initial commit of ebook 15454HEADmain

7 files changed, 12702 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6833f05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+* text=auto
+*.txt text
+*.md text
diff --git a/15454-8.txt b/15454-8.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c2147a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/15454-8.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6343 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Imperium in Imperio: A Study Of The Negro
+Race Problem, by Sutton E. Griggs
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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
+
+
+Title: Imperium in Imperio: A Study Of The Negro Race Problem
+       A Novel
+
+Author: Sutton E. Griggs
+
+Release Date: March 24, 2005 [EBook #15454]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO: A STUDY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, S.R. Ellison and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+  IMPERIUM
+  IN IMPERIO
+
+  A STUDY OF
+  THE NEGRO RACE PROBLEM
+  A NOVEL
+
+  Sutton E. Griggs
+
+  1899
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+  CHAPTER.                                 PAGE.
+
+        Berl Trout's Declaration               1
+      I A Small Beginning                      3
+     II The School                             8
+    III The Parson's Advice                   15
+     IV The Turning of a Worm                 24
+      V Belton Finds a Friend                 38
+     VI A Young Rebel                         48
+    VII A Sermon, a Sock, And a Fight         64
+   VIII Many Mysteries Cleared Up             83
+     IX Love and Politics                     95
+      X Cupid Again at Work                  111
+     XI No Befitting Name                    125
+    XII On the Dissecting Board              139
+   XIII Married and yet not Married          161
+    XIV   "      "   "   "    " (Continued)  171
+     XV Weighty Matters                      177
+    XVI Unwritten History                    188
+   XVII Crossing the Rubicon                 200
+  XVIII The Storm's Master                   223
+    XIX The Parting of Ways                  249
+     XX Personal (Berl Trout)                262
+
+
+
+
+TO THE PUBLIC.
+
+
+The papers which are herewith submitted to you for your perusal and
+consideration, were delivered into my hands by Mr. Berl Trout.
+
+The papers will speak for themselves, but Mr. Trout now being dead I
+feel called upon to say a word concerning him.
+
+Mr. Berl Trout was Secretary of State in the Imperium In Imperio, from
+the day of its organization until the hour of his sad death. He was,
+therefore, thoroughly conversant with all of the details of that great
+organization.
+
+He was a warm personal friend of both Bernard and Belton, and learned
+from their own lips the stories of their eventful lives.
+
+Mr. Trout was a man noted for his strict veracity and for the absolute
+control that his conscience exercised over him.
+
+Though unacquainted with the Imperium In Imperio I was well acquainted
+with Berl, as we fondly called him. I will vouch for his truthfulness
+anywhere.
+
+Having perfect faith in the truthfulness of his narrative I have not
+hesitated to fulfil his dying request by editing his Ms., and giving
+it to the public. There are other documents in my possession tending
+to confirm the assertions made in his narrative. These documents
+were given me by Mr. Trout, so that, in case an attempt is made to
+pronounce him a liar, I might defend his name by coming forward with
+indisputable proofs of every important statement.
+
+  Very respectfully,
+  Sutton E. Griggs,
+  March 1, 1899. Berkley, Va.
+
+
+
+
+IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO.
+
+
+
+
+BERL TROUT'S DYING DECLARATION.
+
+    I am a traitor. I have violated an oath that was as solemn and
+    binding as any ever taken by man on earth.
+
+    I have trampled under my feet the sacred trust of a loving
+    people, and have betrayed secrets which were dearer to them
+    than life itself.
+
+    For this offence, regarded the world over as the most
+    detestable of horrors, I shall be slain.
+
+    Those who shall be detailed to escort my foul body to its
+    grave are required to walk backwards with heads averted.
+
+    On to-morrow night, the time of my burial, the clouds should
+    gather thick about the queenly moon to hide my funeral
+    procession from her view, for fear that she might refuse to
+    longer reign over a land capable of producing such a wretch as
+    I.
+
+    In the bottom of some old forsaken well, so reads _our_ law, I
+    shall be buried, face downward, without a coffin; and my body,
+    lying thus, will be transfixed with a wooden stave.
+
+    Fifty feet from the well into which my body is lowered, a
+    red flag is to be hoisted and kept floating there for time
+    unending, to warn all generations of men to come not near the
+    air polluted by the rotting carcass of a vile traitor.
+
+    Such is my fate. I seek not to shun it. I have walked into
+    odium with every sense alert, fully conscious of every step
+    taken.
+
+    While I acknowledge that I am a traitor, I also pronounce
+    myself a patriot.
+
+    It is true that I have betrayed the immediate plans of the
+    race to which I belong; but I have done this in the interest
+    of the whole human family--of which my race is but a part.
+
+    My race may, for the time being, shower curses upon me; but
+    eventually all races, including my own, shall call me blessed.
+
+    The earth, in anger, may belch forth my putrid flesh with
+    volcanic fury, but the out-stretched arms of God will receive
+    my spirit as a token of approval of what I have done.
+
+    With my soul feasting on this happy thought, I send this
+    revelation to mankind and yield my body to the executioner to
+    be shot until I am dead.
+
+    Though death stands just before me, holding before my eyes my
+    intended shroud woven of the cloth of infamy itself, I shrink
+    not back.
+
+  Yours, doomed to die,
+  BERL TROUT.
+
+
+
+
+IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+A SMALL BEGINNING.
+
+
+"Cum er long hunny an' let yer mammy fix yer 'spectabul, so yer ken go
+to skule. Yer mammy is 'tarmined ter gib yer all de book larning dar
+is ter be had eben ef she has ter lib on bred an' herrin's, an' die en
+de a'ms house."
+
+These words came from the lips of a poor, ignorant negro woman, and
+yet the determined course of action which they reveal vitally affected
+the destiny of a nation and saved the sun of the Nineteenth Century,
+proud and glorious, from passing through, near its setting, the
+blackest and thickest and ugliest clouds of all its journey; saved it
+from ending the most brilliant of brilliant careers by setting, with a
+shudder of horror, in a sea of human blood.
+
+Those who doubt that such power could emanate from such weakness;
+or, to change the figure, that such a tiny star could have dimensions
+greater than those of earth, may have every vestige of doubt removed
+by a perusal of this simple narrative.
+
+Let us now acquaint ourselves with the circumstances under which the
+opening words of our story were spoken. To do this, we must need lead
+our readers into humble and commonplace surroundings, a fact that
+will not come in the nature of a surprise to those who have traced
+the proud, rushing, swelling river to the mountain whence it comes
+trickling forth, meekly and humbly enough.
+
+The place was Winchester, an antiquated town, located near the
+northwestern corner of the State of Virginia.
+
+In October of the year 1867, the year in which our story begins, a
+white man by the name of Tiberius Gracchus Leonard had arrived in
+Winchester, and was employed as teacher of the school for colored
+children.
+
+Mrs. Hannah Piedmont, the colored woman whom we have presented to
+our readers as addressing her little boy, was the mother of five
+children,--three girls and two boys. In the order of their ages, the
+names of her children were: James Henry, aged fifteen, Amanda Ann,
+aged thirteen, Eliza Jane, aged eleven, Belton, aged eight, and
+Celestine, aged five. Several years previous to the opening of our
+history, Mr. Piedmont had abandoned his wife and left her to rear the
+children alone.
+
+School opened in October, and as fast as she could get books and
+clothing Mrs. Piedmont sent her children to school. James Henry,
+Amanda Ann, and Eliza Jane were sent at about a week's interval.
+Belton and Celestine were then left--Celestine being regarded as too
+young to go. This morning we find Belton's mother preparing him for
+school, and we shall stand by and watch the preparations.
+
+The house was low and squatty and was built of rock. It consisted of
+one room only, and over this there was a loft, the hole to climb into
+which was in plain view of any one in the room. There was only one
+window to the house and that one was only four feet square. Two panes
+of this were broken out and the holes were stuffed with rags. In one
+corner of the room there stood a bed in which Mrs. Piedmont and
+Amanda Ann slept. Under this was a trundle bed in which Eliza Jane
+and Celestine slept at the head, while Belton slept at the foot. James
+Henry climbed into the loft and slept there on a pallet of straw. The
+cooking was done in a fireplace which was on the side of the house
+opposite the window. Three chairs, two of which had no backs to them,
+completed the articles in the room.
+
+In one of these chairs Mrs. Piedmont was sitting, while Belton stood
+before her all dressed and ready to go to school, excepting that his
+face was not washed.
+
+It might be interesting to note his costume. The white lady for whom
+Mrs. Piedmont washed each week had given her two much-torn pairs of
+trousers, discarded by her young son. One pair was of linen and the
+other of navy blue. A leg from each pair was missing; so Mrs. Piedmont
+simply transferred the good leg of the linen pair to the suit of the
+navy blue, and dressed the happy Belton in that suit thus amended. His
+coat was literally a conglomeration of patches of varying sizes and
+colors. If you attempted to describe the coat by calling it by the
+name of the color that you thought predominated, at least a half dozen
+aspirants could present equal claims to the honor. One of Belton's
+feet was encased in a wornout slipper from the dainty foot of some
+young woman, while the other wore a turned over boot left in town by
+some farmer lad who had gotten himself a new pair. His hat was in
+good condition, being the summer straw last worn by a little white
+playfellow (when fall came on, this little fellow kindly willed his
+hat to Belton, who, in return for this favor, was to black the boy's
+shoes each morning during the winter).
+
+Belton's mother now held in her hand a wet cloth with which she wished
+to cleanse his face, the bacon skin which he gnawed at the conclusion
+of his meal having left a circle of grease around his lips. Belton
+did not relish the face washing part of the programme (of course
+hair combing was not even considered). Belton had one characteristic
+similar to that of oil. He did not like to mix with water, especially
+cold water, such as was on that wet cloth in his mother's hand.
+However, a hint in reference to a certain well-known leather strap,
+combined with the offer of a lump of sugar, brought him to terms.
+
+His face being washed, he and his mother marched forth to school,
+where he laid the foundation of the education that served him so well
+in after life.
+
+A man of tact, intelligence, and superior education moving in the
+midst of a mass of ignorant people, ofttimes has a sway more absolute
+than that of monarchs.
+
+Belton now entered the school-room, which in his case proves to be the
+royal court, whence he emerges an uncrowned king.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE SCHOOL.
+
+
+The house in which the colored school was held was, in former times, a
+house of worship for the white Baptists of Winchester. It was a long,
+plain, frame structure, painted white. Many years prior to the opening
+of the colored school it had been condemned as unsafe by the town
+authorities, whereupon the white Baptists had abandoned it for a more
+beautiful modern structure.
+
+The church tendered the use of the building to the town for a public
+school for the colored children. The roof was patched and iron rods
+were used to hold together the twisting walls. These improvements
+being made, school was in due time opened. The building was located on
+the outskirts of the town, and a large open field surrounded it on all
+sides.
+
+As Mrs. Piedmont and her son drew near to this building the teacher
+was standing on the door-steps ringing his little hand bell, calling
+the children in from their recess. They came running at full speed,
+helter skelter. By the time they were all in Mrs. Piedmont and Belton
+had arrived at the step. When Mr. Leonard saw them about to enter the
+building an angry scowl passed over his face, and he muttered half
+aloud: "Another black nigger brat for me to teach."
+
+The steps were about four feet high and he was standing on the top
+step. To emphasize his disgust, he drew back so that Mrs. Piedmont
+would pass him with no danger of brushing him. He drew back rather
+too far and began falling off the end of the steps. He clutched at
+the door and made such a scrambling noise that the children turned
+in their seats just in time to see his body rapidly disappearing in a
+manner to leave his feet where his head ought to be.
+
+Such a yell of laughter as went up from the throats of the children!
+It had in it a universal, spontaneous ring of savage delight which
+plainly told that the teacher was not beloved by his pupils.
+
+The back of the teacher's head struck the edge of a stone, and when he
+clambered up from his rather undignified position his back was covered
+with blood. Deep silence reigned in the school-room as he walked down
+the aisle, glaring fiercely right and left. Getting his hat he left
+the school-room and went to a near-by drug store to have his wounds
+dressed.
+
+While he was gone, the children took charge of the school-room and
+played pranks of every description. Abe Lincoln took the teacher's
+chair and played "'fessor."
+
+"Sallie Ann ain't yer got wax in yer mouf?"
+
+"Yes sar."
+
+"Den take dis stick and prop yer mouf opun fur half hour. Dat'll teach
+yer a lesson."
+
+"Billy Smith, yer didn't know yer lessun," says teacher Abe. "Yer may
+stan' on one leg de ballunce ob de ebenning."
+
+"Henry Jones, yer sassed a white boy ter day. Pull off yer jacket.
+I'll gib yer a lessun dat yer'll not furgit soon. Neber buck up to yer
+s'periors."
+
+"John Jones, yer black, nappy head rascal, I'll crack yer skull if yer
+doan keep quiut."
+
+"Cum year, yer black, cross-eyed little wench, yer. I'll teach yer to
+go to sleep in here." Annie Moore was the little girl thus addressed.
+
+After each sally from Abe there was a hearty roar of laughter, he
+imitated the absent teacher so perfectly in look, voice, manner,
+sentiment, and method of punishment.
+
+Taking down the cowhide used for flogging purposes Abe left his
+seat and was passing to and fro, pretending to flog those who most
+frequently fell heir to the teacher's wrath. While he was doing this
+Billy Smith stealthily crept to the teacher's chair and placed a
+crooked pin in it in order to catch Abe when he returned to sit down.
+
+Before Abe had gone much further the teacher's face appeared at the
+door, and all scrambled to get into their right places and to assume
+studious attitudes. Billy Smith thought of his crooked pin and had the
+"cold sweats." Those who had seen Billy put the pin in the chair were
+torn between two conflicting emotions. They wanted the pin to do its
+work, and therefore hoped. They feared Billy's detection and therefore
+despaired.
+
+However, the teacher did not proceed at once to take his seat. He
+approached Mrs. Piedmont and Belton, who had taken seats midway the
+room and were interested spectators of all that had been going on.
+Speaking to Mrs. Piedmont, he said: "What is your name?"
+
+She replied: "Hannah Lizabeth Piedmont."
+
+"Well, Hannah, what is your brat's name?"
+
+"His name am Belton Piedmont, arter his grandaddy."
+
+"Well, Hannah, I am very pleased to receive your brat. He shall not
+want for attention," he added, in a tone accompanied by a lurking look
+of hate that made Mrs. Piedmont shudder and long to have her boy
+at home again. Her desire for his training was so great that she
+surmounted her misgivings and carried out her purposes to have him
+enrolled.
+
+As the teacher was turning to go to his desk, hearing a rustling noise
+toward the door, he turned to look. He was, so to speak, petrified
+with astonishment. There stood on the threshold of the door a woman
+whose beauty was such as he had never seen surpassed. She held a boy
+by the hand. She was a mulatto woman, tall and graceful. Her hair was
+raven black and was combed away from as beautiful a forehead as nature
+could chisel. Her eyes were a brown hazel, large and intelligent,
+tinged with a slight look of melancholy. Her complexion was a rich
+olive, and seemed especially adapted to her face, that revealed not a
+flaw.
+
+The teacher quickly pulled off his hat, which he had not up to that
+time removed since his return from the drug store. As the lady moved
+up the aisle toward him, he was taken with stage fright. He recovered
+self-possession enough to escort her and the boy to the front and
+give them seats. The whole school divided its attention between the
+beautiful woman and the discomfitted teacher. They had not known that
+he was so full of smiles and smirks.
+
+"What is your name?" he enquired in his most suave manner.
+
+"Fairfax Belgrave," replied the visitor.
+
+"May I be of any service to you, madam?"
+
+At the mention of the word madam, she colored slightly. "I desire to
+have my son enter your school and I trust that you may see your way
+clear to admit him."
+
+"Most assuredly madam, most assuredly." Saying this, he hastened to
+his desk, opened it and took out his register. He then sat down, but
+the next instant leapt several feet into the air, knocking over his
+desk. He danced around the floor, reaching toward the rear of his
+pants, yelling: "Pull it out! pull it out! pull it out!"
+
+The children hid their faces behind their books and chuckled most
+gleefully. Billy Smith was struck dumb with terror. Abe was rolling on
+the floor, bellowing with uncontrollable laughter.
+
+The teacher finally succeeded in extricating the offending steel and
+stood scratching his head in chagrin at the spectacle he had made of
+himself before his charming visitor. He took an internal oath to
+get his revenge out of Mrs. Piedmont and her son, who had been the
+innocent means of his double downfall that day.
+
+His desk was arranged in a proper manner and the teacher took his pen
+and wrote two names, now famous the world over.
+
+"Bernard Belgrave, age 9 years."
+
+"Belton Piedmont, age 8 years."
+
+Under such circumstances Belton began his school career.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE PARSON'S ADVICE.
+
+
+With heavy heart and with eyes cast upon the ground, Mrs. Piedmont
+walked back home after leaving Belton with his teacher. She had
+intended to make a special plea for her boy, who had all along
+displayed such precociousness as to fill her bosom with the liveliest
+hopes. But the teacher was so repulsive in manner that she did not
+have the heart to speak to him as she had intended.
+
+She saw that the happenings of the morning had had the effect of
+deepening a contemptuous prejudice into hatred, and she felt that
+her child's school life was to be embittered by the harshest of
+maltreatment.
+
+No restraint was put upon the flogging of colored children by their
+white teachers, and in Belton's case his mother expected the worst.
+During the whole week she revolved the matter in her mind. There was a
+conflict in her bosom between her love and her ambition. Love prompted
+her to return and take her son away from school. Ambition bade her to
+let him stay. She finally decided to submit the whole matter to her
+parson, whom she would invite to dinner on the coming Sunday.
+
+The Sabbath came and Mrs. Piedmont aroused her family bright and
+early, for the coming of the parson to take dinner was a great event
+in any negro household. The house was swept as clean as a broom of
+weeds tied together could make it. Along with the family breakfast, a
+skillet of biscuits was cooked and a young chicken nicely baked.
+
+Belton was very active in helping his mother that morning, and she
+promised to give him a biscuit and a piece of chicken as a reward
+after the preacher was through eating his dinner. The thought of
+this coming happiness buoyed Belton up, and often he fancied himself
+munching that biscuit and biting that piece of chicken. These were
+items of food rarely found in that household.
+
+Breakfast over, the whole family made preparations for going to
+Sunday school. Preparations always went on peacefully until it came to
+combing hair. The older members of the family endured the ordeal
+very well; but little "Lessie" always screamed as if she was being
+tortured, and James Henry received many kicks and scratches from
+Belton before he was through combing Belton's hair.
+
+The Sunday school and church were always held in the day-school
+building. The Sunday school scholars were all in one class and recited
+out of the "blue back spelling book." When that was over, members of
+the school were allowed to ask general questions on the Bible, which
+were answered by anyone volunteering to do so. Everyone who had in
+any way caught a new light on a passage of scripture endeavored, by
+questioning, to find out as to whether others were as wise as he, and
+if such was not the case, he gladly enlightened the rest.
+
+The Sunday school being over, the people stood in groups on the ground
+surrounding the church waiting for the arrival of the parson from his
+home, Berryville, a town twelve miles distant. He was pastor of three
+other churches besides the one at Winchester, and he preached at each
+one Sunday in the month. After awhile he put in his appearance. He was
+rather small in stature, and held his head somewhat to one side and
+looked at you with that knowing look of the parrot. He wore a pair of
+trousers that had been black, but were now sleet from much wear. They
+lacked two inches of reaching down to the feet of his high-heeled
+boots. He had on a long linen cluster that reached below his knees.
+Beneath this was a faded Prince Albert coat and a vest much too small.
+On his head there sat, slightly tipped, a high-topped beaver that
+seemed to have been hidden between two mattresses all the week and
+taken out and straightened for Sunday wear. In his hand he held a
+walking cane.
+
+Thus clad he came toward the church, his body thrown slightly back,
+walking leisurely with the air of quiet dignity possessed by the man
+sure of his standing, and not under the necessity of asserting it
+overmuch in his carriage.
+
+The brothers pulled off their hats and the sisters put on their best
+smiles as the parson approached. After a cordial handshake all around,
+the preacher entered the church to begin the services. After singing
+a hymn and praying, he took for his text the following "passige of
+scripter:"
+
+"It air harder fur a camel to git through de eye of a cambric needle
+den fur a rich man to enter de kingdom of heben."
+
+This was one of the parson's favorite texts, and the members all
+settled themselves back to have a good "speritual" time.
+
+The preacher began his sermon in a somewhat quiet way, but the members
+knew that he would "warm up bye and bye." He pictured all rich men
+as trying to get into heaven, but, he asserted, they invariably found
+themselves with Dives. He exhorted his hearers to stick to Jesus. Here
+he pulled off his collar, and the sisters stirred and looked about
+them. A little later on, the preacher getting "warmer," pulled off his
+cuffs. The brethren laughed with a sort of joyous jumping up and
+down all the while--one crying "Gib me Jesus," another "Oh I am gwine
+home," and so on.
+
+One sister who had a white lady's baby in her arms got happy and flung
+it entirely across the room, it falling into Mrs. Piedmont's lap,
+while the frenzied woman who threw the child climbed over
+benches, rushed into the pulpit, and swung to the preacher's neck,
+crying--"Glory! Glory! Glory!" In the meanwhile Belton had dropped
+down under one of the benches and was watching the proceedings with an
+eye of terror.
+
+The sermon over and quiet restored, a collection was taken and given
+to the pastor. Mrs. Piedmont went forward to put some money on the
+table and took occasion to step to the pulpit and invite the pastor
+to dinner. Knowing that this meant chicken, the pastor unhesitatingly
+accepted the invitation, and when church was over accompanied Mrs.
+Piedmont and her family home.
+
+The preacher caught hold of Belton's hand as they walked along. This
+mark of attention, esteemed by Belton as a signal honor, filled
+his little soul with joy. As he thought of the manner in which the
+preacher stirred up the people, the amount of the collection that had
+been given him, and the biscuits and chicken that now awaited him,
+Belton decided that he, too, would like to become a preacher.
+
+Just before reaching home, according to a preconcerted plan, Belton
+and James Henry broke from the group and ran into the house. When
+the others appeared a little later on, these two were not to be seen.
+However, no question was asked and no search made. All things were
+ready and the parson sat down to eat, while the three girls stood
+about, glancing now and then at the table. The preacher was very
+voracious and began his meal as though he "meant business."
+
+We can now reveal the whereabouts of Belton and James Henry. They had
+clambered into the loft for the purpose of watching the progress
+of the preacher's meal, calculating at each step how much he would
+probably leave. James Henry found a little hole in the loft directly
+over the table, and through this hole he did his spying. Belton took
+his position at the larger entrance hole, lying flat on his stomach.
+He poked his head down far enough to see the preacher, but held it
+in readiness to be snatched back, if the preacher's eyes seemed to be
+about to wander his way.
+
+He was kept in a state of feverish excitement, on the one hand, by
+fear of detection, and on the other, by a desire to watch the meal.
+When about half of the biscuits were gone, and the preacher seemed as
+fresh as ever, Belton began to be afraid for his promised biscuit and
+piece of chicken. He crawled to James Henry and said hastily--"James,
+dees haf gone," and hurriedly resumed his watch. A moment later he
+called out in a whisper, "He's tuck anudder." Down goes Belton's head
+to resume his watch. Every time the preacher took another biscuit
+Belton called out the fact to James.
+
+All of the chicken was at last destroyed and only one biscuit
+remained; and Belton's whole soul was now centered on that biscuit.
+In his eagerness to watch he leaned a good distance out, and when the
+preacher reached forth his hand to take the last one Belton was so
+overcome that he lost his balance and tumbled out of his hole on the
+floor, kicking, and crying over and over again: "I knowed I wuzunt
+goin' to git naren dem biscuits."
+
+The startled preacher hastily arose from the table and gazed on the
+little fellow in bewilderment. As soon as it dawned upon him what
+the trouble was, he hastily got the remaining biscuit and gave it to
+Belton. He also discovered that his voracity had made enemies of the
+rest of the children, and he very adroitly passed a five cent piece
+around to each.
+
+James Henry, forgetting his altitude and anxious not to lose his
+recompense, cried out loudly from the loft: "Amanda Ann you git mine
+fur me."
+
+The preacher looked up but saw no one. Seeing that his request did not
+have the desired effect, James Henry soon tumbled down full of dust,
+straw and cobwebs, and came into possession of his appeasing money.
+The preacher laughed heartily and seemed to enjoy his experience
+highly.
+
+The table was cleared, and the preacher and Mrs. Piedmont dismissed
+the children in order to discuss unmolested the subject which had
+prompted her to extend an invitation to the parson. In view of the
+intense dislike the teacher had conceived for Belton, she desired
+to know if it were not best to withdraw him from school altogether,
+rather than to subject him to the harsh treatment sure to come.
+
+"Let me gib yer my advis, sistah Hannah. De greatest t'ing in de wul
+is edification. Ef our race ken git dat we ken git ebery t'ing else.
+Dat is de key. Git de key an' yer ken go in de house to go whare you
+please. As fur his beatin' de brat, yer musn't kick agin dat. He'll
+beat de brat to make him larn, and won't dat be a blessed t'ing? See
+dis scar on side my head? Old marse Sampson knocked me down wid a
+single-tree tryin' to make me stop larning, and God is so fixed it dat
+white folks is knocking es down ef we don't larn. Ef yer take Belton
+out of school yer'll be fighting 'genst de providence of God."
+
+Being thus advised by her shepherd, Mrs. Piedmont decided to keep
+Belton in school. So on Monday Belton went back to his brutal teacher,
+and thither we follow him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE TURNING OF A WORM.
+
+
+As to who Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard was, or as to where he came
+from, nobody in Winchester, save himself, knew.
+
+Immediately following the close of the Civil War, Rev. Samuel
+Christian, a poor but honorable retired minister of the M.E. Church,
+South, was the first teacher employed to instruct the colored children
+of the town.
+
+He was one of those Southerners who had never believed in the morality
+of slavery, but regarded it as a deep rooted evil beyond human power
+to uproot. When the manacles fell from the hands of the Negroes he
+gladly accepted the task of removing the scales of ignorance from the
+blinded eyes of the race.
+
+Tenderly he labored, valiantly he toiled in the midst of the mass of
+ignorance that came surging around him. But only one brief year was
+given to this saintly soul to endeavor to blast the mountains of
+stupidity which centuries of oppression had reared. He fell asleep.
+
+The white men who were trustees of the colored school, were sorely
+puzzled as to what to do for a successor. A Negro, capable of teaching
+a school, was nowhere near. White young men of the South, generally,
+looked upon the work of teaching "niggers" with the utmost contempt;
+and any man who suggested the name of a white young lady of Southern
+birth as a teacher for the colored children was actually in danger
+of being shot by any member of the insulted family who could handle a
+pistol.
+
+An advertisement was inserted in the Washington Post to the effect
+that a teacher was wanted. In answer to this advertisement Mr. Leonard
+came. He was a man above the medium height, and possessed a frame not
+large but compactly built. His forehead was low and narrow; while the
+back of his head looked exceedingly intellectual. Looking at him
+from the front you would involuntarily exclaim: "What an infamous
+scoundrel." Looking at him from the rear you would say: "There
+certainly is brain power in that head."
+
+The glance of Mr. Leonard's eye was furtive, and his face was sour
+looking indeed. At times when he felt that no one was watching him,
+his whole countenance and attitude betokened the rage of despair.
+
+Most people who looked at him felt that he carried in his bosom a dark
+secret. As to scholarship, he was unquestionably proficient. No white
+man in all the neighboring section, ranked with him intellectually.
+Despite the lack of all knowledge of his moral character and previous
+life, he was pronounced as much too good a man to fritter away his
+time on "niggers."
+
+Such was the character of the man into whose hands was committed the
+destiny of the colored children of Winchester.
+
+As his mother foresaw would be the case, Belton was singled out by the
+teacher as a special object on which he might expend his spleen. For
+a man to be as spiteful as he was, there must have been something
+gnawing at his heart. But toward Bernard none of this evil spirit was
+manifested. He seemed to have chosen Bernard for his pet, and Belton
+for his "pet aversion." To the one he was all kindness; while to the
+other he was cruel in the extreme.
+
+Often he would purchase flowers from the florist and give to Bernard
+to bear home to his mother. On these days he would seemingly take
+pains to give Belton fresh bruises to take home to _his_ mother. When
+he had a particularly good dinner he would invite Bernard to dine with
+him, and would be sure to find some pretext for forbidding Belton to
+partake of his own common meal.
+
+Belton was by no means insensible to all these acts of discrimination.
+Nor did Bernard fail to perceive that he, himself, was the teacher's
+pet. He clambered on to the teacher's knees, played with his mustache,
+and often took his watch and wore it. The teacher seemed to be truly
+fond of him.
+
+The children all ascribed this partiality to the color of Bernard's
+skin, and they all, except Belton, began to envy and despise Bernard.
+Of course they told their parents of the teacher's partiality and
+their parents thus became embittered against the teacher. But however
+much they might object to him and desire his removal, their united
+protests would not have had the weight of a feather. So the teacher
+remained at Winchester for twelve years. During all these years he
+instructed our young friends Belton and Bernard.
+
+Strangely enough, his ardent love for Bernard and his bitter hatred
+of Belton accomplished the very same result in respect to their
+acquirements. The teacher soon discovered that both boys were talented
+far beyond the ordinary, and that both were ambitious. He saw that the
+way to wound and humiliate Belton was to make Bernard excel him. Thus
+he bent all of his energies to improve Bernard's mind. Whenever he
+heard Belton recite he brought all of his talents to bear to point
+out his failures, hoping thus to exalt Bernard, out of whose work he
+strove to keep all blemishes. Thus Belton became accustomed to the
+closest scrutiny, and prepared himself accordingly. The result was
+that Bernard did not gain an inch on him.
+
+The teacher introduced the two boys into every needed field of
+knowledge, as they grew older, hoping always to find some branch in
+which Bernard might display unquestioned superiority. There were two
+studies in which the two rivals dug deep to see which could bring
+forth the richest treasures; and these gave coloring to the whole of
+their afterlives. One, was the History of the United States, and the
+other, Rhetoric.
+
+In history, that portion that charmed them most was the story of
+the rebellion against the yoke of England. Far and wide they went in
+search of everything that would throw light on this epoch. They became
+immersed in the spirit of that heroic age.
+
+As a part of their rhetorical training they were taught to declaim.
+Thanks to their absorption in the history of the Revolution, their
+minds ran to the sublime in literature; and they strove to secure
+pieces to declaim that recited the most heroic deeds of man, of
+whatever nationality.
+
+Leonidas, Marco Bozarris, Arnold Winklereid, Louis Kossuth, Robert
+Emmett, Martin Luther, Patrick Henry and such characters furnished the
+pieces almost invariably declaimed. They threw their whole souls into
+these, and the only natural thing resulted. No human soul can breathe
+the atmosphere of heroes and read with bated breath their deeds of
+daring without craving for the opportunity to do the like. Thus the
+education of these two young men went on.
+
+At the expiration of twelve years they had acquired an academic
+education that could not be surpassed anywhere in the land. Their
+reputation as brilliant students and eloquent speakers had spread over
+the whole surrounding country.
+
+The teacher decided to graduate the young men; and he thought to
+utilize the occasion as a lasting humiliation of Belton and exaltation
+of his favorite, Bernard Belgrave. Belton felt this.
+
+In the first part of this last school year of the boys, he had told
+them to prepare for a grand commencement exercise, and they acted
+accordingly. Each one chose his subject and began the preparation
+of his oration early in the session, each keeping his subject and
+treatment secret from the other.
+
+The teacher had announced that numerous white citizens would be
+present; among them the congressman from the district and the mayor of
+the town. Belton determined upon two things, away down in his soul. He
+determined to win in the oratorical contest, and to get his revenge
+on his teacher on the day that the teacher had planned for
+his--(Belton's) humiliation. Bernard did not have the incentive that
+Belton did; but defeat was ever galling to him, and he, too, had
+determined to win.
+
+The teacher often reviewed the progress made by Bernard on his
+oration, but did not notice Belton's at all. He strove to make
+Bernard's oration as nearly perfect as labor and skill could make
+it. But Belton was not asleep as to either of the resolutions he
+had formed. Some nights he could be seen stealing away from the
+congressman's residence. On others he could be seen leaving the
+neighborhood of the school, with a spade in one hand and a few
+carpenter's tools in the other.
+
+He went to the congressman, who was a polished orator with a national
+reputation, in order that he might purge his oration from its
+impurities of speech. As the congressman read the oration and
+perceived the depth of thought, the logical arrangement, the beauty
+and rhythm of language, and the wide research displayed, he opened his
+eyes wide with astonishment. He was amazed that a young man of such
+uncommon talents could have grown up in his town and he not know it.
+Belton's marvelous talents won his respect and admiration, and he gave
+him access to his library and criticized his oration whenever needed.
+
+Secretly and silently preparations went on for the grand conflict. At
+last the day came. The colored men and women of the place laid aside
+all work to attend the exercises. The forward section of seats was
+reserved for the white people. The congressman, the mayor, the school
+trustees and various other men of standing came, accompanied by their
+wives and daughters.
+
+Scholars of various grades had parts to perform on the programme, but
+the eyes of all sought the bottom of the page where were printed the
+names of the two oratorical gladiators:
+
+  "BELTON PIEDMONT.
+  BERNARD BELGRAVE."
+
+The teacher had given Bernard the last place, deeming that the more
+advantageous. He appointed the congressman, the mayor, and one of the
+school trustees to act as judges, to decide to whom he should award a
+beautiful gold medal for the more excellent oration. The congressman
+politely declined and named another trustee in his stead. Then the
+contest began. As Belton walked up on the platform the children
+greeted him with applause. He announced as his subject: "The
+Contribution of the Anglo-Saxon to the Cause of Human Liberty." In his
+strong, earnest voice, he began to roll off his well turned periods.
+The whole audience seemed as if in a trance. His words made their
+hearts burn, and time and again he made them burst forth in applause.
+
+The white people who sat and listened to his speech looked upon it as
+a very revelation to them, they themselves not having had as clear a
+conception of the glory of their race as this Negro now revealed.
+When he had finished, white men and women crowded to the front to
+congratulate him upon his effort, and it was many minutes before quiet
+was restored sufficiently to allow the programme to proceed.
+
+Bernard took his position on the platform, announcing as his subject:
+"Robert Emmett." His voice was sweet and well modulated and never
+failed to charm. Admiration was plainly depicted on every face as he
+proceeded. He brought to bear all the graces of a polished orator, and
+more than once tears came into the eyes of his listeners. Particularly
+affecting was his description of Emmett's death. At the conclusion it
+was evident that his audience felt that it would have been difficult
+to have handled that subject better.
+
+The judges now retired to deliberate as to whom to give the prize.
+While they are out, let us examine Belton's plans for carrying out
+the second thing, upon the accomplishment of which he was determined;
+viz., revenge.
+
+In the rear of the schoolhouse, there stood an old wood-shed. For some
+slight offence the teacher had, two or three years back, made Belton
+the fire-maker for the balance of his school life instead of passing
+the task around according to custom. Thus the care of the wood-house
+had fallen permanently to Belton's lot.
+
+During the last year Belton had dug a large hole running from the
+floor of the wood-shed to a point under the platform of the school
+room. The dirt from this underground channel he cast into a deep old
+unused well, not far distant. Once under the platform, he kept on
+digging, making the hole larger by far. Numerous rocks abounded in the
+neighborhood, and these he used to wall up his underground room,
+so that it would hold water. Just in the middle of the school-room
+platform he cut, from beneath, a square hole, taking in the spot where
+the teacher invariably stood when addressing the school. He cut the
+boards until they lacked but a very little, indeed, of being cut
+through. All looked well above, but a baby would not be safe standing
+thereon. Belton contrived a kind of prop with a weight attached. This
+prop would serve to keep the cut section from breaking through. The
+attached weight was at rest in a hole left in the wall of the cavity
+near its top. If you dislocated the weight, the momentum that it would
+gather in the fall would pull down the prop to which it was attached.
+
+Finally, Belton fastened a strong rope to the weight, and ran the rope
+under the schoolhouse floor until it was immediately beneath his seat.
+With an auger he made a hole in the floor and brought the end through.
+He managed to keep this bit of rope concealed, while at the same time
+he had perfect command of his trap door.
+
+For two or three nights previous to commencement day Belton had worked
+until nearly morning filling this cistern with water. Now when through
+delivering his oration, he had returned to his seat to await the
+proper moment for the payment of his teacher. The judges were out
+debating the question as to who had won. They seemed to be unable
+to decide who was victorious and beckoned for the teacher to step
+outside.
+
+They said: "That black nigger has beat the yellow one all to pieces
+this time, but we don't like to see nigger blood triumph over any
+Anglo-Saxon blood. Ain't there any loop-hole where we can give it to
+Bernard, anyhow?"
+
+"Well, yes," said the teacher eagerly, "on the ground of good
+behavior."
+
+"There you hit it," said the Mayor. "So we all decide."
+
+The judges filed in, and the Mayor arose to announce their decision.
+"We award," said he to the breathless audience, "the prize to Bernard
+Belgrave."
+
+"No! no! no!" burst forth from persons all over the house. The
+congressman arose and went up to Belton and congratulated him upon
+his triumph over oratory, and lamented his defeat by prejudice. This
+action caused a perceptible stir in the entire audience.
+
+The teacher went to his desk and produced a large gold medal. He took
+his accustomed place on the platform and began thus:
+
+"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the proudest moment of my life." He got
+no further. Belton had pulled the rope, the rope had caused the weight
+to fall, and the weight had pulled the prop and down had gone the
+teacher into a well of water.
+
+"Murder! Murder! Murder!" he cried "Help! Help! Help! I am drowning.
+Take me out, it is cold."
+
+The audience rushed forward expecting to find the teacher in a
+dangerous situation; but they found him standing, apparently unharmed,
+in a cistern, the water being a little more than waist deep. Their
+fright gave way to humor and a merry shout went up from the throats of
+the scholars.
+
+The colored men and women laughed to one side, while the white people
+smiled as though they had admired the feat as a fine specimen of
+falling from the sublime to the ridiculous. Bending down over the
+well, the larger students caught hold of the teacher's arms and lifted
+him out.
+
+He stood before the audience wet and shivering, his clothes sticking
+to him, and water dripping from his hair. The medal was gone. The
+teacher dismissed the audience, drew his last month's pay and left
+that night for parts unknown.
+
+Sometimes, even a worm will turn when trodden upon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+BELTON FINDS A FRIEND.
+
+
+Long before the rifle ball, the cannon shot, and the exploding shell
+were through their fiendish task of covering the earth with mortals
+slain; while the startled air was yet busy in hurrying to Heaven
+the groans of the dying soldier, accompanied as they were by the
+despairing shrieks of his loved ones behind; while horrid War, in
+frenzied joy, yet waved his bloody sword over the nation's head, and
+sought with eager eagle eyes every drop of clotted gore over which he
+might exult; in the midst of such direful days as these, there were
+those at the North whom the love of God and the eye of faith taught to
+leap over the scene of strife to prepare the trembling negro for the
+day of freedom, which, refusing to have a dawn, had burst in meridian
+splendor upon his dazzled gaze.
+
+Into the southland there came rushing consecrated Christians, men and
+women, eager to provide for the negro a Christian education. Those
+who stayed behind gathered up hoarded treasures and gladly poured them
+into the lap of the South for the same laudable purpose. As a result
+of the coming of this army of workers, bearing in their arms millions
+of money, ere many years had sped, well nigh every southern state
+could proudly boast of one or more colleges where the aspiring negro
+might quench has thirst for knowledge.
+
+So when Bernard and Belton had finished their careers at the
+Winchester public school, colleges abounded in the South beckoning
+them to enter. Bernard preferred to go to a northern institution, and
+his mother sent him to enter Harvard University.
+
+Belton was poor and had no means of his own with which to pursue his
+education; but by the hand of providence a most unexpected door was
+opened to him. The Winchester correspondent of the _Richmond Daily
+Temps_ reported the commencement exercises of the Winchester public
+school of the day that Belton graduated. The congressman present
+at the exercises spoke so highly of Belton's speech that the
+correspondent secured a copy from Belton and sent it to the editor of
+_The Temps_.
+
+This was printed in _The Temps_ and created a great sensation in
+political and literary circles in every section of the country. Every
+newspaper of any consequence reproduced the oration in full. It was
+published and commented upon by the leading journals of England. The
+President of the United States wrote a letter of congratulation to
+Belton. Everywhere the piece was hailed as a classic.
+
+After reading the oration, Mr. V.M. King, editor of _The Temps_,
+decided to take it home with him and read it to his wife. She met him
+at the door and as he kissed her she noticed that there was a sober
+look in his eye. Tenderly he brushed back a few stray locks of his
+wife's hair, saying as he did so, in a somewhat troubled tone: "Wife,
+it has come at last. May the good Lord cease not to watch over our
+beloved but erring land." She inquired as to what he meant. He led her
+to his study and read to her Belton's oration.
+
+In order to understand the words which we have just quoted as being
+spoken by him to his wife, let us, while he reads, become a little
+better acquainted with Mr. King and his paper, _The Temps_.
+
+Mr. King was born and reared in Virginia, was educated at a Northern
+University, and had sojourned for several years in England. He was a
+man of the broadest culture. For several years he had given the negro
+problem most profound study. His views on the subject were regarded
+by the white people of the South as ultra-liberal. These views he
+exploited through his paper, _The Temps_, with a boldness and vigor,
+gaining thereby great notoriety.
+
+Though a democrat in politics, he was most bitterly opposed to the
+practice, almost universal in the South, of cheating the negro out
+of his right to vote. He preached that it was unjust to the negro and
+fatal to the morals of the whites.
+
+On every possible occasion he viciously assaulted the practice of
+lynching, denouncing it in most scathing terms. In short, he was an
+outspoken advocate of giving the negro every right accorded him by the
+Constitution of the United States.
+
+He saw the South leading the young negro boy and girl to school,
+where, at the expense of the state, they were taught to read history
+and learn what real liberty was, and the glorious struggles through
+which the human race had come in order to possess it. He foresaw that
+the rising, educated negro would allow his eye to linger long on
+this bloody but glorious page until that most contagious of diseases,
+devotion to liberty, infected his soul.
+
+He reasoned that the negro who had endured the hardships of slavery
+might spend his time looking back and thanking God for that from
+which he had made his escape; but the young negro, knowing nothing
+of physical slavery, would be peering into the future, measuring the
+distance that he had yet to go before he was truly free, and would
+be asking God and his own right arm for the power to secure whatever
+rights were still withheld.
