling, and, with heroic purpose as their only visible weapon, -they quietly made their way along the fortified streets. They were -frequently halted and their business demanded, when their uniform reply -was “To see Gen. Baker;” and the moral sublimity of their position -seemed to impress even the conscienceless rioters, for only verbal -abuse was hurled at them. - -Arm-in-arm walked Gen. Justice Rives and the Methodist preacher—Elder -Jackson—(visibly quaking within his spotless linen, and coat of snowy -whiteness). Behind this worthy pair came Springer, the chief man of -money and of business in the town, with Lem Picksley, a well-known, -peaceable, and long-time resident; the best educated and best-liked -citizen. - -At length they found the man they sought—armed, mounted and surrounded -by cavalry arranged in warlike attitude, who appeared to reverence him -as their chief. - -“Gen. Baker,” said Rives, “we have come to ask if there is _anything_ -we can do to make peace.” - -“Nothing will satisfy me but the surrender of the men and their guns.” - -“We have no authority to surrender them, as you very well know. -The men are not criminals convicted, and you have no warrant or -authority of law; and the men say their oaths to the State forbid -their surrendering the arms to you. If you can show any authority for -receiving them, that you have more than any other private citizen, they -will give them up at once; but they say they cannot otherwise, because, -if they should voluntarily yield them up to you or any other private -citizen, especially surrounded by such an armed body as this, without -authority of law—well, General, you’re a lawyer, and you know what the -law calls it. The law and their oath of office will not allow them.” - -“Rives,” replied this great chieftain, “you are the Major General of -the State Militia in this district, and can demand them.” - -“Not without cause, or order from my superior!” - -“By ——!” said the negro-catcher, Baker, who stood near, “you had -better do something, for there’s going to be —— to pay here, if those -officers and guns are not delivered up.” - -“I want to see the Colonel of this regiment. I want these officers and -these guns,” said Gen. Baker with great vehemence. - -Ned O’Bran, who had joined the four peace-makers, now slipped through -the crowd and back to the armory. - -“How does it look, Ned?” asked Lieut. Watta from a window above his -head. - -“It looks squally. Now, Watta, you men just bar the windows and doors, -and let nothing nor nobody in the world in there; and by this means -they will have nothing nor nobody in the world to fight, if they want -to fight, but themselves. There’s bound to be a fuss; for I heard Gen. -Baker say myself, that what he intended to do this evening won’t stop -till after the seventh of next November, and that is election day, you -know. So shut yourselves up, and keep still.” - -Watta closed the window, and Ned returned to the place of conference. - -A horse pushed against Springer’s companion, and he mildly laid his -hand upon the animal’s shoulder and said, addressing it, “Take care, -sir!” - -Quick as thought the rider’s whip cut a smart gash upon the dusky cheek. - -The chivalrous Gen. Baker, looking on, took out his own pocket -handkerchief, and wiped the perspiration from his own face, while -the unoffending mulatto wiped the blood from his; and Springer’s -unflinching eye arrested the hand of another of the General’s aids, as -he was about to send a bullet through his (Springer’s) brain. - -Neither the attack nor menace elicited rebuke nor notice from the -“high-toned” General, who disdainfully turned and rode away. - -“If we will box the guns up,” said Rives, following him, “and return -them to the Governor, will _that_ be satisfactory?” - -“—— the Governor! I am not here as the Governor of South Carolina, -nor his agent, but as General Baker!” - -“Well, we are sorry if there is nothing we can do to make peace, -General, but (turning to his companions) we must return without it, and -each do the best he can for himself.” - -“Here’s Ned O’Bran,” said Springer in an undertone, “Brother Jackson, -you had better go with him, for his house is outside of the picket -lines; and as you’re a member of the Legislature, you must look -out—they’ll be after you shor.” - -“I was just going down to the drill room to be safe myself,” said -O’Bran. “My family went on so that I am on my way back to the armory.” - -“You can’t get through this way. The pickets are everywhere. You had -best go home. It’s every man for himself, and the Lord for us all,” -said Springer, and the men separated. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -MEMORY AND EXPERIENCE. - - “Oh! the blessed hope of freedom how with joy and glad surprise, - For an instant throbs her bosom, for an instant beam her eyes! - - * * * * * - - Oh, my people! O my brothers! let us choose the righteous side.” -—WHITTIER’S VOICES OF FREEDOM. - -THE sun was sinking in the west, when the sound of Aunt Phoebe’s -dinner-horn was heard, followed by Uncle Jesse’s cheery response. - -Auntie was the model-housekeeper of the neighborhood, (not a high -compliment, some readers might think, could they see many of the homes -there, where the women spend most of their strength and time at field -labor), she having been raised a house-servant, and, by rare chance, -blessed with a mistress who gave her personal attention to the comfort -of her household. - -Auntie’s house boasted glazed windows, two rooms and a loft; and the -broad boards of her floors were so clean and white that her kitchen was -quite inviting as dining-room and sitting-room also. - -Her iron tea-kettle shone and steamed beside a small cherry back-log -upon the great hearth, which spread below the wide “Dutch-back” -chimney, while the hoe-cakes were “keeping” between a blue-edged -earthen plate, and a bright tin pan, upon a hot stone near by, and a -kettle of boiling corn, filled the room with its sweet aroma. - -The snowy cloth spread upon the table in the middle of the floor, was -set about with crockery almost antique,—the gift of “old Missus’” when -she “broke up,” because the great plantation was sold for taxes. - -During the war the Confederate and Union armies had swept over the -region in alternation, like swarms of locusts, taking every marketable -thing; Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation of Emancipation had freed every -“hand,” and, as the old lady had lost all her sons in the war, and all -her means to hire laborers, and would not lease to niggers, she folded -her hands and let her remaining possessions drift from her, and finally -died a pensioner upon her friends. - -Many a time had Aunt Phoebe’s childish hands washed these same cups and -plates, while her mother cooked for “the great house;” and as she now -brought an extra large plate, she paused, and with eyes fixed upon it, -a long stretch of years seemed to pass before her. - -“Make hay while the sun shines,” she spelled around the sunny picture -of hay-makers in the centre of the plate; and before her seemed to -arise the placid face of her poor mother; and again she heard her -say,—“Dat’s ’de way ’dey do at ‘de North, chile’. ’Taint ’de colored -folks as does all ’de work dar’. Oh Lord! oh Lord!” I was ’mos’ -free——thought I _was_ free shor’ ’dat time Missus tuck me ’not’h wid’ -her. Mighty nice gem’men tole’ me I war free;—I needn’t go back South -no ’mo’. So I jes walks off: but, oh laws! He didn’t know ’nuffin ’bout -’dem United States Marshal ’dey call ’em, I ’reckon; but may be ’dey -didn’t ’blong to no United States, nohow. Spex’ ’dey come from South -Caroline. ’Dey tole’ I ’jes got go ’long back wid Missus, or ’de whole -’dem United States ’sogers’d he afe’r me, shor; Wal, Wal, ’pears like -’day didn’t none of ’em know nohow; fo’ nother gem’men said ’dem United -States Marshals hadn’t got ’nuffin to do wid me, nohow, ’cause Missus’ -brung me ’long herself. I didn’t run away ’nohow, ’cause I neber was so -low as a runaway nigger. ’Pears like I didn’t know who ’t believe, an -so I came back ’long wid’ Missus to make shor’. - -“Po’re ole’ Lize, she lived nex’ do’ to Missus’ hotel. She used to set -by ’de pump in ’de back yard, evenings, and smoke and smoke. “Dar was -a young miss ’dar, used to come too, ’an talk ’wid us, ’an she tole’ -Lize war free, and I war’ free, ’cause we didn’t _runned away_ from -’de South. ’Reckon she war right, now; but I didn’t know, an’ she war’ -young.” Lize was ole an’ been sick aheap, an’ wan’t ’woth much. She -was ’gwoine to be sold in St. Loo, an’ all her chillun,—five chillun. -’_Dey_ sold right smart, but no body didn’t want Lize; but a bad man -said he’d give twenty dollah.” - -“Lize seen a mighty nice gem’man from de No’th da, an’ she got hold his -feet, an’ roared an’ cried till he bought her. - -“Wal, ’pears like he didn’t know what t’do wid her af’r all; hadn’t -got no wife, no nothin’ but lots o’ money. Well, shoo’ ’nuff’ dat bery -night he tuck mighty sick. Ole Lize nussed ’im night and day, six, -eight weeks or mo’, till he got well, Doctah said ’Dar’s de ole creatur -dat save yo’ life. It wa’nt me, nohow.’ Wal, Mars’ Sam war mighty -good den to ole Lize. He tuck ’er off No’th, and spex cause he hadn’t -got nothin’ nor no place, he coaxed ’er to stay wid ’is sistah. But, -laws! she wa’n’t like he. She’s cross, an’ scold ole Lize a heap, when -she’s crying ’bout her boys jes’ been sole ’way down t’ New Orleans, -’cause dey war so high spirited like, an’ Lize wa’n’t dar to keep ’im -quiet like. Lize wanted t’ go back to St. Loo, an’ see ’er girls. -Cross woman! She tole ole Lize all dat to make ’er fret; an’ Mars Sam -’ad writ dat, dat war why he didn’t wan’r Lize to come back, cause he -didn’t want ’er to fret. Poor soul! couldn’t write to Mars’ Sam. - -“Laws, I’s young an’ spry den, an’ wanted to be free _powerful bad_; -but de Laud he say, I mus’ stay right yere, an’ cook for Missus, a -slave all my life, maybe.” Fresh and clear as when first spoken, Aunt -Phebe seemed to hear these tales which once impressed her youthful mind. - -And then right between the hay-makers and Auntie’s eyes there came -another picture. She could see the great smoke rolling up over the -woods beyond the cotton field, and hear the cannon’s roar, and the -shells screeching and crashing through the trees, and see “old Missus” -wringing her hands and weeping, and praying the good Lord to spare -her four sons who were fighting in the confederate ranks; and all the -slaves were praying for the “Yankees,” while they exhausted every -means to soothe and comfort “old missus.” - -That same night, when the house servants were all in her cabin except -Lucy, who was “staying wid Missus,” Uncle Tim, the plantation preacher, -was repeating what scripture passages he could remember, there came a -loud rap on the closed door behind. - -“If yo’ de Laud o’ de Debbil,” said Uncle Tim, “in de name ob de Laud, -I tell yo’ come in,” and a Yankee soldier entered. - -There she could see him stand in the light of the “fat pine” which Tim -put on the fire—the “Lincom Soger”—repeating the Proclamation of -Emancipation. How plainly he stood out now! and the great light that -shone around him seemed almost to smite her blind as it did then. - -There was dear old granddaddy, with wrinkled hands that had toiled -without recompense for nearly a century, clasped tightly together. How -slowly and easily he slipped from his chair onto the floor! She thought -he was kneeling; but when she bent to help him, she heard his whisper, -“Free into glory! Free into glory! ’Tain’t no niggah _slave_ yo’ comin’ -fo’, Angel!” and his withered lips closed forever on earth, while his -“new song,” broke forth from lips of fadeless bloom, in a land where -love makes slavery impossible. - -And there she saw “Mammy”—the dear form swaying backwards and forwards -as she wept and moaned, “Oh, wicked, cruel man to cheat poor slaves! It -is too good for true! _too good for true!_” - -And then, before Aunt Phebe, opened the two deep graves where they -buried them side by side, father and daughter, grandfather and mother. -The tardy emancipation that had opened slavery’s dungeon had opened -also the pearly gates for the aged and the invalid. - -The big hot tears were rolling slowly down Auntie’s cheeks and -threatening a briny shower upon the hay-makers, when Uncle Jesse’s step -upon the threshold startled her, and the plate fell to the floor and -broke into a score of pieces. - -She dropped into a chair, threw her apron over her head, and wept aloud. - -“Wal! wal! wal!” said her husband, as he scraped the soil from his -shoes at the door, “crying that way about a broked up plate? Oh! it’s -one old Missus gave yo’,” he added, as he approached the fragments. - -As suddenly as her grief had seemed to come, she flung her apron from -her face, tossed up both her arms, and broke into a loud, clear strain; -laughing, clapping her hands, shrieking and stamping her feet: - - “Glory and honor, praise King Jesus! - “Glory and honor, praise de Lamb! - “Oh Jesus comin’ dis way - “Don’t let your chariot wheels delay! - “Jesus Christ comin’ in his own time; - “Take away de mudder leabe the baby behind.” - -“Oh you got that wrong,” said Uncle Jesse, who, with his two workmen -had joined lustily in the chorus. It’s “Take away the baby, leave the -mother behind.” - -“I sings it jes as I wants it,” replied his wife. “De Laud he tuck my -mudder, an’ he lef’ me behind.” - - “Give me grace fo’ to run dat race, - “Heaben shall be my hidin’-place; - “Wet or dry, I means to try - “To get up into heaben when I die. - “If yo’ get dar befo’ I do, - “Tell dem I am comin’ too. - “Glory and honor, praise &c. - - “God be callin,’ trumpet be soundin’; - “Don’t dat look like judgment day? - “De tombs be bustin’, de dead be risin’, - “De wheels ob time shall not be no mo. - “Glory and honor, praise, &c. - - “Chariot dartin’ to de new grabe-yard; - “Go down angels and veil wid de sun; - “Go down angels and veil wid the moon, - “Fo’ the wheels ob time shall not be no mo.” - “Glory and honor, praise, &c. - -“It’s de Debbil’s bad luck! fo’ I _seen_ dat plate gwoine down on de -flo’; but I sung to de Laud, an’ He’ll break de cha’m,” said Auntie, -with the evident satisfaction of one who has been at once shrewd and -dutiful. (It is thought an ill omen to see crockery fall, if it breaks.) - -“Auntie, I shall like mighty well to see dat chariot comin’, when I -sho’ de Laud is in it, said Brother Johnson,” the class leader, who -was one of the workmen, “but jes at dis pertickeler time I wants to be -gnawin’ one o’ dem cawn-cobs in dat skillet.” - -“A wicked an’ a glutton man de Laud He despise,” she retorted, as she -arose, and casting a reproving glance upon the offender proceeded to -“dish up” the repast. Meanwhile Brother Gibson struck up the following: - - “I lub my sistah, dat I do! - “Hope my sistah may lub me too: - “If yo’ get dar yo’ gwoine to sing an’ tell - “De fo’ arch-angels to tune de bell.” - -Supper was announced just as the sun reached the “hour mark” upon -the cabin floor, which had done duty as indicator of the time for -the evening meal for many months; and further musical exercises were -indefinitely postponed. - -The repast had not yet been disposed of when the voice of a man was -heard calling, “Whoop! whoop!” - -“That is Den Bardun,” said Uncle Jesse, as he sprung from the table to -the door. - -“Hello! What’s wanted?” he shouted in reply. - -“Man here from Baconsville wants help. Says they’re killing all the -colored people over there. Will you go?” - -“Come over; come over, and bring him along;” and Uncle Jesse hastened -back to the table to finish his meal while the twain should be pacing -the two hundred yards intervening between the two dwellings. - -They entered presently, both much excited, and the Baconsville man -bearing a double barreled shot-gun. - -“What is the matter?” asked the host, gulping down a half cup of -coffee and leaving the table to greet his guests. “I couldn’t hear half -you said.” - -“Ugh! Matter enough!” replied Den. “Tell him, Sterns.” - -“Why, the town of Baconsville is just running over of armed white -men—rifle-clubs, regular cavalry companies, and they’re going to kill -all the niggers, ravish the women, and burn the houses, and put all the -children to death!” - -“No! no! no!” cried Uncle Jesse. “Tell a man something he can believe -now! They won’t do no such thing as that. The white folks has got more -sense ’n that. They won’t do no such things, and I don’t believe it! -You are scart and excited.” - -“Just go and see then, Mr. Roome. If you don’t believe me, may be you -won’t believe your own eyes,” replied the man. - -“Well, Roome, come on! Let’s go and see for ourselves; for if it is -true, we ought to help,” said Brother Gibson. - -“No sir! You just wait, and keep inside the law!” said Jesse Roome, -after scratching his head thoughtfully a moment. “I believe in _law_, -and them that has kept inside the law is the ones that is coming out -ahead.” - -Sterns then gave a graphic description of the incidents, threats, and -indications in Baconsville, up to the close of the court-scene at about -half past four o’clock. - -Of course the whole group were intensely excited, and Aunt Phebe -listened, shrieked, and prayed by turns; but Uncle Jesse was still -firm in his first decision to keep inside the law.” - -“There’s been heaps of threats, I know, enough to make a man intimidate -of his shadow; but there’s a pile o’ bluster and brag in these old -aristocrats; just like a barking dog though, he’ll never bite.” - -“Heigh! but they be a biting _now_, sho,” said Sterns with a shrug. - -“And then our folks ha’n’t always done right,” Mr. Roome continued. -“It’s a new thing for us to make laws and be officers, and all that; -and some thinks ’cause they make the laws, that they needn’t keep ’em; -and some is mighty ambitious, and likes to pay off old scores through -the laws. Now that a’n’t right, and it can’t do no good, nohow. Some -laws has been made wrong, and some has been executed wrong, and it -a’n’t reasonable to suppose that a man that has been a slave all his -life, and ha’n’t had nothing to do ’bout no laws only to be lashed when -his master has a mind to, is going to rise right up and know everything -at once. And the masters that has been masters over us so long, I -suppose it’s mighty hard for them to stand the nigger majorities in -this State, and have the niggers that they used to have under them, -just like that dog now, making laws for them, and in the offices. -Well, now, we ought to think o’ these things, on both sides, and have -patience and do the best we can, and _keep inside the law_. If the -militia company and the white folks has got up a quarrel over there in -Baconsville, and either of them is going to breaking the laws—well, I -a’n’t going over there to join ’em in doing it! That is all.” - -“But it’s the white folks that is breaking the laws; and I’m surprised -that yo,’ Mr. Roome, a’n’t ready to help us against ’em. They’re all -there, mounted and armed, and officered; and they says they shall have -these men and their guns. The militia ha’n’t got guns enough there, and -not scarcely no ammunition; and they’re just going to be massacred!” - -“No! no!” replied Uncle Jesse, “that won’t be done. Them white folks -know we’ve got a Governor and courts.” - -“But there’s too many of ’em for the courts to stop ’em. There’s two or -three thousand, all armed, and some of ’em is the biggest men in the -State, the old aristocrats; and the Governor’s militia can’t do nothing -against these Rifle Clubs yo’ know, these old confederate soldiers that -served in the war. They’re all _them_, or the one’s they’ve trained up, -are officering now.” - -“I know, I know,” said Jesse, “but you know there’s the United States. -The United States won’t see us killed off that way.” - -“‘Cause the United States is _too fur off_ to see it; and when we’re -all killed, the United States can’t bring us alive again.” - -“Why didn’t they just let them two young fellows go through that -company in the first place on the 4th of July? It’s mighty provoking -to see the niggers celebrating the 4th with the same flag _they_ used -to brag so much about ’fore the wa’, (though they have hated it ever -since), and the State guns, and all! We’ve growed so big now, we can -afford to stoop down to such little fellows as they’ve got to being. -What’s the use o’ keeping up a quarrel when we’ve got to live together?” - -“Now, Jesse,” said Den Bardun, “we’ve been stooped mighty nigh double -all our lives, and our fathers and grandfathers before us, and some of -their backs is getting stiff. It’s well enough to make a bow, but some -folks don’t enjoy being rid over, and I reckon _yo’r one_.” - -“I can’t stay to hear yo’ talk, and if yo’ a’n’t men enough to go and -help yo’ neighbors when they is getting jist _slayed_, I’m gwine to -find some _men_ somewhar; and if ever yo’ wants help like us, to save -yo’ life and property, maybe yo’ll get it. I hope so,” and Sterns -hastened away. - -Uncle Jesse paced up and down the room for some moments, with his arms -folded and his chin upon his breast; while Den Bardun leaned against -the door-post, and watched alternately this neighbor and the chickens a -hen was endeavoring to call into a coop in which she was confined near -the door. - -“It _seems_ hard! It does seem hard!” said Roome, without raising his -eyes from the floor, “and it seems cruel like, I know it does. But it -is _right_! _I know it is right!_ and I feel it right in my breast,” -looking up with an assured manner, and striking his broad chest with -his palms. “Sit down, Den, sit down. What do you think about this -doings?” - -“I believe it’s a mighty hard affair, and I’m afraid it’s a big one; -and I don’t believe it’s all about the 4th of July scrape, either. It’s -more like the democratic party, and they’re playing off that it’s the -militia.” - -“What makes you think so, Dan?” - -“Well, Deacon Atwood, he says to me the other day, says he, “All the -officers of the Republican party has got to be killed out, shor;” and I -asked him what for?” - -“Was he talking of the colored officers or of all of ’em?” - -_White_ and _black_, making no exceptions. He says, “we’re going to -have this election, and the only way we can get it, will be to kill out -the leading men, and then the ignorant men will do right.” - -“Mr. Atwood came here the other day,” said Jesse, “I’d hired Mott -Erkrap, you know, to work for me, and he left me because I wouldn’t -give him 4th of July; and he wanted to come back, and I wouldn’t take -him back. The Deacon came concerning him, and he said then that the -Republican party, before long, was going to ketch the Devil, (Uncle -Jesse lowered his voice as if in awe of his Satanic Majesty.) Says he -“There’ll be worse than seventy-seven claps of thunder striking right -against them. Of course we was astonished at his speaking so rash and -’reverent right here in the yard. We was all very much astonished, me -and my wife, and Mott Erkrap, and a stranger from the city that came -with Mott, at his speaking so rash and ’revrent at what would happen to -the Republican party in short time.” - -“Hark!” exclaimed Aunt Phebe, raising her hands. “Oh, Lord! they be a -killing ’em!” - -The sound of small arms came unmistakably upon the evening air. - -“Oh, no! It takes more’n one bird to make a spring. It a’nt so strange -to hear a gun fire!” said Uncle Jesse; at the same time approaching the -door to listen. - -“But there’s another! and another! and heaps of ’em!” said she, -becoming almost frantic with excitement. - -“Good Lord! they be a fighting!” exclaimed both Dan and Jesse. - -Several of the nearer neighbors soon came running up, breathless and -alarmed, to ask what should be done. - -“What _is_ all we gwoine to do, Uncle Jesse?” asked a small coal-black -man, rushing up to the yard, gun in hand. “Don’t ye think we ought to -go down and help ’em!—!—! but it’s awful to hear them guns and stand -here with my good rifle in my hands doing nothin’;” and he strode back -and forth in front of the door where the group was standing, clasping -his trusty weapon to his breast. - -“You’d best remember the Lord in such a time as this, anyhow, and not -be swearing,” replied Roome. “The more goes there, the worse and the -bigger that fuss has got to be, and the more colored people will get -killed any how for the whites has got to beat. No, no, Penny you’d best -keep away if you don’t want to be killed.” - -“I wonder where Deacon Atwood is?” asked Den Bardum. - -“He a’n’t there, you may be shor. He’ll talk big, and put the rest up, -but keep safe hisself,” said Jesse. - -“How about that Sheriff’s office?” and Penny looked significantly at -both Jesse and Den. - -“That’s so,” said Den, “we three did promise to get him nominated -on the Republican ticket, didn’t we? He was mighty in love with our -Governor then.” - -“But the Governor won’t support this kind of doings,” said Roome. - -“Goodness gracious! Just hear the guns!” said Penny, “We’ll see fire -pretty soon. They’ll be burning houses, certain.” - -“I do hope this isn’t our folks begun this,” said Jesse. “I hope -they’ll keep inside the law, and then the United States can protect -us, and not let the white folks here kill us all off. But if our folks -begun this, the good Laud knows what will become of us all. If Deacon -Atwood goes in for this kind of thing, I’ll go back on _him_; for I -won’t stick to any body that violates the law. My motto is to punish -every man, white and black, that violates the law. It does seem mighty -hard to stand here, and hear them guns, and believe that somebody’s -getting killed; but I feel in my breast that it is the right thing to -do. Does any of you know who’s gone over from Bean Island?—any of the -neighbors?” - -“Of the white folks? or the colored?” - -“Either one.” - -“Dr. Ave, Joe Ennery, Coot Hogg, and Ramal Bardun, John Rammel, and -Robert Blending has gone; and Captain Black, and Williams, and I expect -the Payne boys.” - -“Do you _know_ that, Penny?” and Uncle Jesse bit his lips. - -“Yes, I met them near sundown, gallopping hard that way; or rather, I -didn’t meet the Payne boys.” - -“Hist! There comes the old man.” - -“Good evening Mr. Payne,” said the host, extending his right hand in a -cordial welcome, while with his left he made a sign behind his back, -commanding caution. - -This was clearly visible, though the sun’s light had entirely faded; -for the cabin door, near the outside of which they stood, was wide -open, and a fire of fat pine was filling the broad chimney’s throat -with a sheet of flame. - -“Old man Payne” was a small man, with a large head, quick, deep-set -gray eyes, under a broad brow which was crowned with snowy hair. - -He it was who had counselled discretion, moderation and honorable -dealing at the Club meeting at which Watson Atwood was initiated into -the mysteries of modern southern politics. - -A descendant of an honored southern family, he yet seemed from -infancy to have inherited many notions which were antagonistic to the -environments of his childhood, and which several seasons spent in New -England, in the early home of his mother, served to strengthen and -intensify. - -His wife, always fully Southern in ideas and sympathies, had reared -their children so, aided by their surroundings, while he had very -quietly cherished his own sentiments. - -A chair was brought, and he seated himself without speaking, sighed -heavily, folded his small nervous hands, and gazed away into the -darkness; and as volley followed volley, he shuddered, and wept. - -“Good God,” said he at length, “I had hoped this kind of thing was -over! Jesse, what do you know about this?” - -“Nothing,” was the prompt reply. “I know nothing; at least, I’ve just -_heard_ that there’s a fuss between the Militia company and the white -folks. Do you know who’s in it, Mr. Payne. Who begun it, I mean?” - -“I only know they say the officers would not go to court, but just -fortified themselves in the armory, and defied the law, and said they -were going to fight. Joe Morey says they’ve been making awful threats -lately, and so the Rifle clubs were called out to sustain General -Baker, who undertook to conduct the suit for Robert Baker and Gaston.” - -“Defied the law? How’s that, Mr. Payne?” - -“I don’t know Jesse, but that is what Joe Morey said.” - -“Is that all you know about it?” - -“Yes.” - -“Has any body gone over from here, from the Island, I mean?” - -“Yes, some on both sides, I guess.” - -“And what is the intentions of the white folks?” - -“I do not know, except that they intend to get some security that the -negroes shall give up their guns, and stop drilling. They say they -do not feel secure in their lives and property while the Militia is -drilling with arms in their hands.” - -“What has the colored people ever done? And why don’t they treat them -so well that they won’t be afraid of them? They’re State Militia.” - -“I know, I know that Jesse; but our boys will listen to nothing. I’m -afraid of the consequences, and do not want another war.” - -“A good many of ’em is pretty old “boys,”—old Confederate soldiers,” -said Roome, “and there can’t be much that is worse than this, judging -by the guns we hear. How do you know there’s any gone?” - -“They went by my store, and I tried to persuade them not to go.” - -“Who was they?” - -“I can not give names, Jesse.” - -“Did Hankins go, Mr. Payne?” - -“I cannot tell, Jesse; but I’m glad you are all here. If you stay here, -you will not be hurt. But I didn’t think till now,——some of them may -be straggling off here, and I had better go back to my store,” and the -old man walked sadly away. - -The night had set in, dark and moonless; and an hour’s brisk discharge -of small arms was followed, (after an interval of respite), by the -booming of cannon, which heightened the terror and direful forebodings -of the listeners. - -Uncle Jesse’s dwelling became a tabernacle to the Lord that night; for -from it arose the ceaseless voice of true prayer—“the soul’s sincere -desire,” through all those hours of darkness and terror, till just -ere the dawn of the Sabbath morning, his neighbors departed to their -several places of abode. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE SITUATION. - - “Peace fool! - I would have peace and quietness, but the fool will not.” - - SHAKESPERE. - - -UNCLE JESSE, as the reader is by this time aware, was a man of -influence among his neighbors, few of whom, of either race, were -capable of such just and comprehensive views of their political and -social relations. - -Little influenced by color prejudice (which is common to both races, -though from widely different causes and in various degrees, throughout -the United States), he possessed great reverence for law, as such; a -fact mainly due to a residence of several years among the law-abiding -people of that portion of the State of Ohio known as The Western -Reserve, at a period when his mind was peculiarity receptive. - -Born a slave in 1834, he seized the first opportunity offered by the -late war, to flee from bondage and learn to live like a man. - -Aunt Phebe preferred to wait with their two little children, her -invalid mother, and aged grandfather, for the coming of the “Yankees,” -which was confidently and hopefully expected. - -And so in 1867 Uncle Jesse returned and found her and their children -free, and thriving, in the same cabin in which he left them, though -the “big house” was vacant, and the plantation in new hands. - -At that time the Southern States were rife with utter lawlessness -and bitter animosities; and acts of malicious and cruel outrage were -frequent occurrences. - -From the first settlement of the State, society had been divided into -many and antagonistic classes, throughout which, however, prevailed an -universal and sycophantic _aping_, each class of that above it; while -the upper stratum sat in serene security of social distinction—fortune -or misfortune, personal respectability or degradation, culture or -ignorance, plethora or poverty, _all_ were forgotten or obscured in -the penumbra of that formidable and enigmatical word _birth_, untitled -though it must be. - -Now that the old landmarks had to some extent been swept away, there -followed a general and tumultuous scramble in the debris, each being -anxious to secure all that was possible, or failing, to resent the -affront of another’s success. - -Thus the worst elements and characteristics of every class were made -prominent. - -Families bred in opulence, and accustomed to claim the unpaid toil of -others as their rightful due, and to believe political leadership and -oligarchal control their birth-right, and who, like their ancestors -for generations, cherished contempt for all who worked for their -own subsistence, found extreme humiliation in laboring for their -own bread, and submitting to the legal restrictions imposed by the -general government, controlled as it was by those they had formerly -derided as the “mud-sills” of the North, even though those restrictions -were equitable and generous. In resentment of the equal citizenship -conferred upon their former chattled slaves, they committed, and -defended in each other, such outrages upon the persons and property of -the negroes and resident northern whites, as are not even admissable -between civilized enemies at open war. - -Not a few planters who formerly owned thousands of acres of land, -and from three to five thousand slaves, were, by the failure of -the Rebellion, for the success of which they had staked all their -possessions, as poor as the “cracker” families, which had formerly -“squatted” like caterpillars and locusts upon the skirts of their -plantations. They were even sometimes subjected to these as magistrates -and officials, as they often were to their former slaves. - -This haughty planter-race, having utterly failed in its last great -pretension in bitterness of spirit still cherished its disdain for -those it could not conquer, into which disdain the education of two -hundred and fifty years of _irresponsible ownership of laborers_ -has concentrated the egotism, the selfishness and the cruelty thus -engendered. - -The intelligence of this class was never commensurate with its wealth. -Schools were necessarily few in the South during the existence of -slavery, and family feuds and favoritisms notoriously controlled the -distribution of the honors of those that did exist, and social and -political distinction depended upon culture in no degree. Hence there -was little to spur the laggard, or to encourage and inspire genius, and -the actual ignorance, or at best, the superficial scholarship of “the -first families” was astounding. Since the war, poverty and aversion -to the North have materially lessened southern patronage of northern -schools, and under the “carpet-bag” administration the higher schools -of the State, and the common schools in country districts in which the -aggregate number of pupils did not warrant the opening of more than one -school, were accessible to colored students; a recognition of equality -which the whites would not tolerate; and so they consigned themselves -to ignorance. - -The class formerly known as “sand-hillers,” “crackers,” or “poor white -trash,” were lazy, filthy and ignorant, and frequently degraded below -the level of the slaves. These, with the class next above them in -the social scale—the “working people,” who owned few or no slaves, -and labored with their own hands on small farms, or as mechanics, -experienced a social promotion nearly equal to that of the slaves; as -emancipation, the ravages of war, and a more general distribution of -land, through confiscation and sales for delinquent taxes, broke up -the land monopoly and political retainership which had so long existed -to the opulence of the planters, and the semi-mendicity of the lower -classes. - -The confederate service had also given acceptable occupation and wages, -and even some inferior military titles to men who had formerly begged, -or stolen, or starved, rather than earn their bread by honest labor; -and such military glory, won in defence of “The Lost Cause,” could not -be utterly ignored in the contest for recognition of some sort. - -The class called “respectable people,” consisting of artists, merchants -and professional men, teachers, &c., whose title to recognition rested -upon wealth and culture, probably received the change with the most -equilibrity, while the freedmen had everything to gain, and nothing to -lose. - -The most ignorant of them well knew that it was to “de Yankees,” “de -Lincum sogers, de United States,” or “Mar’s Lincom,” that they were -indebted for emancipation. The raving of their masters against northern -abolitionists was, to them, quite sufficient evidence that somehow the -war had its origin, near or remote, in northern antagonism to slavery. - -History will never fail to record the good behavior of the freedmen of -the southern states of America, the causes of which were manifold. - -The experiences and legends of the slaveship, and centuries of -repetition of similar evidence, had taught the African that there were -other powers, stronger than brute force, which he could not command. - -Again, he was not self-liberated. The brother of his master had been -his deliverer (whatever may have been his motive), and gratitude, -the moral attraction of gravitation, is the strongest moral power in -the universe; which the All-Father well knew when He sent His Son to -suffer. - -This deliverer, this brother, believed in _law_, the invisibility -and incomprehensibility of which appealed to the superstition of the -emancipated slaves. This northern brother had struggled desperately -with the tyrant, poured out his treasure and shed his blood without -stint in the conflict; and having conquered, stood with weapons in -either hand, to command the peace in the name of this invisible -and incomprehensible _law_; while the religious, industrial, and -educational influences which he summoned from his northern home, coming -up while yet the atmosphere was tremulous with the sounds of expiring -conflict, brought food for hungry bodies, intellects and souls; healing -for lacerated spirits; and the vesture of a better civilization for the -nakedness of the black, and the mail-chafed form of the white. - -Women who pressed to the battle-front with a cup of water for the lips -of the dying, and a pillow for the wounded head that lay upon the -bloody sward, from hearts baptized to self-sacrifice, and pens lit with -the zeal of the Nazarene, sent white-winged, burning messages all over -the news-reading North; and while from thousands of homes there, brave -men came with flaunting flags, and beating drums, and booming cannons, -singing as they marched: - - “We are coming, Father Abr’am, - Three hundred thousand more,” - -and - - “We’ll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree.” - -(and voluntarily broke that pledge,) from out those same homes stole -a procession of women, not clandestinely, not timidly, but brave of -soul and strong of heart and inflexible of purpose, though without -ostentation. The bible and spelling-book were their only weapons, and -their song was of “the mercies of the Lord forever,” and their “trust -under the feathers of His wings!” “Neither the terror by night,” “the -arrow by day,” “the pestilence in darkness,” nor “destruction at noon,” -nor the “thousand falling on their right hand,” and on their left, -could make them afraid; “because they had made the Lord their strength, -even the Most High their refuge.” They went forth to “tread upon the -lion and the adder, the young lion and the dragon.” Scorn, insult, -slander, poverty, loneliness, sickness and death, they trampled under -their feet; for “through the work of the Lord were they made glad,” and -they “triumphed in the work of His hands.” - -Away on in the Elysian fields of heaven, when the cycles of eternity -shall have encircled the universe, and rolled back upon their track in -such repeated and intricate mazes as only the Infinite mind can trace, -they shall receive from the lips of the ransomed of all nations, “the -blessing of those once ready to perish”; and the blessed assurance that -the torch they lit in the freedman’s hut, lit a beacon that illumined -the world. - -If the South is saved to civilization, its chief human savior was “the -nigger school-teacher.” - -To these evidences of kindly interest on the part of the Northern -people, and the influence of, and confidence implied in the immediate -presence of feminine representatives of the best and most peaceable -element of the North, certainly not less is due than to the natural -timidity of the race, or their great faith in ultimate Divine -deliverance, which needed intelligent direction. - -Evidently the most difficult lesson, and yet that most needed by all -the former inhabitants of the southern states is _reverence for, trust -in, and submission to law_. The old habit of irresponsible authority, -of domination instead of true democracy—the idea that the sovereign -citizen may be superior to the law enacted by the popular will, is hard -to eradicate. - -Like the writhing beheaded serpent, which responds with slow-dying -malice to the glow of the sun that does not make night because its -green eyes are sightless, beheaded slaveocratic feudalism blindly -ejects its spite at inevitable oncoming civilization. - -Through the philanthropic movements which have been indicated, an -entirely new ingredient was injected among the heterogeneous elements -of southern society which were seeking a new basis, and a few -northern soldiers, enamored of the delicious climate and naturally -productive soil to which war and conquest had introduced them, and -from which slavery had formerly excluded them, brought their families -from Northern homes, or married daughters of this sunny land, and -became permanent residents. Then followed capitalists, allured by the -numerous apparently good investments the almost universal bankruptcy -afforded. - -With these came money, and such industry, enterprise, skill and public -spirit as was before unknown in that slavery-cursed land; and the -pecuniary results of which the Southerner can only account for by -supposed political corruption or downright stealing from the public -funds—the most familiar means. - -Still the formerly favored class, true to its arrogance, and not -ignored by those accustomed to worship at its shrine, ranks the -possessor of one of its patronymics, especially if garnished by -military title won or sustained in confederate service, among the most -enviable of men; for “The Lost Cause” is as dear to South Carolinians -as ever—an ideal worshiped all the more devoutly because of its -unreality, and with demonstration necessarily somewhat restrained. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE ATTACK. - - - “Shepherd—Name of mercy, when was this, boy? - - Clo.—Now, now; I have not winked since I saw these sights; the - men are not yet cold under water, nor the bear half dined on the - gentleman; he’s at it now. - - Shep.—I Would I had been by to have helped the old man! - - Clo.—I would you had been by the ship’s side, to have helped her; - there your charity would have lacked footing. - - * * * * * - - Shep.—This is fairy gold, boy, and ’twill prove so; up with it, keep - it close; home, home, the next way. * * * * - - Clo.—Go you the next way with your findings; I’ll go see if the bear - be gone from the gentleman, and how much he hath eaten; they are never - curst, but when they are hungry; if there be any of him left, I’ll - bury it.”—Winter’s Tale—Shakespeare. - -IMMEDIATELY after the interview of the four colored men with General -Baker, Rives hastened to the drill-room, where he soon found the -Captain of the militia company. - -“Doc,” said he, “Gen. Baker says if you do not give up the guns, he -will melt the ball down before ten o’clock to-night.” - -“Judge, just step this way,” and the Captain took him through a -communicating door into his own bedroom adjoining. - -“General,” said he, in a confidential tone, “yo’ are the Major General -of the militia of this Division, isn’t yo’?” - -“Yes.” - -“Now, here. I am willing to do this. I’ve sent for the Colonel, over -and over, three times, but he don’t come. Now, while I believe that, -under the law, I have no right to give up the guns to yo’ but yo’ being -the General of Militia, I will give yo’ these guns to keep, if yo’ will -take ’em and take my chances.” - -“I have no right to take those guns out of your hands,” replied Rives, -(too glad that it was so.) “The law does not give me any such right, -and I’m not going to demand them. You can do just as you please. I want -the thing to be settled, if possible, but I don’t demand the guns.” - -“Well,” said Captain Doc, “if yo’ don’t take ’em, I don’t intend to -give ’em up to General Baker.” - -“You do not say that you intend to fight?” - -“No, sir, I don’t say anything of the kind; but I don’t intend to give -up the guns to General Baker; but if yo’ will take ’em to relieve the -responsibility of blood being shed in town from me, I will give ’em to -yo’.” - -“No. I have no right to demand them. Yo’ must use your own discretion -about it,” replied Rives. - -“Well, if that is the way yo’ are going to leave me, I’m not going to -give ’em to General Baker.” - -Doc then hastily penned the following note and dispatched it: - -“Gen. Baker:—These guns are placed in my hands, and I am responsible -for them, and have no right to give them up to a private citizen; I -cannot surrender them to you.” - -Signed. - -A reply came. - -“I must have the guns in fifteen minutes.” - -“Well,” Doc coolly remarked, “then he’ll have to take ’em by force, and -I shall not be responsible.” - -He was in the armory with less than forty men, only twenty-five of -whom were members of the militia company; the others having fled there -unarmed, for protection. - -“Now boys,” said he, “we may as well settle down to work, for we are in -for it, shor. Yo’ keep away from them windows, for any of ’em will be -firing in here. I’ll go on top of the roof, and see what they’re doing.” - -So saying he ascended through a scuttle, and took observations - -General Baker was riding hither and thither, assisted by his aid, the -Colonel of the same name. As he waved his gloved hand, and indicated -their positions, the men immediately assumed them. - -First, twenty-five or thirty men were stationed in front of the armory. -The building, as has already been stated, stood facing the river, and -the broad street before it was not less than one hundred and fifty feet -in width. - -Next, behind an abutment of one of the railroad bridges fifteen or -twenty more were placed, and still further down the stream thirty or -forty more. A continuous double line of cavalry encircled the entire -square, while up the river’s bank, near and above the scene of the -encounter of the young men and the militia company on the 4th, stood -some hundreds more in reserve. - -With all the consequential airs of an officer who knows himself for a -great General about to win for his already honor-burdened brow fresh -wreaths that shall be amaranthine General Baker proceeded to place -squads of men here and there, on the corners of the streets and in -other commanding positions, clear across the sub-level half-mile from -the river to the hills, and even upon its slope, till all the streets -were thoroughly picketed and guarded, and escape made presumably -impossible. Seeing all this Captain Doc descended to his men, and -distributed them between the windows, and in the front corners of the -room, under protection of the walls. - -“Jes, see ’dem five men’s settin’ on deir hosses, ovah ’dar on de -rivah-bank!” said corporal Free, rising upon his knees from his -crouching position below one of the high windows, and peeping out. -“Cap’n, I don’t like de looks of tings out dar!” - -“Well, then, don’t look out, but make yor’self easy, and stay right -where I put yo’.” - -“That’s jest what we’re bound to do, Cap’n; we’ll make ourselves easy -and peaceable.” - -“Dare comes Gen’l Baker from down street, on hossback, an’ he an’t -more’n fifteen yards from ’dis building! Now he’s motioned his hand to -dem five mens, an’ dey done rode right off down towards de road bridge! -Oh, laws! I seed a mighty big crowd o’ Georgia white men coming up de -street, wid guns in deir hands;” and he hurriedly crouched down to his -former position, little knowing that the city police, stationed at the -bridge in extra numbers, allowed no colored people to pass. - -“Harry Gaston and a posse is running all the women and children out of -the streets, that was looking over this way!” said another militia man, -who stood peeping out at the side of another window. “Boys, it do look -like thar’ was gwoine to be a fight here, shor!” - -“The Intendant asked for time to get the women and children out o’ -town, an’ General Baker said he’d give ‘half an hour,’” said another. - -“_Onus fifteen minutes_, it was,” roared Mansan Handle, “Onus fifteen -minutes to get ’em all out, an’ he swore about _that_. I’m glad _my_ -woman’s gone.” - -The sound of rapping at the door below was heard, and a voice called: - -“Doc, Captain Doc!” - -“Don’t none o’ yo’ go near the windows, but just yo’ keep still where -yo’ be,” said the Captain, who then threw up a sash, and looking down, -asked what was wanted. - -“You see, Captain, that General Baker has all his men ready to attack -you, but he gives you one more chance. The fifteen minutes are up, and -he sent me to ask if you are going to surrender, and give the guns up?” - -“I can’t give them up to him. I don’t desire no fuss, and we’ve got -out of the street into our hall for the safety of our lives, and there -we’re going to remain; but we are not going to give up the guns to -anybody without authority to take ’em.” - -The messenger galloped back to his chief. - -It was a time of too intense feeling for speech, in that hall. A brief -moment of suspense, and the sound of hoofs was heard, and the horsemen -who had been stationed in front of the building removed to a street in -the rear. - -Then down by the river-bank came a flash, a quick, sharp report, and a -small column of smoke rose straight up into the air. It was a signal -gun, and quickly followed by a volley from the men stationed behind the -abutment of the railroad bridge. - -“Crash! crash! crash!” came the bullets like hail through the glass -windows, for the strong shutters had not been closed; the little band -preferring exposure to suffocation and ignorance of the enemies’ -maneuvers. - -As the colored men had less than five rounds of cartridges, they -reserved their fire twenty or thirty minutes. Then Captain Doc gave the -order. The discipline of the men was excellent, and their small supply -was eked out by irregular and infrequent discharges. - -“Good Laud!” exclaimed several at once, after firing a light volley. - -A young man down by the abutment was seen to throw up his arms and fall. - -“That was Merry Walter,” said one of the men. - -“Was it?” asked Doc. “He’s gone at his work hind side before. Not -more’n two hours or so ago, he said, “We’re gwoine to kill all the -colored men in Baconsville to-day, and then we’ll take the women and -children, and then I’m going to kill all that are against me.” That’s -just the words he said.” - -“Oh!” was the general exclamation. - -“_That’s just awful!_” said Friend Robins. “But he’s gone to meet it. -I a’n’t prepared to die myself, but I shouldn’t like to meet the Laud -right after saying such a thing as that.” - -“We may all have to meet Him ’fo’ dis job is done,” said another. - -The attack commenced about six o’clock, and soon every pane of glass -in the numerous windows was strewed in fragments upon the floor, yet -not one of the men was injured, and Merry Walter was the only white man -harmed during the whole affray except one slightly wounded by a comrade. - -Night was coming on apace, calm, but moonless; and Captain Doc went -upon the roof again to take observations. Several of his men were -already there, though each unaware of the presence of the others, on -account of the peculiar construction of the roof. - -Doc there discovered that the attacking party was gradually closing -up towards the armory, and he immediately descended again. He found -the men still talking, and seeming to have become accustomed to the -straggling shots that occasionally visited them. - -“I think if I _is_ to go, I’d send some of ’em ahead o’ me if I had a -gun,” said Pompey Conner, “but I don’t mean to go if I can help it.” - -“Yo’re mighty quiet, Watta,” said Doc. - -“What’s the use of talking? Better be shooting. It’s a pity we cannot -clear out all that vermin.” (With a gesture of disgust.) - -Half an hour more of irregular firing against the brisk one from -outside, (where the enemy continued to approach,) and a voice was heard -there: “William McFadden, go across the river and bring two kegs of -powder, and we’ll blow this building up.” - -“Bring me some long arms, too—two cannon—I can’t drive these niggers -out with small arms.” - -Only Captain Doc caught the order fully, but he recognized the voices -respectively of Colonel Pickens (probably a descendant of a valiant -Colonel Pickens, who, in the early days of the State’s history, drove -a large party of Indians from their homes. They took refuge in a -deserted house near Little River in the present County of Abbeville, -near Aiken, Pickens _burned them there_. They died without a murmur; -the few who attempted to escape were driven back or shot by the -surrounding riflemen. The next day Captain William Black, in going from -Miller’s Block-house, on the Savannah River, heard a chain rattling -near the ruins. He paused, and found a white neighbor baiting his -wolf trap with a piece of one of the dead Indians.” _History of the -Upper Counties of South Carolina_ by J. H. LOGAN, A. M. pp 67-68), -Baker and the gallant General, and sprung upon the roof again, but -soon hastened down, and quietly slipped from the hall down the stairs -of his private apartments, and so out upon the street. Aided by the -darkness and his own dark skin, and some confusion just commencing in -the hitherto orderly ranks of the enemy, he soon found the weakest -point in the surrounding force. Re-entering the hall with hammer, -saw and nails from his own ample supply, he tore down boards from a -rough partition there, and constructed a rude ladder. This he fastened -securely to the sill of one of the rear windows of the hall. By this -time the men had become thoroughly alarmed; and, but for the strong -controlling influence of their Captain, a panic must have occurred. In -his immediate presence, however, they were yet controllable. - -“Here, Lieutenant Watta, yo’ go down first, and receive the men; and -all yo’ men follow him. Not too fast, now! Some of us will keep firing -once and awhile, and so make them think we are here yet. I’ll go last, -but yo’ receive the men, and keep them till I come. I know just where -we’ve got to make a break, and I’ll get yo’ all off if yo’ keep cool, -and not get excited; though yo’ll have to fight right smart to get out -even the best way, for we are surrounded.” - -This was attempted, but when the brave Captain left the dark, deserted -hall, and reached the ground, he found but fourteen of the men there. - -“Where is Lieutenant Watta?” he inquired. “He’s got excited and gone -off, and controlled off the best part of the Company. He wanted to take -us along too.” - -“Well, men, we are surrounded, and I think there is over three thousand -men here in Baconsville, and there is more coming over from the city -all the time. The lower part of Market street is completely blocked up -with ’em for two hundred yards; looks like as thick as they can stand; -and in Mercer street it’s the same, and in Main street the same. But -right in front of the building there isn’t so many; and if yo’re ready -to fight pretty sharp and mind orders, I’ll get yo’ out safe, maybe. - -“We’d best go up to Marmor’s office, and out that way. They won’t -expect us to go up street towards old man Baker’s; they’ll expect us to -go towards the city bridge, or to Sharp’s hill.” - -While the crowd was intent upon the arrival, placing, and firing off -the cannon, the fifteen men reached the street. - -“Here they come! Here they come!” shouted the mob, as the men sought to -cross Main street. - -The numbers against them were, of course, overwhelming; but the colored -men were fighting for life, and the darkness and their dark skins were -to their advantage. - -They dodged, or hid, or ran, or stood and fought bravely, as either -best served them; till, after two or three hours of such effort, they -were all safe together out of the town, in a strip of thick bushes -which bordered “a branch” (a small tributary of the river), in one -of Robert Baker’s fields. Only one was wounded, and be not disabled. -Here all sat down to rest and give thanks for deliverance. But the -brave Captain was troubled about the Lieutenant and the men he had -“controlled off.” He was sure they would “get squandered;” and that if -they did, they would be killed. - -So, leaving his comrades with many injunctions to remain there -quietly, where no one would expect them to take refuge, he returned, -and through numerous hair-breadth escapes, at length reached the -besieged square. - -The most of the houses there, as is quite common in the South, stood -upon wooden spiles, or short brick pillars, for coolness and less -miasma. - -Imagination is active and potent in the Southerner, and his contempt -and resentment towards a “nigger” that dares thwart the will of a -white, feed his courage best when the dark skin is visible. - -So there stood the brave Southerners encircling that devoted block, and -firing into it at random, no one having yet attempted search under the -houses where the negroes would be the most likely to secrete themselves. - -But Captain Doc, escaping the bullets, called in subdued tones under -several of the dwellings, and received two or three responses. - -“Yo’ll get ketched here, bye-and-bye,” said he, “shor as the worl. Yo’ -come along, an’ I’ll get yo’ in a better place.” - -With the end of his gun he knocked a few bricks from the walled -underpinning of a building that was nearer the ground than the others. - -“Crawl in, an’ I’ll brick yo’ up.” - -They obeyed with alacrity, and he replaced the bricks and went in -search of other parties. - -Looking out from a little cornfield, he saw one of the men whom he -sought, run across an adjacent garden, and called to him. - -The fugitive was the Town Marshal, or chief of police. Bewildered by -fight, or not recognizing the voice, the man ran on and leaped the -fence into Mercer street. The moon had now arisen, and shone very -brightly. - -“We’ve got you now!” shouted Harry Gaston, with a terrible oath; and -with several of his comrades immediately surrounded Carr. - -“We’ve got you now! You’ve been Town Marshal long enough. Going around -here and arresting white men; but you won’t arrest any more after -to-night.” - -“Mr. Gaston,” said the Marshal with the assured voice and manner of an -innocent man. “Gaston, I know yo’, and will ask yo’ to save my life. I -havn’t done anything to yo’. I have only done my duty as Town Marshal.” - -“Y-e-s,” replied Gaston with a sneer. “Your knowing me a’n’t nothing. -I don’t care nothing about your marshalship. I ha’n’t forgot that five -dollars you made me pay for dipping my head in Ben’s Spring, and I’ll -have satisfaction to-night, for we’re going to kill you;” and the six -men all fired upon the unarmed Marshal at once. - -“Oh Lord! Oh Lord!” cried the unfortunate man. - -“You call on the Lord, you —— ——?” said they. - -“Oh Lord! Oh Lord!” rang out loud and clear upon the midnight air, and -as he uttered the words a second time they fired again, and he fell. - -While his flesh still quivered, southern chivalry proceeded to draw -a pair of genteel boots from his feet, and a valuable watch from his -pocket; and then left him with the stars gazing into his dead face, -and the witnessing angels noting testimony for the inquest of a just -heaven. - -Captain Doc had climbed upon a timber of the railroad trestle, and was -looking through the tassels of corn which grew around him and made a -friendly shade. - -“By ——!” said one of the ruffians, “I reckon some of us had better go -over in that cornfield. There’s good hunting thar, I reckon.” - -Stealthily Capt. Doc now crept between the corn-stalks diagonally to -the left, till he reached and entered Marmor’s printing office, which -was, like the Justice’s office, connected with his dwelling. Here he -remained an hour or more, supposing himself to be alone, and listened -to the sounds of violence without, and of many men coming over the long -bridge from the city, whooping and yelling like demons. - -Then came blows upon the front door of the office, threatening its -destruction, and our Captain made his exit through the one at the rear. - -When Lieut. Watta had “controlled off” more than half the men who -escaped from the armory, he took them right into the teeth of the -enemy. At once the little squad was scattered in every direction, in -their own expressive dialect, “squandered;” but most of them soon -rendezvoused in Marmor’s printing office, entering at the back door, as -Doc and his men had done. - -“Boys, let’s run out. They’ll ketch us here, shor,” suggested one of -the party, and opened the front door, but quickly and noiselessly -closed it again, as the foe were numerous there. - -“If you go that way, you’ll get killed,” said the Lieutenant; and all -immediately ran out at the back door, and secreted themselves in the -yards and under the houses; all but Corporal Free, who crept under a -counter in the office. - -When the door was eventually broken in, and the mob proceeded to -demolish the machinery and whatever else they could find, a fragment -struck the wall, and, rebounding, threatened the concealed head of the -Corporal, who dodged, and thus revealed his presence. - -“Hello! There’s a great nigger poking his head out,” exclaimed the -rioters. - -“I surrender! I surrender,” cried the poor fellow, as they dragged him -out. “Where is Gen. Baker? Where is Gen. Baker?” - -“Who is this?” asked one of the white men, pausing in his work of -demolition, and approaching where the light of their lantern fell upon -the face of their captive. - -“Why it’s John Free. Don’t yo’ know me?