+
+He argued that, living as the negro did beneath the American flag,
+known as the flag of freedom, studying American history, and listening
+on the outer edge of great Fourth of July crowds to eloquent orators
+discourse on freedom, it was only a matter of a few years before the
+negro would deify liberty as the Anglo-Saxon race had done, and count
+it a joy to perish on her altar.
+
+In order that the Republic might ever stand, he knew that the
+principles of liberty would have to be continually taught with all
+the eloquence and astuteness at command; and if this teaching had the
+desired effect upon the white man it would also be powerful enough to
+awaken the negro standing by his side.
+
+So, his ear was to the ground, expecting every moment to hear the
+far off sounds of awakened negroes coming to ask for liberty, and if
+refused, to slay or be slain.
+
+When he read Belton's oration he saw that the flame of liberty was in
+his heart, her sword in his hand, and the disdain of death stamped on
+his brow. He felt that Belton was the morning star which told by its
+presence that dawn was near at hand.
+
+Thus it was that he said to his wife: "Wife, it has come at last. May
+the good Lord cease not to watch over our beloved land."
+
+This expression was not the offspring of fear as to the outcome of a
+possible conflict, for, Anglo-Saxon like, that was with him a foregone
+conclusion in favor of his own race. But he shuddered at the awful
+carnage that would of necessity ensue if two races, living house to
+house, street to street, should be equally determined upon a question
+at issue, equally disdainful of life, fighting with the rancor always
+attendant upon a struggle between two races that mutually despise and
+detest each other.
+
+He knew that it was more humane, more in accordance with right, more
+acceptable with God, to admit to the negro that Anglo-Saxon doctrine
+of the equality of man was true, rather than to murder the negro for
+accepting him at his word, though spoken to others.
+
+Feeling thus, he pleaded with his people to grant to the negro his
+rights, though he never hinted at a possible rebellion, for fear that
+the mention of it might hasten the birth of the idea in the brain of
+the negro.
+
+That evening, after he had read the oration to his wife and told her
+of his forebodings, he sat with his face buried in his hands, brooding
+over the situation. Late in the night he retired to rest, and the next
+morning, when he awoke, his wife was standing by his bed, calling him.
+She saw that his sleep was restless and thought that he was having
+troubled dreams. And so he was.
+
+He dreamed that a large drove of fatted swine were munching acorns
+in a very dense forest of oaks, both tall and large. The oaks were
+sending the acorns down in showers, and the hogs were greedily
+consuming them. The hogs ate so many that they burst open, and from
+their rotting carcasses fresh oaks sprang and grew with surprising
+rapidity. A dark cloud arose and a terrible hurricane swept over the
+forest; and the old and new oaks fought furiously in the storm, until
+a loud voice, like unto that of a God, cried out above all the din of
+the hurricane, saying in tones of thunder: "Know ye not that ye are
+parents and children? Parents, recognize your children. Children, be
+proud of the parents from whom you spring."
+
+The hurricane ceased, the clouds sped away as if in terror, and
+the oaks grew up together under a clear sky of the purest blue, and
+beautiful birds of all kinds built their nests in the trees, and
+carolled forth the sweetest songs.
+
+He placed upon the dream the following interpretation:
+
+The swine were the negroes. The oak trees were the white people. The
+acorns were the doctrine of human liberty, everywhere preached by
+Anglo-Saxons. The negroes, feasting off of the same thought, had
+become the same kind of being as the white man, and grew up to a point
+of equality. The hurricane was the contest between the two races over
+the question of equality. The voice was intended to inform the whites
+that they had brought about these aspirations in the bosom of
+the negro, and that the liberty-loving negro was their legitimate
+offspring, and not a bastard. The whites should recognize their own
+doings. On the other hand, the negro should not be over boastful, and
+should recognize that the lofty conception of the dignity of man
+and value and true character of liberty were taught him by
+the Anglo-Saxon. The birds betokened a happy adjustment of all
+differences; and the dream that began in the gloom of night ended in
+the dawn of day.
+
+Mr. King was very cheerful, therefore, and decided to send to
+Winchester for Belton, thinking that it might be a wise thing to keep
+an eye and a friendly hand on a young negro of such promise. In
+the course of a couple of days, Belton, in response to his request,
+arrived in Richmond. He called at the office of _The Temps_ and was
+ushered into Mr. King's office.
+
+Mr. King had him take a seat. He enquired of Belton his history,
+training, etc. He also asked as to his plans for the future. Finding
+that Belton was desirous of securing a college education, but was
+destitute of funds, Mr. King gladly embraced the opportunity of
+displaying his kind interest. He offered to pay Belton's way through
+college, and the offer was gladly accepted.
+
+He told Belton to call at his home that evening at seven o'clock to
+receive a check for his entire college course. At the appointed hour
+Belton appeared at Mr. King's residence.
+
+Mr. King was sitting on his front porch, between his wife and aged
+mother, while his two children, a girl and boy, were playing on the
+lawn. Belton was invited to take a seat, much to his surprise.
+
+Seeing a stranger, the children left their play and came to their
+father, one on each side. They looked with questioning eyes from
+father to Belton, as if seeking to know the purpose of the visit.
+
+Mr. King took the check from his pocket and extended it toward Belton,
+and said: "Mr. Piedmont, this will carry you through college. I have
+only one favor to ask of you. In all your dealings with my people
+recognize the fact that there are two widely separated classes of us,
+and that there is a good side to the character of the worst class.
+Always seek for and appeal to that side of their nature."
+
+Belton very feelingly thanked Mr. King, and assured him that he would
+treasure his words. He was true to his promise, and decided from that
+moment to never class all white men together, whatever might be the
+provocation, and to never regard any class as totally depraved.
+
+This is one of the keys to his future life. Remember it.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+A YOUNG REBEL.
+
+
+In the city of Nashville, Tennessee, there is a far famed institution
+of learning called Stowe University, in honor of Mrs. Harriet Beecher
+Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
+
+This institution was one of the many scores of its kind, established
+in the South by Northern philanthropy, for the higher education of the
+Negro. Though called a university, it was scarcely more than a normal
+school with a college department attached.
+
+It was situated just on the outskirts of the city, on a beautiful
+ten-acre plot of ground. The buildings were five in number, consisting
+of a dormitory for young men, two for young ladies, a building for
+recitations, and another, called the teachers' mansion; for the
+teachers resided there. These buildings were very handsome, and were
+so arranged upon the level campus as to present a very attractive
+sight.
+
+With the money which had been so generously given him by Mr. King,
+Belton entered this school. That was a proud day in his life when he
+stepped out of the carriage and opened the University gate, feeling
+that he, a Negro, was privileged to enter college. Julius Cæsar,
+on entering Rome in triumph, with the world securely chained to his
+chariot wheels; Napoleon, bowing to receive the diadem of the Cæsars'
+won by the most notable victories ever known to earth; General Grant,
+on his triumphal tour around the globe, when kings and queens were
+eager rivals to secure from this man of humble birth the sweeter
+smile; none of these were more full of pleasurable emotion than this
+poor Negro lad, who now with elastic step and beating heart marched
+with head erect beneath the arch of the doorway leading into Stowe
+University.
+
+Belton arrived on the Saturday preceding the Monday on which school
+would open for that session. He found about three hundred and
+sixty students there from all parts of the South, the young women
+outnumbering the young men in about the proportion of two to one.
+
+On the Sunday night following his arrival the students all assembled
+in the general assembly room of the recitation building, which room,
+in the absence of a chapel, was used as the place for religious
+worship. The president of the school, a venerable white minister from
+the North, had charge of the service that evening. He did not on this
+occasion preach a sermon, but devoted the hour to discoursing upon
+the philanthropic work done by the white people of the North for the
+freedmen of the South.
+
+A map of the United States was hanging on the wall, facing the
+assembled school. On this map there were black dots indicating all
+places where a school of learning had been planted for the colored
+people by their white friends of the North. Belton sat closely
+scrutinizing the map. His eyes swept from one end to the other.
+Persons were allowed to ask any questions desired, and Belton was very
+inquisitive.
+
+When the hour of the lecture was over he was deeply impressed with
+three thoughts: First, his heart went out in love to those who had
+given so freely of their means and to those who had dedicated their
+lives to the work of uplifting his people.
+
+Secondly, he saw an immense army of young men and women being trained
+in the very best manner in every section of the South, to go forth to
+grapple with the great problems before them. He felt proud of being a
+member of so promising an army, and felt that they were to determine
+the future of the race. In fact, this thought was reiterated time and
+again by the president.
+
+Thirdly, Belton was impressed that it was the duty of those receiving
+such great blessings to accomplish achievements worthy of the care
+bestowed. He felt that the eyes of the North and of the civilized
+world were upon them to see the fruits of the great labor and money
+spent upon them.
+
+Before he retired to rest that night, he besought God to enable him
+and his people, as a mark of appreciation of what had been done for
+the race, to rise to the full measure of just expectation and prove
+worthy of all the care bestowed. He went through school, therefore, as
+though the eyes of the world were looking at the race enquiringly; the
+eyes of the North expectantly; and the eyes of God lovingly,--three
+grand incentives to his soul.
+
+When these schools were first projected, the White South that
+then was, fought them with every weapon at its command. Ridicule,
+villification, ostracism, violence, arson, murder were all employed
+to hinder the progress of the work. Outsiders looked on and thought
+it strange that they should do this. But, just as a snake, though a
+venomous animal, by instinct knows its enemy and fights for its life
+with desperation, just so the Old South instinctively foresaw danger
+to its social fabric as then constituted, and therefore despised
+and fought the agencies that were training and inspiring the future
+leaders of the Negro race in such a manner as to render a conflict
+inevitable and of doubtful termination.
+
+The errors in the South, anxious for eternal life, rightfully feared
+these schools more than they would have feared factories making
+powder, moulding balls and fashioning cannons. But the New South, the
+South that, in the providence of God, is yet to be, could not have
+been formed in the womb of time had it not been for these schools. And
+so the receding murmurs of the scowling South that was, are lost in
+the gladsome shouts of the South which, please God, is yet to be.
+
+But lest we linger too long, let us enter school here with Belton.
+On the Monday following the Sunday night previously indicated, Belton
+walked into the general assembly room to take his seat with the other
+three hundred and sixty pupils. It was the custom for the school to
+thus assemble for devotional exercises. The teachers sat in a row
+across the platform, facing the pupils. The president sat immediately
+in front of the desk, in the center of the platform, and the teachers
+sat on either side of him.
+
+To Belton's surprise, he saw a colored man sitting on the right
+side of and next to the president. He was sitting there calmly,
+self-possessed, exactly like the rest. He crossed his legs and stroked
+his beard in a most matter of fact way. Belton stared at this colored
+man, with his lips apart and his body bent forward. He let his eyes
+scan the faces of all the white teachers, male and female, but would
+end up with a stare at the colored man sitting there. Finally, he
+hunched his seat-mate with his elbow and asked what man that was. He
+was told that it was the colored teacher of the faculty.
+
+Belton knew that there was a colored teacher in the school but he had
+no idea that he would be thus honored with a seat with the rest of
+the teachers. A broad, happy smile spread over his face, and his
+eyes danced with delight. He had, in his boyish heart, dreamed of the
+equality of the races and sighed and hoped for it; but here, he beheld
+it in reality. Though he, as a rule, shut his eyes when prayer was
+being offered, he kept them open that morning, and peeped through his
+fingers at that thrilling sight,--a colored man on equal terms with
+the white college professors.
+
+Just before the classes were dismissed to their respective class
+rooms, the teachers came together in a group to discuss some matter,
+in an informal way. The colored teacher was in the center of the group
+and discussed the matter as freely as any; and he was listened to with
+every mark of respect. Belton kept a keen watch on the conference
+and began rubbing his hands and chuckling to himself with delight at
+seeing the colored teacher participating on equal terms with the other
+teachers.
+
+The colored teacher's views seemed about to prevail, and as one after
+another the teachers seemed to fall in line with him Belton could not
+contain himself longer, but clapped his hands and gave a loud, joyful,
+"Ha! ha!"
+
+The eyes of the whole school were on him in an instant, and the
+faculty turned around to discover the source and cause of the
+disorder. But Belton had come to himself as soon as he made the noise,
+and in a twinkling was as quiet and solemn looking as a mouse.
+
+The faculty resumed its conference and the students passed the query
+around as to what was the matter with the "newcomer." A number tapped
+their heads significantly, saying: "Wrong here." How far wrong were
+they! They should have put their hands over their hearts and said:
+"The fire of patriotism here;" for Belton had here on a small scale,
+the gratification of the deepest passion of his soul, viz., Equality
+of the races. And what pleased him as much as anything else was the
+dignified, matter of fact way in which the teacher bore his honors.
+Belton afterwards discovered that this colored man was vice-president
+of the faculty.
+
+On a morning, later in the session, the president announced that the
+faculty would hold its regular weekly meeting that evening, but that
+he would have to be in the city to attend to other masters. Belton's
+heart bounded at the announcement. Knowing that the colored teacher
+was vice-president of the faculty, he saw that he would preside.
+Belton determined to see that meeting of the faculty if it cost him no
+end of trouble. He could not afford, under any circumstances, to fail
+to see that colored man preside over those white men and women.
+
+That night, about 8:30 o'clock, when the faculty meeting had
+progressed about half way, Belton made a rope of his bed clothes and
+let himself down to the ground from the window of his room on the
+second floor of the building. About twenty yards distant was the
+"mansion," in one room of which the teachers held their faculty
+meetings. The room in which the meeting was held was on the side of
+the "mansion" furthest from the dormitory from which Belton had
+just come. The "mansion" dog was Belton's friend, and a soft whistle
+quieted his bark. Belton stole around to the side of the house, where
+the meeting was being held. The weather was mild and the window was
+hoisted. Belton fell on his knees and crawled to the window, and
+pulling it up cautiously peeped in. He saw the colored teacher in
+the chair in the center of the room and others sitting about here and
+there. He gazed with rapture on the sight. He watched, unmolested, for
+a long while.
+
+One of the lady teachers was tearing up a piece of paper and arose to
+come to the window to throw it out. Belton was listening, just at that
+time, to what the colored teacher was saying, and did not see the lady
+coming in his direction. Nor did the lady see the form of a man until
+she was near at hand. At the sight she threw up her hands and
+screamed loudly from fright. Belton turned and fled precipitately.
+The chicken-coop door had been accidentally left open and Belton,
+unthinkingly, jumped into the chicken house. The chickens set up a
+lively cackle, much to his chagrin. He grasped an old rooster to stop
+him, but missing the rooster's throat, the rooster gave the alarm all
+the more vociferously. Teachers had now crowded to the window and were
+peering out. Some of the men started to the door to come out. Belton
+saw this movement and decided that the best way for him to do was to
+play chicken thief and run. Grasping a hen with his other hand, he
+darted out of the chicken house and fled from the college ground,
+the chickens squalling all the while. He leapt the college fence at a
+bound and wrung off the heads of the chickens to stop the noise.
+
+The teachers decided that they had been visited by a Negro,
+hunting for chickens; laughed heartily at their fright and resumed
+deliberations. Thus again a patriot was mistaken for a chicken thief;
+and in the South to-day a race that dreams of freedom, equality, and
+empire, far more than is imagined, is put down as a race of chicken
+thieves. As in Belton's case, this conception diverts attention from
+places where startling things would otherwise be discovered.
+
+In due time Belton crept back to the dormitory, and by a signal agreed
+upon, roused his room-mate, who let down the rope, by means of which
+he ascended; and when seated gave his room-mate an account of his
+adventure.
+
+Sometime later on, Belton in company with another student was sent
+over to a sister University in Nashville to carry a note for the
+president. This University also had a colored teacher who was one
+point in advance of Belton's. This teacher ate at the same table with
+the white teachers, while Belton's teacher ate with the students.
+Belton passed by the dining room of the teachers of this sister
+University and saw the colored teacher enjoying a meal with the white
+teachers. He could not enjoy the sight as much as he would have liked,
+from thinking about the treatment his teacher was receiving. He had
+not, prior to this, thought of that discrimination, but now it burned
+him.
+
+He returned to his school and before many days had passed he had
+called together all the male students. He informed them that they
+ought to perfect a secret organization and have a password. They all
+agreed to secrecy and Belton gave this as the pass word: "Equality or
+Death."
+
+He then told them that it was his ambition and purpose to coerce the
+white teachers into allowing the colored teacher to eat with them.
+They all very readily agreed; for the matter of his eating had been
+thoroughly canvassed for a number of sessions, but it seemed as though
+no one dared to suggest a combination. During slavery all combinations
+of slaves were sedulously guarded against, and a fear of combinations
+seems to have been injected into the Negro's very blood.
+
+The very boldness of Belton's idea swept the students away from the
+lethargic harbor in which they had been anchored, and they were eager
+for action. Belton was instructed to prepare the complaint, which they
+all agreed to sign. They decided that it was to be presented to the
+president just before devotional exercises and an answer was to be
+demanded forthwith. One of the young men had a sister among the young
+lady students, and, through her Belton's rebellion was organized among
+the girls and their signatures secured.
+
+The eventful morning came. The teachers glanced over the assembled
+students, and were surprised to see them dressed in their best clothes
+as though it was the Sabbath. There was a quiet satisfied look on
+their faces that the teachers did not understand.
+
+The president arrived a little late and found an official envelope
+on his desk. He hurriedly broke the seal and began to read. His color
+came and went. The teachers looked at him wonderingly. The president
+laid the document aside and began the devotional exercises. He was
+nervous throughout, and made several blunders. He held his hymn book
+upside down while they were singing, much to the amusement of the
+school. It took him some time to find the passage of scripture which
+he desired to read, and after reading forgot for some seconds to call
+on some one to pray.
+
+When the exercises were through he arose and took the document
+nervously in hand. He said; "I have in my hands a paper from the
+students of this institution concerning a matter with which they have
+nothing to do. This is my answer. The classes will please retire."
+Here he gave three strokes to the gong, the signal for dispersion. But
+not a student moved. The president was amazed. He could not believe
+his own eyes. He rang the gong a second time and yet no one moved. He
+then in nervous tones repeated his former assertions and then pulled
+the gong nervously many times in succession. All remained still. At
+a signal from Belton, all the students lifted their right hands,
+each bearing a small white board on which was printed in clear type:
+"Equality or Death."
+
+The president fell back, aghast, and the white teachers were all
+struck dumb with fear. They had not dreamed that a combination of
+their pupils was possible, and they knew not what it foreboded. A
+number grasped the paper that was giving so much trouble and read it.
+They all then held a hurried consultation and assured the students
+that the matter should receive due attention.
+
+The president then rang the gong again but the students yet remained.
+Belton then arose and stated that it was the determination of the
+students to not move an inch unless the matter was adjusted then and
+there. And that faculty of white teachers beat a hasty retreat and
+held up the white flag! They agreed that the colored teacher should
+eat with them.
+
+The students broke forth into cheering, and flaunted a black flag on
+which was painted in white letters; "Victory." They rose and marched
+out of doors two by two, singing "John Brown's Body lies mouldering in
+the grave, and we go marching on."
+
+The confused and bewildered teachers remained behind, busy with their
+thoughts. They felt like hens who had lost their broods. The
+cringing, fawning, sniffling, cowardly Negro which slavery left,
+had disappeared, and a new Negro, self-respecting, fearless, and
+determined in the assertion of his rights was at hand.
+
+Ye who chronicle history and mark epochs in the career of races and
+nations must put here a towering, gigantic, century stone, as marking
+the passing of one and the ushering in of another great era in the
+history of the colored people of the United States. Rebellions, for
+one cause or another, broke out in almost every one of these schools
+presided over by white faculties, and as a rule, the Negro students
+triumphed.
+
+These men who engineered and participated in these rebellions were the
+future leaders of their race. In these rebellions, they learned the
+power of combinations, and that white men could be made to capitulate
+to colored men under certain circumstances. In these schools, probably
+one hundred thousand students had these thoughts instilled in them.
+These one hundred thousand went to their respective homes and told
+of their prowess to their playmates who could not follow them to the
+college walls. In the light of these facts the great events yet to be
+recorded are fully accounted for.
+
+Remember that this was Belton's first taste of rebellion against the
+whites for the securing of rights denied simply because of color. In
+after life he is the moving, controlling, guiding spirit in one on
+a far larger scale; it need not come as a surprise. His teachers and
+school-mates predicted this of him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+A SERMON, A SOCK AND A FIGHT.
+
+
+Belton remained at Stowe University, acquiring fame as an orator and
+scholar. His intellect was pronounced by all to be marvelously bright.
+
+We now pass over all his school career until we come to the closing
+days of the session in which he graduated. School was to close on
+Thursday, and the Sunday night previous had been designated as the
+time for the Baccalaureate sermon. On this occasion the entire
+school assembled in the general assembly room,--the graduating class
+occupying the row of front seats stretching across the room. The
+class, this year, numbered twenty-five; and they presented an
+appearance that caused the hearts of the people to swell with pride.
+
+Dr. Lovejoy, president of the University, was to preach the sermon. He
+chose for his text, "The Kingdom of God is within us." We shall choose
+from his discourse just such thoughts as may throw light upon some
+events yet to be recorded, which might not otherwise be accounted for:
+
+"Young men, we shall soon push you forth into the midst of a turbulent
+world, to play such a part as the voice of God may assign you. You
+go forth, amid the shouts and huzzahs of cheering friends, and the
+anxious prayers of the faithful of God. The part that you play, the
+character of your return journey, triumphant or inglorious, will
+depend largely upon how well you have learned the lesson of this text.
+Remember that the kingdom of God is within you. Do not go forth into
+the world to demand favors of the world, but go forth to give unto the
+world. Be strong in your own hearts.
+
+"The world is like unto a wounded animal that has run a long way and
+now lies stretched upon the ground, the blood oozing forth from gaping
+wounds and pains darting through its entire frame. The huntsman, who
+comes along to secure and drink the feverish milk of this animal that
+is all but a rotting carcass, seriously endangers his own well being.
+So, young men, do not look upon this dying, decaying world to feed
+and support you. You must feed and support it. Carry fresh, warm,
+invigorating blood in your veins to inject into the veins of the
+world. This is far safer and nobler than sticking the lance into the
+swollen veins of the world, to draw forth its putrid blood for your
+own use. I not only exhort you but I warn you. You may go to this
+dying animal as a surgeon, and proceed to cut off the sound portions
+for your own use. You may deceive the world for awhile, but it will,
+ere long, discover whether you are a vandal or a surgeon; and if it
+finds you to be the former, when you are closest to its bosom, it will
+squeeze you tightly and tear your face to shreds.
+
+"I wish now to apply these thoughts to your immediate circumstances.
+
+"You shall be called upon to play a part in the adjusting of positions
+between the negro and Anglo-Saxon races of the South. The present
+status of affairs cannot possibly remain. The Anglo-Saxon race must
+surrender some of its outposts, and the negro will occupy these. To
+bring about this evacuation on the part of the Anglo-Saxon, and the
+forward march of the negro, will be your task. This is a grave and
+delicate task, fraught with much good or evil, weal or woe. Let us
+urge you to undertake it in the spirit to benefit the world, and not
+merely to advance your own glory.
+
+"The passions of men will soon be running high, and by feeding these
+passions with the food for which they clamor you may attain the
+designation of a hero. But, with all the energy of my soul, I exhort
+you to not play with fire, merely for the sake of the glare that it
+may cast upon you. Use no crisis for self-aggrandizement. Be so full
+of your own soul's wealth that these temptations may not appeal to
+you. When your vessel is ploughing the roughest seas and encountering
+the fiercest gales, consult as your chart the welfare of the ship and
+crew, though you may temporarily lose fame as a captain.
+
+"Young men, you are highly favored of God. A glorious destiny awaits
+your people. The gates of the beautiful land of the future are flung
+wide. Your people stand before these gates peering eagerly within.
+They are ready to march. They are waiting for their commanders and
+the command to move forward. You are the commanders who must give the
+command. I urge, I exhort, I beseech you, my dear boys, to think not
+of yourselves. Let your kingdom be within. Lead them as they ought to
+be led, taking no thought to your own glory.
+
+"If you heed my voice you shall become true patriots. If you disregard
+it, you will become time-serving demagogues, playing upon the passions
+of the people for the sake of short-lived notoriety. Such men would
+corral all the tigers in the forest and organize them into marauding
+regiments simply for the honor of being in the lead. Be ye none of
+these, my boys. May your Alma Mater never feel called upon to cry to
+God in anguish to paralyze the hand that she herself has trained.
+
+"Be not a burrowing parasite, feasting off of the world's raw blood.
+Let the world draw life from you. Use not the misfortunes of your
+people as stones of a monument erected to your name. If you do, the
+iron fist of time will knock it over on your grave to crumble your
+decaying bones to further dust.
+
+"Always serve the world as the voice of good conscience, instructed by
+a righteous God, may direct. Do this and thou shalt live; live in the
+sweetened memory of your countrymen; live in the heart of your Alma
+Mater; live when the earth is floating dust, when the stars are dead,
+when the sun is a charred and blackened ruin; live on the bosom of
+your Savior, by the throne of his God, in the eternal Heavens."
+
+The teacher's soul was truly in his discourse and his thoughts sank
+deep into the hearts of his hearers. None listened more attentively
+than Belton. None were more deeply impressed than he. None more
+readily incorporated the principles enumerated as a part of their
+living lives.
+
+When the preacher sat down he bowed his head in his hands. His frame
+shook. His white locks fluttered in the gentle spring breeze. In
+silence he prayed. He earnestly implored God to not allow his work
+and words to be in vain. The same fervent prayer was on Belton's lips,
+rising from the center of his soul. Somewhere, these prayers met,
+locked arms and went before God together. In due time the answer came.
+
+This sermon had much to do with Belton's subsequent career. But an
+incident apparently trivial in itself was the occasion of a private
+discourse that had even greater influence over him. It occurred
+on Thursday following the night of the delivery of the sermon just
+reported. It was on this wise:
+
+Belton had, in everything, excelled his entire class, and was,
+according to the custom, made valedictorian. His room-mate was
+insanely jealous of him, and sought every way possible to humiliate
+him. He had racked his brain for a scheme to play on Belton on
+commencement day, and he at last found one that gave him satisfaction.
+
+There was a student in Stowe University who was noted for his immense
+height and for the size and scent of his feet. His feet perspired
+freely, summer and winter, and the smell was exceedingly offensive. On
+this account he roomed to himself. Whenever other students called to
+see him he had a very effective way of getting rid of them, when he
+judged that they had stayed long enough. He would complain of a corn
+and forthwith pull off a shoe. If his room was crowded, this act
+invariably caused it to be empty. The fame of these feet spread to
+the teachers and young ladies, and, in fact, to the city. And the huge
+Mississippian seemed to relish the distinction.
+
+Whenever Belton was to deliver an oration he always arranged his
+clothes the night beforehand. So, on the Wednesday night of the week
+in question, he carefully brushed and arranged his clothes for the
+next day. In the valedictory there were many really touching things,
+and in rehearsing it before his room-mate Belton had often shed tears.
+Fearing that he might he so touched that tears would come to his eyes
+in the final delivery, he had bought a most beautiful and costly silk
+handkerchief. He carefully stowed this away in the tail pocket of his
+handsome Prince Albert suit of lovely black. He hung his coat in the
+wardrobe, very carefully, so that he would merely have to take it down
+and put it on the next day.
+
+His room-mate watched his movements closely, but slyly. He arose when
+he saw Belton hang his coat up. He went down the corridor until he
+arrived at the room occupied by the Mississippian. He knocked, and
+after some little delay, was allowed to enter.
+
+The Mississippian was busy rehearsing his oration and did not care
+to be bothered. But he sat down to entertain Belton's room-mate for a
+while. He did not care to rehearse his oration before him and he felt
+able to rout him at any time. They conversed on various things for
+a while, when Belton's room-mate took up a book and soon appeared
+absorbed in reading. He was sitting on one side of a study table
+in the center of the room while the Mississippian was on the other.
+Thinking that his visitor had now stayed about long enough, the
+Mississippian stooped down quietly and removed one shoe. He slyly
+watched Belton's room-mate, chuckling inwardly. But his fun died away
+into a feeling of surprise when he saw that his shoeless foot was not
+even attracting attention.
+
+He stooped down and pulled off the other shoe, and his surprise
+developed into amazement when he saw that the combined attack produced
+no result. Belton's room-mate seemed absorbed in reading.
+
+The Mississippian next pulled off his coat and pretending to yawn and
+stretch, lifted his arms just so that the junction of his arm with
+his shoulder was on a direct line with his visitor's nose.
+Belton's room-mate made a slight grimace, but kept on reading. The
+Mississippian was dumbfounded.
+
+He then signified his intention of retiring to bed and undressed,
+eyeing his visitor all the while, hoping that the scent of his whole
+body would succeed.
+
+He got into bed and was soon snoring loudly enough to be heard two or
+three rooms away; but Belton's room-mate seemed to pay no attention to
+the snoring.
+
+The Mississippian gave up the battle in disgust, saying to himself:
+"That fellow regards scents and noises just as though he was a
+buzzard, hatched in a cleft of the roaring Niagara Falls." So saying,
+he fell asleep in reality and the snoring increased in volume and
+speed.
+
+Belton's room-mate now took a pair of large new socks out of his
+pocket and put them into the Mississippian's shoes, from which he took
+the dirty socks already there. Having these dirty socks, he quietly
+tips out of the room and returns to his and Belton's room.
+
+Belton desired to make the speech of his life the next day, and had
+retired to rest early so as to be in prime nervous condition for the
+effort. His room-mate stole to the wardrobe and stealthily extracted
+the silk handkerchief and put these dirty socks in its stead. Belton
+was then asleep, perhaps dreaming of the glories of the morrow.
+
+Thursday dawned and Belton arose, fresh and vigorous. He was cheerful
+and buoyant that day; he was to graduate bedecked with all the honors
+of his class. Mr. King, his benefactor, was to be present. His mother
+had saved up her scant earnings and had come to see her son wind up
+the career on which she had sent him forth, years ago.
+
+The assembly room was decorated with choice flowers and presented
+the appearance of the Garden of Eden. On one side of the room sat the
+young lady pupils, while on the other the young men sat. Visitors from
+the city came in droves and men of distinction sat on the platform.
+The programme was a good one, but all eyes dropped to the bottom in
+quest of Belton's name; for his fame as an orator was great, indeed.
+The programme passed off as arranged, giving satisfaction and whetting
+the appetite for Belton's oration. The president announced Belton's
+name amid a thundering of applause. He stepped forth and cast a tender
+look in the direction of the fair maiden who had contrived to send him
+that tiny white bud that showed up so well on his black coat. He moved
+to the center of the platform and was lustily cheered, he walked with
+such superb grace and dignity.
+
+He began his oration, capturing his audience with his first sentence
+and bearing them along on the powerful pinions of his masterly
+oratory; and when his peroration was over the audience drew its
+breath and cheered wildly for many, many minutes. He then proceeded to
+deliver the valedictory to the class. After he had been speaking for
+some time, his voice began to break with emotion. As he drew near
+to the most affecting portion he reached to his coat tail pocket to
+secure his silk handkerchief to brush away the gathering tears. As
+his hand left his pocket a smile was on well-nigh every face in the
+audience, but Belton did not see this, but with bowed head, proceeded
+with his pathetic utterances.
+
+The audience of course was struggling between the pathos of his
+remarks and the humor of those dirty socks.
+
+Belton's sweetheart began to cry from chagrin and his mother grew
+restless, anxious to tell him or let him know in some way. Belton's
+head continued bowed in sadness, as he spoke parting words to his
+beloved classmates, and lifted his supposed handkerchief to his eyes
+to wipe away the tears that were now coming freely. The socks had thus
+come close to Belton's nose and he stopped of a sudden and held them
+at arm's length to gaze at that terrible, terrible scent producer.
+When he saw what he held in his hand he flung them in front of him,
+they falling on some students, who hastily brushed them off.
+
+The house, by this time, was in an uproar of laughter; and the
+astonished Belton gazed blankly at the socks lying before him. His
+mind was a mass of confusion. He hardly knew where he was or what
+he was doing. Self-possession, in a measure, returned to him, and he
+said: "Ladies and gentlemen, these socks are from Mississippi. I am
+from Virginia."
+
+This reference to the Mississippian was greeted by an even louder
+outburst of laughter. Belton bowed and left the platform, murmuring
+that he would find and kill the rascal who had played that trick on
+him. The people saw the terrible frown on his face, and the president
+heard the revengeful words, and all feared that the incident was not
+closed.
+
+Belton hurried out of the speakers' room and hastily ran to the city
+to purchase a pistol. Having secured it, he came walking back at a
+furious pace. By this time the exercises were over and friends were
+returning to town. They desired to approach Belton and compliment him,
+and urge him to look lightly on his humorous finale; but he looked so
+desperate that none dared to approach him.
+
+The president was on the lookout for Belton and met him at the door of
+the boys' dormitory. He accosted Belton tenderly and placed his hand
+on his shoulder. Belton roughly pushed him aside and strode into the
+building and roamed through it, in search of his room-mate, whom he
+now felt assured did him the trick.
+
+But his room-mate, foreseeing the consequences of detection, had made
+beforehand every preparation for leaving and was now gone. No one
+could quiet Belton during that whole day, and he spent the night
+meditating plans for wreaking vengeance.
+
+The next morning the president came over early, and entering Belton's
+room, was more kindly received. He took Belton's hand in his and sat
+down near his side. He talked to Belton long and earnestly, showing
+him what an unholy passion revenge was. He showed that such a passion
+would mar any life that yielded to it.
+
+Belton, he urged, was about to allow a pair of dirty socks to wreck
+his whole life. He drew a picture of the suffering Savior, crying out
+between darting pains the words of the sentence, the most sublime ever
+uttered: "Lord forgive them for they know not what they do." Belton
+was melted to tears of repentance for his unholy passion.
+
+Before the president left Belton's side he felt sure that henceforth a
+cardinal principle of his life would be to allow God to avenge all his
+wrongs. It was a narrow escape for Belton; but he thanked God for the
+lesson, severe as it was, to the day of his death. The world will
+also see how much it owes to God for planting that lesson in Belton's
+heart.
+
+Let us relate just one more incident that happened at the winding
+up of Belton's school life. As we have intimated, one young lady, a
+student of the school, was very near to Belton. Though he did not love
+her, his regard for her was very deep and his respect very great.
+
+School closed on Thursday, and the students were allowed to remain in
+the buildings until the following Monday, when, ordinarily, they left.
+The young men were allowed to provide conveyances for the young
+ladies to get to the various depots. They esteemed that a very great
+privilege.
+
+Belton, as you know, was a very poor lad and had but little money.
+After paying his expenses incident to his graduation, and purchasing
+a ticket home, he now had just one dollar and a quarter left. Out of
+this one dollar and a quarter he was to pay for a carriage ride of
+this young lady friend to the railway station. This, ordinarily, cost
+one dollar, and Belton calculated on having a margin of twenty-five
+cents. But you would have judged him the happy possessor of a large
+fortune, merely to look at him.
+
+The carriage rolled up to the girls' dormitory and Belton's friend
+stood on the steps, with her trunks, three in number. When Belton saw
+that his friend had three trunks, his heart sank. In order to be sure
+against exorbitant charges the drivers were always made to announce
+their prices before the journey was commenced. A crowd of girls was
+standing around to bid the young lady adieu. In an off-hand way Belton
+said: "Driver what is your fee?" He replied: "For you and the young
+lady and the trunks, two dollars, sir."
+
+Belton almost froze in his tracks, but, by the most heroic struggling,
+showed no signs of discomfiture on his face. Endeavoring to affect an
+air of indifference, he said: "What is the price for the young lady
+and the trunks?"
+
+"One dollar and fifty cents."
+
+Belton's eyes were apparently fixed on some spot in the immensity of
+space. The driver, thinking that he was meditating getting another
+hackman to do the work, added: "You can call any hackman you choose
+and you won't find one who will do it for a cent less."
+
+Belton's last prop went with this statement. He turned to his friend
+smilingly and told her to enter, with apparently as much indifference
+as a millionaire. He got in and sat by her side; but knew not how on
+earth he was to get out of his predicament.
+
+The young lady chatted gayly and wondered at Belton's dullness.
+Belton, poor fellow, was having a tough wrestle with poverty and
+was trying to coin something out of nothing. Now and then, at some
+humorous remark, he would smile a faint, sickly smile. Thus it went on
+until they arrived at the station. Belton by this time decided upon a
+plan of campaign.
+
+They alighted from the carriage and Belton escorted his friend into
+the coach. He then came back to speak to the driver. He got around the
+corner of the station house, out of sight of the train and beckoned
+for the driver to come to him. The driver came and Belton said:
+"Friend, here is one dollar and a quarter. It is all I have. Trust me
+for the balance until tomorrow."
+
+"Oh! no," replied the driver. "I must have my money to-day. I have to
+report to-night and my money must go in. Just fork over the balance,
+please."
+
+"Well," said Belton rather independently--for he felt that he now had
+the upper hand,--"I have given you all the money that I have. And you
+have got to trust me for the balance. You can't take us back," and
+Belton started to walk away.
+
+The driver said: "May be that girl has some money. I'll see her."
+
+Terror immediately seized Belton, and he clutched at the man eagerly,
+saying: "Ah, no, now, don't resort to any such foolishness. Can't you
+trust a fellow?" Belton was now talking very persuasively.
+
+The driver replied: "I don't do business that way. If I had known that
+you did not have the money I would not have brought you. I am going to
+the young lady."
+
+Belton was now thoroughly frightened and very angry; and he planted
+himself squarely in front of the driver and said: "You shall do no
+such thing!"
+
+The driver heard the train blow and endeavored to pass. Belton grasped
+him by the collar and putting a leg quickly behind him, tripped him
+to the ground, falling on top of him. The driver struggled, but Belton
+succeeded in getting astride of him and holding him down. The train
+shortly pulled out, and Belton jumped up and ran to wave a good-bye to
+his girl friend.
+
+Later in the day, the driver had him arrested and the police justice
+fined him ten dollars. A crowd of white men who heard Belton's story,
+admired his respect for the girl, and paid the fine for him and made
+up a purse.
+
+At Stowe University, Belton had learned to respect women. It was in
+these schools that the work of slavery in robbing the colored women of
+respect, was undone. Woman now occupied the same position in Belton's
+eye as she did in the eye of the Anglo-Saxon.
+
+There is hope for that race or nation that respects its women. It was
+for the smile of a woman that the armored knight of old rode forth
+to deeds of daring. It is for the smile of women that the soldier of
+to-day endures the hardships of the camp and braves the dangers of the
+field of battle.
+
+The heart of man will joyfully consent to be torn to pieces if the
+lovely hand of woman will only agree to bind the parts together again
+and heal the painful wounds.
+
+The Negro race had left the last relic of barbarism behind, and this
+young negro, fighting to keep that cab driver from approaching the
+girl for a fee, was but a forerunner of the negro, who, at the voice
+of a woman, will fight for freedom until he dies, fully satisfied if
+the hand that he worships will only drop a flower on his grave.
+
+Belton's education was now complete, as far as the school-room goes.
+
+What will he do with it?
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+MANY MYSTERIES CLEARED UP.
+
+
+On the day prior to the one on which Bernard first entered the public
+school of Winchester, Fairfax Belgrave had just arrived in the town.
+
+A costly residence, beautifully located and furnished in the most
+luxurious manner, was on the eve of being sold. Mrs. Belgrave
+purchased this house and installed herself as mistress thereof. Here
+she lived in isolation with her boy, receiving no callers and paying
+no visits. Being a devoted Catholic, she attended all the services of
+her church and reared Bernard in that faith.
+
+For a time white and colored people speculated much as to who Mrs.
+Belgrave was, and as to what was the source of her revenue; for she
+was evidently a woman of wealth. She employed many servants and these
+were plied with thousands of questions by people of both races. But
+the life of Mrs. Belgrave was so circumspect, so far removed from
+anything suspicious, and her bearing was so evidently that of a woman
+of pure character and high ideals that speculation died out after a
+year or two, and the people gave up the finding out of her history as
+a thing impossible of achievement. With seemingly unlimited money at
+her command, all of Bernard's needs were supplied and his lightest
+wishes gratified. Mrs. Belgrave was a woman with very superior
+education. The range of her reading was truly remarkable. She
+possessed the finest library ever seen in the northern section
+of Virginia, and all the best of the latest books were constantly
+arriving at her home. Magazines and newspapers arrived by every mail.
+Thus she was thoroughly abreast with the times.
+
+As Bernard grew up, he learned to value associating with his mother
+above every other pleasure. She superintended his literary training
+and cultivated in him a yearning for literature of the highest and
+purest type. Politics, science, art, religion, sociology, and, in
+fact, the whole realm of human knowledge was invaded and explored.
+Such home training was an invaluable supplement to what Bernard
+received in school. When, therefore, he entered Harvard, he at once
+moved to the front rank in every particular. Many white young men of
+wealth and high social standing, attracted by his brilliancy, drew
+near him and became his fast friends. In his graduating year, he was
+so popular as to be elected president of his class, and so scholarly
+as to be made valedictorian.
+
+These achievements on his part were so remarkable that the Associated
+Press telegraphed the news over the country, and many were the
+laudatory notices that he received. The night of his graduation, when
+he had finished delivering his oration that swept all before it as
+does the whirlwind and the hurricane, as he stepped out of the door
+to take his carriage for home, a tall man with a broad face and long
+flowing beard stepped up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.
+
+Bernard turned and the man handed him a note. Tearing the envelope
+open he saw in his mother's well known handwriting the following:
+
+    "Dear Bernie:
+
+    "Follow this man and trust him as you would your loving
+    mother.
+
+      "Fairfax Belgrave."
+
+Bernard dismissed his carriage, ordered to take him to his lodging,
+and spoke to the man who had accosted him, saying that he was at his
+service. They walked a distance and soon were at the railroad station.
+They boarded the train and in due time arrived in Washington, D.C.,
+Bernard asking no questions, knowing that a woman as habitually
+careful as his mother did not send that message without due care and
+grave purpose.
+
+In Washington they took a carriage and were driven to one of the most
+fashionable portions of the city, and stopped before a mansion of
+splendid appearance. Bernard's escort led the way into the house,
+having a key to which all of the doors responded. Bernard was left in
+the parlor and told to remain until some one called for him. The tall
+man with long flowing beard went to his room and removed his disguise.
+
+In a few minutes a negro servant, sent by this man, appeared and led
+Bernard to a room in the rear of the house on the second floor. It was
+a large room having two windows, one facing the east and the other the
+north.
+
+As he stepped into the room he saw sitting directly facing him a
+white man, tall and of a commanding appearance. His hair, and for that
+matter his whole noble looking head and handsome face bore a striking
+resemblance to Bernard's own. The latter perceived the likeness and
+halted in astonishment. The man arose and handed Bernard a note.
+Bernard opened it and found it exactly resembling the one handed him
+just prior to his journey to Washington.
+
+The man eyed Bernard from head to foot with a look that betrayed the
+keenest interest. Opening one of the drawers of his desk he drew
+forth a paper. It was a marriage certificate, certifying to a marriage
+between Fairfax Belgrave and ------.
+
+"I am your mother's lawful husband, and you are my legitimate child."
+
+Bernard knew not what to say, think, or feel. His mother had so
+carefully avoided any mention of her family affairs that he regarded
+them as among things sacred, and he never allowed even his thoughts to
+wander in that direction.
+
+"I am Senator ------ from the state of ------, chairman of ------
+committee."
+
+The information contained in that sentence made Bernard rise from his
+seat with a bound. The man's name was a household word throughout the
+nation, and his reputation was international.
+
+"Be seated, Bernard, I have much to say to you. I have a long story to
+tell. I have been married twice. My first wife's brother was Governor
+of ------ and lived and died a bachelor. He was, however, the father
+of a child, whose mother was a servant connected with his father's
+household. The child was given to my wife to rear, and she accepted
+the charge. The child bloomed into a perfect beauty, possessed a
+charming voice, could perform with extraordinary skill on the piano,
+and seemed to have inherited the mind of her father, whose praises
+have been sung in all the land.
+
+"When this child was seventeen years of age my wife died. This girl
+remained in our house. I was yet a young man. Now that my wife was
+gone, attending to this girl fell entirely into my hands. I undertook
+her education. As her mind unfolded, so many beauteous qualities
+appeared that she excited my warm admiration.
+
+"By chance, I discovered that the girl loved me; not as a father, but
+as she would a lover. She does not know to this day that I made the
+discovery when I did. As for myself, I had for some time been madly in
+love with her. When I discovered, that my affections were returned,
+I made proposals, at that time regarded as honorable enough by the
+majority of white men of the South.
+
+"It seemed as though my proposition did not take her by surprise. She
+gently, but most firmly rejected my proposal. She told me that the
+proposal was of a nature to occasion deep and lasting repugnance, but
+that in my case she blamed circumstances and conditions more than she
+did me. The quiet, loving manner in which she resented insult and left
+no tinge of doubt as to her virtue, if possible, intensified my love.
+A few days later she came to me and said: 'Let us go to Canada and get
+married secretly. I will return South with you. No one shall ever
+know what we have done, and for the sake of your political and social
+future I will let the people apply whatever name they wish to our
+relationship.'
+
+"I gladly embraced the proposal, knowing that she would keep faith
+even unto death; although I realized how keenly her pure soul felt at
+being regarded as living with me dishonorably. Yet, love and interest
+bade her bow her head and receive the public mark of shame.
+
+"Heroic soul! That is the marriage certificate which I showed you. You
+were born. When you were four years old your mother told me that she
+must leave, as she could not bear to see her child grow up esteeming
+her an adulteress.
+
+"The war broke out, and I entered the army, and your mother took you
+to Europe, where she lived until the war was over, when she returned
+to Winchester, Virginia. Her father was a man of wealth, and you own
+two millions of dollars through your mother. At my death you shall
+have eight millions more.
+
+"So much for the past. Let me tell you of my plans and hopes for your
+future. This infernal race prejudice has been the curse of my life.
+Think of my pure-hearted, noble-minded wife, branded as a harlot, and
+you, my own son, stigmatized as a bastard, because it would be suicide
+for me to let the world know that you both are mine, though you both
+are the direct descendants of a governor, and a long line of heroes
+whose names are ornaments to our nation's history.
+
+"I want you to break down this prejudice. It is the wish of your
+mother and your father. You must move in the front, but all that money
+and quiet influence can do shall be done by me for your advancement.
+I paid Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard two thousand dollars a year to
+teach you at Winchester. His is a master mind. One rash deed robbed
+the world of seeing a colossal intellect in high station. I shall tell
+you his history presently.
+
+"I desire you to go to Norfolk County, Virginia, and hang up your
+sign as an attorney at law. I wish you to run for congress from that
+district. Leonard is down there. As you will find out, he will be of
+inestimable service to you.
+
+"Now let me give you his history. Leonard was the most brilliant
+student that ever entered ------ University in the state of ------.
+Just prior to the time when he would have finished his education at
+school, the war broke out and he enlisted in the Confederate Army, and
+was made a colonel of a regiment. I was also a colonel, and when our
+ranks became depleted the two regiments were thrown into one. Though
+he was the ranking officer, our commander, as gallant and intrepid an
+officer as ever trod a battle field, was put in command. This deeply
+humilitated Leonard and he swore to be avenged.
+
+"One evening, when night had just lowered her black wings over the
+earth, we were engaging the enemy. Our commander was in advance of
+his men. Suddenly the commander fell, wounded. At first it was thought
+that the enemy bad shot him, but investigation showed that the ball
+had entered his back. It was presumed, then, that some of his own men
+had mistook him for an enemy and had shot him through mistake. Leonard
+had performed the nefarious deed knowingly. By some skillful detective
+work, I secured incontestible evidence of his guilt. I went to him
+with my proof and informed him of my intentions to lay it before a
+superior officer. His answer was: 'If you do, I will let the whole
+world know about your nigger wife.' I fell back as if stunned. Terror
+seized me. If he knew of my marriage might not others know it? Might
+not it be already generally known? These were the thoughts that
+coursed through my brain. However, with an effort I suppressed my
+alarm. Seeing that each possessed a secret that meant death and
+disgrace to the other (for I shall certainly kill myself if I am ever
+exposed) I entered into an agreement with him.
+
+"On the condition that he would prepare a statement confessing his
+guilt and detailing the circumstances of the crime and put this paper
+in my hand, I would show him my marriage certificate; and after that,
+each was to regard the other's secret as inviolate.
+
+"We thus held each other securely tied. His conscience, however,
+disturbed him beyond measure; and every evening, just after dusk, he
+fancied that he saw the form of his departed commander. It made him
+cowardly in battle and he at last deserted.
+
+"He informed me as to how my secret came into his possession. Soon
+after he committed his crime he felt sure that I was in possession
+of his secret, and he thought to steal into my tent and murder me. He
+stole in there one night to perpetrate the crime. I was talking in my
+sleep. In my slumber I told the story of my secret marriage in such
+circumstantial detail that it impressed him as being true. Feeling
+that he could hold me with that, he spared my life, determined to
+wound me deeper than death if I struck at him.
+
+"You see that he is a cowardly villain; but we sometimes have to use
+such.
+
+"Now, my son, go forth; labor hard and climb high. Scale the high wall
+of prejudice. Make it possible, dear boy, for me to own you ere I pass
+out of life. Let your mother have the veil of slander torn from her
+pure form ere she closes her eyes on earth forever."
+
+Bernard, handsome, brilliant, eloquent, the grandson of a governor,
+the son of a senator, a man of wealth, to whom defeat was a word
+unknown, steps out to battle for the freedom of his race; urged to put
+his whole soul into the fight because of his own burning desire
+for glory, and because out of the gloom of night he heard his grief
+stricken parents bidding him to climb where the cruel world would be
+compelled to give its sanction to the union that produced such a man
+as he.
+
+Bernard's training was over. He now had a tremendous incentive. Into
+life he plunges.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+LOVE AND POLITICS.
+
+
+Acting on his father's advice Bernard arrived in Norfolk in the course
+of a few days. He realized that he was now a politician and decided
+to make a diligent study of the art of pleasing the populace and to
+sacrifice everything to the goddess of fame. Knowing that whom
+the people loved they honored, he decided to win their love at all
+hazards. He decided to become the obedient servant of the people that
+he might thus make all the people his servants.
+
+He took up hie abode at Hotel Douglass, a colored hotel at which the
+colored leaders would often congregate. Bernard mingled with these men
+freely and soon had the name among them of being a jovial good fellow.
+
+While at Harvard, Bernard had studied law simultaneously with
+his other studies and graduated from both the law and classical
+departments the same year.
+
+Near the city court house, in a row of somewhat dilapidated old
+buildings, he rented a law office. The rowdy and criminal element
+infested this neighborhood. Whenever any of these got into
+difficulties, Bernard was always ready to defend them. If they were
+destitute of funds he would serve them free of charge and would often
+pay their fines for them. He was ever ready to go on bonds of any who
+got into trouble. He gave money freely to those who begged of him. In
+this manner he became the very ideal of the vicious element, though
+not accounted by them as one of their number.
+
+Bernard was also equally successful in winning favor with the better
+element of citizens. Though a good Catholic at heart, he divided his
+time among all denominations, thus solving the most difficult problem
+for a Negro leader to solve; for the religious feeling was so intense
+that it was carried into almost every branch of human activity.
+
+Having won the criminal and religious circles, he thought to go forth
+and conquer the social world and secure its support. He decided to
+enter society and pay marked attention to that young lady that would
+most increase his popularity. We shall soon see how this would-be
+conqueror stood the very first fire.
+
+His life had been one of such isolation that he had not at all moved
+in social circles before this, and no young woman had ever made more
+than a passing impression on him.
+
+There was in Norfolk a reading circle composed of the brightest,
+most talented young men and women of the city. Upon taking a short
+vacation, this circle always gave a reception which was attended
+by persons of the highest culture in the city. Bernard received an
+invitation to this reception, and, in company with a fellow lawyer
+attended. The reception was held at the residence of a Miss Evangeline
+Leslie, a member of the circle.
+
+The house was full of guests when Bernard and his friend arrived. They
+rang the door bell and a young lady came to the door to receive them.
+
+She was a small, beautifully formed girl with a luxuriant growth of
+coal black hair that was arranged in such a way as to impart a queenly
+look to her shapely head. Her skin was dark brown, tender and smooth
+in appearance. A pair of laughing hazel eyes, a nose of the prettiest
+possible size and shape, and a chin that tapered with the most
+exquisite beauty made her face the Mecca of all eyes.
+
+Bernard was so struck with the girl's beauty that he did not greet
+her when she opened the door. He stared at her with a blank look. They
+were invited in.
+
+Bernard pulled off his hat and walked in, not saying a word but eyeing
+that pretty girl all the while. Even when his back was turned toward
+her, as he walked, his head was turned over his shoulders and his eye
+surveyed all the graceful curves of her perfect form and scanned those
+features that could but charm those who admire nature's work.
+
+When he had taken a seat in the corner of a room by the side of his
+friend he said: "Pray, who is that girl that met you at the door? I
+really did not know that a dark woman could look so beautiful."
+
+"You are not the only one that thinks that she is surpassingly
+beautiful," said his friend. "Her picture is the only Negro's picture
+that is allowed to hang in the show glasses of the white photographers
+down town. White and colored pay homage to her beauty."
+
+"Well," said Bernard, "that man who denies that girl's beauty should
+be sent to the asylum for the cure of a perverted and abnormal taste."
+
+"I see you are rather enthusiastic. Is it wise to admire mortgaged
+property?" remarked his friend.
+
+"What's that?" asked Bernard, quickly. "Is any body in my way?"
+
+"In your way?" laughed his friend. "Pray what do you mean? I don't
+understand you."
+
+"Come," said Bernard, "I am on pins. Is she married or about to be?"
+
+"Well, not exactly that, but she has told me that she cares a good bit
+for me."
+
+Bernard saw that his friend was in a mood to tease him and he arose
+and left his side.
+
+His friend chuckled gleefully to himself and said: "The would-be
+catcher is caught. I thought Viola Martin would duck him if anybody
+could. Tell me about these smile-proof bachelors. When once they are
+struck, they fall all to pieces at once."
+
+Bernard sought his landlady, who was present as a guest, and through
+her secured an introduction to Miss Viola Martin. He found her
+even more beautiful, if possible, in mind than in form and he sat
+conversing with her all the evening as if enchanted.
+
+The people present were not at all surprised; for as soon as Bernard's
+brilliancy and worth were known in the town and people began to love
+him, it was generally hoped and believed that Miss Martin would take
+him captive at first sight.
+
+Miss Viola Martin was a universal favorite. She was highly educated
+and an elocutionist of no mean ability. She sang sweetly and was the
+most accomplished pianist in town. She was bubbling over with good
+humor and her wit and funny stories were the very life of any circle
+where she happened to be. She was most remarkably well-informed on all
+leading questions of the day, and men of brain always enjoyed a chat
+with her. And the children and older people fairly worshipped her; for
+she paid especial attention to these. In all religious movements among
+the women she was the leading spirit.
+
+With all these points in her favor she was unassuming and bowed her
+head so low that the darts of jealousy, so universally hurled at
+the brilliant and popular, never came her way. No one in Norfolk was
+considered worthy of her heart and hand and the community was tenderly
+solicitous as to who should wed her.
+
+Bernard had made such rapid strides in their affections and esteem
+that they had already assigned him to their pet, Viola, or Vie as she
+was popularly called.
+
+When the time for the departure of the guests arrived, Bernard with
+great regret bade Miss Martin adieu.
+
+She ran upstairs to get her cloak, and a half dozen girls went
+tripping up stairs behind her; when once in the room set apart for the
+ladies' cloaks they began to gleefully pound Viola with pillows and
+smother her with kisses.
+
+"You have made a catch, Vie. Hold him," said one.
+
+"He'll hold himself," said another. To all of which Viola answered
+with a sigh.
+
+A mulatto girl stepped up to Viola and with a merry twinkle in her eye
+said: "Theory is theory and practice is practice, eh, Vie? Well, we
+would hardly blame you in this case."
+
+Viola earnestly replied: "I shall ask for no mercy. Theory and
+practice are one with me in this case."
+
+"Bah, bah, girl, two weeks will change that tune. And I, for one,
+won't blame you," replied the mulatto still in a whisper.
+
+The girls seeing that Viola did not care to be teased about Bernard
+soon ceased, and she came down stairs to be escorted home by the young
+man who had accompanied her there.
+
+This young man was, thus early, jealous of Bernard and angry at Viola
+for receiving his attentions, and as a consequence he was silent all
+the way home.
+
+This gave Viola time to think of that handsome, talented lawyer whom
+she had just met. She had to confess to herself that he had aroused
+considerable interest in her bosom and she looked forward to a
+promised visit with pleasure. But every now and then a sigh would
+escape her, such as she made when the girls were teasing her.
+
+Her escort bade her good-night at her father's gate in a most sullen
+manner, but Viola was so lost in thought that she did not notice
+it. She entered the house feeling lively and cheerful, but when she
+entered her room she burst into crying. She would laugh a while and
+cry a while as though she had a foretaste of coming bliss mixed with
+bitterness.
+
+Bernard at once took the place left vacant by the dropping away of the
+jealous young man and became Viola's faithful attendant, accompanying
+her wherever he could. The more he met Viola, the more beautiful she
+appeared to him and the more admirable he found her mind.
+
+Bernard almost forgot his political aspirations, and began to ponder
+that passage of scripture that said man should not be alone. But he
+did not make such progress with Viola as was satisfactory to him.
+Sometimes she would appear delighted to see him and was all life and
+gayety. Again she was scarcely more than polite and seemed perfectly
+indifferent to him.
+
+After a long while Bernard decided that Viola, who seemed to be very
+ambitious, treated him thus because he had not done anything worthy
+of special note. He somewhat slacked up in his attentions and began
+to devote himself to acquiring wide spread popularity with a view to
+entering Congress and reaching Viola in this way.
+
+The more he drew off from Viola the more friendly she would seem to
+him, and he began to feel that seeming indifference was perhaps the
+way to win her. Thus the matter moved along for a couple of years.
+
+In the mean time, Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard, Bernard's old
+teacher, was busy in Norfolk looking after Bernard's political
+interests, acting under instructions from Bernard's father, Senator
+------.
+
+About this stage of Bernard's courtship Mr. Leonard called on him and
+told him that the time was ripe for Bernard to announce himself
+for Congress. Bernard threw his whole soul into the project. He
+had another great incentive to cause him to wish to succeed, Viola
+Martin's hand and heart.
+
+In order to understand what followed we must now give a bit of
+Virginia political history.
+
+In the year ---- there was a split in the democratic party of Virginia
+on the question of paying Virginia's debt to England. The bolting
+section of the party joined hands with the republicans and whipped
+the regular democrats at the polls. This coalition thus formed was
+eventually made the Republican party of Virginia.
+
+The democrats, however, rallied and swept this coalition from power
+and determined to forever hold the state government if they had to
+resort to fraud. They resorted to ballot box stuffing and various
+other means to maintain control. At last, they passed a law creating a
+state electoral commission.
+
+This commission was composed of three democrats. These three democrats
+were given the power to appoint three persons in each county as an
+Electoral Board. These county electoral boards would appoint judges
+for each precinct or voting place in the county. They would also
+appoint a special constable at each voting booth to assist the
+illiterate voters.
+
+With rare exceptions, the officials were democrats, and with the
+entire state's election machinery in their hands the democrats could
+manage elections according to their "own sweet will." It goes without
+saying that the democrats always carried any and every precinct that
+they decided, and elections were mere farces.
+
+Such was the condition of affairs when Bernard came forward as a
+candidate from the Second Congressional District. The district was
+overwhelmingly republican, but the democrats always secured the
+office.
+
+It was regarded as downright foolhardy to attempt to get elected to
+Congress from the District as a republican; so the nomination was
+merely passed around as an honor, empty enough.
+
+It was such a feeling that inspired the republicans to nominate
+Bernard; but Bernard entered the canvass in dead earnest and conducted
+a brilliant campaign.
+
+The masses of colored people rallied around his flag. Ministers of
+colored churches came to his support. Seeing that the colored people
+were so determined to elect Bernard, the white republicans, leaders
+and followers, fell into line. Viola Martin organized patriotic clubs
+among the women and aroused whatever voters seemed lethargic.
+
+The day of election came and Bernard was elected by a majority
+of 11,823 votes; but the electoral boards gave the certificate of
+election to his opponent, alleging his opponent's majority to be
+4,162.
+
+Bernard decided to contest the election in Congress, and here is where
+Leonard's fine work was shown. He had, for sometime, made it appear in
+Norfolk that he was a democrat of the most radical school. The leading
+democrats made his acquaintance and Leonard very often composed
+speeches for them. He thus became a favorite with certain prominent
+democrats and they let him into the secret workings of the electoral
+machinery. Thus informed, Leonard went to headquarters of the
+Democratic party at Richmond with a view to bribing the clerks to give
+him inside facts. He found the following to be the character of the
+work done at headquarters.
+
+A poll of all the voters in the state was made. The number of white
+and the number of colored voters in each voting precinct was secured.
+The number of illiterate voters of both races was ascertained. With
+these facts in their possession, they had conducted all the campaign
+necessary for them to carry on an election. Of course speakers were
+sent out as a sham, but they were not needed for anything more than
+appearances.
+
+Having the figures indicated above before them, they proceeded to
+assign to each district, each county, each city, each precinct just
+such majorities as they desired, taking pains to make the figures
+appear reasonable and differ somewhat from figures of previous
+years. Whenever it would do no harm, a precinct was granted to the
+republicans for the sake of appearances.
+
+Ballot boxes of varied patterns were secured and filled with ballots
+marked just as they desired. Some ballots were for republicans, some
+for democrats, and some marked wrong so as to indicate the votes of
+illiterates. The majorities, of course, were invariably such as suited
+the democrats. The ballots were all carefully counted and arranged;
+and tabulated statements of the votes cast put in. A sheet for the
+returns was put in, only awaiting the signatures of the officials
+at the various precincts in order to be complete. These boxes were
+carried by trusted messengers to their destinations.
+
+On election day, not these boxes, but boxes similar to them were used
+to receive the ballots. On the night of the election, the ballot boxes
+that actually received the votes were burned with all their contents
+and the boxes and ballots from Richmond were substituted. The judges
+of election took out the return sheet, already prepared, signed it
+and returned it to Richmond forthwith. Thus it could always be
+known thirty days ahead just what the exact vote in detail was to
+be throughout the entire state. In fact a tabulated statement was
+prepared and printed long before election day.
+
+Leonard paid a clerk at headquarters five thousand dollars for one of
+these tabulated statements. With this he hurried on to Washington
+and secretly placed it before the Republican Congressional Campaign
+Committee, with the understanding that it was to be used after
+election day as a basis for possible contest. Fifteen of the most
+distinguished clergymen in the nation were summoned to Washington and
+made affidavits, stating that they had seen this tabulated statement
+twenty days before the election took place.
+
+When Virginia's returns came in they were found to correspond in every
+detail to this tabulated report.
+
+As nothing but a prophet, direct from God, could have foreseen the
+results exactly as they did occur, this tabulated statement was proof
+positive of fraud on a gigantic scale.
+
+With this and a mass of other indisputable evidence at his back,
+secured by the shrewd Leonard, Bernard entered the contest for his
+seat. The House of Representatives was democratic by a small majority.
+The contest was a long and bitter one. The republicans were solidly
+for Bernard. The struggle was eagerly watched from day to day. It
+was commonly believed that the democrats would vote against Bernard,
+despite the clear case in his favor.
+
+The day to vote on the contest at last arrived and the news was
+flashed over the country that Bernard had triumphed. A handful of
+democrats had deserted their party and voted with the republicans.
+Bernard's father had redeemed his promise of secret support. Bernard's
+triumph in a democratic house caused the nation to rub its eyes and
+look again in wonder.
+
+The colored people hailed Bernard as the coming Moses. "Belgrave,
+Belgrave, Belgrave," was on every Negro tongue. Poems were addressed
+to him. Babies were named after him. Honorary titles were showered
+upon him. He was in much demand at fairs and gatherings of notable
+people. He accepted every invitation of consequence, whenever
+possible, and traveled far and wide winning friends by his bewitching
+eloquence and his pleasing personality.
+
+The democrats, after that defeat, always passed the second district by
+and Bernard held his seat in Congress from year to year unmolested.
+He made application and was admitted to plead law before the Supreme
+Court of the United States. And when we shall see him again it will
+be there, pleading in one of the most remarkable cases known to
+jurisprudence.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+CUPID AGAIN AT WORK.
+
+
+Belton, after graduating from Stowe University, returned with his
+mother to their humble home at Winchester. He had been away at school
+for four years and now desired to see his home again before going
+forth into the world.
+
+He remained at Winchester several days visiting all the spots where he
+had toiled or played, mourned or sung, wept or laughed as a child.
+He entered the old school house and gazed with eyes of love on its
+twisting walls, decaying floor and benches sadly in need of repair.
+A somewhat mournful smile played upon his lips as he thought of the
+revengeful act that he had perpetrated upon his first teacher, Mr.
+Leonard, and this smile died away into a more sober expression as he
+remembered how his act of revenge had, like chickens, come home to
+roost, when those dirty socks had made him an object of laughter at
+Stowe University on commencement day.
+
+Revenge was dead in his bosom. And it was well for the world that this
+young negro had been trained in a school where there was a friendly
+lance to open his veins and let out this most virulent of poisons.
+
+Belton lingered about home, thinking of the great problem of human
+life. He would walk out of town near sunset and, taking his seat on
+some grassy knoll would gaze on the Blue Ridge mountains. The light
+would fade out of the sky and the gloom of evening gather, but the
+mountains would maintain their same bold appearance. Whenever he cast
+his eyes in their direction, there they stood firm and immovable.
+
+His pure and lofty soul had an affinity for all things grand and he
+was always happy, even from childhood, when he could sit undisturbed
+and gaze at the mountains, huge and lofty, rising in such
+unconquerable grandeur, upward toward the sky. Belton chose the
+mountain as the emblem of his life and he besought God to make him
+such in the moral world.
+
+At length he tore himself loose from the scenes of his childhood, and
+embracing his fond mother, left Winchester to begin life in the city
+of Richmond, the capital of the old Confederacy. Through the influence
+of Mr. King, his benefactor, he secured a position as a teacher in one
+of the colored schools of that city.
+
+The principal of the school to which Belton was assigned was white,
+but all the rest of the teachers were young colored women. On the
+morning of his arrival at the school building Belton was taken
+in charge by the principal, and by him was carried around to be
+introduced to the various teachers. Before he reaches a certain room,
+let us give you a slight introduction to the occupant thereof.
+
+Antoinette Nermal was famed throughout the city for her beauty,
+intelligence and virtue. Her color was what is termed a light brown
+skin. We assure you that it was charming enough. She was of medium
+height, and for grace and symmetry her form was fit for a sculptor's
+model. Her pretty face bore the stamp of intellectuality, but the
+intellectuality of a beautiful woman, who was still every inch a woman
+despite her intellectuality. Her thin well-formed lips seemed arranged
+by nature in such a manner as to be incomplete without a kiss, and
+that lovely face seemed to reinforce the invitation. Her eyes were
+black, and when you gazed in them the tenderness therein seemed to be
+about to draw you out of yourself. They concealed and yet revealed a
+heart capable of passionate love.
+
+Those who could read her and wished her well were much concerned that
+she should love wisely; for it could be seen that she was to love with
+her whole heart, and to wreck her love was to wreck her life. She had
+passed through all her life thus far without seriously noticing any
+young man, thus giving some the impression that she was incapable of
+love, being so intellectual. Others who read her better knew that
+she despised the butterfly, flitting from flower to flower, and was
+preserving her heart to give it whole into the keeping of some worthy
+man.
+
+She neither sang nor played, but her soul was intensely musical and
+she had the most refined and cultivated taste in the musical circles
+in which she moved. She was amiable in disposition, but her amiability
+was not of the kind to lead her in quest of you; but if you came
+across her, she would treat you so pleasantly that you would desire to
+pass that way again.
+
+Belton and the principal are now on the way to her room. As they
+entered the door her back was to them, as she was gazing out of
+the window. Belton's eyes surveyed her graceful form and he was so
+impressed with its loveliness that he was sorry when she began to turn
+around. But when she was turned full around Belton forgot all about
+her form, and his eyes did not know which to contemplate longest, that
+rich complexion, those charming eyes, or those seductive lips. On the
+other hand, Miss Nermal was struck with Belton's personal appearance
+and as she contemplated the noble, dignified yet genial appearance
+which he presented, her lips came slightly apart, rendering her all
+the more beautiful.
+
+The principal said: "Miss Nermal, allow me to present to you our newly
+arrived associate in the work, Mr. Belton Piedmont."
+
+Miss Nermal smiled to Belton and said: "Mr. Piedmont, we are glad to
+have a man of your acknowledged talents in our midst and we anticipate
+much of you."
+
+Belton felt much flattered, surprised, overjoyed. He wished that
+he could find the person who had been so very kind as to give that
+marvelously beautiful girl such a good opinion of himself. But when he
+opened his mouth to reply he was afraid of saying something that
+would shatter this good opinion; so he bowed politely and merely said,
+"Thank you."
+
+"I trust that you will find our association agreeable," said Miss
+Nermal, smiling and walking toward him.
+
+This remark turned Belton's mind to thoughts that stimulated him to
+a brisk reply. "Oh assuredly, Miss Nermal. I am already more
+than satisfied that I shall expect much joy and pleasure from my
+association with you--I--I--I mean the teachers."
+
+Belton felt that he had made a bad break and looked around a little
+uneasily at the principal, violently condemning in his heart that rule
+which led principals to escort young men around; especially when
+there was a likelihood of meeting with such a lovely girl. If you
+had consulted Belton's wishes at that moment, school would have been
+adjourned immediately, the principal excused, and himself allowed to
+look at and talk to Miss Nermal as much as he desired.
+
+However, this was not to be. The principal moved to the door to
+continue his tour. Belton reluctantly followed. He didn't see the need
+of getting acquainted with all the teachers in one day. He thought
+that there were too many teachers in that building, anyhow. These were
+Belton's rebellious thoughts as he left Miss Nermal's room.
+
+Nevertheless, he finished his journey around to the various rooms
+and afterwards assumed charge of his own room. Some might ascribe his
+awkwardness in his room that day to the fact that the work was new to
+him. But we prefer to think that certain new and pleasing sensations
+in his bosom were responsible.
+
+When the young lady teachers got together at noon that day, the
+question was passed around as to what was thought of Mr. Piedmont.
+Those teachers whom Belton met before he entered Miss Nermal's room
+thought him "very nice." Those whom he met after he left her room
+thought him rather dull. Miss Nermal herself pronounced him "just
+grand."
+
+All of the girls looked at Miss Nermal rather inquiringly when
+she said this, for she was understood to usually pass young men by
+unnoticed. Each of the other girls, previous to seeing Belton, had
+secretly determined to capture the rising young orator in case his
+personal appearance kept pace with his acknowledged talents. In
+debating the matter they had calculated their chances of success and
+had thought of all possible rivals. Miss Nermal was habitually
+so indifferent to young men that they had not considered her as a
+possibility. They were quite surprised, to say the least, to hear her
+speak more enthusiastically of Belton than any of the rest had done.
+If Miss Nermal was to be their rival they were ready to abandon
+the field at once, for the charms of her face, form, and mind were
+irresistible when in repose; and what would they be if she became
+interested in winning the heart of a young man?
+
+When school was dismissed that afternoon Belton saw a group of
+teachers walking homeward and Miss Nermal was in the group. Belton
+joined them and somehow contrived to get by Miss Nermal's side. How
+much she aided him by unobserved shifting of positions is not known.
+
+All of the rest of the group lived nearer the school than did Miss
+Nermal and so, when they had all dropped off at respective gates, Miss
+Nermal yet had some distance to go. When Belton saw this, he was a
+happy fellow. He felt that the parents of the teachers had shown such
+excellent judgment in choosing places to reside. He would not have
+them change for the world. He figured that he would have five evenings
+of undisturbed bliss in each week walking home with Miss Nermal after
+the other teachers had left.
+
+Belton contrived to walk home with the same group each evening. The
+teachers soon noticed that Miss Nermal and Belton invariably walked
+together, and they managed by means of various excuses to break up the
+group; and Belton had the unalloyed pleasure of escorting Miss Nermal
+from the school-house door to her own front yard. Belton secured
+the privilege of calling to see Miss Nermal at her residence and he
+confined his social visits to her house solely.
+
+They did not talk of love to one another, but any one who saw the
+couple together could tell at a glance what was in each heart. Belton,
+however, did not have the courage to approach the subject. His passion
+was so intense and absorbing and filled him with so much delight that
+he feared to talk on the subject so dear to his heart, for fear of
+a repulse and the shattering of all the beautiful castles which his
+glowing imagination, with love as the supervising architect, had
+constructed. Thus matters moved along for some time; Miss Nermal
+thoroughly in love with Belton, but Belton prizing that love too
+highly to deem it possible for him to be the happy possessor thereof.
+
+Belton was anxious for some indirect test. He would often contrive
+little devices to test Miss Nermal's feelings towards him and in
+each case the result was all that he could wish, yet he doubted. Miss
+Nermal thoroughly understood Belton and was anxious for him to find
+some way out of his dilemma. Of course it was out of the question
+for her to volunteer to tell him that she loved him--loved him madly,
+passionately; loved him in every fibre of her soul.
+
+At last the opportunity that Belton was hoping for came. Miss Nermal
+and Belton were invited out to a social gathering of young people one
+night. He was Miss Nermal's escort.
+
+At this gathering the young men and women played games such as pinning
+on the donkey's tail, going to Jerusalem, menagerie, and various other
+parlor games. In former days, these social gatherings played some
+games that called for kissing by the young ladies and gentlemen, but
+Miss Nermal had opposed such games so vigorously that they had long
+since been dismissed from the best circles.
+
+Belton had posted two or three young men to suggest a play involving
+kissing, that play being called, "In the well." The suggestion was
+made and just for the fun of having an old time game played, they
+accepted the suggestion. The game was played as follows.
+
+Young men and young women would move their chairs as close back to the
+walls as possible. This would leave the center of the room clear. A
+young man would take his place in the middle of the floor and say,
+"I am in the well." A questioner would then ask, "How many feet?"
+The party in the well would then say, for instance, "Three feet." The
+questioner would then ask, "Whom will you have to take you out?"
+
+Whosoever was named by the party in the well was required by the rules
+of the game to go to him and kiss him the number of times equivalent
+to the number of feet he was in the well.
+
+The party thus called would then be in the well. The young men would
+kiss the ladies out and vice versa.
+
+Miss Nermal's views on kissing games were well known and the young men
+all passed her by. Finally, a young lady called Belton to the well
+to kiss her out. Belton now felt that his chance had came. He was so
+excited that when he went to the well he forgot to kiss her. Belton
+was not conscious of the omission but it pleased Antoinette immensely.
+
+Belton said, "I am in the well." The questioner asked, "How many
+feet?" Belton replied, "ONLY one." "Whom will you have to take you
+out?" queried the questioner. Belton was in a dazed condition. He was
+astounded at his own temerity in having deliberately planned to call
+Miss Nermal to kiss him before that crowd or for that matter to kiss
+him at all. However he decided to make a bold dash. He averted his
+head and said, "Miss Antoinette Nermal."
+
+All eyes were directed to Miss Nermal to see her refuse. But she cast
+a look of defiance around the room and calmly walked to where Belton
+stood. Their eyes met. They understood each other. Belton pressed
+those sweet lips that had been taunting him all those many days and
+sat down, the happiest of mortals.
+
+Miss Nermal was now left in the well to call for some one to take
+her out. For the first time, it dawned upon Belton that in working
+to secure a kiss for himself, he was about to secure one for some one
+else also. He glared around the room furiously and wondered who would
+be base enough to dare to go and kiss that angel.
+
+Miss Nermal was proceeding with her part of the game and Belton began
+to feel that she did not mind it even if she did have to kiss some one
+else. After all, he thought, his test would not hold good as she was,
+he felt sure, about to kiss another.
+
+While Belton was in agony over such thoughts Miss Nermal came to the
+point where she had to name her deliverer. She said, "The person who
+put me in here will have to take me out." Belton bounded from his seat
+and, if the fervor of a kiss could keep the young lady in the well
+from drowning, Miss Nermal was certainly henceforth in no more danger.
+
+Miss Nermal's act broke up that game.
+
+On the way home that night, neither Antoinette nor Belton spoke a
+word. Their hearts were too full for utterance. When they reached Miss
+Nermal's gate, she opened it and entering stood on the other side,
+facing Belton.
+
+Belton looked down into her beautiful face and she looked up at
+Belton. He felt her eyes pulling at the cords of his heart. He stooped
+down and in silence pressed a lingering kiss on Miss Nermal's lips.
+She did not move.
+
+Belton said, "I am in the well." Miss Nermal whispered, "I am too."
+Belton said, "I shall always be in the well." Miss Nermal said, "So
+shall I." Belton hastily plucked open the gate and clasped Antoinette
+to his bosom. He led her to a double seat in the middle of the lawn,
+and there with the pure-eyed stars gazing down upon them they poured
+out their love to each other.
+
+Two hours later Belton left her and at that late hour roused every
+intimate friend that he had in the city to tell them of his good
+fortune.
+
+Miss Nermal was no less reserved in her joy. She told the good news
+everywhere to all her associates. Love had transformed this modest,
+reserved young woman into a being that would not have hesitated to
+declare her love upon a house-top.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+NO BEFITTING NAME.
+
+
+Happy Belton now began to give serious thought to the question of
+getting married. He desired to lead Antoinette to the altar as soon as
+possible and then he would be sure of possessing the richest treasure
+known to earth. And when he would speak of an early marriage she would
+look happy and say nothing in discouragement of the idea. She was
+Belton's, and she did not care how soon he claimed her as his own.
+
+His poverty was his only barrier. His salary was small, being only
+fifty dollars a month. He had not held his position long enough to
+save up very much money. He decided to start up an enterprise that
+would enable him to make money a great deal faster.
+
+The colored people of Richmond at that time had no newspaper or
+printing office. Belton organized a joint stock company and started a
+weekly journal and conducted a job printing establishment. This paper
+took well and was fast forging to the front as a decided success.
+
+It began to lift up its voice against frauds at the polls and to
+champion the cause of honest elections. It contended that practicing
+frauds was debauching the young men, the flower of the Anglo-Saxon
+race. One particularly meritorious article was copied in _The Temps_
+and commented upon editorially. This article created a great stir in
+political circles.
+
+A search was instituted as to the authorship. It was traced to Belton,
+and the politicians gave the school board orders to dump Belton
+forthwith, on the ground that they could not afford to feed and clothe
+a man who would so vigorously "attack Southern Institutions," meaning
+by this phrase the universal practice of thievery and fraud at the
+ballot box. Belton was summarily dismissed.
+
+His marriage was of necessity indefinitely postponed. The other
+teachers were warned to give no further support to Belton's paper on
+pain of losing their positions. They withdrew their influence from
+Belton and he was, by this means, forced to give up the enterprise.
+
+He was now completely without an occupation, and began to look around
+for employment. He decided to make a trial of politics. A campaign
+came on and he vigorously espoused the cause of the Republicans. A
+congressional and presidential campaign was being conducted at the
+same time, and Belton did yeoman service.
+
+Owing to frauds in the elections the Democrats carried the district
+in which Belton labored, but the vote was closer than was ever known
+before. The Republicans, however, carried the nation and the
+President appointed a white republican as post-master of Richmond. In
+recognition of his great service to his party, Belton was appointed
+stamping clerk in the Post Office at a salary of sixty dollars per
+month.
+
+As a rule, the most prominent and lucrative places went to those who
+were most influential with the voters. Measured by this standard and
+by the standard of real ability, Belton was entitled to the best place
+in the district in the gift of the government; but the color of his
+skin was against him, and he had to content himself with a clerkship.
+
+At the expiration of one year, Belton proudly led the charming
+Antoinette Nermal to the marriage altar, where they became man and
+wife. Their marriage was the most notable social event that had ever
+been known among the colored people of Richmond. All of the colored
+people and many of the white people of prominence were at the wedding
+reception, and costly presents poured in upon them. This brilliant
+couple were predicted to have a glorious future before them. So all
+hearts hoped and felt.
+
+About two years from Belton's appointment as stamping clerk and one
+year from the date of his marriage, a congressional convention was
+held for the purpose of nominating a candidate for Congress. Belton's
+chief, the postmaster, desired a personal friend to have the honor.
+This personal friend was known to be prejudiced against colored people
+and Belton could not, therefore, see his way clear to support him for
+the nomination. He supported another candidate and won for him the
+nomination; but the postmaster dismissed him from his position as
+clerk. Crushed in spirit, Belton came home to tell his wife of their
+misfortune.
+
+Although he was entitled to the postmastership, according to the
+ethics of the existing political condition, he had been given a
+commonplace clerkship. And now, because he would not play the puppet,
+he was summarily dismissed from that humble position. His wife cheered
+him up and bade him to not be despondent, telling him that a man of
+his talents would beyond all question be sure to succeed in life.
+
+Belton began to cast around for another occupation, but, in whatever
+direction he looked, he saw no hope. He possessed a first class
+college education, but that was all. He knew no trade nor was he
+equipped to enter any of the professions. It is true that there were
+positions around by the thousands which he could fill, but his color
+debarred him. He would have made an excellent drummer, salesman,
+clerk, cashier, government official (county, city, state, or national)
+telegraph operator, conductor, or any thing of such a nature. But the
+color of his skin shut the doors so tight that he could not even peep
+in.
+
+The white people would not employ him in these positions, and the
+colored people did not have any enterprises in which they could employ
+him. It is true that such positions as street laborer, hod-carrier,
+cart driver, factory hand, railroad hand, were open to him; but such
+menial tasks were uncongenial to a man of his education and polish.
+And, again, society positively forbade him doing such labor. If a man
+of education among the colored people did such manual labor, he was
+looked upon as an eternal disgrace to the race. He was looked upon as
+throwing his education away and lowering its value in the eyes of the
+children who were to come after him.
+
+So, here was proud, brilliant Belton, the husband of a woman whom he
+fairly worshipped, surrounded in a manner that precluded his earning
+a livelihood for her. This set Belton to studying the labor situation
+and the race question from this point of view. He found scores of
+young men just in his predicament. The schools were all supplied with
+teachers. All other doors were effectually barred. Society's stern
+edict forbade these young men resorting to lower forms of labor. And
+instead of the matter growing better, it was growing worse, year by
+year. Colleges were rushing class after class forth with just his kind
+of education, and there was no employment for them.
+
+These young men, having no employment, would get together in groups
+and discuss their respective conditions. Some were in love and desired
+to marry. Others were married and desired to support their wives in a
+creditable way. Others desired to acquire a competence. Some had aged
+parents who had toiled hard to educate them and were looking to them
+for support. They were willing to work but the opportunity was denied
+them. And the sole charge against them was the color of their skins.
+They grew to hate a flag that would float in an undisturbed manner
+over such a condition of affairs. They began to abuse and execrate
+a national government that would not protect them against color
+prejudice, but on the contrary actually practiced it itself.
+
+Beginning with passively hating the flag, they began to think of
+rebelling against it and would wish for some foreign power to come
+in and bury it in the dirt. They signified their willingness to
+participate in such a proceeding.
+
+It is true that it was only a class that had thought and spoke of
+this, but it was an educated class, turned loose with an idle brain
+and plenty of time to devise mischief. The toiling, unthinking masses
+went quietly to their labors, day by day, but the educated malcontents
+moved in and out among them, convincing them that they could not
+afford to see their men of brains ignored because of color.
+
+Belton viewed this state of affairs with alarm and asked himself,
+whither was the nation drifting. He might have joined this army of
+malcontents and insurrection breeders, but that a very remarkable and
+novel idea occurred to him. He decided to endeavor to find out
+just what view the white people were taking of the Negro and of the
+existing conditions. He saw that the nation was drifting toward a
+terrible cataract and he wished to find out what precautionary steps
+the white people were going to take.
+
+So he left Richmond, giving the people to understand that he was gone
+to get a place to labor to support his wife. The people thought it
+strange that he did not tell where he was going and what he was to do.
+Speculation was rife. Many thought that it was an attempt at deserting
+his wife, whom he seemed unable to support. He arranged to visit his
+wife twice a month.
+
+He went to New York and completely disguised himself. He bought a wig
+representing the hair on the head of a colored woman. He had this
+wig made especially to his order. He bought an outfit of well
+fitting dresses and other garments worn by women. He clad himself and
+reappeared in Richmond. His wife and most intimate friends failed to
+recognize him. He of course revealed his identity to his wife but to
+no one else.
+
+He now had the appearance of a healthy, handsome, robust colored girl,
+with features rather large for a woman but attractive just the
+same. In this guise Belton applied for a position as nurse and was
+successful in securing a place in the family of a leading white man.
+He loitered near the family circle as much as he could. His ear was
+constantly at the key holes, listening. Sometimes he would engage in
+conversation for the purpose of drawing them out on the question of
+the Negro.