—de man dat libed neighbor to -yo’, Tom Sutter, for a year or mo’?” replied the prisoner. “I’m John -Free, John Free. _Yo’_ know I’m a honest man as don’t do nobody no -harm. I wants to see Gen. Baker.” - -“—— —— you!” said the white man Tom Sutter, looking down into the -dark face, “you’re one of Capt. Doc’s militia-men, first corporal. -We’ll fix _you_ to-night.” - -“Oh, please send Gen. Baker to me if yo’ please. He is a high-toned -gem’man, I’ve heard ’em say, and he won’t let any of his men hurt a -prisoner dat surrenders. I tell yo’ I surrender! I surrender!” - -“You go to ——! We’re going to fix you pretty soon;” and beating him -with their guns, they dragged him out at the front door, and down Main -and Market streets, to a place where fifty or sixty ruffians (“the good -people of South Carolina”) stood shoulder to shoulder in a circle, and -backed by a crowd of hundreds, were guarding thirty or forty other -unarmed captives. - -A demoniac howl of delight arose from the drunken, blood-thirsty throng -on his approach; and as each victim arrived, the “high-toned gentleman” -and “chivalrous General and his aids applauded their subordinates -with—“Good! boys, good! (with oaths). Turn your hounds loose, and -bring the last nigger in! Can’t you find that—Capt. Doc?” - -There Corporal Free found his first and second lieutenants, and with -them and the others he was compelled to sit down in the dust of the -street. - -While Capt. Doc stood at the back of Marmor’s office, undecided which -way to flee, and hearing the work of destruction and the pleadings of -the captured man within, he looked across the gardens to his own house, -and saw it all alight, and men there breaking furniture, pictures and -mirrors dashing upon the floor, and destroying beds and clothing. They -had also commenced to scour the entire square for their prey. - -He leaped a fence which separated Marmor’s back yard from his garden, -and as he did so a gruff voice called “Halt!” - -At the same instant the old time slave-hunter Baker, rushed from Dan -Lemfield’s back door, pistol in hand, and fired. - -“—— —— him! I’ve got him!” said the gray-haired sinner, as he -stooped to examine what had a moment before been the habitation of -an immortal soul, now fled for protection to the High Court of the -Universe. - -Urged by his host, the old man re-entered the house, repeating as -a sweet morsel to his tongue, “I’ve got him! I’ve got him!” though -ignorant what “nigger” he had got. - -_But had he?_ - -“Fear not them which can kill the body, and after that have no more -that they can do.” - -Our Captain now crept softly through the little cornfield which -occupied the centre of the square, diagonally, to the extreme corner; -to the dwelling and office of the Postmaster, and made his way to a -second-story verandah which extended the entire length and breadth of -the two rear sides of the edifice. This verandah was thickly latticed, -but a few strips were broken off, high up on the end next Market street. - -There he stood, looking down upon “the dead-ring” we have already -described, till day lit the east. - -Mann Harris was a large, black man—a porter in a store in the city -opposite, and he sat among the other prisoners in the dust of the -street almost beneath Doc’s feet. - -Having conveyed his invalid wife to a place of safety, he had returned -to protect his property. He sauntered about the streets, watching the -current of events while that remained safe, and then retired to his own -dwelling, probably supposing that “every man’s house is his castle,” -and he would there be at once beyond the reach of attack, and the -temptation to resentment. Peeping down from a second-story window (for -he closed the house to give it the appearance of being deserted), he -saw ‘old man Baker’ and his son Hanson standing at the corner of his -house, pistols in hands. - -His inoffensive neighbor Pincksney approached, and was about to pass. - -“Where are you going?” demanded Baker. - -“I’m going to the drill-room.” - -“You can’t go.” - -A brief parley resulted in a repetition of the prohibition, “I tell -you, you can’t go, and you may as well go back!” emphasized with an -oath. - -“All right,” and the colored man walked back. Soon another attempted to -pass on the opposite side of the way. - -“Where are you going?” shouted Baker. - -“Going about my business!” - -(A fearful oath). “You’d better go back, or I’ll shoot you!” - -The young man retreated precipitately, and hid in a back yard. - -Soon after this the attack opened, and Mann Harris sat in a back room -of his home, listening to the terrible sounds for hours; or with unshod -feet crept across the floor lest a footfall might be heard by some -lurking foe, and watched the flashing of guns from the windows of the -armory. - -Then followed the booming of cannon. “Good God!” he exclaimed, “we is -all done killed! They will shoot down every house in the town! But I’ll -have to take it as it comes.” - -He heard the shout, “Here they come! Here they come!” and heard Baker -and his friends fire upon the negroes as they crossed the street, and -Doc’s men fire in return. - -Four times after this the cannon shook the windows, as it belched forth -its canister, and sent terror through the town and surrounding country. - -The sound of small arms continued in various parts of the village, -while the debauched desperadoes sought their victims in their -hiding-places. - -Then the familiar stentorian voice of John Carr, crying, “Oh Lord! Oh -Lord!” and the succeeding volley which silenced it, struck terror into -the poor man’s soul, and he fell upon his knees alone in the darkened -room, and with forehead upon the floor, and trembling in every limb, -he whispered, “God Almighty, I’m an awful bad man! I a’n’t prepared to -die. Oh, save me, Jesus Christ!” - -The discharge of firearms nearly ceased, at length, but was succeeded -by loud shouts and sounds of violence and cursing, the shrieks of -women, and the cries of little children, and the alarm of fire—for -the ruffians dragged the helpless innocents from their houses, some -of which they set on fire, in their zeal to arrest every ‘nigger’ and -‘radical.’ - -Harris’ house, and that of General Rives, joined and communicated by -folding doors: indeed, were only different apartments of the same -dwelling. - -The sound of numerous heavy feet was soon heard upon the porch. A blow, -and Rives’ door flew open. - -The occupants had fled, but the shouts and oaths, the heavy blows, and -cracking furniture, and crashing crockery and glass, told that “the -white-livered Judge” was no exception when Republicans must suffer. - -“Oh laws!” said Harris, mentally, “from the sound of that smashing up -of things and going on, I feel pretty bad myself! Though they has done -all the shooting niggers in the street, the next turn will be mine, -shor!” - -He stood in the hall, ready for exit through the front door, and when -he heard the butts of their guns strike upon the folding doors which he -had secured the best he could, he walked out upon the porch. - -Ten or twelve blood-thirsty men stood at the foot of the steps, and -vociferated. - -“Come down, you —— big nigger! come down!” - -“I ha’n’t done nothing,” said Harris. - -“No, none of you ha’n’t done nothing,” was the response, while as many -as could, laid hold upon him, and speedily, though not tenderly, -conducted him to the “dead-ring.” - -“Let me stand up,” said he, attempting to rise from the dust where they -had seated him. “A man can’t see outside at all,—can’t see among the -white folks at all.” - -“You sit down there, you great big nigger!” said little Gaston, -sticking him with a gun; and Mann Harris sat down. - -The next moment, with a great shout and halloa, Lieutenant Watta was -brought, and compelled to sit down close beside Harris. - -“Good! good! boys,” shouted the great General. “But can’t you get that -Captain? I want that Captain, now.” - -“What sort of a looking man is he?” - -“Oh, he’s a saucy-looking fellow, and has side whiskers and a -moustache.” - -“I’ll write it down,” said one producing a pencil. Failing to find -paper in any of his pockets, he turned towards the moonlight, and wrote -it upon his shirt cuffs. - -“Halloa Tom, let me have your pencil while I write it upon my -shirt-front,” said another. “The starch makes it as good as paper. -We’ll catch him before long now.” - -Little did they think he was just above their heads, watching their -writing. - -Watta’s white blood, which had boiled and seethed all day and in the -early evening, had spent its fury, and the gentler nature of the man -had assumed control. - -“Oh, they’ve fotched _you_, Watta,” said Harris, really more alarmed -for him than for himself. - -“Mann,” said Watta in a low tone, “what do you think of this?” - -“I don’t know what to think of it.” - -“Do you think they will kill any of us?” - -“Yes I do, just so.” - -“Do you think they will kill me?” - -“I do Watta; that I do: and all you have got to do is to pray God to -save your soul.” - -“Oh, my poor wife and children!” cried the poor man, softly, folding -bis long thin hands across his knees and dropped his head in the -anguish of despair. - -“Just give up your wife and children, and every thing else, and be -prepared to die,” said Harris, “for they are going to kill you. There’s -been so many envious niggers telling lies on you, and the white folks -is ‘allus’ ready to believe ’em; and they have been making such threats -about you, and I’m satisfied they’ll kill you.” - -Watta bent his head lower, and the tears fell fast. - -“That you?” asked Harris of another. - -“Yes, I was hid under my own house, an’ ’dey was gwo’ine to shoot me -dar, an’ I tole ’em I surrendered, ’an ’dey brung me heah.” - -“And Dan Pipsie! you here too?” exclaimed the inquisitive Harris. - -“Yes, me and Eck Morgan was on top o’ de drill-room, along wid Sam -Henry and tree or fo’ more of ’em. We went out de back way when de -cannon come, an’ we jumped Marmor’s fence, an’ went up onto his shed, -an’ got into a back window.” - -“Was Marmor there?” - -“No, nobody wasn’t ’dar; only jes de white men come ’dar an’ broke -open de house, an’ de out-houses, an’ dry goods boxes; an’ we could -see ’em looking to see if dar war any niggahs’ dar. Den’ dey come into -de house, an’ broke eb’ry ting up, an’ carried off eb’ry ting; and den -dey just broke open de do’ whar’ we war; an’ Ben Grassy, an’ George -Wellman, ’dey jumped out o’ de window we got in at, an’ I don’t know -war’ dey got to; but de men dey just kotched us, and fotched us heah.” - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -A MASSACRE. - - “Slaying is the word, - It is a deed in fashion.” - - JULIUS CÆSAR. - - -THE “dead-ring,” as has been said, was on Market street, and quite -near the Post Master’s residence, which occupied the corner and stood -flush with both Market and Cook streets. Captain Doc stood in the upper -verandah, almost over the heads of the crowd surrounding “the ring,” -and looked down upon them. - -“It is about time we began the killing,” said one of the crowd, “We’ve -been hunting and capturing long enough. Now who shall be killed?” - -“Kill ’em all, of cose,” replied one of his fellows. - -“We’d better find out what Gen. Baker says,” said a third. “We’ll go -round to Dunn’s store, and see what he says. Whatever he says, I say -it’ll be right.” - -“If yo’ say _dat_, yo’ won’t kill any of us,” said Corporal Free; -“fo’ Gen. Baker is too high toned a gem’man to allow a man dat has -surrendered, to be killed. He’s a gem’man from one of de first families -of de State.” - -“You shut up your mouth,” said one of the chivalry, as he threw a -handful of dirt into Free’s face. - -“Now, I tell you what,” said another speaker, fingering a huge pistol; -“all get on this side of these —— niggers, and we’ll just fire into -’em.” - -At that moment a cheer arose, and hats of all descriptions were swung -wildly in the air. - -“Hurrah! Here comes our chief!” shouted the mob, and made room for -horse and rider to approach the ring, though the single solid circle of -armed men remained unbroken. The poor fellows upon the ground raised -their heads, and cried out each for his life, “Oh, Gen. Baker!” “Oh, -Gen. Baker!” “You will save me!” “You will save my life,” “Gen. Baker, -I surrendered right off, I did,” “I han’t done nothing,” “I’m just a -honest, hard-working man.” “Don’t let ’em kill me, Gen. Baker!” “Yo’ -will set _me_ free, General Bakah, I’m sho fo’ yo’s a gemman!” and -beseeching hands were uplifted, and dark faces upturned in earnest -pleading for the protection they felt sure “a high-toned gentleman,” -and “chivalrous chieftain” would give. - -“Is William Daws here in this ring?” asked the General. - -“Yes sah,” was the prompt and confident reply. - -“You’re the black rascal that burned my house down,” and with a vile -epithet this personification of southern magnanimity rode away. - -“Ah! Ah!” groaned the crowd, in derision of the misplaced confidence of -the negroes. - -“There’s Alden Watta,” said a mocking voice. “You’re a _magistrate_, I -suppose! You’re a —— nice looking magistrate!” and he scooped up a -handful of soil and threw it into the back of Watta’s neck, as his head -hung down. “There’s a baptism for you.” - -Watta did not heed it. - -“Boys, we’d better go to work, and kill what niggers we’ve got; what’s -the use o’ waiting? We shan’t be able to find Capt. Doc,” said a new -speaker. - -“We’ve had our orders from Gen. Baker, so far, and we’d better get -orders from him now,” said another, who was possibly more merciful. - -“If we don’t kill all, they’ll give testimony against us, some day to -come,” said the first speaker. - -“That’s so,” said a third. “Gen. Baker has got us here, and we ketched -the men as he told us, and I think we’ve got something to say now.” - -“No, gentlemen,” said a fourth, “just pick out the Republican leaders -and kill them, and let the rest go. They’re all Republicans, I know, -but they a’n’t all leaders; and some of these boys didn’t never hurt -nobody. Some of ’em is good fellows!” - -“A—h! that a’n’t worth a cent! We’ve come out here to have some fun, -and now let’s have it.” - -So they contended till the excitement became quite alarming, and -pistols were drawn upon each other by the mob. - -“Well now,” said a new voice, “I’ll tell you how you must do it.” - -“Listen! Listen! Hear the Judge’s son! Hear the the young Georgia -Judge!” shouted several men; and so there came a calm. - -“This has been a military affair so far,” said the young man, “and -let us carry it through so. We must just have a court-martial. These -niggers are prisoners of war. This is a conflict between the South -Carolina Rifle Clubs, the natural offspring of our honored Confederate -Cavalry, (cheers), and the National Guards, the pets of the Yankees, -(groans). The South Carolinians have been victorious, [tremendous -cheers], as they always will be, [vehement applause]. And now, as -becomes the sons of noble sires, [cheers], sons who are honored [when -in uniform], by wearing the gray of our “Lost Cause,” [cheers], and who -to-night have done honor to the gray, (cheers), let us not forget to be -generous to our prisoners; but choose from our number twenty men, who -shall retire and consider the case of each of these we have captured; -and as they decide, so the man shall fare.” - -Applause and assent followed, when another voice added, “And if any -of you have old scores you want settled, just bring them before the -court-martial.” - -The men were selected, though not without difficulty and some final -dissatisfaction and threats, but as the Captain was acceptable to the -most violent, the matter was finally adjusted upon a compromise. - -Capt. Sweargen, [the same who menaced Mr. Springer during the last -conference held with Gen. Baker previous to the commencement of active -hostilities], withdrew and organized his court, and soon returned to -the “dead ring,” and gave the following elegant military order. - -“All you black scamps, get up here; we’re going to carry you to the -county seat, and put you in jail.” - -“No; we’ll start for there, but we’ll lose them on the road,” said a -bystander. - -“That’s it,” said another, “we’ll leave them in the swamp.” - -“Come on, boys, come on this way, we’ll attend to the—s,” said Capt. -S—, and the ring and crowd moved down the street about twenty yards. - -“Halt! Now all you blasted niggers, sit down!” - -“Capt. Sweargen! Capt. Sweargen!” said Mann Harris, “As yo’ are the -Captain of this killin’, I will ask yo’ to save my life.” - -“You hush; yo’ talk too much, you great big nigger you,” said one of -the crowd. - -“I’m gwoine to talk. It’s life or death for me, an’ I’m gwoine to talk -for my life.” - -“Captain! Captain! Oh, don’t let them kill me!” said Sam Henry. “I’ve -allus been a industrious and honest fellow, and ha’n’t never hurt -nobody, nor stole, nor nothin’.” - -“Yes, but you’re a blamed Republican, and so is all the rest of yo’, -and that’s enough. We’ll carry South Carolina Democratic now, about the -time we kill four or five hundred of yo’ voting niggers. This is only -the beginning of it. We’ve got to have South Carolina, and these clubs -has got to go through the State.” - -“Yes,” added another, “the white man has got to rule here. This is a -white man’s government.” - -The excitement was again increasing, and all talked at once on this -topic, on which alone all seemed to agree. - -“Now, men, we’ve got this court-martial, and must proceed according to -military law,” shouted Captain S. - -“There a’n’t no law,” cried a voice. “The law has run out at the end of -a hundred years, and there a’n’t no constitution neither.” - -“There a’n’t no court in South Carolina that can try us anyhow,” said -another. - -“That’s so! That’s so!” resounded through the crowd. - -“Hello! Hurrah! here comes another nigger! Got Capt. Doc this time? -Capt. Doc! Capt. Doc!” (with oaths), rang through the swaying mob which -surrounded the dead ring, as a posse from the General’s headquarters -advanced with the new victim. - -Not without difficulty a way was opened for the conveyance of—not -Captain Doc (who was watching and listening attentively at the Cook -street end of the verandah, and not twenty paces from the spot), but a -good faced boy, yet in his teens. - -His eyes rolled wildly about, he trembled violently, and his breath -came quick and short, though without a sound. - -“Oh, Friend Robbins,” said Watta, “I’m sorry they have got you? Your -widowed mother and the children need your support. Where is Joey? (the -company’s drummer-boy).” - -“I don’t know,” whispered Friend. - -“Ha! This is the boy that wouldn’t sell us ammunition in Mrs. Bront’s -store,” shouted one of the assassins. “I cursed you well then, old -chap; but we’ll give _you_ all the ammunition you want, and more’n -you’ll ask for.” - -Poor Friend had passed a dreadful night, (for this was now in the -small hours of the morning), since he slipped down the ladder from the -drill-room. - -He had taken refuge in Marmor’s office, from thence fled to the street; -been driven back through the rear yard, leaped Dan Lemfield’s fence, -escaping a shot aimed at him, hid under a pile of railroad cross-ties -in Lemfield’s yard during a dreadful hour, only then to be dragged out -by three men with pistols and lanterns in their hands, searching every -hiding place. They took him out upon the street, and to their commander. - -“Who is that?” asked the lofty General. - -“It is Friend Robbins,” answered the boy, looking frankly into the -officer’s face. - -“What are you doing here?” - -“I have not been doing anything; the men came in there, and brought me -out.” - -“Do you belong to the militia company?” - -“I do, sir.” - -“Well, we killed one —— nigger down there to-night, and I want you to -go down there and see him, and see if you know him. Two of you men take -him down there.” - -This was done; and there upon the ground lay the dead man, his eyes -wide open and staring away through the clear, white moonlight, away -from the blood-stained earth towards that infinite One, before whose -face the escaped soul stood, corroborating the testimony of his blood -which “cried from the ground.” - -“Who is that?” asked one of the guards. - -“That’s John Carr,” replied the boy. - -“He’s the Town Marshal, a’n’t he?” - -“Yes sir.” - -“Well, he’ll be Town Marshal no more!” - -“I don’t know sir.” - -Friend was then conducted back to the General. - -“Are you ready, sir?” asked the men, each presenting his pistol. - -“No; don’t kill him,” said the General, “but take him yonder, and keep -him till I call for him.” - -They took him down under a rail road trestle, and kept him half an hour -surrounded by men, who amused themselves by torturing him with all -sorts of alarms, questions and indignities. - -At the expiration of that time, General Baker rode by, and directed -that he be taken to the “dead ring.” - -“Oh, here you are Tom,” said Gaston, approaching the corner of the -Post-Master’s house. “I’ve been looking for you. You know we’ve got -Watta down there.” - -“Yes, that’s a streak of good luck; but I wish we could only get hold -of their ringleader, that Doc. I’m mighty glad we’ve got Dan Pipsie, -though.” - -“Yes,” and the young men laughed. “I want Doc mighty bad too, but I’m -thinking more about what we’re going to do with what we have got. I -reckon the Court Martial is the best way. Captain Sweargon has got -great respect fo’ General Baker. They shan’t let Watta and Pipsie off -nohow.” - -“No,” said the General, who rode up at that moment and caught the last -remark. “Watta and Dan Pipsie are two dangerous men, and ought to be -taken care of.” - -“Now, General,” said a stumpy little man, strutting up to that -dignitary, “yo’ve brought us all here, all this crowd, and we’ve got -the niggers; and now if you won’t kill them, they’ll just go and give -testimony agin us, and get us into trouble.” - -The General stared at the little man with the most serene contempt, and -turning his horse’s head, rode away without speaking. - -But the little man was neither abashed nor silenced. He -continued,—“Here General Baker has brought us here, and kept us up all -night helping him to capture a lot of niggers, and he ought to kill the -last one of ’em; for if he don’t they’ll be up here to vote against us, -and they’ll be giving testimony against us.” - -“That’s true enough, Volier, true enough,” said several of his -associates. - -“I’m sleepy and tired,” continued Volier. “Here, Bub,” addressing a -small boy of twelve years, “You ought to be abed and asleep long ago.” - -“No, sir-_ee_,” said the boy, ejecting a volume of tobacco-juice from -his mouth. “_I_ a’n’t sleepy.” - -“Let’s go up into this piazza, and go to sleep,” urged the little man, -“Come, come on!” - -“No, I _sha’n’t_,” replied the boy. “I want to go and spit on them -niggers some more.” - -So the little man yielded, and accompanied the lad in quest of his rare -sport; much to the relief of Captain Doc’s mind. - -At the same time Gaston and Tom Baker approached the “dead ring” also, -and the name of Alden Watta was immediately called, as that of the -first victim to be sacrificed. - -“We’ll fix you! we’r’e going to kill you now, without a doubt,” cried -the mob. - -“Gentlemen,” said Watta, standing up in a calm manner, “I am not ready -to die, and haven’t done anything to be killed for. Will you allow me -to prepare to meet my God? Please let me pray.” - -“You ought to have been praying before now; you have talked enough -without praying, and we’re going to kill you now. I don’t care,” said -young Tom Baker, with numerous oaths. “But we’re going to kill you.” - -“Oh, gentlemen, do spare my life! I will not interfere with you. I will -only take care of my family as an honest man should. I will go clear -away out of the State, if you will only spare me to take care of my -wife and my little children!” - -“Watta, old chap, is that you?” cried Gaston, crowding nearer, (with an -oath). “We’ll fix you directly.” - -“Oh, Gaston! Gaston! What do you want with me? Please do, do all you -can for me, and I will be your friend as long as I live, and leave the -legacy of gratitude to my children!” - -“Yes, I _will_ do all I can for you; I’ll do it in a short while. He’s -had time enough, boys.” - -As many as could lay hands upon him did so, and they carried this -Second-lieutenant of the National Guards, this County Commissioner, -this graduate of a Freedman’s High School, this teacher of a colored -school, this correspondent of the —— —— _Times_, this influential -Republican, this husband and father, this young man who bore the -general reputation of being a straightforward and truthful man, a man -that could be depended on, and had a great deal of resolution; not a -violent man, not given to insolence nor trouble of any kind, a pleasant -and affable man though one of spirit, this American citizen, and they -bore him away to be sacrificed. - -By main force they took him several rods down the street and into the -edge of a field. - -Each individual of the crowd panted for a share in so great a service -to southern Democracy. - -When he was allowed to stand upon his feet again, he looked around -upon a wall of circular steel mouths, each ready to belch forth hot, -blazing, sulpherous, leaden death; for every man presented the muzzle -of his gun or pistol at the hapless victim. - -Falling upon his knees he cried out, with clasped hands and upturned -face, “Oh, God! there is neither justice nor mercy upon the earth! I -cast my naked soul and all I have upon Thy mercy!” - -He paused and pressed his hands over his face. A tremendous volley, -followed, and Alden Watta’s soul leaped into the presence of that Judge -whom no Ku Klux Klans can corrupt or intimidate; and the murderous -throng hastened back to procure another victim. - -“Oh, Free, and all of yo’, what is yo’ gwoine on so a beggin’ fo’?” -said Dan Pipsie. “If dey is gwoine to kill us all anyhow, what is de -use o’ beggin’ so? I only wish I had some o’ my wife’s ’ligion now; and -I’d like fo’ her to pray fo’ me.” - -The committee soon returned from the court, and announced the Armorer -of the militia company, Dan Pipsie, as the next condemned. - -With an air of perfect indifference he arose and accompanied the -murderers to the field of blood. - -A volley was heard, and the committee returned, but Dan did not. - -Ham Sterns was the next called. He was a large mulatto, and was sick. - -“O. Gentlemen!” he pleaded, “I haven’t done anything. What do you want -to kill me fo’? I a’n’t a member of the militia company, and I was -just peaceable at home when some of you just come and dragged me out -here; and now you’re going to kill me. I a’n’t even a ’publican leader. -Please let me go!” - -“Ham Sterns, I reckon yo’ know _me_,” hissed an evil-eyed, sallow-faced -man, stepping before him, and shaking his fist in his face. “Now I’ll -be quits with you on that sale affair; you and Alf Minton. I’ll learn -yo’ to outbid me!” - -“Come out here! come out here?” shouted the mob, and Ham Sterns was led -away. The guns fired, and the committee returned, but Ham Sterns never -did. - -“Oh them tremendously firings!” said Sam Henry, with a shudder of -horror, as he buried his face in his palms and began earnestly to pray -for divine deliverance. - -“Is this you, Sam,” asked a kindly voice at his ear. “Get up, Sam,” -and a white man who stood behind him took hold of his arm and said, -“Gentlemen, this is a boy that I know, (they were all “boys,” even if -grey-headed) and he is a harmless boy. He don’t belong to the militia -nohow. I’ll be responsible for him,” and he led him away. - -Alfred Minton was now called for, but no response came. - -“Alf Minton! Alf Minton!” was repeated with oaths and imprecations, and -still no response. - -The committee entered the ring, and touched each man upon his head, -asking, “Who’s this?” - -At last a small, sick, weakly-looking young man acknowledged the name. - -For the credit of human nature be it recorded that one of the mob -begged that the poor, sick boy be let alone; and others were evidently -tiring of bloodshed. - -But the majority were not yet satiated, and with profanity, they -shouted, “O, we’ll fix him! We’ll _cure him_!” and they led him also -away. The guns fired; the crowd returned; but Alfred did not. - -During this execution another white man conveyed Friend Robbins -away; learning which, when too late to interfere, some of the more -sanguinolent ran up to headquarters with complaints; but the moving -spirits there having had their own desires for revenge measurably -satisfied, and despairing of the arrest of Captain Doc; and perhaps, -the inflaming effects of their potations beginning to wane, they began -to think of possible court scenes in the future. So they were but -indifferent listeners, and even suggested the possibility of some other -method of disposing of the remaining captives. - -Pompey Conner, a noted thief and gambler, whose skill at cards had -often taxed the purses of some of this fastidious throng of captors was -the next called at the “dead ring.” - -“Pompey you _run_,” whispered Mann Harris, who sat beside him. - -Pompey was a powerful man, when he chose to exert his strength, and he -darted through the crowd like an arrow; stooping a little, and with his -brawny shoulder cleaving his way. - -When he reached a clear track, numerous shots followed, and the mob -thinking him severely wounded jeered and shouted triumphantly; while he -crouched behind a tree, rolled his great eyes, nodded his woolly head, -and muttered audibly as he turned up the leg of his trousers, “It only -just scalped my leg, af’er all.” - -“What better fun do you want than that, boys? This _is_ fun! ha! ha! -ha! Let’s let ’em all go, and shoot after ’em like rabbits,” cried a -mere boy. - -“Oh, no! you’ve done enough for to-night. Now let these prisoners go.” - -“Yes, let these prisoners go,” chimed in another. - -“Let’s pile ’em up like frogs and shoot into ’em,” said another, with -an oath that should make the blood curdle; while still another said, -“No don’t do that, but let ’em go and don’t shoot after ’em.” - -“Oh, no, we ought not to leave none to tell the tale. Let’s kill ’em -all!” - -“We came out for _fun_; now let’s have it, and not give up so,” said a -very young man, a minor. - -“If we kill them all, there’ll be nobody left to tell the tale; and if -we leave anybody, they’ll go and testify against us; and I tell you we -might as well make a sure thing of this,” was repeatedly reiterated. - -“Oh, let them go,” said a new speaker. “Let us swear them before they -go, not to tell anybody, nor anything about it.” - -After much discussion, this counsel prevailed. - -“Now all you —— black rascals you, get up here,” said Captain -Sweargen. - -The prisoners quickly obeyed. - -“Now, you all get down again, on your knees, and hold up your right -hands.” - -All obeyed. “I solemnly swear,” said the Captain, “I solemnly swear,” -repeated the prisoners, “that I will never go into any court to -testify, [repeated] nor to know anything about this affair, nor what -has been done in Baconsville this evening, nor to-night, nor that I -know any of the men who was in the party.” - -The prisoners all took the oath. - -“Now, you —— rascals, get away from here!” - -Each sprung to his feet, and all but two ran for life. Corporal Free -dodged behind a tree, and Mann Harris, who was on the edge of the dusky -group, stood still. - -Fifteen or twenty of the irrepressible “chivalry” leveled their guns -upon the liberated prisoners whom the South Carolina rifle clubs had -captured from the National Guards, and fired; “just like they was -shooting at birds.” - -As evidence of the skill of these riflemen it may be mentioned that but -one of those colored men was wounded, and he but slightly, though the -firing was at fifteen paces. - -“Mann Harris, where do you live?” asked a maimed relic of the -confederate service. - -“I live right on the corner opposite Dan Lemfield’s.” - -“Well, you go on home.” - -“I can’t do it.” - -“Why can’t you?” - -“I’m afeard to go through them men by myself.” - -“Come on, I’ll go with you.” So that one-armed white man sat upon his -horse, and the great muscular negro walked beside it, holding upon the -saddle for protection. They passed from Market into Cook street, and -wended their way among the slowly dissolving crowd. - -Nearing Mercer street, the escort began to converse. “Well, Mann, now -you see what the result is when niggers vote against the white people.” - -“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” replied the colored man. - -“Have you always voted?” - -“Yes, I has; I voted the ’publican ticket all the time.” - -“Well, you don’t intend to say you want to vote it?” - -“If this fuss is about, I sha’n’t vote no kind of a ticket.” - -Another horseman on the opposite side of the narrow street overheard -the last remark, and approached. - -“Harris, I know you,” said he. “We was boys at the same time, and have -known each other all the while along; and I know that you are a nigger -that has got good sense, good common sense. You see where this nigger -is lying, here?” [They had just come upon the body of John Carr.] “Yes, -sir; I see him.” - -“_Well, just so will we lay you, if you ever vote the Republican ticket -again._” - -“Well, sir, I will not vote no kind of a ticket.” - -“No, —— that’s the plan,” said the proud Southern, “and we intend to -carry it out; and the only way for you to save yourself is to come over -and vote with us; because we know that you know mighty well, when you -vote against us you are voting against your interest.” - -“I didn’t know it was so much against your interest as to kill a man,” -replied Harris. “I had no idea that it was any such thing as that.” - -“Well, you see what the consequence is, and we’re going to carry this -State, and we intend to do it if we have to kill every nigger, and this -rascally Governor too; he is the head of all the thieves in the State, -and the white people don’t intend to stand it no longer; they intend to -break it up.” - -Harris and his protector then moved on, and soon reached their place of -destination. - -“Mann,” said Mr. W——, “I’ve got a little talk for you. I, to-night, -by your being recommended to me, saved your life; and now you can do me -a favor, and I will tell you what it is.” - -“All right, Captain. There a’n’t nothing that I could do that I -wouldn’t do for yo’, for yo’ saved my life.” - -“Yes; what I want to say to you is, that you don’t know anything about -the affair at all; that they had you around there, but you knowed -nobody; that these are unknown parties; and if any one comes to get you -to go into court to testify, or say anything about calling anybody’s -name, _you don’t know_. This time we will let you off; but next time -we get at this thing, we’ll _git_ you. Now I will tell you as you do -me a favor, and don’t you call anybody’s name; don’t you own to them -that you do know; and tell them, the rest of them, not to say anything -about it; that you seen the boys, but you didn’t know who it was. If -any one asks you, tell ’em you don’t know; it was unknown parties. -Good-night;” and his magnanimous benefactor rode away, and left Mann -Harris upon his door-step. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -INCIDENTS AND PARTICULARS. - - Sabbath holy - For the lowly - Paint with flowers thy glittering sod; - For affliction’s sons and daughters, - Bid thy mountains, woods and waters - Pray to God—our Father God. - - Still God liveth, - Still he giveth - What no man can take away; - And, oh Sabbath! bringing gladness - Unto hearts of weary sadness, - Still thou art an holy day.” - - _Whittier._ - - -UNDER cover of the morning fog Captain Doc descended from the verandah -of the Postmaster’s residence. As he slid down a pillar of the open -piazza of the lower story, a black face stared from one of the lower -windows, with an expression of mingled terror and surprise. Reassured -by a smile upon Doc’s face, he raised the sash cautiously, and -whispered, “Does you want to come in?” - -“No, no, Dick!” was the reply, “this town isn’t a safe enough place to -hold me when the day comes. The hounds will be back again, when they -have fed and slept a little. Have you been there all night?” - -“Yes; and all alone too. The family knowed it wa’n’t safe for ’em -here, pertic’lar Mr. Rouse. And so dey left me to see after tings. -Gen. Baker, nor none of ’em’ dar’n’t _touch dis house_, cause the Post -Office is yere, and dat’s dee United States—they are ’afeared o’ de -Yankees you see. But, oh my! Ha’n’t it been a long night, and a _awful -one_! ’Pears like I’m a hundred yeah old. How many’s been killed?” - -“I don’t know. Enough, anyhow.” - -“Dey didn’t git yo’? I’m surprised, Doc.” - -“No, nor they won’t;” and waving an adieu to Dick, the Captain walked -noiselessly to the back part of the garden, and leaped the fence into -Mercer street. - -There, stiff and stark lay the body of John Carr, the Town Marshal; and -further up, close beside the fence, a shapeless heap, as it appeared, -which Doc knew must be the body of Moses Parker, whom the slave-catcher -had “got” on the previous evening. - -Keeping on towards the hills and near the railroad, he escaped -unobserved; till, when ascending the hill, he heard his name spoken, -quite near him. Though startled for an instant, he was immediately -joined by Ned O’Bran, who came out from a clump of bushes where he had -spent the night in terror; and, in company, the two men walked to the -county seat, distant nearly twenty miles. There they found an excited -people, and several refugees from the scene of massacre, among whom was -Elder Jackson. - -“Phebe,” said Uncle Jesse, early that morning, “I don’t believe you’d -best go up to church to-day. I don’t believe there’ll be many women -there, for I reckon they all would leave the town last night.” - -“And _I_ don’t believe dar’ll be _no men_, nor no church nuther; fo’ -Eldah Jackson bein a Legislatur man, an’ a Radical, ’ll have to streak -it, yo’ may be sho; fo’ of co’se de white folks has beat de niggahs, as -dey allus does.” - -“Well, now, it’s queer; but I never did thought about the Elder last -night? For certain they’ll be after him; for there’s a political side -to this ’ere fuss. Now you git breakfast just as quick as you can, and -I’ll go over and see.” - -“I’m afeared to have yo’ go.” - -“But somebody ought to see after Elder Jackson.” - -“Dat’s so; I wish I could go wid yo’.” - -“No, no. Maybe I shall have to escape myself, and it’s a heap easier to -escape on horseback, than it would be in a wagon, and two of us.” - -“Hadn’t yo’ best git Den Barden to go ’long, Jesse?” asked his wife as -he arose from his hasty breakfast. - -“No, Phebe, I’m just agoing to leave the Laud Jesus Christ here, to -take care of you and the children, and get God Almighty to go ’long -with me, and see after me; and I’m going to go without anybody else at -all.” - -So after reading with much needful moderation, and not without verbal -errors, the 69th Psalm, he knelt with his little family upon the -cottage floor, and repeated the same sentiments from a full heart. - -Though not more than three miles from the village in a direct line, a -good five miles or more of circuitous and somewhat lonely road lay -between Jesse’s home and the scene of the massacre; and he had ample -time for reflection. - -He had long maintained, among his neighbors, the only attitude an -unprejudiced lover of justice could; but it had brought to him alike, -confidence and distrust, reverence and envy, respect and aversion; -and while his assistance and advice were sought by the moderate and -by the extremists on both hands, he scarcely knew whether he had a -friend on whom he could certainly rely, or an enemy who would betray -him. Fortunately his road did not cross the river, for the city police -yet stationed at the bridge still denied passage to persons of color, -though allowing whites to pass freely. - -As he entered the little town, he saw a number of men moving along the -principal street, and evidently carrying some heavy burden. He did not -approach them, but went directly to Elder Jackson’s house. - -He found it deserted, and large charred spots upon the surface gave -evidence that attempts had been made to fire it; and the garden was -trodden down and utterly destroyed. He then turned toward Springer’s -house. This stood back from the sidewalk, and not without misgivings he -entered the trampled yard, and rapped at the closed door. - -Springer answered the summons in person, and greeted his friend with -genuine cordiality. - -“Why, brother Jesse, I’m surprised and glad both, to see you this -morning.” - -“And I’m thanking the Laud, this minute to find you alive, and to get -inside the shelter of your house. It ’pears like the streets is full of -ghosts, or something a man’s glad to get away from. What is going on -down street? I seen ’em carrying something into society hall.” - -“Come in and set down Brother, Jesse. I suppose they’re collecting the -dead. The Intendant was in here, and wanted me to go down and see them -before they moved ’em—to go on the coroner’s jury, in fact; but I told -him I couldn’t. I’m sick. This last night’s job is worse than a fever. -You didn’t come up, Jesse?” - -“No, I didn’t. I couldn’t think it would be right, nor any good, -somehow, and so I staid away. But maybe now I ought to ha’ come?” - -“No, you hadn’t; you’d only been another one. My mother-in-law is very -bad this morning. The scare last night was enough to kill a well woman, -and you know she was pretty sick and weak before. I guess we’d best -go away to talk. Come right up stairs, and we’ll set and talk all we -want to, and she won’t hear us;” and Mr. Springer took his guest to a -tasteful chamber. - -The house was not large, but was well furnished and neatly kept. - -“Where is the Elder?” asked Mr. Roome, when they were again seated. - -“That I don’t know. He may be in the Kingdom of Glory, but I suppose -he left town, and went to the city maybe. He and Ned O’Bran went off -together, and the last I saw of him they were going up Main street, -making for Ned’s house.” - -“How many is killed, and who be they?” - -“Seven killed and two wounded that we know; and there’s a good many -more missing that we don’t know whether they’re dead or not. Marmor is -one o’ them.” - -“Marmor? Well, if there was one man in town to be killed, Marmor would -be that man. There ain’t no man in Baconsville them white democrats -want to kill so bad as they do Marmor, without it is Watta!” - -“Watta they’ve got! He’s gone! and I’m afeared they’ve got Marmor also.” - -“_Watta’s gone?_ I _knowed_ he’d be killed!” - -“Yes, and Den Pipsie, and Ham Sterns, and John Carr——” - -“Why, Springer! You don’t say John Carr is killed?” - -“He was the first man they took; then Moses Parker——I heard them both -shot, and knew the voices. Alfred Minton, he got shot too, but they say -he an’t dead yet. Oh, that makes me remember (rising). His father came -here just before you did, and wanted me to go down there. They wanted -somebody to pray; for he can’t live. I suppose I must go, but I tell -you I can’t bear to. All these things seem so awful that they make me -sick, and I can’t help it. Won’t you go Jesse? Go down and pray with -the poor fellow.” - -“Where is he?” - -“Lying right there on the ground where they shot him, last night; and -they say somebody has mommucked him up awfully.” - -“Well, Brother Springer, I’ll go, but I want you to go ’long.” - -“Do they know who shot him?” asked Uncle Jesse, when they were on their -way. - -“It is said to be unknown parties that done all the shooting from this -“dead ring” they had, but there’s one comfort—the Lord knows who done -it; and He knows who started the thing, and put these unarmed victims -into the hands of an armed posse big enough to arrest the whole of -Aiken County. There,” (as they reached a point between Dan Lemfields’ -corner, and the railroad trestle-work), “this is where Moses Parker -fell, and laid till an hour ago. You can see the blood.” - -Mr. Roome looked, but did not speak. Passing under the trestle-work, -and advancing a few steps, they came upon a pool of blood. - -“This is where our Town Marshal was shot between nine and ten o’clock -last night. I heard him holler, “Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!” twice, before -they fired. It was a great volley, several guns, and I wonder they -didn’t some of ’em kill him instantly. He begged mighty hard before -they shot. I heard him.” - -The men resumed their walk, turning down Cook street, and so coming out -upon Market street, and then turning down that. - -“There, right there was the “dead ring,” they say, where they had -twenty-five or thirty prisoners, the Lord knows how long; and finally -shot some of ’em, and then swore the rest not to testify against them, -and let ’em go, and shot after ’em as they went.” - -“Brother Springer,” said Uncle Jesse, grasping his companion’s arm, -“don’t tell me no such talk! You don’t expect I’m going to believe it’s -more than an awful bad dream you’ve had.” - -“Did you dream you saw the blood back there? and there’s four or five -dead men in this hall at your left.” - -“That’s a fact! Nor I didn’t dream the threats I’ve heard made; but I -really thought it was mostly blow and bluster; half of it any how!” - -“So did I, so did I,” replied Springer, “and I wouldn’t believe, though -I seen all these streets thick with armed men in the evening, that they -meant to kill anybody,—only to scare the colored people,—till I heard -’em shoot John Carr, and then I was scared.” - -By this time the two men had passed another street and an embankment -of the lower rail road, and approached a small group of citizens, both -colored and white. Upon the bare ground, in a great pool of blood, lay -the poor boy Minton, apparently in the last agonies of death. He was in -great distress, and unable to converse at all. - -Fire-arms alone had not sufficed for the fiendishness of his murderers; -for blows as with an axe or hatchet, had gashed his side, broken his -ribs, and cut a large piece of flesh from his thigh. It was a horrible, -sickening sight. - -“Alfred! Alfred!” cried Uncle Jesse, falling upon his knees at the -boy’s head. - -“Alfred, who cut you so? Tell us who did it, Alfred; it makes fury boil -all over me!” - -A groan was the only response; and then from the depths of his great -heart, so uniformly held in subjection to his clear reason, and -well balanced judgment, Uncle Jesse poured forth such a prayer as -had never been heard by those spectators before,—a prayer for the -departing soul; that it, going from this body weltering in blood shed -by murderous hands, might go up to the righteous Judge innocent of any -vengeful or unforgiving spirit;—a prayer full of righteous indignation -at these atrocious crimes against his people, and of the spirit which -said ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ - -As he arose from his knees, Sam Pincksney touched his elbow, and they -shook hands in silence. Minton groaned and seemed to desire a change -of position. The father and brothers turned him upon his back. Another -groan, a quick gasp, a sigh, and death released him from suffering. - -Many hands waited to give all needed, assistance and so Springer -invited a few of his neighbors to accompany him to his house, that Mr. -Roome might learn more particulars of the affair of the previous night. - -“Now I want to get a clear idea of this matter as I can get,” said -Uncle Jesse when they were all seated in Springer’s chamber. - -“I can tell you how it begun,” said the host, “but it will take us all, -and more too, to tell how it went on.” - -He then narrated the history of the trouble from the collision on the -4th of the month, up to the time when General Baker rode to the city -across the river, substantially as the reader already has it. - -“All this time while he was gone,” said Springer,—“about half an -hour,—armed bodies of men continued to come into town; and in fact, -a portion of them stopped and threw themselves into line right in -front of the house here. As soon as General Baker got back, they -mounted again, and went up on Mercer and Cook streets, and so on over -to the river there, and there they fell into line. Then myself and -Judge Rives, and Pincksney, and Elder Jackson, had an interview there -with General Baker; and we asked him if there was anything we could -do,—what was necessary to bring about peace. - -“He said nothing would satisfy him but the surrender of the men and -their arms. The white men were so boisterous they treated us very -badly. One man, Captain Sweargen, drew his pistol while we were having -this interview with General Baker;—and really, I thought he seemed to -be looking at me, and that he was going to shoot; but when he saw me -looking at him, he put his pistol in his pocket again. - -“Pincksney was whipped in his face, cut right in, as you see, and so -then we got away as quick as possible.” “Didn’t the General stop these -things?” - -“No, not at all. Didn’t appear to notice ’em at all. Then the firing -begun pretty soon down on the river-bank.” - -“The white men down there are saying this morning that it was the -Militia that begun the firing,” said Sam Pincksney. - -“No? Why, they can’t say that! It sounded like right from, the -river-bank,” said Tim Grassy, an intelligent-looking mullato, about -thirty years of age, who was a brother-in-law of Springer. - -“Well, _I_ know the _white men_ fired first, for just let me tell you,” -said Ben, a younger brother of Tim Grassy. - -“George Hansen was at our warehouse, (Ben was bookkeeper in Springer’s -cotton warehouse,) and he told me there was going to be trouble, and -he wanted me to go up to his plantation with him, and see his game -chickens. But I told him I couldn’t get off. He told me he saw a great -crowd of white men gathered up back there in the country. An hour after -he left, squads of men commenced coming in, and half an hour after that -I went into the armory for protection. The white men opened fire and -kept it up as much as fifteen minutes, and maybe half an hour, before -they gave the colored men a _chance_ to fire at all. I know, for I saw -it.” - -“Did any white men get killed?” - -“One, Merry Walter.” - -“Then I suppose some of our people must have killed him!” said Uncle -Jesse, sadly. - -“Well, I don’t know,” said Mann Harris, who had sat quietly listening, -though reputed the greatest talker in Baconsville, “they quarrelled -among theirselves, some.” - -“Yes,” replied Ben, “but Merry was a Democrat, and I suppose they -wouldn’t want to kill him themselves.” - -“I heard some of ’em talking this morning, some respectable-looking -gentlemen from Georgia, and saying that they had been told that this -had been all to break up a nest of thieves and robbers—that the people -in Baconsville was that, and that Capt. Doc is a rowdy, and the Militia -Company is a band o’ thieves; and Hanson Baker said that is a fact and -just so.” - -“I never heard anything like that in all the years I’ve lived here,” -said Springer, the oldest resident except Uncle Jesse, who assented to -his testimony. - -“They talked about Pompey Conner’s robbing market wagons, and even -hauled up that old graveyard affair, more than three years old; and -they know the Republican niggers are after every thief they know of, -and punishes ’em too. Pompey took his turn in jail, and so did that old -republican nigger that dug them three graves open; the democratic one -got away, but I’ve seen him back just the other day. I don’t believe -they cared anything for the graves; they only thought there was some -money buried somewhere in the graveyard during the war.” - -“That mean democratic nigger that lives over back of the hill there, -was in town yesterday, and some of ’em said that he told the white -folks where to find men—where their houses were, and if that is true -it is just contemptible!” said Springer. - -“The fact is,” said Ben, the niggers are getting a bad name everywhere, -with these old white aristocrats, and especially since this fuss.” - -Ben was young, and his honest, expressive face glowed as he spoke, with -animation which subsided immediately into grave thoughtfulness. - -“What has become of Capt. Doc?” - -“Don’t know; nobody knows. He’s sharp though, and I hope he has got -away. If they were to get him they would think he must be drawn and -quartered, I expect,” said Ben. - -“Springer, you said Marmor is among the missing?” said Uncle Jesse. - -“We don’t know what has become of him. Old man Baker was in Dan’s house -a good part of the night, Pincksney says; and the houses join, you -know; and the last seen of Marmor, he was jumping the fence into Dan’s -back yard. Dan’s folks are there this morning, but don’t seem to want -to see nor speak to anybody. There’s a mystery about it somehow.” - -“Dan is a kind of a queer dark man, you know. Jews mostly is,” said Tim -Grassy. - -“Dan is a likely sort of fellow,” said Mr. Roome, “I wish he didn’t -sell so much whiskey.” - -“Between twelve and one o’clock,” resumed the host, “I heard Col. Baker -(at least I took it to be his voice). Some of them just opposite here -had said the house was afire, and I heard him sing out to the crowd, -‘Put that fire out! nothing like that shall go on; I don’t want any -burning.’ Soon after that I heard firing again, and I heard somebody -else holler. I don’t know who it was, but I suppose it was Moses -Parker.” - -“Who shot him?” - -“That I don’t know.” - -“Where was Watta killed? Poor fellow! I knowed he’d be killed, if -anybody was.” - -“Down at the ‘dead-ring,’” said Harris, who then gave the account the -reader has had, and continued, “When I stepped into my house I stepped -right onto some of my wife’s clothes. They had taken ’em all out of -the bureau, and flung ’em all over the floor, broke open three large -trunks I had, and taken away every rag of clothing I had, and my wife’s -bran new dress that she had made very fancy to be baptized in next -month—had never had it on—they taken that away, and her watch and -chain, and all her jewelry, and all my clothes; and taken a pin of mine -that didn’t cost me but sixty-five dollars; and I don’t suppose some -of them fellers ever had sixty-five dollars in their lives; and I told -Pick. Baker so this morning. Just so; and he said it was some of the -factory crowd from the city, none o’ his men hadn’t done it. I said I -don’t know; I seen some of his men looked pretty bad too, and I thought -they’d take things just as quick as anybody. - -“He says, ‘Well, there’s bad men in all crowds.’ Everything in my -house is broken up. They carried off all my lamps and such things, tore -down my curtains, broke my dishes, and carried off what they couldn’t -break—all the victuals and everything. When I told Gaston so this -morning, he offered me twenty-five cents to get me something to eat, -and I told him I thanked him. They just walked right over my wife’s -clothes, and spit on ’em.” - -“Harris, what do you suppose they did all this for?” - -“Well, they said before it happened that I would see the white people -intended to carry the state democratic, and I expect this is to -intimidate us. Hanson Baker told me last night, (or this morning it -was) when I was going home after they done killed the men that was -lying there; and I asked them how they intended to carry the State -Democratic, and they said, ‘You see there? Well, that’s the way we’ll -lay you just so, if ever you vote the Republican ticket again;’ and I -said, ‘If that’s the way you’re going on, I an’t a going to vote nohow. -I’m done voting,’ and they said, ‘You’d better be done voting, unless -you vote the Democratic ticket.” - -The whole company accepted this view of the motives of the rioters. - -“They didn’t disturb you, Springer?” asked Uncle Jesse. “You didn’t -finish.” - -“Well,” he resumed, “this shooting and hollering and setting fires and -so on, continued till the hours I named; and when they got through -killing those they wanted to, or could get, the crowd commenced going -away. You could hear them passing out in different directions, -hollering and cursing and cavorting around, and saying what they had -done. They would swear and say that they had got Baconsville all right -now; thought they had killed a sufficient number to prevent nigger-rule -any longer in the county—thought they had put a quietus on nigger-rule -in the county for all time to come. They went on hollering and calling -the names of the men they had killed; and one would say, ‘He don’t -answer,’ and another would say, ‘He’s looking at the moon and don’t -wink his eyes,’ and they went on making sport of the men they had -killed, and cursing all the time. - -Then they commenced robbing, and you could hear it all over town. -It looked like they had parted themselves up into squads for that -business. You could hear them go to a man’s store, and burst it open -and go in, all along the streets. They broke open my warehouse, -and destroyed all my books and papers, and tore up the floors and -partitions—well, just ransacked the place entirely. Then they came -here. I had become alarmed at that time, and said to these young men -who were here with me, ‘I think it is best for us not to remain in this -building, I think they will come here.’ Up to that time I was basing an -opinion that they would not come here, upon the part that I had taken -in the whole affair during the day. I felt that it would keep me out of -danger; but then I saw very readily that even General Baker had lost -all control over the men, and I became alarmed, and thought best to -leave the house. - -I thought probably they would not interfere with my wife; but if _we_ -were found here, they would kill us. Sure enough, I suppose we hadn’t -any more than got out of the house and passed round from the front to -the back side, before we heard the footsteps of them passing up the -front steps. I was then behind the house, and there was a light in -my wife’s bedroom, and I saw one of the men in that room. I didn’t -recognize him, though I heard him very distinctly ask her where I was, -and where Benny was. She told him that she didn’t know where I was; -that I had gone away somewhere. They then commenced ransacking the -house; and they took a couple of shot guns I had here, and carried them -off; and they did use some very abusive words to my wife. That’s the -extent of what occurred here.” - -“No, that’s not quite all, Sam,” said Tim Grassy. “They asked my -sister, who is staying with my mother who is sick, you know, they -asked her where was Springer’s money? She told them they didn’t have -any. They told her she was a cursed liar. I heard that distinctly, for -I felt uneasy about my sick mother, and crept back close up to the -window. They staid there some time, and we heard them coming down, and -I jumped over in Mrs. Dunn’s yard opposite her cow house, and stayed -there till I knowed all of them was gone.” - -“Well, suppose we all go down to the hall and see the bodies of the -dead, and then I must go home,” said Uncle Jesse. - -The six men walked slowly down to the old warehouse, which had been -reconstructed into a hall for the use of the various secret societies -of the village, of which the people of the South are so fond. - -There arranged in a row, were the bodies of five men; all murdered for -possessing greater or less proportions of African blood, and being -true to the National Government which gave them freedom—nothing more -nothing less. - -But for these it had been no crime to pass ordinances protective of the -public peace and convenience, or to enforce them—no crime to be an -intelligent leader among one’s fellows—no crime to practice in the use -of arms under sanction of law and the nation’s flag. - -The homes of these men had been completely sacked, and not a whole -chair or table was left in some, on which to lay a coffin, though the -wife in one had given her only bed, a poor stack of straw, to ease the -removal of wounded Merry Walter to his home across the river. - -The body of the highly respected and beloved Watta was in his home, -where a distracted widow knelt beside it comfortless; and two -fatherless little ones clung to her skirts, and wept in sympathy, -though ignorant of the magnitude of their loss. - -A large number of spectators thronged the hall and vicinity, among whom -were many white people from the adjoining State of Georgia. Blacks were -still denied passage by the A— police. - -“How many were wounded?” asked one. - -“Three colored and one white!” - -“Talk about Georgia! Talk about Georgia?” said he. - -“It’s all this Captain Doc and his lawless band,” said another -Georgian. “This Baconsville is an awful place,” he continued, -regardless of the presence, shrieks and wailings of the families of the -slain, except as he must needs pause occasionally for the sounds to -subside, that he might be heard. “They are all a set of thieves. It’s a -very Sodom!” - -“There’s no more of that kind of doings here than in any other place in -the South,” said a third, “the fact is there a’n’t more than forty-five -or fifty white persons live in this village, and the Bakers and Gaston -and them, think they shouldn’t be responsible to any laws passed by -_colored men_, and think it is an outrage if they or other white folks -are arrested for violating them; and the niggers have mostly let them -do as they pleased, which has made the exceptions seem personal and -harder to stand. - -“On the other hand, it’s likely the niggers don’t waste any love on -old Bob, as they naturally can’t forget how he got his property; and -it is likely there’s all the envious feelings the poor are apt to have -against the rich, besides, which makes their overbearing ways and -impositions, and violations of town ordinances seem more offensive; -and it’s possible they take offence sometimes when none is intended; -maybe it is so on both sides, though the niggers are not _naturally_ -suspicious, we know. It’s just an envious, suspicious village, with -overbearing and suspicious white neighbors.” - -“There’s a little more than that too,” said another man. “Here’s a -State with a big nigger majority on election days, and a county with a -bigger one; and a State and national campaign a coming, and it’s the -centennial, and the nigger ‘gush’ is tantalizing to them that don’t -want a union with the North, unless they can control it; and the whites -naturally want to begin the next hundred years with the State in their -hands.” - -“Oh, fol-de-rol-dol! The superior race _ought_ to rule. That’s the -whole of it,” said another. - -“All that doesn’t make this right,” said the first speaker. “The whites -have had the best chance to be civilized, and the negroes have _never -done anything_ like this. Talk about Georgia! Georgia has never been -guilty of such a barbarous thing as this, and had it not been for those -Bean Island men, it never would have happened.” - -“_That stirs fury all over one, sir_; to have that said after I have -strove so hard to keep things quiet in Bean Island!” said Uncle Jesse, -“I shall inquire about that;” and scarcely bidding a hasty adieu to his -friends, he abruptly left the place, and mounting his horse, rode home, -and hastened to the residence of Deacon Atwood. - -“Deacon,” said he, “a very nice gentleman from Georgia says that had it -not been for Bean Island people, that them men would never have been -killed.” - -“It’s a lie! It’s a lie!” cried the Deacon, “and if they go on talking -that way, the whole cat will be let out at once. There an’t a word of -truth in it! There wa’n’t a Bean Island man shot a gun. Dr. Ava and -Joe Ennery guarded the prisoners, and when they were to be killed, they -were to be delivered into the hands of unknown parties that the law -couldn’t detect them. That was a plan laid before. They didn’t fire -a gun there, nor kill a man; _not one!