+
+He found out that the white man was utterly ignorant of the nature of
+the Negro of to-day with whom he has to deal. And more than that, he
+was not bothering his brain thinking about the Negro. He felt that the
+Negro was easily ruled and was not an object for serious thought. The
+barbers, the nurses, cooks and washerwomen, the police column of the
+newspapers, comic stories and minstrels were the sources through which
+the white people gained their conception of the Negro. But the real
+controling power of the race that was shaping its life and thought
+and preparing the race for action, was unnoticed and in fact unseen by
+them.
+
+The element most bitterly antagonistic to the whites avoided them,
+through intense hatred; and the whites never dreamed of this powerful
+inner circle that was gradually but persistently working its way in
+every direction, solidifying the race for the momentous conflict
+of securing all the rights due them according to the will of their
+heavenly Father.
+
+Belton also stumbled upon another misconception, which caused him
+eventually to lose his job as nurse. The young men in the families
+in which Belton worked seemed to have a poor opinion of the virtue of
+colored women. Time and again they tried to kiss Belton, and he would
+sometimes have to exert his full strength to keep them at a distance.
+He thought that while he was a nurse, he would do what he could to
+exalt the character of the colored women. So, at every chance he got,
+he talked to the men who approached him, of virtue and integrity.
+He soon got the name of being a "virtuous prude" and the white men
+decided to corrupt him at all hazards.
+
+Midnight carriage rides were offered and refused. Trips to distant
+cities were proposed but declined. Money was offered freely and
+lavishly but to no avail. Belton did not yield to them. He became the
+cynosure of all eyes. He seemed so hard to reach, that they began to
+doubt his sex. A number of them decided to satisfy themselves at all
+hazards. They resorted to the bold and daring plan of kidnapping and
+overpowering Belton.
+
+After that eventful night Belton did no more nursing. But fortunately
+they did not recognize who he was. He secretly left, had it announced
+that Belton Piedmont would in a short time return to Richmond, and
+throwing off his disguise, he appeared in Richmond as Belton Piedmont
+of old. The town was agog with excitement over the male nurse, but
+none suspected him. He was now again without employment, and another
+most grievous burden was about to be put on his shoulders. May God
+enable him to bear it.
+
+During all the period of their poverty stricken condition, Antoinette
+bore her deprivations like a heroine. Though accustomed from her
+childhood to plenty, she bore her poverty smilingly and cheerfully.
+Not one sigh of regret, not one word of complaint escaped her lips.
+She taught Belton to hope and have faith in himself. But everything
+seemed to grow darker and darker for him. In the whole of his school
+life, he had never encountered a student who could surpass him in
+intellectual ability; and yet, here he was with all his conceded
+worth, unable to find a fit place to earn his daily bread, all because
+of the color of his skin. And now the Lord was about to bless him with
+an offspring. He hardly knew whether to be thankful or sorrowful over
+this prospective gift from heaven.
+
+On the one hand, an infant in the home would be a source of unbounded
+joy; but over against this pleasing picture there stood cruel want
+pointing its wicked, mocking finger at him, anxious for another
+victim. As the time for the expected gift drew near, Belton grew more
+moody and despondent. Day by day he grew more and more nervous. One
+evening the nurse called him into his wife's room, bidding him come
+and look at his son. The nurse stood in the door and looked hard at
+Belton as he drew near to the side of his wife's bed. He lifted the
+lamp from the dresser and approached. Antoinette turned toward the
+wall and hid her head under the cover. Eagerly, tremblingly, Belton
+pulled the cover from the little child's face, the nurse all the while
+watching him as though her eyes would pop out of her head.
+
+Belton bent forward to look at his infant son. A terrible shriek broke
+from his lips. He dropped the lamp upon the floor and fled out of the
+house and rushed madly through the city. The color of Antoinette was
+brown. The color of Belton was dark. But the child was white!
+
+What pen can describe the tumult that raged in Belton's bosom for
+months and months! Sadly, disconsolately, broken in spirit,
+thoroughly dejected, Belton dragged himself to his mother's cottage at
+Winchester. Like a ship that had started on a voyage, on a bright day,
+with fair winds, but had been overtaken and overwhelmed in an ocean
+storm, and had been put back to shore, so Belton now brought his
+battered bark into harbor again.
+
+His brothers and sisters had all married and had left the maternal
+roof. Belton would sleep in the loft from which in his childhood he
+tumbled down, when disturbed about the disappearing biscuits. How he
+longed and sighed for childhood's happy days to come again. He felt
+that life was too awful for him to bear.
+
+His feelings toward his wife were more of pity than reproach. Like the
+multitude, he supposed that his failure to properly support her had
+tempted her to ruin. He loved her still if anything, more passionately
+than ever. But ah! what were his feelings in those days toward the
+flag which he had loved so dearly, which had floated proudly and
+undisturbed, while color prejudice, upheld by it, sent, as he thought,
+cruel want with drawn sword to stab his family honor to death. Belton
+had now lost all hope of personal happiness in this life, and as he
+grew more and more composed he found himself better prepared than ever
+to give his life wholly to the righting of the wrongs of his people.
+
+Tenderly he laid the image of Antoinette to rest in a grave in the
+very center of his heart. He covered her grave with fragrant flowers;
+and though he acknowledged the presence of a corpse in his heart,
+'twas the corpse of one he loved.
+
+We must leave our beautiful heroine under a cloud just here, but God
+is with her and will bring her forth conqueror in the sight of men and
+angels.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ON THE DISSECTING BOARD.
+
+
+About this time the Legislature of Louisiana passed a law designed
+to prevent white people from teaching in schools conducted in the
+interest of Negroes.
+
+A college for Negroes had been located at Cadeville for many years,
+presided over by a white minister from the North. Under the operations
+of the law mentioned, he was forced to resign his position.
+
+The colored people were, therefore, under the necessity of casting
+about for a successor. They wrote to the president of Stowe University
+requesting him to recommend a man competent to take charge of the
+college. The president decided that Belton was an ideal man for the
+place and recommended him to the proper authorities. Belton was duly
+elected.
+
+He again bade home adieu and boarded the train for Cadeville,
+Louisiana. Belton's journey was devoid of special interest until
+he arrived within the borders of the state. At that time the law
+providing separate coaches for colored and white people had not been
+enacted by any of the Southern States. But in some of them the whites
+had an unwritten but inexorable law, to the effect that no Negro
+should be allowed to ride in a first-class coach. Louisiana was one of
+these states, but Belton did not know this. So, being in a first-class
+coach when he entered Louisiana, he did not get up and go into a
+second-class coach. The train was speeding along and Belton was
+quietly reading a newspaper. Now and then he would look out of a
+window at the pine tree forest near the track. The bed of the railway
+had been elevated some two or three feet above the ground, and to get
+the dirt necessary to elevate it a sort of trench had been dug, and
+ran along beside the track. The rain had been falling very copiously
+for the two or three days previous, and the ditch was full of muddy
+water. Belton's eyes would now and then fall on this water as they
+sped along.
+
+In the meanwhile the train began to get full, passengers getting on
+at each station. At length the coach was nearly filled. A white lady
+entered, and not at once seeing a vacant seat, paused a few seconds to
+look about for one. She soon espied an unoccupied seat. She proceeded
+to it, but her slight difficulty had been noted by the white
+passengers.
+
+Belton happened to glance around and saw a group of white men in an
+eager, animated conversation, and looking in his direction now and
+then as they talked. He paid no especial attention to this, however,
+and kept on reading. Before he was aware of what was going on, he
+was surrounded by a group of angry men. He stood up in surprise to
+discover its meaning. "Get out of this coach. We don't allow niggers
+in first-class coaches. Get out at once," said their spokesman.
+
+"Show me your authority to order me out, sir," said Belton firmly.
+
+"We are our own authority, as you will soon find out if you don't get
+out of here."
+
+"I propose," said Belton, "to stay right in this coach as long----"
+He did not finish the sentence, for rough fingers were clutching his
+throat. The whole group was upon him in an instant and he was soon
+overpowered. They dragged him into the aisle, and, some at his head
+and others at his feet, lifted him and bore him to the door. The train
+was speeding along at a rapid rate. Belton grew somewhat quiet in his
+struggling, thinking to renew it in the second-class coach, whither
+he supposed they were carrying him. But when they got to the platform,
+instead of carrying him across they tossed him off the train into that
+muddy ditch at which Belton had been looking. His body and feet fell
+into the water while his head buried itself in the soft clay bed.
+
+The train was speeding on and Belton eventually succeeded in
+extricating himself from his bed of mud and water. Covered from head
+to foot with red clay, the president-elect of Cadeville College walked
+down to the next station, two miles away. There he found his satchel,
+left by the conductor of the train. He remained at this station until
+the afternoon, when another train passed. This time he entered the
+second-class coach and rode unmolested to Monroe, Louisiana. There
+he was to have changed cars for Cadeville. The morning train, the one
+from which he was thrown, made connection with the Cadeville train,
+but the afternoon train did not. So he was under the necessity of
+remaining over night in the city of Monroe, a place of some twenty
+thousand inhabitants.
+
+Being hungry, he went forth in quest of a meal. He entered a
+restaurant and asked the white man whom he saw behind the counter for
+a meal. The white man stepped into a small adjoining room to fill the
+order, and Belton eat down on a high stool at the eating counter. The
+white man soon returned with some articles of food in a paper bag.
+Seeing Belton sitting down, he cried out: "Get up from there, you
+nigger. It would cost me a hundred dollars for you to be seen sitting
+there."
+
+Belton looked up in astonishment, "Do you mean to say that I must
+stand up here and eat?" he asked.
+
+"No, I don't mean any such thing. You must go out of here to eat."
+
+"Then," replied Belton, "I shall politely leave your food on your
+hands if I cannot be allowed to eat in here."
+
+"I guess you won't," the man replied. "I have cut this ham off for you
+and you have got to take it."
+
+Belton, remembering his experience earlier in the day, began to move
+toward the door to leave. The man seized a whistle and in an instant
+two or three policemen came running, followed by a crowd. Belton stood
+still to await developments. The clerk said to the policeman: "This
+high-toned nigger bought a meal of me and because I would not let him
+sit down and eat like white people he refused to pay me."
+
+The officers turned to Belton and said: "Pay that man what you owe
+him."
+
+Belton replied: "I owe him nothing. He refuses to accommodate me, and
+I therefore owe him nothing."
+
+"Come along with me, sir. Consider yourself under arrest."
+
+Wondering what kind of a country he had entered, Belton followed the
+officer and incredible as it may seem, was locked up in jail for the
+night. The next morning he was arraigned before the mayor, whom the
+officer had evidently posted before the opening of court. Belton was
+fined five dollars for vagrancy and was ordered to leave town within
+five hours. He paid his fine and boarded the train for Cadeville.
+
+As the train pulled in for Cadeville, a group of white men were seen
+standing on the platform. One of them was a thin, scrawny looking man
+with a long beard, very, very white. His body was slightly stooping
+forward, and whenever he looked at you he had the appearance of
+bending as if to see you better. When Belton stepped on to the
+platform this man, who was the village doctor, looked at him keenly.
+
+Belton was a fine specimen of physical manhood. His limbs were well
+formed, well proportioned and seemed as strong as oak. His manly
+appearance always excited interest wherever he was seen. The doctor's
+eyes followed him cadaverously. He went up to the postmaster, a short
+man with a large head. The postmaster was president of the band of
+"Nigger Rulers" of that section.
+
+The doctor said to the postmaster: "I'll be durned if that ain't the
+finest lookin' darkey I ever put my eye on. If I could get his body to
+dissect, I'd give one of the finest kegs of whiskey in my cellar."
+
+The postmaster looked at Belton and said: "Zakeland," for such was the
+doctor's name, "you are right. He is a fine looking chap, and he looks
+a little tony. If we 'nigger rulers' are ever called in to attend to
+him we will not burn him nor shoot him to pieces. We will kill him
+kinder decent and let you have him to dissect. I shall not fail to
+call for that whiskey to treat the boys." So saying they parted.
+
+Belton did not hear this murderous conversation respecting himself. He
+was joyfully received by the colored people of Cadeville, to whom
+he related his experiences. They looked at him as though he was a
+superior being bearing a charmed life, having escaped being killed. It
+did not come to their minds to be surprised at the treatment accorded
+him for what he had done. Their wonder was as to how he got off so
+easily.
+
+Belton took charge of the school and began the faithful performance of
+his duties. He decided to add an industrial department to his school
+and traveled over the state and secured the funds for the work. He
+sent to New Orleans for a colored architect and contractor who drew
+the plans and accepted the contract for erecting the building.
+
+They decided to have colored men erect the building and gathered a
+force for that purpose. The white brick-masons of Monroe heard of
+this. They organized a mob, came to Cadeville and ordered the men
+to quit work. They took charge of the work themselves, letting the
+colored brick-masons act as hod carriers for them. They employed a
+white man to supervise the work. The colored people knew that it meant
+death to resist and they paid the men as though nothing unusual had
+happened.
+
+Belton had learned to observe and wait. These outrages sank like
+molten lead into his heart, but he bore them all. The time for the
+presidential election was drawing near and he arose in the chapel one
+morning to lecture to the young men on their duty to vote.
+
+One of the village girls told her father of Belton's speech. The old
+man was shaving his face and had just shaved off one side of his beard
+when his daughter told him. He did not stop to pull the towel from
+around his neck nor to put down his razor. He rushed over to the house
+where Belton boarded and burst into his room. Belton threw up his
+hands in alarm at seeing this man come, razor in hand, towel around
+his neck and beard half off and half on. The man sat down to catch
+his breath. He began: "Mr. Piedmont, I learn that you are advising our
+young men to vote. I am sure you don't know in what danger you stand.
+I have come to give you the political history of this section of
+Louisiana. The colored people of this region far outnumber the white
+people, and years ago had absolute control of everything. The whites
+of course did not tamely submit, but armed themselves to overthrow us.
+We armed ourselves, and every night patrolled this road all night long
+looking for the whites to come and attack us. My oldest brother is
+a very cowardly and sycophantic man. The white people made a spy and
+traitor out of him. When the people found out that there was treachery
+in our ranks it demoralized them, and our organization went to pieces.
+
+"We had not the authority nor disposition to kill a traitor, and
+consequently we had no effective remedy against a betrayal. When the
+news of our demoralized condition reached the whites it gave them
+fresh courage, and they have dominated us ever since. They carry on
+the elections. We stay in our fields all day long on election day
+and scarcely know what is going on. Not long since a white man came
+through here and distributed republican ballots. The white people
+captured him and cut his body into four pieces and threw it in the
+Ouachita River. Since then you can't get any man to venture here to
+distribute ballots.
+
+"Just before the last presidential campaign, two brothers, Samuel and
+John Bowser, colored, happened to go down to New Orleans. Things are
+not so bad down there as they are up here in Northern Louisiana. These
+two brothers each secured a republican party ballot, and on election
+day somewhat boastfully cast them into the ballot box. There is, as
+you have perhaps heard, a society here known as 'Nigger Rulers.' The
+postmaster of this place is president of the society, and the teacher
+of the white public school is the captain of the army thereof.
+
+"They sent word to the Bowser brothers that they would soon be there
+to whip them. The brothers prepared to meet them. They cut a hole
+in the front side of the house, through which they could poke a gun.
+Night came on, and true to their word the 'Nigger Rulers' came. Samuel
+Bowser fired when they were near the house and one man fell dead.
+All of the rest fled to the cover of the neighboring woods. Soon they
+cautiously returned and bore away their dead comrade. They made no
+further attack that night.
+
+"The brothers hid out in the woods. Hearing of this and fearing that
+the men would make their escape the whites gathered in force and
+hemmed in the entire settlement on all sides. For three days the men
+hid in the woods, unable to escape because of the guard kept by the
+whites. The third night a great rain came up and the whites sought the
+shelter of their homes.
+
+"The brothers thus had a chance to escape. John escaped into Arkansas,
+but Samuel, poor fool, went only forty miles, remaining in Louisiana.
+The mob forced one of our number, who escorted him on horseback, to
+inform them of the road that Samuel took. In this way they traced and
+found him. They tied him on a horse and brought him back here with
+them. They kept him in the woods three days, torturing him. On the
+third day we heard the loud report of a gun which we supposed ended
+his life. None of us know where he lies buried. You can judge from
+this why we neglect voting."
+
+This speech wound up Belton's political career in Cadeville. He
+thanked the man for the information, assuring him that it would be of
+great value to him in knowing how to shape his course.
+
+After Belton had been at Cadeville a few years, he had a number of
+young men and women to graduate from the various departments of his
+school. He invited the pastor of a leading white church of Monroe to
+deliver an oration on the day of commencement exercises. The preacher
+came and was most favorably impressed with Belton's work, as exhibited
+in the students then graduating. He esteemed Belton as a man of great
+intellectual power and invited him to call at his church and house if
+he ever came to Monroe.
+
+Belton was naturally greatly elated over this invitation from a
+Southerner and felt highly complimented. One Sabbath morning, shortly
+thereafter, Belton happened to be in Monroe, and thinking of the
+preacher's kind invitation, went to his church to attend the morning
+service. He entered and took a seat near the middle of the church.
+
+During the opening exercises a young white lady who sat by his side
+experienced some trouble in finding the hymn. Belton had remembered
+the number given out and kindly took the book to find it. In an
+instant the whole church was in an uproar. A crowd of men gathered
+around Belton and led him out of doors. A few leaders went off to
+one side and held a short consultation. They decided that as it was
+Sunday, they would not lynch him. They returned to the body of men yet
+holding Belton and ordered him released. This evidently did not please
+the majority, but he was allowed to go.
+
+That afternoon Belton called at the residence of the minister in order
+to offer an explanation. The minister opened the door, and seeing
+who it was, slammed it in his face. Belton turned away with many
+misgivings as to what was yet to come. Dr. Zackland always spent
+his Sundays at Monroe and was a witness of the entire scene in which
+Belton had figured so prominently. He hastened out of church, and as
+soon as he saw Belton turned loose, hurried to the station and boarded
+the train for Cadeville, leaving his hymn book and Bible on his seat
+in the church. His face seemed lighted up with joy. "I've got him at
+last. Careful as he has been I've got him," he kept repeating over and
+over to himself.
+
+He left the train at Cadeville and ran to the postmaster's house,
+president of the "Nigger Rulers," and he was out of breath when he
+arrived there. He sat down, fanned himself with his hat, and when
+sufficiently recovered, said: "Well, we will have to fix that nigger,
+Piedmont. He is getting too high."
+
+"What's that he has been doing now? I have looked upon him as being an
+uncommonly good nigger. I have kept a good eye on him but haven't even
+had to hint at him," said the postmaster."
+
+"Well, he has shown his true nature at last. He had the gall to enter
+a white church in Monroe this morning and actually took a seat down
+stairs with the white folks; he did not even look at the gallery where
+he belonged."
+
+"Is that so?" burst out the postmaster incredulously.
+
+"I should say he did, and that's not all. A white girl who sat by him
+and could not read very well, failed to find the hymn at once. That
+nigger actually had the impudence to take her book and find the place
+for her."
+
+"The infernal scoundrel. By golly, he shall hang," broke in the
+postmaster.
+
+Dr. Zackland continued: "Naturally the congregation was infuriated
+and soon hustled the impudent scoundrel out. If services had not been
+going on, and if it had not been Sunday, there is no telling what
+would have happened. As it was they turned him loose. I came here
+to tell you, as he is our 'Nigger' living here at Cadeville, and the
+'Nigger Rulers' of Cadeville will be disrespected if they let such
+presumptuous niggers go about to disturb religious services."
+
+"You are right about that, and we must soon put him out of the way.
+To-night will be his last night on earth," replied the postmaster.
+
+"Do you remember our bargain that we made about that nigger when he
+came about here?" asked Dr. Zackland.
+
+"No," answered the postmaster.
+
+"Well, I do. I have been all along itching for a chance to carry it
+out. You were to give me the nigger's body for dissecting purposes, in
+return for which I was to give you a keg of my best whiskey," said Dr.
+Zackland.
+
+"Ha, ha, ha," laughed the postmaster, "I do remember it now."
+
+"Well, I'll certainly stick up to my part of the program if you will
+stick to yours."
+
+"You can bet on me," returned Dr. Zackland. "I have a suggestion to
+make about the taking off of the nigger. Don't have any burning or
+riddling with bullets. Just hang him and fire one shot in the back of
+his head. I want him whole in the interest of society. That whiskey
+will be the finest that you will ever have and I want a good bargain
+for it."
+
+"I'll follow your instructions to the letter," answered the
+postmaster. "I'll just tell the boys that he, being a kind of decent
+nigger, we will give him a decent hanging. Meantime, Doctor, I must
+get out. To-day is Sunday and we must do our work to-morrow night. I
+must get a meeting of the boys to-night." So saying, the two arose,
+left the house and parted, one going to gather up his gang and the
+other to search up and examine his dissecting appliances.
+
+Monday night about 9 o'clock a mob came and took Belton out into
+the neighboring woods. He was given five minutes to pray, at the
+expiration of which time he was to be hanged. Belton seemed to have
+foreseen the coming of the mob, but felt somehow that God was at work
+to deliver him. Therefore he made no resistance, having unshaken faith
+in God.
+
+The rope was adjusted around his neck and thrown over the limb of a
+tree and Belton was swinging up. The postmaster then slipped forward
+and fired his pistol at the base of his skull and the blood came
+oozing forth. He then ordered the men to retire, as he did not care
+for them to remain to shoot holes in the body, as was their custom.
+
+As soon as they retired, three men sent by Dr. Zackland stole out of
+hiding and cut Belton's body down. Belton was not then dead, for
+he had only been hanging for seven minutes, and the bullet had not
+entered the skull but had simply ploughed its way under the skin. He
+was, however, unconscious, and to all appearances dead.
+
+The three men bore him to Dr. Zackland's residence, and entered a rear
+door. They laid him on a dissecting table in the rear room, the room
+in which the doctor performed all surgical operations.
+
+Dr. Zackland came to the table and looked down on Belton with a happy
+smile. To have such a robust, well-formed, handsome nigger to dissect
+and examine he regarded as one of the greatest boons of his medical
+career.
+
+The three men started to retire. "Wait," said Dr. Zackland, "let us
+see if he is dead."
+
+Belton had now returned to consciousness but kept his eyes closed,
+thinking it best to feign death. Dr. Zackland cut off the hair in
+the neighborhood of the wound in the rear of Belton's head and began
+cutting the skin, trying to trace the bullet. Belton did not wince.
+
+"The nigger is dead or else he would show some sign of life. But I
+will try pricking his palm." This was done, but while the pain was
+exceedingly excruciating, Belton showed no sign of feeling. "You may
+go now," said the doctor to his three attendants, "he is certainly
+dead."
+
+The men left. Dr. Zackland pulled out his watch and said: "It is now
+10 o'clock. Those doctors from Monroe will be here by twelve. I can
+have everything exactly ready by that time."
+
+A bright ray of hope passed into Belton's bosom. He had two hours more
+of life, two hours more in which to plan an escape. Dr. Zackland was
+busy stirring about over the room. He took a long, sharp knife and
+gazed at its keen edge. He placed this on the dissecting table near
+Belton's feet. He then passed out of doors to get a pail of water, and
+left the door ajar.
+
+He went to his cabinet to get out more surgical instruments, and
+his back was now turned to Belton and he was absorbed in what he was
+doing. Belton's eyes had followed every movement, but in order to
+escape attention his eyelids were only slightly open. He now raised
+himself up, seized the knife that was near his feet and at a bound was
+at the doctor's side.
+
+The doctor turned around and was in dread alarm at the sight of the
+dead man returned to life. At that instant he was too terrified to
+act or scream, and before he could recover his self-possession Belton
+plunged the knife through his throat. Seizing the dying man he laid
+him on the dissecting board and covered him over with a sheet.
+
+He went to the writing desk and quickly scrawled the following note.
+
+  "DOCTORS:
+
+  "I have stepped out for a short while.
+  Don't touch the nigger until I come.
+
+    "Zackland."
+
+He pinned this note on that portion of the sheet where it would
+attract attention at once if one should begin to uncover the corpse.
+He did this to delay discovery and thus get a good start on those who
+might pursue him.
+
+Having done this he crept cautiously out of the room, leapt the back
+fence and made his way to his boarding place. He here changed his
+clothes and disappeared in the woods. He made his way to Baton Rouge
+and sought a conference with the Governor. The Governor ordered him
+under arrest and told him that the best and only thing he could do was
+to send him back to Cadeville under military escort to be tried for
+murder.
+
+This was accordingly done. The community was aroused over the death
+of Dr. Zackland at the hands of a negro. The sending of the military
+further incensed them. At the trial which followed, all evidence
+respecting the mob was excluded as irrelevant. Robbery was the motive
+assigned for the deed. The whole family with which Belton lived were
+arraigned as accomplices, because his bloody clothes were found in his
+room in their house.
+
+During the trial, the jury were allowed to walk about and mingle
+freely with the people and be thus influenced by the bitter public
+sentiment against Belton. Men who were in the mob that attempted
+Belton's murder were on the jury. In fact, the postmaster was the
+foreman. Without leaving their seats the jury returned a verdict of
+guilty in each case and all were sentenced to be hanged.
+
+The prisoners were taken to the New Orleans jail for safe keeping.
+While incarcerated here awaiting the day of execution, a newspaper
+reporter of a liberal New Orleans paper called on the prisoners. He
+was impressed with Belton's personality and promised to publish
+any statement that Belton would write. Belton then gave a thorough
+detailed account of every happening. The story was telegraphed
+broadcast and aroused sympathetic interest everywhere.
+
+Bernard read an account of it and hastened to his friend's side in New
+Orleans. In response to a telegram from Bernard a certain influential
+democratic senator came to New Orleans. Influence was brought to bear,
+and though all precedent was violated, the case was manoeuvred to the
+Supreme Court of the United States. Before this tribunal Bernard made
+the speech of his life and added to his fame as an orator. Competent
+judges said that the like of it had not been heard since the days of
+Daniel Webster.
+
+As he pleaded for his friend and the others accused the judges of
+the Supreme Court wept scalding tears. Bernard told of Belton's noble
+life, his unassuming ways, his pure Christianity. The decision of the
+lower court was reversed, a change of venue granted, a new trial held
+and an acquittal secured.
+
+Thus ended the tragic experience that burned all the remaining dross
+out of Belton's nature and prepared him for the even more terrible
+ordeal to follow in after years.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+MARRIED AND YET NOT MARRIED.
+
+
+Bernard was now at the very acme of fame. He had succeeded in becoming
+the most noted negro of his day. He felt that the time was not ripe
+for him to gather up his wealth and honors and lay them, with his
+heart, at Viola's feet. One afternoon he invited Viola to go out buggy
+riding with him, and decided to lay bare his heart to her before their
+return home. They drove out of Norfolk over Campostella bridge and
+went far into the country, chatting pleasantly, oblivious of the farm
+hands preparing the soil for seed sowing; for it was in balmy spring.
+About eight o'clock they were returning to the city and Bernard felt
+his veins throbbing; for he had determined to know his fate before he
+reached Viola's home. When midway the bridge he pulled his reins and
+the horse stood still. The dark waters of the small river swept on
+beneath them. Night had just begun to spread out her sombre wings,
+bedecked with silent stars. Just in front of them, as they looked out
+upon the center of the river, the river took a bend which brought a
+shore directly facing them. A green lawn began from the shore and ran
+back to be lost in the shadows of the evening. Amid a group of trees,
+there stood a little hut that looked to be the hut of an old widower,
+for it appeared neglected, forsaken, sad.
+
+Bernard gazed at this lonesome cottage and said: "Viola, I feel
+to-night that all my honors are empty. They feel to me like a load
+crushing me down rather than a pedestal raising me up. I am not happy.
+I long for the solitude of those trees. That decaying old house calls
+eloquently unto something within me. How I would like to enter there
+and lay me down to sleep, free from the cares and divested of the
+gewgaws of the world."
+
+Viola was startled by these sombre reflections coming from Bernard.
+She decided that something must be wrong. She was, by nature,
+exceedingly tender of heart, and she turned her pretty eyes in
+astonished grief at Bernard, handsome, melancholy, musing.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Belgrave, something terrible is gnawing at your heart for one
+so young, so brilliant, so prosperous as you are to talk thus. Make a
+confidante of me and let me help to remove the load, if I can."
+
+Bernard was silent and eat gazing out on the quiet flowing waters.
+Viola's eyes eagerly scanned his face as if to divine his secret.
+
+Bernard resumed speaking: "I have gone forth into life to win certain
+honors and snatch from fame a wreath, and now that I have succeeded,
+I behold this evening, as never before, that it is not worthy of the
+purpose for which I designed it. My work is all in vain."
+
+"Mr. Belgrave, you must not talk so sadly," said Viola, almost ready
+to cry.
+
+Bernard turned and suddenly grasped Viola's hands and said in
+passionate tones: "Viola, I love you. I have nothing to offer you
+worthy of you. I can find nothing worthy, attain nothing worthy. I
+love you to desperation. Will you give yourself to a wretch like me?
+Say no! don't throw away your beauty, your love on so common a piece
+of clay."
+
+Viola uttered a loud, piercing scream that dispersed all Bernard's
+thoughts and frightened the horse. He went dashing across the bridge,
+Bernard endeavoring to grasp the reins. When he at last succeeded,
+Viola had fainted. Bernard drove hurriedly towards Viola's home,
+puzzled beyond measure. He had never heard of a marriage proposal
+frightening a girl into a faint and he thought that there was surely
+something in the matter of which he knew nothing. Then, too, he was
+racking his brain for an excuse to give Viola's parents. But happily
+the cool air revived Viola and she awoke trembling violently and
+begged Bernard to take her home at once. This he did and drove away,
+much puzzled in mind.
+
+He revived the whole matter in his mind, and thoughts and opinions
+came and went. Perhaps she deemed him utterly unworthy of her. There
+was one good reason for this last opinion and one good one against it.
+He felt himself to be unworthy of such a girl, but on the other hand
+Viola had frequently sung his praises in his own ears and in the ears
+of others. He decided to go early in the morning and know definitely
+his doom.
+
+That night he did not sleep. He paced up and down the room glancing
+at the clock every five minutes or so. He would now and then hoist
+the window and strain his eyes to see if there were any sign of
+approaching dawn. After what seemed to him at least a century, the
+sun at last arose and ushered in the day. As soon as he thought Miss
+Martin was astir and unengaged, he was standing at the door. They each
+looked sad and forlorn. Viola knew and Bernard felt that some dark
+shadow was to come between them.
+
+Viola caught hold of Bernard's hand and led him silently into the
+parlor. Bernard sat down on the divan and Viola took a seat thereon
+close by his side. She turned her charming face, sweet in its sadness,
+up to Bernard's and whispered "kiss me, Bernard."
+
+Bernard seized her and kissed her rapturously. She then arose and sat
+in a chair facing him, at a distance.
+
+She then said calmly, determinedly, almost icily, looking Bernard
+squarely in the face: "Bernard, you know that I love you. It was I
+that asked you to kiss me. Always remember that. But as much as I love
+you I shall never be your wife. Never, never."
+
+Bernard arose and started toward Viola. He paused and gazed down upon
+that beautiful image that sat before him and said in anguish: "Oh God!
+Is all my labor in vain, my honors common dirt, my future one dreary
+waste? Shall I lose that which has been an ever shining, never setting
+sun to me? Viola! If you love me you shall be my wife."
+
+Viola bowed her head and shook it sadly, saying: "A power higher than
+either you or I has decreed it otherwise."
+
+"Who is he? Tell me who he is that dare separate us and I swear I will
+kill him," cried Bernard in a frenzy of rage.
+
+Viola looked up, her eyes swimming in tears, and said: "Would you kill
+God?"
+
+This question brought Bernard to his senses and he returned to his
+seat and sat down suddenly. He then said: "Viola Martin, you are
+making a fool of me. Tell me plainly why we cannot be man and wife, if
+you love me as you say you do?"
+
+"Bernard, call here to-morrow at 10 o'clock and I will tell you all.
+If you can then remove my objections all will be well."
+
+Bernard leaped up eager to get away, feeling that that would somewhat
+hasten the time for him to return. Viola did not seem to share his
+feelings of elation. But he did not mind that. He felt himself fully
+able to demolish any and all objections that Viola could bring. He
+went home and spent the day perusing his text-book on logic. He would
+conjure up imaginary objections and would proceed to demolish them
+in short order. He slept somewhat that night, anticipating a decisive
+victory on the morrow.
+
+When Bernard left Viola that morning, she threw herself prostrate on
+the floor, moaning and sobbing. After a while she arose and went to
+the dining room door. She looked in upon her mother, quietly sewing,
+and tried to say in a cheerful manner: "Mamma, I shall be busy writing
+all day in my room. Let no one disturb me." Her mother looked at her
+gently and lovingly and assured her that no one should disturb her.
+Her mother surmised that all had not gone well with her and Bernard,
+and that Viola was wrestling with her grief. Knowing that spats were
+common to young people in love she supposed it would soon be over.
+
+Viola went upstairs and entered her room. This room, thanks to Viola's
+industry and exquisite taste, was the beauty spot of the whole house.
+Pictures of her own painting adorned the walls, and scattered here
+and there in proper places were articles of fancy work put together in
+most lovely manner by her delicate fingers. Viola was fond of flowers
+and her room was alive with the scent of pretty flowers and beautiful
+roses. This room was a fitting scene for what was to follow. She
+opened her tiny writing desk. She wrote a letter to her father, one to
+her mother and one to Bernard. Her letter to Bernard had to be torn
+up and re-written time and again, for fast falling tears spoiled it
+almost as fast as she wrote. At last she succeeded in finishing his
+letter to her satisfaction.
+
+At eventide she came down stairs and with her mother, sat on the rear
+porch and saw the sun glide gently out of sight, without a struggle,
+without a murmur. Her eye lingered long on the spot where the sun had
+set and watched the hidden sun gradually steal all of his rays from
+the skies to use them in another world. Drawing a heavy sigh, she
+lovingly caught her mother around the waist and led her into the
+parlor. Viola now became all gayety, but her mother could see that it
+was forced. She took a seat at the piano and played and sang. Her rich
+soprano voice rang out clear and sweet and passers by paused to listen
+to the glorious strains. Those who paused to hear her sing passed
+on feeling sad at heart. Beginning in somewhat low tones, her voice
+gradually swelled and the full, round tones full of melody and pathos
+seemed to lift up and bear one irresistibly away.
+
+Viola's mother sat by and looked with tender solicitude on her
+daughter singing and playing as she had never before in her life.
+"What did it mean?" she asked herself. When Viola's father came from
+the postoffice, where he was a clerk, Viola ran to him joyously. She
+pulled him into the parlor and sat on his knee stroking his chin and
+nestling her head on his bosom. She made him tell her tales as he did
+when she was a child and she would laugh, but her laugh did not have
+its accustomed clear, golden ring.
+
+Kissing them good night, she started up to her bed room. When at the
+head of the stairway she returned and without saying a word kissed her
+parents again.
+
+When she was gone, the parents looked at each other and shook their
+heads. They knew that Viola was feeling keenly on account of something
+but felt that her cheerful nature would soon throw it off. But the
+blade was in her heart deeper than they knew. Viola entered her room,
+fastening the door behind her. She went to her desk, secured the three
+letters that she had written and placed them on the floor a few inches
+apart in a position where they would attract immediate attention upon
+entering the room. She then lay down upon her bed and put one arm
+across her bosom. With her other hand she turned on the gas jet by the
+head of her bed. She then placed this other hand across her bosom and
+ere long fell asleep to wake no more.
+
+The moon arose and shed its sad, quiet light through the half turned
+shutters, through the window pane. It seemed to force its way in in
+order to linger and weep over such queenly beauty, such worth, meeting
+with such an accursed end.
+
+Thus in this forbidden path Viola Martin had gone to him who said:
+"Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
+you rest."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+MARRIED AND YET NOT MARRIED. (Continued.)
+
+
+At ten o'clock on the next day, Bernard called at Viola's residence.
+Viola's mother invited him in and informed him that Viola had not
+arisen. Thinking that her daughter had spent much of the night in
+meditating on whatever was troubling her, She had thought not to
+awaken her so early. Bernard informed her that Viola had made an
+engagement with him for that morning at ten o'clock. Mrs. Martin
+looked alarmed. She knew that Viola was invariably punctual to an
+appointment and something unusual must be the matter. She left
+the room hurriedly and her knees smote together as she fancied she
+discovered the scent of escaping gas. She clung to the banisters for
+support and dragged her way to Viola's door. As she drew near, the
+smell of gas became unmistakable, and she fell forward, uttering a
+loud scream. Bernard had noticed the anxious look on Viola's mother's
+face and was listening eagerly. He beard her scream and dashed out
+of the parlor and up the stairs. He rushed past Mrs. Martin and burst
+open the door to Viola's door. He drew back aghast at the sight
+that met his gaze. The next instant he had seized her lifeless form,
+beautiful in death, and smothered those silent lips with kisses.
+
+Mrs. Martin regained sufficient strength to rush into the room, and
+when she saw her child was dead uttered a succession of piercing
+shrieks and fell to the floor in a swoon.
+
+This somewhat called Bernard's mind from his own grief. He lay Viola
+down upon her own bed most tenderly and set about to restore Mrs.
+Martin to consciousness. By this time the room was full of anxious
+neighbors.
+
+While they are making inquiry let us peruse the letters which the poor
+girl left behind.
+
+    "MY DEAR, DEAR, HEART-BROKEN MAMA:--
+
+    "I am in the hands of God. Whatever He does is just, is right,
+    is the only thing to be done. Knowing this, do not grieve
+    after me. Take poor Bernard for your son and love him as you
+    did me. I make that as my sole dying request of you. One long
+    sweet clinging kiss ere I drop into the ocean of death to be
+    lost in its tossing waves.
+
+      "Viola."
+
+    "BELOVED PAPA:--
+
+    "Your little daughter is gone. Her heart, though torn,
+    bleeding, dead, gave, as it were, an after throb of pain as it
+    thought of you. In life you never denied me a request. I have
+    one to make from my grave, knowing that you will not deny me.
+    Love Bernard as your son; draw him to you, so that, when in
+    your old age you go tottering to your tomb in quest of me, you
+    may have a son to bear you up. Take my lifeless body on your
+    knee and kiss me as you did of old. It will help me to rest
+    sweetly in my grave.
+
+      "Your little Vie."
+
+    "DEAR BERNARD:--
+
+    "Viola has loved and left you. Unto you, above all others, I
+    owe a full explanation of the deed which I have committed; and
+    I shall therefore lay bare my heart to you. My father was a
+    colonel in the Civil War and when I was very young he would
+    make my little heart thrill with patriotic fervor as he told
+    me of the deeds of daring of the gallant Negro soldiers. As
+    a result, when nothing but a tiny girl, I determined to be a
+    heroine and find some outlet for my patriotic feeling. This
+    became a consuming passion. In 18-- just two years prior to
+    my meeting you, a book entitled, 'White Supremacy and
+    Negro Subordination,' by the merest accident came into my
+    possession. That book made a revelation to me of a most
+    startling nature.
+
+    "While I lived I could not tell you what I am about to tell
+    you. Death has brought me the privilege. That book proved to
+    me that the intermingling of the races in sexual relationship
+    was sapping the vitality of the Negro race and, in fact, was
+    slowly but surely exterminating the race. It demonstrated that
+    the fourth generation of the children born of intermarrying
+    mulattoes were invariably sterile or woefully lacking in vital
+    force. It asserted that only in the most rare instances were
+    children born of this fourth generation and in no case did
+    such children reach maturity. This is a startling revelation.
+    While this intermingling was impairing the vital force of our
+    race and exterminating it, it was having no such effect on the
+    white race for the following reason. Every half-breed, or for
+    that, every person having a tinge of Negro blood, the white
+    people cast off. We receive the cast off with open arms and he
+    comes to us with his devitalizing power. Thus, the white man
+    was slowly exterminating us and our total extinction was but
+    a short period of time distant. I looked out upon our strong,
+    tender hearted, manly race being swept from the face of the
+    earth by immorality, and the very marrow in my bones seemed
+    chilled at the thought thereof. I determined to spend my life
+    fighting the evil. My first step was to solemnly pledge God
+    to never marry a mulatto man. My next resolve was to part in
+    every honorable way all courting couples of mulatto people
+    that I could. My other and greatest task was to persuade the
+    evil women of my race to cease their criminal conduct with
+    white men and I went about pleading with them upon my knees to
+    desist. I pointed out that such a course was wrong before God
+    and was rapidly destroying the Negro race. I told them of my
+    resolve to never marry a mulatto man. Many had faith in me
+    and I was the means of redeeming numbers of these erring ones.
+    When you came, I loved you. I struggled hard against that
+    love. God, alone, knows how I battled against it. I prayed Him
+    to take it from me, as it was eating my heart away. Sometimes
+    I would appear indifferent to you with the hope of driving you
+    away, but then my love would come surging with all the more
+    violence and sweep me from my feet. At last, you seemed to
+    draw away from me and I was happy. I felt free to you. But you
+    at last proposed to me when I thought all such notions were
+    dead. At once I foresaw my tragic end. My heart shed bloody
+    tears, weeping over my own sad end, weeping for my beloved
+    parents, weeping for my noble Bernard who was so true, so
+    noble, so great in all things.
+
+    "Bernard, how happy would I have been, how deliriously happy,
+    could I but have stood beside you at the altar and sworn
+    fidelity to you. Ours would have been an ideal home. But it
+    was not to be. I had to choose between you and my race. Your
+    noble heart, in its sober moments will sanction my choice,
+    I would not have died if I could have lived without proving
+    false to my race. Had I lived, my love and your agony, which I
+    cannot bear, would have made me prove false to every vow.
+
+    "Dear Bernard, I have a favor to ask of you. Secure the
+    book of which I spoke to you. Study the question of the
+    intermingling of the races. If miscegenation is in reality
+    destroying us, dedicate your soul to the work of separating
+    the white and colored races. Do not let them intermingle.
+    Erect moral barriers to separate them. If you fail in this,
+    make the separation physical; lead our people forth from this
+    accursed land. Do this and I shall not have died in vain.
+    Visit my grave now and then to drop thereon a flower and a
+    flag, but no tears. If in the shadowy beyond, whose mists
+    I feel gathering about me, there is a place where kindred
+    spirits meet, you and I shall surely meet again. Though I
+    could not in life, I will in death sign myself,
+
+    "Your loving wife,
+
+      "Viola Belgrave."
+
+Let us not enter this saddened home when the seals of those letters
+were broken. Let us not break the solemn silence of those who bowed
+their heads and bore the grief, too poignant for words. Dropping a
+tear of regret on the little darling who failed to remember that we
+have one atonement for all mankind and that further sacrifice was
+therefore needless, we pass out and leave the loving ones alone with
+their dead.
+
+But, we may gaze on Bernard Belgrave as he emerges from the room where
+his sun has set to rise no more. His eyes flash, his nostrils dilate,
+his bosom heaves, he lifts his proud head and turns his face so that
+the light of the sky may fall full upon it.
+
+And lifting up his hands, trembling with emotion as though
+supplicating for the strength of a god, he cries out; "By the eternal
+heavens these abominable horrors shall cease. The races, whose union
+has been fraught with every curse known to earth and hell, must
+separate. Viola demands it and Bernard obeys." It was this that sent
+him forth to where kings were eager to court his favor.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+WEIGHTY MATTERS.
+
+
+With his hands thrust into his pockets, and his hat pulled over his
+grief stricken eyes, Bernard slowly wended his way to his boarding
+place.
+
+He locked himself in his room and denied himself to all callers. He
+paced to and fro, his heart a cataract of violent, tossing, whirling
+emotions. He sat down and leaned his head upon the bed, pressing his
+hand to his forehead as if to restore order there. While thus employed
+his landlady knocked at the door and called through the key hole,
+informing him that there was a telegram for him. Bernard arose, came
+out, signed for and received the telegram, tore it open and read as
+follows:
+
+  Waco, Texas, ----l8----
+
+    "HON. BERNARD BELGRAVE, M.C.,
+
+    "Come to Waco at once. If you fail to come you will make the
+    mistake of your life. Come.
+
+  "BELTON PIEDMONT."
+
+"Yes, I'll go," shouted Bernard, "anywhere, for anything." He seemed
+to feel grateful for something to divert his thoughts and call him
+away from the scene where his hopes had died. He sent Viola's family
+a note truthfully stating that he was unequal to the task of attending
+Viola's funeral, and that for his part she was not dead and never
+should be. The parents had read Bernard's letter left by Viola and
+knew the whole story. They, too, felt that it was best for Bernard to
+go. Bernard took the train that afternoon and after a journey of four
+days arrived at Waco.
+
+Belton being apprised by telegram of the hour of his arrival, was at
+the station to meet him. Belton was actually shocked at the haggard
+appearance of his old play-fellow. It was such a contrast from the
+brilliant, glowing, handsome Bernard of former days.
+
+After the exchange of greetings, they entered a carriage and drove
+through the city. They passed out, leaving the city behind. After
+going about five miles, they came in sight of a high stone wall
+enclosure. In the middle of the enclosed place, upon a slight
+elevation, stood a building four stories high and about two hundred
+feet long and one hundred and eighty feet wide. In the center of the
+front side arose a round tower, half of it bulging out. This extended
+from the ground to a point about twenty feet above the roof of the
+building. The entrance to the building was through a wide door in this
+tower. Off a few paces was a small white cottage. Here and there trees
+abounded in patches in the enclosure, which seemed to comprise about
+twenty acres.
+
+The carriage drove over a wide, gravel driveway which curved so as to
+pass the tower door, and on out to another gate. Belton and Bernard
+alighted and proceeded to enter. Carved in large letters on the top
+of the stone steps were these words: "Thomas Jefferson College." They
+entered the tower and found themselves on the floor of an elevator,
+and on this they ascended to the fourth story. The whole of this story
+was one huge room, devoid of all kinds of furniture save a table and
+two chairs in a corner. In the center was an elevated platform about
+ten feet square, and on this stood what might have passed for either a
+gallows or an acting pole.
+
+Belton led Bernard to the spot where the two chairs and table stood
+and they sat down. Belton informed Bernard that he had brought him
+there so that there would be no possibility of anyone hearing what, he
+had to say. Bernard instantly became all attention. Belton began his
+recital: "I have been so fortunate as to unearth a foul conspiracy
+that is being hatched by our people. I have decided to expose them and
+see every one of them hung,"
+
+"Pray tell me, Belton, what is the motive that prompts you to be so
+zealous in the work of ferreting out conspirators among your people to
+be hanged by the whites?"
+
+"It is this," said Belton: "you know as it is, the Negro has a hard
+time in this country. If we begin to develop traitors and conspirators
+we shall fare even worse. It is necessary, therefore, that we kill
+these vipers that come, lest we all be slain as vipers."
+
+"That may be true, but I don't like to see you in that kind of
+business," said Bernard.
+
+"Don't talk that way," said Belton, "for I counted upon your aid. I
+desire to secure you as prosecuting attorney in the case. When we thus
+expose the traitors, we shall earn the gratitude of the government
+and our race will be treated with more consideration in the future. We
+will add another page to the glorious record of our people's devotion
+by thus spurning these traitors."
+
+"Belton, I tell you frankly that my share in that kind of business
+will be infinitessimally small. But go on. Let me know the whole
+story, that I may know better what to think and do," replied Bernard.
+
+"Well, it is this," began Belton; "you know that there is one serious
+flaw in the Constitution of the United States, which has already
+caused a world of trouble, and there is evidently a great deal more to
+come. You know that a ship's boilers, engines, rigging, and so forth
+may be in perfect condition, but a serious leak in her bottom
+will sink the proudest vessel afloat. This flaw or defect in the
+Constitution of the United States is the relation of the General
+Government to the individual state. The vague, unsettled state of
+the relationship furnished the pretext for the Civil War. The General
+Government says to the citizen: 'I am your sovereign. You are my
+citizen and not the citizen of only one state. If I call on you
+to defend my sovereignty, you must do so even if you have to fight
+against your own state. But while I am your supreme earthly sovereign
+I am powerless to protect you against crimes, injustices, outrages
+against you. Your state may disfranchise you with or without law,
+may mob you; but my hands are so tied that I can't help you at all,
+although I shall force you to defend my sovereignty with your lives.
+If you are beset by Klu Klux, White Cappers, Bulldozers, Lynchers, do
+not turn your dying eyes on me for I am unable to help you.' Such is
+what the Federal Government has to say to the Negro. The Negro must
+therefore fight to keep afloat a flag that can afford him no more
+protection than could a helpless baby. The weakness of the General
+Government in this particular was revealed with startling clearness
+in connection with the murder of those Italians in New Orleans, a few
+years ago. This government had promised Italy to afford protection to
+the property and lives of her citizens sojourning in our midst. But
+when these men were murdered the General Government could not even
+bring the murderers to trial for their crime. Its treaty had been
+broken by a handfull of its own citizens and it was powerless to
+punish them. It had to confess its impotence to the world, and paid
+Italy a specified sum of money. The Negro finds himself an unprotected
+foreigner in his own home. Whatever outrages may be perpetrated upon
+him by the people of the state in which he lives, he cannot expect
+any character of redress from the General Government. So in order to
+supply this needed protection, this conspiracy of which I have spoken
+has been formed to attempt to unite all Negroes in a body to do that
+which the whimpering government childishly but truthfully says it
+cannot do.
+
+"These men are determined to secure protection for their lives and
+the full enjoyment of all rights and privileges due American citizens.
+They take a solemn oath, offering their very blood for the cause. I
+see that this will lead, eventually, to a clash of arms, and I wish
+to expose the conspiracy before it is too late. Cooperate with me and
+glory and honor shall attend us all of our days. Now, Bernard, tell me
+candidly what you think of the whole matter. May I not rely on you?"
+
+"Well, let me tell you just exactly what I think and just what I shall
+do," thundered Bernard, rising as he spoke. Pointing his finger
+at Belton, he said: "I think, sir, that you are the most infernal
+scoundrel that I ever saw, and those whom you call conspirators are a
+set of sublime patriots; and further," hissed Bernard in rage through
+his teeth, "if you betray those men, I will kill you."
+
+To Bernard's surprise Belton did not seem enraged as Bernard thought
+he would be. Knowing Belton's spirit he had expected an encounter
+after such words as he had just spoken.
+
+Belton looked indifferent and unconcerned, and arose, as if to yawn,
+when suddenly he threw himself on Bernard with the agility of a tiger
+and knocked him to the floor. From secret closets in the room sprang
+six able bodied men. They soon had Bernard securely bound. Belton then
+told Bernard that he must retract what he had said and agree to keep
+his revealed purpose a secret or he would never leave that room alive.
+
+"Then I shall die, and my only regret will be that I shall die at the
+hands of such an abominable wretch as you are," was Bernard's answer.
+
+Bernard was stood against the wall. The six men retired to
+their closets and returned with rifles. Bernard gazed at the men
+unflinchingly. They formed a line, ten paces in front of him. Belton
+gave Bernard one last chance, as he said, to save his life, by silence
+as to his plans.
+
+Bernard said: "If I live I shall surely proclaim your infamy to our
+people and slay you besides. The curse of our doomed race is just such
+white folks' niggers as you are. Shoot, shoot, shoot, you whelps."
+
+They took aim and, at a command from Belton, fired. When the smoke had
+lifted, Belton said: "Bernard, those were blank cartridges. I desired
+to give you another chance. If you consent to leave me unmolested to
+ferret out those conspirators I will take your word as your bond and
+spare your life. Will you accept your life at such a low price?"
+
+"Come here and let me give you my answer," said Bernard. "Let me
+whisper something in your ear."
+
+Belton drew near and Bernard spat in his face and said, "Take that,
+you knave."
+
+Belton ordered Bernard seized and carried to the center of the room
+where stood what appeared to be an acting pole, but what was in
+reality a complete gallows. A black cap was adjusted over Bernard's
+head and a rope tied to his hands. He was told that a horrible death
+awaited him. He was informed that the platform on which he stood was
+a trap door that concealed an opening in the center of the building,
+that extended to the first floor. He was told that he would be dropped
+far enough to have his arms torn from his body and would be left to
+die.
+
+Bernard perceptibly shuddered at the fate before him but he had
+determined long since to be true to every higher aspiration of his
+people, and he would die a death however horrible rather than stand
+by and see aspiring souls slaughtered for organizing to secure their
+rights at all hazards. He muttered a prayer to God, closed his eyes,
+gritted his teeth and nerved himself for the ordeal, refusing to
+answer Belton's last appeal.
+
+Belton gave command to spring the trap door after he had counted
+three. In order to give Bernard a chance to weaken he put one minute
+between each count. "One----Two----Three----" he called out.
+
+Bernard felt the floor give way beneath his feet and he shot down with
+terrific speed. He nerved himself for the shock that was to tear his
+limbs from his body, but, strange to say, he felt the speed lessening
+as he fell and his feet eventually struck a floor with not sufficient
+force to even jar him severely. "Was this death? Was he dead or
+alive?" he was thinking within himself, when suddenly the mask was
+snatched from his face and he found himself in a large room containing
+desks arranged in a semi-circular form. There were one hundred and
+forty-five desks, and at each a person was seated.
+
+"Where was he? What did that assemblage mean? What did his strange
+experiences mean?" he asked himself. He stood there, his hands tied,
+his eye wandering from face to face.
+
+Within a few minutes Belton entered and the assemblage broke forth
+into cheers. Bernard had alighted on a platform directly facing the
+assemblage. Belton walked to his side and spread out his hands and
+said: "Behold the Chiefs of the conspirators whom you would not
+betray. Behold me, whom they have called the arch conspirator. You
+have nobly stood the test. Come, your reward awaits you. You are
+worthy of it and I assure you it is worthy of you."
+
+Bernard had not been killed in his fall because of a parachute which
+had been so arranged, unknown to him, to save him in the descent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+UNWRITTEN HISTORY.
+
+
+Belton, smiling, locked his arm in Bernard's and said: "Come with me.
+I will explain it all to you." They walked down the aisle together.
+
+At the sight of these two most conspicuous representatives of all that
+was good and great in the race, moving down the aisle side by side,
+the audience began to cheer wildly and a band of musicians began
+playing "Hail to the Chief."
+
+All of this was inexplicable to Bernard; but he was soon to learn what
+and how much it meant. Belton escorted him across the campus to the
+small but remarkably pretty white cottage with green vines clinging
+to trellis work all around it. Here they entered. The rooms were
+furnished with rare and antique furniture and were so tastefully
+arranged as to astonish and please even Bernard, who had been
+accustomed from childhood to choice, luxuriant magnificence.
+
+They entered a side room, overlooking a beautiful lawn which could
+boast of lovely flowers and rose bushes scattered here and there. They
+sat down, facing each other. Bernard was a bundle of expectancy. He
+had passed through enough to make him so.
+
+Belton said: "Bernard, I am now about to put the keeping of the
+property, the liberty, and the very lives of over seven million five
+hundred thousand people into your hands."
+
+Bernard opened his eyes wide in astonishment and waited for Belton to
+further explain himself.
+
+"Realize," said Belton, "that I am carefully weighing each remark
+I make and am fully conscious of how much my statement involves."
+Bernard bowed his head in solemn thought. Viola's recent death, the
+blood-curdling experiences of the day, and now Belton's impressive
+words all united to make that a sober moment with him; as sober as
+any that he had ever had in his life. He looked Belton in the face and
+said: "May revengeful lightning transfix me with her fiercest bolts;
+may hell's most fiery pillars roll in fury around me; may I be
+despised of man and forgotten of my God, if I ever knowingly, in
+the slightest way, do aught to betray this solemn, this most sacred
+trust."
+
+Belton gazed fondly on the handsome features of his noble friend and
+sighed to think that only the coloring of his skin prevented him
+from being enrolled upon the scroll containing the names of the very
+noblest sons of earth. Arousing himself as from a reverie he drew near
+to Bernard and said: "I must begin. Another government, complete in
+every detail, exercising the sovereign right of life and death over
+its subjects, has been organized and maintained within the United
+States for many years. This government has a population of seven
+million two hundred and fifty thousand."
+
+"Do you mean all that you say, Belton?" asked Bernard eagerly.
+
+"I shall in a short time submit to you positive proofs of my
+assertion. You shall find that I have not overstated anything."
+
+"But, Belton, how in the world can such a thing be when I, who am
+thoroughly conversant with every movement of any consequence, have not
+even dreamed of such a thing."
+
+"All of that shall be made perfectly clear to you in the course of the
+narrative which I shall now relate."
+
+Bernard leaned forward, anxious to hear what purported to be one of
+the most remarkable and at the same time one of the most important
+things connected with modern civilization.
+
+Belton began: "You will remember, Bernard, that there lived, in the
+early days of the American Republic, a negro scientist who won an
+international reputation by his skill and erudition. In our school
+days, we spoke of him often. Because of his learning and consequent
+usefulness, this negro enjoyed the association of the moving spirits
+of the revolutionary period. By the publication of a book of science
+which outranked any other book of the day that treated of the same
+subject, this negro became a very wealthy man. Of course the book is
+now obsolete, science having made such great strides since his day.
+This wealthy negro secretly gathered other free negroes together and
+organized a society that had a two-fold object. The first object
+was to endeavor to secure for the free negroes all the rights and
+privileges of men, according to the teachings of Thomas Jefferson.
+Its other object was to secure the freedom of the enslaved negroes
+the world over. All work was done by this organization with the sole
+stipulation that it should be used for the furtherance of the two
+above named objects of the society, and for those objects alone.
+
+"During slavery this organization confined its membership principally
+to free negroes, as those who were yet in physical bondage were
+supposed to have aspirations for nothing higher than being released
+from chains, and were, therefore, not prepared to eagerly aspire to
+the enjoyment of the highest privileges of freedom. When the War of
+Secession was over and all negroes were free, the society began to
+cautiously spread its membership among the emancipated. They conducted
+a campaign of education, which in every case preceded an attempt at
+securing members. This campaign of education had for its object the
+instruction of the negro as to what real freedom was. He was taught
+that being released from chains was but the lowest form of liberty,
+and that he was no more than a common cur if he was satisfied with
+simply that. That much was all, they taught, that a dog howled for.
+They made use of Jefferson's writings, educating the negro to feel
+that he was not in the full enjoyment of his rights until he was on
+terms of equality with any other human being that was alive or had
+ever lived. This society used its influence secretly to have appointed
+over Southern schools of all kinds for negroes such teachers as would
+take especial pains to teach the negro to aspire for equality with all
+other races of men.
+
+"They were instructed to pay especial attention to the history of the
+United States during the revolutionary period. Thus, the campaign of
+education moved forward. The negroes gained political ascendancy in
+many Southern states, but were soon hurled from power, by force in
+some quarters, and by fraud in others. The negroes turned their eyes
+to the federal government for redress and a guarantee of their
+rights. The federal government said: 'Take care of yourselves, we are
+powerless to help you.' The 'Civil Rights Bill,' was declared null and
+void, by the Supreme Court. An 'honest election bill' was defeated
+in Congress by James G. Blaine and others. Separate coach laws
+were declared by the Supreme Court to be constitutional. State
+Constitutions were revised and so amended as to nullify the amendment
+of the Federal Constitution, giving the negro the right to vote.
+More than sixty thousand defenseless negroes were unlawfully slain.
+Governors would announce publicly that they favored lynching. The
+Federal Government would get elected to power by condemning these
+outrages, and when there, would confess its utter helplessness. One
+President plainly declared, what was already well known, 'that
+the only thing that they could do, would be to create a healthy
+sentiment.' This secret organization of which we have been speaking
+decided that some means must be found to do what the General
+Government could not do, because of a defect in the Constitution. They
+decided to organize a General Government that would protect the negro
+in his rights. This course of action decided upon, the question was as
+to how this could be done the most quickly and successfully. You well
+know that the negro has been a marvelous success since the war, as a
+builder of secret societies.
+
+"One member of this patriotic secret society, of which we have been
+speaking, conceived the idea of making use of all of these secret
+orders already formed by negroes. The idea met with instant approval.
+A house was found already to hand. These secret orders were all
+approached and asked to add one more degree and let this added degree
+be the same in every negro society. This proposition was accepted, and
+the Government formed at once. Each order remained, save in this last
+degree where all were one. This last degree was nothing more nor less
+than a compact government exercising all the functions of a nation.
+The grand purpose of the government was so apparent, and so needful of
+attention, that men rushed into this last degree pledging their lives
+to the New Government.
+
+"All differences between the race were to be settled by this
+Government, as it had a well organized judiciary. Negroes, members
+of this Government, were to be no longer seen fighting negroes before
+prejudiced white courts. An army was organized and every able-bodied
+citizen enlisted. After the adjournment of the lodge sessions, army
+drills were always executed. A Congress was duly elected, one member
+for every fifty thousand citizens. Branch legislatures were formed
+in each state. Except in a few, but important particulars, the
+constitution was modeled after that of the United States.
+
+"There is only one branch to our Congress, the members of which are
+elected by a majority vote, for an indefinite length of time, and may
+be recalled at any time by a majority vote.
+
+"This Congress passes laws relating to the general welfare of our
+people, and whenever a bill is introduced in the Congress of the
+United States affecting our race it is also introduced and debated
+here.
+
+"Every race question submitted to the United States judiciary, is also
+submitted to our own. A record of our decisions is kept side by side
+with the decisions of the United States.
+
+"The money which the scientist left was wisely invested, and at the
+conclusion of the civil war amounted to many millions. Good land at
+the South was offered after the war for twenty-five cents an acre.
+These millions were expended in the purchase of such lands, and
+our treasury is now good for $500,000,000. Our citizens own about
+$350,000,000. And all of this is pledged to our government in case it
+is needed.
+
+"We have at our disposal, therefore, $850,000,000. This money can he
+used by the Government in any way that it sees fit, so long as it is
+used to secure the recognition of the rights of our people. They are
+determined to be free and will give their lives, as freely as they
+have given their property.
+
+"This place is known as Jefferson College, but it is in reality the
+Capitol of our Government, and those whom you have just left are the
+Congressmen."
+
+"But, Belton," broke in Bernard, "how does it happen that I have been
+excluded from all this?"
+
+"That is explained in this way. The relation of your mother to the
+Anglo-Saxon race has not been clearly understood, and you and she have
+been under surveillance for many years.
+
+"It was not until recently deemed advisable to let you in, your
+loyalty to the race never having fully been tested. I have been a
+member for years. While I was at Stowe University, though a young man,
+I was chairman of the bureau of education and had charge of the work
+of educating the race upon the doctrine of human liberty.
+
+"While I was at Cadeville, La., that was my work. Though not
+attracting public attention, I was sowing seed broadcast. After my
+famous case I was elected to Congress here and soon thereafter chosen
+speaker, which position I now hold.
+
+"I shall now come to matters that concern you. Our constitution
+expressly stipulates that the first President of our Government should
+be a man whom the people unanimously desired. Each Congressman had
+to be instructed to vote for the same man, else there would be no
+election. This was done because it was felt that the responsibility
+of the first President would be so great, and have such a formative
+influence that he should be the selection of the best judgment of the
+entire nation.
+
+"In the second place, this would ensure his having a united nation at
+his back. Again, this forcing the people to be unanimous would have
+a tendency to heal dissensions within their ranks. In other words, we
+needed a George Washington.
+
+"Various men have been put forward for this honor and vigorous
+campaigns have been waged in their behalf. But these all failed of
+the necessary unanimous vote. At last, one young man arose, who was
+brilliant and sound, genial and true, great and good. On every tongue
+was his name and in every heart his image. Unsolicited by him, unknown
+to him, the nation by its unanimous voice has chosen him the President
+of our beloved Government. This day he has unflinchingly met the test
+that our Congress decreed and has come out of the furnace, purer than
+gold. He feared death no more than the caress of his mother, when he
+felt that that death was to be suffered in behalf of his oppressed
+people. I have the great honor, on this the proudest occasion of my
+life, to announce that I am commissioned to inform you that the name
+of our President is Bernard Belgrave. You, sir, are President of the
+Imperium In Imperio, the name of our Government, and to you we devote
+our property, our lives, our all, promising to follow your banner into
+every post of danger until it is planted on freedom's hill. You are
+given three months in which to verify all of my claims, and give us
+answer as to whether you will serve us."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Bernard took three months to examine into the reality and stability
+of the Imperium. He found it well nigh perfect in every part and
+presented a form of government unexcelled by that of any other nation.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+CROSSING THE RUBICON.
+
+
+Bernard assumed the Presidency of the Imperium and was duly
+inaugurated in a manner in keeping with the importance of his high
+office. He began the direction of its affairs with such energy and
+tactful discretion as betokened great achievements.
+
+He familiarized himself with every detail of his great work and was
+thoroughly posted as to all the resources at his command. He devoted
+much time to assuaging jealousies and healing breaches wherever such
+existed in the ranks of the Imperium. He was so gentle, so loving, yet
+so firm and impartial, that all factional differences disappeared at
+his approach.
+
+Added to his great popularity because of his talents, there sprang up
+for him personal attachments, marvelous in depth. He rose to the full
+measure of the responsibilities of his commanding position, and more
+than justified the fondest anticipations of his friends and admirers.
+In the meanwhile he kept an observant eye upon the trend of events
+in the United States, and his fingers were ever on the pulse of the
+Imperium. All of the evils complained of by the Imperium continued
+unabated; in fact, they seemed to multiply and grow instead of
+diminishing.
+
+Bernard started a secret newspaper whose business it was to chronicle
+every fresh discrimination, every new act of oppression, every
+additional unlawful assault upon the property, the liberty or the
+lives of any of the members of the Imperium. This was an illustrated
+journal, and pictures of horrors, commented upon in burning words,
+spread fire-brands everywhere in the ranks of the Imperium. Only
+members of the Imperium had access to this fiery journal.
+
+At length an insurrection broke out in Cuba, and the whole Imperium
+watched this struggle with keenest interest, as the Cubans were in a
+large measure negroes. In proportion as the Cubans drew near to their
+freedom, the fever of hope correspondingly rose in the veins of the
+Imperium. The United States of America sent a war ship to Cuba. One
+night while the sailors slept in fancied security, some powerful
+engine of destruction demolished the vessel and ended the lives of
+some 266 American seamen.
+
+A board of inquiry was sent by the United States Government to the
+scene of the disaster, and, after a careful investigation of a most
+thorough character, decided that the explosion was not internal and
+accidental but external and by design. This finding made war between
+the United States and Spain practically inevitable.
+
+While the whole nation was in the throes of war excitement, a terrible
+tragedy occurred. President McKinley had appointed Mr. Felix A. Cook,
+a colored man of ability, culture and refinement as postmaster of Lake
+City, South Carolina. The white citizens of this place made no protest
+against the appointment and all was deemed satisfactory.
+
+One morning the country awoke to be horrified with the news that Mr.
+Cook's home had been assaulted at night by a mob of white demons in
+human form. The mob set fire to the house while the occupants slept,
+and when Mr. Cook with his family endeavored to escape from the flames
+he was riddled with bullets and killed, and his wife and children
+were wounded. And the sole offense for which this dastardly crime
+was perpetrated, was that he decided to accept the honor which the
+government conferred upon him in appointing him postmaster of a
+village of 300 inhabitants. It was the color of his skin that made
+this acceptance odious in the eyes of his Anglo-Saxon neighbors!
+
+This incident naturally aroused as much indignation among the members
+of the Imperium as did the destruction of the war ship in the bosoms
+of the Anglo-Saxons of the United States. All things considered,
+Bernard regarded this as the most opportune moment for the Imperium to
+meet and act upon the whole question of the relationship of the negro
+race to the Anglo-Saxons.
+
+The Congress of the Imperium was called and assembled in special
+session at the Capitol building just outside of Waco. The session
+began on the morning of April--the same day on which the Congress
+of the United States had under consideration the resolutions, the
+adoption of which meant war with Spain. These two congresses on
+this same day had under consideration questions of vital import to
+civilization.
+
+The proceedings of the Anglo-Saxons have been told to the world in
+minute detail, but the secret deliberations of the Imperium are herein
+disclosed for the first time. The exterior of the Capitol at Waco
+was decorated with American flags, and red, white and blue bunting.
+Passers-by commented on the patriotism of Jefferson College. But,
+enveloped in this decoration there was cloth of the color of mourning.
+The huge weeping willows stood, one on each side of the speaker's
+desk. To the right of the desk, there was a group of women in widow's
+weeds, sitting on an elevated platform. There were fifty of these,
+their husbands having been made the victims of mobs since the first
+day of January just gone.
+
+To the left of the speaker's desk, there were huddled one hundred
+children whose garments were in tatters and whose looks bespoke lives
+of hardship. These were the offsprings robbed of their parents by the
+brutish cruelty of unthinking mobs.
+
+Postmaster Cook, while alive, was a member of the Imperium and his
+seat was now empty and draped in mourning. In the seat was a golden
+casket containing his heart, which had been raked from the burning
+embers on the morning following the night of the murderous assault.
+It was amid such surrounding as these that the already aroused and
+determined members of the Congress assembled.
+
+Promptly at 11 o'clock, Speaker Belton Piedmont took the chair. He
+rapped for order, and the chaplain offered a prayer, in which he
+invoked the blessings of God upon the negro race at the most important
+crisis in its history. Word was sent, by proper committee, across the
+campus informing the president that Congress was in session awaiting
+his further pleasure. According to custom, the president came in
+person to orally deliver his message.
+
+He entered in the rear of the building and marched forward. The
+Congress arose and stood with bowed heads as he passed through. The
+speaker's desk was moved back as a sign of the president's superior
+position, and directly in the center of the platform the president
+stood to speak. He was dressed in a Prince Albert suit of finest
+black. He wore a standing collar and a necktie snowy white. The hair
+was combed away from that noble brow of his, and his handsome face
+showed that he was nerved for what he regarded as the effort of his
+life.
+
+In his fierce, determined glance you could discover that latent fires,
+hitherto unsuspected even in his warm bosom, had been aroused. The
+whole man was to speak that day. And he spoke. We can give you his
+words but not his speech. Man can photograph the body, but in the
+photograph you can only glimpse the soul. Words can portray the form
+of a speech, but the spirit, the life, are missing and we turn away
+disappointed. That sweet, well modulated voice, full of tender pathos,
+of biting sarcasm, of withering irony, of swelling rage, of glowing
+fervor, according as the occasion demanded, was a most faithful
+vehicle to Bernard; conveying fully every delicate shade of thought.
+
+The following gives you but a faint idea of his masterly effort. In
+proportion as you can throw yourself into his surroundings, and feel,
+as he had felt, the iron in his soul, to that extent will you be able
+to realize how much power there was in what is now to follow:
+
+THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
+
+"Two terrible and discordant sounds have burst forth upon the
+erstwhile quiet air and now fill your bosom with turbulent emotions.
+One is the blast of the bugle, fierce and loud, calling us to arms
+against a foreign nation to avenge the death of American seamen and
+to carry the cup of liberty to a people perishing for its healing
+draught. The other is the crackling of a burning house in the night's
+dead hours, the piteous cries of pain and terror from the lips of
+wounded babes; the despairing, heart-rending, maddening shrieks of the
+wife and mother; the harrowing groans of the dying husband and father,
+and the gladsome shout of the fiendish mob of white American citizens,
+who have wrought the havoc just described, a deed sufficiently
+horrible to make Satan blush and hell hastily hide her face in shame.
+
+"I deem this, my fellow countrymen, as an appropriate time for us to
+consider what shall be our attitude, immediate and future, to this
+Anglo-Saxon race, which calls upon us to defend the fatherland and at
+the same moment treats us in a manner to make us execrate it. Let
+us, then, this day decide what shall be the relations that shall
+henceforth exist between us and the Anglo-Saxon race of the United
+States of America.
+
+"Seven million eyes are riveted upon you, hoping that you will be
+brave and wise enough to take such action as will fully atone for
+all the horrors of the past and secure for us every right due to
+all honorable, loyal, law-abiding citizens of the United States.
+Pleadingly they look to you to extract the arrow of shame which hangs
+quivering in every bosom, shame at continued humiliation, unavenged.
+
+"In order to arrive at a proper conclusion as to what the duty of
+the hour is, it would be well to review our treatment received at the
+hands of the Anglo-Saxon race and note the position that we are now
+sternly commanded by them to accept.
+
+"When this is done, to my mind, the path of duty will be as plain
+before our eyes as the path of the sun across the heavens. I shall,
+therefore, proceed to review our treatment and analyze our present
+condition, in so far as it is traceable to the treatment which we now
+receive from the Anglo-Saxon.
+
+"When in 1619 our forefathers landed on the American shore, the music
+of welcome with which they were greeted, was the clanking of iron
+chains ready to fetter them; the crack of the whip to be used to plow
+furrows in their backs; and the yelp of the blood-hound who was to
+bury his fangs deep into their flesh, in case they sought for liberty.
+Such was the music with which the Anglo-Saxon came down to the shore
+to extend a hearty welcome to the forlorn children of night, brought
+from a benighted heathen land to a community of _Christians!_
+
+"The negro was seized and forced to labor hard that the Anglo-Saxon
+might enjoy rest and ease. While he sat in his cushioned chair, in
+his luxurious home, and dreamed of the blessedness of freedom, the
+enforced labor of slaves felled the forest trees, cleared away the
+rubbish, planted the seed and garnered the ripened grain, receiving
+therefor no manner of pay, no token of gratitude, no word of coldest
+thanks.
+
+"That same hammer and anvil that forged the steel sword of the
+Anglo-Saxon, with which he fought for freedom from England's yoke,
+also forged the chain that the Anglo-Saxon used to bind the negro more
+securely in the thralldom of slavery. For two hundred and forty-four
+years the Anglo-Saxon imposed upon the hapless, helpless negro, the
+bondage of abject slavery, robbed him of the just recompense of his
+unceasing toil, treated him with the utmost cruelty, kept his mind
+shrouded in the dense fog of ignorance, denied his poor sinful soul
+access to the healing word of God, and, while the world rolled on to
+joy and light, the negro was driven cowering and trembling, back, back
+into the darkest corners of night's deepest gloom. And when, at
+last, the negro was allowed to come forth and gaze with the eyes of a
+freeman on the glories of the sky, even this holy act, the freeing of
+the negro, was a matter of compulsion and has but little, if anything,
+in it demanding gratitude, except such gratitude as is due to be given
+unto God. For the Emancipation Proclamation, as we all know, came not
+so much as a message of love for the slave as a message of love for
+the Union; its primary object was to save the Union, its incident,
+to liberate the slave. Such was the act which brought to a close two
+hundred and forty-four years of barbarous maltreatment and inhuman
+oppression! After all these years of unremitting toil, the negro was
+pushed out into the world without one morsel of food, one cent of
+money, one foot of land. Naked and unarmed he was pushed forward into
+a dark cavern and told to beard the lion in his den. In childlike
+simplicity he undertook the task. Soon the air was filled with his
+agonizing cries; for the claws and teeth of the lion were ripping open
+every vein and crushing every bone. In this hour of dire distress the
+negro lifted up his voice in loud, long piteous wails calling upon
+those for help at whose instance and partially for whose sake he had
+dared to encounter the deadly foe. These whilom friends rushed with a
+loud shout to the cavern's mouth. But when they saw the fierce eyes of
+the lion gleaming in the dark and heard his fearful growl, this loud
+shout suddenly died away into a feeble, cowardly whimper, and these
+boastful creatures at the crackling of a dry twig turned and scampered
+away like so many jack-rabbits.
+
+"Having thus briefly reviewed our past treatment at the hand of the
+Anglo-Saxon, we now proceed to consider the treatment which we receive
+at his hands to-day.
+
+
+THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION.
+
+"During the long period of slavery the Negro race was not allowed to
+use the mind as a weapon in the great 'battle for bread.'
+
+"The Anglo-Saxon said to the negro, in most haughty tones: 'In this
+great "battle for bread," you must supply the brute force while I will
+supply the brain. If you attempt to use your brain I will kill you;
+and before I will stoop so low as to use my own physical power to earn
+my daily bread I will kill myself.'
+
+"This edict of the Anglo-Saxon race, issued in the days of slavery, is
+yet in force in a slightly modified form.
+
+"He yet flees from physical exertion as though it were the leprosy
+itself, and yet, violently pushes the negro into that from which he
+has so precipitately fled, crying in a loud voice, 'unclean, unclean.'
+
+"If forced by circumstances to resort to manual labor, he chooses the
+higher forms of this, where skill is the main factor. But he will not
+labor even here with the negro, but drives him out and bars the door.
+
+"He will contribute the public funds to educate the negro and then
+exert every possible influence to keep the negro from earning a
+livelihood by means of that education.
+
+"It is true, that in the goodness of his heart he will allow the negro
+community to have a negro preacher, teacher, doctor, pharmacist and
+jackleg lawyer, but further than this he will not go. Practically all
+of the other higher forms of labor are hermetically sealed so far as
+the negro is concerned.
+
+"Thus, like Tantalus of old, we are placed in streams of water up to
+our necks, but when we stoop down to drink thereof the waters recede;
+luscious fruit, tempting to the eye and pleasing to the taste,
+is placed above our heads, only to be wafted away by the winds of
+prejudice, when, like Tantalus we reach up to grasp and eat.
+
+
+OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.
+
+"An Italian, a Frenchman, a German, a Russian, a Chinaman and a Swede
+come, let us suppose, on a visit to our country.
+
+"As they draw near our public parks they look up and see placards
+forbidding somebody to enter these places. They pause to read the
+signs to see who it is that is forbidden to enter.
+
+"Unable to understand our language, they see a negro child returning
+from school and they call the child to read and interpret the placard.
+It reads thus: 'Negroes and dogs not allowed in here.'
+
+"The little negro child, whose father's sweaty, unrequited toil
+cleared the spot whereon the park now stands, loiters outside of
+the wicker gate in company with the dogs of the foreigners and gazes
+wistfully through the cracks at the children of these strangers
+sporting on the lawn.
+
+"This is but a fair sample of the treatment which our race receives
+everywhere in the South.
+
+"If we enter a place where a sign tells us that the public is served,
+we do not know whether we are to be waited upon or driven out like
+dogs.
+
+"And the most shameful and hopeless feature connected with the
+question of our civil rights is that the Supreme Court has lent its
+official sanction to all such acts of discrimination. The highest
+court in the land is the chief bulwark of caste prejudice in
+democratic America.
+
+
+EDUCATION.
+
+"The race that thinks of us and treats us as we have just indicated
+has absolute charge of the education of our children.
+
+"They pay our teachers poorer salaries than they do their own; they
+give us fewer and inferior school buildings and they make us crawl in
+the dust before the very eyes of our children in order to secure the
+slightest concessions.
+
+"They attempt to muzzle the mouths of negro teachers, and he who
+proclaims too loudly the doctrine of equality as taught by Thomas
+Jefferson, will soon be in search of other employment.
+
+"Thus, they attempt to cripple our guides so that we may go forward at
+a feeble pace.
+
+"Our children, early in life, learn of our maltreatment, and having
+confidence in the unused strength of their parents, urge us to right
+our wrongs.
+
+"We listen to their fiery words and gaze in fondness on their little
+clinched fists. We then bow our heads in shame and lay bare to them
+the chains that yet hold our ankles, though the world has pronounced
+us free.
+
+"In school, they are taught to bow down and worship at the shrine of
+the men who died for the sake of liberty, and day by day they grow to
+disrespect us, their parents who have made no blow for freedom. But it
+will not always be thus!
+
+
+COURTS OF JUSTICE.
+
+"Colored men are excluded from the jury box; colored lawyers are
+discriminated against at the bar; and negroes, with the highest legal
+attainments, are not allowed to even dream of mounting the seat of a
+judge.
+
+"Before a court that has been lifted into power by the very hands
+of prejudice, justice need not be expected. The creature will,
+presumably, serve its creator; this much the creator demands.
+
+"We shall mention just one fact that plainly illustrates the character
+of the justice to be found in our courts.
+
+"If a negro murders an Anglo-Saxon, however justifiably, let him
+tremble for his life if he is to be tried in our courts. On the other
+hand, if an Anglo-Saxon murders a negro in cold blood, without the
+slightest provocation, he will, if left to the pleasure of our courts,
+die of old age and go down to his grave in perfect peace.
+
+"A court that will thus carelessly dabble and play in puddles of human
+blood needs no further comment at my hands.
+
+
+MOB LAW.
+
+"The courts of the land are the facile instruments of the Anglo-Saxon
+race. They register its will as faithfully as the thermometer does the
+slightest caprice of the weather. And yet, the poor boon of a trial in
+even such courts as these is denied the negro, even when his character
+is being painted with hell's black ink and charges that threaten his
+life are being laid at his door. He is allowed no chance to clear his
+name; no opportunity to bid a friend good bye; no time to formulate a
+prayer to God.
+
+"About this way of dealing with criminals there are three horrible
+features: First, innocent men are often slain and forced to sleep
+eternally in dishonored graves. Secondly, when men who are innocent
+are thus slain the real culprits are left behind to repeat their
+deeds and thus continue to bring reproach upon the race to which
+they belong. Thirdly, illegal execution always begets sympathy in
+the hearts of our people for a criminal, however dastardly may be his
+crime. Thus the execution loses all of its moral force as a deterrent.
+That wrath, that eloquence, which would all be used in abuse of the
+criminal is divided between him and his lynchers. Thus the crime for
+which the man suffers, is not dwelt upon with that unanimity to make
+it sufficiently odious, and, as a consequence, lynching increases
+crime. And, too, under the operation of the lynch-law the criminal
+knows that any old tramp is just as liable as himself to be seized and
+hanged.
+
+"This accursed practice, instead of decreasing, grows in extent year
+by year. Since the close of the civil war no less than sixty thousand
+of our comrades, innocent of all crime, have been hurried to their
+graves by angry mobs, and to-day their widows and orphans and their
+own departed spirits cry out to you to avenge their wrongs.
+
+"Woe unto that race, whom the tears of the widows, the cries of
+starving orphans, the groans of the innocent dying, and the gaping
+wounds of those unjustly slain, accuse before a righteous God!
+
+
+POLITICS.
+
+"'Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers
+from the consent of the governed!'
+
+"These words were penned by the man whom the South has taught us to
+revere as the greatest and noblest American statesman, whether those
+who are now alive or those who are dead. We speak of Thomas Jefferson.
+They have taught us that he was too wise to err and that his sayings
+are truth incarnate. They are ready to anathematize any man in their
+own ranks who will decry the self-evident truths which he uttered.
+
+"The Bible which the white people gave us, teaches us that we are men.
+The Declaration of Independence, which we behold them wearing over
+their hearts, tells us that all men are created equal. If, as the
+Bible says, we are men; if, as Jefferson says, all men are equal;
+if, as he further states, governments derive all just powers from the
+consent of the governed, then it follows that the American government
+is in duty bound to seek to know our will as respects the laws and the
+men who are to govern us.
+
+"But instead of seeking to know our will, they employ every device
+that human ingenuity can contrive to prevent us from expressing our
+opinion. The monarchial trait seems not to have left their blood. They
+have apparently chosen our race as an empire, and each Anglo-Saxon
+regards himself as a petty king, and some gang or community of negroes
+as his subjects.
+
+"Thus our voice is not heard in the General Government. Our kings,
+the Anglo-Saxons, speak for us, their slaves. In some states we are
+deprived of our right to vote by frauds, in others by violence, and
+in yet others by statutory enactment. But in all cases it is most
+effectually done.
+
+"Burdens may be put upon our shoulders that are weighing us down,
+but we have no means of protesting. Men who administer the laws may
+discriminate against us to an outrageous degree, but we have no power
+to remove or to punish them.
+
+"Like lean, hungry dogs, we must crouch beneath our master's table
+and snap eagerly at the crumbs that fall. If in our scramble for these
+crumbs we make too much noise, we are violently kicked and driven
+out of doors, where, in the sleet and snow, we must whimper and whine
+until late the next morning when the cook opens the door and we can
+then crouch down in the corner of the kitchen.
+
+"Oh! my Comrades, we cannot longer endure our shame and misery!
+
+"We can no longer lay supinely down upon our backs and let oppression
+dig his iron heel in our upturned pleading face until, perchance, the
+pity of a bystander may meekly request him to desist.
+
+"Fellow Countrymen, we must be free. The sun that bathes our land in
+light yet rises and sets upon a race of slaves.
+
+"The question remaining before us, then, is, How we are to obtain this
+freedom? In olden times, revolutions were effected by the sword and
+spear. In modern times the ballot has been used for that purpose. But
+the ballot has been snatched from our hands. The modern implement of
+revolutions has been denied us. I need not say more. Your minds will
+lead you to the only gate left open.
+
+"But this much I will say: let not so light, so common, so universal a
+thing as that which we call death be allowed to frighten you from the
+path that leads to true liberty and absolute equality. Let that which
+under any circumstances must come to one and all be no terror to you.
+
+"To the martyr, who perishes in freedom's cause, death comes with a
+beauteous smile and with most tender touch. But to the man whose blood
+is nothing but sour swill; who prefers to stay like fattening swine
+until pronounced fit for the butcher's knife; to such, death comes
+with a most horrifying visage, and seizing the victim with cold and
+clammy hands hurries with his disgusting load to some far away dumping
+ground.
+
+"How glad am I that I can glance over this audience and see written
+upon your faces utter disdain of death.