_ There was nobody stayed over -there from Bean Island, but some drunken fellows that couldn’t get -away; and if they keep on talking in that way, the whole cat will get -out of the water.” - -“Deacon Atwood, that was wrong then. You ought never to have killed -them men after taking them prisoners.” - -Dea. A.—“I agree with you there.” - -Uncle Jesse.—“They ought not to have killed them after they stopped -fighting.” - -Dea. A.—“They ought never to have stopped fighting till they killed -them _in the fight_!” - -Uncle Jesse.—“They didn’t kill any of them in the fight; they must -have been very poor marksmen, as many as they was there, and couldn’t -kill anybody, and had to wait till they got out of ammunition, and then -took ’em out and killed ’em. Why didn’t they let ’em be taken by the -law, and be tried and had justice done ’em?” - -Dea. A.—“I suppose the men were so ambitious that they didn’t intend -they should live. Now I tell you, Jesse, what this Georgia gentleman -said, isn’t so. Bardon Ramol and Bob Blending met a young nigger this -morning just before they got to Horse Creek, a coming home, and Bardon -he says to him, ‘Now, don’t you go down there. Didn’t you hear the guns -down there last night? The last one is killed, and it’s all over, and -it an’t worth while to go.’” - -Uncle Jesse.—“And so they got him to turn back? That’s well enough, -but not much.” - -Dea. A.—“Yes. Now they’re accusing Sam Payne, and Tad Volier—that -little fellow not more’n four feet high—to day, and I’ll swear it’s a -lie; for them men were not killed by anybody that is on this side the -river.” - -Jesse Roome did not tell his neighbor how well all this conversation -assured him that he was privy to all the plans, at least; but simply -asked, “Sam Payne was not there?” - -Dea. A.—“No, Jesse, he wasn’t there.” - -Uncle Jesse.—“Well, Deacon Atwood, I’ve always been a good friend to -you, and I’ve told you some things that the colored people were going -to do that was wrong, and we have been pretty confidential a great many -times; but I just tell you, sir, if you go to violating the law, then -I’ll back down. I will not stick for anybody that will violate the law. -My motto is to punish every man, white or black, that will violate the -law.” - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE SCALLAWAG. - - “Get thee gone! - Death and destruction dog thee at the heels. - - * * * * * - - If thou wilt outstrip death, go cross the seas, - And live with Richard from the reach of hell. - Go, hie thee from this slaughter-house - Lest thou increase the number of the dead.” -—KING RICHARD III. - - -WHEN Col. Baker ordered Mrs. Marmor to leave her home, she would not -ask shelter in the house of her nearest neighbor—that most Christian -Jew, Dan Lemfield—lest her presence might jeopardise the safety of her -husband; and she stood upon the doorsteps with her infant in her arms, -and little Louie beside her, gazing up and down the street in utter -dismay, and not knowing whither to flee. Only a few steps at her left -was the drill-room, the centre about which all the warlike preparations -were arranged, and every dwelling in the beleaguered square, except her -own and Lemfield’s, was the abode of at least one colored family, and -therefore clearly unsafe. - -“Where is my papa? Why don’t he come and go with us, mamma?” asked the -little boy in the piping voice of childish grief. - -“Hush, child! Mamma’s glad he is not here. Keep still and maybe the -soldiers won’t hurt us.” - -“Will they hurt us maybe, mamma?” The boy now began to wail piteously, -and the babe cried in sympathy. - -“Hush, Louie! Mamma will tell you,” said Mrs. Marmor. She sat down -upon the steps, in presence of the armed foe by which the street was -occupied, and, placing her own person in range of any possible shot -that might be aimed at Marmor’s boy, she spoke in low and rapid tones:— - -“If you cry, these men will see you; and if you keep still, maybe they -won’t notice, and sister will keep still too. You don’t want little -sister to get hurt. You will be a brave man, like papa, won’t you? Papa -isn’t afraid, and he keeps still.” - -Pressing both his little hands over his mouth for an instant, and -choking back one or two great sobs, the child looked up into his -mother’s eyes, smiling through his tears, and repeated—“I cried unto -God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto -me. Mamma, there’s Mr. Dan. See! Mamma, see!” - -Turning, she saw the Jew at his door, beckoning her with earnest -gesticulation, although beside him stood the burly Rufus Baker. As she -approached, she heard Mr. Lemfield say something about hostages, and -Baker replied with a significant wink and nod. - -“We will all die together, if we must,” said the distressed wife and -mother, mentally. - -“Co im, Mrs. Marmor. Co im,” said Lemfield. “Don’t sthop out here mit -de leetle kinder. You huspand go vay? Dat ish pad. May pe he’ll come.” -A quick glance at his shrewd face, and she accepted his invitation, -and entered the hospitable door with her little ones. - -Dan soon followed, and taking her aside, said hastily, “You must not -tell. You pe like you know not vare de man ist. I tink I co get old -Bob and feed ’im viskey. Ven he trunk he shleeps much, and vants more -viskey. He pe here he not tink you huspand be here; and ve knows he pe -killing no mon. Now you take care.” - -Poor Mrs. Marmor took the cue quickly. - -Almost immediately after this the first gun fired. The Jew flew to the -front door, and soon returned accompanied by the great bushy-whiskered -negro-hunter, who was much excited. - -Mrs. Marmor feigned great uneasiness and anxiety for the safety of -her husband, and could but shudder under the piercing eye of the old -man, while Louie hid behind her chair and peeped out at him with the -fascination of fear. - -Their host seemed to forget the presence of his other guests in his -solicitude for Mr. Baker’s comfort. - -“You not pe vell I see. Dat ish pad. Vat ish te matter?” - -“I’m excited, and I reckon I’ve taken cold. Give me some whiskey,” -replied the hypochondriac. “I’ve sweat too much. The day has been -terribly hot!” - -“Ya. Dat ish goot. Col. Paker tole me shut up mine par; but I not open -it to serve you. I shust pring it here, and you trink mit my family. -Vill I make shling? oder toddy?” - -“O sling, sling.” - -“Alle right. Dat ish goot;” and Dan bustled away to the bar-room and -brought a bottle of strong liquor, from which he soon mixed what he -called “de ferry pest shling eber made in de country,” and with great -show of solicitude presented it to the old man, who gulped it down and -smacked his lips with evident satisfaction. - -In common with all mankind Robert Baker had an impressible point; and, -as with every other tyrant, that point was vulnerable to flattery. By a -discreet use of this depletive, and a vigorous administration of sling, -and industrious cultivation of his hypochondriacal tendency, the Jew -soon had him upon his back, and courting a perspiration which should -relieve him of numerous imaginary ills. The rapid discharge of firearms -upon the street, however, kept the patient nervous and excited; and -Dan’s family screamed and exclaimed, and Mrs. Marmor and her boy wept -silently as volley followed volley. - -“Where is my papa?” Louie sobbed into his mother’s ear; for to him “old -man Baker” was an ogre, who would devour any little boy he chanced to -observe. - -“Let us pray God to take care of him. He is taking care of _us_. See, -little sister is asleep.” - -“What makes you cry, mamma?” - -“Oh, just hear the guns? Somebody will get hurt,” and they wept and -trembled together, while Lemfield continued to ply his patient with -whiskey, till even his eagerness for the fray could not master the -oncoming stupor of drunkenness. - -Two hours or more passed thus, and it was dark, when fearful yells -burst out, curdling the blood of every listener. They were like the -jubilations of demons, and were soon followed by the booming of cannon. - -Couriers brought frequent advices of the progress of affairs, which -Lemfield carefully received for the old man, and as carefully withheld -from every occupant of the house except the refugee in the chamber. - -At the sound of the artillery, Baker rolled from the sofa, and -gleefully exclaiming, “We’ll get ’em now —— them!” he reeled from the -front to the rear door, pistol in hand, chafing under the restraint of -his self-appointed nurse, like a hound in the leash when the horn of -the huntsmen is heard. - -A tramping sound in the back yard drew both men to the door. - -“Who ish dat?” demanded Dan, peering into the darkness of a shady part -of the enclosure. - -“There goes a —— nigger! Here he goes! Here he goes!” shouted the old -slave-catcher. - -“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” cried the Jew; but while he yet spoke it -was too late. - -“I’ve got ’im! I’ve got ’im!” cried the old man, running to his fallen -game. - -“Co im quick! Co im quick, Meester Paker! Somebody vill shoot _you_,” -and the excited little man caught the murderer’s arm and dragged him -into the house, while the dusky form of Nat Wellman crept on all fours -into a yard still further to the rear, and found safety in a deeper -shade. - -Filled with such terrors the night wore on, and Marmor’s were not the -only infants that sobbed themselves to sleep in the midst of those -dreadful alarms, though many were laid in the shadows of the cornfields -or the dampness of the swamps that surrounded the besieged town. - -“_Ich vill make ine shling, vat vill make_ Old Bob _shleep, so Ich -vill_!” muttered Dan, as he mixed a few drops of laudanum with a fresh -mug of the steaming beverage. “Ich hab no more mens killed by mine -house.” - -The patient was at length awakening great echoes in his bed room, with -his stentorian breathings, notwithstanding renewed disturbances upon -the premises, and that most Christian Jew stole up to Marmor’s retreat. - -“For your life, Meester Marmor, do co hide somevare! Dey pe hunt you, -and say dey vill purn your house. Dey shware dey vill hab you. Dey -say you be ine —— scallavag, ine republican, and dat you pringht -ammunition to de nigger militia.” - -“It is false!” said Marmor, “the only ammunition I ever brought to this -town is republican newspapers.” - -“Dat make no odds. Dat pad ’nough, dey tink, and dey pe hunt you; dey -co tru mine house shust now. Dey find Shimmy’ (Jimmy, Marmor’s servant) -in yo’ yard, and dey vip ’im to tell vo you ist; but he know notting.” - -The hunted man fled to the house top, where he lay long, listening to -the crashing of his printing presses and furniture, and the shrieks -and cries of colored women and children whom he saw violently dragged -from their houses by fiendish men athirst for the blood of their -husbands and fathers for whom they sought; and wondering if his own -mother was suffering similar indignities, he blamed himself for hiding. - -He saw houses fired, in various directions, but the flames were -soon extinguished by the less reckless of the assailants, or by the -occupants, some of whom were thus captured. - -About two o’clock in the morning the tumult in his own house was -renewed and increased; and, driven from their hiding place there, two -colored men leaped from a window of the second story, upon a roof -beneath it, and with almost superhuman effort, climbed upon that of a -higher part of the building, and scarcely less miraculously escaped -death by the pistol of their friend Marmor, who mistook them for foes. - -“For mercy’s sake don’t shoot!” cried one, just in time to arrest a -second discharge. - -The three men lay flat upon the roof to avoid discovery, but the sound -of the pistol and the voice had betrayed them, and several of the -rioters attempted to follow the young men. - -Meanwhile the three men slipped down through the scuttle into -Lemfield’s house. - -Obliged to abandon pursuit in that direction, the ruffians re-entered -the window, descended to the street, and pouring into the next house, -rushed to the stairs. - -“Vas fur you co up mine shtair? Co town! Ich say, co town!” cried Dan. -“Ich been goot freund to _ebery man_, so you shall not break mine -tings. You must go vay, mine vamily pe sick up dar, and you will schare -mine cronk poy so he co todt!” and pushing past them, he mounted the -upper steps, still persisting in his opposition, and obstructing the -way. - -“_Ich no niggah, no’ publican, no notting dat votes’ cainst you. So you -co vay!_” - -“We won’t hurt you, nor your family, Dan, if we find you all right, -but, (the reader must imagine the vilest and most profuse epithets and -profanity), Louis Marmor is up there, and we _will have him_. He’s a -scallawag, and a republican, and is helping the niggers, and we must -get him. He has got to die as well as the rest.” - -“Er nicht dar.” - -“You’re a lying Jew dog!” - -“Ich schvare youns, Louis Marmor ist not pout mine blace, _py de beard -of Abraham_!” - -“You swear to that, do you?” asked the leader. - -“Ich schware! Ich schware!” - -“B-o-y-s, b-o-y-s,” said old man Baker, staggering from the couch -where Mrs. Marmor had shaken him into consciousness, “Boys, oh, -come back! come, come, come back! Dan’s a good fellow. I’m quite -unwell, quite unwell,” drawled he, “and he has taken care of me and -pro—pro—protected me from them —— niggers, and I’ll protect his -house and family. Now just come back. Don’t go up there. I’ve been -here all night, so far, and hide nor hair o’ Louis Marmor ha’n’t been -seen about here. I’ll vouch for _this_ house, and guard it too. So -don’t go up.” - -“If you say so, Mr. Baker, we’ll come back, but we thought he was thar -sho’.” - -“Ha’n’t been about here to-night. I’ve been here and could see, and -Dan’s all right.” - -The ruffians yielded, and the three men, who had been unable to reach -the scuttle and escape, were saved; though, confident of a speedy -return of their foes, the colored men immediately sought another place -of concealment. - -The cries and pleadings of another captive were soon afterwards heard -in the back-yard, and he was conveyed in triumph to the “dead-ring” -which was still insatiable while ungraced by the persons of Marmor and -Doc. - -Though the house was not again entered by the mob, so strong and -general was the suspicion that Mr. Marmor was upon the Jew’s premises, -that after his return to his home even Robert Baker was persuaded to -believe it, and a vigilant watch was maintained several days thereafter. - -While Aunt Phœbe was hastening the preparation of Uncle Jesse’s -breakfast the next morning, Jane Marmor sat beside her husband in the -Jew’s chamber, and described the condition of things, as she had found -them in their home; for she had already ventured there, and had looked -in upon her mother-in-law, who had locked herself into her own little -shop, and remained there, alone, and (strangely), unharmed, through the -night. - -Harry Gaston, and Hanson, Tommy, and old man Baker relieved each other -on watch all the next day, each being assisted by a band of trusted -followers; and Marmor, close behind Dan’s window-shades, listened to -their threats against himself, and their attempts to convince such -negroes as ventured near them, that he, Kanrasp, and the “carpet-bag -Governor,” were solely responsible for the massacre; and while his -colored friends were anxiously conjecturing his fate, his experiences -in the affair had scarcely begun. - -As the day declined, Mrs. Marmor joined her entreaties to those of -their host, urging upon her husband the necessity of attempting escape, -as there were indications of more decided search of the premises. - -Night came at length, and spread her dark mantle over the village; but -the hunted man had scarcely escaped the house when the rising of the -full moon made concealment almost impossible. - -As the weather was very warm, and he must make speed, he went without -a coat. Choosing a time when the sentry had passed to the extreme of -his beat, he walked up the street with apparently careless moderation, -hoping to be mistaken for a laborer, and to reach a small station on -the railroad three miles distant, before the arrival of the next train. - -This he accomplished in safety, but arrived too early. - -A congregation was gathering at a church near by, for the Sunday -evening service; and as his lips were parched with thirst, he -approached and procured a drink of water. - -Several persons there knew Marmor, but as he had shaved his beard, and -otherwise slightly disguised himself, they were not confident of his -identity. - -However, on his return to the carriage-road, he was at once confronted -by six armed men. - -The click of their gun-locks was his first intimation of their -presence, and with the bound of a wild deer, he dashed into a black -swamp hard by. - -His pursuers were mounted, and therefore could not enter it; but the -swamp, though over a mile long, was narrow; and they hunted him on -either side. - -It was a cane-break, and but for the extreme drought of the season, -would have furnished but poor footing indeed. - -The tall, stiff reeds reached far above his head, and some skill -was needful to break them over with the font and thus secure a -standing-place. His hat was soon knocked off by a shot, and his -low-quartered shoes lost in the mire. At length a place was reached -where a point of firm land extended into the swamp, and on this several -of his pursuers took position, (for their number had been increased), -to cut him off, should he attempt to pass. - -They had lost sight of him, but as he approached he distinctly saw -Robert Baker directly opposite and facing him, and not far distant. He -noted the resolute bearing and determined visage of the old hunter; -but felt himself still incompetent to fully sympathize with the hunted -slave of the former times; whom no arm in the State or nation was -strong enough to deliver from his master, or this hired hunter and his -blood-hounds. - -But, having little time for sentiment or reflection, he took a hasty -survey of the positions of such of his pursuers as were in sight, -deliberately approached the edge of the swamp, took aim at the old -hunter, who he felt sure would not scruple to take _his_ life, and -firing, ran rapidly in a direction he thought they would not suspect; -and thus escaped for the time. - -But, instead of approaching the town as he intended to do, he wandered -in a circuitous direction, and returned to the church. - -The services were over, and as he saw that many of the men were -mounting horses, he retreated to the woods again, where he lay till -morning. - -His pursuers inquired of the worshippers, and finally got upon his -track the next morning, bringing their trained dogs. From that time -till Wednesday morning they chased him up and down the woods and -swamps. His feet were wounded and swollen, his bare head exposed to the -burning July sun, and he had eaten nothing since Sunday morning. - -On Tuesday morning he became desperate, and resolved to leave the -swamp. He did so, and ran along the road. On several occasions the -dogs were upon him when he again intrenched himself among bushes -surrounded by water, and lay watching, pistol in hand. But as he had -no ammunition besides that in his revolver, he determined to make that -as useful as possible, and reserved for a probable extremity. - -Once they caught sight of him at two hundred yards distance and cried. -“There he is! There’s the —— scallawag!” and hissed their dogs upon -him. - -On Wednesday morning he eluded them and reached the residence of the -Intendant of Baconsville, on the outskirts of the town. He was a -pitiable object indeed; with clothing torn and covered with mud, feet -bare, swollen and bleeding; fair broad brow burned to a blister, auburn -hair, unkempt; famished, fainting, and only his determined energy left -of his former self. - -Refreshed by a cup of coffee and a judicious breakfast, and a bath for -his feet, he hobbled to his home, which he reached about ten o’clock. - -It had become his sole wish to see his family once more, and if he must -die, to die with them; and his apprehensiveness had become so great -that he with great difficulty persuaded to tarry at his neighbors for -food. To be driven from home, and hunted through swamps and forests, -like a ferocious beast, had become an insupportable thought. - -And wherefore _was_ he? - -Because he sought through that great instrument of enlightenment, the -press, to disseminate his political opinions, and the principles of a -Republican government, and to strengthen and perpetuate the Union. - -An hour after reaching home he became aware that the foe was on his -track and approaching, but the house was kept closed, and guarded by -leading citizens, and he remained till the afternoon of the following -day; when, so disguised as to be unrecognized by familiar friends, he -took the railroad train for the Capitol, and escaped. - -A band of those white ruffians boarded the train, and passed through it -several times, enquiring for him, and even propounded their questions -to him, without recognizing him. - -The horrors of this massacre were but the commencement of a succession -which blackened the history of the political campaign of the year 1876 -in the State of South Carolina, and in other Southern states, and -disgraced the Republic in the sight of the nations she had invited -to witness the successes she had achieved under a free and popular -government. - -Is it asked what punishment was meted out to those miserable offenders? - -They were arrested, liberated for several months under bail of $500 -each, and clearly convicted upon trial; but because the jury of twelve -was empanelled upon a strictly party basis, and the six white men were -_avowedly_ opposed to conviction on any evidence, a mistrial ensued. - -As under “the conciliation policy” of the national administration -which followed the next subsequent election, the United States’ troops -which had been sent into the State at the request of the Governor -were withdrawn, the defeated Democratic candidates for Governor and -Legislature, supported by the unchartered and hence illegal rifle -clubs usurped the State government, and all further proceedings against -the rioters were dropped, and the notorious General Baker was elected -to a seat in the Senate of the nation, by that spurious legislature of -his State. - -Such is the justice, and such the tender mercies, to which have been -consigned the emancipated slaves of the Southern States, and these and -similar experiences have caused the “Exodus” of the freedmen to the -great north-west. - -With such fearful odds, can the reader wonder at their seeming timidity? - - - THE END. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Other Fools and Their Doings, by Anonymous - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OTHER FOOLS AND THEIR DOINGS *** - -***** This file should be named 51777-0.txt or 51777-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/7/7/51777/ - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Other Fools and Their Doings - or, Life among the Freedmen - -Author: Anonymous - -Release Date: April 17, 2016 [EBook #51777] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OTHER FOOLS AND THEIR DOINGS *** - - - - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div class="limit"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="transnote p4"> -<p class="pc large">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:</p> -<p class="ptn">—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="350" height="507" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/fr.jpg" width="400" height="577" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc">“<span class="smcap">Ham Sterns, I reckon you know ME.</span>”— -<span class="wn">Page <a href="#Page_190">190</a>.</span></p> -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h1 class="p4">OTHER FOOLS<br /> -<span class="reduct">AND THEIR DOINGS,</span></h1> - -<p class="pc4">OR,</p> - -<p class="pc2 elarge">LIFE AMONG THE FREEDMEN.</p> - -<hr class="d1" /> - -<p class="pc large">BY ONE WHO HAS SEEN IT.</p> - -<hr class="d2" /> - -<p class="pc lmid">NEW YORK:</p> -<p class="pc mid">J. S. OGILVIE & COMPANY,</p> -<p class="pc"><span class="smcap">29 Rose Street</span>.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - -<hr class="d1" /> - -<p class="pc reduct"><span class="smcap">Copyright</span><br /> -1880.<br /> -<span class="smcap">By</span> J. S. OGILVIE & CO.</p> - -<hr class="d2" /> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CONTENTS.</h2> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/d1.jpg" width="150" height="38" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<table id="toc" summary="cont"> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdl1"><span class="small">CHAP.</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><span class="small">PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">I.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">The Bean Island People</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">II.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">Distrust</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">III.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">The Glorious Fourth</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">IV.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">Legal Redress</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">V.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">Preparations</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">VI.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">The Cloud Thickens</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">VII.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">Portentous Darkness</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_108">108</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">VIII.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">Memory and Experience</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">IX.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">The Situation</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_148">148</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">X.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">The Attack</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_157">157</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">XI.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">A Massacre</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">XII.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">Incidents and Particulars</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdr1">XIII.</td> - <td class="tdl1"><span class="smcap">The Scallawag</span></td> - <td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> -<p> </p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p class="pc4 xlarge"><b>OTHER FOOLS<br /> -<span class="reduct">AND THEIR DOINGS.</span></b></p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/d2.jpg" width="250" height="55" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<h2 class="p2">CHAPTER I.<br /> -<span class="wn">THE BEAN ISLAND PEOPLE.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10q p1">“O Tam! hadst thou but been sae wise<br /> -As ta’en thy ain wife Kate’s advice!”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">Tam O’Shanter.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">It</span> was April, 1876, and Deacon Atwood and Captain -Black were riding along the sandy highway in the sparsely -settled vicinity of Bean Island, in the State of South Carolina.</p> - -<p>Though the sun shone uncomfortably hot, neither the -men nor the horses they bestrode seemed anxious to escape -its rays, for they traveled quite leisurely several miles, -till they reached a point where the road forked.</p> - -<p>There they paused a few moments, and continued their -conversation in the same low, earnest tones they had previously -employed.</p> - -<p>The Deacon was fifty years of age, large, broad-chested, -red-faced, with full fiery red beard and thin brown hair,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -which gathered in sodden, tapering hanks about his short -neck and large ears; and his pale-blue eyes looked out of -little triangular orifices on either side of a pyramidal nose, -upon the apex of which was balanced a narrow forehead -of a “quirked ogee” pattern. His hands were large and -freckled, and he kept them in constant motion, like his -huge feet, which seemed even too heavy for his clumsy -legs. His snuff-colored suit, and the slouched hat he wore -on the back part of his head, were dusty with travel.</p> - -<p>His companion was younger, taller, and less stoutly built -than he. His eyes were large and dark, and his head, -crowned with bushy black hair, was poised upon a long, -slim neck. His manners indicated more culture than the -Deacon had received.</p> - -<p>“Well, Deacon,” said he, rising in his stirrups, “we have -submitted long enough, and too long, and there must be a -change: and I am bound to do my share to secure it.”</p> - -<p>“And I won’t be behind yo’, Cap’n,” replied Deacon Atwood. -“These niggers must be put down where they -belong, and the carpet-baggers driven back where they -came from.”</p> - -<p>“It’s doubtful whether many of them would be received -there. I apprehend that the most of them “left their -country for their country’s good” when they came here. -A man don’t emigrate for nothing, and I expect they have -been run out of the North for some mean acts, and have -come to the South to prey upon a conquered people.”</p> - -<p>“I reckon that’s so, and I wonder how yo’ men that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -’a’n’t no church obligations on yo’ ken keep from swearing -when yo’ think of it. I declar, when I get to turning it -over in my mind I get so mad that I can’t hardly keep -from it myself. As yo’ war saying, it reaches everywhere. -Less than half the people is white to be sure, but then we -own nine-tenths o’ the land, and yet we must be taxed to -support nigger schools, and niggers and carpet-baggers in -all the offices, and new offices trumped up where there a’n’t -enough to serve them as wants ’em—health officers in every -little town, and scavengers even, under pretense of fear of -yellow fever, to give salaries to dumb niggers as don’t -know nothing only how to rob Southern gentlemen, and all -sorts of yankee “public improvements” as they call ’em! -Why, I’m taxed this year to mend a road that runs down -past me there, and nobody but niggers never travels on it. -It is positively insulting and oppressive!”</p> - -<p>“Well, Deacon, I suppose your statement that niggers -and carpet-baggers are in all the offices might be called a -slight exaggeration, but then we could sit here till dark -and not finish enumerating the grievances this State government, -backed by that Cæsar Grant, at Washington, -imposes upon the people of South Carolina—those that -ought to be the ruling class—the South Carolinians.</p> - -<p>“But the best thing we can do is to take hold of these -military clubs and work them; and in that way bring about -a better state of things. I, for one, am determined this -State shall go Democratic this coming fall; and if we unite -in this method I’ve been explaining to you, we can effect it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -Just bring this Mississippi method up in your club to-night—or -support Lamb, if he does—and we’ll whip the rascals. -Nigger voters are too thick—must be weeded out!”</p> - -<p>“That’s just what I’m going to do,” replied Deacon Atwood; -“and in order to do it, I reckon we’ll have to go -on.”</p> - -<p>“Yes; my sabre club meets this evening, too, for drill. -So good evening!”</p> - -<p>“Good evening, Captain.” And the two men separated. -The Captain kept the main road, and the Deacon took a -sort of back, plantation route, seldom traveled except by -the farmers residing upon it, where he soon fell into deep -meditation, his chin dropping upon his breast, and his respiration -becoming slow and heavy. His old white horse, -even, seeming to pass into a similar state of somnambulency, -walked dreamily along, till his nose, far down -towards the ground, came in contact with a fresh and tender -shrub, around which his long tongue instinctively -wrapped itself, and he came to a full stop.</p> - -<p>“Hud up!” said the startled Deacon, gathering up his -bridle with a nervous jerk; and his small eyes quickly -swept a circle around him.</p> - -<p>With something like a shudder and an audible sigh of -relief, he composed himself again, for only a quiet landscape -had met his vision.</p> - -<p>A swampy forest was on his left hand, and long stretches -of scrub palmettos, interspersed with cotton-patches, on his -right.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> - -<p>Seeing two colored men at work in one of the latter, and -probably feeling a need of human companionship, he rode -up to the crooked rail fence, and shouted “Howdy?”</p> - -<p>“Why, howdy? Deacon, howdy?” was the friendly response, -as one of the men laid down his heavy cotton hoe, -and approached the fence.</p> - -<p>“How is work, January?” asked Deacon Atwood, pleasantly.</p> - -<p>“I gets along mighty well, I thank yo’. I hope yo’ do,” -said the freedman, who, though about the age of his neighbor, -was too much accustomed to being addressed as a boy, -and by his Christian name, to take offense at the familiarity.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll be blamed if yo’ niggers don’t get along better’n -the white folks! These confounded carpet-baggers -are larnin’ yo’ how to fleece us that owns the land, and -blowed if yo’ ain’t doing it!”</p> - -<p>“Why, Deacon, I don’t know what yo’ mean. I ha’n’t -been fleecing nobody, I’m shor’. If God Almighty gives -me my freedom, and gives me strength to work what land -I’m able, and makes the crops grow, why ha’n’t I a right -to get ’long? I can’t see who’s hurt, not to my serious -knowledge?”</p> - -<p>“It a’n’t yo’r working, it’s yo’r voting. Yo’ vote them -villains into office, and they’re bleeding the country to -death with taxes. Now, we a’n’t gwine to stand it. All the -gentleman has agreed together that yo’ve got to come -over to our side. It’s for yo’r interest to be thar.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Can’t do it, nohow, Deacon,” replied the negro, smiling -good-humoredly.</p> - -<p>“If yo’ don’t there’ll lots of yo’ be killed,” said Deacon -A., kindling.</p> - -<p>“Now, Deacon Atwood,” said January Kelly, deliberately, -“I think a parcel of gentleman that was raised and -been college-bred, men that would undertake to ride over -things by killing out a few niggers—well, I think its a very -small idea for an educated man. I think they must have -lost all conscience of heart; I think all conscience of heart -are gone when they come to do that, <i>I do</i>; but you a’n’t in -earnest, Deacon? You’re a Christian man. I ha’nt got -<i>no neighbors</i> as would hurt me. I’m a honest man as -works hard, and minds my own business, and takes care o’ -my family; and nobody ain’t gwoine to kill me, nohow.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, January; nobody won’t hurt honest, hard-working -darkies like you, if they let politics alone; but -then there’ll be lots of the leaders be killed, ’fo’ election, if -just such men as yo’ don’t come over and help us save -the State,” said the Deacon.</p> - -<p>“Why the State is all here. I don’t see as it’s lost, nor -gwoine to smash, either; and if we have a Government -we’ve got to have leaders. If all the men stayed to home -and worked land like I do, there wouldn’t be no Government.”</p> - -<p>“So much the better,” snapped the Deacon. “The strong -could take care of themselves and look out for the weak -ones too.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know about that. The rogues would -steal and kill all the same, and who’d take care of our lives -and our property, and collect the taxes, and build the -bridges the war burned down, and the school-houses, and -pay the teachers, and all them things?”</p> - -<p>“There is too many of them now; and South Carolinians -shall rule South Carolina!” broke forth Deacon Atwood, with -great vehemence; “and I want you to come over to the -democratic party where you won’t get hurt. We’ll all help -you if you will.”</p> - -<p>“Why Deacon, I thought yo’ was just saying we is -getting along the best. I was born in South Car’lina, an’ -so was mos’ all the collud people in the State to-day, and -ain’t we South Carolinians then? Now all I has got to say -is, <i>that it’s a mighty mean man as won’t stand to his own</i>. -It war the ’publican party as made me a free man, an’ I -reckon I shall vote ’publican <i>long as I breaves</i>! That is -all I can say, Deacon. I don’t know no mo’.”</p> - -<p>“Hud up!” said the Deacon, and he rode abruptly away.</p> - -<p>“What on earth has come over Deacon Atwood, I wonder,” -said Mr. Kelley, to a tall, muscular black man, who, -swinging his hoe lazily, had at length planted his row -abreast with the spot where his employer had dropped his -when the Deacon saluted him.</p> - -<p>“Talking ’bout politics, I reckon!” was the drawling -reply.</p> - -<p>“Yes, and he did make some awful threats! Why, -Pompey, he said they’d lots of the niggers ’round here get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -killed ’fo’ election if we didn’t come ovah to the democratic -party! Now I’ve hearn that kind o’ talk ever since reconstruction, -but I never did, myself, hear the Deacon, nor no -such ’spectable and ’ligious men talk it ’fo’; though they -say they did talk it, an’ gone done it, too, in some places. -He says it’s a general thing now, from shor’ to shor’ this -time ’mong the gem’men. He says the taxes is ruining the -country, an’ niggers an’ carpet-baggers is in all the offices, -an’ the money is wasted, an’ there’s got to be a change.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, —— —— him! It’s just the odder way about—shutting -up offices—doing away wid ’em, an’ turning de -niggahs out to make room for old confederate soldiers! I -hearn Kanrasp, an’ Striker, an’ Rathburn, an’ some o’ them -big fellahs talkin’ ’bout it dar in Aiken.”</p> - -<p>(Pompey had boarded in a certain public institution at -the county seat for the greater safety of the contents of -market-wagons in the town where he resided.)</p> - -<p>“The land mos’ all b’longs to the white folks, sho nuff, -an’ the rent is so awful high that a nigger has got to work -hisself an’ his family mos’ to death to keep from gittin’ -inter debt to de boss, let alone a decent livin’, an’ now the -gem’men is bound to resist the taxes fo’ the schools, so our -chillun can’t have no schools. I thinks it’s toughest on -our side!” said Kelley.</p> - -<p>“Kanrasp said de Governor is doin’ splendid,” continued -Pompey, “cuttin’ down expenses so dey is a gwoine to -save a million an’ seventeen hundred an’ nineteen thousand -dollars an’ mo’ in one year; or he did save it last year.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> - -<p>(Pompey had a memory for numbers, though neither gift -nor training for mathematical calculations.)</p> - -<p>“Striker, he was mad cause de Governor made ’em put -down an’ print just ebberyting wouldn’t let ’em buy no -“sundies” or somethings—I do’nt know. De white folks -wouldn’t let de niggers have no money in old slave times, -an’ now dis Governor Chamberlain dat ’tends to be a ’publican, -he makes de nigger an’ de Legislature men as come -from de North be mighty careful dey don’t get no cent o’ -de white folk’s taxes ’thout printing jes’what it’s all -boughtened.”</p> - -<p>“Well, now, that’s right and honest like,” replied Kelly, -“‘cause they’ve been thieves don’t make it right for us to -steal; and then the niggers pays taxes, too, and don’t ort to -be cheated neither; and I’d like to know if them ways don’t -make the taxes easier? They do say they was a mighty -sight o’ stealin’ from the treasury going on thar in Columbya -a while ago. I reckon Governer Chamberlain is a honest -man, and don’t steal hisself neither.”</p> - -<p>“Certainly, de taxes is easier. Lawyer Crafty, dar in -Aiken—he’s a democrat too, you know—he joined in de -talk some, and he said it is easier’n it was; fo’ de taxes -used to be thirteen or sixteen mills on a dollar (if yo’ know -what dat means), but now it is only eleven.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t prezackly understood it,” said Kelly, “but I -know eleven ain’t so much as thirteen nor sixteen; and I do -reckon it makes it easier. I reckon it’s mo’ cause the white -folks wants all the money and the offices theirselves, as -makes the fuss.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes,” drawled Pompey, “and dey makes any man a -carpet-bagger dat wa’n’t baun in de South, an’ some ’publicans -as was. De Governor has been in de State, an’ all he’s -got, now ’leven year; Kanrasp said so; an’ Cummings—de -head teacher o’ de big school in Columby—de Versity dey -calls it—he’s been in de South thirty year an’ mo’; an’ dey calls -him a carpet-bagger, too, an’ all his boys; but de boys was -baun here. But den dey is ’publicans an’ teaches niggers, -too, I wonder is dey any carpet-baggers up North or anywhere?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know, I never did hear tell of ’em; but the No’th -beat in the wa’, you know. But ’bout this killin’ niggers; -I’m a thinken, the Lo’d knows we has had enough o’ that: -but I can’t help thinking,” said Kelly, and the two men entered -into a long conversation upon the subject which we -will not follow, as our present interest is with Deacon Atwood, -who had resumed his way with Kelly’s quaint and -expressive phrase “must have lost all conscience of heart,” -as his constant and sole companion, for he had not yet -“lost <i>all</i> conscience of heart.”</p> - -<p>Arrived at home, he ate his evening meal in haste and -silence, and immediately set out for the hall where his Rifle -Club met, accompanied by his eldest son, who was a minor -by a few months.</p> - -<p>Mrs. A. shouted after him, admonishing to an early return, -as she did “detest these night meetings, anyhow.”</p> - -<p>The father and son rode in silence, while the short Southern -twilight faded, and night settled upon the picturesque<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -landscape, soft as the brooding wing of peace; and balmy -breezes rustled through the gigantic long-leaved pines and -mammoth live-oaks, and over fields of sprouting corn and -cotton; and the dark soil seemed to sleep calmly and sweetly -under the white moonlight and a sprinkling of white -sand, which sparkled like snow.</p> - -<p>“Watson, my son,” said the Deacon at length.</p> - -<p>“Yes, father.”</p> - -<p>An ominous silence warned the boy of a weighty communication -forthcoming.</p> - -<p>“I’d rather yo’d ’a ’staid to home to-night, but as I’d -promised yo’ going, it couldn’t be helped. I reckon we’ll -have an exciting time, but now as yo’ are a going, <i>try to -keep cool</i>. Like enough thar’ll be some things said that -better not; but as yo’ll be present, now mind what I say, -and keep cool. Try to be careful. Don’t get excited nor be -imprudent. It’ll do for us to foller the rest. Just let them -take the lead and the responsibility.”</p> - -<p>“Well, father,” replied the youth demurely, well knowing -that his cautious parent would be the first tinder to take -fire and lead any conflagration that might be imminent.</p> - -<p>It is not to our purpose to report the doings of that political -Rifle Club’s meeting—the stirring speeches of citizens -of the State, who forgot that they were also citizens of the -Nation against which their treasonable resolutions were -moved, discussed, and voted; nor the inflammatory harangues -of Deacon Atwood; nor the courageous utterances of one -little man of broader intelligence and views than his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -neighbors, who urged that the coming political campaign -be prosecuted in a fair, straightforward, lawful and honest -manner, which should command respect everywhere, and -convince the hitherto intractable colored voters that their -former masters were disposed to accept the situation resultant -upon the war, and with their support, reconstruct the -politics of the State upon a basis of mutual interests, in -place of the antagonism of races which had prevailed ever -since the emancipation and enfranchisement of the slaves.</p> - -<p>While these discussions relieved over-accumulations of -eloquence and over-wrought imaginations, they also disclosed -the true state of feeling, and the deep smouldering -embers of bitterness that once “fired the Southern heart” to -fratricidal war.</p> - -<p>Unfortunately, good and calming counsels often gain -least by interchange of expression with those of passion, -and so it came that young men, and men whose years should -have brought them ripe judgment, but did not, shuddered -the next morning at the recollection of words they had -uttered, and decisions made in that club-room, from which -it would be difficult to recede.</p> - -<p>Betrayed by his sanguine temperament and his implacable -foe—the love of strong drink—Deacon Atwood was -one of these.</p> - -<p>“It’s a pretty pass when a man at yo’r time of life stays -out till two o’clock in the mornin’ drinkin’, and mercy -knows what, I do declar!” said Mrs. A. as she met her -liege lord at the door of their domicile, “And takin’ his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -only son out to initiate him, too, and yo’ a church officer.”</p> - -<p>“Wh—wh—why didn’t yo’ go to bed, Ja—Ja—Janette, -I didn’t ex—ex—expect to find yo’ up.”</p> - -<p>“No, I shouldn’t reckon yo’ did, judging by yo’ exes. -Making a fool and a beast o’ yo’self, and tempting yo’ son, -when we’ve been praying for his conversion so long.”</p> - -<p>“Wal Ja—Janette, yo’ ’ort to ha’ prayed for me, too, fo’ -I’ve made a ’nough sight mo’ fool o’ myself than Wat has o’ -hissen. But I’ve been true to the State,” drawled and -stammered the Deacon, with thick and maudlin utterance, -“and if I could stand as much w’iskey as some on em, I’d -a’ been true to myself also. But who’s been here, Ja—Janette?” -Vainly trying to stand erect, and pointing -with nerveless finger to an armful of crooked sticks that -lay upon the blazing hearth. “Who brung ’em in?”</p> - -<p>“It wa’n’t yo’, Deacon Atwood; I might ha’ froze to -death walking this house, and nigh fainting with fear, -thinking some nigger had outened yo’ smoke fo’ yo’ fo’ -allus’ on this earth.” (He was fumbling in his pocket for an -old clay pipe he carried there.) “I do believe uncle Jesse -and aunt Phebe are the best Christians on this plantation. -Yo’r old mother took her toddy, and went to snoring -hours ago, thinking nothing o’ what might happen yo’—her -only son, who she’s dependent on to manage all her -thousand acres o’ land; though gracious knows I wish she’d -give yo’ a foot or two of it, without waiting to all eternity -fo’ her to die ’fo’ we can call an earthly thing our -own. I couldn’t get that story I hearn yo’ telling Den<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -Bardon ’to’ther day, out o’ my head, and I war that scarred -I couldn’t go to bed.”</p> - -<p>“What story was that?” asked Watson, as he hung his -whip and saddle upon a wooden peg in a corner of the -kitchen where the trio were.</p> - -<p>“Why, about that Texas Jack that is around here, killing -niggers and everybody; and he don’t have more ’n a word -with a man till he shoots him down. If I had a knowed -yo’ was coming home tight, father, I’d a been scarred ’clar -to death shor’. A pretty mess yo’ll hev’ in the church -now, Deacon Atwood! Elder Titmouse’ll be after yo’ -shor.”</p> - -<p>“Hi, hi, hi,” laughed the Deacon. “Hic, a-hic, a-hic, -hi, hi. No danger o’ that, old gal. He’d have to be after -the whole church, and take the lead of the leaviners hisself. -He’s the Chaplain o’ the Club, and the d-r-u-n-kest -man in town to-night. The old bell-sheep jumped the -fence first, and helter skelter! all the flock jumped after -him. Hick, a-hic. But who, hic, taken that wood, hic, -from the yard, hic, and brung it thar?” demanded the -head o’ the house, with changed mood, ominous of a coming -domestic storm. “Dina’s gone, and Tom’s gone, and -yo’ wouldn’t do it if yo’ froze.”</p> - -<p>“Wal, now, I was feeling powerful bad, a-walking the -house, and crying and praying mighty hard, and fust I -knowed I heard a humming and a singing, and who should -come up to the do’ but Aunt Phebe, and Uncle Jesse close -behind? They reckoned thar was sickness, and they come<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -to help. Now, I call that Christian, if they be niggers. -“Why yo’re freezing,” says Uncle Jess, “and yo’ll git the -fever.” So he brung the wood and made the fire, and we -all prayed for <i>yo’</i>, a heap mo’n yo’re worth; fo’, as I say, I -war a thinking o’ Texas Jack. When we heahed ole Duke -whinny they went home, and this minute they’ve blowed -their light out.”</p> - -<p>“Hi! hi! Old gal, we’ve been <i>making</i> Texas Jacks—setting -’em up all night; and they’ll be thicker ’n bumble -bees and yaller jackets ’fo’ ’lection. But they don’t know -how to kill nobody but radicals—niggers and carpet-baggers -and scalawags.”</p> - -<p>“Now, Deacon, if yo’ve been setting up anything agin -such men as Jesse and Den, and Penny Loo, I just hope -yo’ll git chawed up by yo’re own Jacks?” said this Southern -aristocratic female Christian, in great ire.</p> - -<p>“No danger o’ Texas Jack’s hurting <i>me</i>. He won’t chaw -his own arms,” shouted the Deacon, triumphantly. “I’m -fo’ defending the State and the white man’s rights; South -Car’linans shall rule South Car’lina,” and he reeled about the -room, swinging his limp arms, and shouting, “Hurrah for -South Car’lina! Hurrah for the old Pal-met-to State!”</p> - -<p>“Come, come father,” said his son, “let me help you to -bed. You talk like a crazy man.” With the assistance of -Mrs. A., the Deacon was soon where his lips were safely -guarded by slumber.</p> - -<p>“It is a pity you hadn’t let father join the Good Templers -with me, but may be he wouldn’t ha’ stuck to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -pledge,” said the boy, sadly, as he bade his mother good -night.</p> - -<p>Near eleven o’clock the next morning, with nerves unstrung, -head sore, and stomach disordered, and altogether -in an irritable condition of mind and body, Deacon Atwood -sauntered out into one of his mother’s fields, where a -large mulatto man was mending a somewhat dilapidated -rail-fence. The hands of the farmer, were keeping time to -a succession of old plantation “spirituals” which rolled -from his capacious chest like the sound of a trumpet.</p> - -<p>“O, believer, go ring that be—l—l.”</p> - -<table id="t01" summary="tb1"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p>“Don’t you think I’m gwoine to ring that beautiful -bel—l—l?”</p> - -<table id="t02" summary="tb2"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p>“This winter’ll soon be ovah.”</p> - -<table id="t03" summary="tb3"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p>“When the bride-grooms comes.”</p> - -<table id="t04" summary="tb4"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p>“We’ll march through the valley in that field.”</p> - -<p>“Yo’ seem to be mighty happy this morning, Jesse,” -growled the Deacon.</p> - -<p>“Well, Deacon, why shouldn’t I be happy? I’m well, -and my wife is well, and my children is well, and we’re all -about our business, and the children in school a learning, -and God Almighty is saving my soul, and raining his spirit -into my soul, and raining this beautiful sunshine down unto -the cawn (corn) and the cotton, to make ’em grow, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -why shouldn’t I sing? Why, brother Atwood, I feel like -I’d like to ring that beautiful bell so loud that all the folks -in the worl’’d hear it; a proclaiming that the Lord Jesus’ll -save every poor sinnah that’ll let him,” and the dark -face shone with the spirit-beams that glowed within.</p> - -<p>The Deacon winced under the churchly title of brotherhood, -and what he thought a covert reproof, but yielding -to the power of a stronger and more rational nature than -his own, he did not remark upon it, though fondly imagining -that he felt himself vastly the superior.</p> - -<p>“It is well enough to be happy if yo’ can, I reckon,” said -he, snappishly, “but I don’t feel so. I confess I’m thinking -more about politics now-a-days than about religion.”</p> - -<p>“That’s no wonder then that yo’ a’n’t happy. It don’t -pay to get away from the Laud into politics—brings -trouble.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, a plague on yo’r preaching! We must attend to -politics sometime: we can’t leave it to yo’ niggers all the -time. The Democratic Party has got to beat next fall, or -we’ll all be ruined together.”</p> - -<p>“Of course it is right for you to think about politics,” -replied Jesse, “and to talk about politics, and to vote about -politics, but you know “<i>what-sa-ever</i> ye do—whether ye -eat, or drink, or <i>what-sa-ever</i> ye do, you must be a thinking -of the glory of the Laud.”</p> - -<p>“We wouldn’t have no trouble in carrying this next -election if it wasn’t for these leading radicals,” said the -Deacon, in an angry mood, which had not been improved<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -by Uncle Jesse’s reproof. “There is not more than one -in a thousand of the niggers that knows how to read and -write, but is an office-seeker; but I tell yo’, Jesse, every -one of ’em will be killed!”</p> - -<p>A silence ensued, during which Deacon Atwood repeatedly -thrust his heel into the soft soil, and turning the toe -of his boot about, as though crushing some reptile, he -made a row of circular depressions along the side of a -cotton hill.</p> - -<p>Pausing in his work, and pointing at the busy, great -foot, Mr. Roome (for that was Uncle Jesse’s name) remarked, -with a broad smile, “Deacon Atwood, them is -nice looking little places you’re making there, but allow -me to tell you that I reckon your wife won’t like the looks -o’ that black streak you’r making on the bottom of that -leg o’ them light-colored trousers o’ yourn.”</p> - -<p>Vexed beyond control that he could not disturb the -equanimity of the colored man, the irate Deacon now -squared himself about, and, thrusting both his itching fists -deep into the pockets of the abused articles of his apparel, -he looked fiercely into the face of the negro, saying:</p> - -<p>“Maybe you don’t believe me, but it is true, and all -settled; and I’ll bet you that Elly and Watta and Kanrasp -will be killed before another ’lection, and I can give you -the names of twenty more that will be killed, and among -them is ‘Old Bald-head’” (the Governor).</p> - -<p>A shadow passed quickly across the dusky face, and a -set of fine teeth were firmly set together for a moment.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -But that soon passed, and the face wore its usual expression: -“What are you going to do with President -Grant and his soldiers?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, all the No’th is on our side,” was the prompt -response. “And if it a’n’t, we don’t care for Grant nor -his soldiers. I carried a gun once, and I can again.”</p> - -<p>The farmer had completed his work, and, folding his -arms, he now confronted his “Boss,” and spoke slowly and -impressively.</p> - -<p>“Mind, now, what you’re doing, Deacon, for the United -States is <i>mighty strong</i>. You recollect once you had two -Presidents here, and it cost a long and bloody war, and the -country ha’n’t got over it yet.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, but the No’th is on our side now, I tell yo’, -and we shall be able to carry our point.”</p> - -<p>“May be so, I can’t tell,” said Jesse, dropping his hands -by his sides, “but I shall be very sorry to see another war -started here, and I didn’t live in the No’th from ’61 to ’67 -to come back here and believe that the people there is -going to stand by you in killing us off to carry the election. -Maybe they’re tired of protecting us, and disgusted -with our blunders and our ignorance, but they won’t join -you nor nobody, nor uphold nobody in killing us off that -way.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you’ll see we shall carry this next ’lection if we -have to carry it with the musket—if we have to wade -through blood to our saddle-girths,” said the Deacon. -“And more—this black Militia Company at Baconsville has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -got to stop drilling; it has got to be broken up. It is too -much for southern gentlemen to stand—flaunting their -flag and beating their drum right under our noses! It is a -general thing with us now from shor’ to shor’, and the law -can’t do nothing with so many of us if we do break it up, -and we’re going to.”</p> - -<p>“Now, just be careful, Mr. Atwood, what you say, and -what you do. I a’n’t going to uphold our colored folks in -violating no law, and you know I ha’n’t, nor nobody else -neither. I believe in law, and I say let’s stick by the law; -and,” gathering up his implements of labor, “I suppose -you’ll excuse me, for I’ve got to go around to the other -side of this oat field, by the woods there, and mend that -other gap; that is, if you don’t care to walk around that -way.”</p> - -<p>The Deacon did not care to walk that way, and so the -conversation ended for the time; though the subject was -frequently renewed during the subsequent summer months, -in the hope of inducing Roome, who was influential among -his people, to declare for the white man’s party, but in -vain.</p> - -<p>A scion of a family that, in the early settlement of the -State, had procured a large tract of land at five cents per -acre, and had retained much of it through unprolific generations -by penuriousness that had been niggardly and cruel -in its exactions upon slave labor, Deacon Atwood was -coarse and gross in temperament, and had received little -culture of any kind. All his patrimony had vanished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -through the war and its results; for the parsimony of his -ancestors had formed no part of his inheritance, and he had -pledged all for the Confederate loan.</p> - -<p>His aged mother—a violent rebel, and a widow before -the war—yet refused to pledge her land to raise funds for -what became the “Lost Cause,” and found means to retain -possession of one thousand acres of cotton land, for the management -of which her son was now acting as her agent. Mrs. -Deacon Atwood was what the reader has seen her, and not -an ill-selected specimen of the average planters’ wives, -who but seldom left the schoolless vicinities of their -homes; and as her family had fared no better than her husband’s -in the general financial overthrow, they were quite -naturally and rapidly drifting towards their affinity—the -social stratum called in ante-bellum times, “poor white -trash.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER II.<br /> -<span class="wn">DISTRUST.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10q">“The murky shades o’ care<br /> -With starless gloom o’ercast my sullen sky.”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">Burns.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">“Walk</span> in, Mr. Roome; walk in. Glad to see you. Have -a chair? Well, what is the news from Bean Island and -Baconsville?”</p> - -<p>“Bad, Mr. Elly, bad!” replied Uncle Jesse, as he seated -himself, and took from his hat a huge red cotton pocket-handkerchief, -with which he proceeded with great deliberation -to wipe his dusky face and bald head.</p> - -<p>“I did not know it was so warm out,” said the courteous -host. “This office is such a cool place that I come up here -Sunday afternoons to be cool and quiet. It is a good place -to read.”