+
+"In concluding let me say, I congratulate you that after years of
+suffering and disunion our faces are now _all_ turned toward the
+golden shores of liberty's lovely land.
+
+"Some tell us that a sea is in our way, so deep that we cannot cross.
+Let us answer back in joyful tones as our vessels push out from the
+shore, that our clotted blood, shed in the middle of the sea, will
+float to the other side, even if we do not reach there ourselves.
+
+"Others tell us that towering, snow-capped mountains enclose the
+land. To this we answer, if we die on the mountain-side, we shall be
+shrouded in sheets of whitest snow, and all generations of men yet
+to come upon the earth will have to gaze upward in order to see our
+whitened forms.
+
+"Let us then, at all hazards, strike a blow for freedom. If it calls
+for a Thermopylæ, be free. If it calls for a Valley Forge, be free.
+If contending for our rights, given unto us by God, causes us to be
+slain, let us perish on the field of battle, singing as we pass out
+of the world, 'Sweet Freedom's song,' though every word of this
+soul-inspiring hymn must come forth wrapped in our hearts' warm blood.
+
+"Gentlemen of the Imperium in Imperio, I await your pleasure."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE STORM'S MASTER.
+
+
+When Bernard ceased speaking and took his seat the house was as silent
+as a graveyard. All felt that the time for words had passed and the
+next and only thing in order was a deed.
+
+Each man seemed determined to keep his seat and remain silent until he
+had some definite plan to suggest. At length one man, somewhat aged,
+arose and spoke as follows:
+
+"Fellow citizens, our condition is indeed past enduring and we must
+find a remedy. I have spent the major portion of my life in close
+study of this subject, searching for a solution. My impression is that
+the negro will never leave this country. The day for the wholesale
+exodus of nations is past. We must, then, remain here. As long as we
+remain here as a separate and distinct race we shall continue to
+be oppressed. We must lose our identity. I, therefore, urge that we
+abandon the idea of becoming anything noteworthy as a separate and
+distinct race and send the word forth that we amalgamate."
+
+When the word "amalgamate" escaped his lips a storm of hisses and
+jeers drowned further speech and he quickly crouched down in his
+seat. Another arose and advocated emigration to the African Congo
+Free State. He pointed out that this State, great in area and rich in
+resources, was in the hands of the weak kingdom of Belgium and could
+be wrested from Belgium with the greatest ease. In fact, it might
+be possible to purchase it, as it was the personal property of King
+Leopold.
+
+He further stated that one of his chief reasons for suggesting
+emigration was that it would be a terrible blow to the South. The
+proud Southerner would then have his own forests to fell and fields to
+tend. He pictured the haughty Southern lady at last the queen of her
+own kitchen. He then called attention to the loss of influence and
+prestige which the South would sustain in the nation. By losing nearly
+one half of its population the South's representation in Congress
+would be reduced to such a point that the South would have no
+appreciable influence on legislation for one half a century to come.
+He called attention to the business depression that would ensue when
+the southern supply merchant lost such an extensive consumer as the
+negro.
+
+He wound up by urging the Imperium to go where they would enjoy all
+the rights of free men, and by picturing the demoralization and ruin
+of the South when they thus went forth. His suggestion met with much
+favor but he did not make clear the practicability of his scheme.
+
+At length a bold speaker arose who was courageous enough to stick a
+match to the powder magazine which Bernard had left uncovered in all
+their bosoms. His first declaration was: "I am for war!" and it was
+cheered to the echo. It was many minutes before the applause died
+away. He then began an impassioned invective against the South
+and recited in detail horror after horror, for which the South was
+answerable. He described hangings, revolting in their brutality; he
+drew vivid word pictures of various burnings, mentioning one where a
+white woman struck the match and ignited the pile of wood that was
+to consume the trembling negro. He told of the Texas horror, when a
+colored man named Smith was tortured with a red hot poker, and his
+eyes gouged out; after which he was slowly roasted to death. He then
+had Mrs. Cook arise and gather her children about her, and tell her
+sorrowful story. As she proceeded the entire assembly broke down in
+tears, and men fell on each other's necks and wept like babes. And
+oh! Their hearts swelled, their bosoms heaved, their breath came quick
+with choking passion, and there burst from all their throats the one
+hoarse cry: "War! war! war!"
+
+Bernard turned his head away from this affecting sight and in his soul
+swore a terrible oath to avenge the wrongs of his people.
+
+When quiet was sufficiently restored, the man with the match arose and
+offered the following resolutions:
+
+"WHEREAS, the history of our treatment by the Anglo-Saxon race is but
+the history of oppression, and whereas, our patient endurance of evil
+has not served to decrease this cruelty, but seems rather to increase
+it; and whereas, the ballot box, the means of peaceful revolution is
+denied us, therefore;
+
+"_Be it Resolved_: That the hour for wreaking vengeance for our
+multiplied wrongs has come.
+
+"_Resolved_ secondly: That we at once proceed to war for the purpose
+of accomplishing the end just named, and for the further purpose of
+obtaining all our rights due us as men.
+
+"_Resolved_ thirdly: That no soldier of the Imperium leave the field
+of battle until the ends for which this war was inaugurated are fully
+achieved."
+
+A dozen men were on their feet at once to move the adoption of these
+resolutions. The motion was duly seconded and put before the house.
+The Chairman asked: "Are you ready to vote?" "Ready!" was the
+unanimous, vociferous response.
+
+The chairman, Belton Piedmont, quietly said: "Not ready." All eyes
+were then pointed eagerly and inquiringly to him. He called the senior
+member of the house to the chair and came down upon the floor to
+speak.
+
+We are now about to record one of the most remarkable feats of oratory
+known to history. Belton stood with his massive, intellectual head
+thrown back and a look of determined defiance shot forth from his
+eyes. His power in debate was well known and the members settled
+themselves back for a powerful onslaught of some kind; but exactly
+what to expect they did not know.
+
+Fortunately for Belton's purpose, surprise, wonder, expectancy,
+had, for the time being, pushed into the background the more violent
+emotions surging a moment before.
+
+Belton turned his head slowly, letting his eye sweep the entire circle
+of faces before him, and there seemed to be a force and an influence
+emanating from the look. He began: "I call upon you all to bear me
+witness that I have ever in word and deed been zealous in the work of
+building up this Imperium, whose holy mission it is to grapple with
+our enemy and wrest from him our stolen rights, given to us by nature
+and nature's God. If there be one of you that knowest aught against
+my patriotism, I challenge him to declare it now; and if there be
+anything to even cast a suspicion upon me, I shall gladly court a
+traitor's ignoble doom."
+
+He paused here. No one accepted the challenge, for Belton was the
+acknowledged guiding star that had led the Imperium to the high point
+of efficiency where Bernard found it.
+
+"By your silence," Belton continued, "I judge that my patriotism is
+above suspicion; and this question being settled, I shall feel free
+to speak all that is within me on the subject now before me. I have a
+word to say in defence of the south--"
+
+"No! No! No! No!" burst from a score of throats. Friends crowded
+around Belton and begged him to desist. They told him that the current
+was so strong that it was death to all future usefulness to try to
+breast it.
+
+Belton waved them away and cried out in impassioned tones: "On her
+soil I was born; on her bosom I was reared; into her arms I hope
+to fall in death; and I shall not from fear of losing popular favor
+desist from pointing out the natural sources from which her sins
+arise, so that when judgment is pronounced justice will not hesitate
+to stamp it with her righteous seal."
+
+"Remember your scars!" shouted one.
+
+"Yes, I am scarred," returned Belton. "I have been in the hands of
+an angry mob; I have dangled from a tree at the end of a rope; I have
+felt the murderous pistol drive cold lead into my flesh; I have been
+accounted dead and placed upon the dissecting table; I have felt the
+sharp surgical knife ripping my flesh apart when I was supposed to be
+dead; all of these hardships and more besides I have received at the
+hands of the South; but she has not and cannot drive truth from my
+bosom, and the truth shall I declare this day."
+
+Seeing that it was useless to attempt to deter him, Belton continued
+his speech without interruption: "There are many things in the message
+of our most worthy President that demand attention. It was indeed an
+awful sin for the Anglo-Saxon to enslave the negro. But in judging a
+people we must judge them according to the age in which they lived,
+and the influence that surrounded them.
+
+"If David were on earth alive to-day and the ruler of an enlightened
+kingdom, he would be impeached forthwith, fined for adultery,
+imprisoned for bigamy, and hanged for murder. Yet while not measuring
+up to the standard of morality of to-day, he was the man after God's
+own heart in his day and generation.
+
+"If Abraham were here to-day he would be expelled from any church
+that had any regard for decency; and yet, he was the father of the
+faithful, for he walked according to the little light that struggled
+through the clouds and reached him.
+
+"When slavery was introduced into America, it was the universal
+practice of mankind to enslave. Knowing how quick we all are to heed
+the universal voice of mankind, we should be lenient toward others who
+are thus tempted and fall.
+
+"It has appeared strange to some that the Americans could fight for
+their own freedom from England and yet not think of those whom they
+then held in slavery. It should be remembered that the two kinds of
+slavery were by no means identical. The Americans fought for a theory
+and abstract principle. The negro did not even discern the points at
+issue; and the Anglo-Saxon naturally did not concern himself at that
+time with any one so gross as not to know anything of a principle for
+which he, (the Anglo-Saxon) was ready to offer up his life.
+
+"Our President alluded to the fact that the negro was unpaid for all
+his years of toil. It is true that he was not paid in coin, but he
+received that from the Anglo-Saxons which far outweighs in value
+all the gold coin on earth. He received instruction in the arts of
+civilization, a knowledge of the English language, and a conception of
+the one true God and his Christ.
+
+"While all of the other races of men were behind the ball of progress
+rolling it up the steep hill of time, the negro was asleep in the
+jungles of Africa. Newton dug for the law of gravitation; Herschel
+swept the starry sky in search of other worlds; Columbus stood upon
+the prow of the ship and braved the waves of the ocean and the fiercer
+ridicule of men; Martin Luther, single handed and alone, fought the
+Pope, the religious guide of the world; and all of this was done while
+the negro slept. After others had toiled so hard to give the bright
+light of civilization to the world, it was hardly to be expected that
+a race that slept while others worked could step up and at once enjoy
+all the fruits of others' toil.
+
+"Allow me to note this great fact; that by enslavement in America the
+negro has come into possession of the great English language. He is
+thus made heir to all the richest thoughts of earth. Had he retained
+his mother tongue, it would perhaps have been centuries untold before
+the masterpieces of earth were given him. As it is we can now enjoy
+the companionship of Shakespeare, Bacon, Milton, Bunyan, together with
+the favorite sons of other nations adopted into the English language,
+such as Dante, Hugo, Goethe, Dumas and hosts of others. Nor must
+we ever forget that it was the Anglo-Saxon who snatched from
+our idolatrous grasp the deaf images to which we prayed, and the
+Anglo-Saxon who pointed us to the Lamb of God that takes away the sins
+of the world.
+
+"So, beloved fellow citizens, when we calmly survey the evil and the
+good that came to us through American slavery, it is my opinion that
+we find more good for which to thank God than we find evil for which
+to curse man.
+
+"Our President truly says that Abraham Lincoln was in such a position
+that he was forced to set the negro free. But let us remember that it
+was Abraham Lincoln and those who labored with him that created this
+position, from which he could turn neither to the right nor to the
+left.
+
+"If, in his patriotic soul, we see love for the flag of his country
+overshadowing every other love, let us not ignorantly deny that other
+loves were there, deep, strong, and incapable of eradication; and let
+us be grateful for that.
+
+
+THE LABOR QUESTION.
+
+"Prejudice, pride, self-interest, prompt the whites to oppose our
+leaving in too large numbers the lower forms of labor for the higher;
+and they resort to any extreme to carry out their purpose. But this
+opposition is not an unmixed evil. The prejudice and pride that prompt
+them to exclude the Negro from the higher forms of labor, also exclude
+themselves from the lower forms, thus leaving the Negro in undisputed
+possession of a whole kingdom of labor.
+
+"Furthermore, by denying us clerical positions, and other higher types
+of labor we shall be forced into enterprises of our own to furnish
+labor for our own talent. Let us accept the lesson so plainly taught
+and provide enterprises to supply our own needs and employ our own
+talents.
+
+"If there is any one thing, more than another, that will push the
+Negro forth to build enterprises of his own, it will be this refusal
+of the whites to employ the higher order of labor that the race from
+time to time produces. This refusal will prove a blessing if we accept
+the lesson that it teaches. And, too, in considering this subject let
+us not feel that we are the only people who have a labor problem on
+hand to be solved. The Anglo-Saxon race is divided into two hostile
+camps--labor and capital. These two forces are gradually drawing
+together for a tremendous conflict, a momentous battle. The riots
+at Homestead, at Chicago, at Lattimer are but skirmishes between the
+picket lines, informing us that a general conflict is imminent. Let us
+thank God that we are not in the struggle. Let us thank Him that our
+labor problem is no worse than it is.
+
+
+OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.
+
+"For our civil rights we are struggling and we must secure them. But
+if they had all come to us when they first belonged to us, we must
+frankly admit that we would have been unprepared for them.
+
+"Our grotesque dress, our broken language, our ignorant curiosity,
+and, on the part of many our boorish manners, would have been
+nauseating in the extreme to men and women accustomed to refined
+association. Of course these failings are passing away: but the
+polished among you have often been made ashamed at the uncouth antics
+of some ignorant Negroes, courting the attention of the whites in
+their presence. Let us see to it, then, that we as a people, not a
+small minority of us, are prepared to use and not abuse the privileges
+that must come to us.
+
+"Let us reduce the question of our rejection to a question pure and
+simple of the color of our skins, and by the help of that God who gave
+us that color we shall win.
+
+"On the question of education much might be said in blame of the
+South, but far more may be said in her praise.
+
+"The evils of which our president spoke are grave and must be righted,
+but let us not fail to see the bright side.
+
+"The Anglo-Saxon child virtually pays for the education of the Negro
+child. You might hold that he might do more. It is equally true that
+he might do less. When we contrast the Anglo-Saxon, opening his purse
+and pouring out his money for the education of the Negro, with the
+Anglo-Saxon plaiting a scourge to flog the Negro aspiring to learn,
+the progress is marvelous indeed.
+
+"And, let us not complain too bitterly of the school maintained by the
+Southerner, for it was there that we learned what true freedom was. It
+was in school that our hearts grew warm as we read of Washington, of
+Jefferson, of Henry, apostles of human liberty. It was the school of
+the Southerner that has builded the Imperium which now lifts its hand
+in power and might to strike a last grand blow for liberty.
+
+
+COURTS OF JUSTICE.
+
+"As for the courts of justice, I have not one word to say in
+palliation of the way in which they pander to the prejudices of the
+people. If the courts be corrupt; if the arbitrator between man and
+man be unjust; if the wretched victim of persecution is to be stabbed
+to death in the house of refuge; then, indeed, has mortal man sunk to
+the lowest level. Though every other branch of organized society may
+reek with filth and slime, let the ermine on the shoulders of the
+goddess of justice ever be clean and spotless.
+
+"But remember this, that the Court of last resort has set the example
+which the lower courts have followed. The Supreme Court of the United
+States, it seems, may be relied upon to sustain any law born of
+prejudice against the Negro, and to demolish any law constructed in
+his interest. Witness the Dred Scott decision, and, in keeping with
+this, the decision on the Civil Rights Bill and Separate Coach Law.
+
+"If this court, commonly accepted as being constituted with our
+friends, sets such a terrible example of injustice, it is not
+surprising that its filthy waters corrupt the various streams of
+justice in all their ramifications.
+
+
+MOB LAW.
+
+"Of all the curses that have befallen the South, this is the greatest.
+It cannot be too vehemently declaimed against. But let us look
+well and see if we, as a people, do not bear some share of the
+responsibility for the prevalence of this curse.
+
+"Our race has furnished some brutes lower than the beasts of the
+field, who have stirred the passions of the Anglo-Saxon as nothing in
+all of human history has before stirred them. The shibboleth of the
+Anglo-Saxon race is the courage of man and the virtue of woman: and
+when, by violence, a member of a despised race assails a defenseless
+woman; robs her of her virtue, her crown of glory; and sends her back
+to society broken and crushed in spirit, longing, sighing, praying for
+the oblivion of the grave, it is not to be wondered at that hell is
+scoured by the Southern white man in search of plans to vent his rage.
+The lesson for him to learn is that passion is ever a blind guide and
+the more violent the more blind. Let him not cease to resent with
+all the intensity of his proud soul the accursed crime; but let this
+resentment pursue such a channel as will ensure the execution of the
+guilty and the escape of the innocent. As for us, let us cease to
+furnish the inhuman brutes whose deeds suggest inhuman punishments.
+
+"But, I am aware that in a large majority of cases where lynchings
+occur, outrages upon women are not even mentioned. This fact but
+serves as an argument against all lynchings; for when lawlessness
+breaks forth, no man can set a limit where it will stop. It also warns
+us as a race to furnish no crime that provokes lynching; for when
+lynching once gets started, guilty and innocent alike will suffer, and
+crimes both great and small will be punished alike.
+
+"In regard to the lynching of our Comrade Cook, I have this to
+say. Every feature connected with that crime but emphasizes its
+heinousness. Cook was a quiet, unassuming, gentlemanly being, enjoying
+the respect of all in a remarkable degree. Having wronged no one he
+was unconscious of having enemies. His wife and loving little ones had
+retired to rest and were enjoying the deep sleep of the innocent. A
+band of whites crept to his house under the cover of darkness, and
+thought to roast all alive. In endeavoring to make their escape the
+family was pursued by a shower of bullets and Cook fell to the ground,
+a corpse, leaving his loved ones behind, pursued by a fiendish mob.
+And the color of Cook's skin was the only crime laid at his door.
+
+"If ye who speculate and doubt as to the existence of a hell but peer
+into the hearts of those vile creatures who slew poor Cook, you will
+draw back in terror; for hell, black hell is there. To give birth to
+a deed of such infamy, their hearts must be hells in miniature. But
+there is one redeeming feature about this crime. Unlike others,
+it found no defense anywhere. The condemnation of the crime was
+universal. And the entire South cried out in bitter tones against the
+demons who had at last succeeded in putting the crown of infamy of all
+the ages upon her brow.
+
+
+POLITICS.
+
+"The South has defrauded us out of the ballot and she must restore
+it. But in judging her crime let us take an impartial view of its
+occasion. The ballot is supposed to be an expression of opinion. It
+is a means employed to record men's ideas. It is not designed as a
+vehicle of prejudice or gratitude, but of thought, opinion. When the
+Negro was first given the ballot he used it to convey expression of
+love and gratitude to the North, while it bore to the South a message
+of hate and revenge. No Negro, on pain of being ostracised or probably
+murdered, was allowed to exercise the ballot in any other way than
+that just mentioned. They voted in a mass, according to the dictates
+of love and hate.
+
+"The ballot was never designed for such a purpose. The white man
+snatched the ballot from the Negro. His only crime was, in not
+snatching it from him also, for he was voting on the same principle.
+Neither race was thinking. They were both simply feeling, and ballots
+are not meant to convey feelings.
+
+"But happily that day has passed and both races are thinking and are
+better prepared to vote. But the white man is still holding on to
+the stolen ballot box and he must surrender it. If we can secure
+possession of that right again, we shall use it to correct the many
+grievous wrongs under which we suffer. That is the one point on which
+all of our efforts are focused. Here is the storm center. Let us carry
+this point and our flag will soon have all of our rights inscribed
+thereon. The struggle is on, and my beloved Congress, let me urge one
+thing upon you. Leave out revenge as one of the things at which to
+aim.
+
+"In His Holy Word our most high God has said: 'Vengeance is mine.'
+Great as is this Imperium, let it not mount God's throne and attempt
+by violence to rob Him of his prerogatives. In this battle, we want
+Him on our side and let us war as becometh men who fear and reverence
+Him. Hitherto, we have seen vengeance terrible in his hands.
+
+"While we, the oppressed, stayed upon the plantation in peace, our
+oppressors were upon the field of battle engaged in mortal combat; and
+it was the blood of our oppressor, not our own, that was paid as the
+price of our freedom. And that same God is alive to-day; and let us
+trust Him for vengeance, and if we pray let our prayer be for mercy on
+those who have wronged us, for direful shall be their woes.
+
+"And now, I have a substitute proposition. Fellow Comrades, I am not
+for internecine war. O! Eternal God, lend unto these, my Comrades, the
+departed spirit of Dante, faithful artist of the horrors of hell, for
+we feel that he alone can paint the shudder-making, soul-sickening
+scenes that follow in the wake of fast moving internecine war.
+
+"Now, hear my solution of the race problem. The Anglo-Saxon does not
+yet know that we have caught the fire of liberty. He does not yet
+know that we have learned what a glorious thing it is to die for a
+principle, and especially when that principle is liberty. He does not
+yet know how the genius of his institutions has taken hold of our very
+souls. In the days of our enslavement we did not seem to him to be
+much disturbed about physical freedom. During the whole period of our
+enslavement we made only two slight insurrections.
+
+"When at last the war came to set us free we stayed in the field and
+fed the men who were reddening the soil with their blood in a deadly
+struggle to keep us in bondage forever. We remained at home and
+defended the helpless wives and children of men, who if they had been
+at home would have counted it no crime to have ignored all our
+family ties and scattered husbands and wives, mothers and children as
+ruthlessly as the autumn winds do the falling leaves.
+
+"The Anglo-Saxon has seen the eyes of the Negro following the American
+eagle in its glorious flight. The eagle has alighted on some mountain
+top and the poor Negro has been seen climbing up the rugged mountain
+side, eager to caress the eagle. When he has attempted to do this, the
+eagle has clawed at his eyes and dug his beak into his heart and has
+flown away in disdain; and yet, so majestic was its flight that the
+Negro, with tears in his eyes, and blood dripping from his heart has
+smiled and shouted: 'God save the eagle.'
+
+"These things have caused us to be misunderstood. We know that
+our patient submission in slavery was due to our consciousness of
+weakness; we know that our silence and inaction during the civil war
+was due to a belief that God was speaking for us and fighting our
+battle; we know that our devotion to the flag will not survive one
+moment after our hope is dead; but we must not be content with knowing
+these things ourselves. We must change the conception which the
+Anglo-Saxon has formed of our character. We should let him know that
+patience has a limit; that strength brings confidence; that faith
+in God will demand the exercise of our own right arm; that hope and
+despair are each equipped with swords, the latter more dreadful than
+the former. Before we make a forward move, let us pull the veil from
+before the eyes of the Anglo-Saxon that he may see the New Negro
+standing before him humbly, but firmly demanding every right granted
+him by his maker and wrested from him by man.
+
+"If, however, the revelation of our character and the full
+knowledge of our determined attitude does not procure our rights, my
+proposition, which I am about to submit, will still offer a solution.
+
+
+RESOLUTIONS.
+
+"1. Be it _Resolved_: That we no longer conceal from the Anglo-Saxon
+the fact that the Imperium exists, so that he may see that the love of
+liberty in our bosoms is strong enough to draw us together into this
+compact government. He will also see that each individual Negro does
+not stand by himself, but is a link in a great chain that must not be
+broken with impunity.
+
+"2. _Resolved_: That we earnestly strive to convince the Anglo-Saxon
+that we are now thoroughly wedded to the doctrine of Patrick Henry:
+'Give me liberty or give me death,' Let us teach the Anglo-Saxon that
+we have arrived at the stage of development as a people, where we
+prefer to die in honor rather than live in disgrace.
+
+"3. _Resolved_: That we spend four years in endeavors to impress the
+Anglo-Saxon that he has a New Negro on his hands and must surrender
+what belongs to him. In case we fail by these means to secure our
+rights and privileges we shall all, at once, abandon our several homes
+in the various other states and emigrate in a body to the State of
+Texas, broad in domain, rich in soil and salubrious in climate. Having
+an unquestioned majority of votes we shall secure possession of the
+State government.
+
+"4. _Resolved_: That when once lawfully in control of that great state
+we shall, every man, die in his shoes before we shall allow vicious
+frauds or unlawful force to pursue us there and rob us of our
+acknowledged right.
+
+"5. _Resolved_: That we sojourn in the state of Texas, working out
+our destiny as a separate and distinct race in the United States of
+America.
+
+"Such is the proposition which I present. It is primarily pacific: yet
+it is firm and unyielding. It courts a peaceable adjustment, yet it
+does not shirk war, if war is forced.
+
+"But in concluding, let me emphasize that my aim, my hope, my labors,
+my fervent prayer to God is for a peaceable adjustment of all our
+differences upon the high plane of the equality of man. Our beloved
+President, in his message to this Congress, made a serious mistake
+when he stated that there were only two weapons to be used in
+accomplishing revolutions. He named the sword (and spear) and ballot.
+There is a weapon mightier than either of these. I speak of the pen.
+If denied the use of the ballot let us devote our attention to that
+mightier weapon, the pen.
+
+"Other races which have obtained their freedom erect monuments over
+bloody spots where they slew their fellow men. May God favor us to
+obtain our freedom without having to dot our land with these relics of
+barbaric ages.
+
+"The Negro is the latest comer upon the scene of modern civilization.
+It would be the crowning glory of even this marvelous age; it would
+be the grandest contribution ever made to the cause of human
+civilization; it would be a worthy theme for the songs of the Holy
+Angels, if every Negro, away from the land of his nativity, can by
+means of the pen, force an acknowledgment of equality from the proud
+lips of the fierce, all conquering Anglo-Saxon, thus eclipsing the
+record of all other races of men, who without exception have had to
+wade through blood to achieve their freedom.
+
+"Amid all the dense gloom that surrounds us, this transcendent thought
+now and then finds its way to my heart and warms it like a glorious
+Sun. Center your minds, beloved Congress, on this sublime hope, and
+God may grant it to you. But be prepared, if he deems us unfit for so
+great a boon, to buckle on our swords and go forth to win our freedom
+with the sword just as has been done by all other nations of men.
+
+"My speech is made, my proposition is before you. I have done my duty.
+Your destiny is in your own hands."
+
+Belton's speech had, like dynamite, blasted away all opposition. He
+was in thorough mastery of the situation. The waves of the sea were
+now calm, the fierce winds had abated, there was a great rift in the
+dark clouds. The ship of state was sailing placidly on the bosom of
+the erstwhile troubled sea, and Belton was at the helm.
+
+His propositions were adopted in their entirety without one dissenting
+voice.
+
+When the members left the Congress hall that evening they breathed
+freely, feeling that the great race problem was, at last, about to be
+definitely settled.
+
+But, alas! how far wrong they were!
+
+As Belton was leaving the chamber Bernard approached him and put his
+hands fondly on his shoulders.
+
+Bernard's curly hair was disordered and a strange fire gleamed in his
+eye. He said: "Come over to the mansion to-night. I wish much to see
+you. Come about nine P.M."
+
+Belton agreed to go.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE PARTING OF WAYS.
+
+
+At the hour appointed Belton was at the door of the president's
+mansion and Bernard was there to meet him. They walked in and entered
+the same room where years before Belton had, in the name of the
+Congress, offered Bernard the Presidency of the Imperium.
+
+The evening was mild, and the window, which ran down to the floor,
+was hoisted. The moon was shedding her full light and Bernard had not
+lighted his lamp. Each of them took seats near the window, one on one
+side and the other on the other, their faces toward the lawn.
+
+"Belton," said Bernard, "that was a masterly speech you made to-day.
+If orations are measured according to difficulties surmounted and
+results achieved, yours ought to rank as a masterpiece. Aside from
+that, it was a daring deed. Few men would have attempted to rush in
+and quell that storm as you did. They would have been afraid of
+being torn to shreds, so to speak, and all to no purpose. Let me
+congratulate you." So saying he extended his hand and grasped Belton's
+feelingly.
+
+Belton replied in a somewhat melancholy strain: "Bernard, that speech
+and its result ended my life's work. I have known long since that a
+crisis between the two races would come some day and I lived with the
+hope of being used by God to turn the current the right way. This I
+have done, and my work is over."
+
+"Ah, no, Belton; greater achievements, by far, you shall accomplish.
+The fact is, I have called you over here to-night to acquaint you with
+a scheme that means eternal glory and honor to us both."
+
+Belton smiled and shook his head.
+
+"When I fully reveal my plan to you, you will change your mind."
+
+"Well, Bernard, let us hear it."
+
+"When you closed your speech to-day, a bright light shot athwart my
+brain and revealed to me something glorious. I came home determined to
+work it out in detail. This I have done, and now I hand this plan to
+you to ascertain your views and secure your cooperation." So saying
+he handed Belton a foolscap sheet of paper on which the following was
+written:
+
+
+A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO.
+
+1. Reconsider our determination to make known the existence of our
+Imperium, and avoid all mention of an emigration to Texas.
+
+2. Quietly purchase all Texas land contiguous to states and
+territories of the Union. Build small commonplace huts on these lands
+and place rapid fire disappearing guns in fortifications dug beneath
+them. All of this is to be done secretly, the money to be raised by
+the issuance of bonds by the Imperium.
+
+3. Encourage all Negroes who can possibly do so to enter the United
+States Navy.
+
+4. Enter into secret negotiations with all of the foreign enemies of
+the United States, acquainting them of our military strength and men
+aboard the United States war ships.
+
+5. Secure an appropriation from Congress to hold a fair at Galveston,
+inviting the Governor of Texas to be present. It will afford an excuse
+for all Negro families to pour into Texas. It will also be an excuse
+for having the war ships of nations friendly to us, in the harbor for
+a rendezvous.
+
+6. While the Governor is away, let the troops proceed quietly to
+Austin, seize the capitol and hoist the flag of the Imperium.
+
+7. We can then, if need be, wreck the entire navy of the United States
+in a night; the United States will then be prostrate before us and our
+allies.
+
+8. We will demand the surrender of Texas and Louisiana to the
+Imperium. Texas, we will retain. Louisiana, we will cede to our
+foreign allies in return for their aid. Thus will the Negro have an
+empire of his own, fertile in soil, capable of sustaining a population
+of fifty million people.
+
+Belton ceased reading the paper and returned it to Bernard.
+
+"What is your opinion of the matter, Belton?"
+
+"It is treason," was Belton's terse reply.
+
+"Are you in favor of it?" asked Bernard.
+
+"No. I am not and never shall be. I am no traitor and never shall be
+one. Our Imperium was organized to secure our rights within the United
+States and we will make any sacrifice that can be named to attain that
+end. Our efforts have been to wash the flag free of all blots, not to
+rend it; to burnish every star in the cluster, but to pluck none out.
+
+"Candidly, Bernard, I love the Union and I love the South. Soaked as
+Old Glory is with my people's tears and stained as it is with their
+warm blood, I could die as my forefathers did, fighting for its honor
+and asking no greater boon than Old Glory for my shroud and native
+soil for my grave. This may appear strange, but love of country is one
+of the deepest passions in the human bosom, and men in all ages have
+been known to give their lives for the land in which they had known
+nothing save cruelty and oppression. I shall never give up my fight
+for freedom, but I shall never prove false to the flag. I may fight
+to keep her from floating over cesspools of corruption by removing the
+cesspool; but I shall never fight to restrict the territory in which
+she is to float. These are my unalterable opinions."
+
+Bernard said: "Well, Belton, we have at last arrived at a point of
+separation in our lives. I know the Anglo-Saxon race. He will never
+admit you to equality with him. I am fully determined on my course of
+action and will persevere."
+
+Each knew that further argument was unnecessary, and they arose to
+part. They stood up, looking each other squarely in the face, and
+shook hands in silence. Tears were in the eyes of both men. But each
+felt that he was heeding the call of duty, and neither had ever been
+known to falter. Belton returned to his room and retired to rest.
+Bernard called his messenger and sent him for every man of prominence
+in the Congress of the Imperium.
+
+They all slept in the building. The leaders got out of bed and hurried
+to the president. He laid before them the plan he had shown Belton.
+They all accepted it and pronounced it good. He then told them that he
+had submitted it to Belton but that Belton was opposed. This took them
+somewhat by surprise, and finding that Belton was opposed to it they
+were sorry that they had spoken so hastily.
+
+Bernard knew that such would be their feelings. He produced a written
+agreement and asked all who favored that plan to sign that paper, as
+that would be of service in bringing over other members. Ashamed to
+appear vacillating, they signed. They then left.
+
+The Congress assembled next day, and President Belgrave submitted his
+plan. Belton swept the assembly with his eyes and told at a glance
+that there was a secret, formidable combination, and he decided that
+it would be useless to oppose the plan.
+
+The President's plan was adopted. Belton alone voted no.
+
+Belton then arose and said: "Being no longer able to follow where the
+Imperium leads, I hereby tender my resignation as a member."
+
+The members stood aghast at these words, for death alone removed a
+member from the ranks of the Imperium, and asking to resign, according
+to their law was asking to be shot. Bernard and every member of the
+Congress crowded around Belton and begged him to reconsider, and not
+be so cruel to his comrades as to make them fire bullets into his
+noble heart.
+
+Belton was obdurate. According to the law of the Imperium, he was
+allowed thirty days in which to reconsider his request. Ordinarily
+those under sentence of death were kept in close confinement, but not
+so with Belton. He was allowed all liberty. In fact, it was the secret
+wish of every one that he might take advantage of his freedom and
+escape. But Belton was resolved to die.
+
+As he now felt that his days on earth were few, his mind began to turn
+toward Antoinette. He longed to see her once more and just let her
+know that he loved her still. He at length decided to steal away to
+Richmond and have a last interview with her. All the pent up passion
+of years now burst forth in his soul, and as the train sped toward
+Virginia, he felt that love would run him mad ere he saw Antoinette
+once more.
+
+While his train goes speeding on, let us learn a little of the woman
+whom he left years ago.
+
+Antoinette Nermal Piedmont had been tried and excluded from her church
+on the charge of adultery. She did not appear at the trial nor speak a
+word in her own defense. Society dropped her as you would a poisonous
+viper, and she was completely ostracised. But, conscious of her
+innocence and having an abiding faith in the justice of God, she moved
+along undisturbed by the ostracism. The only person about whom she was
+concerned was Belton.
+
+She yearned, oh! so much, to be able to present to him proofs of her
+chastity; but there was that white child. But God had the matter in
+hand.
+
+As the child grew, its mother noticed that its hair began to change.
+She also thought she discovered his skin growing darker by degrees.
+As his features developed he was seen to be the very image of Belton.
+Antoinette frequently went out with him and the people began to shake
+their heads in doubt. At length the child became Antoinette's color,
+retaining Belton's features.
+
+Public sentiment was fast veering around. Her former friends began to
+speak to her more kindly, and the people began to feel that she was a
+martyr instead of a criminal. But the child continued to steadily grow
+darker and darker until he was a shade darker than his father.
+
+The church met and rescinded its action of years ago. Every social
+organization of standing elected Antoinette Nermal Piedmont an
+honorary member. Society came rushing to her. She gently smiled, but
+did not seek their company. She was only concerned about Belton. She
+prayed hourly for God to bring him back to her. And now, unknown to
+her, he was coming.
+
+One morning as she was sitting on her front porch enjoying the morning
+breeze, she looked toward the gate and saw her husband entering. She
+screamed loudly, and rushed into her son's room and dragged him out of
+bed. She did not allow him time to dress, but was dragging him to the
+door.
+
+Belton rushed into the house. Antoinette did not greet him, but cried
+in anxious, frenzied tones: "Belton! there is your white child! Look
+at him! Look at him!"
+
+The boy looked up at Belton, and if ever one person favored another,
+this child favored him. Belton was dazed. He looked from child to
+mother and from mother to child. By and by it began to dawn on him
+that that child was somehow his child.
+
+His wife eyed him eagerly. She rushed to her album and showed him
+pictures of the child taken at various stages of its growth. Belton
+discerned the same features in each photograph, but a different shade
+of color of the skin. His knees began to tremble. He had come, as the
+most wronged of men, to grant pardon. He now found himself the vilest
+of men, unfit for pardon.
+
+A picture of all that his innocent wife had suffered came before
+him, and he gasped: "O, God, what crime is this with which my soul is
+stained?" He put his hands before his face.
+
+Antoinette divined his thoughts and sprang toward him. She tore his
+hands from his face and kissed him passionately, and begged him to
+kiss and embrace her once more.
+
+Belton shook his head sadly and cried: "Unworthy, unworthy."
+
+Antoinette now burst forth into weeping.
+
+The boy said: "Papa, why don't you kiss Mama?"
+
+Hearing the boy's voice, Belton raised his eyes, and seeing his image,
+which Antoinette had brought into the world, he grasped her in his
+arms and covered her face with kisses; and there was joy enough in
+those two souls to almost excite envy in the bosom of angels.
+
+Belton was now recalled to life. He again loved the world. The cup of
+his joy was full. He was proud of his beautiful, noble wife, proud of
+his promising son. For days he was lost in contemplation of his new
+found happiness. But at last, a frightful picture arose before him.
+He remembered that he was doomed to die, and the day of his death
+came galloping on at a rapid pace. Thus a deep river of sadness went
+flowing on through his happy Elysian fields.
+
+But he remained unshaken in his resolve. He had now learned to put
+duty to country above everything else. Then, too, he looked upon his
+boy and he felt that his son would fill his place in the world. But
+Antoinette was so happy that he could not have the heart to tell her
+of his fate. She was a girl again. She chatted and laughed and played
+as though her heart was full of love. In her happiness she freely
+forgave the world for all the wrongs that it had perpetrated upon her.
+
+At length the day drew near for Belton to go to Waco. He took a
+tender leave of his loved ones. It was so tender that Antoinette was
+troubled, and pressed him hard for an answer as to when he was to
+return or send for them. He begged her to be assured of his love and
+know that he would not stay away one second longer than was necessary.
+Thus assured, she let him go, after kissing him more than a hundred
+times.
+
+Belton turned his back on this home of happiness and love, to walk
+into the embrace of death. He arrived in Waco in due time, and the
+morning of his execution came.
+
+In one part of the campus there was a high knoll surrounded on all
+sides by trees. This knoll had been selected as the spot for the
+execution.
+
+In the early morn while the grass yet glittered with pearls of water,
+and as the birds began to chirp, Belton was led forth to die. Little
+did those birds know that they were chirping the funeral march of the
+world's noblest hero. Little did they dream that they were chanting
+his requiem.
+
+The sun had not yet risen but had reddened the east with his signal
+of approach. Belton was stationed upon the knoll, his face toward the
+coming dawn. With his hands folded calmly across his bosom, he stood
+gazing over the heads of the executioners, at the rosy east.
+
+His executioners, five in number, stood facing him, twenty paces away.
+They were commanded by Bernard, the President of the Imperium. Bernard
+gazed on Belton with eyes of love and admiration. He loved his friend
+but he loved his people more. He could not sacrifice his race for his
+dearest friend. Viola had taught him that lesson. Bernard's eyes swam
+with tears as he said to Belton in a hoarse whisper: "Belton Piedmont,
+your last hour has come. Have you anything to say?"
+
+"Tell posterity," said Belton, in firm ringing tones that startled the
+birds into silence, "that I loved the race to which I belonged and the
+flag that floated over me; and, being unable to see these objects of
+my love engage in mortal combat, I went to my God, and now look down
+upon both from my home in the skies to bless them with my spirit."
+
+Bernard gave the word of command to fire, and Belton fell forward,
+a corpse. On the knoll where he fell he was buried, shrouded in an
+American flag.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+PERSONAL.--(Berl Trout)
+
+
+I was a member of the Imperium that ordered Belton to be slain. It
+fell to my lot to be one of the five who fired the fatal shots and I
+saw him fall. Oh! that I could have died in his stead!
+
+When he fell, the spirit of conservatism in the Negro race, fell with
+him. He was the last of that peculiar type of Negro heroes that could
+so fondly kiss the smiting hand.
+
+His influence, which alone had just snatched us from the edge of the
+precipice of internecine war, from whose steep heights we had, in our
+rage, decided to leap into the dark gulf beneath, was now gone; his
+restraining hand was to be felt no more.
+
+Henceforth Bernard Belgrave's influence would be supreme. Born of
+distinguished parents, reared in luxury, gratified as to every whim,
+successful in every undertaking, idolized by the people, proud,
+brilliant, aspiring, deeming nothing impossible of achievement, with
+Viola's tiny hand protruding from the grave pointing him to move
+forward, Bernard Belgrave, President of the Imperium In Imperio, was a
+man to be feared.
+
+As Bernard stood by the side of Belton's grave and saw the stiffened
+form of his dearest friend lowered to its last resting place, his
+grief was of a kind too galling for tears. He laughed a fearful,
+wicked laugh like unto that of a maniac, and said: "Float on proud
+flag, while yet you may. Rejoice, oh! ye Anglo-Saxons, yet a little
+while. Make my father ashamed to own me, his lawful son; call me a
+bastard child; look upon my pure mother as a harlot; laugh at Viola
+in the grave of a self-murderer; exhume Belton's body if you like and
+tear your flag from around him to keep him from polluting it! Yes,
+stuff your vile stomachs full of all these horrors. You shall be
+richer food for the buzzards to whom I have solemnly vowed to give
+your flesh."
+
+These words struck terror to my soul. With Belton gone and this man
+at our head, our well-organized, thoroughly equipped Imperium was a
+serious menace to the peace of the world. A chance spark might at
+any time cause a conflagration, which, unchecked, would spread
+destruction, devastation and death all around.
+
+I felt that beneath the South a mine had been dug and filled with
+dynamite, and that lighted fuses were lying around in careless
+profusion, where any irresponsible hand might reach them and ignite
+the dynamite. I fancied that I saw a man do this very thing in a
+sudden fit of uncontrollable rage. There was a dull roar as of distant
+rumbling thunder. Suddenly there was a terrific explosion and houses,
+fences, trees, pavement stones, and all things on earth were hurled
+high into the air to come back a mass of ruins such as man never
+before had seen. The only sound to be heard was a universal groan;
+those who had not been killed were too badly wounded to cry out.
+
+Such were the thoughts that passed through my mind. I was determined
+to remove the possibility of such a catastrophe. I decided to prove
+traitor and reveal the existence of the Imperium that it might be
+broken up or watched. My deed may appear to be the act of a vile
+wretch, but it is done in the name of humanity. Long ere you shall
+have come to this line, I shall have met the fate of a traitor. I die
+for mankind, for humanity, for civilization. If the voice of a poor
+Negro, who thus gives his life, will be heard, I only ask as a return
+that all mankind will join hands and help my poor down-trodden people
+to secure those rights for which they organized the Imperium, which
+my betrayal has now destroyed. I urge this because love of liberty is
+such an inventive genius, that if you destroy one device it at once
+constructs another more powerful.
+
+When will all races and classes of men learn that men made in the
+image of God will not be the slaves of another image?