</p> - -<p>“I reckon it is not so warm to most folks. I’m hotter’n I -ought to be, I know; but I’m worreted,” said Uncle Jesse, -still wiping industriously with both hands at once, and -then thrusting the handkerchief into his hat which he had -been holding tightly between his knees, he placed it carefully -upon the floor beside him, and putting a hand upon -either knee, he leaned forward, looked earnestly into Mr. -Elly’s face, and with a significant expression, and in a low -tone asked, “Is you alone, Mr. Elly?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes; or, but—well, Mr. Watta is in the back office, but -I can close the door”—rising.</p> - -<p>“No, no,” said Uncle Jesse, raising both hands deprecatingly. -“Ask him in; ask him in. Or, why can’t I go in -there?” glancing around at doors and windows.</p> - -<p>“Certainly you can,” replied Elly. “Did you want to -see Mr. Watta?”</p> - -<p>“I reckon so; yes. Well, now, this is what I call providential; -and I reckon I wa’n’t fur wrong in coming, if it is -Sunday. The folks in No’thern Ohio don’t do no business -on Sundays, and money paid Sunday a’n’t paid at all—can -be collected over again; but work is driving awfully now. -The freshet put the cawn back so for awhile; but it is -ketching up now. But I knowed I ought to come.”</p> - -<p>Handshakings and preliminaries over, the trio were soon -seated around a large writing table—colored men all of -them. Both Elly and Watta were tall and slender—the -former quite black, and the latter very light—and both had -enjoyed the blessing of education at a Northern school -established for the benefit of freedmen, and almost sanctified -to the race by bearing the name of “Lincoln.”</p> - -<p>Jesse Roome’s northern experiences had not been with -books, save at evening schools, of which he had eagerly -availed himself; but his naturally well-balanced mind and -keen powers of observation had not been idle; and sensible -ideas of common duties and relations of life in a highly-civilized -and enlightened community were his reward.</p> - -<p>Elly was a thriving lawyer and ex-member of the State<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -Legislature, where he had been “Speaker of the House,” -and, ever with an eye to business, he had already scented a -fee in his visitor’s troubled manner and reply.</p> - -<p>“You must excuse my abruptness, but I leave on the -train for Columbia in half an hour,” said he, “and you and -Watta can talk after I am gone. Now, what can I do for -you?”</p> - -<p>“First of all, I want some money for my services as -constable; and second I want to talk about the political -situation, and to tell you some things I have heard men say -that is interested. Well, how I got to know this thing—”</p> - -<p>“What thing?” asked the lawyer. “Why, that Elly -and Watta and Kanrasp and some score of other radicals, -has got to be killed,” said Uncle Jesse, lowering his voice -to a husky whisper.</p> - -<p>“Ha! ha! ha?” roared Elly, throwing himself back in his -chair, till his head seemed in danger of getting wedged between -the chair-back and a bookcase behind him. “Why, -Roome, I thought you was a sensible man,” said he, when -he had recovered his breath. “The days of the Ku-Klux -Klan’s are over, and all done in this State. When we punished -two hundred and fifty of the fifteen hundred ‘very -respectable gentlemen,’ as they called each other, who were -arrested in 1871-’2, the thing was killed out here, you see.”</p> - -<p>“No, I don’t see,” said Roome.</p> - -<p>“But do you suppose a man really means what he says -when he talks like that now-a-days?” and the two threatened -men laughed, and wriggled in great apparent merriment,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -and in true negro fashion, though really quaking with fear.</p> - -<p>“I certainly do believe it, Mr. Elly, and Mr. Watta, and -I only hope the good Laud will show that I’ve been afeared -for you for nothing. The parties was in earnest, and intended -it, I’m shor’; and you know I’m not a old woman, -nor a baby to be scart for nothing.</p> - -<p>“I’ve took the trouble to resk my life to tell yo’ to take -care of you’n, and now I’ve done my part. I didn’t tell -Watta right there to home, because I reckon as yo’ is a -lawyer, Mr. Elly, I’d best tell you first, and see what is -best to do for your protection. I taken trouble to do this. -But Watta is here now, and I’m done,” said the old man in -a grieved tone.</p> - -<p>“We are much obliged for your kind intentions, though -you needn’t have been so much scared about us.”</p> - -<p>“Well, now, let me tell you,” and the farmer proceeded -to narrate minutely the incidents and facts with which the -reader is already acquainted, and others of similar import.</p> - -<p>“Give me names and I’ll put them through in the law, -for threats,” said Elly.</p> - -<p>“I can’t do that,” said Jesse, folding his arms tightly.</p> - -<p>“Why not?”</p> - -<p>“Because I live in the woods, and my life wouldn’t be -worth anything; and I a’n’t going to tell yo’, though you’ll -believe me yet.”</p> - -<p>“I believe <i>you</i> now, but I don’t believe you’re a white -man.”</p> - -<p>“You will yet though, I ha’n’t nothing more to say now,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -but just mind what I tell you. You is both men that is -marked to be killed, because you is leading radicals; so -the white folks says they is gwine to kill you and a score -more right round here close; I can’t help it, but I’ve done -my duty, and you must take car’ of yourselves. It wouldn’t -be no use to prosecute this man. It would only make the -whole of ’em mad, and worse than ever ’em open a hornet’s -nest; but I want to ax you this favor, just remember my -life now, as I’ve remembered your’n, and not tell that I -told you this.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, we won’t tell, and we’re much obliged to you for -your good intentions but we don’t scare worth a cent, -after all.”</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse left the office, and the other men walked -down to the railroad station to meet the through train going -north.</p> - -<p>“What do you think of the old man’s story?” asked -Watta.</p> - -<p>“I don’t think much of it. He has maintained such an -equivocal attitude that it is hard to tell whose hands he is -playing into. He has been on one side and then on the -other—with the colored people and then with the whites, -till there is no telling where he is now.”</p> - -<p>“Elly, you are unfair. That man is just as true as steel; -he is solid gold all through. He is with the side that is -right, that is all, only he has more courage to speak out -than some of us have. I reckon the fact is that the right -hasn’t <i>always</i> been the colored side. I’m afraid it hasn’t,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -though we’ve had so much the worst chance since we’ve -had a chance at all, and such an outrageous list of grievances -to remember, and to bear, that it isn’t an ordinary man -that can look at things fairly here.”</p> - -<p>Now, I have a mind to think there is something serious -in this matter, and that there will be more and more as -election approaches. The white men at Baconsville are -<i>awful mad</i>, because our Militia Company has been reorganized -lately, and has been preparing for the centennial -Fourth of July. One would think they expected to be -massacred in their beds; and so they go to work and do -things that might make every nigger mad at them. Sensible, -isn’t it?</p> - -<p>“They are just raving, the white men are, some of them, -and they do talk dreadfully. Old man Bob Baker there, -gets into a passion whenever he sees us drilling on Market -street. He hates to see a nigger he has hunted in the -swamps before the war, and his dogs couldn’t catch, or -could, practicing the use of arms with a State gun in his -hands, and the Union flag over his head. He is like a mad -bull, and “the stars and stripes” is the red rag that sets -him a roaring and tearing up the ground.”</p> - -<p>Here Watta, the speaker, slapped his companion’s shoulder, -and both broke into a loud laugh.</p> - -<p>“He has got an idea,” he resumed, “that all the roads -within five miles of his plantation belong to <i>him</i>, I -reckon, by the way he swears whenever he meets or passes -the Company. I tell the boys to give the flag an extra<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -spread whenever he is in sight, and we have it out.”</p> - -<p>“It is the flag of the Union that you carry, and you are -the National Guards of South Carolina, too,” replied Elly.</p> - -<p>“Well, it <i>is cutting</i> to the old rebel and slave-hunter!” he -continued. His occupation is gone, gone forever; and I -don’t suppose he or his trained blood-hounds take kindly -to such cheap game as possoms. There is a mighty sight -of brag and bluster about these southern whites, though -they’ll dodge quick enough at sight of a United States -musket with a Yankee behind it. They hav’n’t forgotten -their whipping yet.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, but they’ll dodge back again just as quick, when -the musket and Yankee soldier are withdrawn, and they -are fast forgetting the past; and this centennial year and -celebration are unwelcome reminders of it which they -would like to resent.”</p> - -<p>“Well, yes, I reckon so. You see the mention of the -rebellion as one of the hard strains which the Union has -survived cannot well be avoided, and so the “red rag,” as -you call it, is in their faces pretty often if they take a -newspaper, or steal the reading of one. There are only five -white men, ‘gentlemen,’ who call upon me regularly to -get the reading of my papers, free of course, and call me a -‘nigger.’ They don’t take a single paper themselves, nor -buy one, nor say ‘thank ye’ for mine; nor always think to -ask if I have read it myself.</p> - -<p>“Ah, there she comes! right on time;” and Elly closed -and pocketed his gold watch, while the train approached -the platform.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> - -<p>“You’ll see, Jesse? Please get that name out of him, -and I’ll put the rascal through for threats; though I’m not -afraid of him. Good day,” and with the grace of a courtier -he waved adieu to his friend, as the train moved away.</p> - -<p>He was soon comfortably seated, and gazing out at the window. -He was very well dressed, in strong contrast with a -large majority of his race in the southern States. His tall -shining hat lay beside him upon the crimson plush cushion of -the seat, leaving his crisp and glossy frizzed hair the only -covering of his shapely head.</p> - -<p>Among the occupants of the car were many “northerners” -returning from winter residences in Florida.</p> - -<p>“We talk of the receding foreheads and projecting jaws -of the African,” said a lady sitting opposite, in a subdued -tone to her masculine companion, “but just imagine those -two men with hair and complexions exchanged,” indicating -Elly and a man in the seat immediately in front of him, -who was in a double sense, a fair specimen of southern -“poor white trash.”</p> - -<p class="pp6qs p1">“‘Now, deil-ma-care about their jaws,<br /> -The senseless, gawky million,’</p> - -<p class="pn1">“As Burns says,</p> - -<p class="pp6s p1">‘I’ll cock my nose aboon them a’,’</p> - -<p class="pn1">“For I’m bound for dear New England, away from -this land of rags and dirt, slatterly ways, lazy habits, -flowing whiskey and tobacco, narrow brows and -wide mouths, and people of all imaginable shades, -from ebony to cream-color or white,” replied the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -gentleman. “If you like to continue studying and comparing -these faces, do so; but don’t suggest it to me, for -I long to be where the very air is not darkened with—‘nigger, -<i>nigger</i>’ and my ears shall rest from the sound of -their uncouth voices.”</p> - -<p>“Their voices are expressive. You should call out the -smooth tones.”</p> - -<p>“But I can’t always. I’m sure I can’t forget the night -of our arrival at Jacksonville,” he continued, “Thirty, -weren’t there <i>fifty</i> black men standing near that train, all -<i>barking</i> their loudest for passengers? Yes, you may reprove -me, I know these don’t sound like the words of an -abolitionist. But I am one, I insist; but if upon oath -describing that sound that greeted our arrival in that city, -I must say the voices of ‘thirty yelping curs;’ and to -pass through among them, with their grabbing for one’s -baggage, and those frightful sounds in one’s ears, and the -knowledge of the unsettled state of the country—the antagonism -between the races—I’d as lief—well, I don’t -know what I wouldn’t choose!”</p> - -<p>“Yes, but if, when that big-mouthed, two-fisted fellow -grabbed your satchel, you, instead of striking him with -your cane and umbrella, had looked kindly into his great-rolling -eyes, and mildly said you preferred to walk and -carry it yourself, I think he would have dropped it as -quickly, and more quietly, and been more likely to remember -you kindly. I remember quite similar scenes in the -North, with Irish hackmen. But we have outgrown them;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -and so will the South, and the negroes out-grow these -scenes; and for me, the more I see these colored faces, the -more that is intelligent and agreeable I see in them.”</p> - -<p>Elly’s face had been singularly bright and cheerful before -over-hearing this colloquy; but then a change came, and -presently he leaned out of the window, gazing at a large -dilapidated mansion (it could not worthily be called a ruin,) -which stood some rods from the railroad.</p> - -<p>Many a day he had played about the door of a poor little -cabin in its rear, or ran at the bidding of his young mistress -as she walked in a small grove the train was just then entering; -or had held the bridles for the gentlemen mounting at -the door of “the great house,” watching well their movements, -least, as is the habit of some men to cut their dogs -with their whips and laugh at their yelps and leaps, they -should thus enjoy an exhibition of his agility.</p> - -<p>Under that great tree, in the edge of yonder cornfield, -his mother writhed under the lash, for complaining that -her task was too heavy; and obliged to witness the rising -of the great welts upon her naked back, his father had -snatched the instrument of torture from the hand that -wielded it, and on an attempt being made to dispossess him -of it, had dealt the overseer a smart blow across the back -of his hand.</p> - -<p>Then had followed a gathering of “the hands” from -that and neighboring plantations, to witness the “maintenance -of discipline,” and Elly’s father—a valuable specimen -of plantation stock—was made, under the cat o’ nine -tails, a physical wreck.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> - -<p>Beside that old decaying cotton-house, now scarcely visible, -his oldest sister was once hung up by her hands and -severely whipped, because she preferred field labor by the -side of the father of her child, who was called her husband, -to what was called an easier life—in “the big house after -Missus got sick, and was agwoine’ to die.”</p> - -<p>Next, the train rattled over a long stretch of spiling -though a cane-brake, where were familiar trees, under -which Elly had paused for breath, and standing upon their -knotted roots, listened to the baying of pursuing blood-hounds; -and so vivid was his recollection of this, his first -attempt to escape from slavery, that the sick, cringing, -trembling feeling returned as he observed the bent canes -leaning away from the half-submerged ties of the railroad -track; an involuntarily moving of his feet upon the car floor, -as if again seeking a footing upon their bent stalks, a semiconsciousness -of present circumstances was restored, through -which his mind leaped over the terrible capture and chastisement, -and he seemed again to hear the sounds of the -“Yankee Camp,” and felt the joy of his happy entrance -there, a “Contraband of war,” but a chattel slave no longer.</p> - -<p>Then came a realization of the inestimable service the -“Yankee Governess” had rendered him when she stealthily -taught him to read, and spurred his young master’s lazy -efforts, by contrasting his acquirements with those of the -listening slave boy.</p> - -<p>Through that poor beginning, made in weakness and -danger on the part of both pupil and teacher, when it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -a crime, punishable by imprisonment in the State’s Prison, -he had made his way to positions of honor and emolument.</p> - -<p>What meekness, humility and honesty must not a man -of such experiences possess, if, conning them over, pride -did not lift up his heart, resentment make his arm restless, -and a sense of robbery long-endured, make his present -powerful position seem a providential opportunity for -retaliation and self-reimbursement! From an abyss of enforced -degradation and ignorance and despair he had -emerged into the light and life of personal and political -liberty, equality, respectability and honor; and the young -master whose opportunities he once so earnestly coveted, -and before whose absolute will he was forced to bow, now -sued for favors at his hands, and found “none so poor to -do him reverence.” Was ever the nobility of human -nature put to stronger tests than in these two peoples?</p> - -<p>“Good evening, Mr. Elly,” said a broad-browed, florid-faced, -red-haired man in the aisle beside him.</p> - -<p>“Good evening, Marmor, good evening;” was the hearty -response. “Take a seat?” removing his hat to make -room.</p> - -<p>“I will gladly take the seat, if you will just step out -and let me turn over the back of this one in front, so that -we can have the use of the two sofas, for my feet are at -their old tricks and troubling me a good deal. They are -easier when I lay them up. One might as well personate -‘Young America’ in this Centennial year when it makes -him more comfortable.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Mind you don’t get them too high now,” said Elly, as -they seated themselves after the change, and he spread a -newspaper upon the cushion before them, to protect it -from Marmor’s boot-blacking. “You might share the misfortune -of Ike Partington; and if all your brains <i>should</i> -run down into your head, what would become of “The -Times?” and Elly laughed and wriggled, in strange and -silly contrast with his usually dignified manner.</p> - -<p>“I don’t furnish brains for “The Times”, said Marmor, -“I only publish it. But what is the campaign going to -be, do you think?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, of course we shall win.”</p> - -<p>Marmor kept his eyes fixed upon his middle finger nail, -which he was carefully cutting, and did not reply.</p> - -<p>Elly scrutinized his face awhile, and then asked, “Don’t -you think so?”</p> - -<p>“I am not so positive as I wish I was.”</p> - -<p>“You don’t think the colored voters of the State are -going back on the party that gave them freedom, and the -only one that will preserve it for them? They’ll all vote -the Republican ticket, of course.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, unless they are intimidated.”</p> - -<p>“Now, Marmor, I’ve seen a hint—or what I take for -one—in your paper; but I hope you don’t really think -there will be trouble.”</p> - -<p>“I <i>am</i> afraid there will be trouble. Hanson Baker told -me the other day that there are fifteen hundred men ready -and waiting to come there and break up the Militia Company<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -in Baconsville, and that they are going to do it; and -it is a frequent boast among the men—the white Southerners, -I mean—that they will carry the election if they -have to do it at the point of the bayonet. They can’t do -it honestly, that’s shor’; but I’m afraid there will be -trouble.”</p> - -<p>A pause ensued, after which Marmor resumed. “I’m -almost tired of this State, and if my business could be -squared up I’d get away; but I shan’t be driven out. I -wish the colored people had the spunk to emigrate to some -of the idle western land. It is a heap better and richer -than this here, by all accounts; and though it might be -some colder, it would make them stronger and smarter, and -they’d be heaps better off than they are here.”</p> - -<p>“There <i>are</i> a great many <i>talking about it</i>, don’t you -know—going by colonies? It would be a deal better than -going to Africa. I shall go myself if the old Confederates -ever get into power here again.”</p> - -<p>“See you stick to that, Elly; and, as for me, I reckon I -shall have to go by that time, or before. I was born in -South Carolina, and shed my blood in defense of her (as I -thought then), at Fort Sumter, got wounded there, and I -was as good as any of them till I consented to accept a -clerical office under a Republican administration; and then -the old Confederates persecuted me and my wife, till I -found out how it felt to others, and I have seen under what -tyranny a man lives here. He dares not think for -himself at all. I served under Hampton in the war, before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -I got my eyes open. Like most of the private soldiers, -and plenty of commissioned officers, I was made to believe -a lie, or I never would have raised a hand against the National -Government in the world. I used to say just this -way: If the No’th would only let us manage our State matters -ourselves, and would let our slaves alone (you know I -owned a few slaves), I didn’t care if the Territories and -new States were free. But Lincoln, and Garrison, and -Greeley shouldn’t come down here, and take our nigger -property away from us; they shouldn’t be emancipated -by the United States Government—the slaves shouldn’t. -Enough others said the same, and dozens of our speakers -said it on the stump and platform, and plenty of the great -leaders were right there—consenting by their silence, if not -saying the same things, when <i>they</i> knew well enough that -these were just the principles of the Republican party—the -‘Unionists’ who elected Lincoln. What did <i>we</i> care -for their ‘sympathy for the slaves,’ or their <i>wishes</i> for the -‘constitutional right’ to liberate them, so long as they -admitted they hadn’t got it, and we knew they couldn’t -get it short of a two-thirds indorsement by the States -through a direct vote of the people? There was slave -property enough in sixteen of the thirty-four States to -make us pretty sure on that score, in addition to the interests -of cotton manufacturers and sugar dealers in the No’th -who wanted our products and no interruption of business. -Then we had the Fugitive Slave Law for the return of our -runaways.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But you know the Republican idea was that the new -States coming in, being all free, they could at last secure -the constitutional two-thirds.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, at <i>last</i>” said Marmor, derisively, “<i>at the last -great day</i>, while slave-owners had each a vote for three out -of every five of his slaves without asking their assent. But -our hot-headed course hastened emancipation about a hundred -years; and now that it is over I’m glad of it, though -it did cost an ocean of blood and treasure. Slavery cursed -the whites as well as the blacks, and ought to. When I -think of all I saw in that war—I got this difficulty in my -feet there (moving them with a grimace), and of the horrible -sufferings it brought on our people, and how those -leading villains knew all the time that they were deceiving -us, I can’t think what wouldn’t be too good for them! -And when that war was over, and the No’th had us in her -hand as helpless as a trapped mouse, she not only spared -their lives, but gave everything back to them which they -had forfeited; and now you hear them go on about the -National Government and the northern people, especially -any that come and settle among us and try to develop the -resources of the State, in a way that is simply outrageous! -You would think the South was the magnanimous <i>patron</i> of -the stiff-necked and rebellious No’th. I verily believe the -South would have liked the No’th better if it had put its -foot upon her after she fell. Conquer your rebellious child -or yield to his dictation without demur.</p> - -<p>“There are some who know no such thing as equality.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -Somebody must be the ‘Boss’, in their practice.”</p> - -<p>“But republican principles would not allow the government -to hold these States as provinces,” remarked lawyer -Elly.</p> - -<p>“They should have been held as territories,” said Marmor, -“consistently or not. My blood is German (my father -emigrated from Germany to Charleston when a small boy), -but it has got the South Car’lina heat in it. I’m for <i>efficiency</i>.”</p> - -<p>“Nineteen-twentieths of what they call carpet-baggers, -and make folks believe are just adventurers, are northern -men, capitalists generally, who in emigrating did not leave -their manhood behind. It matters not how heavy taxes -they may pay, nor how long they remain in the State; if -they vote the Republican ticket and maintain the principles -and practice of equal justice for all men in the State, -they are ‘carpet-baggers;’ and if they vote Democratic, -according to the will of the confederate whites, though -they vote ‘early and often,’ and at points far removed -from each other, they escape the opprobious epithet.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER III.<br /> -<span class="wn">THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10q p1">“Plumes himself in Freedom’s pride<br /> -Tyrant stern to all beside.”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">Burns.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">On</span> an insignificant little village built on a narrow flat -beside the Savannah river, the sun had been pouring his -red hot rays all day, with even greater intensity than was -usual at that season of the year.</p> - -<p>The inhabitants, however, paid little heed to the extreme -heat, and only when the sun sank to the western horizon -did they leave their fields and workshops and wend their -ways homewards.</p> - -<p>Two railroad bridges, and another for the public highway, -connected this little village with the city of A——, -on the opposite side of the river, and in the neighboring -State of Georgia.</p> - -<p>A long low trestle carried one of those railroad tracks -two or three squares or streets back from the stream towards -the hills a half-mile away.</p> - -<p>Not far from this trestle, on a broad street which ran -parallel with and along the brink of the stream, stood a -strong, two-story brick building. Its uses had been -various; but at the time of which we write it did -service as an armory or drill room for Co. A of -the Eighteenth Regiment of National Guards of South<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -Carolina; and also as a dwelling for the Captain of -the Company, who, having just returned from his day’s -work in the city, now sat with his chair tilted back against -the post of the open door, tossing his infant and conversing -with his wife, who was preparing their evening meal.</p> - -<p>It might be mentioned that the parties in this little -domestic scene were of African descent.</p> - -<p>“Howdy? Cap’n Doc, Howdy?” shouted a negro teamster, -driving up to the door with a great dash and rattling -of wheels.</p> - -<p>“Hello! That yo’, Dan?” replied the Captain, letting -the front legs of his chair down upon the floor with a bump -that came near unseating him. “Come in, won’t ye?”</p> - -<p>“I’m obliged to yo’, but I couldn’t nohow. I just wants, -to know what sort of a combustification is we gwoine to -hev to-morrow; and when does de militia come out?”</p> - -<p>The speaker was evidently “the worse for the drink,” -which must account for his forgetfulmess of what he had -been well informed of, and he wriggled and giggled as if -greatly tickled.</p> - -<p>“The militia,” said Captain Doc, “has got to faum -(form) and march down to the grounds, when the doings -begin, and stand guard; and after the speeches and all is -ovah, we shall go through the usual everlutions, accompanied -with music and the flag. I’m sorry we didn’t get that -shooting-match I tried to have, so we could ha’ got some unifaum; -but I shall inspeck yo’s guns and accouterments -mighty close, and put yo’ through mighty sharp on the -drill.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But a nigger that don’t car’ ’nough ’bout the Centennial -fo’th o’ July to get to know all ’bout the doings fo’ the -third o’ July, don’t ’zerve to be baun free and ekil.”</p> - -<p>“Wal, I wa’n’t baun free an’ ekil, an’ I don’t ’speck to -be baun free an’ ekil, nuther, but ’fo’ I done gone ovah to -’Gusta wid dis ere load o’ truck, I knowed all ’bout it. But -I met dat are <i>magnifishent</i> young gem’man, Tom Bakah, -and, oh, laws!” (spreading his horny palms, with fingers -extended and rolling his head and eyes from side to side), -“‘mose put my eyes out o’ my head! All upsot my idees! -His nose turned up, ’pears like six feet high; no, six inches -high; and he drove he horse so scrumbunctious like, ’mose -upset my little ambulancer,” and Dan turned to his two -little rats of donkeys in harness of knotted raw-hides, -which resembled old and assorted clothes lines.</p> - -<p>The little creatures stood meekly before an indescribable -vehicle, a ridiculous cross between a rude hay-rick and a -huge crockery-crate on wheels. It was all out of proportion -to the little team, whose backs were scarcely as high -as the waist-bands of stumpy Dan.</p> - -<p>“Tough little fellahs, dese is,” said the teamster, patting -them affectionately, “but mighty feared o’ Mars’ Tom, a’n’t -yo’,—Eigh, Jack?”</p> - -<p>“See dat nigh critter cock his eye now, and wag dat off -ear,” continued Dan, winking at Captain Doc, and giggling -and wriggling as before.</p> - -<p>“Don’t like Mars’ Tom, do yo’, Jack?” again addressing -the intelligent donkey, which not only wagged his off ear,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -but shook his head in a most decided manner, to the great -amusement of his owner.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Dan, you musn’t mind the antics of that boy Tom,” -said a voice behind him; whereupon Dan wriggled and -jumped, and whirled about, and bowed himself double, and -made grimaces, and giggled and wriggled, and danced a -jig; and finally, with another low bow and long scrape of -his right foot, he shook hands with the speaker, who was -no other than our friend Marmor. “Tom is only just home -from school, you know, and of course the man who knew -more before he was born than could ever be cudgeled into -that knowledge-box of hissen, is <i>nothing</i> to him! Let him -alone, and let him swell though, just as big as he can, he’ll -bust the quicker, and we’ll find out the quicker how big he -really is when the vacuum is gone, and what is left is -packed down solid.”</p> - -<p>“‘Pears like dis yere young Tom cat tinks he smell a -mice, or a niggah he’s huntin,” said Dan, “an’ he’s gwoine -fo’ to <i>chaw ’im up</i> mighty quick!” (suiting his gesture to -his words by a long sniff, and a quick motion of his jaws.)</p> - -<p>Dan’s buffoonery was irresistible, and the half dozen persons -who had gathered at the captain’s door manifested their -appreciation by hilarious applause.</p> - -<p>“‘Pears like I couldn’t leave such ’stinguished comp’ny, -nohow,” he continued, “but dey is a panoramia fo’ my vishum -which am decomrated by hoe cakes an’ hominy, an’ lasses -an’ bacon, an’ sich tings;” and with his hands upon his -empty stomach, Dan bowed very low and obsequiously,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -and mounting his “ambulancer,” gathered up the ragged -ends of his raw-hide ribbons, touched Jack with his long -green stick, and rattled away, while Captain Doc shouted -after him, “Two o’clock, and no tipsy men on parade.”</p> - -<p>The queer little turnout, which would have been a spectacle -in any part of the northern states, though common -enough in the southern, crept slowly up the steep hill in -the rear of the village, where buildings of curious and -indescribable styles were scattered without order or taste, -and few indications of thrift. Stopping on the outskirts -of the town, and before a small cabin built of one thickness -of rough boards, the vertical cracks between which -would nearly receive the fingers of an adult, and the windows -of which, without sash or glazing, were closed only -by clumsy wooden shutters—the usual style of cabin inhabited -by the southern negro—Dan leaped from his -vehicle, and entering, sniffed and looked about searchingly, -till a tall, angular mulatto woman entered from the back -door with an armful of wood.</p> - -<p>“Any suppah yet, Mira?”</p> - -<p>“No, sah. Yo’ suppah ha’n’t ready yit, but I’s cookin’ it. -I’s mighty tired. I’s done done all dat whole big cotton -field.”</p> - -<p>“Good, chile! good, chile!” said the husband, approaching -and attempting to kiss her as she stooped to replenish -the open fire.</p> - -<p>No sooner had his breath touched her face than she -turned, with a stick of wood in one hand, and confronted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -him, while the smoke and flame leaped out in alarming -proximity to her dress.</p> - -<p>“See here now, yo’ Dan; yo’ been drinkin’ gin,” fixing -her dark eyes reprovingly upon his silly face. “Dat’s de -way yo’ been spendin’ yo’ money.”</p> - -<p>“Mira Pipsie, yo’s de smartest woman in de whole worl’. -Yo’s got ’em zackly, I reckon” (wriggling and curveting -about the room and back to her side again). “I nebber -boughtened me no finery o’ no kind; no new bonnet, nor -nuffin. Yo’ buys what yo’ wants, an’ so does I.”</p> - -<p>“Yes; but yo’ comes home an’ wants suppah, an’ it’s de -cotton o’ my raisin’ as buys yo’ suppah.”</p> - -<p>“Yah! yah! yah! I’s a lucky dog, shor!” and he executed -a jig followed by a double shuffle, knocking his heels -upon the bare floor with what vigor he could command, -and at the same time improvising as follows:</p> - -<p class="pp6q p1"> -“I’s de smartest little wife<br /> -Ebber seen in all yo’ life;<br /> -She marks her cotton-bag<br /> -Wid a little calico rag,<br /> -An’ gits de biggis’ price,<br /> -An’ as slick as any mice<br /> -She smiles, an’ bows, an’ flies aroun’,<br /> -An’ totes her cotton off to town.<br /> -Home she comes, an’ O my!<br /> -See de new bonnet! <i>Oh, my eye!</i><br /> -Away to church she sing an’ pray,<br /> -Hallelujah! look dis way!<br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span>Dina Duncan’s in de shade,<br /> -Mira beats all on dress parade.<br /> -But jes’ see Dina’s <i>bran new shawl</i>!<br /> -Can’t heah no mo’ preachin’ af’er all.<br /> -Elder, I’m gone nex’ Sunday sho’,<br /> -Can’t wear dis here ole shawl o’ mine no mo’!”</p> - -<p class="p1">Here the song abruptly terminated, for the “smartest little -wife,” who was some inches taller than her husband, and -by no means slender, took her liege lord by the damp, unstarched -collar of his soiled blue shirt, and marching him -to the door, seated him upon the step, saying in a low, decided, -and well recognized tone, “Now yo’ jes’ set dar, yo’ -drunk niggah, yo’, an’ don’t yo’ open dat big red mouf o’ -yo’n no mo’ till I git some hominy to fill it up. I don’t -want no niggah’s heels scratchin’ roun’ on my flo’. Ef -yo’d buy bettah finery ’n dem ole trowsahs, an’ go to -church, an’ let whiskey ’lone, yo’ cotton’d be some good. -Ef I didn’t mark my cotton o’ my raisin’, an’ toat de -money myself, I’d jes like t’ know whar yo’d git yo’ tea, -an’ coffee, an’ flou’h, an’ all dem tings?”</p> - -<p>With an admonitory shake of her finger, she entered the -house, and resumed her culinary operations; but soon -reappeared, bearing a gun and accoutrements, and sundry -materials for polishing them; having first dexterously -examined it, and found it without charge.</p> - -<p>“Heah now, yo’ Pipsie; yo’ got sense ’nough t’ clean dis -’ere gun?” she asked. “Reckon you’ll be mighty proud -o’ dis ’ere ‘finery,’ marchin’ up an’ down long o’ de res’, -an’ de folks all lookin’ on.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>“He, he! Didn’t I say ‘smartest little wife’? Reckon -I kin do dat are. Reckon I’ll p’rade on de fo’th, an’ yo’ll -wait till Sunday.”</p> - -<p>Two of his neighbors presently joined Mr. Pipsie, with -whom he was soon discussing the anticipated celebration, -which was quite a novelty in the locality. Suddenly a loud -sound of wheels was heard.</p> - -<p>“Hello!” cried Dan, springing from his seat. “Heah -comes my friend Bakah! Hello, Babe! Bett’ take car, dat -team, else yo’ git toated clean off, an gone to smash ’fo’ -yo’ muddah knows nuffin ’bout it. Reckon yo’ didn’t ax -her mout yo’ gwout alone?”</p> - -<p>The sound of the jolting wagon rendered this speech inaudible -to the youthful driver, who was passing without a -“Howdy!” (an offense in that locality) but the loud, derisive -“guffaw” of the three colored men, which followed -Dan’s sally, did not fail to reach him, and he paused suddenly, -just past the door.</p> - -<p>He was tall and large, but unusually boyish for a youth -of twenty years. In an angry tone he shouted:</p> - -<p>“Dan Pipsie, come out here! I want to see yer.”</p> - -<p>That individual made his way, quite deliberately, to the -side of the vehicle, and with a strange mixture of timidity -and bravado in his manner.</p> - -<p>“What do you mean by cursing me in that way? I -ha’n’t done nothing to you,” said the boy.</p> - -<p>“Oh, laws! I’s jest in fun, an’ I’s shor’ yo’ didn’t heah -yo’r name mixin’ up in it. A man’s a right to talk or cuss<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -on his own do’,” (door) “an’ nothin’ to no man no’ his boy -gwoine ’long de road.”</p> - -<p>The youngster’s eyes flashed, and his face was pale with -rage. What! <i>he</i> to be called a <i>boy</i> by a “nigger?” He -looked down upon the diminutive black figure beside him, -in whose hands was one of Remington’s best rifles, and that -alone restrained him from laying the long lash of his -driving-whip close about the “black biped,” as he mentally -called him. He did venture to retort with some asperity.</p> - -<p>The altercation was brief, but heated, and soon the whip -was cracked decidedly closer to Pipsie’s left ear than was -comfortable to its owner.</p> - -<p>“Yo’ jes be little mo’ ca’ful, yo’ young man!” said Pipsie, -rubbing the ear briskly. “Yo’ not got no runaway -niggah slave heah now. I’se a free man, an’ got as much -rights as yo’, an’ mo’n dat, too, I’se got a United States -gun heah, an’ I knows how to shoot, too. Yo’ needn’t -’sult no National Guards fo’ nuffin’. Ef yo’ ha’n’t got no -mo’ yo’ want say t’ me, yo’ bes’ jes’ git ’long ’bout yo’ -business, or yo’ may git hurt!” and he made a feint to raise -the empty gun to his eye, when young Tom Baker rode -away in great haste.</p> - -<p>Baconsville had never witnessed such a “celebration” as -it enjoyed the next day, which came bright and beautiful.</p> - -<p>Though usually tardy in morning rising—possibly from -dread of the malaria, which the sun dissipates by nine -o’clock, on this memorable day, the inhabitants of the village -were astir at an early hour, for, through the heavy fog<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -which crept up from the river, and shrouded the whole valley, -the red-haired and fair-skinned Marmor, and the largest, -strongest, and blackest citizen, with a few followers, were -dimly visible, dragging a blacksmith’s anvil along the -principal streets.</p> - -<p>They paused frequently in front of the residences and -shops of the chief citizens to salute them by an explosion -of gunpowder upon the anvil—the nearest approach to a cannonade -possible in the impecuneous little city. But not -earlier than four o’clock in the afternoon was the excitement -at its height. At that time the brass band was playing -national airs under a great oak tree on a vacant plot -of ground on which a platform had been erected; and a -few seats placed in front of it for the accommodation of -the gentler sex were rapidly filling; for, at a safe distance, -thirteen explosions upon the anvil, in commemoration of -the thirteen original colonies, were being followed by -thirty-seven, in honor of the then existing States of the -Union.</p> - -<p>These were the recognized signals for the commencement -of the most important exercises of the day; and the militia -having formed at the armory, marched to the rostrum, -bearing the “Stars and Stripes,” and were disposed on -either side of the speaker’s stand, while other free and -patriotic citizens stood in compact groups near and about -the well-filled seats.</p> - -<p>All being ready, a chairman elected, the glass of water -and bouquet of flowers placed before the speaker, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -band having duly discoursed, a short, smooth-voiced negro—an -accredited preacher of the Methodist persuasion, and -member of the State Legislature from that district—was -introduced. He made a long, peculiarly energetic, interesting -and instructive address, rich in metaphor and quaint -expressions, glowing with native eloquence, and abounding -in graphic description, wholesome counsel, and eulogy of the -“United States.”</p> - -<p>Not an allusion was made to the past relations of the -races in the South, unless an exhortation to gratitude towards -the United States be so construed, in view of the -fact that the very few whites present acknowledged no -such debt.</p> - -<p>After the address, music followed, and then Marmor was -formally introduced to his neighbors, and read in clear, loud -tones the inevitable “Preamble and Declaration of Independence,” -to the manifest disgust of a small group of -men who stood in the rear of the crowd.</p> - -<p>A tall, muscular man, with iron-gray hair and bushy -beard, turned upon his heel with an oath, saying: “Marmor, -the contemptible radical, takes too much pleasure in -reading that preamble to me, and I’m a fool to hear it any -way. <i>All men created equal!</i> It is a self-evident lie!” and -he strode away, followed by the boyish young man, Tom, -to whom the reader has already been introduced.</p> - -<p>“Father,” said he, “that red-headed fool acts like a -Yankee. You wouldn’t suppose he fought for the Lost -Cause.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<p>“It is the cursed German blood in him!” replied “the old -man Baker,” as his neighbors called him. “He hasn’t been -in the State long enough to get the Republican taint out of -it. His father wasn’t born here.”</p> - -<p>“It is a pity that a Yankee bullet hadn’t hit <i>him</i>, instead -of brother Will.” He’s a scalawag and a carpet-bagger, -both in one.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I’d like to rid the State of his presence, and the -niggers of one leader. If it wasn’t for the leaders, we -could manage the ignorant ones.”</p> - -<p>The exercises at “the stand” closed at five o’clock, and -the Militia soon formed, thirty or forty strong, and marched -off up Market street; which being over one hundred and -fifty feet in width, afforded ample space for the evolutions -which the men performed with commendable precision for -nearly an hour.</p> - -<p>At length they stood resting at the upper end of the -street.</p> - -<p>“Have you noticed the clouds, Captain?” asked the tall -second-lieutenant, approaching his superior with raised cap, -“That’s so, Watta,” replied Captain Doc, glancing at the -clouds, “We’ll march down to the armory and dismiss. Attention, -Company.”</p> - -<p>The necessary orders being given, they proceeded by -fours, interval march, open order, with guns across their -shoulders, and arms over their guns; thus occupying little -over one third of the width of the street.</p> - -<p>Soon after they had thus started, a single buggy occupied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -by two young men, turned from Main street into Market -street, entering it two or three streets in front of them -and approached the advancing Militia-men at a slow trot. -The horse was old and steady, and neither the glittering -guns, nor flag, nor fife and drum disturbed his equanimity; -and, urged by his driver, he did not pause nor turn aside -till in the very face of the soldiers, who had already -halted.</p> - -<p>The road was broad and level, but the travel had been -confined mostly to one track, and the remainder of the surface -was overgrown with grass and May weeds.</p> - -<p>Just at the place of their meeting, a well occupied a few -feet in the centre of the street; and a shallow ditch crossed -the half of the street at the right of the vehicle. Yet -fully fifteen feet of the level highway was unoccupied at -the right of the Militia, and the driver could easily have -passed around the Company, had he chosen to do so, instead -of urging his horse directly upon the advancing column.</p> - -<p>The discourtesy of this act was aggravated by the fact -that the young men had, during a half-hour previously, -been driving leisurely from one bar-room to another, or sitting -in their carriage and watching the movements of the Company -in common with a large number of other citizens, -both white and colored, during which time frequent opportunities -had occurred in which they might have driven up -the then totally unoccupied street.</p> - -<p>These young men were Tom Baker and his sister’s husband,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -Harry Gaston, who, like his father-in-law, had often -expressed his aversion to “the Nigger Militia Company.”</p> - -<p>Captain Doc left his position, and approaching them said:</p> - -<p>“Mr. Gaston, I do not know for what reason you treat -me in this manner.”</p> - -<p>“What manner?”</p> - -<p>“Aiming to drive through my company when you have -room enough on the outside to drive in the road.”</p> - -<p>“Well, this is the rut I always travel in,” was the contemptuous -reply, made with an oath.</p> - -<p>“That may be true,” replied the Captain, “but if ever you -had a company out here, I should not have treated you in -this kind of a manner. I should have gone around, and -showed some respect to you.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” retorted Gaston, “this is the rut I always travel -in, and I don’t intend to get out of it for no niggers!”</p> - -<p>“You don’t intend to break up our drill do you?” asked -Lieutenant Watta; his yellow face growing visibly pale.</p> - -<p>“All I want is to pass through and go home.”</p> - -<p>“But you want to drive through our ranks.”</p> - -<p>“No! ——. He can’t go through here,” said another -voice.</p> - -<p>“We will stay here all night before we will give way to -them,” said Watta, the conversation with lawyer Elly and -Uncle Jesse recurring to his memory.</p> - -<p>“Never mind,” said Gaston with an oath, “you won’t -always be insulting me. You had better stop now, for -you’ll find you’ve got to.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Egh, Watta, don’t yos’ mind what Mann Harris said—tole -that Hanson Baker, Tom’s brother, said a month ago -that there’s gwoine to be the —— to pay in Baconsville -pretty soon? Reckon the white folks is begun that p’ogramme -he tole ’bout,” said another militia man. “He said -fifteen hundred of ’em was ready to break us up, an’ of co’se -Gasten’s one of ’em.”</p> - -<p>A volley of oaths and abusive epithets was rolling from -Tommy Baker’s lips; which was indeed their most familiar -utterance when addressing persons of color; and some members -of the company began to return the charge in kind.</p> - -<p>“Attention, company!” shouted Capt. Doc. “It is -going to rain, and we had best house our guns. We won’t -hold any contention with these men. Now, yo’ hush up! -I’ll settle this matter. Open order, and let them go -through.”</p> - -<p>The command was obeyed, but not without murmurs -of discontent, which, however, were soon quieted, as a -slight shower descended, and they hastened off to the -armory.</p> - -<p>Marmor, with his two little children, had been standing -a few rods away, watching and praising the exercise.</p> - -<p>When the altercation occurred, being a Warden of the -town, he sent John Carr, the Town Marshal, or Chief of -Police, to ascertain its cause; but it was passed before his -arrival at the scene.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER IV.<br /> -<span class="wn">LEGAL REDRESS.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10s p1">‘O thou dread Power! whose empire-giving hand<br /> -Has oft been stretched to shield the honored land!’</p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">So</span> trivial a quarrel as that narrated in the closing part of -our last chapter, had it occurred elsewhere than in a community -in which the inhabitants had so recently sustained -the relations of masters and slaves, would scarcely have -elicited remark upon a subsequent day; but over the three -or four hundred colored, and forty or fifty white residents -of Baconsville there settled a dark cloud of anxiety and -apprehension of coming evil.</p> - -<p>Angry looks and threats of violence on the part of the -whites were recalled and anxiously discussed by the colored -people, as were also the recent and frequently expressed -determination to “carry the next election for the Democratic -Party, if even through blood waist deep,” though -the colored voters were largely in the majority, and almost -without exception, if unintimidated, voted the Republican -ticket.</p> - -<p>These, with the oft-repeated boast that the illegal Rifle -Clubs, trained cavalry companies, were ready to co-operate -for the suppression and utter dispersion of this colored -company of State militia, with the fact that similar acts -of violence were by no means new experiences to the ex-slaves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -in the South, but were even then being perpetrated in -the surrounding country, made the outlook for the colored -population gloomy, indeed.</p> - -<p>On the other hand, the officers of the town, with the -single exception of our friend Marmor, were all of the colored -race, and as he was a Republican native, he was -even more repugnant to his white neighbors than a -“nigger.”</p> - -<p>On the other hand, during the two months preceding -this encounter, these militia-men were known to have been -drilling as often as once or twice a week, though the law required -such practice but once a month. This alarmed the -whites, with whom anticipations of “insurrections” are still -either congenital or feigned.</p> - -<p>In the days of slavery, and also by the South Carolina -“Black Code” (the only exclusively white legislation in the -State since reconstruction), arms were strictly forbidden -to the negroes, and under heavy penalties; yet, through -the subsequent Republican legislation, they rejoiced in being -the “National Guards,” bearing the same flag which -Sherman “carried down to the sea,” and under which Captain -Doc learned tactics and heroism in the “Black Regiment,” -which once swept over Fort Fisher, and closed the -last port of the rebellious States.</p> - -<p>What signified it to those conscience-accused whites that -these were poor men maneuvering by the light of the moon -to save the expense of lighting their drill room; and, unable -to spare time from their toil, they took it from the hours of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -their rest, to prepare for a creditable performance on the -Nation’s Centennial birthday? So much the worse. The -Fourth of July was the birthday of the “national nonsense” -that “all men are created equal;” and it was not -the fault or credit of these white men that there was left a -nation to celebrate its Centennial.</p> - -<p>Now that the sole militia of the State was enrolled from -this emancipated race (white men would not enlist under -charters, because unassured that they should not be subordinated -to colored officers, and they might be required to -sustain a State government of the colored majority), how -should one expect the former masters to be content and -at ease, even though no concerted outbreak had ever -occurred among the freedmen, whose temper is naturally -peaceable and timid even to servility?</p> - -<p>Undoubtedly, the fears of those once reputed hard masters, -or who still find it difficult to conform to the new conditions, -are often distressing. They are also nature’s incontrovertible -testimony to the wisdom and divine origin -of equal rights.</p> - -<p>Great was the excitement of the Baker families when -the young men arrived with the tale of their “narrow escape -from the militia men.”</p> - -<p>Early the next morning, the old slave-hunter and his -three sons set out for the office of Trial Justice Rives, who, -though a colored man, it was thought could be more easily -induced to meet out punishment to those miserable offenders, -than Louis Marmor, who was the only other competent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -magistrate in the town.</p> - -<p>Of course, as has been the custom of the whites there, -from the earliest settlement of that country, these gentlemen -all wore their side-arms, and for greater safety these -were put into the very best condition, and fully loaded, as -they suspected the Town Marshal, who ran after them on -the previous evening, might attempt a counter-arrest for -the same offense.</p> - -<p>Young Tommy did not feel quite safe from Dan Pipsie -without his eighteen-shooting rifle in addition; and so, -with it in hand, he mounted his young bay horse, while beside -him rode his brother-in-law, Harry Gaston,—the best -shot in town, bearing also his carbine; while the father and -his eldest son, Hanson, were seated in a light wagon in -which were placed additional firearms, lightly covered with -a lap-robe.</p> - -<p>Thus equipped, they proceeded in safety, through the -quiet little village to the Justice’s office; and finding it -closed, went two miles further on, to his plantation, and -returned with him to his office; quite a formidable party to -be sure. Arrived there, they entered complaints against -Dan Pipsie for threats to kill, and against the officers of the -Militia Company for “obstructing the highway.”</p> - -<p>The Justice, being himself Major-general of that division -of the State Militia, after thoughtfully scratching his crispy -locks awhile, said:</p> - -<p>“I reckon it is best to hear a <i>statement</i> of the testimony,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -and then decide whether it is a case for court-martialing, -or for trial under the <i>civil law</i>.”</p> - -<p>Ten o’clock of the next morning was fixed as the time -for hearing the case.</p> - -<p>At that hour Justice Rives was found seated behind his -desk, and busily examining papers and documents.</p> - -<p>The Bakers made their appearance, accompanied by a -few friends, among whom were two professional men—a -Reverend, and an M. D.; though not with compresses and -consolations for the possible wounded and dying, (for South -Carolina chivalry does not fight its duels with “niggers,”) -but with bail money (modified from bullets), should that -counter-arrest, which they feared, be attempted.</p> - -<p>Automatically, or through force of habit, each race in -the southern States still assumes, in assemblies, the positions -and attitudes imposed in the days of slavery. In the -churches of the colored people one or more of the most -desirable seats are reserved for whites, and these often remain -vacant, or nearly so, during a lengthy service, while -church members stand to exhaustion for want of seats.</p> - -<p>Hence, the front seats of Gen. Justice Rives’ court-room -were occupied by the plaintiffs and their friends, and the -defendants and their friends sat at a respectful distance in -the rear, while a number of boys and women of color -gathered outside of the door.</p> - -<p>The magistrate, who had not altogether escaped the envy -of his less fortunate neighbors, had often been accused by -them of a sycophantic weakness for the approval of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -whites; while the latter declared that justice could not be -obtained by them before a colored officer, and that, as a -political canvass was approaching, they would not again -submit to negro magistrates.</p> - -<p>He therefore felt his position peculiarly trying, especially -when he saw that they were all thoroughly armed.</p> - -<p>He held both his official positions by appointments of the -Governor, to be sure; yet he knew that the preponderance -of wealth, intelligence and bravery was with the white -race; while at the same time he did not forget that if “a -traitor to his race,” he would probably, through ostracism -and insult, reap a bitter retribution from his own people.</p> - -<p>A peace warrant was, however, soon issued against Dan -Pipsie, his “Daddy” being present to give bail for his -future good behavior. Then, with some apparent reluctance -and nervousness, the Justice called the principal case.</p> - -<p>Mr. Watta arose and announced that lawyer Kanrasp, -from the county seat would appear for the defense.</p> - -<p>To this Robert Baker strenuously objected, as, not having -been advised that attorneys would be employed, he had -none. He therefore asked a postponement of the case.</p> - -<p>Kanrasp then suggested to his client that inasmuch as -the proceedings had thus far been very informal—the paper -served being neither a writ nor summons, and not at -all a legal paper—he would withdraw from the case, and -let Rives take judgment if he chose, when the case could be -appealed to the Superior Court, where justice might be -had.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> - -<p>This he did on account of the extreme indignation manifested -by the Bakers and their friends.</p> - -<p>Gaston, who was a shriveled, weason-faced specimen of the -<i>genus homo</i>, with sandy hair, flaming whiskers, and a face -in which whiskey held a profusion of freckles in purple -solution, was the first to testify, which he did in accordance -with his views of the affair.</p> - -<p>“Now, Captain,” said the Judge, when Gaston had finished, -“as you have no counsel, you may question the -witness if you want to.”</p> - -<p>Captain Doc was a well-made, medium sized and shrewd -man, little less than forty years of age, with very dark -complexion, having three-fourths African blood.</p> - -<p>He arose from his seat quite slowly, and squarely fronting -Gaston, asked:</p> - -<p>“Mr. Gaston, did I treat yo’ with any disrespect when I -spoke to yo’? Didn’t I treat yo’ politely?”</p> - -<p>“I ca’n’t say that you treated me with any disrespect; -but I can say this much, that there was two or three members -of your company that showed some impudence to me, -and I also saw them load their guns.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Gaston,” replied the Captain, looking searchingly -in the eyes of the little man, “didn’t yo’ see me examining -the cartridge-boxes and the pockets of the company, to see -if they had any ammunition before we went on drill?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I did.”</p> - -<p>“Did yo’ see any?”</p> - -<p>“No.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> - -<p>“<i>I</i> did. I found one man with a cartridge in his pocket, -and I took it away, and scolded him about it.”</p> - -<p>Gaston replied, “Yes, I saw that.”</p> - -<p>“Well then, are yo’ <i>certain</i> that these men loaded their -guns?”</p> - -<p>“I saw them moving them, and I thought they were -loading them.”</p> - -<p>“And so yo’ came here to <i>swear</i> that we wanted to kill -yo’? That’s about as much as a colored man can get for -his care not to give offense. A man is a fool to go out of -his way for any of yo’ white folks anyway. Yo’ had no -right to aim to drive through our Company as yo’ did; but -when I gave in and got out of yo’r way, and let you go -‘long—gave yo’ the road that b’longed to us—yo’ just come -heah with such a lie as that against us.”</p> - -<p>“Captain, I don’t want you to treat my court with contempt,” -said Rives, severely. “If you can’t address the -gentleman more politely you must sit down.”</p> - -<p>“Judge, I don’t mean no contempt,” said Doc, in a conciliatory -tone, “not if I know myself. I never expect to -treat no lawful court with any contempt. I was only asking -questions, but if the questions is not legal, then I don’t -want to ask him. I won’t ask no mo’, but leave it to yo’r -discretion,” and he sat down.</p> - -<p>“Well, sir, to sit down without permission is contempt -of court.”</p> - -<p>With such an air of drollery as only a negro can assume, -Doc sprung to his feet again, saying—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yo’ mus’ pardon me sah. I’s not accustomed to law -offices. If sitting down or anything else is contempt, I’m -asking yo’r pardon this minute; for I didn’t mean to contempt -this court.”</p> - -<p>“It is contempt, sir!” thundered the judge, “and I put -you under arrest, and dismiss this court till July the 8th -at four o’clock in the evening.”</p> - -<p>Some protestations were made on account of the lateness -of the hour, but Rives insisted he could not leave his plantation -labor earlier, and immediately declared the court -adjourned.</p> - -<p>Neither the day nor hour was satisfactory to the complainants, -as it was on Saturday afternoon, when many -country negroes were certain to visit the village shops, -stores, and market; but as the whites were more generally -masters of their own time, it is possible Rives feared he -might need the presence and support of his own race -should he not condemn the accused.</p> - -<p>Harry Gaston was enraged and strutted about like a -bantam cock; his face became almost livid, and his hands -nervously bobbed in and out of the breast pockets of his -short coat, where rested a well-prepared pistol on one side, -and a flask of whiskey on the other. Alas, the <i>flask</i> knew -little rest.</p> - -<p>“I pray you be calm, my dear nephew,” said the Reverend -Mr. Mealy, who, though inwardly <i>seething</i>, was so enswathed -in his own innate mealiness, that he was measurably -cool. “Do not allow this degraded black to disturb you.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -Remember your position in society. You have been raised -by me as my own son. Do not disgrace yourself and me -by condescending to dispute with one in his station, and of -his color,” and grasping the young man’s arm, he moved -towards the door.</p> - -<p>Lieutenant Watta, who had been sitting beside his Captain, -now sprung to his feet, and grasping Doc’s arm, -rushed towards the door, attempting to lead him out.</p> - -<p>Doc, however, hung back, and having extricated himself, -said in a low tone, “Watta, keep cool!” and he sat down -again.</p> - -<p>“I won’t keep cool!” retorted the lieutenant. This white-livered -judge has shown partiality. Look at the arms in -this court room! and Rives is afraid!” (with a sneer.) “They -may shed my blood if they can, but I won’t keep still and -see my captain arrested for contempt just because in questioning, -he got ahead of these unrebuked and cowardly bullies -when you humbled us all, on the Fourth of July, to avoid -a fuss and concilliate their lordships;” and the enraged man -strode out of the building, threw the gate back upon its -hinges, and standing in the opening thus made, drew himself -to his full height, and threw out his empty palms exclaiming</p> - -<p>“I carry no arms; but we’ve got arms.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, you’ve got arms, but you’ll see how it’ll be -yourselves!” said Hanson Baker, who had been haranguing -the people outside the court house. “There’s -a fellow from Texas here, two or more of ’em, and they’re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -going to kill that Town Marshall, and nobody isn’t going -to know who done it, and then they’ll leave.”</p> - -<p>“What does he or they know about John Carr, the Marshall?” -asked a very large, but irresolute-looking black man.</p> - -<p>“He’s been informed of his character, and I tell you -John Carr won’t be living in this town three months, neither -will some o’ the rest.”</p> - -<p>“How about that Harmony Case?” asked the same voice -(a case of massacre of blacks).</p> - -<p>“Well, I wasn’t there, but they done it, and there’s a -programme laid down for the white folks <i>this</i> year.”</p> - -<p>“That is wrong,” said a voice.</p> - -<p>“Well, if it <i>is</i> wrong, it is no matter; it’ll be done all the -same. There is no laws now.”</p> - -<p>“Ha! ha!” laughed the crowd, the whites applauding, -and the blacks deriding the threats.</p> - -<p>“Does yo’ pretend to say there a’n’t no law in the State -now?”</p> - -<p>“No, there a’n’t no law in this State, nor any other State. -It’s been a hundred years since the Constitution of the -United States, and it’s played out now, and every man can -do as he likes. We’re going to get Chamberlain and his -crowd out o’ the State House.”</p> - -<p>“How about Grant? You know he’s President.”</p> - -<p>“By——! we’ll have him too.”</p> - -<p>“Take care, that is treason,” said another.</p> - -<p>Harrison Baker and Watta proceeded, each with his harangue, -and paid no heed to each other, till the plaintiffs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -and their friends crowded out of the building, pistols in -hand, ready for instantaneous use.</p> - -<p>A frightened old mammy bawled out, with great eyes -rolling, and great hands waving, “See the pistols and guns! -See the pistols and guns! Oh, Lor’! they ort to be shot -down theirselves!” but the next instant she cowered under -the same fierce gaze of the “old man Baker,” which had -made many a stalwart runaway stand tamely after the dogs -were taken off and while the shackles were put on.</p> - -<p>“Uncle, Uncle, let me go,” said Gaston impatiently, striving -to free himself from that worthy’s grasp. “I want to -shut that yellow chap’s mouth with this little bit of lead. -The judge ought to arrest <i>him</i>, but I’ll take his case if -you’ll let me go, I’ll give him a mouthful to chaw!”</p> - -<p>“Shut my mouth, would you?” retorted Watta, who had -caught the words as the two men approached the door. -“You’ll find that hard business before you are through with -it, if you try. The whites have ruled us long enough. -Two hundred and fifty years they bought and sold us like -cattle, till the United States set us free; and since then, -colored citizens have been tied and whipped, and shot, and -murdered in cold blood, and driven from their homes, and -their property destroyed, to this day. But it is all no matter -here before this white-livered judge. It’ll take a regiment -to tie and whip <i>me</i>, or spill what black blood <i>I</i> -have.”</p> - -<p>“Do not speak to him, my nephew,” said the Rev. Mr. -Mealy.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> - -<p>“A regiment!” cried Gaston, with a sneer. “Let me go -and whip him myself;” but the readiness with which he -yielded to the pressure of his uncle’s hands, was amusingly -in contrast with his words.</p> - -<p>“We will have this matter settled by law now, and know -whether we are to be run over in this way. We will -know which are to rule this place—the blacks or the whites,” -said Rev. Mr. Mealy. “We’ll know what rights this militia -company have. They have got an idea that they can do -whatever they please. We’ll have it settled now.”</p> - -<p>“This court is a mockery of justice,” continued Watta. -“Look at those arms on the side of wealth, and an unarmed -poor man arrested for contempt, because he has a dark skin -and cornered his opponent by lawful questions. The next -time a white swell rides into our ranks while we are on -parade we will see that he doesn’t take us to court for obstructing -his way.”</p> - -<p>Rev. Mr. Mealy, Dr. Shall, and General Rives were -active and nearest in efforts to control the now highly incensed -Baker family and Gaston; and an influential colored -man succeeded in getting Watta out of the street. With -deep muttered threats and oaths, the Bakers and their -friends at length betook themselves to their conveyances -and their homes.</p> - -<p>Captain Doc conversed with the constable, in the justice’s -office, while the latter official went to his dinner and returned. -Re-entering, Rives approached, and extending his -hand said good-humoredly, “Shake hands Doc.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” replied he, with averted eyes.</p> - -<p>“Yes, you will. I couldn’t help it. You was bearing -on so hard that they would have shot you in two minutes -more. I did it to save you.”</p> - -<p>“Is that so, judge? Then here’s my hand. I didn’t -mean no contempt; but if I’ve contempted you, or your -court I’m sorry.”</p> - -<p>“That’s all right now, and I’ll remit the fine. Now let -me tell you, you’d best settle this matter somehow, if it is -possible. I’m afraid trouble will come of this. I wish -Watta had ’a’ kept still.”</p> - -<p>“So do I. He’s a marked man now, shor’, and his life -an’t worth much,” said Nat Wellman, the constable.</p> - -<p>“Settle it?” said Capt. Doc. “Major General Rives, nothing -will settle it but to let the company be broken up. I -won’t do that, and my oath to the State, that I have taken as -Captain, wonldn’t let me if I wanted to.”</p> - -<p>“I can’t see the end of this yet, I can’t,” said the Judge, -with a sigh, as the trio separated.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER V.<br /> -<span class="wn">PREPARATIONS.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10q p1"> -“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world,<br /> -Like a Colossus; and we petty men<br /> -Walk under his huge legs, and peep about<br /> -To find ourselves dishonorable graves.”</p> -<p class="pr4"><span class="smcap">Casca, in Julius Caesar.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">The</span> 8th of July, 1876, was an exceedingly hot day, -and few white residents of the State of South Carolina -ventured out of doors in the hotter hours, though, as is -usual, the colored race needed less caution to avoid sunstroke.</p> - -<p>About nine o’clock, A. M., two gentlemen issued from an -attractive residence, which was situated on a slight eminence -on the outskirts of a little village called Enfield Court-House. -Leaving the broad piazza, they walked leisurely -down the gently sloping lawn to the street. As they -closed the gate behind them a covered buggy passed, in -which was seated a middle-aged man who bore a decidedly -commanding air.</p> - -<p>His hat lay upon the seat beside him, and the light hot -breeze lifted the long iron-gray hair which lay upon -his shoulders, and fluttered his linen duster and the loose -flapping curtains of the carriage with a cool and comfortable -appearance.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>His horse was fresh, and so spirited that the neatly-gloved -hands of the gentleman were well-exercised in controlling -him.</p> - -<p>He found time to gaze at the two gentlemen upon the -ground, however, but gave no sign of recognition, save -possibly a little more lofty elevation of the head.</p> - -<p>“The General is off on professional business, judging -from his manner and duster,” remarked the elder of the -two pedestrians.</p> - -<p>“I often find it hard to repress a smile, even in his presence, -at his <i>wondrous pomposity</i>. What kind of a business -would he do in the North—Ohio, say—with all his airs? -He wouldn’t have a client.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes, he would. There are plenty of people everywhere, -who never know what estimate to put upon others -till they, or some one else tell them. But the General’s -“airs,” as you call them, are his stock in trade here.”</p> - -<p>Both men laughed heartily.</p> - -<p>“But to think of a man passing his neighbor and State -Senator as he did you, Mr. Cone! He should respect your -office, at least.”</p> - -<p>“Ah! that’s what he does not do when a radical is the -incumbent. He was once quite condescending and affable -to me, when I let politics and education alone, and didn’t -meddle with them at all.”</p> - -<p>“Meddle! Senator! Who has a better right than you -to take an interest in politics?”</p> - -<p>“Young man you forget yourself, you must learn meekness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -and discretion—not to put too fine a point on it—or -you will get into trouble.”</p> - -<p>“But we are immensely in the majority,—the State is -really in our hands. Why should we cringle and bow to -this haughty minority just because the blood of their -families, is in our veins, mixed with various proportions of -African?”</p> - -<p>“But you’re a ‘nigger’!”</p> - -<p>“True, and they used to say that black men had no -rights that white men were bound to respect. That was -their day. This is ours.”</p> - -<p>“Ah, but I want a better pattern for my life than they -have been. I say, because we are in the majority, let us -take all the honors and offices we can, but wear them -meekly for our safety’s sake, and fill them honorably for -conscience’s sake. Good morning!” and the twain separated -to go, the one to his law studies, and the other to his -duties as planter and legislator.</p> - -<p>We will accompany the General. Right through the -torrid heat he kept on, over hill and valley, only stopping -occasionally to cool his reeking horse in the shade of some -friendly tree, or to converse with some white man whose -house he entered briefly, or whom he beckoned to his carriage -if within call.</p> - -<p>At length he descended a long hill, and, reining his -horse below the bridge, he drove into a small stream, -where, in the shade of some overhanging trees, he paused -a few moments, allowing his horse to drink while he hastily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -pencilled a few figures in his notebook. Adding them up -he shook his head thoughtfully, and said, in a low tone: -“That will not do. Which way next?”</p> - -<p>On looking up, he descried a horseman descending the -hill before him. Driving out of the water, and regaining -the road, he awaited his approach.</p> - -<p>“Howdy do, General?” said the equestrian, pausing -beside the carriage. “Hot day this.”</p> - -<p>“Infernally hot, Dr. Wise!” and he grasped the extended -hand, as he wiped the perspiration from his face and neck -with his left, and, though apparently irritated by the heat, -he shook hands cordially.</p> - -<p>“It <i>is</i> hot here, hot as that hottest of all places, and I -hear they are going to have that over here in Baconsville -pretty soon; I hear so,” and the Doctor shook his fat sides -with a chuckling laugh, adding: “You must have important -business to call you out to-day.”</p> - -<p>“It is quite important, <i>quite</i>,” replied General Baker. -“I have got a suit on hand in Baconsville that is quite -important, and if that other place you are talking about -comes there, I hope I shall not find it hotter than this hollow -is. Niggers may stand it, but I cannot.”</p> - -<p>Both gentlemen were delighted and laughed loudly.</p> - -<p>“I’ve just come from there,” said Dr. Wise.</p> - -<p>“From where—Baconsville? or the other hot place?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, from Baconsville,” replied the medical man, laughing. -“I couldn’t have got away from the other place with -all this fat.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> - -<p>The laugh again subsiding, he continued: “You see I -have a patient I am watching over there; and being in the -neighborhood, was called in to see two or three of the better -class of colored people. I’m afraid you’ll have trouble, -there, at that suit. The niggers are saucy, and very angry -about that collision between the Bakers and the militia.”</p> - -<p>“Well, Doctor, the colored people in South Carolina have -become so insolent and insurrectionary, and intractable, and -have taken on so many intolerable airs, that they must be -made to know their places. You will see their wenches on -the streets of Augusta and Charleston, and all our cities, -with their “pin-backs” and “button shoes,” and “bustles,” -and indeed imitating our ladies in everything; and -they even act as though they expected a white man to step -aside and let them pass, as if they were the ladies themselves. -I saw an affair in Charleston the other day that -<i>made my blood boil</i>, and I involuntarily laid my hand -upon my pistol, but fortunately I was preserved from using -it.</p> - -<p>“Three great black—<i>creatures</i>, I suppose I must call -them <i>men</i>—were walking up the street, and met three -young ladies whom I know to be members of one of our -best families. What do you think but that these impudent -brutes actually crowded our ladies into the gutter—made -them actually step off the pavement for want of room to -pass! Quite fortunately the ditch was dry, and not deep—four -or five inches, at most. But such indignities are too -great a tax on the forbearance of a gentleman of gallantry!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -Only one of the ladies actually stepped off, but then, time -was when I could have blown out the brains of all three of -the rascals, and the community and the State would have -sustained me. But those were days of “home rule.” Alas! -when shall we ever see them again!</p> - -<p>“I do not know what they are meditating at Baconsville, -but I hear they have been performing military evolutions, -with arms in their hands, two or three times a week, -recently, and at night too; and I am called over to put a -stop to it. Why, we are not safe in our beds! It is one -of the atrocities of our carpet-bag government that they -are allowed arms <i>at all</i>, and now they have attacked our -people.”</p> - -<p>“Now, you don’t say so, General!” exclaimed the Doctor.</p> - -<p>“To be sure! This case of mine would bear that construction; -though Mr. Robert Baker has, in the absence of -counsel, very mildly, and I fear unwisely, put it on the -ground of ‘obstructing the highway.’ He might have -made a case much stronger, for they obstructed the way -with their guns and bayonets, and Gaston says some of -them, at least, were seen to load their guns on the spot.”</p> - -<p>“It is a case of positive violence, then, and insurrection?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, positive insubordination,” said the General, with -great emphasis and indignation. “And they have been -making such threats that I’m called over to see if there is -any redress possible—any law or means by which they can -be restrained.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p> - -<p>“If anybody can straighten them out, <i>you</i> can, General; -whether it is to be done by law or by force of arms. We -haven’t forgotten your record in the Confederate service. -But have you no help? You will need backing, I fear.”</p> - -<p>“I have called upon several gentlemen along the way, -and interested them and their clubs, I think; and the club at -Enfield promise to come over to my assistance one hundred -strong at least. But I have just been computing and could -desire even a larger force, especially should the Judge decide -adversely to us; for something <i>must</i> be done to insure -our protection. I confess I feel some concern.”</p> - -<p>“On reflection, I think you need not, General, for the -community is fully aroused by a report that the negroes -intend to <i>mob</i> those young men.”</p> - -<p>“Mob them!” ejaculated General Baker, with an oath. -“They will scarcely dare to do that. They know my military -reputation too well to try that, and I shall be prepared -for them, now that you have kindly forewarned me. But to -be so Doctor, I must bid you good-day, and hasten forward, -for a good seven miles lies before me yet.”</p> - -<p>“I have great confidence in your ability to command success, -and am sure the darkies have a wholesome respect for -the same. So, wishing you all success, I also bid you -good-day.”</p> - -<p>The General now called more frequently upon the white -people along the way, but soon found them anticipating his -coming and ready to join him soon; forming quite an escort -of cavalry as they proceeded.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was two o’clock and intensely hot when they arrived -at Sommer Hill, and found about one hundred and fifty -men grouped in the shade of two wide-spreading oak trees -near a church there, and around a grog shop opposite.</p> - -<p>The General’s arrival was greeted with three cheers, three -times repeated, and three “tigers;” and the men, anxious to -do him honor, pressed around his carriage to shake his -hand and assure him that they still cherished the recollections -of his gallantry on behalf of the “lost cause.”</p> - -<p>Though quite animated, this scene was brief, for courteously -declining the scores of invitations to “drink,” General -Baker informed his followers that the call to duty was -still more imperative to his mind than those to eat or -drink, and he must hasten forward to consult with his clients -before the hour for court arrived.</p> - -<p>Directing them to remain there till signaled, and to keep -an outlook from the brow of the hill overlooking Baconsville, -two miles away, he bravely rode thitherward entirely -unattended, notwithstanding the earnest protestations -of his numerous friends.</p> - -<p>“So brave a man who can decline such entreaties to drink, -and as gracefully as the General did, ought to be at the -head of a temperance society,” said a young man, lounging -near the church.</p> - -<p>“That’s so, Jimminy!” replied a comrade. “Wonder if -he isn’t.”</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid not. I suppose he takes his wine, and probably -something stronger sometimes; though he wants a cool<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -head now. I wish those fellows over there wouldn’t drink -so. I’m for breaking up the nigger militia; but we want -cool heads for it. We can <i>scare</i> the niggers out of it if we -work it right, and all keep sober.”</p> - -<p>“That’s what I think, but you see already how it will be. -I would go home and give it up, but they’ll say I was -afraid. I don’t want to get into no collisions with the -United States, for my part; and if a lot of them get drunk, -I’m afraid something will be done that will lead to that.”</p> - -<p>Less than half a mile from where this conversation was -passing, Harry Gaston sat in his shady porch.</p> - -<p>“Don’t set there doing nothing but watching,” said a -tall lean young woman who sat just inside of the door, -busying herself by rocking in an easy chair. “The General -will think yo’ reckon on ’im awfully, an’ he’s conceited -enough now, mercy knows! There, take them old papers -of yo’re uncle’s, and make as if yo’ was studying politics on -yo’ own hook;” and she tossed a handful of newspapers -upon the floor beside him.</p> - -<p>He took up a copy of that celebrated democratic organ -of the South, the Charleston <i>News and Courier</i>, dated May, -1875, and read—</p> - -<p>“Governor Chamberlain richly deserves the confidence -of the people of this State. The people of South Carolina, -who have all at stake, who see and hear what persons outside -the State cannot know, are satisfied with his honesty. -They believe in him as well they may.”</p> - -<p>“Bah! the contemptible carpet-bagger!” said Gaston,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -dashing the paper on the floor; and picking up another, -dated February, 1876, he read again—</p> - -<p>“We believe that, without regard to consequences or to -his party, he (the Governor) will go on in the narrow path -of right.”</p> - -<p>Another—“January, 1876. In South Carolina the conspicuous -leader in the fight for reform, the one man who -has made reform possible at an early day, is Governor -Chamberlain, whose election was the greatest blessing in -disguise that this people has ever known.”</p> - -<p>“The greatest curse!” exclaimed Gaston kicking the -paper off the porch.</p> - -<p>“That the <i>Courier</i>?” drawled Mrs. Gaston. “I thought -that used to be the best paper in the South—true to the -Confederacy all through the war. Has it gone over to the -Radicals?”</p> - -<p>“It don’t pretend so, but it has been bribed, I reckon.”</p> - -<p>A voice from the highway, now called the husband -away to hold a brief colloquy with General Baker.</p> - -<p>“My horse is very tired and warm, and I myself am in -need of refreshment; so, Mr. Gaston, I shall be obliged if -you will strike across the fields and notify your father-in-law -of my arrival, and bring him and your brother-in-law, -Tom, to the store of Mr. Dunn to meet me for conference -about the suit we have in hand,” and the great man drove on.</p> - -<p>“Mary, General Baker wants me to go across the fields -to your father’s for him,” said the young man, with a demure -countenance, on re-entering the house.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, I reckon yo’ won’t do no such a thing!” she replied, -forcibly. “A mighty easy thing it would be for -some nigger to pop you over, and nobody to see. Yo’ -won’t go that way.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll just gallop down the other road and get to the village -ahead o’ the General; Tom’s thar’, we can go together -after the old man; though I a’n’t afraid of the niggers.”</p> - -<p>“See! see! Meester Dunn,” said that worthy’s helpful -“frau,” as they sat at their dinner in a room immediately -in the rear of their grocery. “Dar is Shinneral Paker from -Enefield, an’ er pe shtopping right here! Pe quick, now. -My laws! but dis vill pe ine goot ebening by de bar! De -Shenneral shtop ’ere, an’ all de gem’mans and companies -come, too! Hurry, now Shorge!”</p> - -<p>“Dat alle right now. I fix ’m mit ole Bob gester-tag,” -said the shrewd though moderate husband, George, arising -from the table, and shuffling through the glass door by -which the dining-room and grocery (or more accurately -<i>groggery</i>), communicated, he greeted the great military -dignity with a volume of broken English that was almost -incomprehensible.</p> - -<p>Shaking the dust from his apparel, the distinguished -guest ordered food and drink for his beast, after time given -him to cool; adding that he would refresh himself while -waiting for the appearance of his clients.</p> - -<p>“Alle right! alle right! De ole voman vill serve you,” -replied Dunn, as he followed his colored servant and the -weary horse to the stables.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> - -<p>Gaston and Tommy were by this time crossing the great -truck-farm of Robert Baker, every rood of which was purchased -with the earnings of trained blood-hounds, chasing -fugitives from justice or labor, and mainly the latter.</p> - -<p>In a sag of land, between the hills on the right and the -river on the left, was a brickyard, in the office of which -Mr. Robert Baker and his son Hanson were found.</p> - -<p>The four men were soon <i>en route</i> for Baconsville. A -colored boy, bound apprentice to the older Baker, skulked -along the crooked fence by the wayside.</p> - -<p>“Joe,” said the old man, stopping the horse, “Joe, come -here.” The personal appearance and reputation of the old -man, and recollections of a recent chastisement for drumming -for the militia company, made little Joe’s dark skin -quiver as he timidly approached the vehicle.</p> - -<p>“Get in,” said the same gruff voice, as room was made -for the child at Baker’s feet, where he gathered himself -into the smallest possible ball, from which two great, soft, -timid eyes looked from one face to another, and from the two -glittering guns of the young men who rode on either side, -and the pistol-shaped lumps on the left breasts of their thin -coats, to the breasts of the two men fronting him in the -carriage, where he could see two more bright and shining -“nine-shooters” peeping out.</p> - -<p>The wind presently raised a paper from a basket standing -beside him, and disclosed two great horse-pistols lying -on a clean white napkin.</p> - -<p>“I wonder is dey gwoine to shoot Doc and Watta wid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -dem ’ar’, as Ned Dunn said dey is?” thought the child. -“Dat looks like dar’s a mighty nice lunch undah ’em, anyhow?”</p> - -<p>Hanson Baker jerked the lap-robe from his knees, and -covered the basket from view.</p> - -<p>They soon reached Dunn’s store, and alighted, and removing -the basket, bade Joe return with the horse and -carriage, and remember to stay there closely.</p> - -<p>As they sat in close conversation in the back part of that -groggery, while the General partook of the “nice lunch” -the basket did contain, it was plain that “Old Bob Baker, -the slave catcher,” and the aristocratic General had little -in common except their patronymic and their political -opinions and ideas.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER VI.<br /> -<span class="wn">THE CLOUD THICKENS.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10q p1">“Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look;<br /> -He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.<br /> -Fear him not, Cæsar, he’s not dangerous;<br /> -He is a noble Roman and well given.”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">Julius Cæsar.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">The</span> State of South Carolina was settled by political -refugees and desperadoes of every description and from -every nation, with no unity of ideas or interests; and -African slavery was introduced but two years after the -first settlement had secured a permanent footing. Hence, -arrogance and oppression, rapacity and murder, early -became the rule and occupation of the people.</p> - -<p>The existence and perpetuation of slavery during more -than eight generations caused and necessitated an arrest of -progress in civilization, and the war which resulted in the -emancipation of the slaves and the re-establishment of the -Union, found the whites in several of the Southern States, -in many respects not far in advance of the people of England -in the sixteenth century; and as those feudalistic and -inharmonious families—the descendants of the earliest settlers—are -still recognized as “the first families,” the “aristocracy -of the State”—in the year of our Lord 1876, and -of the Republic one hundred—boasting and bravado were -accomplishments ostentatiously displayed there, and often<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -sustained by such brutal assault and lawless violence and -outrage, as those of the worst days of feudalism.</p> - -<p>This state of society alone explains the temerity of the -threats and preparations for violence, and their fearful -consummation, which blacken the history of the Republic’s -centennial year.</p> - -<p>While Robert Baker and his sons were in Dunn’s groggery, -informing their counsel respecting the particulars of -the suit he was about to conduct for them, many exciting -scenes were transpiring in the vicinity, and the streets of -the doomed village were becoming lively with the presence -of armed men, who were freely imbibing whisky, and -threatening to “kill every —— nigger in Baconsville that -day.” Especially loud and frequent were the threats -against the Captain and Second Lieutenant of the militia -company.</p> - -<p>As soon as half-past three o’clock, quite a crowd had -gathered around George Dunn’s store, and the bar was evidently -reaping the rich harvest Mrs. D. had anticipated; -while with loud and excessively revolting profanity, the -case shortly to be tried was canvassed, and rumors of a -“negro insurrection” rehearsed.</p> - -<p>“Who is that coming?” asked one, as a quiet man of -medium size approached.</p> - -<p>“Oh, that is Judge Kanrasp of the county seat, he is -a cursed Northern Republican,” was the reply, accompanied -by a shocking oath.</p> - -<p>The wrathful eyes of the entire crowd were fixed upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -him as he came up, and, entering the store, approached the -place where the two Bakers sat, and addressing the General -said, “Mr. Gaston informed me that you wished to see -me.”</p> - -<p>This was not his first interview with Mr. <i>Robert</i> Baker -in connection with this difficulty. The latter had stopped -him that morning upon the streets of the city opposite, to -speak of the pending trial.</p> - -<p>The Judge had then stated his opinion that Gaston’s -testimony had thus far developed no legal case against the -colored men, and urged the abandonment of the case, as to -push it further, would merely excite ill-feeling between the -two races at a time when it was most undesirable—at the -commencement of a political campaign—and even should -the plaintiffs secure a judgment, it was a matter which -could be appealed, and in a higher court their case could -not stand a moment.</p> - -<p>“I shall do no such thing,” replied Mr. Baker. “The -negroes of Baconsville have been very offensive; they -have interfered with my sons, and I am <i>determined that -they shall be punished. The case shall be prosecuted</i>, and -so far as any feeling is concerned, I don’t care for that. -Some of my friends and neighbors from the country have -been informed that the trial will take place this evening, -and they will be present, not less than twenty-five or thirty -of them.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Baker, perhaps there will be two or three hundred,” -said Kanrasp.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, yes (with an oath), two or three thousand!” and -the two men separated, and the Judge at once crossed the -river to Baconsville, and confidentially communicated all -to a discreet colored man there, in whose cool, quiet determination -he had great confidence; commissioning him to -see the officers of the militia company, and instruct them -to present themselves at the Court, submit to judgment -whatever it might be, and then, by an appeal to a higher -court, find an easy way out of the difficulty; as the “precept” -or informal paper which had been served upon them, -must cause the judgment to fail there; and stating that in -case of an attempted defense before Justice Rives, he -apprehended serious trouble from the throng that would -undoubtedly be present.</p> - -<p>Other important business detained both Kanrasp and -his influential friend Springer till the middle of the afternoon, -when, on re-entering the street, they saw the village -thickly besprinkled with squads of men from the rifle clubs -of the vicinity. These clubs or military companies existed -in open defiance of law and the Governor’s prohibitive -proclamation.</p> - -<p>“This looks like trouble,” said Judge Kanrasp to his -friend. “Strange way to attend a simple trial! Now go -right up and see those officers <i>immediately</i>, and urge -them to be on hand at court, and stand judgment.” So -saying he went to Marmor’s office upon other business, -where Gaston soon rode up, bringing Gen. Baker’s request -for the interview, to which we find him responding.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I am here to represent my cousin, Mr. Robert Baker, -in this matter,” said the General, “and wish you, Mr. Kanrasp, -to sit down and tell me what it is.”</p> - -<p>Judge K. complied, adding the advice he had given his -clients.</p> - -<p>“We have been annoyed a great deal by the negroes -about here, and I am determined to get satisfaction, and -Gen. Baker has been brought here as my attorney, to see -that satisfaction is given us,” said Robert Baker, in a loud -and vehement tone.</p> - -<p>“Now, Judge Kanrasp,” said the General, “will you not -go and see those officers of this company and request them -to call upon me? I desire to tell them what I think is -necessary for them to do to prevent the possibility of difficulty -in the future. A great deal of feeling has been -growing between Mr. Robert Baker’s family and immediate -neighbors, and these colored people in Baconsville.”</p> - -<p>“What proposition do you make them?”</p> - -<p>“Well, I think it will be necessary for them to apologize -to my cousin and surrender their arms.”</p> - -<p>As he did not say to whom their arms should be surrendered, -the Judge replied——</p> - -<p>“Well, General, you know I am, like yourself, merely an -incident in Baconsville; and whilst I have, of course, a certain -amount of influence with the colored people, on -account of my political affiliations with them, I cannot -undertake to say that they will respond to your request. I -will do what I can to induce them to do so. But suppose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -these negotiations and propositions fail, is it likely that -that there will be a collision?”</p> - -<p>“I think there will.”</p> - -<p>“Well, as I am one of a very few white ‘radicals’ -here, if a collision takes place I suppose I shall stand a -pretty poor chance.”</p> - -<p>“I have no doubt that you will.”</p> - -<p>Shortly after Judge K. left Mr. Marmor’s office (which -adjoined his dwelling), Capt. Doc, Lieut. Watta, Mr. -Springer and Rev. Mr. Jackson (the Legislative member -who had delivered the oration on the 4th), entered. Mr. -Jackson was much excited, and walked up and down the -room, interlarding questions and ejaculations and prayers -quite promiscuously; unheeding the kindly solicitude of a -bright little boy of five years, with shining auburn ringlets, -and great, soft, spiritual eyes, which looked eagerly towards -“the Elder’s” face as he went tugging a large Bible back -and forth behind him.</p> - -<p>“Ha! Jackson, hear that boy now,” said Doc. “The -child is the best Christian of the two, come to the pinch.”</p> - -<p>“What? What was you saying Doc?” asked the Reverend -Honorable.</p> - -<p>“Why, just see what that boy has got, and hear what -he’s saying. <i>He</i> don’t scare worth a cent. Do you Bub? -You’ll make a soldier some day, won’t you?”</p> - -<p>“No sir, I reckon I won’t, cause soldiers kill. ‘Thou -shalt not kill.’ That’s the sixth commandment.”</p> - -<p>“What about the book, sonny,” asked Elder Jackson.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> - -<p>“My Sunday school teacher says when I’m afraid, I -must ask God what to do; and this is His letter, He wrote -it. It’s big,” tugging to raise it to the level of the man’s -hand.</p> - -<p>The Elder took the Bible, sat down, drew the child to -his side, opened it at random, and read, Isaiah xviii: 7: -“In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of -hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people -terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out -and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, -to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the Mount -Zion.”</p> - -<p>He closed the book muttering, “Yes, the freshet came -clear up to the church, clear up to the church.”</p> - -<p>“The whole matter is that the Bakers are determined to -break up this drilling,” said Marmor. “You’re too good a -drill master, Doc. The old man himself told me that it was -wrong, and that the niggers shouldn’t have no militia company, -and that it was wrong for you to drill by moonlight. -I told him that the white militia over here in Georgia -drilled on the streets every night. ‘Well, it’s wrong for the -niggers to drill at <i>all</i>,’ says he.”</p> - -<p>“Well, now, it does ’pear to me like the white folks is determined -to put the devil into the colored people’s heads -anyhow. Now, we’re honest in this matter, and only want -to have a nice militia company like the white folks does, -and like free citizens has got a right to, and to protect the -State when it needs it and the Governor calls for us; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -they just goes to work, and by talking about what they -pretend the colored people is a going, or <i>intending</i> to do, -they just makes the colored people mad, and puts these bad -ideas into their heads, and by-and-by the colored people, -maybe will get courage enough to undertake to do as they -is really instructing us to do. And then there’s more’n -that in it too. Mor’n two months ago Hanson Baker tole me -and John Peters, Press Wells, and John Bade, and if I mistake -not, Lem Panesly, that the Democrats had made it up -in their own minds, and they had gone over the State, and -also had about thirty men from Texas and Mississippi to -come into this State, and they were feeding them, and organizing -all the white men into certain different clubs; and -before election that there had to be a certain number of -negroes killed—leading men; and if after that they found -out they couldn’t carry the State that way, they was -gwoine to kill enough so that they could carry the majority. -He said it is a fact that that has to be done, and he -said in the presence of these men, that it had to start right -here in Baconsville. He said Baconsville is the leading -place in the county (for the niggers, you know), and if -they could be successful in killing them that they wanted -to in Baconsville, they could carry the county; but the -same has to be done in all the counties, that there was no -way to prevent it. I told him we had some laws, and a -Governor and a President. He says he didn’t belong to -none o’ the clubs, and hadn’t nothing to do with it, but it -would be done, shor. I says, ‘Suppose the colored men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -have a poll to themselves, and the white men to themselves,’ -and he said, ‘It don’t make a bit o’ difference what -sort o’ polls they have; it is the voting we want to stop; -and these voting niggers has got to be killed. The white -men has declared that the State has got to be ruled by -white men again, and we have got to have just such a government -as we had before the war; and when we git it, all -the poor men and the niggers has got to be disfranchised, -and the rich men will rule! And he tole me then that our -town marshal, John Carr and Dan will certainly be killed. -I asked why? and he said there was plenty of men that -had plenty against them, and they would kill them <i>shor</i>. -Says I, ‘Mr. Baker will I be in that number?’ he says, -‘No, I don’t know whether yo’r name is down or no, but it -depends on how yo’ behave yo’self.’ He’d been drinking -some, or he wouldn’t ha’ been so free to tell. Well, then I -received a note the other day—a letter with my name, and -specifying a dozen or more in this neighborhood that have -to be killed; and <i>I was shor</i> to be killed. Now, this is the -beginning of it shor. They want to disband this company -so that the Governor won’t have nothing to call on to put -them down, and we can’t get no protection till the United -States can send soldiers from somewhere, after we can get -word to the Governor, and he can git it to Grant. They -must think we’re just cowards and fools if we’ll let ’em -break us up, though I’ll agree that the men ha’n’t got much -fight in ’em, but I have, and I wish <i>they</i> had,” and Captain -Doc tossed a newspaper to the extreme end of the room.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Scattered and peeled!” “Scattered and peeled!” said -the Elder, as he resumed his striding about the apartment.</p> - -<p>While these excited men thus conversed, there were -borne from the street to their ears the sound of blood-curdling -oaths, and shouts of “We’ll carry the State about the -time we’ve killed four or five hundred of these niggers -and their carpet-bag cronies.” We’ve got to have South -Carolina.” “The white men have got to rule.” “This shall -be a white man’s government again.”</p> - -<p>“Just hear that chap singing,” said Marmor with a ghastly -smile:</p> - -<p>“We’re going to redeem South Carolina to-day. This -is the beginning of the redemption of my Caroline.” The -poor, maudlin fellow sat upon his horse near the corner of -the street hard by, and improvised a lengthy political -madrigal evidently to his own exquisite delight.</p> - -<p>“I reckon you’ve got the right of it Doc,” said Marmor; -“the political side of this fuss swallows up all the rest. -The fuss on the Fourth, was only got up for making a spot -to strike at.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Doe, both goes together; for all the politics -they know is to put the niggers down, and themselves up -atop; and they are trying to fool the ignorant ones into -believing that the constitutions has all run out, so they -won’t try to take the law on ’em.”</p> - -<p>“They’d better look out, or they may feel the law -themselves. If Chamberlain can’t enforce it, there is a -United States, they’ll find!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I reckon so! I reckon so!” chimed in all present.</p> - -<p>“Capt. Doc,” said Elder Jackson, “you must remember -that it is not your own life and your company’s lives that -is in danger, but that of every colored individual in town; and -the happiness and prosperity of all will be at their mercy -if a fight takes place; and so I beg you to come to terms -with Baker. Bend and apologize a little for the sake of -them that had nothing to do with the Fourth of July difficulty.”</p> - -<p>“What can <i>I</i> do? Just tell me. I haven’t failed to think -of that, I tell you. That part of it is the biggest trouble -to me now.”</p> - -<p>“It is Watta that has offended them the most,” said -Springer; “for he got so mad last Thursday. He’s got too -much white blood in him to stand their abuse, and he was -nigh about as abusive as Hanson Baker himself, that day.</p> - -<p>It was all true enough what he said, but that didn’t -make it no better for them to take.”</p> - -<p>“Now, Brother Watta, just you go, as you know you -ought to, and acknowledge you ought to have kept your -temper, and that’ll make the whole thing right, and Doc’ll -apologize too,” said the apparently confiding Elder.</p> - -<p>“Do you think so? Well, suppose you come along with -us,” said Watta, a slight veil of credulity scarcely concealing -a sarcasm that bordered upon contempt for the -self-loving simplicity of the Elder. “I’d rather get on my -knees to them,” he added more seriously, “bad as I hate -them, than have my wife and children as scared as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -are to-day. But I doubt the success of even that, unless I -would give them my gun, and promise to lie there, and let -them kick me when they chose, or shoot me if they like, -and I’m afraid my <i>temper</i> would rise <i>then</i>, if I didn’t.”</p> - -<p>In defiance of fears, the men all laughed at the ludicrous -picture of this tall, genteel-appearing, light yellow <i>gentleman</i>, -brimful of the same “spirit” that fired some of the -noblest heroes the South ever boasted of, and in whose -veins coursed much of the same ancestral blood, cringing -in such a pusillanimous fashion.</p> - -<p>“It is no time for fun,” said Springer. “Will you go -with <i>me</i>, Adam Watta, and see General Baker?”</p> - -<p>“If you say you think it’ll do any good, I will go.”</p> - -<p>“You can but perish if you go,” said Elder Jackson, -who was, like many another, very courageous for his neighbors, -and quite willing to bid them Godspeed in any efforts -for the safety of the town, including Elder J. and his possessions.</p> - -<p>But the men paused in the doorway. “Ask a man to -run the gauntlet of all those armed and half-drunken enemies? -I tell you I can’t do it; I’m not prepared to die, and -I sha’n’t go. I could <i>fight</i>, but to go right into a crowd to -be <i>murdered</i>, I’m not ready,” and Watta turned back. -Looking out upon the constantly increasing mob, Springer -did not urge him.</p> - -<p>“I’m going to Prince Rives’s house,” said Doc, and strode -out of the office and down the street.</p> - -<p>The cry of an infant was heard in an adjoining room,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -followed by the sound of a rocking cradle, and the voice -of the little boy singing in chanting style, “You must not -cry, little sister; for the wicked men is all agoing around -to kill all the little children, ‘from two years old and under,’ -and they will shoot your papa, and make your mamma -cry. So take this rattle and be still.”</p> - -<p>“Louie,” called Marmor, from the office. “Don’t say -such things. Nobody’ll hurt you, nor the baby. Where -is your mamma?”</p> - -<p>“She is here crying—sitting right here crying.”</p> - -<p>“The man arose quickly, and entered the room. “Why, -Jane,” said he, “what are you crying about? It will be -all settled, and there’ll be no fuss.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you wish you could make me believe that, when -you know you don’t believe it yourself? I do wish you -would go away over to the city, and take the train somewhere. -I know they will be after you. You know they -want you killed, because you are a radical leader; and now -will be their time.”</p> - -<p>“Do you suppose I would go and leave you and the -children?”</p> - -<p>“You know you couldn’t defend us, and we don’t need -it. We’re a great deal safer without you than with you. -I should fret all the time for fear that you had fallen into -their hands, to be sure; but I <i>know</i> there is no chance for -you to escape death if you stay here.”</p> - -<p>Marmor returned to his office, and found that his friends -had all left. He saw them approaching Rives’s house.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -There they found Captain Doc and the Trial Justice in -earnest conversation.</p> - -<p>“I can’t appear before your court, Judge Rives—not to-day,” -said the captain; “for I feel that your court is unable -to protect my life, and I believe my life is unsafe. I -am willing that yo’ should go to work and draw up a bond, -that yo’ think proper, and I am willing to give bonds to a -higher court, where I think my life will be safe. The reason -I come to yo’ to tell yo’, is because I don’t want yo’ to -suppose that I treat yo’r court with no disrespect by not -coming; but it is because I don’t think my life is safe.”</p> - -<p>The Justice reflected.</p> - -<p>“Well, you must use your own judgment,” said he. “Of -course, if your life is unsafe, and if these men intend to -take your life, of course, I can’t protect you. I haven’t -protection enough to protect you; my constables can’t do -much!”</p> - -<p>“That is my belief,” replied Doc, “and for that reason -I don’t want to go befo’ yo’r court without yo’ force me -to; and then if I am killed, yo’ will be responsible.”</p> - -<p>“You can use your own judgment, Captain. I shall go -to court at the proper time. Your name, of course, will -be called, and if you don’t answer to your name—well, <i>you -won’t be there to answer</i>. It’s a pity but this thing couldn’t -be settled without going to court. I’m afraid once at the -court room it will be impossible to get along without -trouble.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, I want it settled,” said Doc. “And I,” “And I,” -said the two Lieutenants.</p> - -<p>“Well, then, suppose I go for you, and ask what will -give satisfaction,” said Springer.</p> - -<p>“All right,” was the ready response from all.</p> - -<p>Mr. Springer met Judge Kanrasp coming down the -street, from his interview with the General, and each communicated -the message he bore, and thought the best thing -for the safety of the town, was to get the parties together -with the crowd excluded.</p> - -<p>“Who is to take the guns?” asked Mr. Springer.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. The Governor, I suppose. If not, that -may alter the case.”</p> - -<p>“If Gen. Baker will guarantee the safety of the men, I -believe they will be safe, but he should guarantee the -safety of the town also.”</p> - -<p>“So say I,” replied Judge Kanrasp, and each passed on -his errand.</p> - -<p>Judge K. reported to the officers only Gen. Baker’s -request for an interview, and withheld his proposition for -a settlement.</p> - -<p>Soon Mr. Springer returned with the same request from -the General. They all approached the door, and Doc went -out upon the street, but re-entered immediately.</p> - -<p>“There is no one more readier than I am to settle, but I -see a great crowd down there at Dunn’s store, all armed, -and drunk, or playing off drunk. Springer, yo’ tell Gen. Baker -that I would meet him, but that I would like for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -him to come away from where them men are, and that I am -willing to meet him at yo’r house, if that is agreeable.”</p> - -<p>The aspect of things became more gloomy very soon. -A company of twenty-five or thirty thoroughly-armed -and mounted men had entered the village some time before, -since which squads had been seen coming in from all -directions.</p> - -<p>Several leading citizens had joined the group at Rives’s -house, and all united in urging the officers to comply with -Gen. Baker’s request; but they were more and more reluctant -to go, fearing it was only a ruse to decoy them there, -secure, disarm, and then murder them.</p> - -<p>The suspicion was but natural, as similar transactions -had been far from rare since reconstruction. At length, -after it had been reported that Gen. Baker had sworn to -lay the town in ashes if they did not comply with his demands, -all the members of the company again consented -to go, but on approaching the door, fell back again.</p> - -<p>“You must go to save the town,” said Springer; “but -don’t take your guns.”</p> - -<p>“We won’t go without them,” said all the men.</p> - -<p>“But he’ll make a demand for their surrender. Better -leave them behind.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, that is just it,” said Watta. “You men have been -keeping that back. Why should we go to General Baker? -Why doesn’t he come to us if he wants to see us? There -are no drunken rowdies here for him to fear. Two men -drove into our ranks, an organized a legally chartered company<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -of the State militia, with loyal guns in our loyal -hands, and a flag which brought us freedom from these old -masters—the right to stand up like men, and not fear their -nigger-catching blood-hounds; and we have sworn to be -true to that flag—to the United States, and to the State, -and ourselves, and to take care of these guns that belong -to the State, and to yield them up only to lawful authority. -These two nigger-catchers whose occupation is gone, drove -into our ranks; and we, like a set of cowards, opened ranks -and let them go through; and now they bring this ex-confederate -General, who got the only title he has and of -which he and they are so proud, in fighting the United -States; they bring this General Baker here, and he asks us -to go down to old Baker’s feet and apologize—for what? -<i>I</i> don’t know; and to give up our guns that we have -sworn to protect from all enemies of the Union, and all -unauthorized persons—to give them to this ex-confederate -General, who boasts to-day, and is applauded by these, his -old confederate soldiers around him to-day, for what he -did against the Government. <i>He</i>, surrounded by those who -love and revere him for what he did to destroy the Union -and keep us and our parents and children in slavery—he demands -our guns and ourselves! Pretty <i>National Guards</i>!! -Which are we, men, cowards or traitors?”</p> - -<p>“Don’t take your guns, and may be possible you can get -along without giving the guns up. I surely don’t want -you to be traitors,” said the Elder; “but I trust an apology -will do.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - -<p>“And I trust no such thing,” said Doc. “And where -shall we be after this, living or dead? It won’t make much -difference. They want to break us up! that’s it—and enslave -us!”</p> - -<p>“Where shall we be? On our knees forever at their -feet,” replied Watta; “that is, if a single man of us ever -got away alive, which I’ll warrant we never should if we -refused to give up our guns.”</p> - -<p>“But remember, there’ll be bloodshed if you don’t go,” -said Elder Jackson. “Better humble yourselves than be -killed.”</p> - -<p>“And remember, too, the women and children, and the -property,” added Springer.</p> - -<p>“You men is mighty thoughtful; suppose yo’ ’go yo’selves. -’Twouldn’t be no blood shed if <i>they</i> got killed, I -reckon yo’ think,” said a man from the ranks.</p> - -<p>They had retired to an upper room, and Kanrasp approached -a window looking towards Dunn’s store. Doc -followed, and then Watta, and then others.</p> - -<p>Still more armed men were seen coming into the town, -and the mob around the General’s headquarters was more -dense and disorderly.</p> - -<p>“You all know that it would be only my dead body that -would ever leave that place, if I went there,” said Watta. -“I should be riddled with bullets in no time. Those men -standing outside of that groggery are thirsting for my -blood this minute.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-105.jpg" width="400" height="577" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc">“<span class="smcap">But I ‘am only a Nigger</span>,’ (<span class="smcap">baring his yellow arm -to his elbow</span>.)<span class="wn">”—Page <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.</span></p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I have known Gen. Baker for several years, and I believe -he is an honorable man, and he will protect you,” -said Judge K——.</p> - -<p>“An honorable man?” repeated Watta. “‘An honorable -man’ he may be when dealing with those he acknowledges -his equals, if there are any such; but I am ‘only a nigger’ -(baring his yellow arm to his elbow.) “Honor? He’ll -ventilate no honor when a nigger or politics is concerned. -I don’t mean any disrespect to you, Judge; but Gen. Baker -doesn’t hold the same views about colored people that you -do, as you know.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I’m going,” said the First Lieutenant, “and I -talked as bad as any of you on the Fourth. I’ll apologize.”</p> - -<p>“But they hate me more than all the rest of you,” resumed -Watta, still inspecting his bare arm. “I’m nearer -their color, and the best thing they can say of a man of my -complexion is that he’s a smart fellow, but needs watching. -And they do watch us, and they magnify everything we -do or say, and misconstrue it, and lie about us. And then -you know I’m that heinous offender—a ‘nigger school -teacher, and a Republican newspaper correspondent.’ Why, -Gen. Baker <i>can’t protect me</i>. I should be shot a dozen -times before he knew I was coming. And then he’d regret -it. That wouldn’t do me much good, nor my family. I -tell you it is only a trap, a decoy, to get us up there and -massacre us. If they kill me, they must come after me, -I a’n’t fool enough to go to them to get shot.”</p> - -<p>“If the General could get shet of them armed men, would -you go?” asked Springer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, certainly.”</p> - -<p>“Then, I’ll try if he will go to my house,” and he slipped -cautiously out of the dwelling, for the whites thought the -officers were in the Armory, and he did not wish to undeceive -them.</p> - -<p>He was successful on his mission, and soon returned; but -the officers had seen the shouting throng surround and follow -their General, and as the streets were rife with warlike -menaces, <i>all</i> now utterly refused to go to a house so near -Dunn’s store and the main crowd.</p> - -<p>“See! see!” they exclaimed. “They are coming down -the street to meet us! Gen. Baker can’t protect us!” All -of which Springer could not dispute, so he sadly returned -to Gen. Baker, who, on his approaching, called out:</p> - -<p>“I suppose you couldn’t get those fellows to meet -me?”</p> - -<p>“No, General, they are too afraid of these armed bodies -of men you have around you. That is the only reason.”</p> - -<p>“Armed men? armed men? I don’t see any armed men!” -and that military dignitary rolled his eyes about as if in -pantomime. “Well Sam, there’s no use parleying any longer. -Now, by —— I want those guns, and I’ll be —— if I don’t -have them!”</p> - -<p>A movement of expectancy swayed the throng as these -words were heard and passed from lip to lip, and then a -shout rent the air.</p> - -<p>Mr. Springer wended his way back through the crowd of -men on horseback, and men on foot, whose fingers fidgeted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -upon the triggers of their firearms, and he sought the -house of Justice Rives with a heavier heart than he had -ever borne before; while General Baker entered his carriage -again, as the hour for court drew near.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER VII.<br /> -<span class="wn">PORTENTIOUS DARKNESS.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp12q p1">“Ye gods, it doth amaze me!</p> -<p class="pp10">A man of such feeble temper should<br /> -So get the start of the majestic world.”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">Casca.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">A small</span>, dark man, with a lithe form and sparkling eyes, -had been busy preparing Justice Rives’s office for the expected -court, as he had been previously directed, and was -unaware of the excitement prevailing in other parts of the -village. His task completed, he seated himself in an armchair, -adjusted his feet high upon the post of the open -door, and with his coat off and fan in hand, sat leisurely -reading.</p> - -<p>About half past three o’clock he was startled by an imperative -voice, asking, “Where is Rives?”</p> - -<p>On looking up from his newspaper, he saw Robert Baker -and his legal counsel seated in the latter’s carriage, which -stood before the door.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Rives is at his house, I reckon; but he’ll be here -directly,” was the reply.</p> - -<p>“Go and tell him to come here to me,” commanded the -General.</p> - -<p>“I’m not Mr. Rives’s office-boy. I am a constable, and am -here attending to my business. He told me he would be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -here by four o’clock, and he won’t come any quicker by -my going after him.”</p> - -<p>General B.—“Do you know who you are talking to?”</p> - -<p>Constable Newton.—“I’m talking to General Baker, I -believe.”</p> - -<p>Gen. B.—“Well, you scamp! bring me some paper -here.”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“Here is the office, and here is the chairs, and -here is the paper, and pen and ink, sir; and here is the -chairs for all the attorneys that wants to do business here -to come in and sit down.”</p> - -<p>Gen. B. (with an oath).—“Bring it to me, sir!”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“I won’t do it. Come in, sir, and sit at the -table.”</p> - -<p>The irate General sprang from his carriage, and, followed -by the ever-ready Gaston, rushed into the court room in a -menacing manner. But the imperturbable constable did not -move, nor show signs of disturbance.</p> - -<p>Gen. B. (with a vile epithet and oaths, which the reader -should imagine, thickly strewn throughout this colloquy).—“Give -me that chair!”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“There is a chair.”</p> - -<p>General B. thundered.—“<i>Give me that chair you are -sitting on!</i> Get out of that chair, and give it to me! I -want this chair and intend to have it!”</p> - -<p>“All right,” replied Newton, after a pause; “if this -chair suits you better than the others, take it.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> - -<p>Gen. B.—“You —— leatherhead radical! You sitting -down there fanning yourself!”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“I am fanning myself, sitting in my own -office, and attending to my own business.”</p> - -<p>Gen. B.—“You vile brute, you! You want to have a -bullet-hole put through you before you can move!”</p> - -<p>At this juncture old man Baker and one of his followers, -pistols in hand, reinforced the General, and Tommy rode -as close to the door as possible, with his trusty carbine, -while others appeared outside.</p> - -<p>Newton arose, and taking his chair by the back, turned -the seat of it toward General Baker, and, still holding the -back with both hands, said:</p> - -<p>“There it is, Gen. Baker, if you want it; and you can -shoot me, if you want to. Mr. Robert Baker, you know -what sort of a man I am. I have always tried to behave -myself when you came in the office.”