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Imperium in Imperio: A Study Of The
+Negro Race Problem, by Sutton E. Griggs
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO: A STUDY ***
+
+***** This file should be named 15454-8.txt or 15454-8.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+        https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/4/5/15454/
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, S.R. Ellison and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
+will be renamed.
+
+Creating the works from public domain print editions 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.  Special rules,
+set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
+copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
+protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
+Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
+charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
+do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
+rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
+such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
+research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
+practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
+subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
+redistribution.
+
+
+
+*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
+
+THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
+PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
+
+To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
+distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
+(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
+https://gutenberg.org/license).
+
+
+Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic works
+
+1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
+and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
+(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
+the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
+all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
+If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
+terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
+entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
+
+1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
+used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
+agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
+things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
+even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
+paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
+and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.  See paragraph 1.E below.
+
+1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
+or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
+collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
+individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
+located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
+copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
+works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
+are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
+Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
+freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
+this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
+the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
+keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
+
+1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
+what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
+a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
+the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
+before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
+creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
+Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
+the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
+States.
+
+1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
+
+1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
+access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
+whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
+phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
+copied or distributed:
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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
+
+1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
+from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
+posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
+and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
+or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
+with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
+work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
+through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
+Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
+1.E.9.
+
+1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
+with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
+must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
+terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
+to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
+permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
+
+1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
+work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
+
+1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
+electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
+prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
+active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm License.
+
+1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
+compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
+word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
+distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
+"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
+posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
+you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
+copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
+request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
+form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
+
+1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
+performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
+unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
+
+1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
+access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
+that
+
+- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
+     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
+     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
+     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
+     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
+     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
+     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
+     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
+     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
+     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
+     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
+     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
+     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
+     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+     License.  You must require such a user to return or
+     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
+     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
+     Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
+     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
+     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
+     of receipt of the work.
+
+- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
+     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
+forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
+both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
+Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
+Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
+
+1.F.
+
+1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
+effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
+public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
+collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
+"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
+property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
+computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
+your equipment.
+
+1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
+of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
+liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
+fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
+LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
+PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
+TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
+LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
+INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
+DAMAGE.
+
+1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
+defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
+receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
+written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
+received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
+your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
+the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
+refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
+providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
+receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
+is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
+opportunities to fix the problem.
+
+1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
+in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
+
+1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
+warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
+If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
+law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
+interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
+the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
+provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
+
+1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
+trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
+providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
+with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
+promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
+harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
+that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
+or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
+work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
+Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
+
+
+Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
+electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
+including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
+because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
+people in all walks of life.
+
+Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
+assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
+goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
+remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
+and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
+To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
+and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org.
+
+
+Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
+Foundation
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
+501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
+state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
+Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
+number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
+https://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
+permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
+
+The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
+Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
+throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
+809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
+business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
+information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
+page at https://pglaf.org
+
+For additional contact information:
+     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
+     Chief Executive and Director
+     gbnewby@pglaf.org
+
+
+Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
+spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
+increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
+freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
+array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
+($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
+status with the IRS.
+
+The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
+charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
+States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
+considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
+with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
+where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
+SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
+particular state visit https://pglaf.org
+
+While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
+have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
+against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
+approach us with offers to donate.
+
+International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
+any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
+outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
+
+Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
+methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
+ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
+donations.  To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate
+
+
+Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.
+
+Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
+concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
+with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
+Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
+
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
+unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+
+Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
+
+     https://www.gutenberg.org
+
+This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
+including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
+Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
+subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
diff --git a/15454-8.zip b/15454-8.zip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f0c4ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/15454-8.zip
diff --git a/15454.txt b/15454.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c12164
--- /dev/null
+++ b/15454.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6343 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Imperium in Imperio: A Study Of The Negro
+Race Problem, by Sutton E. Griggs
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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
+
+
+Title: Imperium in Imperio: A Study Of The Negro Race Problem
+       A Novel
+
+Author: Sutton E. Griggs
+
+Release Date: March 24, 2005 [EBook #15454]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO: A STUDY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, S.R. Ellison and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+  IMPERIUM
+  IN IMPERIO
+
+  A STUDY OF
+  THE NEGRO RACE PROBLEM
+  A NOVEL
+
+  Sutton E. Griggs
+
+  1899
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+  CHAPTER.                                 PAGE.
+
+        Berl Trout's Declaration               1
+      I A Small Beginning                      3
+     II The School                             8
+    III The Parson's Advice                   15
+     IV The Turning of a Worm                 24
+      V Belton Finds a Friend                 38
+     VI A Young Rebel                         48
+    VII A Sermon, a Sock, And a Fight         64
+   VIII Many Mysteries Cleared Up             83
+     IX Love and Politics                     95
+      X Cupid Again at Work                  111
+     XI No Befitting Name                    125
+    XII On the Dissecting Board              139
+   XIII Married and yet not Married          161
+    XIV   "      "   "   "    " (Continued)  171
+     XV Weighty Matters                      177
+    XVI Unwritten History                    188
+   XVII Crossing the Rubicon                 200
+  XVIII The Storm's Master                   223
+    XIX The Parting of Ways                  249
+     XX Personal (Berl Trout)                262
+
+
+
+
+TO THE PUBLIC.
+
+
+The papers which are herewith submitted to you for your perusal and
+consideration, were delivered into my hands by Mr. Berl Trout.
+
+The papers will speak for themselves, but Mr. Trout now being dead I
+feel called upon to say a word concerning him.
+
+Mr. Berl Trout was Secretary of State in the Imperium In Imperio, from
+the day of its organization until the hour of his sad death. He was,
+therefore, thoroughly conversant with all of the details of that great
+organization.
+
+He was a warm personal friend of both Bernard and Belton, and learned
+from their own lips the stories of their eventful lives.
+
+Mr. Trout was a man noted for his strict veracity and for the absolute
+control that his conscience exercised over him.
+
+Though unacquainted with the Imperium In Imperio I was well acquainted
+with Berl, as we fondly called him. I will vouch for his truthfulness
+anywhere.
+
+Having perfect faith in the truthfulness of his narrative I have not
+hesitated to fulfil his dying request by editing his Ms., and giving
+it to the public. There are other documents in my possession tending
+to confirm the assertions made in his narrative. These documents
+were given me by Mr. Trout, so that, in case an attempt is made to
+pronounce him a liar, I might defend his name by coming forward with
+indisputable proofs of every important statement.
+
+  Very respectfully,
+  Sutton E. Griggs,
+  March 1, 1899. Berkley, Va.
+
+
+
+
+IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO.
+
+
+
+
+BERL TROUT'S DYING DECLARATION.
+
+    I am a traitor. I have violated an oath that was as solemn and
+    binding as any ever taken by man on earth.
+
+    I have trampled under my feet the sacred trust of a loving
+    people, and have betrayed secrets which were dearer to them
+    than life itself.
+
+    For this offence, regarded the world over as the most
+    detestable of horrors, I shall be slain.
+
+    Those who shall be detailed to escort my foul body to its
+    grave are required to walk backwards with heads averted.
+
+    On to-morrow night, the time of my burial, the clouds should
+    gather thick about the queenly moon to hide my funeral
+    procession from her view, for fear that she might refuse to
+    longer reign over a land capable of producing such a wretch as
+    I.
+
+    In the bottom of some old forsaken well, so reads _our_ law, I
+    shall be buried, face downward, without a coffin; and my body,
+    lying thus, will be transfixed with a wooden stave.
+
+    Fifty feet from the well into which my body is lowered, a
+    red flag is to be hoisted and kept floating there for time
+    unending, to warn all generations of men to come not near the
+    air polluted by the rotting carcass of a vile traitor.
+
+    Such is my fate. I seek not to shun it. I have walked into
+    odium with every sense alert, fully conscious of every step
+    taken.
+
+    While I acknowledge that I am a traitor, I also pronounce
+    myself a patriot.
+
+    It is true that I have betrayed the immediate plans of the
+    race to which I belong; but I have done this in the interest
+    of the whole human family--of which my race is but a part.
+
+    My race may, for the time being, shower curses upon me; but
+    eventually all races, including my own, shall call me blessed.
+
+    The earth, in anger, may belch forth my putrid flesh with
+    volcanic fury, but the out-stretched arms of God will receive
+    my spirit as a token of approval of what I have done.
+
+    With my soul feasting on this happy thought, I send this
+    revelation to mankind and yield my body to the executioner to
+    be shot until I am dead.
+
+    Though death stands just before me, holding before my eyes my
+    intended shroud woven of the cloth of infamy itself, I shrink
+    not back.
+
+  Yours, doomed to die,
+  BERL TROUT.
+
+
+
+
+IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+A SMALL BEGINNING.
+
+
+"Cum er long hunny an' let yer mammy fix yer 'spectabul, so yer ken go
+to skule. Yer mammy is 'tarmined ter gib yer all de book larning dar
+is ter be had eben ef she has ter lib on bred an' herrin's, an' die en
+de a'ms house."
+
+These words came from the lips of a poor, ignorant negro woman, and
+yet the determined course of action which they reveal vitally affected
+the destiny of a nation and saved the sun of the Nineteenth Century,
+proud and glorious, from passing through, near its setting, the
+blackest and thickest and ugliest clouds of all its journey; saved it
+from ending the most brilliant of brilliant careers by setting, with a
+shudder of horror, in a sea of human blood.
+
+Those who doubt that such power could emanate from such weakness;
+or, to change the figure, that such a tiny star could have dimensions
+greater than those of earth, may have every vestige of doubt removed
+by a perusal of this simple narrative.
+
+Let us now acquaint ourselves with the circumstances under which the
+opening words of our story were spoken. To do this, we must need lead
+our readers into humble and commonplace surroundings, a fact that
+will not come in the nature of a surprise to those who have traced
+the proud, rushing, swelling river to the mountain whence it comes
+trickling forth, meekly and humbly enough.
+
+The place was Winchester, an antiquated town, located near the
+northwestern corner of the State of Virginia.
+
+In October of the year 1867, the year in which our story begins, a
+white man by the name of Tiberius Gracchus Leonard had arrived in
+Winchester, and was employed as teacher of the school for colored
+children.
+
+Mrs. Hannah Piedmont, the colored woman whom we have presented to
+our readers as addressing her little boy, was the mother of five
+children,--three girls and two boys. In the order of their ages, the
+names of her children were: James Henry, aged fifteen, Amanda Ann,
+aged thirteen, Eliza Jane, aged eleven, Belton, aged eight, and
+Celestine, aged five. Several years previous to the opening of our
+history, Mr. Piedmont had abandoned his wife and left her to rear the
+children alone.
+
+School opened in October, and as fast as she could get books and
+clothing Mrs. Piedmont sent her children to school. James Henry,
+Amanda Ann, and Eliza Jane were sent at about a week's interval.
+Belton and Celestine were then left--Celestine being regarded as too
+young to go. This morning we find Belton's mother preparing him for
+school, and we shall stand by and watch the preparations.
+
+The house was low and squatty and was built of rock. It consisted of
+one room only, and over this there was a loft, the hole to climb into
+which was in plain view of any one in the room. There was only one
+window to the house and that one was only four feet square. Two panes
+of this were broken out and the holes were stuffed with rags. In one
+corner of the room there stood a bed in which Mrs. Piedmont and
+Amanda Ann slept. Under this was a trundle bed in which Eliza Jane
+and Celestine slept at the head, while Belton slept at the foot. James
+Henry climbed into the loft and slept there on a pallet of straw. The
+cooking was done in a fireplace which was on the side of the house
+opposite the window. Three chairs, two of which had no backs to them,
+completed the articles in the room.
+
+In one of these chairs Mrs. Piedmont was sitting, while Belton stood
+before her all dressed and ready to go to school, excepting that his
+face was not washed.
+
+It might be interesting to note his costume. The white lady for whom
+Mrs. Piedmont washed each week had given her two much-torn pairs of
+trousers, discarded by her young son. One pair was of linen and the
+other of navy blue. A leg from each pair was missing; so Mrs. Piedmont
+simply transferred the good leg of the linen pair to the suit of the
+navy blue, and dressed the happy Belton in that suit thus amended. His
+coat was literally a conglomeration of patches of varying sizes and
+colors. If you attempted to describe the coat by calling it by the
+name of the color that you thought predominated, at least a half dozen
+aspirants could present equal claims to the honor. One of Belton's
+feet was encased in a wornout slipper from the dainty foot of some
+young woman, while the other wore a turned over boot left in town by
+some farmer lad who had gotten himself a new pair. His hat was in
+good condition, being the summer straw last worn by a little white
+playfellow (when fall came on, this little fellow kindly willed his
+hat to Belton, who, in return for this favor, was to black the boy's
+shoes each morning during the winter).
+
+Belton's mother now held in her hand a wet cloth with which she wished
+to cleanse his face, the bacon skin which he gnawed at the conclusion
+of his meal having left a circle of grease around his lips. Belton
+did not relish the face washing part of the programme (of course
+hair combing was not even considered). Belton had one characteristic
+similar to that of oil. He did not like to mix with water, especially
+cold water, such as was on that wet cloth in his mother's hand.
+However, a hint in reference to a certain well-known leather strap,
+combined with the offer of a lump of sugar, brought him to terms.
+
+His face being washed, he and his mother marched forth to school,
+where he laid the foundation of the education that served him so well
+in after life.
+
+A man of tact, intelligence, and superior education moving in the
+midst of a mass of ignorant people, ofttimes has a sway more absolute
+than that of monarchs.
+
+Belton now entered the school-room, which in his case proves to be the
+royal court, whence he emerges an uncrowned king.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE SCHOOL.
+
+
+The house in which the colored school was held was, in former times, a
+house of worship for the white Baptists of Winchester. It was a long,
+plain, frame structure, painted white. Many years prior to the opening
+of the colored school it had been condemned as unsafe by the town
+authorities, whereupon the white Baptists had abandoned it for a more
+beautiful modern structure.
+
+The church tendered the use of the building to the town for a public
+school for the colored children. The roof was patched and iron rods
+were used to hold together the twisting walls. These improvements
+being made, school was in due time opened. The building was located on
+the outskirts of the town, and a large open field surrounded it on all
+sides.
+
+As Mrs. Piedmont and her son drew near to this building the teacher
+was standing on the door-steps ringing his little hand bell, calling
+the children in from their recess. They came running at full speed,
+helter skelter. By the time they were all in Mrs. Piedmont and Belton
+had arrived at the step. When Mr. Leonard saw them about to enter the
+building an angry scowl passed over his face, and he muttered half
+aloud: "Another black nigger brat for me to teach."
+
+The steps were about four feet high and he was standing on the top
+step. To emphasize his disgust, he drew back so that Mrs. Piedmont
+would pass him with no danger of brushing him. He drew back rather
+too far and began falling off the end of the steps. He clutched at
+the door and made such a scrambling noise that the children turned
+in their seats just in time to see his body rapidly disappearing in a
+manner to leave his feet where his head ought to be.
+
+Such a yell of laughter as went up from the throats of the children!
+It had in it a universal, spontaneous ring of savage delight which
+plainly told that the teacher was not beloved by his pupils.
+
+The back of the teacher's head struck the edge of a stone, and when he
+clambered up from his rather undignified position his back was covered
+with blood. Deep silence reigned in the school-room as he walked down
+the aisle, glaring fiercely right and left. Getting his hat he left
+the school-room and went to a near-by drug store to have his wounds
+dressed.
+
+While he was gone, the children took charge of the school-room and
+played pranks of every description. Abe Lincoln took the teacher's
+chair and played "'fessor."
+
+"Sallie Ann ain't yer got wax in yer mouf?"
+
+"Yes sar."
+
+"Den take dis stick and prop yer mouf opun fur half hour. Dat'll teach
+yer a lesson."
+
+"Billy Smith, yer didn't know yer lessun," says teacher Abe. "Yer may
+stan' on one leg de ballunce ob de ebenning."
+
+"Henry Jones, yer sassed a white boy ter day. Pull off yer jacket.
+I'll gib yer a lessun dat yer'll not furgit soon. Neber buck up to yer
+s'periors."
+
+"John Jones, yer black, nappy head rascal, I'll crack yer skull if yer
+doan keep quiut."
+
+"Cum year, yer black, cross-eyed little wench, yer. I'll teach yer to
+go to sleep in here." Annie Moore was the little girl thus addressed.
+
+After each sally from Abe there was a hearty roar of laughter, he
+imitated the absent teacher so perfectly in look, voice, manner,
+sentiment, and method of punishment.
+
+Taking down the cowhide used for flogging purposes Abe left his
+seat and was passing to and fro, pretending to flog those who most
+frequently fell heir to the teacher's wrath. While he was doing this
+Billy Smith stealthily crept to the teacher's chair and placed a
+crooked pin in it in order to catch Abe when he returned to sit down.
+
+Before Abe had gone much further the teacher's face appeared at the
+door, and all scrambled to get into their right places and to assume
+studious attitudes. Billy Smith thought of his crooked pin and had the
+"cold sweats." Those who had seen Billy put the pin in the chair were
+torn between two conflicting emotions. They wanted the pin to do its
+work, and therefore hoped. They feared Billy's detection and therefore
+despaired.
+
+However, the teacher did not proceed at once to take his seat. He
+approached Mrs. Piedmont and Belton, who had taken seats midway the
+room and were interested spectators of all that had been going on.
+Speaking to Mrs. Piedmont, he said: "What is your name?"
+
+She replied: "Hannah Lizabeth Piedmont."
+
+"Well, Hannah, what is your brat's name?"
+
+"His name am Belton Piedmont, arter his grandaddy."
+
+"Well, Hannah, I am very pleased to receive your brat. He shall not
+want for attention," he added, in a tone accompanied by a lurking look
+of hate that made Mrs. Piedmont shudder and long to have her boy
+at home again. Her desire for his training was so great that she
+surmounted her misgivings and carried out her purposes to have him
+enrolled.
+
+As the teacher was turning to go to his desk, hearing a rustling noise
+toward the door, he turned to look. He was, so to speak, petrified
+with astonishment. There stood on the threshold of the door a woman
+whose beauty was such as he had never seen surpassed. She held a boy
+by the hand. She was a mulatto woman, tall and graceful. Her hair was
+raven black and was combed away from as beautiful a forehead as nature
+could chisel. Her eyes were a brown hazel, large and intelligent,
+tinged with a slight look of melancholy. Her complexion was a rich
+olive, and seemed especially adapted to her face, that revealed not a
+flaw.
+
+The teacher quickly pulled off his hat, which he had not up to that
+time removed since his return from the drug store. As the lady moved
+up the aisle toward him, he was taken with stage fright. He recovered
+self-possession enough to escort her and the boy to the front and
+give them seats. The whole school divided its attention between the
+beautiful woman and the discomfitted teacher. They had not known that
+he was so full of smiles and smirks.
+
+"What is your name?" he enquired in his most suave manner.
+
+"Fairfax Belgrave," replied the visitor.
+
+"May I be of any service to you, madam?"
+
+At the mention of the word madam, she colored slightly. "I desire to
+have my son enter your school and I trust that you may see your way
+clear to admit him."
+
+"Most assuredly madam, most assuredly." Saying this, he hastened to
+his desk, opened it and took out his register. He then sat down, but
+the next instant leapt several feet into the air, knocking over his
+desk. He danced around the floor, reaching toward the rear of his
+pants, yelling: "Pull it out! pull it out! pull it out!"
+
+The children hid their faces behind their books and chuckled most
+gleefully. Billy Smith was struck dumb with terror. Abe was rolling on
+the floor, bellowing with uncontrollable laughter.
+
+The teacher finally succeeded in extricating the offending steel and
+stood scratching his head in chagrin at the spectacle he had made of
+himself before his charming visitor. He took an internal oath to
+get his revenge out of Mrs. Piedmont and her son, who had been the
+innocent means of his double downfall that day.
+
+His desk was arranged in a proper manner and the teacher took his pen
+and wrote two names, now famous the world over.
+
+"Bernard Belgrave, age 9 years."
+
+"Belton Piedmont, age 8 years."
+
+Under such circumstances Belton began his school career.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE PARSON'S ADVICE.
+
+
+With heavy heart and with eyes cast upon the ground, Mrs. Piedmont
+walked back home after leaving Belton with his teacher. She had
+intended to make a special plea for her boy, who had all along
+displayed such precociousness as to fill her bosom with the liveliest
+hopes. But the teacher was so repulsive in manner that she did not
+have the heart to speak to him as she had intended.
+
+She saw that the happenings of the morning had had the effect of
+deepening a contemptuous prejudice into hatred, and she felt that
+her child's school life was to be embittered by the harshest of
+maltreatment.
+
+No restraint was put upon the flogging of colored children by their
+white teachers, and in Belton's case his mother expected the worst.
+During the whole week she revolved the matter in her mind. There was a
+conflict in her bosom between her love and her ambition. Love prompted
+her to return and take her son away from school. Ambition bade her to
+let him stay. She finally decided to submit the whole matter to her
+parson, whom she would invite to dinner on the coming Sunday.
+
+The Sabbath came and Mrs. Piedmont aroused her family bright and
+early, for the coming of the parson to take dinner was a great event
+in any negro household. The house was swept as clean as a broom of
+weeds tied together could make it. Along with the family breakfast, a
+skillet of biscuits was cooked and a young chicken nicely baked.
+
+Belton was very active in helping his mother that morning, and she
+promised to give him a biscuit and a piece of chicken as a reward
+after the preacher was through eating his dinner. The thought of
+this coming happiness buoyed Belton up, and often he fancied himself
+munching that biscuit and biting that piece of chicken. These were
+items of food rarely found in that household.
+
+Breakfast over, the whole family made preparations for going to
+Sunday school. Preparations always went on peacefully until it came to
+combing hair. The older members of the family endured the ordeal
+very well; but little "Lessie" always screamed as if she was being
+tortured, and James Henry received many kicks and scratches from
+Belton before he was through combing Belton's hair.
+
+The Sunday school and church were always held in the day-school
+building. The Sunday school scholars were all in one class and recited
+out of the "blue back spelling book." When that was over, members of
+the school were allowed to ask general questions on the Bible, which
+were answered by anyone volunteering to do so. Everyone who had in
+any way caught a new light on a passage of scripture endeavored, by
+questioning, to find out as to whether others were as wise as he, and
+if such was not the case, he gladly enlightened the rest.
+
+The Sunday school being over, the people stood in groups on the ground
+surrounding the church waiting for the arrival of the parson from his
+home, Berryville, a town twelve miles distant. He was pastor of three
+other churches besides the one at Winchester, and he preached at each
+one Sunday in the month. After awhile he put in his appearance. He was
+rather small in stature, and held his head somewhat to one side and
+looked at you with that knowing look of the parrot. He wore a pair of
+trousers that had been black, but were now sleet from much wear. They
+lacked two inches of reaching down to the feet of his high-heeled
+boots. He had on a long linen cluster that reached below his knees.
+Beneath this was a faded Prince Albert coat and a vest much too small.
+On his head there sat, slightly tipped, a high-topped beaver that
+seemed to have been hidden between two mattresses all the week and
+taken out and straightened for Sunday wear. In his hand he held a
+walking cane.
+
+Thus clad he came toward the church, his body thrown slightly back,
+walking leisurely with the air of quiet dignity possessed by the man
+sure of his standing, and not under the necessity of asserting it
+overmuch in his carriage.
+
+The brothers pulled off their hats and the sisters put on their best
+smiles as the parson approached. After a cordial handshake all around,
+the preacher entered the church to begin the services. After singing
+a hymn and praying, he took for his text the following "passige of
+scripter:"
+
+"It air harder fur a camel to git through de eye of a cambric needle
+den fur a rich man to enter de kingdom of heben."
+
+This was one of the parson's favorite texts, and the members all
+settled themselves back to have a good "speritual" time.
+
+The preacher began his sermon in a somewhat quiet way, but the members
+knew that he would "warm up bye and bye." He pictured all rich men
+as trying to get into heaven, but, he asserted, they invariably found
+themselves with Dives. He exhorted his hearers to stick to Jesus. Here
+he pulled off his collar, and the sisters stirred and looked about
+them. A little later on, the preacher getting "warmer," pulled off his
+cuffs. The brethren laughed with a sort of joyous jumping up and
+down all the while--one crying "Gib me Jesus," another "Oh I am gwine
+home," and so on.
+
+One sister who had a white lady's baby in her arms got happy and flung
+it entirely across the room, it falling into Mrs. Piedmont's lap,
+while the frenzied woman who threw the child climbed over
+benches, rushed into the pulpit, and swung to the preacher's neck,
+crying--"Glory! Glory! Glory!" In the meanwhile Belton had dropped
+down under one of the benches and was watching the proceedings with an
+eye of terror.
+
+The sermon over and quiet restored, a collection was taken and given
+to the pastor. Mrs. Piedmont went forward to put some money on the
+table and took occasion to step to the pulpit and invite the pastor
+to dinner. Knowing that this meant chicken, the pastor unhesitatingly
+accepted the invitation, and when church was over accompanied Mrs.
+Piedmont and her family home.
+
+The preacher caught hold of Belton's hand as they walked along. This
+mark of attention, esteemed by Belton as a signal honor, filled
+his little soul with joy. As he thought of the manner in which the
+preacher stirred up the people, the amount of the collection that had
+been given him, and the biscuits and chicken that now awaited him,
+Belton decided that he, too, would like to become a preacher.
+
+Just before reaching home, according to a preconcerted plan, Belton
+and James Henry broke from the group and ran into the house. When
+the others appeared a little later on, these two were not to be seen.
+However, no question was asked and no search made. All things were
+ready and the parson sat down to eat, while the three girls stood
+about, glancing now and then at the table. The preacher was very
+voracious and began his meal as though he "meant business."
+
+We can now reveal the whereabouts of Belton and James Henry. They had
+clambered into the loft for the purpose of watching the progress
+of the preacher's meal, calculating at each step how much he would
+probably leave. James Henry found a little hole in the loft directly
+over the table, and through this hole he did his spying. Belton took
+his position at the larger entrance hole, lying flat on his stomach.
+He poked his head down far enough to see the preacher, but held it
+in readiness to be snatched back, if the preacher's eyes seemed to be
+about to wander his way.
+
+He was kept in a state of feverish excitement, on the one hand, by
+fear of detection, and on the other, by a desire to watch the meal.
+When about half of the biscuits were gone, and the preacher seemed as
+fresh as ever, Belton began to be afraid for his promised biscuit and
+piece of chicken. He crawled to James Henry and said hastily--"James,
+dees haf gone," and hurriedly resumed his watch. A moment later he
+called out in a whisper, "He's tuck anudder." Down goes Belton's head
+to resume his watch. Every time the preacher took another biscuit
+Belton called out the fact to James.
+
+All of the chicken was at last destroyed and only one biscuit
+remained; and Belton's whole soul was now centered on that biscuit.
+In his eagerness to watch he leaned a good distance out, and when the
+preacher reached forth his hand to take the last one Belton was so
+overcome that he lost his balance and tumbled out of his hole on the
+floor, kicking, and crying over and over again: "I knowed I wuzunt
+goin' to git naren dem biscuits."
+
+The startled preacher hastily arose from the table and gazed on the
+little fellow in bewilderment. As soon as it dawned upon him what
+the trouble was, he hastily got the remaining biscuit and gave it to
+Belton. He also discovered that his voracity had made enemies of the
+rest of the children, and he very adroitly passed a five cent piece
+around to each.
+
+James Henry, forgetting his altitude and anxious not to lose his
+recompense, cried out loudly from the loft: "Amanda Ann you git mine
+fur me."
+
+The preacher looked up but saw no one. Seeing that his request did not
+have the desired effect, James Henry soon tumbled down full of dust,
+straw and cobwebs, and came into possession of his appeasing money.
+The preacher laughed heartily and seemed to enjoy his experience
+highly.
+
+The table was cleared, and the preacher and Mrs. Piedmont dismissed
+the children in order to discuss unmolested the subject which had
+prompted her to extend an invitation to the parson. In view of the
+intense dislike the teacher had conceived for Belton, she desired
+to know if it were not best to withdraw him from school altogether,
+rather than to subject him to the harsh treatment sure to come.
+
+"Let me gib yer my advis, sistah Hannah. De greatest t'ing in de wul
+is edification. Ef our race ken git dat we ken git ebery t'ing else.
+Dat is de key. Git de key an' yer ken go in de house to go whare you
+please. As fur his beatin' de brat, yer musn't kick agin dat. He'll
+beat de brat to make him larn, and won't dat be a blessed t'ing? See
+dis scar on side my head? Old marse Sampson knocked me down wid a
+single-tree tryin' to make me stop larning, and God is so fixed it dat
+white folks is knocking es down ef we don't larn. Ef yer take Belton
+out of school yer'll be fighting 'genst de providence of God."
+
+Being thus advised by her shepherd, Mrs. Piedmont decided to keep
+Belton in school. So on Monday Belton went back to his brutal teacher,
+and thither we follow him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE TURNING OF A WORM.
+
+
+As to who Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard was, or as to where he came
+from, nobody in Winchester, save himself, knew.
+
+Immediately following the close of the Civil War, Rev. Samuel
+Christian, a poor but honorable retired minister of the M.E. Church,
+South, was the first teacher employed to instruct the colored children
+of the town.
+
+He was one of those Southerners who had never believed in the morality
+of slavery, but regarded it as a deep rooted evil beyond human power
+to uproot. When the manacles fell from the hands of the Negroes he
+gladly accepted the task of removing the scales of ignorance from the
+blinded eyes of the race.
+
+Tenderly he labored, valiantly he toiled in the midst of the mass of
+ignorance that came surging around him. But only one brief year was
+given to this saintly soul to endeavor to blast the mountains of
+stupidity which centuries of oppression had reared. He fell asleep.
+
+The white men who were trustees of the colored school, were sorely
+puzzled as to what to do for a successor. A Negro, capable of teaching
+a school, was nowhere near. White young men of the South, generally,
+looked upon the work of teaching "niggers" with the utmost contempt;
+and any man who suggested the name of a white young lady of Southern
+birth as a teacher for the colored children was actually in danger
+of being shot by any member of the insulted family who could handle a
+pistol.
+
+An advertisement was inserted in the Washington Post to the effect
+that a teacher was wanted. In answer to this advertisement Mr. Leonard
+came. He was a man above the medium height, and possessed a frame not
+large but compactly built. His forehead was low and narrow; while the
+back of his head looked exceedingly intellectual. Looking at him
+from the front you would involuntarily exclaim: "What an infamous
+scoundrel." Looking at him from the rear you would say: "There
+certainly is brain power in that head."
+
+The glance of Mr. Leonard's eye was furtive, and his face was sour
+looking indeed. At times when he felt that no one was watching him,
+his whole countenance and attitude betokened the rage of despair.
+
+Most people who looked at him felt that he carried in his bosom a dark
+secret. As to scholarship, he was unquestionably proficient. No white
+man in all the neighboring section, ranked with him intellectually.
+Despite the lack of all knowledge of his moral character and previous
+life, he was pronounced as much too good a man to fritter away his
+time on "niggers."
+
+Such was the character of the man into whose hands was committed the
+destiny of the colored children of Winchester.
+
+As his mother foresaw would be the case, Belton was singled out by the
+teacher as a special object on which he might expend his spleen. For
+a man to be as spiteful as he was, there must have been something
+gnawing at his heart. But toward Bernard none of this evil spirit was
+manifested. He seemed to have chosen Bernard for his pet, and Belton
+for his "pet aversion." To the one he was all kindness; while to the
+other he was cruel in the extreme.
+
+Often he would purchase flowers from the florist and give to Bernard
+to bear home to his mother. On these days he would seemingly take
+pains to give Belton fresh bruises to take home to _his_ mother. When
+he had a particularly good dinner he would invite Bernard to dine with
+him, and would be sure to find some pretext for forbidding Belton to
+partake of his own common meal.
+
+Belton was by no means insensible to all these acts of discrimination.
+Nor did Bernard fail to perceive that he, himself, was the teacher's
+pet. He clambered on to the teacher's knees, played with his mustache,
+and often took his watch and wore it. The teacher seemed to be truly
+fond of him.
+
+The children all ascribed this partiality to the color of Bernard's
+skin, and they all, except Belton, began to envy and despise Bernard.
+Of course they told their parents of the teacher's partiality and
+their parents thus became embittered against the teacher. But however
+much they might object to him and desire his removal, their united
+protests would not have had the weight of a feather. So the teacher
+remained at Winchester for twelve years. During all these years he
+instructed our young friends Belton and Bernard.
+
+Strangely enough, his ardent love for Bernard and his bitter hatred
+of Belton accomplished the very same result in respect to their
+acquirements. The teacher soon discovered that both boys were talented
+far beyond the ordinary, and that both were ambitious. He saw that the
+way to wound and humiliate Belton was to make Bernard excel him. Thus
+he bent all of his energies to improve Bernard's mind. Whenever he
+heard Belton recite he brought all of his talents to bear to point
+out his failures, hoping thus to exalt Bernard, out of whose work he
+strove to keep all blemishes. Thus Belton became accustomed to the
+closest scrutiny, and prepared himself accordingly. The result was
+that Bernard did not gain an inch on him.
+
+The teacher introduced the two boys into every needed field of
+knowledge, as they grew older, hoping always to find some branch in
+which Bernard might display unquestioned superiority. There were two
+studies in which the two rivals dug deep to see which could bring
+forth the richest treasures; and these gave coloring to the whole of
+their afterlives. One, was the History of the United States, and the
+other, Rhetoric.
+
+In history, that portion that charmed them most was the story of
+the rebellion against the yoke of England. Far and wide they went in
+search of everything that would throw light on this epoch. They became
+immersed in the spirit of that heroic age.
+
+As a part of their rhetorical training they were taught to declaim.
+Thanks to their absorption in the history of the Revolution, their
+minds ran to the sublime in literature; and they strove to secure
+pieces to declaim that recited the most heroic deeds of man, of
+whatever nationality.
+
+Leonidas, Marco Bozarris, Arnold Winklereid, Louis Kossuth, Robert
+Emmett, Martin Luther, Patrick Henry and such characters furnished the
+pieces almost invariably declaimed. They threw their whole souls into
+these, and the only natural thing resulted. No human soul can breathe
+the atmosphere of heroes and read with bated breath their deeds of
+daring without craving for the opportunity to do the like. Thus the
+education of these two young men went on.
+
+At the expiration of twelve years they had acquired an academic
+education that could not be surpassed anywhere in the land. Their
+reputation as brilliant students and eloquent speakers had spread over
+the whole surrounding country.
+
+The teacher decided to graduate the young men; and he thought to
+utilize the occasion as a lasting humiliation of Belton and exaltation
+of his favorite, Bernard Belgrave. Belton felt this.
+
+In the first part of this last school year of the boys, he had told
+them to prepare for a grand commencement exercise, and they acted
+accordingly. Each one chose his subject and began the preparation
+of his oration early in the session, each keeping his subject and
+treatment secret from the other.
+
+The teacher had announced that numerous white citizens would be
+present; among them the congressman from the district and the mayor of
+the town. Belton determined upon two things, away down in his soul. He
+determined to win in the oratorical contest, and to get his revenge
+on his teacher on the day that the teacher had planned for
+his--(Belton's) humiliation. Bernard did not have the incentive that
+Belton did; but defeat was ever galling to him, and he, too, had
+determined to win.
+
+The teacher often reviewed the progress made by Bernard on his
+oration, but did not notice Belton's at all. He strove to make
+Bernard's oration as nearly perfect as labor and skill could make
+it. But Belton was not asleep as to either of the resolutions he
+had formed. Some nights he could be seen stealing away from the
+congressman's residence. On others he could be seen leaving the
+neighborhood of the school, with a spade in one hand and a few
+carpenter's tools in the other.
+
+He went to the congressman, who was a polished orator with a national
+reputation, in order that he might purge his oration from its
+impurities of speech. As the congressman read the oration and
+perceived the depth of thought, the logical arrangement, the beauty
+and rhythm of language, and the wide research displayed, he opened his
+eyes wide with astonishment. He was amazed that a young man of such
+uncommon talents could have grown up in his town and he not know it.
+Belton's marvelous talents won his respect and admiration, and he gave
+him access to his library and criticized his oration whenever needed.
+
+Secretly and silently preparations went on for the grand conflict. At
+last the day came. The colored men and women of the place laid aside
+all work to attend the exercises. The forward section of seats was
+reserved for the white people. The congressman, the mayor, the school
+trustees and various other men of standing came, accompanied by their
+wives and daughters.
+
+Scholars of various grades had parts to perform on the programme, but
+the eyes of all sought the bottom of the page where were printed the
+names of the two oratorical gladiators:
+
+  "BELTON PIEDMONT.
+  BERNARD BELGRAVE."
+
+The teacher had given Bernard the last place, deeming that the more
+advantageous. He appointed the congressman, the mayor, and one of the
+school trustees to act as judges, to decide to whom he should award a
+beautiful gold medal for the more excellent oration. The congressman
+politely declined and named another trustee in his stead. Then the
+contest began. As Belton walked up on the platform the children
+greeted him with applause. He announced as his subject: "The
+Contribution of the Anglo-Saxon to the Cause of Human Liberty." In his
+strong, earnest voice, he began to roll off his well turned periods.
+The whole audience seemed as if in a trance. His words made their
+hearts burn, and time and again he made them burst forth in applause.
+
+The white people who sat and listened to his speech looked upon it as
+a very revelation to them, they themselves not having had as clear a
+conception of the glory of their race as this Negro now revealed.
+When he had finished, white men and women crowded to the front to
+congratulate him upon his effort, and it was many minutes before quiet
+was restored sufficiently to allow the programme to proceed.
+
+Bernard took his position on the platform, announcing as his subject:
+"Robert Emmett." His voice was sweet and well modulated and never
+failed to charm. Admiration was plainly depicted on every face as he
+proceeded. He brought to bear all the graces of a polished orator, and
+more than once tears came into the eyes of his listeners. Particularly
+affecting was his description of Emmett's death. At the conclusion it
+was evident that his audience felt that it would have been difficult
+to have handled that subject better.
+
+The judges now retired to deliberate as to whom to give the prize.
+While they are out, let us examine Belton's plans for carrying out
+the second thing, upon the accomplishment of which he was determined;
+viz., revenge.
+
+In the rear of the schoolhouse, there stood an old wood-shed. For some
+slight offence the teacher had, two or three years back, made Belton
+the fire-maker for the balance of his school life instead of passing
+the task around according to custom. Thus the care of the wood-house
+had fallen permanently to Belton's lot.
+
+During the last year Belton had dug a large hole running from the
+floor of the wood-shed to a point under the platform of the school
+room. The dirt from this underground channel he cast into a deep old
+unused well, not far distant. Once under the platform, he kept on
+digging, making the hole larger by far. Numerous rocks abounded in the
+neighborhood, and these he used to wall up his underground room,
+so that it would hold water. Just in the middle of the school-room
+platform he cut, from beneath, a square hole, taking in the spot where
+the teacher invariably stood when addressing the school. He cut the
+boards until they lacked but a very little, indeed, of being cut
+through. All looked well above, but a baby would not be safe standing
+thereon. Belton contrived a kind of prop with a weight attached. This
+prop would serve to keep the cut section from breaking through. The
+attached weight was at rest in a hole left in the wall of the cavity
+near its top. If you dislocated the weight, the momentum that it would
+gather in the fall would pull down the prop to which it was attached.
+
+Finally, Belton fastened a strong rope to the weight, and ran the rope
+under the schoolhouse floor until it was immediately beneath his seat.
+With an auger he made a hole in the floor and brought the end through.
+He managed to keep this bit of rope concealed, while at the same time
+he had perfect command of his trap door.
+
+For two or three nights previous to commencement day Belton had worked
+until nearly morning filling this cistern with water. Now when through
+delivering his oration, he had returned to his seat to await the
+proper moment for the payment of his teacher. The judges were out
+debating the question as to who had won. They seemed to be unable
+to decide who was victorious and beckoned for the teacher to step
+outside.
+
+They said: "That black nigger has beat the yellow one all to pieces
+this time, but we don't like to see nigger blood triumph over any
+Anglo-Saxon blood. Ain't there any loop-hole where we can give it to
+Bernard, anyhow?"
+
+"Well, yes," said the teacher eagerly, "on the ground of good
+behavior."
+
+"There you hit it," said the Mayor. "So we all decide."
+
+The judges filed in, and the Mayor arose to announce their decision.
+"We award," said he to the breathless audience, "the prize to Bernard
+Belgrave."
+
+"No! no! no!" burst forth from persons all over the house. The
+congressman arose and went up to Belton and congratulated him upon
+his triumph over oratory, and lamented his defeat by prejudice. This
+action caused a perceptible stir in the entire audience.
+
+The teacher went to his desk and produced a large gold medal. He took
+his accustomed place on the platform and began thus:
+
+"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the proudest moment of my life." He got
+no further. Belton had pulled the rope, the rope had caused the weight
+to fall, and the weight had pulled the prop and down had gone the
+teacher into a well of water.
+
+"Murder! Murder! Murder!" he cried "Help! Help! Help! I am drowning.
+Take me out, it is cold."
+
+The audience rushed forward expecting to find the teacher in a
+dangerous situation; but they found him standing, apparently unharmed,
+in a cistern, the water being a little more than waist deep. Their
+fright gave way to humor and a merry shout went up from the throats of
+the scholars.
+
+The colored men and women laughed to one side, while the white people
+smiled as though they had admired the feat as a fine specimen of
+falling from the sublime to the ridiculous. Bending down over the
+well, the larger students caught hold of the teacher's arms and lifted
+him out.
+
+He stood before the audience wet and shivering, his clothes sticking
+to him, and water dripping from his hair. The medal was gone. The
+teacher dismissed the audience, drew his last month's pay and left
+that night for parts unknown.
+
+Sometimes, even a worm will turn when trodden upon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+BELTON FINDS A FRIEND.
+
+
+Long before the rifle ball, the cannon shot, and the exploding shell
+were through their fiendish task of covering the earth with mortals
+slain; while the startled air was yet busy in hurrying to Heaven
+the groans of the dying soldier, accompanied as they were by the
+despairing shrieks of his loved ones behind; while horrid War, in
+frenzied joy, yet waved his bloody sword over the nation's head, and
+sought with eager eagle eyes every drop of clotted gore over which he
+might exult; in the midst of such direful days as these, there were
+those at the North whom the love of God and the eye of faith taught to
+leap over the scene of strife to prepare the trembling negro for the
+day of freedom, which, refusing to have a dawn, had burst in meridian
+splendor upon his dazzled gaze.