</p> - -<p>Robert B.—“Yes, but” (with an oath) “this drilling has -got to stop. I want you to go for Rives.”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“I’ve got no right to go for Rives, and I’m -not going.”</p> - -<p>Robert B.—“Well you’ll be a dead man, and you’ll -wish you had gone.”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“I am but one man.”</p> - -<p>Gen. B. (with oaths and sneers of contempt).—“Sitting -down there with your feet cocked up!”</p> - -<p>Newton.—“Well, General, I’m not dead; but if you’re -going to kill me, why kill me; and that is all you can do.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - -<p>Gen. B.—“We’ll take our time about that. We’ll show -you, you insolent darkie!—you contemptible nigger!”</p> - -<p>The Bakers returned to their carriages in high dudgeon.</p> - -<p>“There is Justice Rives’ private secretary,” said the old -man, as they were about leaving the premises. “If you -will speak to him, I think he will go for Rives.”</p> - -<p>“No,” replied the incensed General, “I am not going to -be insulted again. You can do so if you choose.”</p> - -<p>Robert Baker did choose, for he preferred to reserve resentment, -rather than allow it to thwart or hinder his -purposes. Gaston, however, ‘halted’ the secretary, and -undertook the mission himself.</p> - -<p>Can the reader imagine the scene in that upper room in -Rives’ house, when a female servant announced that Gaston -was at the door below, urging the presence of Judge -Rives at the court-room, as Gen. Baker and his clients -were waiting there; though the hour had not yet arrived?</p> - -<p>Noiselessly the entire group descended to the ground -floor, and, screened from view, listened breathlessly to the -collocution which, however, was brief and courteous, as -the young man naturally wished to conciliate the favor of -the Judge. He was dismissed with the assurance that the -court should be opened promptly.</p> - -<p>Prince Rives (the Judge’s baptismal name was Prince—it -might seem sacrilege to designate a name given in -slavery as “Christian”) stepped quietly into his sitting-room—a -perfect bower of flowers, ferns growing under -glass, and singing-birds, where his wife and eldest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -daughter were anxiously watching the crowd gathering in -the streets.</p> - -<p>“I’m going down to the office now,” said he, “and if -any trouble should occur, stay right here in the house, and -keep the children in, and you will all be safe.”</p> - -<p>Alas! these were assurances false even to the heart of -him who made them.</p> - -<p>Has the reader ever laid a kiss upon a loved one’s brow, -and then watched the dear form passing beyond recall, -perhaps, (oh, that terrible <i>perhaps</i>!) if returning at all, to -come a lifeless thing—an uninhabited tenement—or in -agony and blood; while the ever active imagination -chafed and chid the hands and feet that fain would do its -bidding and follow that loved form, though duty fettered -them to inactivity?</p> - -<p>Or has he gone out under the benediction of love, to -meet a hate that might hold him in its deadly grasp, forbidding -his return?</p> - -<p>To such we need not describe the adieus exchanged in -that little sitting-room; for the sweet influences of love -take no cognizance of complexion.</p> - -<p>Trial Justice Prince Rives soon issued from the front -door of his house, book in hand, erect and commanding, -looking the true ideal African General as he was, and -walked leisurely up the street, unattended, and apparently -unarmed; as if to show the mob that at least one negro -was not afraid.</p> - -<p>Tall, straight, powerful, his black and shining visage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -perfectly calm, he strode through the throng of armed and -angry men that surrounded the door of his office, and -crowded the court-room.</p> - -<p>Kanrasp and Springer followed at some distance to witness -should any disturbance arise; and while attention was -thus attracted towards the court-room, the officers all made -their way to the armory, whither many other members of -the Company and other citizens had already hastened for -safety behind its strong walls, doors and window-shutters. -Women and children fled across the long bridge to the -city, or to the surrounding country; though many remained -to guard their small possessions, and share the fate of husbands -and fathers, should the worst come.</p> - -<p>Armed men were still coming in, and yet more rapidly, -and the sinking sun heralded a brief, southern twilight and -a moonless night; while a great terror took possession of -the inhabitants of the doomed village.</p> - -<p>A few straggling members of the Company appearing -with their guns, which they had formerly taken to their -homes for cleaning, became the unfortunate subjects of a -hue and cry as they hurried along towards the rendezvous, -and were marked for the night’s barbarities.</p> - -<p>No small exhibition of nerve was now required of that -African Major-General of the obnoxious “National -Guards,”—one of the very men whose high military position -was so offensive to the white men now surrounding -him, and thronging his court-room, that, though notably -fond of the practice of arms, they utterly disregarded the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -law requiring their enrollment as State Militia-men, lest -they might be subordinated to him.</p> - -<p>Yet with measured step and dignified mien he passed the -carriage where the Bakers still sat, greeting them with easy -politeness.</p> - -<p>“I should like to know whether you are sitting in the -capacity of Major-General of State Militia, or as a Trial -Justice?” said Gen. Baker, when all was in readiness.</p> - -<p>“That will depend upon the nature of the testimony. I -am sitting as a peace officer; and if the facts are such as -to justify my sitting as a Trial Justice, I will do so; if -not, it will be otherwise.”</p> - -<p>“It is immaterial to me; I merely wanted to know. I -want to investigate the facts of this matter, and either -capacity will be agreeable to me,” replied the General.</p> - -<p>At this juncture the Intendant (Mayor), approached, and -whispered to the General, “I think if you would suspend -this trial for awhile, we could settle it.”</p> - -<p>“Just ask the Judge. If he suspends I am willing.”</p> - -<p>A brief conference ensued, after which the Judge announced -a suspension for ten minutes.</p> - -<p>This caused dissatisfaction among the spectators, as a -peaceful adjustment would be but a tame issue of all their -military preparations.</p> - -<p>Intendant Garndon then conducted the plaintiffs and -their attorney to the council chamber, which was separated -from Dunn’s shop on the corner or Main Street by only -one half the width of a narrow street.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> - -<p>At this time the largest and most unruly part of the cavalry -was gathered about this corner groggery, and a less -suitable place for the conference could not have been -selected; but each would-be peacemaker seemed to think -peace most attainable on his own premises.</p> - -<p>Though the distance was less than four squares, as they -could proceed but slowly through the throng, it sufficed -Gen. Baker to administer a lecture to the dusky official -upon his personal culpability in having allowed “this so-called -militia company,” to train “upon Mr. Robert Baker’s -road,” and with arms in their hands—though, doubtless -the poor, berated mayor found difficulty in understanding -how a public highway could be “Mr. Robert Baker’s -road,” or how he could have disarmed the State’s militia.</p> - -<p>As has already been stated, quite a number of colored -citizens, and of the rank and file of the militia men, had -gathered in and about the armory, hoping to find protection -there.</p> - -<p>Among them was Dan Pipsie, who was quite sober, and -his own plucky self.</p> - -<p>“Well, if I war Captain Doc, I’d do anyt’ing on earth to -settle dis myself,” said Dan. “I wouldn’t have de blood -of all dese collo’d families on <i>my</i> head. When I die, I -don’t want no man’s wife cussin’ me, noh blamin’ me fo’ -his death.”</p> - -<p>“Capt. Doc a’n’t a bit to blame now,” replied Mann -Harris. “I was ’bout two hundred yards from ’em at the -time of the fuss. I saw Gaston and Tom Baker drive<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -down, and get out and go into Nunberger’s store. I saw -the company coming back, an’ they was a gwoine up then, -and they met and talked awhile, an’ the company divided -an’ let them go through. Let’s go down, an’ see Rives -about this, Ned O’Bran, an’ git him to send a dispatch to -the Governor to help us.”</p> - -<p>“Well, come on,” replied Ned.</p> - -<p>They entered the quiet office of the Justice, and found -him sitting there alone, and looking over books and -papers.</p> - -<p>“General, what <i>is</i> you doing?” asked Harris, with emphasis.</p> - -<p>“I am waiting for people to come into court again.”</p> - -<p>“If you wait here awhile longer, they’ll make you jump -out o’ here entirely!”</p> - -<p>“What is the matter?”</p> - -<p>“Well, there’s about four hundred men out there with -guns and pistols.”</p> - -<p>“Ah! I’ll go out and see—Well, really, this is surprising! -What is all this about?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” said the excited Harris. “They’re gwoine -to take the guns away from the armory.”</p> - -<p>The three men walked up the street conversing. Meanwhile -Captain Doc entered his own apartments, which it -will be remembered, were in the same building as the armory -or drill room.</p> - -<p>“I’ve been in my shirt sleeves,” said he to his wife, “ever -since I left my bench at noon; but, (with a grim smile,) if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -I’m gwoine to see such big men as General Baker or the -Laud, I reckon I’d best put my coat on.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, Doc, don’t talk so ’bout de Laud! I’m awful scarred -to have yo’ go.”</p> - -<p>“I’ve got a right to go. They say General Baker’s gone -up to the Council Chamber, and he and Garndon’ll be expecting -us.”</p> - -<p>“I’m awful scarred fo’ yo’, an’ I’m a mind to go ’way -myself. ’Spex they’ll be shootin’ ’round yere so the baby -couldn’t sleep no how. Mann Harris, he’s taken his wife off, -’bout an hour by sun, or so, poor soul! sick as she’s been, -now mighty nigh on to a year. Mann tole me he’d positive -his word thar’ would be no fuss nor killin’; but I’d positive -my word he war’ ’feared, else he wouldn’t come totin’ Dinah -down all dem stairs, an hauled ’er off up to Miss Pipton’s; -fo’ it’s mighty nigh on to fo’ mile ovah da; and Dinah -has determined to me that it hurt her tolerable bad to -stir at all.”</p> - -<p>The Captain had been looking out of the window while -she spoke, towards Dunn’s store and the Council Chambers, -Turning abruptly, he asked—</p> - -<p>“Where is the baby?”</p> - -<p>“I done toted ’er ovah to Elder Jackson’s but I can’t let -’er stay dar. I’ll jes lock up de house, an’ git de baby, an’ -clar out ovah de rivah, fo’ de scar o’ stayin’ in dis yere -house’ll perish me out, if I’m de onus one fo’ a quarter -hour mo’.”</p> - -<p>“Now, Debby, yo’ get the baby, and take ’er over to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -Rives’s, and stay thar, he’s been so conciliating to ’em, -and they think a heap o’ him. Blamed but I wish the -baby was here a minute till I kiss ’er ’fo’ I go up to see -General Baker. Don’t get scared now. They won’t hurt -the women, I reckon. It’s only them as votes an’ can manage -a gun they’re after. Take care yo’rself,” and he kissed -her.</p> - -<p>“Oh, ain’t yo’ scarred to go, Doc?” sobbed she, clinging to -him. “I spex yo’re forced to by persuasion; but I’m feared -they’ll put a bullet into yo’, and maybe fifty.” Here she -broke down entirely, and wept aloud, sobbing, “Oh, don’t -go, Doc! don’t go!”</p> - -<p>“But I’ve got a right to, to save the town. He’ll lay it -in ashes. I wouldn’t like to tell yo, all the way they’re -talking, and making big threats, and abusing us to everything -yo’ can think.”</p> - -<p>“To my knowance they’re mighty bad; and I’m mighty -glad Mann Harris sent his wife off.”</p> - -<p>“Well, Debby, yo’ go and get the baby, and take good -care of her. I reckon you’d best tote her ovah to your mother’s -’cross the river. Some on ’em might hurt her if they -knowed she was mine.”</p> - -<p>They left the house together, and Doc locked the door, -and put the key in his pocket.</p> - -<p>“Oh, my lawses!” exclaimed Mrs. Doc. “Don’t yo’ go -up thar, Doc! Jes see such heaps o’ men! Jes lots and piles -of ’em! <i>Now yo’ sha’n’t go!</i>”</p> - -<p>“No mo’ I won’t! They picks out all the hardest places<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -for a man to go to; but his soldiers ’d follow the General -anywhere. There he is now. <i>He</i> ain’t gwoine to meet <i>me</i>. -See! He knows I’m here well enough, but he won’t look at -me. Ah! He’s gwoine over to the city. P’raps he’ll just -clar out, now he’s got the rest agoing. There’s Kanrasp, -and Rives too.”</p> - -<p>General Rives and his two neighbors met General Baker -at the next corner. The latter was on horseback and rode -up to General Rives and demanded the name of the Colonel -of the Eighteenth Regiment.</p> - -<p>“Colonel Williams,” was the reply.</p> - -<p>“Where is he?”</p> - -<p>“At his house, I reckon.”</p> - -<p>“I want him. I want those guns, and by——I’ve got to -have them.”</p> - -<p>“General Baker, I don’t know what to do about them. -I’ll go up and see the Captain, and consult with him, and -see if he says to give them up.”</p> - -<p>A moment later and he met Judge Kanrasp, who was -earnestly urging the colored men, women, and children -who were huddled in knots upon the street, to go home and -remain quietly in their houses.</p> - -<p>“Kanrasp,” said Judge Rives, “It is no use for you to -stay here and get killed; and you will be killed if you -stay,—a ‘carpet-bagger and a radical,’ like you.”</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” added Marmor, and Doc, and Watta, who now -joined the group; and they hastily accompanied him down -to the Rail Road platform nearly opposite the armory, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -urged him to flee, as one who would be first attacked. Rapidly -crossing the river, upon the Rail Road bridge, the -train, which arrived, in ten minutes took him homewards; -too soon for the accomplishment of his purpose to learn Gen. -Baker’s mission to the city.</p> - -<p>Never were the combative characteristics of the whites -and colored races in the Southern States more clearly exhibited -than in the scenes at Baconsville that day, though -leading colored men, whose exceptional energy, and perhaps -assertion, had made them such, were necessarily -prominent. Not bravery, so much as skill in its exercise, -constitutes the white man a leader among his fellows.</p> - -<p>In general terms it may be said that timidity, with extremely -rare acts of rashness, characterizes the colored race, -bravado and arbitrary assumption, of the white and both are -the victims of mutual suspicion and distrust, which often -<i>cause</i> the dreaded ill.</p> - -<p>Gen. Baker was absent half an hour, and on his return a -general remounting took place, while over the hill at the -back of the village, came a large company of horsemen, all -well armed.</p> - -<p>Down Main street they rode, two abreast, and were at -once distributed throughout the town; a squad upon each -street corner, attended by an equal number of infantry; all -with weapons in hand ready for immediate action.</p> - -<p>Look which way they would, the distracted freedmen -saw armed men, and re-enforcements constantly arriving -from all directions.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> - -<p>Darkness was approaching, and though the hills around -were still touched by the glow of the setting sun, its refracted -rays seemed to exaggerate the squalor, and magnify -the deformities of the little town in the valley; and, exalting -the warlike preparations, to clothe them with every -imaginable horror; while the humidity of the evening air -intensified the sounds of blood-thirsty riot.</p> - -<p>Justice Marmor now closed and locked his office door, -and began at this tardy moment, to think of adopting Mrs. -M’s advice.</p> - -<p>Stepping out of his own back door, he leaped the fence -into his neighbor’s yard, and, mounting his doorsteps, -stood in a closely latticed corner of a porch, and took observations.</p> - -<p>The square was surrounded by the Rifle-clubs,—the -remnants and second-growth of the cropped, but not uprooted -Confederate cavalry,—standing thick, two abreast, -with guns resting upon each left arm.</p> - -<p>In the vernacular of the South, Marmor was “a <i>scallawag</i>,” -for, though once a brave Confederate soldier, he had -become a consistent advocate of the idea that the “all -men” who are “created free and equal” includes the colored -race; and probably no man in the devoted town stood in -greater danger than he.</p> - -<p>“Co im ’s house, Meester Marmor:——i’m ’s house -quick!” said Dan Lemfield, opening the back-door of his -dwelling. You be mine neighbor, and shall not be shot on -mine dreshold. Co hide self! Co!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> - -<p>Marmor did not decline the invitation, but stepped -quickly in, and passing to the parlor in front, peeped from -behind the window shades, which Mrs. Lemfield had drawn -closely down.</p> - -<p>At the opposite corner of the street, his most implacable -enemy, the eldest son of Col. Baker, sat upon his horse, -with self-complacent manner waiting the appearance of his -prey, or the word of command from the great General. -He was supported by eight or ten other men, not less vigilant.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Mr. Marmor!” besought Mrs. Lemfield, “do go up -stairs, and keep out of sight. They have threatened about -you so much that some of them will surely come in here, -and kill you! Do go up, quick! quick!”</p> - -<p>Marmor obeyed, and immediately the host, who had been -out, re-entered with wild eyes and white lips.</p> - -<p>“Vo ish dat mon, Sarah?”</p> - -<p>She signed with her hand, in reply; at the same time -saying, in an indifferent tone, “Oh, he’s gone up, he is not -here,” for their little child had entered, and she feared it -might betray their guest.</p> - -<p>The excited Jew (for Lemfield was a Jew) leaped up the -stairs, calling out as he ran, “Don’t shoot! It’s me—jist -me. Oh, moine goot freund! Vat vill dese men to? -Shenneral Paker say he vill hab de guns, oder he vill pekin -to fire in von half hour. Colonel A. P., dat ole man you -seen sthrapping on dem pig bistols by’me Post Office, he -tole me close up mine par in’ leetle sthore. Vell, dey ish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -hab too much visky now; so I mind quick, I tell you! -He tole same ting yo’ mudda, an’ she pe shut up.”</p> - -<p>“Where is she?” asked Marmor.</p> - -<p>“My golly! Se ist plucky ole voman. Se im leetle -sthore—all ’lone by self. She not come avay.”</p> - -<p>“Where are my wife and children?”</p> - -<p>“Im house—your house. Dat ish pest blace. Nicht -wahr? Pest not pe mit you.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” replied Marmor, absently.</p> - -<p>“Oh, ya! Mon come here, mon sag, ‘Meester dare -sure.’ Now co dis vay,” and he led the way to a loft; “Here -co om roof van dey get you. Hark! Vat dat noise down -stair ish?”</p> - -<p>The next instant Mrs. Marmor rushed into the chamber -and threw her arms about her husband’s neck in a paroxysm -of weeping.</p> - -<p>He folded her to his breast, and commanding a calm and -cheerful tone, said, “Jane, Jane, don’t give way so. Why, -I’m not afraid; I shall come off all right, and nobody will -hurt you or the children. Our people are chivalrous, and -won’t hurt a woman.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, you don’t know! you don’t know!” she sobbed. -“Capt. Baker just now told me, as I was coming to bid -you good-bye,” (here her sobs interrupted her speech) “he -told me,” she resumed, “if I wanted to save my children -from getting killed, to go into the house and lock the doors. -And so I must go and save my poor babies. Duck got -scared and ran off and left me all alone,” and she placed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -her cold trembling hands on either side of her husband’s -face, and kissed him. Then pressing them upon her heart, -she descended the stairs, moaning aloud.</p> - -<p>“Great heavens! Am I a <i>man</i>?” exclaimed Marmor, -“to let my wife go like that, and I hiding to save my own -life!” and he sprang to the stairs to follow her.</p> - -<p>Quick as thought, the Jew placed himself before him, -and held him back.</p> - -<p>“She be not cry for self; just for <i>you</i>. You co da, she -cry more. Man not touch her, noh leetle kinder. Yo’ co -hide now, quick!”</p> - -<p>Five minutes later, the same Col. Baker, her husband’s -enemy, rapped loudly upon Mrs. Marmor’s door, with the -loaded handle of his riding-whip.</p> - -<p>Almost too much frightened to stand, she opened the -door, and peeped out.</p> - -<p>“You must take your children, and leave this house if -you do not want to be killed,” said the gallant Colonel.</p> - -<p>“Oh, where shall I go? What shall I do?” cried the -distracted mother.</p> - -<p>“You must get out of here, and that is all I can tell -you,” said he, with an oath. “No use to lock your door—leave -it open, I tell you, and go!”</p> - -<p>Nearly all the colored people had, by this time, taken -the advice of Judge Kanrasp, or of their fears, and fled -the streets. Like timid conies, some sought the vain -shelter of their homes, others that of the neighboring -cornfields or river-banks and bridges, and still others fled -to the surrounding country.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> - -<p>Doc, Watta and Sems went across the street after Kanrasp -left, taking about thirty or forty men with them to -the drill-room on the second floor.</p> - -<p>About this time four colored men were seen to issue from -an humble dwelling, and, with heroic purpose as their only -visible weapon, they quietly made their way along the -fortified streets. They were frequently halted and their -business demanded, when their uniform reply was “To see -Gen. Baker;” and the moral sublimity of their position -seemed to impress even the conscienceless rioters, for only -verbal abuse was hurled at them.</p> - -<p>Arm-in-arm walked Gen. Justice Rives and the Methodist -preacher—Elder Jackson—(visibly quaking within his -spotless linen, and coat of snowy whiteness). Behind this -worthy pair came Springer, the chief man of money and -of business in the town, with Lem Picksley, a well-known, -peaceable, and long-time resident; the best educated and -best-liked citizen.</p> - -<p>At length they found the man they sought—armed, -mounted and surrounded by cavalry arranged in warlike -attitude, who appeared to reverence him as their chief.</p> - -<p>“Gen. Baker,” said Rives, “we have come to ask if -there is <i>anything</i> we can do to make peace.”</p> - -<p>“Nothing will satisfy me but the surrender of the men -and their guns.”</p> - -<p>“We have no authority to surrender them, as you very -well know. The men are not criminals convicted, and you -have no warrant or authority of law; and the men say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -their oaths to the State forbid their surrendering the arms -to you. If you can show any authority for receiving -them, that you have more than any other private citizen, -they will give them up at once; but they say they cannot -otherwise, because, if they should voluntarily yield them -up to you or any other private citizen, especially surrounded -by such an armed body as this, without authority -of law—well, General, you’re a lawyer, and you know -what the law calls it. The law and their oath of office will -not allow them.”</p> - -<p>“Rives,” replied this great chieftain, “you are the -Major General of the State Militia in this district, and -can demand them.”</p> - -<p>“Not without cause, or order from my superior!”</p> - -<p>“By ——!” said the negro-catcher, Baker, who stood -near, “you had better do something, for there’s going to -be —— to pay here, if those officers and guns are not delivered -up.”</p> - -<p>“I want to see the Colonel of this regiment. I want -these officers and these guns,” said Gen. Baker with great -vehemence.</p> - -<p>Ned O’Bran, who had joined the four peace-makers, now -slipped through the crowd and back to the armory.</p> - -<p>“How does it look, Ned?” asked Lieut. Watta from a -window above his head.</p> - -<p>“It looks squally. Now, Watta, you men just bar the -windows and doors, and let nothing nor nobody in the -world in there; and by this means they will have nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -nor nobody in the world to fight, if they want to fight, but -themselves. There’s bound to be a fuss; for I heard Gen. -Baker say myself, that what he intended to do this evening -won’t stop till after the seventh of next November, and -that is election day, you know. So shut yourselves up, -and keep still.”</p> - -<p>Watta closed the window, and Ned returned to the place -of conference.</p> - -<p>A horse pushed against Springer’s companion, and he -mildly laid his hand upon the animal’s shoulder and said, -addressing it, “Take care, sir!”</p> - -<p>Quick as thought the rider’s whip cut a smart gash upon -the dusky cheek.</p> - -<p>The chivalrous Gen. Baker, looking on, took out his own -pocket handkerchief, and wiped the perspiration from his -own face, while the unoffending mulatto wiped the blood -from his; and Springer’s unflinching eye arrested the hand -of another of the General’s aids, as he was about to send -a bullet through his (Springer’s) brain.</p> - -<p>Neither the attack nor menace elicited rebuke nor notice -from the “high-toned” General, who disdainfully turned -and rode away.</p> - -<p>“If we will box the guns up,” said Rives, following -him, “and return them to the Governor, will <i>that</i> be satisfactory?”</p> - -<p>“—— the Governor! I am not here as the Governor -of South Carolina, nor his agent, but as General Baker!”</p> - -<p>“Well, we are sorry if there is nothing we can do to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -make peace, General, but (turning to his companions) we -must return without it, and each do the best he can for -himself.”</p> - -<p>“Here’s Ned O’Bran,” said Springer in an undertone, -“Brother Jackson, you had better go with him, for his -house is outside of the picket lines; and as you’re a member -of the Legislature, you must look out—they’ll be after -you shor.”</p> - -<p>“I was just going down to the drill room to be safe -myself,” said O’Bran. “My family went on so that I am on -my way back to the armory.”</p> - -<p>“You can’t get through this way. The pickets are -everywhere. You had best go home. It’s every man for -himself, and the Lord for us all,” said Springer, and the -men separated.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER VIII.<br /> -<span class="wn">MEMORY AND EXPERIENCE.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp6q p1">“Oh! the blessed hope of freedom how with joy and glad surprise,<br /> -For an instant throbs her bosom, for an instant beam her eyes!</p> - -<table id="t05" summary="tb5"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p class="pp6">Oh, my people! O my brothers! let us choose the righteous side.”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">Whittier’s Voices of Freedom.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">The</span> sun was sinking in the west, when the sound of Aunt -Phoebe’s dinner-horn was heard, followed by Uncle -Jesse’s cheery response.</p> - -<p>Auntie was the model-housekeeper of the neighborhood, -(not a high compliment, some readers might think, could -they see many of the homes there, where the women spend -most of their strength and time at field labor), she having -been raised a house-servant, and, by rare chance, blessed -with a mistress who gave her personal attention to the -comfort of her household.</p> - -<p>Auntie’s house boasted glazed windows, two rooms and -a loft; and the broad boards of her floors were so clean -and white that her kitchen was quite inviting as dining-room -and sitting-room also.</p> - -<p>Her iron tea-kettle shone and steamed beside a small -cherry back-log upon the great hearth, which spread below -the wide “Dutch-back” chimney, while the hoe-cakes were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -“keeping” between a blue-edged earthen plate, and a bright -tin pan, upon a hot stone near by, and a kettle of boiling -corn, filled the room with its sweet aroma.</p> - -<p>The snowy cloth spread upon the table in the middle of -the floor, was set about with crockery almost antique,—the -gift of “old Missus’” when she “broke up,” because the -great plantation was sold for taxes.</p> - -<p>During the war the Confederate and Union armies had -swept over the region in alternation, like swarms of locusts, -taking every marketable thing; Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation -of Emancipation had freed every “hand,” and, as -the old lady had lost all her sons in the war, and all her -means to hire laborers, and would not lease to niggers, she -folded her hands and let her remaining possessions drift -from her, and finally died a pensioner upon her friends.</p> - -<p>Many a time had Aunt Phoebe’s childish hands washed -these same cups and plates, while her mother cooked for -“the great house;” and as she now brought an extra large -plate, she paused, and with eyes fixed upon it, a long -stretch of years seemed to pass before her.</p> - -<p>“Make hay while the sun shines,” she spelled around the -sunny picture of hay-makers in the centre of the plate; -and before her seemed to arise the placid face of her poor -mother; and again she heard her say,—“Dat’s ’de way ’dey -do at ‘de North, chile’. ’Taint ’de colored folks as does all -’de work dar’. Oh Lord! oh Lord!” I was ’mos’ free——thought -I <i>was</i> free shor’ ’dat time Missus tuck me ’not’h -wid’ her. Mighty nice gem’men tole’ me I war free;—I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -needn’t go back South no ’mo’. So I jes walks off: but, -oh laws! He didn’t know ’nuffin ’bout ’dem United States -Marshal ’dey call ’em, I ’reckon; but may be ’dey didn’t -’blong to no United States, nohow. Spex’ ’dey come from -South Caroline. ’Dey tole’ I ’jes got go ’long back wid -Missus, or ’de whole ’dem United States ’sogers’d he afe’r -me, shor; Wal, Wal, ’pears like ’day didn’t none of ’em -know nohow; fo’ nother gem’men said ’dem United States -Marshals hadn’t got ’nuffin to do wid me, nohow, ’cause -Missus’ brung me ’long herself. I didn’t run away ’nohow, -’cause I neber was so low as a runaway nigger. ’Pears like -I didn’t know who ’t believe, an so I came back ’long wid’ -Missus to make shor’.</p> - -<p>“Po’re ole’ Lize, she lived nex’ do’ to Missus’ hotel. She -used to set by ’de pump in ’de back yard, evenings, and -smoke and smoke. “Dar was a young miss ’dar, used to come -too, ’an talk ’wid us, ’an she tole’ Lize war free, and I war’ -free, ’cause we didn’t <i>runned away</i> from ’de South. ’Reckon -she war right, now; but I didn’t know, an’ she war’ young.” -Lize was ole an’ been sick aheap, an’ wan’t ’woth much. She -was ’gwoine to be sold in St. Loo, an’ all her chillun,—five -chillun. ’<i>Dey</i> sold right smart, but no body didn’t want -Lize; but a bad man said he’d give twenty dollah.”</p> - -<p>“Lize seen a mighty nice gem’man from de No’th da, an’ -she got hold his feet, an’ roared an’ cried till he bought her.</p> - -<p>“Wal, ’pears like he didn’t know what t’do wid her af’r -all; hadn’t got no wife, no nothin’ but lots o’ money. Well, -shoo’ ’nuff’ dat bery night he tuck mighty sick. Ole Lize<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -nussed ’im night and day, six, eight weeks or mo’, till he -got well, Doctah said ’Dar’s de ole creatur dat save yo’ -life. It wa’nt me, nohow.’ Wal, Mars’ Sam war mighty -good den to ole Lize. He tuck ’er off No’th, and spex -cause he hadn’t got nothin’ nor no place, he coaxed ’er -to stay wid ’is sistah. But, laws! she wa’n’t like he. She’s -cross, an’ scold ole Lize a heap, when she’s crying ’bout her -boys jes’ been sole ’way down t’ New Orleans, ’cause dey -war so high spirited like, an’ Lize wa’n’t dar to keep ’im -quiet like. Lize wanted t’ go back to St. Loo, an’ see ’er -girls. Cross woman! She tole ole Lize all dat to make ’er -fret; an’ Mars Sam ’ad writ dat, dat war why he didn’t -wan’r Lize to come back, cause he didn’t want ’er to fret. -Poor soul! couldn’t write to Mars’ Sam.</p> - -<p>“Laws, I’s young an’ spry den, an’ wanted to be free -<i>powerful bad</i>; but de Laud he say, I mus’ stay right yere, -an’ cook for Missus, a slave all my life, maybe.” Fresh -and clear as when first spoken, Aunt Phebe seemed to hear -these tales which once impressed her youthful mind.</p> - -<p>And then right between the hay-makers and Auntie’s -eyes there came another picture. She could see the great -smoke rolling up over the woods beyond the cotton field, -and hear the cannon’s roar, and the shells screeching and -crashing through the trees, and see “old Missus” wringing -her hands and weeping, and praying the good Lord to -spare her four sons who were fighting in the confederate -ranks; and all the slaves were praying for the “Yankees,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span>” -while they exhausted every means to soothe and comfort -“old missus.”</p> - -<p>That same night, when the house servants were all in her -cabin except Lucy, who was “staying wid Missus,” Uncle -Tim, the plantation preacher, was repeating what scripture -passages he could remember, there came a loud rap on the -closed door behind.</p> - -<p>“If yo’ de Laud o’ de Debbil,” said Uncle Tim, “in de -name ob de Laud, I tell yo’ come in,” and a Yankee soldier -entered.</p> - -<p>There she could see him stand in the light of the “fat -pine” which Tim put on the fire—the “Lincom Soger”—repeating -the Proclamation of Emancipation. How plainly -he stood out now! and the great light that shone around -him seemed almost to smite her blind as it did then.</p> - -<p>There was dear old granddaddy, with wrinkled hands that -had toiled without recompense for nearly a century, clasped -tightly together. How slowly and easily he slipped -from his chair onto the floor! She thought he was kneeling; -but when she bent to help him, she heard his whisper, “Free -into glory! Free into glory! ’Tain’t no niggah <i>slave</i> yo’ -comin’ fo’, Angel!” and his withered lips closed forever on -earth, while his “new song,” broke forth from lips of fadeless -bloom, in a land where love makes slavery impossible.</p> - -<p>And there she saw “Mammy”—the dear form swaying -backwards and forwards as she wept and moaned, “Oh, -wicked, cruel man to cheat poor slaves! It is too good for -true! <i>too good for true!</i>”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> - -<p>And then, before Aunt Phebe, opened the two deep -graves where they buried them side by side, father and -daughter, grandfather and mother. The tardy emancipation -that had opened slavery’s dungeon had opened -also the pearly gates for the aged and the invalid.</p> - -<p>The big hot tears were rolling slowly down Auntie’s -cheeks and threatening a briny shower upon the hay-makers, -when Uncle Jesse’s step upon the threshold startled her, -and the plate fell to the floor and broke into a score of -pieces.</p> - -<p>She dropped into a chair, threw her apron over her head, -and wept aloud.</p> - -<p>“Wal! wal! wal!” said her husband, as he scraped the -soil from his shoes at the door, “crying that way about a -broked up plate? Oh! it’s one old Missus gave yo’,” he -added, as he approached the fragments.</p> - -<p>As suddenly as her grief had seemed to come, she flung -her apron from her face, tossed up both her arms, and -broke into a loud, clear strain; laughing, clapping her -hands, shrieking and stamping her feet:</p> - -<p class="pp6 p1">“Glory and honor, praise King Jesus!<br /> -“Glory and honor, praise de Lamb!<br /> -“Oh Jesus comin’ dis way<br /> -“Don’t let your chariot wheels delay!<br /> -“Jesus Christ comin’ in his own time;<br /> -“Take away de mudder leabe the baby behind.”</p> - -<p class="p1">“Oh you got that wrong,” said Uncle Jesse, who, with -his two workmen had joined lustily in the chorus. It’s -“Take away the baby, leave the mother behind.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> - -<p class="p1">“I sings it jes as I wants it,” replied his wife. “De Laud -he tuck my mudder, an’ he lef’ me behind.”</p> - -<p class="pp6 p1">“Give me grace fo’ to run dat race,<br /> -“Heaben shall be my hidin’-place;<br /> -“Wet or dry, I means to try<br /> -“To get up into heaben when I die.<br /> -“If yo’ get dar befo’ I do,<br /> -“Tell dem I am comin’ too.</p> -<p class="pp7">“Glory and honor, praise &c.</p> - -<p class="pp6 p1">“God be callin,’ trumpet be soundin’;<br /> -“Don’t dat look like judgment day?<br /> -“De tombs be bustin’, de dead be risin’,<br /> -“De wheels ob time shall not be no mo.</p> -<p class="pp7">“Glory and honor, praise, &c.</p> - -<p class="pp6 p1">“Chariot dartin’ to de new grabe-yard;<br /> -“Go down angels and veil wid de sun;<br /> -“Go down angels and veil wid the moon,<br /> -“Fo’ the wheels ob time shall not be no mo.”</p> -<p class="pp7">“Glory and honor, praise, &c.</p> - -<p class="p1">“It’s de Debbil’s bad luck! fo’ I <i>seen</i> dat plate gwoine -down on de flo’; but I sung to de Laud, an’ He’ll break de -cha’m,” said Auntie, with the evident satisfaction of one -who has been at once shrewd and dutiful. (It is thought -an ill omen to see crockery fall, if it breaks.)</p> - -<p>“Auntie, I shall like mighty well to see dat chariot -comin’, when I sho’ de Laud is in it, said Brother Johnson,” -the class leader, who was one of the workmen, “but -jes at dis pertickeler time I wants to be gnawin’ one o’ dem -cawn-cobs in dat skillet.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> - -<p>“A wicked an’ a glutton man de Laud He despise,” she -retorted, as she arose, and casting a reproving glance upon -the offender proceeded to “dish up” the repast. Meanwhile -Brother Gibson struck up the following:</p> - -<p class="pp6 p1">“I lub my sistah, dat I do!<br /> -“Hope my sistah may lub me too:<br /> -“If yo’ get dar yo’ gwoine to sing an’ tell<br /> -“De fo’ arch-angels to tune de bell.”</p> - -<p class="p1">Supper was announced just as the sun reached the -“hour mark” upon the cabin floor, which had done duty as -indicator of the time for the evening meal for many -months; and further musical exercises were indefinitely -postponed.</p> - -<p>The repast had not yet been disposed of when the voice -of a man was heard calling, “Whoop! whoop!”</p> - -<p>“That is Den Bardun,” said Uncle Jesse, as he sprung -from the table to the door.</p> - -<p>“Hello! What’s wanted?” he shouted in reply.</p> - -<p>“Man here from Baconsville wants help. Says they’re -killing all the colored people over there. Will you go?”</p> - -<p>“Come over; come over, and bring him along;” and -Uncle Jesse hastened back to the table to finish his meal -while the twain should be pacing the two hundred -yards intervening between the two dwellings.</p> - -<p>They entered presently, both much excited, and the -Baconsville man bearing a double barreled shot-gun.</p> - -<p>“What is the matter?” asked the host, gulping down a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -half cup of coffee and leaving the table to greet his guests. -“I couldn’t hear half you said.”</p> - -<p>“Ugh! Matter enough!” replied Den. “Tell him, -Sterns.”</p> - -<p>“Why, the town of Baconsville is just running over of -armed white men—rifle-clubs, regular cavalry companies, -and they’re going to kill all the niggers, ravish the -women, and burn the houses, and put all the children to -death!”</p> - -<p>“No! no! no!” cried Uncle Jesse. “Tell a man something -he can believe now! They won’t do no such thing -as that. The white folks has got more sense ’n that. They -won’t do no such things, and I don’t believe it! You are -scart and excited.”</p> - -<p>“Just go and see then, Mr. Roome. If you don’t believe -me, may be you won’t believe your own eyes,” replied the -man.</p> - -<p>“Well, Roome, come on! Let’s go and see for ourselves; -for if it is true, we ought to help,” said Brother Gibson.</p> - -<p>“No sir! You just wait, and keep inside the law!” said -Jesse Roome, after scratching his head thoughtfully a -moment. “I believe in <i>law</i>, and them that has kept inside -the law is the ones that is coming out ahead.”</p> - -<p>Sterns then gave a graphic description of the incidents, -threats, and indications in Baconsville, up to the close of -the court-scene at about half past four o’clock.</p> - -<p>Of course the whole group were intensely excited, -and Aunt Phebe listened, shrieked, and prayed by turns;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -but Uncle Jesse was still firm in his first decision to keep -inside the law.”</p> - -<p>“There’s been heaps of threats, I know, enough to make -a man intimidate of his shadow; but there’s a pile o’ bluster -and brag in these old aristocrats; just like a barking -dog though, he’ll never bite.”</p> - -<p>“Heigh! but they be a biting <i>now</i>, sho,” said Sterns -with a shrug.</p> - -<p>“And then our folks ha’n’t always done right,” Mr. -Roome continued. “It’s a new thing for us to make laws -and be officers, and all that; and some thinks ’cause they -make the laws, that they needn’t keep ’em; and some is -mighty ambitious, and likes to pay off old scores through -the laws. Now that a’n’t right, and it can’t do no good, -nohow. Some laws has been made wrong, and some has -been executed wrong, and it a’n’t reasonable to suppose -that a man that has been a slave all his life, and ha’n’t had -nothing to do ’bout no laws only to be lashed when his -master has a mind to, is going to rise right up and know -everything at once. And the masters that has been masters -over us so long, I suppose it’s mighty hard for them -to stand the nigger majorities in this State, and have the -niggers that they used to have under them, just like that -dog now, making laws for them, and in the offices. Well, -now, we ought to think o’ these things, on both sides, -and have patience and do the best we can, and <i>keep inside -the law</i>. If the militia company and the white folks has -got up a quarrel over there in Baconsville, and either of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -them is going to breaking the laws—well, I a’n’t going over -there to join ’em in doing it! That is all.”</p> - -<p>“But it’s the white folks that is breaking the laws; and -I’m surprised that yo,’ Mr. Roome, a’n’t ready to help us -against ’em. They’re all there, mounted and armed, and -officered; and they says they shall have these men and their -guns. The militia ha’n’t got guns enough there, and not -scarcely no ammunition; and they’re just going to be massacred!”</p> - -<p>“No! no!” replied Uncle Jesse, “that won’t be done. -Them white folks know we’ve got a Governor and courts.”</p> - -<p>“But there’s too many of ’em for the courts to stop ’em. -There’s two or three thousand, all armed, and some of ’em -is the biggest men in the State, the old aristocrats; and -the Governor’s militia can’t do nothing against these Rifle -Clubs yo’ know, these old confederate soldiers that served -in the war. They’re all <i>them</i>, or the one’s they’ve trained -up, are officering now.”</p> - -<p>“I know, I know,” said Jesse, “but you know there’s the -United States. The United States won’t see us killed off -that way.”</p> - -<p>“‘Cause the United States is <i>too fur off</i> to see it; and -when we’re all killed, the United States can’t bring us alive -again.”</p> - -<p>“Why didn’t they just let them two young fellows go -through that company in the first place on the 4th of July? -It’s mighty provoking to see the niggers celebrating the -4th with the same flag <i>they</i> used to brag so much about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -’fore the wa’, (though they have hated it ever since), and -the State guns, and all! We’ve growed so big now, we -can afford to stoop down to such little fellows as they’ve -got to being. What’s the use o’ keeping up a quarrel when -we’ve got to live together?”</p> - -<p>“Now, Jesse,” said Den Bardun, “we’ve been stooped -mighty nigh double all our lives, and our fathers and -grandfathers before us, and some of their backs is getting -stiff. It’s well enough to make a bow, but some folks don’t -enjoy being rid over, and I reckon <i>yo’r one</i>.”</p> - -<p>“I can’t stay to hear yo’ talk, and if yo’ a’n’t men enough -to go and help yo’ neighbors when they is getting jist -<i>slayed</i>, I’m gwine to find some <i>men</i> somewhar; and if ever -yo’ wants help like us, to save yo’ life and property, maybe -yo’ll get it. I hope so,” and Sterns hastened away.</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse paced up and down the room for some moments, -with his arms folded and his chin upon his breast; -while Den Bardun leaned against the door-post, and -watched alternately this neighbor and the chickens a hen -was endeavoring to call into a coop in which she was confined -near the door.</p> - -<p>“It <i>seems</i> hard! It does seem hard!” said Roome, without -raising his eyes from the floor, “and it seems cruel -like, I know it does. But it is <i>right</i>! <i>I know it is right!</i> -and I feel it right in my breast,” looking up with an -assured manner, and striking his broad chest with his -palms. “Sit down, Den, sit down. What do you think -about this doings?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I believe it’s a mighty hard affair, and I’m afraid it’s a -big one; and I don’t believe it’s all about the 4th of July -scrape, either. It’s more like the democratic party, and -they’re playing off that it’s the militia.”</p> - -<p>“What makes you think so, Dan?”</p> - -<p>“Well, Deacon Atwood, he says to me the other day, -says he, “All the officers of the Republican party has got to -be killed out, shor;” and I asked him what for?”</p> - -<p>“Was he talking of the colored officers or of all of ’em?”</p> - -<p><i>White</i> and <i>black</i>, making no exceptions. He says, -“we’re going to have this election, and the only way we -can get it, will be to kill out the leading men, and then the -ignorant men will do right.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Atwood came here the other day,” said Jesse, “I’d -hired Mott Erkrap, you know, to work for me, and he left -me because I wouldn’t give him 4th of July; and he wanted -to come back, and I wouldn’t take him back. The -Deacon came concerning him, and he said then that the Republican -party, before long, was going to ketch the Devil, -(Uncle Jesse lowered his voice as if in awe of his Satanic -Majesty.) Says he “There’ll be worse than seventy-seven -claps of thunder striking right against them. Of course -we was astonished at his speaking so rash and ’reverent -right here in the yard. We was all very much astonished, -me and my wife, and Mott Erkrap, and a stranger from the -city that came with Mott, at his speaking so rash and -’revrent at what would happen to the Republican party in -short time.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Hark!” exclaimed Aunt Phebe, raising her hands. “Oh, -Lord! they be a killing ’em!”</p> - -<p>The sound of small arms came unmistakably upon the -evening air.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no! It takes more’n one bird to make a spring. It -a’nt so strange to hear a gun fire!” said Uncle Jesse; at -the same time approaching the door to listen.</p> - -<p>“But there’s another! and another! and heaps of ’em!” -said she, becoming almost frantic with excitement.</p> - -<p>“Good Lord! they be a fighting!” exclaimed both Dan -and Jesse.</p> - -<p>Several of the nearer neighbors soon came running up, -breathless and alarmed, to ask what should be done.</p> - -<p>“What <i>is</i> all we gwoine to do, Uncle Jesse?” asked a -small coal-black man, rushing up to the yard, gun in hand. -“Don’t ye think we ought to go down and help ’em!—!—! -but it’s awful to hear them guns and stand here with my -good rifle in my hands doing nothin’;” and he strode back -and forth in front of the door where the group was standing, -clasping his trusty weapon to his breast.</p> - -<p>“You’d best remember the Lord in such a time as this, -anyhow, and not be swearing,” replied Roome. “The -more goes there, the worse and the bigger that fuss has got -to be, and the more colored people will get killed any how -for the whites has got to beat. No, no, Penny you’d best -keep away if you don’t want to be killed.”</p> - -<p>“I wonder where Deacon Atwood is?” asked Den -Bardum.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<p>“He a’n’t there, you may be shor. He’ll talk big, and put -the rest up, but keep safe hisself,” said Jesse.</p> - -<p>“How about that Sheriff’s office?” and Penny looked -significantly at both Jesse and Den.</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” said Den, “we three did promise to get -him nominated on the Republican ticket, didn’t we? -He was mighty in love with our Governor then.”</p> - -<p>“But the Governor won’t support this kind of doings,” -said Roome.</p> - -<p>“Goodness gracious! Just hear the guns!” said Penny, -“We’ll see fire pretty soon. They’ll be burning houses, -certain.”</p> - -<p>“I do hope this isn’t our folks begun this,” said Jesse. -“I hope they’ll keep inside the law, and then the United -States can protect us, and not let the white folks here kill -us all off. But if our folks begun this, the good Laud -knows what will become of us all. If Deacon Atwood goes -in for this kind of thing, I’ll go back on <i>him</i>; for I won’t -stick to any body that violates the law. My motto is to -punish every man, white and black, that violates the law. -It does seem mighty hard to stand here, and hear them -guns, and believe that somebody’s getting killed; but I -feel in my breast that it is the right thing to do. Does -any of you know who’s gone over from Bean Island?—any -of the neighbors?”</p> - -<p>“Of the white folks? or the colored?”</p> - -<p>“Either one.”</p> - -<p>“Dr. Ave, Joe Ennery, Coot Hogg, and Ramal Bardun,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -John Rammel, and Robert Blending has gone; and Captain -Black, and Williams, and I expect the Payne boys.”</p> - -<p>“Do you <i>know</i> that, Penny?” and Uncle Jesse bit his -lips.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I met them near sundown, gallopping hard that -way; or rather, I didn’t meet the Payne boys.”</p> - -<p>“Hist! There comes the old man.”</p> - -<p>“Good evening Mr. Payne,” said the host, extending his -right hand in a cordial welcome, while with his left he -made a sign behind his back, commanding caution.</p> - -<p>This was clearly visible, though the sun’s light had entirely -faded; for the cabin door, near the outside of which -they stood, was wide open, and a fire of fat pine was filling -the broad chimney’s throat with a sheet of flame.</p> - -<p>“Old man Payne” was a small man, with a large head, -quick, deep-set gray eyes, under a broad brow which was -crowned with snowy hair.</p> - -<p>He it was who had counselled discretion, moderation and -honorable dealing at the Club meeting at which Watson -Atwood was initiated into the mysteries of modern southern -politics.</p> - -<p>A descendant of an honored southern family, he yet -seemed from infancy to have inherited many notions which -were antagonistic to the environments of his childhood, -and which several seasons spent in New England, in the -early home of his mother, served to strengthen and intensify.</p> - -<p>His wife, always fully Southern in ideas and sympathies,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -had reared their children so, aided by their surroundings, -while he had very quietly cherished his own sentiments.</p> - -<p>A chair was brought, and he seated himself without -speaking, sighed heavily, folded his small nervous hands, -and gazed away into the darkness; and as volley followed -volley, he shuddered, and wept.</p> - -<p>“Good God,” said he at length, “I had hoped this kind -of thing was over! Jesse, what do you know about -this?”</p> - -<p>“Nothing,” was the prompt reply. “I know nothing; -at least, I’ve just <i>heard</i> that there’s a fuss between the -Militia company and the white folks. Do you know who’s -in it, Mr. Payne. Who begun it, I mean?”</p> - -<p>“I only know they say the officers would not go to -court, but just fortified themselves in the armory, and defied -the law, and said they were going to fight. Joe Morey -says they’ve been making awful threats lately, and so the -Rifle clubs were called out to sustain General Baker, who -undertook to conduct the suit for Robert Baker and -Gaston.”</p> - -<p>“Defied the law? How’s that, Mr. Payne?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know Jesse, but that is what Joe Morey -said.”</p> - -<p>“Is that all you know about it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes.”</p> - -<p>“Has any body gone over from here, from the Island, I -mean?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, some on both sides, I guess.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<p>“And what is the intentions of the white folks?”</p> - -<p>“I do not know, except that they intend to get some -security that the negroes shall give up their guns, and stop -drilling. They say they do not feel secure in their lives -and property while the Militia is drilling with arms in -their hands.”</p> - -<p>“What has the colored people ever done? And why don’t -they treat them so well that they won’t be afraid of them? -They’re State Militia.”</p> - -<p>“I know, I know that Jesse; but our boys will listen to -nothing. I’m afraid of the consequences, and do not want -another war.”</p> - -<p>“A good many of ’em is pretty old “boys,”—old Confederate -soldiers,” said Roome, “and there can’t be much -that is worse than this, judging by the guns we hear. -How do you know there’s any gone?”</p> - -<p>“They went by my store, and I tried to persuade them -not to go.”</p> - -<p>“Who was they?”</p> - -<p>“I can not give names, Jesse.”</p> - -<p>“Did Hankins go, Mr. Payne?”</p> - -<p>“I cannot tell, Jesse; but I’m glad you are all here. -If you stay here, you will not be hurt. But I didn’t think -till now,——some of them may be straggling off here, -and I had better go back to my store,” and the old man -walked sadly away.</p> - -<p>The night had set in, dark and moonless; and an hour’s -brisk discharge of small arms was followed, (after an interval<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -of respite), by the booming of cannon, which heightened -the terror and direful forebodings of the listeners.</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse’s dwelling became a tabernacle to the Lord -that night; for from it arose the ceaseless voice of true -prayer—“the soul’s sincere desire,” through all those hours -of darkness and terror, till just ere the dawn of the Sabbath -morning, his neighbors departed to their several places of -abode.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER IX.<br /> -<span class="wn">THE SITUATION.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp18">“Peace fool!</p> -<p class="pp10">I would have peace and quietness, but the fool will not.”</p> -<p class="pr4"><span class="smcap">Shakespere.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">Uncle Jesse</span>, as the reader is by this time aware, was a -man of influence among his neighbors, few of whom, of -either race, were capable of such just and comprehensive -views of their political and social relations.</p> - -<p>Little influenced by color prejudice (which is common to -both races, though from widely different causes and in -various degrees, throughout the United States), he possessed -great reverence for law, as such; a fact mainly due to a -residence of several years among the law-abiding people of -that portion of the State of Ohio known as The Western -Reserve, at a period when his mind was peculiarity receptive.</p> - -<p>Born a slave in 1834, he seized the first opportunity -offered by the late war, to flee from bondage and learn to -live like a man.</p> - -<p>Aunt Phebe preferred to wait with their two little children, -her invalid mother, and aged grandfather, for the -coming of the “Yankees,” which was confidently and hopefully -expected.</p> - -<p>And so in 1867 Uncle Jesse returned and found her and -their children free, and thriving, in the same cabin in which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -he left them, though the “big house” was vacant, and the -plantation in new hands.</p> - -<p>At that time the Southern States were rife with utter -lawlessness and bitter animosities; and acts of malicious -and cruel outrage were frequent occurrences.</p> - -<p>From the first settlement of the State, society had been -divided into many and antagonistic classes, throughout -which, however, prevailed an universal and sycophantic -<i>aping</i>, each class of that above it; while the upper stratum -sat in serene security of social distinction—fortune or misfortune, -personal respectability or degradation, culture or -ignorance, plethora or poverty, <i>all</i> were forgotten or obscured -in the penumbra of that formidable and enigmatical -word <i>birth</i>, untitled though it must be.</p> - -<p>Now that the old landmarks had to some extent been -swept away, there followed a general and tumultuous -scramble in the debris, each being anxious to secure all that -was possible, or failing, to resent the affront of another’s -success.</p> - -<p>Thus the worst elements and characteristics of every class -were made prominent.</p> - -<p>Families bred in opulence, and accustomed to claim the -unpaid toil of others as their rightful due, and to believe -political leadership and oligarchal control their birth-right, -and who, like their ancestors for generations, cherished contempt -for all who worked for their own subsistence, found -extreme humiliation in laboring for their own bread, and -submitting to the legal restrictions imposed by the general<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -government, controlled as it was by those they had formerly -derided as the “mud-sills” of the North, even though -those restrictions were equitable and generous. In resentment -of the equal citizenship conferred upon their former -chattled slaves, they committed, and defended in each other, -such outrages upon the persons and property of the negroes -and resident northern whites, as are not even admissable -between civilized enemies at open war.</p> - -<p>Not a few planters who formerly owned thousands of -acres of land, and from three to five thousand slaves, -were, by the failure of the Rebellion, for the success of which -they had staked all their possessions, as poor as the “cracker” -families, which had formerly “squatted” like caterpillars -and locusts upon the skirts of their plantations. They were -even sometimes subjected to these as magistrates and officials, -as they often were to their former slaves.</p> - -<p>This haughty planter-race, having utterly failed in its -last great pretension in bitterness of spirit still cherished -its disdain for those it could not conquer, into which disdain -the education of two hundred and fifty years of -<i>irresponsible ownership of laborers</i> has concentrated the -egotism, the selfishness and the cruelty thus engendered.</p> - -<p>The intelligence of this class was never commensurate -with its wealth. Schools were necessarily few in -the South during the existence of slavery, and family -feuds and favoritisms notoriously controlled the distribution -of the honors of those that did exist, and social and -political distinction depended upon culture in no degree.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -Hence there was little to spur the laggard, or to encourage -and inspire genius, and the actual ignorance, or at best, -the superficial scholarship of “the first families” was astounding. -Since the war, poverty and aversion to the North -have materially lessened southern patronage of northern -schools, and under the “carpet-bag” administration the higher -schools of the State, and the common schools in country -districts in which the aggregate number of pupils did not -warrant the opening of more than one school, were -accessible to colored students; a recognition of equality -which the whites would not tolerate; and so they consigned -themselves to ignorance.</p> - -<p>The class formerly known as “sand-hillers,” “crackers,” -or “poor white trash,” were lazy, filthy and ignorant, -and frequently degraded below the level of the slaves. -These, with the class next above them in the social scale—the -“working people,” who owned few or no slaves, -and labored with their own hands on small farms, or as -mechanics, experienced a social promotion nearly equal to -that of the slaves; as emancipation, the ravages of war, -and a more general distribution of land, through confiscation -and sales for delinquent taxes, broke up the land monopoly -and political retainership which had so long existed -to the opulence of the planters, and the semi-mendicity of -the lower classes.</p> - -<p>The confederate service had also given acceptable occupation -and wages, and even some inferior military titles to -men who had formerly begged, or stolen, or starved, rather<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -than earn their bread by honest labor; and such military -glory, won in defence of “The Lost Cause,” could not be -utterly ignored in the contest for recognition of some sort.</p> - -<p>The class called “respectable people,” consisting of -artists, merchants and professional men, teachers, &c., -whose title to recognition rested upon wealth and culture, -probably received the change with the most equilibrity, -while the freedmen had everything to gain, and nothing to -lose.</p> - -<p>The most ignorant of them well knew that it was to -“de Yankees,” “de Lincum sogers, de United States,” or -“Mar’s Lincom,” that they were indebted for emancipation. -The raving of their masters against northern abolitionists -was, to them, quite sufficient evidence that somehow -the war had its origin, near or remote, in northern -antagonism to slavery.</p> - -<p>History will never fail to record the good behavior of -the freedmen of the southern states of America, the -causes of which were manifold.</p> - -<p>The experiences and legends of the slaveship, and centuries -of repetition of similar evidence, had taught the -African that there were other powers, stronger than brute -force, which he could not command.</p> - -<p>Again, he was not self-liberated. The brother of his -master had been his deliverer (whatever may have been -his motive), and gratitude, the moral attraction of gravitation, -is the strongest moral power in the universe; which -the All-Father well knew when He sent His Son to suffer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> - -<p>This deliverer, this brother, believed in <i>law</i>, the invisibility -and incomprehensibility of which appealed to the -superstition of the emancipated slaves. This northern -brother had struggled desperately with the tyrant, poured -out his treasure and shed his blood without stint in the -conflict; and having conquered, stood with weapons in -either hand, to command the peace in the name of this -invisible and incomprehensible <i>law</i>; while the religious, -industrial, and educational influences which he summoned -from his northern home, coming up while yet the atmosphere -was tremulous with the sounds of expiring conflict, -brought food for hungry bodies, intellects and souls; healing -for lacerated spirits; and the vesture of a better civilization -for the nakedness of the black, and the mail-chafed -form of the white.</p> - -<p>Women who pressed to the battle-front with a cup of -water for the lips of the dying, and a pillow for the -wounded head that lay upon the bloody sward, from hearts -baptized to self-sacrifice, and pens lit with the zeal of the -Nazarene, sent white-winged, burning messages all over -the news-reading North; and while from thousands of -homes there, brave men came with flaunting flags, and -beating drums, and booming cannons, singing as they -marched:</p> - -<p class="pp7 p1">“We are coming, Father Abr’am,<br /> -Three hundred thousand more,”</p> - -<p class="pn1">and</p> - -<p class="pp6q p1">“We’ll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> - -<p class="pn1">(and voluntarily broke that pledge,) from out those same -homes stole a procession of women, not clandestinely, not timidly, -but brave of soul and strong of heart and inflexible of -purpose, though without ostentation. The bible and spelling-book -were their only weapons, and their song was of -“the mercies of the Lord forever,” and their “trust under -the feathers of His wings!” “Neither the terror by -night,” “the arrow by day,” “the pestilence in darkness,” -nor “destruction at noon,” nor the “thousand falling on -their right hand,” and on their left, could make them -afraid; “because they had made the Lord their strength, -even the Most High their refuge.” They went forth to -“tread upon the lion and the adder, the young lion and the -dragon.” Scorn, insult, slander, poverty, loneliness, sickness -and death, they trampled under their feet; for -“through the work of the Lord were they made glad,” and -they “triumphed in the work of His hands.”</p> - -<p>Away on in the Elysian fields of heaven, when the cycles -of eternity shall have encircled the universe, and rolled -back upon their track in such repeated and intricate mazes -as only the Infinite mind can trace, they shall receive from -the lips of the ransomed of all nations, “the blessing of -those once ready to perish”; and the blessed assurance -that the torch they lit in the freedman’s hut, lit a beacon -that illumined the world.</p> - -<p>If the South is saved to civilization, its chief human -savior was “the nigger school-teacher.”</p> - -<p>To these evidences of kindly interest on the part of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -Northern people, and the influence of, and confidence implied -in the immediate presence of feminine representatives -of the best and most peaceable element of the North, certainly -not less is due than to the natural timidity of the race, -or their great faith in ultimate Divine deliverance, which -needed intelligent direction.</p> - -<p>Evidently the most difficult lesson, and yet that most -needed by all the former inhabitants of the southern states -is <i>reverence for, trust in, and submission to law</i>. The -old habit of irresponsible authority, of domination instead -of true democracy—the idea that the sovereign citizen -may be superior to the law enacted by the popular will, is -hard to eradicate.</p> - -<p>Like the writhing beheaded serpent, which responds with -slow-dying malice to the glow of the sun that does not -make night because its green eyes are sightless, beheaded -slaveocratic feudalism blindly ejects its spite at inevitable -oncoming civilization.</p> - -<p>Through the philanthropic movements which have been -indicated, an entirely new ingredient was injected among -the heterogeneous elements of southern society which -were seeking a new basis, and a few northern soldiers, -enamored of the delicious climate and naturally productive -soil to which war and conquest had introduced -them, and from which slavery had formerly excluded -them, brought their families from Northern homes, or married -daughters of this sunny land, and became permanent -residents. Then followed capitalists, allured by the numerous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -apparently good investments the almost universal -bankruptcy afforded.</p> - -<p>With these came money, and such industry, enterprise, -skill and public spirit as was before unknown in that -slavery-cursed land; and the pecuniary results of which the -Southerner can only account for by supposed political corruption -or downright stealing from the public funds—the -most familiar means.</p> - -<p>Still the formerly favored class, true to its arrogance, -and not ignored by those accustomed to worship at its -shrine, ranks the possessor of one of its patronymics, -especially if garnished by military title won or sustained -in confederate service, among the most enviable of men; -for “The Lost Cause” is as dear to South Carolinians as -ever—an ideal worshiped all the more devoutly because of -its unreality, and with demonstration necessarily somewhat -restrained.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER X.<br /> -<span class="wn">THE ATTACK.</span></h2> - -<div class="pbq"> - -<p class="p1">“Shepherd—Name of mercy, when was this, boy?</p> - -<p>Clo.—Now, now; I have not winked since I saw these sights; -the men are not yet cold under water, nor the bear half dined on the -gentleman; he’s at it now.</p> - -<p>Shep.—I Would I had been by to have helped the old man!</p> - -<p>Clo.—I would you had been by the ship’s side, to have helped -her; there your charity would have lacked footing.</p> - -<table id="t06" summary="tb6"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - <td class="tdc2">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p>Shep.—This is fairy gold, boy, and ’twill prove so; up with it, -keep it close; home, home, the next way.</p> - -<p>Clo.—Go you the next way with your findings; I’ll go see if the bear -be gone from the gentleman, and how much he hath eaten; they are -never curst, but when they are hungry; if there be any of him left, -I’ll bury it.”—Winter’s Tale—Shakespeare.</p></div> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">Immediately</span> after the interview of the four colored men -with General Baker, Rives hastened to the drill-room, where -he soon found the Captain of the militia company.</p> - -<p>“Doc,” said he, “Gen. Baker says if you do not give up -the guns, he will melt the ball down before ten o’clock to-night.”</p> - -<p>“Judge, just step this way,” and the Captain took him -through a communicating door into his own bedroom adjoining.</p> - -<p>“General,” said he, in a confidential tone, “yo’ are the -Major General of the militia of this Division, isn’t yo’?”</p> - -<p>“Yes.”</p> - -<p>“Now, here. I am willing to do this. I’ve sent for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -Colonel, over and over, three times, but he don’t come. -Now, while I believe that, under the law, I have no right -to give up the guns to yo’ but yo’ being the General of -Militia, I will give yo’ these guns to keep, if yo’ will take -’em and take my chances.”</p> - -<p>“I have no right to take those guns out of your hands,” -replied Rives, (too glad that it was so.) “The law -does not give me any such right, and I’m not going to demand -them. You can do just as you please. I want the -thing to be settled, if possible, but I don’t demand the -guns.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Captain Doc, “if yo’ don’t take ’em, I -don’t intend to give ’em up to General Baker.”</p> - -<p>“You do not say that you intend to fight?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, I don’t say anything of the kind; but I don’t -intend to give up the guns to General Baker; but if yo’ will -take ’em to relieve the responsibility of blood being shed -in town from me, I will give ’em to yo’.”</p> - -<p>“No. I have no right to demand them. Yo’ must use -your own discretion about it,” replied Rives.</p> - -<p>“Well, if that is the way yo’ are going to leave me, I’m -not going to give ’em to General Baker.”</p> - -<p>Doc then hastily penned the following note and dispatched -it:</p> - -<p>“Gen. Baker:—These guns are placed in my hands, and -I am responsible for them, and have no right to give them -up to a private citizen; I cannot surrender them to you.”</p> - -<p class="pi6">Signed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> - -<p class="p1">A reply came.</p> - -<p>“I must have the guns in fifteen minutes.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” Doc coolly remarked, “then he’ll have to take -’em by force, and I shall not be responsible.”</p> - -<p>He was in the armory with less than forty men, only -twenty-five of whom were members of the militia company; -the others having fled there unarmed, for protection.</p> - -<p>“Now boys,” said he, “we may as well settle down to -work, for we are in for it, shor. Yo’ keep away from them -windows, for any of ’em will be firing in here. I’ll go on -top of the roof, and see what they’re doing.”</p> - -<p>So saying he ascended through a scuttle, and took observations</p> - -<p>General Baker was riding hither and thither, assisted by -his aid, the Colonel of the same name. As he waved his -gloved hand, and indicated their positions, the men immediately -assumed them.</p> - -<p>First, twenty-five or thirty men were stationed in front -of the armory. The building, as has already been stated, -stood facing the river, and the broad street before it was -not less than one hundred and fifty feet in width.</p> - -<p>Next, behind an abutment of one of the railroad bridges -fifteen or twenty more were placed, and still further down -the stream thirty or forty more. A continuous double line -of cavalry encircled the entire square, while up the river’s -bank, near and above the scene of the encounter of the -young men and the militia company on the 4th, stood some -hundreds more in reserve.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> - -<p>With all the consequential airs of an officer who knows -himself for a great General about to win for his already -honor-burdened brow fresh wreaths that shall be amaranthine -General Baker proceeded to place squads of men -here and there, on the corners of the streets and in other -commanding positions, clear across the sub-level half-mile -from the river to the hills, and even upon its slope, till all -the streets were thoroughly picketed and guarded, and -escape made presumably impossible. Seeing all this Captain -Doc descended to his men, and distributed them between -the windows, and in the front corners of the room, under -protection of the walls.</p> - -<p>“Jes, see ’dem five men’s settin’ on deir hosses, -ovah ’dar on de rivah-bank!” said corporal Free, rising -upon his knees from his crouching position below one of -the high windows, and peeping out. “Cap’n, I don’t like de -looks of tings out dar!”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, don’t look out, but make yor’self easy, and -stay right where I put yo’.”</p> - -<p>“That’s jest what we’re bound to do, Cap’n; we’ll make -ourselves easy and peaceable.”</p> - -<p>“Dare comes Gen’l Baker from down street, on hossback, -an’ he an’t more’n fifteen yards from ’dis building! Now -he’s motioned his hand to dem five mens, an’ dey done rode -right off down towards de road bridge! Oh, laws! I seed a -mighty big crowd o’ Georgia white men coming up de street, -wid guns in deir hands;” and he hurriedly crouched down -to his former position, little knowing that the city police,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -stationed at the bridge in extra numbers, allowed no colored -people to pass.</p> - -<p>“Harry Gaston and a posse is running all the women and -children out of the streets, that was looking over this way!” -said another militia man, who stood peeping out at the side -of another window. “Boys, it do look like thar’ was gwoine -to be a fight here, shor!”</p> - -<p>“The Intendant asked for time to get the women and -children out o’ town, an’ General Baker said he’d give ‘half -an hour,’” said another.</p> - -<p>“<i>Onus fifteen minutes</i>, it was,” roared Mansan Handle, -“Onus fifteen minutes to get ’em all out, an’ he swore -about <i>that</i>. I’m glad <i>my</i> woman’s gone.”</p> - -<p>The sound of rapping at the door below was heard, and -a voice called:</p> - -<p>“Doc, Captain Doc!”</p> - -<p>“Don’t none o’ yo’ go near the windows, but just yo’ -keep still where yo’ be,” said the Captain, who then threw -up a sash, and looking down, asked what was wanted.</p> - -<p>“You see, Captain, that General Baker has all his men -ready to attack you, but he gives you one more chance. -The fifteen minutes are up, and he sent me to ask if you -are going to surrender, and give the guns up?”</p> - -<p>“I can’t give them up to him. I don’t desire no fuss, -and we’ve got out of the street into our hall for the safety -of our lives, and there we’re going to remain; but we are -not going to give up the guns to anybody without authority -to take ’em.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> - -<p>The messenger galloped back to his chief.</p> - -<p>It was a time of too intense feeling for speech, in that -hall. A brief moment of suspense, and the sound of hoofs -was heard, and the horsemen who had been stationed in -front of the building removed to a street in the rear.</p> - -<p>Then down by the river-bank came a flash, a quick, sharp -report, and a small column of smoke rose straight up into -the air. It was a signal gun, and quickly followed by a -volley from the men stationed behind the abutment of the -railroad bridge.</p> - -<p>“Crash! crash! crash!” came the bullets like hail -through the glass windows, for the strong shutters had -not been closed; the little band preferring exposure to -suffocation and ignorance of the enemies’ maneuvers.</p> - -<p>As the colored men had less than five rounds of cartridges, -they reserved their fire twenty or thirty minutes. Then -Captain Doc gave the order. The discipline of the men -was excellent, and their small supply was eked out by -irregular and infrequent discharges.</p> - -<p>“Good Laud!” exclaimed several at once, after firing -a light volley.</p> - -<p>A young man down by the abutment was seen to -throw up his arms and fall.</p> - -<p>“That was Merry Walter,” said one of the men.</p> - -<p>“Was it?” asked Doc. “He’s gone at his work hind side -before. Not more’n two hours or so ago, he said, “We’re -gwoine to kill all the colored men in Baconsville to-day, -and then we’ll take the women and children, and then I’m<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -going to kill all that are against me.” That’s just the -words he said.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” was the general exclamation.</p> - -<p>“<i>That’s just awful!</i>” said Friend Robins. “But he’s -gone to meet it. I a’n’t prepared to die myself, but I -shouldn’t like to meet the Laud right after saying such a -thing as that.”</p> - -<p>“We may all have to meet Him ’fo’ dis job is done,” -said another.</p> - -<p>The attack commenced about six o’clock, and soon -every pane of glass in the numerous windows was strewed -in fragments upon the floor, yet not one of the men was -injured, and Merry Walter was the only white man harmed -during the whole affray except one slightly wounded by -a comrade.</p> - -<p>Night was coming on apace, calm, but moonless; and -Captain Doc went upon the roof again to take observations. -Several of his men were already there, though each unaware -of the presence of the others, on account of the peculiar -construction of the roof.</p> - -<p>Doc there discovered that the attacking party was -gradually closing up towards the armory, and he immediately -descended again. He found the men still talking, -and seeming to have become accustomed to the straggling -shots that occasionally visited them.</p> - -<p>“I think if I <i>is</i> to go, I’d send some of ’em ahead o’ me -if I had a gun,” said Pompey Conner, “but I don’t mean -to go if I can help it.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yo’re mighty quiet, Watta,” said Doc.</p> - -<p>“What’s the use of talking? Better be shooting. It’s a -pity we cannot clear out all that vermin.” (With a gesture -of disgust.)</p> - -<p>Half an hour more of irregular firing against the brisk -one from outside, (where the enemy continued to approach,) -and a voice was heard there: “William McFadden, go -across the river and bring two kegs of powder, and we’ll -blow this building up.”</p> - -<p>“Bring me some long arms, too—two cannon—I can’t -drive these niggers out with small arms.”</p> - -<p>Only Captain Doc caught the order fully, but he recognized -the voices respectively of Colonel Pickens -(probably a descendant of a valiant Colonel Pickens, who, -in the early days of the State’s history, drove a large party of -Indians from their homes. They took refuge in a deserted house -near Little River in the present County of Abbeville, near Aiken, -Pickens <i>burned them there</i>. They died without a murmur; the few -who attempted to escape were driven back or shot by the surrounding -riflemen. The next day Captain William Black, in going from -Miller’s Block-house, on the Savannah River, heard a chain rattling -near the ruins. He paused, and found a white neighbor baiting his -wolf trap with a piece of one of the dead Indians.” <i>History of the -Upper Counties of South Carolina</i> by <span class="smcap">J. H. Logan, A. M.</span> pp 67-68), -Baker and the -gallant General, and sprung upon the roof again, but soon -hastened down, and quietly slipped from the hall down the -stairs of his private apartments, and so out upon the street. -Aided by the darkness and his own dark skin, and some confusion -just commencing in the hitherto orderly ranks of the -enemy, he soon found the weakest point in the surrounding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -force. Re-entering the hall with hammer, saw and nails -from his own ample supply, he tore down boards from a -rough partition there, and constructed a rude ladder. This -he fastened securely to the sill of one of the rear windows -of the hall. By this time the men had become thoroughly -alarmed; and, but for the strong controlling influence of -their Captain, a panic must have occurred. In his immediate -presence, however, they were yet controllable.</p> - -<p>“Here, Lieutenant Watta, yo’ go down first, and receive -the men; and all yo’ men follow him. Not too fast, -now! Some of us will keep firing once and awhile, and so -make them think we are here yet. I’ll go last, but yo’ receive -the men, and keep them till I come. I know just -where we’ve got to make a break, and I’ll get yo’ all off if -yo’ keep cool, and not get excited; though yo’ll have to -fight right smart to get out even the best way, for we are -surrounded.”</p> - -<p>This was attempted, but when the brave Captain left the -dark, deserted hall, and reached the ground, he found but -fourteen of the men there.</p> - -<p>“Where is Lieutenant Watta?” he inquired. “He’s got -excited and gone off, and controlled off the best part of the -Company. He wanted to take us along too.”</p> - -<p>“Well, men, we are surrounded, and I think there is -over three thousand men here in Baconsville, and there is -more coming over from the city all the time. The lower -part of Market street is completely blocked up with ’em for -two hundred yards; looks like as thick as they can stand;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -and in Mercer street it’s the same, and in Main street the -same. But right in front of the building there isn’t so -many; and if yo’re ready to fight pretty sharp and mind -orders, I’ll get yo’ out safe, maybe.</p> - -<p>“We’d best go up to Marmor’s office, and out that way. -They won’t expect us to go up street towards old man -Baker’s; they’ll expect us to go towards the city bridge, -or to Sharp’s hill.”</p> - -<p>While the crowd was intent upon the arrival, placing, -and firing off the cannon, the fifteen men reached the -street.</p> - -<p>“Here they come! Here they come!” shouted the mob, -as the men sought to cross Main street.</p> - -<p>The numbers against them were, of course, overwhelming; -but the colored men were fighting for life, and the -darkness and their dark skins were to their advantage.</p> - -<p>They dodged, or hid, or ran, or stood and fought bravely, -as either best served them; till, after two or three hours of -such effort, they were all safe together out of the town, -in a strip of thick bushes which bordered “a branch” (a -small tributary of the river), in one of Robert Baker’s -fields. Only one was wounded, and be not disabled. Here -all sat down to rest and give thanks for deliverance. But -the brave Captain was troubled about the Lieutenant and -the men he had “controlled off.” He was sure they would -“get squandered;” and that if they did, they would be -killed.</p> - -<p>So, leaving his comrades with many injunctions to remain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -there quietly, where no one would expect them to -take refuge, he returned, and through numerous hair-breadth -escapes, at length reached the besieged square.</p> - -<p>The most of the houses there, as is quite common in the -South, stood upon wooden spiles, or short brick pillars, for -coolness and less miasma.</p> - -<p>Imagination is active and potent in the Southerner, and -his contempt and resentment towards a “nigger” that dares -thwart the will of a white, feed his courage best when the -dark skin is visible.</p> - -<p>So there stood the brave Southerners encircling that devoted -block, and firing into it at random, no one having -yet attempted search under the houses where the negroes -would be the most likely to secrete themselves.</p> - -<p>But Captain Doc, escaping the bullets, called in subdued -tones under several of the dwellings, and received two or -three responses.</p> - -<p>“Yo’ll get ketched here, bye-and-bye,” said he, “shor as -the worl. Yo’ come along, an’ I’ll get yo’ in a better place.”</p> - -<p>With the end of his gun he knocked a few bricks -from the walled underpinning of a building that was -nearer the ground than the others.</p> - -<p>“Crawl in, an’ I’ll brick yo’ up.”</p> - -<p>They obeyed with alacrity, and he replaced the bricks -and went in search of other parties.</p> - -<p>Looking out from a little cornfield, he saw one of the men -whom he sought, run across an adjacent garden, and called -to him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> - -<p>The fugitive was the Town Marshal, or chief of police. -Bewildered by fight, or not recognizing the voice, the man -ran on and leaped the fence into Mercer street. The moon -had now arisen, and shone very brightly.</p> - -<p>“We’ve got you now!” shouted Harry Gaston, with a terrible -oath; and with several of his comrades immediately -surrounded Carr.</p> - -<p>“We’ve got you now! You’ve been Town Marshal -long enough. Going around here and arresting white men; -but you won’t arrest any more after to-night.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Gaston,” said the Marshal with the assured voice -and manner of an innocent man. “Gaston, I know yo’, -and will ask yo’ to save my life. I havn’t done anything -to yo’. I have only done my duty as Town Marshal.”</p> - -<p>“Y-e-s,” replied Gaston with a sneer. “Your knowing -me a’n’t nothing. I don’t care nothing about your marshalship. -I ha’n’t forgot that five dollars you made me pay -for dipping my head in Ben’s Spring, and I’ll have satisfaction -to-night, for we’re going to kill you;” and the six men -all fired upon the unarmed Marshal at once.</p> - -<p>“Oh Lord! Oh Lord!” cried the unfortunate man.</p> - -<p>“You call on the Lord, you —— ——?” said they.</p> - -<p>“Oh Lord! Oh Lord!” rang out loud and clear upon -the midnight air, and as he uttered the words a second -time they fired again, and he fell.</p> - -<p>While his flesh still quivered, southern chivalry proceeded -to draw a pair of genteel boots from his feet, and a -valuable watch from his pocket; and then left him with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -stars gazing into his dead face, and the witnessing angels -noting testimony for the inquest of a just heaven.</p> - -<p>Captain Doc had climbed upon a timber of the railroad -trestle, and was looking through the tassels of corn which -grew around him and made a friendly shade.</p> - -<p>“By ——!” said one of the ruffians, “I reckon some of -us had better go over in that cornfield. There’s good -hunting thar, I reckon.”</p> - -<p>Stealthily Capt. Doc now crept between the corn-stalks -diagonally to the left, till he reached and entered Marmor’s -printing office, which was, like the Justice’s office, connected -with his dwelling. Here he remained an hour or more, -supposing himself to be alone, and listened to the sounds -of violence without, and of many men coming over the -long bridge from the city, whooping and yelling like -demons.</p> - -<p>Then came blows upon the front door of the office, -threatening its destruction, and our Captain made his exit -through the one at the rear.</p> - -<p>When Lieut. Watta had “controlled off” more than half -the men who escaped from the armory, he took them right -into the teeth of the enemy. At once the little squad was -scattered in every direction, in their own expressive dialect, -“squandered;” but most of them soon rendezvoused in -Marmor’s printing office, entering at the back door, as Doc -and his men had done.</p> - -<p>“Boys, let’s run out. They’ll ketch us here, shor,” suggested -one of the party, and opened the front door, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -quickly and noiselessly closed it again, as the foe were -numerous there.</p> - -<p>“If you go that way, you’ll get killed,” said the Lieutenant; -and all immediately ran out at the back door, and -secreted themselves in the yards and under the houses; all -but Corporal Free, who crept under a counter in the office.</p> - -<p>When the door was eventually broken in, and the mob -proceeded to demolish the machinery and whatever else -they could find, a fragment struck the wall, and, rebounding, -threatened the concealed head of the Corporal, who -dodged, and thus revealed his presence.</p> - -<p>“Hello! There’s a great nigger poking his head out,” -exclaimed the rioters.</p> - -<p>“I surrender! I surrender,” cried the poor fellow, as -they dragged him out. “Where is Gen. Baker? Where -is Gen. Baker?”</p> - -<p>“Who is this?” asked one of the white men, pausing in -his work of demolition, and approaching where the light -of their lantern fell upon the face of their captive.</p> - -<p>“Why it’s John Free. Don’t yo’ know me?—de man -dat libed neighbor to yo’, Tom Sutter, for a year or mo’?” -replied the prisoner. “I’m John Free, John Free. <i>Yo’</i> -know I’m a honest man as don’t do nobody no harm. I -wants to see Gen. Baker.”</p> - -<p>“—— —— you!” said the white man Tom Sutter, looking -down into the dark face, “you’re one of Capt. Doc’s -militia-men, first corporal. We’ll fix <i>you</i> to-night.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, please send Gen. Baker to me if yo’ please. He is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -a high-toned gem’man, I’ve heard ’em say, and he won’t let -any of his men hurt a prisoner dat surrenders. I tell yo’ -I surrender! I surrender!”</p> - -<p>“You go to ——! We’re going to fix you pretty soon;” -and beating him with their guns, they dragged him out -at the front door, and down Main and Market streets, -to a place where fifty or sixty ruffians (“the good people of -South Carolina”) stood shoulder to shoulder in a circle, -and backed by a crowd of hundreds, were guarding thirty -or forty other unarmed captives.</p> - -<p>A demoniac howl of delight arose from the drunken, -blood-thirsty throng on his approach; and as each victim -arrived, the “high-toned gentleman” and “chivalrous -General and his aids applauded their subordinates with—“Good! -boys, good! (with oaths). Turn your hounds loose, -and bring the last nigger in! Can’t you find that—Capt. -Doc?”</p> - -<p>There Corporal Free found his first and second lieutenants, -and with them and the others he was compelled to sit -down in the dust of the street.</p> - -<p>While Capt. Doc stood at the back of Marmor’s office, -undecided which way to flee, and hearing the work of destruction -and the pleadings of the captured man within, he -looked across the gardens to his own house, and saw it -all alight, and men there breaking furniture, pictures and -mirrors dashing upon the floor, and destroying beds and -clothing. They had also commenced to scour the entire -square for their prey.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span></p> - -<p>He leaped a fence which separated Marmor’s back yard -from his garden, and as he did so a gruff voice called -“Halt!”</p> - -<p>At the same instant the old time slave-hunter Baker, -rushed from Dan Lemfield’s back door, pistol in hand, and -fired.</p> - -<p>“—— —— him! I’ve got him!” said the gray-haired -sinner, as he stooped to examine what had a moment before -been the habitation of an immortal soul, now fled for protection -to the High Court of the Universe.</p> - -<p>Urged by his host, the old man re-entered the house, -repeating as a sweet morsel to his tongue, “I’ve got him! -I’ve got him!” though ignorant what “nigger” he had got.</p> - -<p><i>But had he?</i></p> - -<p>“Fear not them which can kill the body, and after that -have no more that they can do.”</p> - -<p>Our Captain now crept softly through the little cornfield -which occupied the centre of the square, diagonally, -to the extreme corner; to the dwelling and office of the -Postmaster, and made his way to a second-story verandah -which extended the entire length and breadth of the two -rear sides of the edifice. This verandah was thickly latticed, -but a few strips were broken off, high up on the end -next Market street.</p> - -<p>There he stood, looking down upon “the dead-ring” we -have already described, till day lit the east.</p> - -<p>Mann Harris was a large, black man—a porter in a -store in the city opposite, and he sat among the other prisoners<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -in the dust of the street almost beneath Doc’s feet.</p> - -<p>Having conveyed his invalid wife to a place of safety, -he had returned to protect his property. He sauntered -about the streets, watching the current of events while -that remained safe, and then retired to his own dwelling, -probably supposing that “every man’s house is his -castle,” and he would there be at once beyond the -reach of attack, and the temptation to resentment. Peeping -down from a second-story window (for he closed the -house to give it the appearance of being deserted), he saw -‘old man Baker’ and his son Hanson standing at the -corner of his house, pistols in hands.</p> - -<p>His inoffensive neighbor Pincksney approached, and was -about to pass.</p> - -<p>“Where are you going?” demanded Baker.</p> - -<p>“I’m going to the drill-room.”</p> - -<p>“You can’t go.”</p> - -<p>A brief parley resulted in a repetition of the prohibition, -“I tell you, you can’t go, and you may as well go -back!” emphasized with an oath.</p> - -<p>“All right,” and the colored man walked back. Soon -another attempted to pass on the opposite side of the way.</p> - -<p>“Where are you going?” shouted Baker.</p> - -<p>“Going about my business!”</p> - -<p>(A fearful oath). “You’d better go back, or I’ll shoot -you!”</p> - -<p>The young man retreated precipitately, and hid in a -back yard.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> - -<p>Soon after this the attack opened, and Mann Harris sat -in a back room of his home, listening to the terrible sounds -for hours; or with unshod feet crept across the floor lest a -footfall might be heard by some lurking foe, and watched -the flashing of guns from the windows of the armory.</p> - -<p>Then followed the booming of cannon. “Good God!” -he exclaimed, “we is all done killed! They will shoot -down every house in the town! But I’ll have to take it as -it comes.”</p> - -<p>He heard the shout, “Here they come! Here they -come!” and heard Baker and his friends fire upon the -negroes as they crossed the street, and Doc’s men fire in -return.</p> - -<p>Four times after this the cannon shook the windows, as -it belched forth its canister, and sent terror through the -town and surrounding country.</p> - -<p>The sound of small arms continued in various parts of -the village, while the debauched desperadoes sought their -victims in their hiding-places.</p> - -<p>Then the familiar stentorian voice of John Carr, crying, -“Oh Lord! Oh Lord!” and the succeeding volley which -silenced it, struck terror into the poor man’s soul, and he -fell upon his knees alone in the darkened room, and with -forehead upon the floor, and trembling in every limb, he -whispered, “God Almighty, I’m an awful bad man! I a’n’t -prepared to die. Oh, save me, Jesus Christ!”</p> - -<p>The discharge of firearms nearly ceased, at length, -but was succeeded by loud shouts and sounds of violence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -and cursing, the shrieks of women, and the cries of little -children, and the alarm of fire—for the ruffians dragged -the helpless innocents from their houses, some of which -they set on fire, in their zeal to arrest every ‘nigger’ and -‘radical.’</p> - -<p>Harris’ house, and that of General Rives, joined and -communicated by folding doors: indeed, were only different -apartments of the same dwelling.</p> - -<p>The sound of numerous heavy feet was soon heard upon -the porch. A blow, and Rives’ door flew open.</p> - -<p>The occupants had fled, but the shouts and oaths, the -heavy blows, and cracking furniture, and crashing crockery -and glass, told that “the white-livered Judge” was no -exception when Republicans must suffer.</p> - -<p>“Oh laws!” said Harris, mentally, “from the sound of -that smashing up of things and going on, I feel pretty bad -myself! Though they has done all the shooting niggers -in the street, the next turn will be mine, shor!”</p> - -<p>He stood in the hall, ready for exit through the front -door, and when he heard the butts of their guns strike -upon the folding doors which he had secured the best he -could, he walked out upon the porch.</p> - -<p>Ten or twelve blood-thirsty men stood at the foot of the -steps, and vociferated.</p> - -<p>“Come down, you —— big nigger! come down!”</p> - -<p>“I ha’n’t done nothing,” said Harris.</p> - -<p>“No, none of you ha’n’t done nothing,” was the response, -while as many as could, laid hold upon him, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -speedily, though not tenderly, conducted him to the “dead-ring.”</p> - -<p>“Let me stand up,” said he, attempting to rise from the -dust where they had seated him. “A man can’t see outside -at all,—can’t see among the white folks at all.”</p> - -<p>“You sit down there, you great big nigger!” said little -Gaston, sticking him with a gun; and Mann Harris sat down.</p> - -<p>The next moment, with a great shout and halloa, Lieutenant -Watta was brought, and compelled to sit down close -beside Harris.</p> - -<p>“Good! good! boys,” shouted the great General. “But -can’t you get that Captain? I want that Captain, now.”</p> - -<p>“What sort of a looking man is he?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, he’s a saucy-looking fellow, and has side whiskers -and a moustache.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll write it down,” said one producing a pencil. Failing -to find paper in any of his pockets, he turned towards the -moonlight, and wrote it upon his shirt cuffs.</p> - -<p>“Halloa Tom, let me have your pencil while I write it -upon my shirt-front,” said another. “The starch makes it as -good as paper. We’ll catch him before long now.”</p> - -<p>Little did they think he was just above their heads, -watching their writing.</p> - -<p>Watta’s white blood, which had boiled and seethed all -day and in the early evening, had spent its fury, and the -gentler nature of the man had assumed control.</p> - -<p>“Oh, they’ve fotched <i>you</i>, Watta,” said Harris, really -more alarmed for him than for himself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Mann,” said Watta in a low tone, “what do you think -of this?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know what to think of it.”</p> - -<p>“Do you think they will kill any of us?”</p> - -<p>“Yes I do, just so.”</p> - -<p>“Do you think they will kill me?”</p> - -<p>“I do Watta; that I do: and all you have got to do is to -pray God to save your soul.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, my poor wife and children!” cried the poor man, -softly, folding bis long thin hands across his knees and -dropped his head in the anguish of despair.</p> - -<p>“Just give up your wife and children, and every -thing else, and be prepared to die,” said Harris, “for -they are going to kill you. There’s been so many envious -niggers telling lies on you, and the white folks is ‘allus’ -ready to believe ’em; and they have been making such -threats about you, and I’m satisfied they’ll kill you.”</p> - -<p>Watta bent his head lower, and the tears fell fast.</p> - -<p>“That you?” asked Harris of another.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I was hid under my own house, an’ ’dey was -gwo’ine to shoot me dar, an’ I tole ’em I surrendered, ’an -’dey brung me heah.”</p> - -<p>“And Dan Pipsie! you here too?” exclaimed the inquisitive -Harris.</p> - -<p>“Yes, me and Eck Morgan was on top o’ de drill-room, -along wid Sam Henry and tree or fo’ more of ’em. We -went out de back way when de cannon come, an’ we jumped<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -Marmor’s fence, an’ went up onto his shed, an’ got into a -back window.”</p> - -<p>“Was Marmor there?”</p> - -<p>“No, nobody wasn’t ’dar; only jes de white men come -’dar an’ broke open de house, an’ de out-houses, an’ dry goods -boxes; an’ we could see ’em looking to see if dar war any -niggahs’ dar. Den’ dey come into de house, an’ broke -eb’ry ting up, an’ carried off eb’ry ting; and den dey just -broke open de do’ whar’ we war; an’ Ben Grassy, an’ George -Wellman, ’dey jumped out o’ de window we got in at, an’ -I don’t know war’ dey got to; but de men dey just kotched -us, and fotched us heah.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XI.<br /> -<span class="wn">A MASSACRE.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp10q p1">“Slaying is the word,<br /> -It is a deed in fashion.”</p> -<p class="pr4"><span class="smcap">Julius Cæsar.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">The</span> “dead-ring,” as has been said, was on Market street, -and quite near the Post Master’s residence, which occupied -the corner and stood flush with both Market and Cook -streets. Captain Doc stood in the upper verandah, almost -over the heads of the crowd surrounding “the ring,” and -looked down upon them.</p> - -<p>“It is about time we began the killing,” said one of the -crowd, “We’ve been hunting and capturing long enough. -Now who shall be killed?”</p> - -<p>“Kill ’em all, of cose,” replied one of his fellows.</p> - -<p>“We’d better find out what Gen. Baker says,” said a -third. “We’ll go round to Dunn’s store, and see what he -says. Whatever he says, I say it’ll be right.”</p> - -<p>“If yo’ say <i>dat</i>, yo’ won’t kill any of us,” said Corporal -Free; “fo’ Gen. Baker is too high toned a gem’man to -allow a man dat has surrendered, to be killed. He’s a -gem’man from one of de first families of de State.”</p> - -<p>“You shut up your mouth,” said one of the chivalry, as -he threw a handful of dirt into Free’s face.</p> - -<p>“Now, I tell you what,” said another speaker, fingering -a huge pistol; “all get on this side of these —— niggers, -and we’ll just fire into ’em.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span></p> - -<p>At that moment a cheer arose, and hats of all descriptions -were swung wildly in the air.</p> - -<p>“Hurrah! Here comes our chief!” shouted the mob, -and made room for horse and rider to approach the ring, -though the single solid circle of armed men remained unbroken. -The poor fellows upon the ground raised their -heads, and cried out each for his life, “Oh, Gen. Baker!” -“Oh, Gen. Baker!” “You will save me!” “You will -save my life,” “Gen. Baker, I surrendered right off, I did,” -“I han’t done nothing,” “I’m just a honest, hard-working -man.” “Don’t let ’em kill me, Gen. Baker!” “Yo’ will set -<i>me</i> free, General Bakah, I’m sho fo’ yo’s a gemman!” and -beseeching hands were uplifted, and dark faces upturned -in earnest pleading for the protection they felt sure “a -high-toned gentleman,” and “chivalrous chieftain” would -give.</p> - -<p>“Is William Daws here in this ring?” asked the -General.</p> - -<p>“Yes sah,” was the prompt and confident reply.</p> - -<p>“You’re the black rascal that burned my house down,” -and with a vile epithet this personification of southern -magnanimity rode away.</p> - -<p>“Ah! Ah!” groaned the crowd, in derision of the misplaced -confidence of the negroes.</p> - -<p>“There’s Alden Watta,” said a mocking voice. “You’re -a <i>magistrate</i>, I suppose! You’re a —— nice looking magistrate!” -and he scooped up a handful of soil and threw it into -the back of Watta’s neck, as his head hung down. “There’s -a baptism for you.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<p>Watta did not heed it.</p> - -<p>“Boys, we’d better go to work, and kill what niggers -we’ve got; what’s the use o’ waiting? We shan’t be able -to find Capt. Doc,” said a new speaker.</p> - -<p>“We’ve had our orders from Gen. Baker, so far, and -we’d better get orders from him now,” said another, who -was possibly more merciful.</p> - -<p>“If we don’t kill all, they’ll give testimony against us, -some day to come,” said the first speaker.</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” said a third. “Gen. Baker has got us here, -and we ketched the men as he told us, and I think we’ve -got something to say now.”</p> - -<p>“No, gentlemen,” said a fourth, “just pick out the Republican -leaders and kill them, and let the rest go. They’re -all Republicans, I know, but they a’n’t all leaders; and some -of these boys didn’t never hurt nobody. Some of ’em is -good fellows!”</p> - -<p>“A—h! that a’n’t worth a cent! We’ve come out here -to have some fun, and now let’s have it.”</p> - -<p>So they contended till the excitement became quite -alarming, and pistols were drawn upon each other by the -mob.</p> - -<p>“Well now,” said a new voice, “I’ll tell you how you -must do it.”</p> - -<p>“Listen! Listen! Hear the Judge’s son! Hear the -the young Georgia Judge!” shouted several men; and so -there came a calm.</p> - -<p>“This has been a military affair so far,” said the young<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> -man, “and let us carry it through so. We must just have -a court-martial. These niggers are prisoners of war. This -is a conflict between the South Carolina Rifle Clubs, the -natural offspring of our honored Confederate Cavalry, -(cheers), and the National Guards, the pets of the Yankees, -(groans). The South Carolinians have been victorious, -[tremendous cheers], as they always will be, [vehement applause]. -And now, as becomes the sons of noble sires, -[cheers], sons who are honored [when in uniform], by wearing -the gray of our “Lost Cause,” [cheers], and who to-night -have done honor to the gray, (cheers), let us not -forget to be generous to our prisoners; but choose from our -number twenty men, who shall retire and consider the case -of each of these we have captured; and as they decide, so -the man shall fare.”</p> - -<p>Applause and assent followed, when another voice added, -“And if any of you have old scores you want settled, just -bring them before the court-martial.”</p> - -<p>The men were selected, though not without difficulty -and some final dissatisfaction and threats, but as the Captain -was acceptable to the most violent, the matter was -finally adjusted upon a compromise.</p> - -<p>Capt. Sweargen, [the same who menaced Mr. Springer -during the last conference held with Gen. Baker previous -to the commencement of active hostilities], withdrew and -organized his court, and soon returned to the “dead ring,” -and gave the following elegant military order.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<p>“All you black scamps, get up here; we’re going to -carry you to the county seat, and put you in jail.”</p> - -<p>“No; we’ll start for there, but we’ll lose them on the -road,” said a bystander.</p> - -<p>“That’s it,” said another, “we’ll leave them in the -swamp.”</p> - -<p>“Come on, boys, come on this way, we’ll attend to -the—s,” said Capt. S—, and the ring and crowd moved -down the street about twenty yards.</p> - -<p>“Halt! Now all you blasted niggers, sit down!”</p> - -<p>“Capt. Sweargen! Capt. Sweargen!” said Mann Harris, -“As yo’ are the Captain of this killin’, I will ask yo’ -to save my life.”</p> - -<p>“You hush; yo’ talk too much, you great big nigger -you,” said one of the crowd.</p> - -<p>“I’m gwoine to talk. It’s life or death for me, an’ I’m -gwoine to talk for my life.”</p> - -<p>“Captain! Captain! Oh, don’t let them kill me!” said -Sam Henry. “I’ve allus been a industrious and honest fellow, -and ha’n’t never hurt nobody, nor stole, nor nothin’.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, but you’re a blamed Republican, and so is all the -rest of yo’, and that’s enough. We’ll carry South Carolina -Democratic now, about the time we kill four or five hundred -of yo’ voting niggers. This is only the beginning of -it. We’ve got to have South Carolina, and these clubs has -got to go through the State.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” added another, “the white man has got to rule -here. This is a white man’s government.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> - -<p>The excitement was again increasing, and all talked at -once on this topic, on which alone all seemed to agree.</p> - -<p>“Now, men, we’ve got this court-martial, and must proceed -according to military law,” shouted Captain S.</p> - -<p>“There a’n’t no law,” cried a voice. “The law has run -out at the end of a hundred years, and there a’n’t no constitution -neither.”</p> - -<p>“There a’n’t no court in South Carolina that can try us -anyhow,” said another.</p> - -<p>“That’s so! That’s so!” resounded through the crowd.</p> - -<p>“Hello! Hurrah! here comes another nigger! Got -Capt. Doc this time? Capt. Doc! Capt. Doc!” (with oaths), -rang through the swaying mob which surrounded the dead -ring, as a posse from the General’s headquarters advanced -with the new victim.</p> - -<p>Not without difficulty a way was opened for the conveyance -of—not Captain Doc (who was watching and listening -attentively at the Cook street end of the verandah, and -not twenty paces from the spot), but a good faced boy, yet -in his teens.</p> - -<p>His eyes rolled wildly about, he trembled violently, and -his breath came quick and short, though without a sound.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Friend Robbins,” said Watta, “I’m sorry they -have got you? Your widowed mother and the children -need your support. Where is Joey? (the company’s drummer-boy).”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” whispered Friend.</p> - -<p>“Ha! This is the boy that wouldn’t sell us ammunition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -in Mrs. Bront’s store,” shouted one of the assassins. “I -cursed you well then, old chap; but we’ll give <i>you</i> all the -ammunition you want, and more’n you’ll ask for.”</p> - -<p>Poor Friend had passed a dreadful night, (for this was -now in the small hours of the morning), since he slipped -down the ladder from the drill-room.</p> - -<p>He had taken refuge in Marmor’s office, from thence fled -to the street; been driven back through the rear yard, -leaped Dan Lemfield’s fence, escaping a shot aimed at him, -hid under a pile of railroad cross-ties in Lemfield’s yard -during a dreadful hour, only then to be dragged out by -three men with pistols and lanterns in their hands, searching -every hiding place. They took him out upon the -street, and to their commander.</p> - -<p>“Who is that?” asked the lofty General.</p> - -<p>“It is Friend Robbins,” answered the boy, looking -frankly into the officer’s face.</p> - -<p>“What are you doing here?”</p> - -<p>“I have not been doing anything; the men came in there, -and brought me out.”</p> - -<p>“Do you belong to the militia company?”</p> - -<p>“I do, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we killed one —— nigger down there to-night, -and I want you to go down there and see him, and see if -you know him. Two of you men take him down there.”</p> - -<p>This was done; and there upon the ground lay the dead -man, his eyes wide open and staring away through the -clear, white moonlight, away from the blood-stained earth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -towards that infinite One, before whose face the escaped -soul stood, corroborating the testimony of his blood which -“cried from the ground.”</p> - -<p>“Who is that?” asked one of the guards.</p> - -<p>“That’s John Carr,” replied the boy.</p> - -<p>“He’s the Town Marshal, a’n’t he?”</p> - -<p>“Yes sir.”</p> - -<p>“Well, he’ll be Town Marshal no more!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know sir.”</p> - -<p>Friend was then conducted back to the General.</p> - -<p>“Are you ready, sir?” asked the men, each presenting -his pistol.</p> - -<p>“No; don’t kill him,” said the General, “but take him -yonder, and keep him till I call for him.”</p> - -<p>They took him down under a rail road trestle, and kept -him half an hour surrounded by men, who amused themselves -by torturing him with all sorts of alarms, questions -and indignities.</p> - -<p>At the expiration of that time, General Baker rode by, -and directed that he be taken to the “dead ring.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, here you are Tom,” said Gaston, approaching the -corner of the Post-Master’s house. “I’ve been looking for -you. You know we’ve got Watta down there.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, that’s a streak of good luck; but I wish we -could only get hold of their ringleader, that Doc. I’m -mighty glad we’ve got Dan Pipsie, though.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” and the young men laughed. “I want Doc -mighty bad too, but I’m thinking more about what we’re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -going to do with what we have got. I reckon the Court -Martial is the best way. Captain Sweargon has got great -respect fo’ General Baker. They shan’t let Watta and -Pipsie off nohow.”</p> - -<p>“No,” said the General, who rode up at that moment -and caught the last remark. “Watta and Dan Pipsie are -two dangerous men, and ought to be taken care of.”</p> - -<p>“Now, General,” said a stumpy little man, strutting up -to that dignitary, “yo’ve brought us all here, all this -crowd, and we’ve got the niggers; and now if you won’t kill -them, they’ll just go and give testimony agin us, and get -us into trouble.”</p> - -<p>The General stared at the little man with the most -serene contempt, and turning his horse’s head, rode away -without speaking.</p> - -<p>But the little man was neither abashed nor silenced. -He continued,—“Here General Baker has brought us -here, and kept us up all night helping him to capture a -lot of niggers, and he ought to kill the last one of ’em; for -if he don’t they’ll be up here to vote against us, and they’ll -be giving testimony against us.”</p> - -<p>“That’s true enough, Volier, true enough,” said several -of his associates.</p> - -<p>“I’m sleepy and tired,” continued Volier. “Here, -Bub,” addressing a small boy of twelve years, “You ought -to be abed and asleep long ago.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir-<i>ee</i>,” said the boy, ejecting a volume of tobacco-juice -from his mouth. “<i>I</i> a’n’t sleepy.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Let’s go up into this piazza, and go to sleep,” urged -the little man, “Come, come on!”</p> - -<p>“No, I <i>sha’n’t</i>,” replied the boy. “I want to go and -spit on them niggers some more.”</p> - -<p>So the little man yielded, and accompanied the lad in -quest of his rare sport; much to the relief of Captain -Doc’s mind.</p> - -<p>At the same time Gaston and Tom Baker approached -the “dead ring” also, and the name of Alden Watta was -immediately called, as that of the first victim to be sacrificed.</p> - -<p>“We’ll fix you! we’r’e going to kill you now, without a -doubt,” cried the mob.</p> - -<p>“Gentlemen,” said Watta, standing up in a calm -manner, “I am not ready to die, and haven’t done anything -to be killed for. Will you allow me to prepare to meet -my God? Please let me pray.”</p> - -<p>“You ought to have been praying before now; you have -talked enough without praying, and we’re going to kill -you now. I don’t care,” said young Tom Baker, with -numerous oaths. “But we’re going to kill you.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, gentlemen, do spare my life! I will not interfere -with you. I will only take care of my family as an honest -man should. I will go clear away out of the State, if you -will only spare me to take care of my wife and my little -children!”</p> - -<p>“Watta, old chap, is that you?” cried Gaston, crowding -nearer, (with an oath). “We’ll fix you directly.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, Gaston! Gaston! What do you want with me? -Please do, do all you can for me, and I will be your friend as -long as I live, and leave the legacy of gratitude to my -children!”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I <i>will</i> do all I can for you; I’ll do it in a short -while. He’s had time enough, boys.”</p> - -<p>As many as could lay hands upon him did so, and they -carried this Second-lieutenant of the National Guards, -this County Commissioner, this graduate of a Freedman’s -High School, this teacher of a colored school, this correspondent -of the —— —— <i>Times</i>, this influential Republican, this -husband and father, this young man who bore the general -reputation of being a straightforward and truthful man, -a man that could be depended on, and had a great deal of -resolution; not a violent man, not given to insolence nor -trouble of any kind, a pleasant and affable man though -one of spirit, this American citizen, and they bore him away -to be sacrificed.</p> - -<p>By main force they took him several rods down the -street and into the edge of a field.</p> - -<p>Each individual of the crowd panted for a share in so -great a service to southern Democracy.</p> - -<p>When he was allowed to stand upon his feet again, he -looked around upon a wall of circular steel mouths, each -ready to belch forth hot, blazing, sulpherous, leaden death; -for every man presented the muzzle of his gun or pistol -at the hapless victim.</p> - -<p>Falling upon his knees he cried out, with clasped hands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -and upturned face, “Oh, God! there is neither justice nor -mercy upon the earth! I cast my naked soul and all I have -upon Thy mercy!”</p> - -<p>He paused and pressed his hands over his face. A tremendous -volley, followed, and Alden Watta’s soul leaped -into the presence of that Judge whom no Ku Klux Klans -can corrupt or intimidate; and the murderous throng -hastened back to procure another victim.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Free, and all of yo’, what is yo’ gwoine on so a -beggin’ fo’?” said Dan Pipsie. “If dey is gwoine to kill us -all anyhow, what is de use o’ beggin’ so? I only wish I had -some o’ my wife’s ’ligion now; and I’d like fo’ her to pray -fo’ me.”</p> - -<p>The committee soon returned from the court, and announced -the Armorer of the militia company, Dan Pipsie, -as the next condemned.</p> - -<p>With an air of perfect indifference he arose and accompanied -the murderers to the field of blood.</p> - -<p>A volley was heard, and the committee returned, but -Dan did not.</p> - -<p>Ham Sterns was the next called. He was a large mulatto, -and was sick.</p> - -<p>“O. Gentlemen!” he pleaded, “I haven’t done anything. -What do you want to kill me fo’? I a’n’t a member of the -militia company, and I was just peaceable at home when -some of you just come and dragged me out here; and now -you’re going to kill me. I a’n’t even a ’publican leader. -Please let me go!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Ham Sterns, I reckon yo’ know <i>me</i>,” hissed an evil-eyed, -sallow-faced man, stepping before him, and shaking -his fist in his face. “Now I’ll be quits with you on that -sale affair; you and Alf Minton. I’ll learn yo’ to outbid -me!”</p> - -<p>“Come out here! come out here?” shouted the mob, and -Ham Sterns was led away. The guns fired, and the committee -returned, but Ham Sterns never did.</p> - -<p>“Oh them tremendously firings!” said Sam Henry, with -a shudder of horror, as he buried his face in his palms -and began earnestly to pray for divine deliverance.</p> - -<p>“Is this you, Sam,” asked a kindly voice at his ear. “Get -up, Sam,” and a white man who stood behind him took -hold of his arm and said, “Gentlemen, this is a boy that I -know, (they were all “boys,” even if grey-headed) and he -is a harmless boy. He don’t belong to the militia nohow. -I’ll be responsible for him,” and he led him away.</p> - -<p>Alfred Minton was now called for, but no response -came.</p> - -<p>“Alf Minton! Alf Minton!” was repeated with oaths -and imprecations, and still no response.</p> - -<p>The committee entered the ring, and touched each man -upon his head, asking, “Who’s this?”</p> - -<p>At last a small, sick, weakly-looking young man acknowledged -the name.</p> - -<p>For the credit of human nature be it recorded that one -of the mob begged that the poor, sick boy be let alone; -and others were evidently tiring of bloodshed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span></p> - -<p>But the majority were not yet satiated, and with profanity, -they shouted, “O, we’ll fix him! We’ll <i>cure him</i>!” and -they led him also away. The guns fired; the crowd returned; -but Alfred did not.</p> - -<p>During this execution another white man conveyed -Friend Robbins away; learning which, when too late to interfere, -some of the more sanguinolent ran up to headquarters -with complaints; but the moving spirits there having -had their own desires for revenge measurably satisfied, -and despairing of the arrest of Captain Doc; and perhaps, -the inflaming effects of their potations beginning to wane, -they began to think of possible court scenes in the future. -So they were but indifferent listeners, and even suggested -the possibility of some other method of disposing of the -remaining captives.</p> - -<p>Pompey Conner, a noted thief and gambler, whose skill -at cards had often taxed the purses of some of this fastidious -throng of captors was the next called at the “dead -ring.”</p> - -<p>“Pompey you <i>run</i>,” whispered Mann Harris, who sat beside -him.</p> - -<p>Pompey was a powerful man, when he chose to exert his -strength, and he darted through the crowd like an arrow; -stooping a little, and with his brawny shoulder cleaving -his way.</p> - -<p>When he reached a clear track, numerous shots followed, -and the mob thinking him severely wounded jeered and -shouted triumphantly; while he crouched behind a tree,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -rolled his great eyes, nodded his woolly head, and muttered -audibly as he turned up the leg of his trousers, “It only -just scalped my leg, af’er all.”</p> - -<p>“What better fun do you want than that, boys? This <i>is</i> -fun! ha! ha! ha! Let’s let ’em all go, and shoot after ’em -like rabbits,” cried a mere boy.</p> - -<p>“Oh, no! you’ve done enough for to-night. Now let -these prisoners go.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, let these prisoners go,” chimed in another.</p> - -<p>“Let’s pile ’em up like frogs and shoot into ’em,” said -another, with an oath that should make the blood curdle; -while still another said, “No don’t do that, but let ’em go -and don’t shoot after ’em.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no, we ought not to leave none to tell the tale. Let’s -kill ’em all!”</p> - -<p>“We came out for <i>fun</i>; now let’s have it, and not give up -so,” said a very young man, a minor.</p> - -<p>“If we kill them all, there’ll be nobody left to tell the -tale; and if we leave anybody, they’ll go and testify -against us; and I tell you we might as well make a sure -thing of this,” was repeatedly reiterated.</p> - -<p>“Oh, let them go,” said a new speaker. “Let us swear -them before they go, not to tell anybody, nor anything -about it.”</p> - -<p>After much discussion, this counsel prevailed.</p> - -<p>“Now all you —— black rascals you, get up here,” said -Captain Sweargen.</p> - -<p>The prisoners quickly obeyed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Now, you all get down again, on your knees, and hold -up your right hands.”</p> - -<p>All obeyed. “I solemnly swear,” said the Captain, “I -solemnly swear,” repeated the prisoners, “that I will never -go into any court to testify, [repeated] nor to know anything -about this affair, nor what has been done in Baconsville -this evening, nor to-night, nor that I know any of -the men who was in the party.”</p> - -<p>The prisoners all took the oath.</p> - -<p>“Now, you —— rascals, get away from here!”</p> - -<p>Each sprung to his feet, and all but two ran for life. -Corporal Free dodged behind a tree, and Mann Harris, -who was on the edge of the dusky group, stood still.</p> - -<p>Fifteen or twenty of the irrepressible “chivalry” leveled -their guns upon the liberated prisoners whom the South -Carolina rifle clubs had captured from the National Guards, -and fired; “just like they was shooting at birds.”</p> - -<p>As evidence of the skill of these riflemen it may be mentioned -that but one of those colored men was wounded, -and he but slightly, though the firing was at fifteen paces.</p> - -<p>“Mann Harris, where do you live?” asked a maimed -relic of the confederate service.</p> - -<p>“I live right on the corner opposite Dan Lemfield’s.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you go on home.”</p> - -<p>“I can’t do it.”</p> - -<p>“Why can’t you?”</p> - -<p>“I’m afeard to go through them men by myself.”</p> - -<p>“Come on, I’ll go with you.” So that one-armed white<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -man sat upon his horse, and the great muscular negro -walked beside it, holding upon the saddle for protection. -They passed from Market into Cook street, and wended -their way among the slowly dissolving crowd.</p> - -<p>Nearing Mercer street, the escort began to converse. -“Well, Mann, now you see what the result is when niggers -vote against the white people.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” replied the -colored man.</p> - -<p>“Have you always voted?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I has; I voted the ’publican ticket all the time.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you don’t intend to say you want to vote it?”</p> - -<p>“If this fuss is about, I sha’n’t vote no kind of a ticket.”</p> - -<p>Another horseman on the opposite side of the narrow -street overheard the last remark, and approached.</p> - -<p>“Harris, I know you,” said he. “We was boys at the -same time, and have known each other all the while along; -and I know that you are a nigger that has got good sense, -good common sense. You see where this nigger is lying, -here?” [They had just come upon the body of John Carr.] -“Yes, sir; I see him.”</p> - -<p>“<i>Well, just so will we lay you, if you ever vote the Republican -ticket again.</i>”</p> - -<p>“Well, sir, I will not vote no kind of a ticket.”</p> - -<p>“No, —— that’s the plan,” said the proud Southern, -“and we intend to carry it out; and the only way for you to -save yourself is to come over and vote with us; because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -we know that you know mighty well, when you vote -against us you are voting against your interest.”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t know it was so much against your interest as -to kill a man,” replied Harris. “I had no idea that it was -any such thing as that.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you see what the consequence is, and we’re going -to carry this State, and we intend to do it if we have to -kill every nigger, and this rascally Governor too; he is the -head of all the thieves in the State, and the white people -don’t intend to stand it no longer; they intend to break it -up.”</p> - -<p>Harris and his protector then moved on, and soon reached -their place of destination.</p> - -<p>“Mann,” said Mr. W——, “I’ve got a little talk for you. -I, to-night, by your being recommended to me, saved your -life; and now you can do me a favor, and I will tell you -what it is.”</p> - -<p>“All right, Captain. There a’n’t nothing that I could -do that I wouldn’t do for yo’, for yo’ saved my life.”</p> - -<p>“Yes; what I want to say to you is, that you don’t know -anything about the affair at all; that they had you around -there, but you knowed nobody; that these are unknown -parties; and if any one comes to get you to go into court to -testify, or say anything about calling anybody’s name, <i>you -don’t know</i>. This time we will let you off; but next time -we get at this thing, we’ll <i>git</i> you. Now I will tell you -as you do me a favor, and don’t you call anybody’s name; -don’t you own to them that you do know; and tell them,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -the rest of them, not to say anything about it; that you -seen the boys, but you didn’t know who it was. If any -one asks you, tell ’em you don’t know; it was unknown -parties. Good-night;” and his magnanimous benefactor -rode away, and left Mann Harris upon his door-step.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XII.<br /> -<span class="wn">INCIDENTS AND PARTICULARS.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp18 p1">Sabbath holy<br /> -For the lowly</p> -<p class="pp10">Paint with flowers thy glittering sod;<br /> -For affliction’s sons and daughters,<br /> -Bid thy mountains, woods and waters<br /> -Pray to God—our Father God.</p> - -<p class="pp18 p1">Still God liveth,<br /> -Still he giveth</p> -<p class="pp10">What no man can take away;<br /> -And, oh Sabbath! bringing gladness<br /> -Unto hearts of weary sadness,<br /> -Still thou art an holy day.”</p> -<p class="pr4"><i>Whittier.</i></p> - - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">Under</span> cover of the morning fog Captain Doc descended -from the verandah of the Postmaster’s residence. As he -slid down a pillar of the open piazza of the lower story, a -black face stared from one of the lower windows, with an -expression of mingled terror and surprise. Reassured by -a smile upon Doc’s face, he raised the sash cautiously, and -whispered, “Does you want to come in?”</p> - -<p>“No, no, Dick!” was the reply, “this town isn’t a safe -enough place to hold me when the day comes. The hounds -will be back again, when they have fed and slept a little. -Have you been there all night?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; and all alone too. The family knowed it wa’n’t -safe for ’em here, pertic’lar Mr. Rouse. And so dey left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -me to see after tings. Gen. Baker, nor none of ’em’ dar’n’t -<i>touch dis house</i>, cause the Post Office is yere, and dat’s dee -United States—they are ’afeared o’ de Yankees you see. -But, oh my! Ha’n’t it been a long night, and a <i>awful one</i>! -’Pears like I’m a hundred yeah old. How many’s been -killed?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. Enough, anyhow.”</p> - -<p>“Dey didn’t git yo’? I’m surprised, Doc.”</p> - -<p>“No, nor they won’t;” and waving an adieu to Dick, -the Captain walked noiselessly to the back part of the garden, -and leaped the fence into Mercer street.</p> - -<p>There, stiff and stark lay the body of John Carr, the -Town Marshal; and further up, close beside the fence, a -shapeless heap, as it appeared, which Doc knew must be -the body of Moses Parker, whom the slave-catcher had -“got” on the previous evening.</p> - -<p>Keeping on towards the hills and near the railroad, he -escaped unobserved; till, when ascending the hill, he heard -his name spoken, quite near him. Though startled for -an instant, he was immediately joined by Ned O’Bran, who -came out from a clump of bushes where he had spent the -night in terror; and, in company, the two men walked to the -county seat, distant nearly twenty miles. There they -found an excited people, and several refugees from the -scene of massacre, among whom was Elder Jackson.</p> - -<p>“Phebe,” said Uncle Jesse, early that morning, “I don’t -believe you’d best go up to church to-day. I don’t believe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> -there’ll be many women there, for I reckon they all would -leave the town last night.”</p> - -<p>“And <i>I</i> don’t believe dar’ll be <i>no men</i>, nor no church -nuther; fo’ Eldah Jackson bein a Legislatur man, an’ a -Radical, ’ll have to streak it, yo’ may be sho; fo’ of co’se de -white folks has beat de niggahs, as dey allus does.”</p> - -<p>“Well, now, it’s queer; but I never did thought about -the Elder last night? For certain they’ll be after him; for -there’s a political side to this ’ere fuss. Now you git breakfast -just as quick as you can, and I’ll go over and see.”</p> - -<p>“I’m afeared to have yo’ go.”</p> - -<p>“But somebody ought to see after Elder Jackson.”</p> - -<p>“Dat’s so; I wish I could go wid yo’.”</p> - -<p>“No, no. Maybe I shall have to escape myself, and -it’s a heap easier to escape on horseback, than it would be -in a wagon, and two of us.”</p> - -<p>“Hadn’t yo’ best git Den Barden to go ’long, Jesse?” -asked his wife as he arose from his hasty breakfast.</p> - -<p>“No, Phebe, I’m just agoing to leave the Laud Jesus -Christ here, to take care of you and the children, and get -God Almighty to go ’long with me, and see after me; and -I’m going to go without anybody else at all.”</p> - -<p>So after reading with much needful moderation, and not -without verbal errors, the 69th Psalm, he knelt with his -little family upon the cottage floor, and repeated the -same sentiments from a full heart.</p> - -<p>Though not more than three miles from the village in a -direct line, a good five miles or more of circuitous and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> -somewhat lonely road lay between Jesse’s home and the -scene of the massacre; and he had ample time for reflection.</p> - -<p>He had long maintained, among his neighbors, the only -attitude an unprejudiced lover of justice could; but it had -brought to him alike, confidence and distrust, reverence -and envy, respect and aversion; and while his assistance -and advice were sought by the moderate and by the extremists -on both hands, he scarcely knew whether he had a -friend on whom he could certainly rely, or an enemy who -would betray him. Fortunately his road did not cross the -river, for the city police yet stationed at the bridge still denied -passage to persons of color, though allowing whites -to pass freely.</p> - -<p>As he entered the little town, he saw a number of men -moving along the principal street, and evidently carrying -some heavy burden. He did not approach them, but went -directly to Elder Jackson’s house.</p> - -<p>He found it deserted, and large charred spots upon the -surface gave evidence that attempts had been made to fire -it; and the garden was trodden down and utterly destroyed. -He then turned toward Springer’s house. This stood back -from the sidewalk, and not without misgivings he entered -the trampled yard, and rapped at the closed door.</p> - -<p>Springer answered the summons in person, and greeted -his friend with genuine cordiality.</p> - -<p>“Why, brother Jesse, I’m surprised and glad both, to see -you this morning.”</p> - -<p>“And I’m thanking the Laud, this minute to find you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -alive, and to get inside the shelter of your house. It ’pears -like the streets is full of ghosts, or something a man’s glad -to get away from. What is going on down street? I seen -’em carrying something into society hall.”</p> - -<p>“Come in and set down Brother, Jesse. I suppose they’re -collecting the dead. The Intendant was in here, and wanted -me to go down and see them before they moved ’em—to go -on the coroner’s jury, in fact; but I told him I couldn’t. I’m -sick. This last night’s job is worse than a fever. You -didn’t come up, Jesse?”</p> - -<p>“No, I didn’t. I couldn’t think it would be right, nor -any good, somehow, and so I staid away. But maybe now -I ought to ha’ come?”</p> - -<p>“No, you hadn’t; you’d only been another one. My mother-in-law -is very bad this morning. The scare last night -was enough to kill a well woman, and you know she was -pretty sick and weak before. I guess we’d best go away to -talk. Come right up stairs, and we’ll set and talk all we -want to, and she won’t hear us;” and Mr. Springer took his -guest to a tasteful chamber.</p> - -<p>The house was not large, but was well furnished and -neatly kept.</p> - -<p>“Where is the Elder?” asked Mr. Roome, when they -were again seated.</p> - -<p>“That I don’t know. He may be in the Kingdom of -Glory, but I suppose he left town, and went to the city maybe. -He and Ned O’Bran went off together, and the last I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -saw of him they were going up Main street, making for -Ned’s house.”</p> - -<p>“How many is killed, and who be they?”</p> - -<p>“Seven killed and two wounded that we know; and -there’s a good many more missing that we don’t know -whether they’re dead or not. Marmor is one o’ them.”</p> - -<p>“Marmor? Well, if there was one man in town to be -killed, Marmor would be that man. There ain’t no man in -Baconsville them white democrats want to kill so bad as -they do Marmor, without it is Watta!”</p> - -<p>“Watta they’ve got! He’s gone! and I’m afeared they’ve -got Marmor also.”</p> - -<p>“<i>Watta’s gone?</i> I <i>knowed</i> he’d be killed!”</p> - -<p>“Yes, and Den Pipsie, and Ham Sterns, and John -Carr——”</p> - -<p>“Why, Springer! You don’t say John Carr is killed?”</p> - -<p>“He was the first man they took; then Moses Parker——I -heard them both shot, and knew the voices. Alfred Minton, -he got shot too, but they say he an’t dead yet. Oh, -that makes me remember (rising). His father came here -just before you did, and wanted me to go down there. -They wanted somebody to pray; for he can’t live. I suppose -I must go, but I tell you I can’t bear to. All these -things seem so awful that they make me sick, and I can’t -help it. Won’t you go Jesse? Go down and pray with the -poor fellow.”</p> - -<p>“Where is he?”</p> - -<p>“Lying right there on the ground where they shot him,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> -last night; and they say somebody has mommucked him up -awfully.”</p> - -<p>“Well, Brother Springer, I’ll go, but I want you to go -’long.”</p> - -<p>“Do they know who shot him?” asked Uncle Jesse, when -they were on their way.</p> - -<p>“It is said to be unknown parties that done all the shooting -from this “dead ring” they had, but there’s one comfort—the -Lord knows who done it; and He knows who started -the thing, and put these unarmed victims into the hands of -an armed posse big enough to arrest the whole of Aiken -County. There,” (as they reached a point between Dan -Lemfields’ corner, and the railroad trestle-work), “this is -where Moses Parker fell, and laid till an hour ago. You -can see the blood.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Roome looked, but did not speak. Passing under -the trestle-work, and advancing a few steps, they came -upon a pool of blood.</p> - -<p>“This is where our Town Marshal was shot between -nine and ten o’clock last night. I heard him holler, “Oh, -Lord! Oh, Lord!” twice, before they fired. It was a great -volley, several guns, and I wonder they didn’t some of -’em kill him instantly. He begged mighty hard before -they shot. I heard him.”</p> - -<p>The men resumed their walk, turning down Cook street, -and so coming out upon Market street, and then turning -down that.</p> - -<p>“There, right there was the “dead ring,” they say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -where they had twenty-five or thirty prisoners, the Lord -knows how long; and finally shot some of ’em, and then -swore the rest not to testify against them, and let ’em -go, and shot after ’em as they went.”</p> - -<p>“Brother Springer,” said Uncle Jesse, grasping his -companion’s arm, “don’t tell me no such talk! You -don’t expect I’m going to believe it’s more than an awful -bad dream you’ve had.”</p> - -<p>“Did you dream you saw the blood back there? and -there’s four or five dead men in this hall at your left.”</p> - -<p>“That’s a fact! Nor I didn’t dream the threats I’ve -heard made; but I really thought it was mostly blow -and bluster; half of it any how!”</p> - -<p>“So did I, so did I,” replied Springer, “and I wouldn’t -believe, though I seen all these streets thick with armed -men in the evening, that they meant to kill anybody,—only -to scare the colored people,—till I heard ’em shoot -John Carr, and then I was scared.”</p> - -<p>By this time the two men had passed another street and -an embankment of the lower rail road, and approached a -small group of citizens, both colored and white. Upon -the bare ground, in a great pool of blood, lay the poor boy -Minton, apparently in the last agonies of death. He was -in great distress, and unable to converse at all.</p> - -<p>Fire-arms alone had not sufficed for the fiendishness of -his murderers; for blows as with an axe or hatchet, had -gashed his side, broken his ribs, and cut a large piece of -flesh from his thigh. It was a horrible, sickening sight.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Alfred! Alfred!” cried Uncle Jesse, falling upon his -knees at the boy’s head.</p> - -<p>“Alfred, who cut you so? Tell us who did it, Alfred; -it makes fury boil all over me!”</p> - -<p>A groan was the only response; and then from the depths -of his great heart, so uniformly held in subjection to his -clear reason, and well balanced judgment, Uncle Jesse -poured forth such a prayer as had never been heard by -those spectators before,—a prayer for the departing soul; -that it, going from this body weltering in blood shed by -murderous hands, might go up to the righteous Judge innocent -of any vengeful or unforgiving spirit;—a prayer full -of righteous indignation at these atrocious crimes against -his people, and of the spirit which said ‘Father forgive -them, for they know not what they do.’</p> - -<p>As he arose from his knees, Sam Pincksney touched his -elbow, and they shook hands in silence. Minton groaned -and seemed to desire a change of position. The father -and brothers turned him upon his back. Another groan, a -quick gasp, a sigh, and death released him from suffering.</p> - -<p>Many hands waited to give all needed, assistance and so -Springer invited a few of his neighbors to accompany him -to his house, that Mr. Roome might learn more particulars -of the affair of the previous night.</p> - -<p>“Now I want to get a clear idea of this matter as I can -get,” said Uncle Jesse when they were all seated in -Springer’s chamber.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I can tell you how it begun,” said the host, “but it -will take us all, and more too, to tell how it went on.”</p> - -<p>He then narrated the history of the trouble from the -collision on the 4th of the month, up to the time when -General Baker rode to the city across the river, substantially -as the reader already has it.</p> - -<p>“All this time while he was gone,” said Springer,—“about -half an hour,—armed bodies of men continued to come -into town; and in fact, a portion of them stopped and -threw themselves into line right in front of the house -here. As soon as General Baker got back, they mounted -again, and went up on Mercer and Cook streets, and so on -over to the river there, and there they fell into line. Then -myself and Judge Rives, and Pincksney, and Elder Jackson, -had an interview there with General Baker; and we -asked him if there was anything we could do,—what was -necessary to bring about peace.</p> - -<p>“He said nothing would satisfy him but the surrender -of the men and their arms. The white men were so boisterous -they treated us very badly. One man, Captain -Sweargen, drew his pistol while we were having this interview -with General Baker;—and really, I thought he -seemed to be looking at me, and that he was going to -shoot; but when he saw me looking at him, he put his -pistol in his pocket again.</p> - -<p>“Pincksney was whipped in his face, cut right in, as you -see, and so then we got away as quick as possible.” -“Didn’t the General stop these things?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span></p> - -<p>“No, not at all. Didn’t appear to notice ’em at all. -Then the firing begun pretty soon down on the river-bank.”</p> - -<p>“The white men down there are saying this morning -that it was the Militia that begun the firing,” said Sam -Pincksney.</p> - -<p>“No? Why, they can’t say that! It sounded like right -from, the river-bank,” said Tim Grassy, an intelligent-looking -mullato, about thirty years of age, who was a -brother-in-law of Springer.</p> - -<p>“Well, <i>I</i> know the <i>white men</i> fired first, for just let -me tell you,” said Ben, a younger brother of Tim Grassy.</p> - -<p>“George Hansen was at our warehouse, (Ben was bookkeeper -in Springer’s cotton warehouse,) and he told me -there was going to be trouble, and he wanted me to go up -to his plantation with him, and see his game chickens. But -I told him I couldn’t get off. He told me he saw a great -crowd of white men gathered up back there in the country. -An hour after he left, squads of men commenced coming -in, and half an hour after that I went into the armory for -protection. The white men opened fire and kept it up as -much as fifteen minutes, and maybe half an hour, before -they gave the colored men a <i>chance</i> to fire at all. I know, -for I saw it.”</p> - -<p>“Did any white men get killed?”</p> - -<p>“One, Merry Walter.”</p> - -<p>“Then I suppose some of our people must have killed -him!” said Uncle Jesse, sadly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know,” said Mann Harris, who had sat -quietly listening, though reputed the greatest talker in -Baconsville, “they quarrelled among theirselves, some.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” replied Ben, “but Merry was a Democrat, and I -suppose they wouldn’t want to kill him themselves.”</p> - -<p>“I heard some of ’em talking this morning, some respectable-looking -gentlemen from Georgia, and saying that they -had been told that this had been all to break up a nest of -thieves and robbers—that the people in Baconsville was -that, and that Capt. Doc is a rowdy, and the Militia Company -is a band o’ thieves; and Hanson Baker said that is a -fact and just so.”</p> - -<p>“I never heard anything like that in all the years I’ve -lived here,” said Springer, the oldest resident except Uncle -Jesse, who assented to his testimony.</p> - -<p>“They talked about Pompey Conner’s robbing market -wagons, and even hauled up that old graveyard affair, more -than three years old; and they know the Republican niggers -are after every thief they know of, and punishes ’em -too. Pompey took his turn in jail, and so did that old -republican nigger that dug them three graves open; the -democratic one got away, but I’ve seen him back just the -other day. I don’t believe they cared anything for the -graves; they only thought there was some money buried -somewhere in the graveyard during the war.”</p> - -<p>“That mean democratic nigger that lives over back of -the hill there, was in town yesterday, and some of ’em said -that he told the white folks where to find men—where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -their houses were, and if that is true it is just contemptible!” -said Springer.</p> - -<p>“The fact is,” said Ben, the niggers are getting a bad -name everywhere, with these old white aristocrats, and -especially since this fuss.”</p> - -<p>Ben was young, and his honest, expressive face glowed -as he spoke, with animation which subsided immediately -into grave thoughtfulness.</p> - -<p>“What has become of Capt. Doc?”</p> - -<p>“Don’t know; nobody knows. He’s sharp though, and -I hope he has got away. If they were to get him they -would think he must be drawn and quartered, I expect,” -said Ben.</p> - -<p>“Springer, you said Marmor is among the missing?” -said Uncle Jesse.</p> - -<p>“We don’t know what has become of him. Old man -Baker was in Dan’s house a good part of the night, Pincksney -says; and the houses join, you know; and the last seen -of Marmor, he was jumping the fence into Dan’s back -yard. Dan’s folks are there this morning, but don’t seem -to want to see nor speak to anybody. There’s a mystery -about it somehow.”</p> - -<p>“Dan is a kind of a queer dark man, you know. Jews -mostly is,” said Tim Grassy.</p> - -<p>“Dan is a likely sort of fellow,” said Mr. Roome, “I -wish he didn’t sell so much whiskey.”</p> - -<p>“Between twelve and one o’clock,” resumed the host, -“I heard Col. Baker (at least I took it to be his voice).<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -Some of them just opposite here had said the house was -afire, and I heard him sing out to the crowd, ‘Put that -fire out! nothing like that shall go on; I don’t want any -burning.’ Soon after that I heard firing again, and I heard -somebody else holler. I don’t know who it was, but I suppose -it was Moses Parker.”</p> - -<p>“Who shot him?”</p> - -<p>“That I don’t know.”</p> - -<p>“Where was Watta killed? Poor fellow! I knowed -he’d be killed, if anybody was.”</p> - -<p>“Down at the ‘dead-ring,’” said Harris, who then gave -the account the reader has had, and continued, “When I -stepped into my house I stepped right onto some of my -wife’s clothes. They had taken ’em all out of the bureau, -and flung ’em all over the floor, broke open three large -trunks I had, and taken away every rag of clothing I had, -and my wife’s bran new dress that she had made very -fancy to be baptized in next month—had never had it on—they -taken that away, and her watch and chain, and all her -jewelry, and all my clothes; and taken a pin of mine -that didn’t cost me but sixty-five dollars; and I don’t suppose -some of them fellers ever had sixty-five dollars in -their lives; and I told Pick. Baker so this morning. Just -so; and he said it was some of the factory crowd from the -city, none o’ his men hadn’t done it. I said I don’t know; -I seen some of his men looked pretty bad too, and I -thought they’d take things just as quick as anybody.</p> - -<p>“He says, ‘Well, there’s bad men in all crowds.’ Everything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -in my house is broken up. They carried off all my -lamps and such things, tore down my curtains, broke my -dishes, and carried off what they couldn’t break—all the -victuals and everything. When I told Gaston so this -morning, he offered me twenty-five cents to get me something -to eat, and I told him I thanked him. They just -walked right over my wife’s clothes, and spit on ’em.”</p> - -<p>“Harris, what do you suppose they did all this for?”</p> - -<p>“Well, they said before it happened that I would see the -white people intended to carry the state democratic, and I -expect this is to intimidate us. Hanson Baker told me -last night, (or this morning it was) when I was going home -after they done killed the men that was lying there; and I -asked them how they intended to carry the State Democratic, -and they said, ‘You see there? Well, that’s the -way we’ll lay you just so, if ever you vote the Republican -ticket again;’ and I said, ‘If that’s the way you’re going -on, I an’t a going to vote nohow. I’m done voting,’ and -they said, ‘You’d better be done voting, unless you vote -the Democratic ticket.”</p> - -<p>The whole company accepted this view of the motives -of the rioters.</p> - -<p>“They didn’t disturb you, Springer?” asked Uncle Jesse. -“You didn’t finish.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” he resumed, “this shooting and hollering and -setting fires and so on, continued till the hours I named; -and when they got through killing those they wanted to, -or could get, the crowd commenced going away. You<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -could hear them passing out in different directions, hollering -and cursing and cavorting around, and saying what -they had done. They would swear and say that they had -got Baconsville all right now; thought they had killed a -sufficient number to prevent nigger-rule any longer in the -county—thought they had put a quietus on nigger-rule in -the county for all time to come. They went on hollering -and calling the names of the men they had killed; and one -would say, ‘He don’t answer,’ and another would say, -‘He’s looking at the moon and don’t wink his eyes,’ and -they went on making sport of the men they had killed, -and cursing all the time.</p> - -<p>Then they commenced robbing, and you could hear it -all over town. It looked like they had parted themselves -up into squads for that business. You could hear them go -to a man’s store, and burst it open and go in, all along the -streets. They broke open my warehouse, and destroyed all -my books and papers, and tore up the floors and partitions—well, -just ransacked the place entirely. Then they came -here. I had become alarmed at that time, and said to these -young men who were here with me, ‘I think it is best for -us not to remain in this building, I think they will come -here.’ Up to that time I was basing an opinion that they -would not come here, upon the part that I had taken in the -whole affair during the day. I felt that it would keep me -out of danger; but then I saw very readily that even General -Baker had lost all control over the men, and I became -alarmed, and thought best to leave the house.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> - -<p>I thought probably they would not interfere with my -wife; but if <i>we</i> were found here, they would kill us. Sure -enough, I suppose we hadn’t any more than got out of the -house and passed round from the front to the back side, -before we heard the footsteps of them passing up the front -steps. I was then behind the house, and there was a light -in my wife’s bedroom, and I saw one of the men in that -room. I didn’t recognize him, though I heard him very -distinctly ask her where I was, and where Benny was. She -told him that she didn’t know where I was; that I had gone -away somewhere. They then commenced ransacking the -house; and they took a couple of shot guns I had here, -and carried them off; and they did use some very abusive -words to my wife. That’s the extent of what occurred -here.”</p> - -<p>“No, that’s not quite all, Sam,” said Tim Grassy. “They -asked my sister, who is staying with my mother who is -sick, you know, they asked her where was Springer’s -money? She told them they didn’t have any. They told -her she was a cursed liar. I heard that distinctly, for I felt -uneasy about my sick mother, and crept back close up to -the window. They staid there some time, and we heard -them coming down, and I jumped over in Mrs. Dunn’s yard -opposite her cow house, and stayed there till I knowed all -of them was gone.”</p> - -<p>“Well, suppose we all go down to the hall and see the -bodies of the dead, and then I must go home,” said Uncle -Jesse.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p> - -<p>The six men walked slowly down to the old warehouse, -which had been reconstructed into a hall for the use of the -various secret societies of the village, of which the people -of the South are so fond.</p> - -<p>There arranged in a row, were the bodies of five men; -all murdered for possessing greater or less proportions of -African blood, and being true to the National Government -which gave them freedom—nothing more nothing less.</p> - -<p>But for these it had been no crime to pass ordinances -protective of the public peace and convenience, or to enforce -them—no crime to be an intelligent leader among -one’s fellows—no crime to practice in the use of arms under -sanction of law and the nation’s flag.</p> - -<p>The homes of these men had been completely sacked, -and not a whole chair or table was left in some, on which -to lay a coffin, though the wife in one had given her only -bed, a poor stack of straw, to ease the removal of wounded -Merry Walter to his home across the river.</p> - -<p>The body of the highly respected and beloved Watta was -in his home, where a distracted widow knelt beside it comfortless; -and two fatherless little ones clung to her skirts, -and wept in sympathy, though ignorant of the magnitude -of their loss.</p> - -<p>A large number of spectators thronged the hall and vicinity, -among whom were many white people from the adjoining -State of Georgia. Blacks were still denied passage -by the A— police.</p> - -<p>“How many were wounded?” asked one.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Three colored and one white!”</p> - -<p>“Talk about Georgia! Talk about Georgia?” said he.</p> - -<p>“It’s all this Captain Doc and his lawless band,” said -another Georgian. “This Baconsville is an awful place,” he -continued, regardless of the presence, shrieks and wailings -of the families of the slain, except as he must needs pause -occasionally for the sounds to subside, that he might be -heard. “They are all a set of thieves. It’s a very Sodom!”</p> - -<p>“There’s no more of that kind of doings here than in -any other place in the South,” said a third, “the fact is -there a’n’t more than forty-five or fifty white persons live in -this village, and the Bakers and Gaston and them, think -they shouldn’t be responsible to any laws passed by <i>colored -men</i>, and think it is an outrage if they or other white folks -are arrested for violating them; and the niggers have -mostly let them do as they pleased, which has made the exceptions -seem personal and harder to stand.</p> - -<p>“On the other hand, it’s likely the niggers don’t waste -any love on old Bob, as they naturally can’t forget how he -got his property; and it is likely there’s all the envious feelings -the poor are apt to have against the rich, besides, -which makes their overbearing ways and impositions, and -violations of town ordinances seem more offensive; and it’s -possible they take offence sometimes when none is intended; -maybe it is so on both sides, though the niggers are not -<i>naturally</i> suspicious, we know. It’s just an envious, suspicious -village, with overbearing and suspicious white -neighbors.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p> - -<p>“There’s a little more than that too,” said another man. -“Here’s a State with a big nigger majority on election -days, and a county with a bigger one; and a State and -national campaign a coming, and it’s the centennial, and -the nigger ‘gush’ is tantalizing to them that don’t want a -union with the North, unless they can control it; and the -whites naturally want to begin the next hundred years with -the State in their hands.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, fol-de-rol-dol! The superior race <i>ought</i> to rule. -That’s the whole of it,” said another.</p> - -<p>“All that doesn’t make this right,” said the first speaker. -“The whites have had the best chance to be civilized, and -the negroes have <i>never done anything</i> like this. Talk -about Georgia! Georgia has never been guilty of such a -barbarous thing as this, and had it not been for those -Bean Island men, it never would have happened.”</p> - -<p>“<i>That stirs fury all over one, sir</i>; to have that said after -I have strove so hard to keep things quiet in Bean Island!” -said Uncle Jesse, “I shall inquire about that;” and scarcely -bidding a hasty adieu to his friends, he abruptly left the -place, and mounting his horse, rode home, and hastened to -the residence of Deacon Atwood.</p> - -<p>“Deacon,” said he, “a very nice gentleman from Georgia -says that had it not been for Bean Island people, that them -men would never have been killed.”</p> - -<p>“It’s a lie! It’s a lie!” cried the Deacon, “and if they -go on talking that way, the whole cat will be let out at -once. There an’t a word of truth in it! There wa’n’t a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -Bean Island man shot a gun. Dr. Ava and Joe Ennery -guarded the prisoners, and when they were to be killed, -they were to be delivered into the hands of unknown parties -that the law couldn’t detect them. That was a plan -laid before. They didn’t fire a gun there, nor kill a man; -<i>not one!</i> There was nobody stayed over there from Bean -Island, but some drunken fellows that couldn’t get away; -and if they keep on talking in that way, the whole cat will -get out of the water.”</p> - -<p>“Deacon Atwood, that was wrong then. You ought -never to have killed them men after taking them prisoners.”</p> - -<p>Dea. A.—“I agree with you there.”</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse.—“They ought not to have killed them -after they stopped fighting.”</p> - -<p>Dea. A.—“They ought never to have stopped fighting -till they killed them <i>in the fight</i>!”</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse.—“They didn’t kill any of them in the -fight; they must have been very poor marksmen, as many -as they was there, and couldn’t kill anybody, and had to -wait till they got out of ammunition, and then took ’em -out and killed ’em. Why didn’t they let ’em be taken by -the law, and be tried and had justice done ’em?”</p> - -<p>Dea. A.—“I suppose the men were so ambitious that -they didn’t intend they should live. Now I tell you, Jesse, -what this Georgia gentleman said, isn’t so. Bardon Ramol -and Bob Blending met a young nigger this morning just -before they got to Horse Creek, a coming home, and Bardon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> -he says to him, ‘Now, don’t you go down there. -Didn’t you hear the guns down there last night? The last -one is killed, and it’s all over, and it an’t worth while to -go.’”</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse.—“And so they got him to turn back? -That’s well enough, but not much.”</p> - -<p>Dea. A.—“Yes. Now they’re accusing Sam Payne, and -Tad Volier—that little fellow not more’n four feet high—to -day, and I’ll swear it’s a lie; for them men were not -killed by anybody that is on this side the river.”</p> - -<p>Jesse Roome did not tell his neighbor how well all this -conversation assured him that he was privy to all the -plans, at least; but simply asked, “Sam Payne was not -there?”</p> - -<p>Dea. A.—“No, Jesse, he wasn’t there.”</p> - -<p>Uncle Jesse.—“Well, Deacon Atwood, I’ve always been -a good friend to you, and I’ve told you some things that -the colored people were going to do that was wrong, and -we have been pretty confidential a great many times; but -I just tell you, sir, if you go to violating the law, then I’ll -back down. I will not stick for anybody that will violate -the law. My motto is to punish every man, white or -black, that will violate the law.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XIII.<br /> -<span class="wn">THE SCALLAWAG.</span></h2> - -<p class="pp18 p1">“Get thee gone!</p> -<p class="pp10">Death and destruction dog thee at the heels.</p> - -<table id="t07" summary="tb7"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - <td class="tdc1">*</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p class="pp10">If thou wilt outstrip death, go cross the seas,<br /> -And live with Richard from the reach of hell.<br /> -Go, hie thee from this slaughter-house<br /> -Lest thou increase the number of the dead.”</p> -<p class="pr4">—<span class="smcap">King Richard III.</span></p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="smcap">When</span> Col. Baker ordered Mrs. Marmor to leave her -home, she would not ask shelter in the house of her nearest -neighbor—that most Christian Jew, Dan Lemfield—lest -her presence might jeopardise the safety of her husband; -and she stood upon the doorsteps with her infant in her -arms, and little Louie beside her, gazing up and down the -street in utter dismay, and not knowing whither to flee. -Only a few steps at her left was the drill-room, the centre -about which all the warlike preparations were arranged, -and every dwelling in the beleaguered square, except her -own and Lemfield’s, was the abode of at least one colored -family, and therefore clearly unsafe.</p> - -<p>“Where is my papa? Why don’t he come and go with -us, mamma?” asked the little boy in the piping voice of -childish grief.</p> - -<p>“Hush, child! Mamma’s glad he is not here. Keep -still and maybe the soldiers won’t hurt us.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Will they hurt us maybe, mamma?” The boy now -began to wail piteously, and the babe cried in sympathy.</p> - -<p>“Hush, Louie! Mamma will tell you,” said Mrs. Marmor. -She sat down upon the steps, in presence of the -armed foe by which the street was occupied, and, placing -her own person in range of any possible shot that might be -aimed at Marmor’s boy, she spoke in low and rapid tones:—</p> - -<p>“If you cry, these men will see you; and if you keep -still, maybe they won’t notice, and sister will keep still too. -You don’t want little sister to get hurt. You will be a -brave man, like papa, won’t you? Papa isn’t afraid, and -he keeps still.”</p> - -<p>Pressing both his little hands over his mouth for an -instant, and choking back one or two great sobs, the child -looked up into his mother’s eyes, smiling through his tears, -and repeated—“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto -God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. Mamma, -there’s Mr. Dan. See! Mamma, see!”</p> - -<p>Turning, she saw the Jew at his door, beckoning her -with earnest gesticulation, although beside him stood the -burly Rufus Baker. As she approached, she heard Mr. -Lemfield say something about hostages, and Baker replied -with a significant wink and nod.</p> - -<p>“We will all die together, if we must,” said the distressed -wife and mother, mentally.</p> - -<p>“Co im, Mrs. Marmor. Co im,” said Lemfield. “Don’t -sthop out here mit de leetle kinder. You huspand go vay? -Dat ish pad. May pe he’ll come.” A quick glance at his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -shrewd face, and she accepted his invitation, and entered -the hospitable door with her little ones.</p> - -<p>Dan soon followed, and taking her aside, said hastily, -“You must not tell. You pe like you know not vare de -man ist. I tink I co get old Bob and feed ’im viskey. Ven -he trunk he shleeps much, and vants more viskey. He pe -here he not tink you huspand be here; and ve knows he pe -killing no mon. Now you take care.”</p> - -<p>Poor Mrs. Marmor took the cue quickly.</p> - -<p>Almost immediately after this the first gun fired. The -Jew flew to the front door, and soon returned accompanied -by the great bushy-whiskered negro-hunter, who was much -excited.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Marmor feigned great uneasiness and anxiety for -the safety of her husband, and could but shudder under the -piercing eye of the old man, while Louie hid behind her -chair and peeped out at him with the fascination of fear.</p> - -<p>Their host seemed to forget the presence of his other -guests in his solicitude for Mr. Baker’s comfort.</p> - -<p>“You not pe vell I see. Dat ish pad. Vat ish te matter?”</p> - -<p>“I’m excited, and I reckon I’ve taken cold. Give me -some whiskey,” replied the hypochondriac. “I’ve sweat too -much. The day has been terribly hot!”</p> - -<p>“Ya. Dat ish goot. Col. Paker tole me shut up mine -par; but I not open it to serve you. I shust pring it here, -and you trink mit my family. Vill I make shling? oder -toddy?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> - -<p>“O sling, sling.”</p> - -<p>“Alle right. Dat ish goot;” and Dan bustled away to -the bar-room and brought a bottle of strong liquor, from -which he soon mixed what he called “de ferry pest shling -eber made in de country,” and with great show of solicitude -presented it to the old man, who gulped it down and -smacked his lips with evident satisfaction.</p> - -<p>In common with all mankind Robert Baker had an impressible -point; and, as with every other tyrant, that point -was vulnerable to flattery. By a discreet use of this depletive, -and a vigorous administration of sling, and industrious -cultivation of his hypochondriacal tendency, the Jew -soon had him upon his back, and courting a perspiration -which should relieve him of numerous imaginary ills. The -rapid discharge of firearms upon the street, however, kept -the patient nervous and excited; and Dan’s family screamed -and exclaimed, and Mrs. Marmor and her boy wept silently -as volley followed volley.</p> - -<p>“Where is my papa?” Louie sobbed into his mother’s -ear; for to him “old man Baker” was an ogre, who would -devour any little boy he chanced to observe.</p> - -<p>“Let us pray God to take care of him. He is taking care -of <i>us</i>. See, little sister is asleep.”</p> - -<p>“What makes you cry, mamma?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, just hear the guns? Somebody will get hurt,” -and they wept and trembled together, while Lemfield continued -to ply his patient with whiskey, till even his eagerness -for the fray could not master the oncoming stupor of -drunkenness.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p> - -<p>Two hours or more passed thus, and it was dark, when -fearful yells burst out, curdling the blood of every listener. -They were like the jubilations of demons, and were soon -followed by the booming of cannon.</p> - -<p>Couriers brought frequent advices of the progress of affairs, -which Lemfield carefully received for the old man, -and as carefully withheld from every occupant of the house -except the refugee in the chamber.</p> - -<p>At the sound of the artillery, Baker rolled from the -sofa, and gleefully exclaiming, “We’ll get ’em now —— -them!” he reeled from the front to the rear door, pistol -in hand, chafing under the restraint of his self-appointed -nurse, like a hound in the leash when the horn of the -huntsmen is heard.</p> - -<p>A tramping sound in the back yard drew both men to -the door.</p> - -<p>“Who ish dat?” demanded Dan, peering into the darkness -of a shady part of the enclosure.</p> - -<p>“There goes a —— nigger! Here he goes! Here he -goes!” shouted the old slave-catcher.</p> - -<p>“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” cried the Jew; but while -he yet spoke it was too late.</p> - -<p>“I’ve got ’im! I’ve got ’im!” cried the old man, running -to his fallen game.</p> - -<p>“Co im quick! Co im quick, Meester Paker! Somebody -vill shoot <i>you</i>,” and the excited little man caught the -murderer’s arm and dragged him into the house, while -the dusky form of Nat Wellman crept on all fours into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -a yard still further to the rear, and found safety in a -deeper shade.</p> - -<p>Filled with such terrors the night wore on, and Marmor’s -were not the only infants that sobbed themselves to sleep -in the midst of those dreadful alarms, though many were -laid in the shadows of the cornfields or the dampness of the -swamps that surrounded the besieged town.</p> - -<p>“<i>Ich vill make ine shling, vat vill make</i> Old Bob <i>shleep, -so Ich vill</i>!” muttered Dan, as he mixed a few drops of -laudanum with a fresh mug of the steaming beverage. “Ich -hab no more mens killed by mine house.”</p> - -<p>The patient was at length awakening great echoes in his -bed room, with his stentorian breathings, notwithstanding -renewed disturbances upon the premises, and that most -Christian Jew stole up to Marmor’s retreat.</p> - -<p>“For your life, Meester Marmor, do co hide somevare! -Dey pe hunt you, and say dey vill purn your house. Dey -shware dey vill hab you. Dey say you be ine —— scallavag, -ine republican, and dat you pringht ammunition to -de nigger militia.”</p> - -<p>“It is false!” said Marmor, “the only ammunition I ever -brought to this town is republican newspapers.”</p> - -<p>“Dat make no odds. Dat pad ’nough, dey tink, and dey -pe hunt you; dey co tru mine house shust now. Dey find -Shimmy’ (Jimmy, Marmor’s servant) in yo’ yard, and dey -vip ’im to tell vo you ist; but he know notting.”</p> - -<p>The hunted man fled to the house top, where he lay long, -listening to the crashing of his printing presses and furniture,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -and the shrieks and cries of colored women and children -whom he saw violently dragged from their houses by -fiendish men athirst for the blood of their husbands and -fathers for whom they sought; and wondering if his own -mother was suffering similar indignities, he blamed himself -for hiding.</p> - -<p>He saw houses fired, in various directions, but the flames -were soon extinguished by the less reckless of the assailants, -or by the occupants, some of whom were thus captured.</p> - -<p>About two o’clock in the morning the tumult in his own -house was renewed and increased; and, driven from their -hiding place there, two colored men leaped from a window -of the second story, upon a roof beneath it, and with almost -superhuman effort, climbed upon that of a higher -part of the building, and scarcely less miraculously escaped -death by the pistol of their friend Marmor, who mistook -them for foes.</p> - -<p>“For mercy’s sake don’t shoot!” cried one, just in time to -arrest a second discharge.</p> - -<p>The three men lay flat upon the roof to avoid discovery, -but the sound of the pistol and the voice had betrayed -them, and several of the rioters attempted to follow the -young men.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the three men slipped down through the -scuttle into Lemfield’s house.</p> - -<p>Obliged to abandon pursuit in that direction, the ruffians -re-entered the window, descended to the street, and pouring -into the next house, rushed to the stairs.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Vas fur you co up mine shtair? Co town! Ich say, co -town!” cried Dan. “Ich been goot freund to <i>ebery man</i>, -so you shall not break mine tings. You must go vay, -mine vamily pe sick up dar, and you will schare mine cronk -poy so he co todt!” and pushing past them, he mounted -the upper steps, still persisting in his opposition, and obstructing -the way.</p> - -<p>“<i>Ich no niggah, no’ publican, no notting dat votes’ cainst -you. So you co vay!</i>”</p> - -<p>“We won’t hurt you, nor your family, Dan, if we find -you all right, but, (the reader must imagine the vilest and -most profuse epithets and profanity), Louis Marmor is up -there, and we <i>will have him</i>. He’s a scallawag, and a republican, -and is helping the niggers, and we must get him. -He has got to die as well as the rest.”</p> - -<p>“Er nicht dar.”</p> - -<p>“You’re a lying Jew dog!”</p> - -<p>“Ich schvare youns, Louis Marmor ist not pout mine -blace, <i>py de beard of Abraham</i>!”</p> - -<p>“You swear to that, do you?” asked the leader.</p> - -<p>“Ich schware! Ich schware!”</p> - -<p>“B-o-y-s, b-o-y-s,” said old man Baker, staggering from -the couch where Mrs. Marmor had shaken him into consciousness, -“Boys, oh, come back! come, come, come back! -Dan’s a good fellow. I’m quite unwell, quite unwell,” -drawled he, “and he has taken care of me and pro—pro—protected -me from them —— niggers, and I’ll protect his -house and family. Now just come back. Don’t go up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -there. I’ve been here all night, so far, and hide nor hair o’ -Louis Marmor ha’n’t been seen about here. I’ll vouch for -<i>this</i> house, and guard it too. So don’t go up.”</p> - -<p>“If you say so, Mr. Baker, we’ll come back, but we -thought he was thar sho’.”</p> - -<p>“Ha’n’t been about here to-night. I’ve been here and -could see, and Dan’s all right.”</p> - -<p>The ruffians yielded, and the three men, who had been -unable to reach the scuttle and escape, were saved; though, -confident of a speedy return of their foes, the colored men -immediately sought another place of concealment.</p> - -<p>The cries and pleadings of another captive were soon -afterwards heard in the back-yard, and he was conveyed in -triumph to the “dead-ring” which was still insatiable -while ungraced by the persons of Marmor and Doc.</p> - -<p>Though the house was not again entered by the mob, so -strong and general was the suspicion that Mr. Marmor was -upon the Jew’s premises, that after his return to his home -even Robert Baker was persuaded to believe it, and a vigilant -watch was maintained several days thereafter.</p> - -<p>While Aunt Phœbe was hastening the preparation of -Uncle Jesse’s breakfast the next morning, Jane Marmor -sat beside her husband in the Jew’s chamber, and described -the condition of things, as she had found them in their -home; for she had already ventured there, and had looked -in upon her mother-in-law, who had locked herself into her -own little shop, and remained there, alone, and (strangely), -unharmed, through the night.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> - -<p>Harry Gaston, and Hanson, Tommy, and old man Baker -relieved each other on watch all the next day, each being -assisted by a band of trusted followers; and Marmor, -close behind Dan’s window-shades, listened to their threats -against himself, and their attempts to convince such -negroes as ventured near them, that he, Kanrasp, and -the “carpet-bag Governor,” were solely responsible for the -massacre; and while his colored friends were anxiously -conjecturing his fate, his experiences in the affair had -scarcely begun.</p> - -<p>As the day declined, Mrs. Marmor joined her entreaties -to those of their host, urging upon her husband the necessity -of attempting escape, as there were indications of -more decided search of the premises.</p> - -<p>Night came at length, and spread her dark mantle over -the village; but the hunted man had scarcely escaped the -house when the rising of the full moon made concealment -almost impossible.</p> - -<p>As the weather was very warm, and he must make speed, -he went without a coat. Choosing a time when the sentry -had passed to the extreme of his beat, he walked up the -street with apparently careless moderation, hoping to be -mistaken for a laborer, and to reach a small station on the -railroad three miles distant, before the arrival of the next -train.</p> - -<p>This he accomplished in safety, but arrived too early.</p> - -<p>A congregation was gathering at a church near by, -for the Sunday evening service; and as his lips were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -parched with thirst, he approached and procured a drink -of water.</p> - -<p>Several persons there knew Marmor, but as he had shaved -his beard, and otherwise slightly disguised himself, they -were not confident of his identity.</p> - -<p>However, on his return to the carriage-road, he was at -once confronted by six armed men.</p> - -<p>The click of their gun-locks was his first intimation of -their presence, and with the bound of a wild deer, he dashed -into a black swamp hard by.</p> - -<p>His pursuers were mounted, and therefore could not enter -it; but the swamp, though over a mile long, was narrow; -and they hunted him on either side.</p> - -<p>It was a cane-break, and but for the extreme drought of -the season, would have furnished but poor footing indeed.</p> - -<p>The tall, stiff reeds reached far above his head, and some -skill was needful to break them over with the font and thus -secure a standing-place. His hat was soon knocked off by -a shot, and his low-quartered shoes lost in the mire. At -length a place was reached where a point of firm land extended -into the swamp, and on this several of his pursuers -took position, (for their number had been increased), to -cut him off, should he attempt to pass.</p> - -<p>They had lost sight of him, but as he approached he distinctly -saw Robert Baker directly opposite and facing -him, and not far distant. He noted the resolute bearing -and determined visage of the old hunter; but felt himself -still incompetent to fully sympathize with the hunted slave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -of the former times; whom no arm in the State or nation -was strong enough to deliver from his master, or this hired -hunter and his blood-hounds.</p> - -<p>But, having little time for sentiment or reflection, he -took a hasty survey of the positions of such of his pursuers -as were in sight, deliberately approached the edge of the -swamp, took aim at the old hunter, who he felt sure would -not scruple to take <i>his</i> life, and firing, ran rapidly in a direction -he thought they would not suspect; and thus escaped -for the time.</p> - -<p>But, instead of approaching the town as he intended to -do, he wandered in a circuitous direction, and returned to -the church.</p> - -<p>The services were over, and as he saw that many of the -men were mounting horses, he retreated to the woods again, -where he lay till morning.</p> - -<p>His pursuers inquired of the worshippers, and finally got -upon his track the next morning, bringing their trained -dogs. From that time till Wednesday morning they -chased him up and down the woods and swamps. His feet -were wounded and swollen, his bare head exposed to the -burning July sun, and he had eaten nothing since Sunday -morning.</p> - -<p>On Tuesday morning he became desperate, and resolved -to leave the swamp. He did so, and ran along the road. -On several occasions the dogs were upon him when he -again intrenched himself among bushes surrounded by -water, and lay watching, pistol in hand. But as he had no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -ammunition besides that in his revolver, he determined to -make that as useful as possible, and reserved for a probable -extremity.</p> - -<p>Once they caught sight of him at two hundred yards distance -and cried. “There he is! There’s the —— scallawag!” -and hissed their dogs upon him.</p> - -<p>On Wednesday morning he eluded them and reached the -residence of the Intendant of Baconsville, on the outskirts -of the town. He was a pitiable object indeed; with clothing -torn and covered with mud, feet bare, swollen and -bleeding; fair broad brow burned to a blister, auburn hair, -unkempt; famished, fainting, and only his determined energy -left of his former self.</p> - -<p>Refreshed by a cup of coffee and a judicious breakfast, -and a bath for his feet, he hobbled to his home, which he -reached about ten o’clock.</p> - -<p>It had become his sole wish to see his family once more, -and if he must die, to die with them; and his apprehensiveness -had become so great that he with great difficulty -persuaded to tarry at his neighbors for food. To be driven -from home, and hunted through swamps and forests, like -a ferocious beast, had become an insupportable thought.</p> - -<p>And wherefore <i>was</i> he?</p> - -<p>Because he sought through that great instrument of enlightenment, -the press, to disseminate his political opinions, -and the principles of a Republican government, and to -strengthen and perpetuate the Union.</p> - -<p>An hour after reaching home he became aware that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -foe was on his track and approaching, but the house was -kept closed, and guarded by leading citizens, and he -remained till the afternoon of the following day; when, so -disguised as to be unrecognized by familiar friends, he -took the railroad train for the Capitol, and escaped.</p> - -<p>A band of those white ruffians boarded the train, and -passed through it several times, enquiring for him, and -even propounded their questions to him, without recognizing -him.</p> - -<p>The horrors of this massacre were but the commencement -of a succession which blackened the history of the -political campaign of the year 1876 in the State of South -Carolina, and in other Southern states, and disgraced the -Republic in the sight of the nations she had invited to -witness the successes she had achieved under a free and -popular government.</p> - -<p>Is it asked what punishment was meted out to those -miserable offenders?</p> - -<p>They were arrested, liberated for several months under -bail of $500 each, and clearly convicted upon trial; but -because the jury of twelve was empanelled upon a strictly -party basis, and the six white men were <i>avowedly</i> opposed -to conviction on any evidence, a mistrial ensued.</p> - -<p>As under “the conciliation policy” of the national administration -which followed the next subsequent election, -the United States’ troops which had been sent into the -State at the request of the Governor were withdrawn, -the defeated Democratic candidates for Governor and Legislature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> -supported by the unchartered and hence illegal -rifle clubs usurped the State government, and all further -proceedings against the rioters were dropped, and the -notorious General Baker was elected to a seat in the Senate -of the nation, by that spurious legislature of his State.</p> - -<p>Such is the justice, and such the tender mercies, to which -have been consigned the emancipated slaves of the Southern -States, and these and similar experiences have caused -the “Exodus” of the freedmen to the great north-west.</p> - -<p>With such fearful odds, can the reader wonder at their -seeming timidity?</p> - -<p class="pc4 mid">THE END.</p> -</div> - - -</div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Other Fools and Their Doings, by Anonymous - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OTHER FOOLS AND THEIR DOINGS *** - -***** This file should be named 51777-h.htm or 51777-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/7/7/51777/ - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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