+
+Into the southland there came rushing consecrated Christians, men and
+women, eager to provide for the negro a Christian education. Those
+who stayed behind gathered up hoarded treasures and gladly poured them
+into the lap of the South for the same laudable purpose. As a result
+of the coming of this army of workers, bearing in their arms millions
+of money, ere many years had sped, well nigh every southern state
+could proudly boast of one or more colleges where the aspiring negro
+might quench has thirst for knowledge.
+
+So when Bernard and Belton had finished their careers at the
+Winchester public school, colleges abounded in the South beckoning
+them to enter. Bernard preferred to go to a northern institution, and
+his mother sent him to enter Harvard University.
+
+Belton was poor and had no means of his own with which to pursue his
+education; but by the hand of providence a most unexpected door was
+opened to him. The Winchester correspondent of the _Richmond Daily
+Temps_ reported the commencement exercises of the Winchester public
+school of the day that Belton graduated. The congressman present
+at the exercises spoke so highly of Belton's speech that the
+correspondent secured a copy from Belton and sent it to the editor of
+_The Temps_.
+
+This was printed in _The Temps_ and created a great sensation in
+political and literary circles in every section of the country. Every
+newspaper of any consequence reproduced the oration in full. It was
+published and commented upon by the leading journals of England. The
+President of the United States wrote a letter of congratulation to
+Belton. Everywhere the piece was hailed as a classic.
+
+After reading the oration, Mr. V.M. King, editor of _The Temps_,
+decided to take it home with him and read it to his wife. She met him
+at the door and as he kissed her she noticed that there was a sober
+look in his eye. Tenderly he brushed back a few stray locks of his
+wife's hair, saying as he did so, in a somewhat troubled tone: "Wife,
+it has come at last. May the good Lord cease not to watch over our
+beloved but erring land." She inquired as to what he meant. He led her
+to his study and read to her Belton's oration.
+
+In order to understand the words which we have just quoted as being
+spoken by him to his wife, let us, while he reads, become a little
+better acquainted with Mr. King and his paper, _The Temps_.
+
+Mr. King was born and reared in Virginia, was educated at a Northern
+University, and had sojourned for several years in England. He was a
+man of the broadest culture. For several years he had given the negro
+problem most profound study. His views on the subject were regarded
+by the white people of the South as ultra-liberal. These views he
+exploited through his paper, _The Temps_, with a boldness and vigor,
+gaining thereby great notoriety.
+
+Though a democrat in politics, he was most bitterly opposed to the
+practice, almost universal in the South, of cheating the negro out
+of his right to vote. He preached that it was unjust to the negro and
+fatal to the morals of the whites.
+
+On every possible occasion he viciously assaulted the practice of
+lynching, denouncing it in most scathing terms. In short, he was an
+outspoken advocate of giving the negro every right accorded him by the
+Constitution of the United States.
+
+He saw the South leading the young negro boy and girl to school,
+where, at the expense of the state, they were taught to read history
+and learn what real liberty was, and the glorious struggles through
+which the human race had come in order to possess it. He foresaw that
+the rising, educated negro would allow his eye to linger long on
+this bloody but glorious page until that most contagious of diseases,
+devotion to liberty, infected his soul.
+
+He reasoned that the negro who had endured the hardships of slavery
+might spend his time looking back and thanking God for that from
+which he had made his escape; but the young negro, knowing nothing
+of physical slavery, would be peering into the future, measuring the
+distance that he had yet to go before he was truly free, and would
+be asking God and his own right arm for the power to secure whatever
+rights were still withheld.
+
+He argued that, living as the negro did beneath the American flag,
+known as the flag of freedom, studying American history, and listening
+on the outer edge of great Fourth of July crowds to eloquent orators
+discourse on freedom, it was only a matter of a few years before the
+negro would deify liberty as the Anglo-Saxon race had done, and count
+it a joy to perish on her altar.
+
+In order that the Republic might ever stand, he knew that the
+principles of liberty would have to be continually taught with all
+the eloquence and astuteness at command; and if this teaching had the
+desired effect upon the white man it would also be powerful enough to
+awaken the negro standing by his side.
+
+So, his ear was to the ground, expecting every moment to hear the
+far off sounds of awakened negroes coming to ask for liberty, and if
+refused, to slay or be slain.
+
+When he read Belton's oration he saw that the flame of liberty was in
+his heart, her sword in his hand, and the disdain of death stamped on
+his brow. He felt that Belton was the morning star which told by its
+presence that dawn was near at hand.
+
+Thus it was that he said to his wife: "Wife, it has come at last. May
+the good Lord cease not to watch over our beloved land."
+
+This expression was not the offspring of fear as to the outcome of a
+possible conflict, for, Anglo-Saxon like, that was with him a foregone
+conclusion in favor of his own race. But he shuddered at the awful
+carnage that would of necessity ensue if two races, living house to
+house, street to street, should be equally determined upon a question
+at issue, equally disdainful of life, fighting with the rancor always
+attendant upon a struggle between two races that mutually despise and
+detest each other.
+
+He knew that it was more humane, more in accordance with right, more
+acceptable with God, to admit to the negro that Anglo-Saxon doctrine
+of the equality of man was true, rather than to murder the negro for
+accepting him at his word, though spoken to others.
+
+Feeling thus, he pleaded with his people to grant to the negro his
+rights, though he never hinted at a possible rebellion, for fear that
+the mention of it might hasten the birth of the idea in the brain of
+the negro.
+
+That evening, after he had read the oration to his wife and told her
+of his forebodings, he sat with his face buried in his hands, brooding
+over the situation. Late in the night he retired to rest, and the next
+morning, when he awoke, his wife was standing by his bed, calling him.
+She saw that his sleep was restless and thought that he was having
+troubled dreams. And so he was.
+
+He dreamed that a large drove of fatted swine were munching acorns
+in a very dense forest of oaks, both tall and large. The oaks were
+sending the acorns down in showers, and the hogs were greedily
+consuming them. The hogs ate so many that they burst open, and from
+their rotting carcasses fresh oaks sprang and grew with surprising
+rapidity. A dark cloud arose and a terrible hurricane swept over the
+forest; and the old and new oaks fought furiously in the storm, until
+a loud voice, like unto that of a God, cried out above all the din of
+the hurricane, saying in tones of thunder: "Know ye not that ye are
+parents and children? Parents, recognize your children. Children, be
+proud of the parents from whom you spring."
+
+The hurricane ceased, the clouds sped away as if in terror, and
+the oaks grew up together under a clear sky of the purest blue, and
+beautiful birds of all kinds built their nests in the trees, and
+carolled forth the sweetest songs.
+
+He placed upon the dream the following interpretation:
+
+The swine were the negroes. The oak trees were the white people. The
+acorns were the doctrine of human liberty, everywhere preached by
+Anglo-Saxons. The negroes, feasting off of the same thought, had
+become the same kind of being as the white man, and grew up to a point
+of equality. The hurricane was the contest between the two races over
+the question of equality. The voice was intended to inform the whites
+that they had brought about these aspirations in the bosom of
+the negro, and that the liberty-loving negro was their legitimate
+offspring, and not a bastard. The whites should recognize their own
+doings. On the other hand, the negro should not be over boastful, and
+should recognize that the lofty conception of the dignity of man
+and value and true character of liberty were taught him by
+the Anglo-Saxon. The birds betokened a happy adjustment of all
+differences; and the dream that began in the gloom of night ended in
+the dawn of day.
+
+Mr. King was very cheerful, therefore, and decided to send to
+Winchester for Belton, thinking that it might be a wise thing to keep
+an eye and a friendly hand on a young negro of such promise. In
+the course of a couple of days, Belton, in response to his request,
+arrived in Richmond. He called at the office of _The Temps_ and was
+ushered into Mr. King's office.
+
+Mr. King had him take a seat. He enquired of Belton his history,
+training, etc. He also asked as to his plans for the future. Finding
+that Belton was desirous of securing a college education, but was
+destitute of funds, Mr. King gladly embraced the opportunity of
+displaying his kind interest. He offered to pay Belton's way through
+college, and the offer was gladly accepted.
+
+He told Belton to call at his home that evening at seven o'clock to
+receive a check for his entire college course. At the appointed hour
+Belton appeared at Mr. King's residence.
+
+Mr. King was sitting on his front porch, between his wife and aged
+mother, while his two children, a girl and boy, were playing on the
+lawn. Belton was invited to take a seat, much to his surprise.
+
+Seeing a stranger, the children left their play and came to their
+father, one on each side. They looked with questioning eyes from
+father to Belton, as if seeking to know the purpose of the visit.
+
+Mr. King took the check from his pocket and extended it toward Belton,
+and said: "Mr. Piedmont, this will carry you through college. I have
+only one favor to ask of you. In all your dealings with my people
+recognize the fact that there are two widely separated classes of us,
+and that there is a good side to the character of the worst class.
+Always seek for and appeal to that side of their nature."
+
+Belton very feelingly thanked Mr. King, and assured him that he would
+treasure his words. He was true to his promise, and decided from that
+moment to never class all white men together, whatever might be the
+provocation, and to never regard any class as totally depraved.
+
+This is one of the keys to his future life. Remember it.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+A YOUNG REBEL.
+
+
+In the city of Nashville, Tennessee, there is a far famed institution
+of learning called Stowe University, in honor of Mrs. Harriet Beecher
+Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
+
+This institution was one of the many scores of its kind, established
+in the South by Northern philanthropy, for the higher education of the
+Negro. Though called a university, it was scarcely more than a normal
+school with a college department attached.
+
+It was situated just on the outskirts of the city, on a beautiful
+ten-acre plot of ground. The buildings were five in number, consisting
+of a dormitory for young men, two for young ladies, a building for
+recitations, and another, called the teachers' mansion; for the
+teachers resided there. These buildings were very handsome, and were
+so arranged upon the level campus as to present a very attractive
+sight.
+
+With the money which had been so generously given him by Mr. King,
+Belton entered this school. That was a proud day in his life when he
+stepped out of the carriage and opened the University gate, feeling
+that he, a Negro, was privileged to enter college. Julius Caesar,
+on entering Rome in triumph, with the world securely chained to his
+chariot wheels; Napoleon, bowing to receive the diadem of the Caesars'
+won by the most notable victories ever known to earth; General Grant,
+on his triumphal tour around the globe, when kings and queens were
+eager rivals to secure from this man of humble birth the sweeter
+smile; none of these were more full of pleasurable emotion than this
+poor Negro lad, who now with elastic step and beating heart marched
+with head erect beneath the arch of the doorway leading into Stowe
+University.
+
+Belton arrived on the Saturday preceding the Monday on which school
+would open for that session. He found about three hundred and
+sixty students there from all parts of the South, the young women
+outnumbering the young men in about the proportion of two to one.
+
+On the Sunday night following his arrival the students all assembled
+in the general assembly room of the recitation building, which room,
+in the absence of a chapel, was used as the place for religious
+worship. The president of the school, a venerable white minister from
+the North, had charge of the service that evening. He did not on this
+occasion preach a sermon, but devoted the hour to discoursing upon
+the philanthropic work done by the white people of the North for the
+freedmen of the South.
+
+A map of the United States was hanging on the wall, facing the
+assembled school. On this map there were black dots indicating all
+places where a school of learning had been planted for the colored
+people by their white friends of the North. Belton sat closely
+scrutinizing the map. His eyes swept from one end to the other.
+Persons were allowed to ask any questions desired, and Belton was very
+inquisitive.
+
+When the hour of the lecture was over he was deeply impressed with
+three thoughts: First, his heart went out in love to those who had
+given so freely of their means and to those who had dedicated their
+lives to the work of uplifting his people.
+
+Secondly, he saw an immense army of young men and women being trained
+in the very best manner in every section of the South, to go forth to
+grapple with the great problems before them. He felt proud of being a
+member of so promising an army, and felt that they were to determine
+the future of the race. In fact, this thought was reiterated time and
+again by the president.
+
+Thirdly, Belton was impressed that it was the duty of those receiving
+such great blessings to accomplish achievements worthy of the care
+bestowed. He felt that the eyes of the North and of the civilized
+world were upon them to see the fruits of the great labor and money
+spent upon them.
+
+Before he retired to rest that night, he besought God to enable him
+and his people, as a mark of appreciation of what had been done for
+the race, to rise to the full measure of just expectation and prove
+worthy of all the care bestowed. He went through school, therefore, as
+though the eyes of the world were looking at the race enquiringly; the
+eyes of the North expectantly; and the eyes of God lovingly,--three
+grand incentives to his soul.
+
+When these schools were first projected, the White South that
+then was, fought them with every weapon at its command. Ridicule,
+villification, ostracism, violence, arson, murder were all employed
+to hinder the progress of the work. Outsiders looked on and thought
+it strange that they should do this. But, just as a snake, though a
+venomous animal, by instinct knows its enemy and fights for its life
+with desperation, just so the Old South instinctively foresaw danger
+to its social fabric as then constituted, and therefore despised
+and fought the agencies that were training and inspiring the future
+leaders of the Negro race in such a manner as to render a conflict
+inevitable and of doubtful termination.
+
+The errors in the South, anxious for eternal life, rightfully feared
+these schools more than they would have feared factories making
+powder, moulding balls and fashioning cannons. But the New South, the
+South that, in the providence of God, is yet to be, could not have
+been formed in the womb of time had it not been for these schools. And
+so the receding murmurs of the scowling South that was, are lost in
+the gladsome shouts of the South which, please God, is yet to be.
+
+But lest we linger too long, let us enter school here with Belton.
+On the Monday following the Sunday night previously indicated, Belton
+walked into the general assembly room to take his seat with the other
+three hundred and sixty pupils. It was the custom for the school to
+thus assemble for devotional exercises. The teachers sat in a row
+across the platform, facing the pupils. The president sat immediately
+in front of the desk, in the center of the platform, and the teachers
+sat on either side of him.
+
+To Belton's surprise, he saw a colored man sitting on the right
+side of and next to the president. He was sitting there calmly,
+self-possessed, exactly like the rest. He crossed his legs and stroked
+his beard in a most matter of fact way. Belton stared at this colored
+man, with his lips apart and his body bent forward. He let his eyes
+scan the faces of all the white teachers, male and female, but would
+end up with a stare at the colored man sitting there. Finally, he
+hunched his seat-mate with his elbow and asked what man that was. He
+was told that it was the colored teacher of the faculty.
+
+Belton knew that there was a colored teacher in the school but he had
+no idea that he would be thus honored with a seat with the rest of
+the teachers. A broad, happy smile spread over his face, and his
+eyes danced with delight. He had, in his boyish heart, dreamed of the
+equality of the races and sighed and hoped for it; but here, he beheld
+it in reality. Though he, as a rule, shut his eyes when prayer was
+being offered, he kept them open that morning, and peeped through his
+fingers at that thrilling sight,--a colored man on equal terms with
+the white college professors.
+
+Just before the classes were dismissed to their respective class
+rooms, the teachers came together in a group to discuss some matter,
+in an informal way. The colored teacher was in the center of the group
+and discussed the matter as freely as any; and he was listened to with
+every mark of respect. Belton kept a keen watch on the conference
+and began rubbing his hands and chuckling to himself with delight at
+seeing the colored teacher participating on equal terms with the other
+teachers.
+
+The colored teacher's views seemed about to prevail, and as one after
+another the teachers seemed to fall in line with him Belton could not
+contain himself longer, but clapped his hands and gave a loud, joyful,
+"Ha! ha!"
+
+The eyes of the whole school were on him in an instant, and the
+faculty turned around to discover the source and cause of the
+disorder. But Belton had come to himself as soon as he made the noise,
+and in a twinkling was as quiet and solemn looking as a mouse.
+
+The faculty resumed its conference and the students passed the query
+around as to what was the matter with the "newcomer." A number tapped
+their heads significantly, saying: "Wrong here." How far wrong were
+they! They should have put their hands over their hearts and said:
+"The fire of patriotism here;" for Belton had here on a small scale,
+the gratification of the deepest passion of his soul, viz., Equality
+of the races. And what pleased him as much as anything else was the
+dignified, matter of fact way in which the teacher bore his honors.
+Belton afterwards discovered that this colored man was vice-president
+of the faculty.
+
+On a morning, later in the session, the president announced that the
+faculty would hold its regular weekly meeting that evening, but that
+he would have to be in the city to attend to other masters. Belton's
+heart bounded at the announcement. Knowing that the colored teacher
+was vice-president of the faculty, he saw that he would preside.
+Belton determined to see that meeting of the faculty if it cost him no
+end of trouble. He could not afford, under any circumstances, to fail
+to see that colored man preside over those white men and women.
+
+That night, about 8:30 o'clock, when the faculty meeting had
+progressed about half way, Belton made a rope of his bed clothes and
+let himself down to the ground from the window of his room on the
+second floor of the building. About twenty yards distant was the
+"mansion," in one room of which the teachers held their faculty
+meetings. The room in which the meeting was held was on the side of
+the "mansion" furthest from the dormitory from which Belton had
+just come. The "mansion" dog was Belton's friend, and a soft whistle
+quieted his bark. Belton stole around to the side of the house, where
+the meeting was being held. The weather was mild and the window was
+hoisted. Belton fell on his knees and crawled to the window, and
+pulling it up cautiously peeped in. He saw the colored teacher in
+the chair in the center of the room and others sitting about here and
+there. He gazed with rapture on the sight. He watched, unmolested, for
+a long while.
+
+One of the lady teachers was tearing up a piece of paper and arose to
+come to the window to throw it out. Belton was listening, just at that
+time, to what the colored teacher was saying, and did not see the lady
+coming in his direction. Nor did the lady see the form of a man until
+she was near at hand. At the sight she threw up her hands and
+screamed loudly from fright. Belton turned and fled precipitately.
+The chicken-coop door had been accidentally left open and Belton,
+unthinkingly, jumped into the chicken house. The chickens set up a
+lively cackle, much to his chagrin. He grasped an old rooster to stop
+him, but missing the rooster's throat, the rooster gave the alarm all
+the more vociferously. Teachers had now crowded to the window and were
+peering out. Some of the men started to the door to come out. Belton
+saw this movement and decided that the best way for him to do was to
+play chicken thief and run. Grasping a hen with his other hand, he
+darted out of the chicken house and fled from the college ground,
+the chickens squalling all the while. He leapt the college fence at a
+bound and wrung off the heads of the chickens to stop the noise.
+
+The teachers decided that they had been visited by a Negro,
+hunting for chickens; laughed heartily at their fright and resumed
+deliberations. Thus again a patriot was mistaken for a chicken thief;
+and in the South to-day a race that dreams of freedom, equality, and
+empire, far more than is imagined, is put down as a race of chicken
+thieves. As in Belton's case, this conception diverts attention from
+places where startling things would otherwise be discovered.
+
+In due time Belton crept back to the dormitory, and by a signal agreed
+upon, roused his room-mate, who let down the rope, by means of which
+he ascended; and when seated gave his room-mate an account of his
+adventure.
+
+Sometime later on, Belton in company with another student was sent
+over to a sister University in Nashville to carry a note for the
+president. This University also had a colored teacher who was one
+point in advance of Belton's. This teacher ate at the same table with
+the white teachers, while Belton's teacher ate with the students.
+Belton passed by the dining room of the teachers of this sister
+University and saw the colored teacher enjoying a meal with the white
+teachers. He could not enjoy the sight as much as he would have liked,
+from thinking about the treatment his teacher was receiving. He had
+not, prior to this, thought of that discrimination, but now it burned
+him.
+
+He returned to his school and before many days had passed he had
+called together all the male students. He informed them that they
+ought to perfect a secret organization and have a password. They all
+agreed to secrecy and Belton gave this as the pass word: "Equality or
+Death."
+
+He then told them that it was his ambition and purpose to coerce the
+white teachers into allowing the colored teacher to eat with them.
+They all very readily agreed; for the matter of his eating had been
+thoroughly canvassed for a number of sessions, but it seemed as though
+no one dared to suggest a combination. During slavery all combinations
+of slaves were sedulously guarded against, and a fear of combinations
+seems to have been injected into the Negro's very blood.
+
+The very boldness of Belton's idea swept the students away from the
+lethargic harbor in which they had been anchored, and they were eager
+for action. Belton was instructed to prepare the complaint, which they
+all agreed to sign. They decided that it was to be presented to the
+president just before devotional exercises and an answer was to be
+demanded forthwith. One of the young men had a sister among the young
+lady students, and, through her Belton's rebellion was organized among
+the girls and their signatures secured.
+
+The eventful morning came. The teachers glanced over the assembled
+students, and were surprised to see them dressed in their best clothes
+as though it was the Sabbath. There was a quiet satisfied look on
+their faces that the teachers did not understand.
+
+The president arrived a little late and found an official envelope
+on his desk. He hurriedly broke the seal and began to read. His color
+came and went. The teachers looked at him wonderingly. The president
+laid the document aside and began the devotional exercises. He was
+nervous throughout, and made several blunders. He held his hymn book
+upside down while they were singing, much to the amusement of the
+school. It took him some time to find the passage of scripture which
+he desired to read, and after reading forgot for some seconds to call
+on some one to pray.
+
+When the exercises were through he arose and took the document
+nervously in hand. He said; "I have in my hands a paper from the
+students of this institution concerning a matter with which they have
+nothing to do. This is my answer. The classes will please retire."
+Here he gave three strokes to the gong, the signal for dispersion. But
+not a student moved. The president was amazed. He could not believe
+his own eyes. He rang the gong a second time and yet no one moved. He
+then in nervous tones repeated his former assertions and then pulled
+the gong nervously many times in succession. All remained still. At
+a signal from Belton, all the students lifted their right hands,
+each bearing a small white board on which was printed in clear type:
+"Equality or Death."
+
+The president fell back, aghast, and the white teachers were all
+struck dumb with fear. They had not dreamed that a combination of
+their pupils was possible, and they knew not what it foreboded. A
+number grasped the paper that was giving so much trouble and read it.
+They all then held a hurried consultation and assured the students
+that the matter should receive due attention.
+
+The president then rang the gong again but the students yet remained.
+Belton then arose and stated that it was the determination of the
+students to not move an inch unless the matter was adjusted then and
+there. And that faculty of white teachers beat a hasty retreat and
+held up the white flag! They agreed that the colored teacher should
+eat with them.
+
+The students broke forth into cheering, and flaunted a black flag on
+which was painted in white letters; "Victory." They rose and marched
+out of doors two by two, singing "John Brown's Body lies mouldering in
+the grave, and we go marching on."
+
+The confused and bewildered teachers remained behind, busy with their
+thoughts. They felt like hens who had lost their broods. The
+cringing, fawning, sniffling, cowardly Negro which slavery left,
+had disappeared, and a new Negro, self-respecting, fearless, and
+determined in the assertion of his rights was at hand.
+
+Ye who chronicle history and mark epochs in the career of races and
+nations must put here a towering, gigantic, century stone, as marking
+the passing of one and the ushering in of another great era in the
+history of the colored people of the United States. Rebellions, for
+one cause or another, broke out in almost every one of these schools
+presided over by white faculties, and as a rule, the Negro students
+triumphed.
+
+These men who engineered and participated in these rebellions were the
+future leaders of their race. In these rebellions, they learned the
+power of combinations, and that white men could be made to capitulate
+to colored men under certain circumstances. In these schools, probably
+one hundred thousand students had these thoughts instilled in them.
+These one hundred thousand went to their respective homes and told
+of their prowess to their playmates who could not follow them to the
+college walls. In the light of these facts the great events yet to be
+recorded are fully accounted for.
+
+Remember that this was Belton's first taste of rebellion against the
+whites for the securing of rights denied simply because of color. In
+after life he is the moving, controlling, guiding spirit in one on
+a far larger scale; it need not come as a surprise. His teachers and
+school-mates predicted this of him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+A SERMON, A SOCK AND A FIGHT.
+
+
+Belton remained at Stowe University, acquiring fame as an orator and
+scholar. His intellect was pronounced by all to be marvelously bright.
+
+We now pass over all his school career until we come to the closing
+days of the session in which he graduated. School was to close on
+Thursday, and the Sunday night previous had been designated as the
+time for the Baccalaureate sermon. On this occasion the entire
+school assembled in the general assembly room,--the graduating class
+occupying the row of front seats stretching across the room. The
+class, this year, numbered twenty-five; and they presented an
+appearance that caused the hearts of the people to swell with pride.
+
+Dr. Lovejoy, president of the University, was to preach the sermon. He
+chose for his text, "The Kingdom of God is within us." We shall choose
+from his discourse just such thoughts as may throw light upon some
+events yet to be recorded, which might not otherwise be accounted for:
+
+"Young men, we shall soon push you forth into the midst of a turbulent
+world, to play such a part as the voice of God may assign you. You
+go forth, amid the shouts and huzzahs of cheering friends, and the
+anxious prayers of the faithful of God. The part that you play, the
+character of your return journey, triumphant or inglorious, will
+depend largely upon how well you have learned the lesson of this text.
+Remember that the kingdom of God is within you. Do not go forth into
+the world to demand favors of the world, but go forth to give unto the
+world. Be strong in your own hearts.
+
+"The world is like unto a wounded animal that has run a long way and
+now lies stretched upon the ground, the blood oozing forth from gaping
+wounds and pains darting through its entire frame. The huntsman, who
+comes along to secure and drink the feverish milk of this animal that
+is all but a rotting carcass, seriously endangers his own well being.
+So, young men, do not look upon this dying, decaying world to feed
+and support you. You must feed and support it. Carry fresh, warm,
+invigorating blood in your veins to inject into the veins of the
+world. This is far safer and nobler than sticking the lance into the
+swollen veins of the world, to draw forth its putrid blood for your
+own use. I not only exhort you but I warn you. You may go to this
+dying animal as a surgeon, and proceed to cut off the sound portions
+for your own use. You may deceive the world for awhile, but it will,
+ere long, discover whether you are a vandal or a surgeon; and if it
+finds you to be the former, when you are closest to its bosom, it will
+squeeze you tightly and tear your face to shreds.
+
+"I wish now to apply these thoughts to your immediate circumstances.
+
+"You shall be called upon to play a part in the adjusting of positions
+between the negro and Anglo-Saxon races of the South. The present
+status of affairs cannot possibly remain. The Anglo-Saxon race must
+surrender some of its outposts, and the negro will occupy these. To
+bring about this evacuation on the part of the Anglo-Saxon, and the
+forward march of the negro, will be your task. This is a grave and
+delicate task, fraught with much good or evil, weal or woe. Let us
+urge you to undertake it in the spirit to benefit the world, and not
+merely to advance your own glory.
+
+"The passions of men will soon be running high, and by feeding these
+passions with the food for which they clamor you may attain the
+designation of a hero. But, with all the energy of my soul, I exhort
+you to not play with fire, merely for the sake of the glare that it
+may cast upon you. Use no crisis for self-aggrandizement. Be so full
+of your own soul's wealth that these temptations may not appeal to
+you. When your vessel is ploughing the roughest seas and encountering
+the fiercest gales, consult as your chart the welfare of the ship and
+crew, though you may temporarily lose fame as a captain.
+
+"Young men, you are highly favored of God. A glorious destiny awaits
+your people. The gates of the beautiful land of the future are flung
+wide. Your people stand before these gates peering eagerly within.
+They are ready to march. They are waiting for their commanders and
+the command to move forward. You are the commanders who must give the
+command. I urge, I exhort, I beseech you, my dear boys, to think not
+of yourselves. Let your kingdom be within. Lead them as they ought to
+be led, taking no thought to your own glory.
+
+"If you heed my voice you shall become true patriots. If you disregard
+it, you will become time-serving demagogues, playing upon the passions
+of the people for the sake of short-lived notoriety. Such men would
+corral all the tigers in the forest and organize them into marauding
+regiments simply for the honor of being in the lead. Be ye none of
+these, my boys. May your Alma Mater never feel called upon to cry to
+God in anguish to paralyze the hand that she herself has trained.
+
+"Be not a burrowing parasite, feasting off of the world's raw blood.
+Let the world draw life from you. Use not the misfortunes of your
+people as stones of a monument erected to your name. If you do, the
+iron fist of time will knock it over on your grave to crumble your
+decaying bones to further dust.
+
+"Always serve the world as the voice of good conscience, instructed by
+a righteous God, may direct. Do this and thou shalt live; live in the
+sweetened memory of your countrymen; live in the heart of your Alma
+Mater; live when the earth is floating dust, when the stars are dead,
+when the sun is a charred and blackened ruin; live on the bosom of
+your Savior, by the throne of his God, in the eternal Heavens."
+
+The teacher's soul was truly in his discourse and his thoughts sank
+deep into the hearts of his hearers. None listened more attentively
+than Belton. None were more deeply impressed than he. None more
+readily incorporated the principles enumerated as a part of their
+living lives.
+
+When the preacher sat down he bowed his head in his hands. His frame
+shook. His white locks fluttered in the gentle spring breeze. In
+silence he prayed. He earnestly implored God to not allow his work
+and words to be in vain. The same fervent prayer was on Belton's lips,
+rising from the center of his soul. Somewhere, these prayers met,
+locked arms and went before God together. In due time the answer came.
+
+This sermon had much to do with Belton's subsequent career. But an
+incident apparently trivial in itself was the occasion of a private
+discourse that had even greater influence over him. It occurred
+on Thursday following the night of the delivery of the sermon just
+reported. It was on this wise:
+
+Belton had, in everything, excelled his entire class, and was,
+according to the custom, made valedictorian. His room-mate was
+insanely jealous of him, and sought every way possible to humiliate
+him. He had racked his brain for a scheme to play on Belton on
+commencement day, and he at last found one that gave him satisfaction.
+
+There was a student in Stowe University who was noted for his immense
+height and for the size and scent of his feet. His feet perspired
+freely, summer and winter, and the smell was exceedingly offensive. On
+this account he roomed to himself. Whenever other students called to
+see him he had a very effective way of getting rid of them, when he
+judged that they had stayed long enough. He would complain of a corn
+and forthwith pull off a shoe. If his room was crowded, this act
+invariably caused it to be empty. The fame of these feet spread to
+the teachers and young ladies, and, in fact, to the city. And the huge
+Mississippian seemed to relish the distinction.
+
+Whenever Belton was to deliver an oration he always arranged his
+clothes the night beforehand. So, on the Wednesday night of the week
+in question, he carefully brushed and arranged his clothes for the
+next day. In the valedictory there were many really touching things,
+and in rehearsing it before his room-mate Belton had often shed tears.
+Fearing that he might he so touched that tears would come to his eyes
+in the final delivery, he had bought a most beautiful and costly silk
+handkerchief. He carefully stowed this away in the tail pocket of his
+handsome Prince Albert suit of lovely black. He hung his coat in the
+wardrobe, very carefully, so that he would merely have to take it down
+and put it on the next day.
+
+His room-mate watched his movements closely, but slyly. He arose when
+he saw Belton hang his coat up. He went down the corridor until he
+arrived at the room occupied by the Mississippian. He knocked, and
+after some little delay, was allowed to enter.
+
+The Mississippian was busy rehearsing his oration and did not care
+to be bothered. But he sat down to entertain Belton's room-mate for a
+while. He did not care to rehearse his oration before him and he felt
+able to rout him at any time. They conversed on various things for
+a while, when Belton's room-mate took up a book and soon appeared
+absorbed in reading. He was sitting on one side of a study table
+in the center of the room while the Mississippian was on the other.
+Thinking that his visitor had now stayed about long enough, the
+Mississippian stooped down quietly and removed one shoe. He slyly
+watched Belton's room-mate, chuckling inwardly. But his fun died away
+into a feeling of surprise when he saw that his shoeless foot was not
+even attracting attention.
+
+He stooped down and pulled off the other shoe, and his surprise
+developed into amazement when he saw that the combined attack produced
+no result. Belton's room-mate seemed absorbed in reading.
+
+The Mississippian next pulled off his coat and pretending to yawn and
+stretch, lifted his arms just so that the junction of his arm with
+his shoulder was on a direct line with his visitor's nose.
+Belton's room-mate made a slight grimace, but kept on reading. The
+Mississippian was dumbfounded.
+
+He then signified his intention of retiring to bed and undressed,
+eyeing his visitor all the while, hoping that the scent of his whole
+body would succeed.
+
+He got into bed and was soon snoring loudly enough to be heard two or
+three rooms away; but Belton's room-mate seemed to pay no attention to
+the snoring.
+
+The Mississippian gave up the battle in disgust, saying to himself:
+"That fellow regards scents and noises just as though he was a
+buzzard, hatched in a cleft of the roaring Niagara Falls." So saying,
+he fell asleep in reality and the snoring increased in volume and
+speed.
+
+Belton's room-mate now took a pair of large new socks out of his
+pocket and put them into the Mississippian's shoes, from which he took
+the dirty socks already there. Having these dirty socks, he quietly
+tips out of the room and returns to his and Belton's room.
+
+Belton desired to make the speech of his life the next day, and had
+retired to rest early so as to be in prime nervous condition for the
+effort. His room-mate stole to the wardrobe and stealthily extracted
+the silk handkerchief and put these dirty socks in its stead. Belton
+was then asleep, perhaps dreaming of the glories of the morrow.
+
+Thursday dawned and Belton arose, fresh and vigorous. He was cheerful
+and buoyant that day; he was to graduate bedecked with all the honors
+of his class. Mr. King, his benefactor, was to be present. His mother
+had saved up her scant earnings and had come to see her son wind up
+the career on which she had sent him forth, years ago.
+
+The assembly room was decorated with choice flowers and presented
+the appearance of the Garden of Eden. On one side of the room sat the
+young lady pupils, while on the other the young men sat. Visitors from
+the city came in droves and men of distinction sat on the platform.
+The programme was a good one, but all eyes dropped to the bottom in
+quest of Belton's name; for his fame as an orator was great, indeed.
+The programme passed off as arranged, giving satisfaction and whetting
+the appetite for Belton's oration. The president announced Belton's
+name amid a thundering of applause. He stepped forth and cast a tender
+look in the direction of the fair maiden who had contrived to send him
+that tiny white bud that showed up so well on his black coat. He moved
+to the center of the platform and was lustily cheered, he walked with
+such superb grace and dignity.
+
+He began his oration, capturing his audience with his first sentence
+and bearing them along on the powerful pinions of his masterly
+oratory; and when his peroration was over the audience drew its
+breath and cheered wildly for many, many minutes. He then proceeded to
+deliver the valedictory to the class. After he had been speaking for
+some time, his voice began to break with emotion. As he drew near
+to the most affecting portion he reached to his coat tail pocket to
+secure his silk handkerchief to brush away the gathering tears. As
+his hand left his pocket a smile was on well-nigh every face in the
+audience, but Belton did not see this, but with bowed head, proceeded
+with his pathetic utterances.
+
+The audience of course was struggling between the pathos of his
+remarks and the humor of those dirty socks.
+
+Belton's sweetheart began to cry from chagrin and his mother grew
+restless, anxious to tell him or let him know in some way. Belton's
+head continued bowed in sadness, as he spoke parting words to his
+beloved classmates, and lifted his supposed handkerchief to his eyes
+to wipe away the tears that were now coming freely. The socks had thus
+come close to Belton's nose and he stopped of a sudden and held them
+at arm's length to gaze at that terrible, terrible scent producer.
+When he saw what he held in his hand he flung them in front of him,
+they falling on some students, who hastily brushed them off.
+
+The house, by this time, was in an uproar of laughter; and the
+astonished Belton gazed blankly at the socks lying before him. His
+mind was a mass of confusion. He hardly knew where he was or what
+he was doing. Self-possession, in a measure, returned to him, and he
+said: "Ladies and gentlemen, these socks are from Mississippi. I am
+from Virginia."
+
+This reference to the Mississippian was greeted by an even louder
+outburst of laughter. Belton bowed and left the platform, murmuring
+that he would find and kill the rascal who had played that trick on
+him. The people saw the terrible frown on his face, and the president
+heard the revengeful words, and all feared that the incident was not
+closed.
+
+Belton hurried out of the speakers' room and hastily ran to the city
+to purchase a pistol. Having secured it, he came walking back at a
+furious pace. By this time the exercises were over and friends were
+returning to town. They desired to approach Belton and compliment him,
+and urge him to look lightly on his humorous finale; but he looked so
+desperate that none dared to approach him.
+
+The president was on the lookout for Belton and met him at the door of
+the boys' dormitory. He accosted Belton tenderly and placed his hand
+on his shoulder. Belton roughly pushed him aside and strode into the
+building and roamed through it, in search of his room-mate, whom he
+now felt assured did him the trick.
+
+But his room-mate, foreseeing the consequences of detection, had made
+beforehand every preparation for leaving and was now gone. No one
+could quiet Belton during that whole day, and he spent the night
+meditating plans for wreaking vengeance.
+
+The next morning the president came over early, and entering Belton's
+room, was more kindly received. He took Belton's hand in his and sat
+down near his side. He talked to Belton long and earnestly, showing
+him what an unholy passion revenge was. He showed that such a passion
+would mar any life that yielded to it.
+
+Belton, he urged, was about to allow a pair of dirty socks to wreck
+his whole life. He drew a picture of the suffering Savior, crying out
+between darting pains the words of the sentence, the most sublime ever
+uttered: "Lord forgive them for they know not what they do." Belton
+was melted to tears of repentance for his unholy passion.
+
+Before the president left Belton's side he felt sure that henceforth a
+cardinal principle of his life would be to allow God to avenge all his
+wrongs. It was a narrow escape for Belton; but he thanked God for the
+lesson, severe as it was, to the day of his death. The world will
+also see how much it owes to God for planting that lesson in Belton's
+heart.
+
+Let us relate just one more incident that happened at the winding
+up of Belton's school life. As we have intimated, one young lady, a
+student of the school, was very near to Belton. Though he did not love
+her, his regard for her was very deep and his respect very great.
+
+School closed on Thursday, and the students were allowed to remain in
+the buildings until the following Monday, when, ordinarily, they left.
+The young men were allowed to provide conveyances for the young
+ladies to get to the various depots. They esteemed that a very great
+privilege.
+
+Belton, as you know, was a very poor lad and had but little money.
+After paying his expenses incident to his graduation, and purchasing
+a ticket home, he now had just one dollar and a quarter left. Out of
+this one dollar and a quarter he was to pay for a carriage ride of
+this young lady friend to the railway station. This, ordinarily, cost
+one dollar, and Belton calculated on having a margin of twenty-five
+cents. But you would have judged him the happy possessor of a large
+fortune, merely to look at him.
+
+The carriage rolled up to the girls' dormitory and Belton's friend
+stood on the steps, with her trunks, three in number. When Belton saw
+that his friend had three trunks, his heart sank. In order to be sure
+against exorbitant charges the drivers were always made to announce
+their prices before the journey was commenced. A crowd of girls was
+standing around to bid the young lady adieu. In an off-hand way Belton
+said: "Driver what is your fee?" He replied: "For you and the young
+lady and the trunks, two dollars, sir."
+
+Belton almost froze in his tracks, but, by the most heroic struggling,
+showed no signs of discomfiture on his face. Endeavoring to affect an
+air of indifference, he said: "What is the price for the young lady
+and the trunks?"
+
+"One dollar and fifty cents."
+
+Belton's eyes were apparently fixed on some spot in the immensity of
+space. The driver, thinking that he was meditating getting another
+hackman to do the work, added: "You can call any hackman you choose
+and you won't find one who will do it for a cent less."
+
+Belton's last prop went with this statement. He turned to his friend
+smilingly and told her to enter, with apparently as much indifference
+as a millionaire. He got in and sat by her side; but knew not how on
+earth he was to get out of his predicament.
+
+The young lady chatted gayly and wondered at Belton's dullness.
+Belton, poor fellow, was having a tough wrestle with poverty and
+was trying to coin something out of nothing. Now and then, at some
+humorous remark, he would smile a faint, sickly smile. Thus it went on
+until they arrived at the station. Belton by this time decided upon a
+plan of campaign.
+
+They alighted from the carriage and Belton escorted his friend into
+the coach. He then came back to speak to the driver. He got around the
+corner of the station house, out of sight of the train and beckoned
+for the driver to come to him. The driver came and Belton said:
+"Friend, here is one dollar and a quarter. It is all I have. Trust me
+for the balance until tomorrow."
+
+"Oh! no," replied the driver. "I must have my money to-day. I have to
+report to-night and my money must go in. Just fork over the balance,
+please."
+
+"Well," said Belton rather independently--for he felt that he now had
+the upper hand,--"I have given you all the money that I have. And you
+have got to trust me for the balance. You can't take us back," and
+Belton started to walk away.
+
+The driver said: "May be that girl has some money. I'll see her."
+
+Terror immediately seized Belton, and he clutched at the man eagerly,
+saying: "Ah, no, now, don't resort to any such foolishness. Can't you
+trust a fellow?" Belton was now talking very persuasively.
+
+The driver replied: "I don't do business that way. If I had known that
+you did not have the money I would not have brought you. I am going to
+the young lady."
+
+Belton was now thoroughly frightened and very angry; and he planted
+himself squarely in front of the driver and said: "You shall do no
+such thing!"
+
+The driver heard the train blow and endeavored to pass. Belton grasped
+him by the collar and putting a leg quickly behind him, tripped him
+to the ground, falling on top of him. The driver struggled, but Belton
+succeeded in getting astride of him and holding him down. The train
+shortly pulled out, and Belton jumped up and ran to wave a good-bye to
+his girl friend.
+
+Later in the day, the driver had him arrested and the police justice
+fined him ten dollars. A crowd of white men who heard Belton's story,
+admired his respect for the girl, and paid the fine for him and made
+up a purse.
+
+At Stowe University, Belton had learned to respect women. It was in
+these schools that the work of slavery in robbing the colored women of
+respect, was undone. Woman now occupied the same position in Belton's
+eye as she did in the eye of the Anglo-Saxon.
+
+There is hope for that race or nation that respects its women. It was
+for the smile of a woman that the armored knight of old rode forth
+to deeds of daring. It is for the smile of women that the soldier of
+to-day endures the hardships of the camp and braves the dangers of the
+field of battle.
+
+The heart of man will joyfully consent to be torn to pieces if the
+lovely hand of woman will only agree to bind the parts together again
+and heal the painful wounds.
+
+The Negro race had left the last relic of barbarism behind, and this
+young negro, fighting to keep that cab driver from approaching the
+girl for a fee, was but a forerunner of the negro, who, at the voice
+of a woman, will fight for freedom until he dies, fully satisfied if
+the hand that he worships will only drop a flower on his grave.
+
+Belton's education was now complete, as far as the school-room goes.
+
+What will he do with it?
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+MANY MYSTERIES CLEARED UP.
+
+
+On the day prior to the one on which Bernard first entered the public
+school of Winchester, Fairfax Belgrave had just arrived in the town.
+
+A costly residence, beautifully located and furnished in the most
+luxurious manner, was on the eve of being sold. Mrs. Belgrave
+purchased this house and installed herself as mistress thereof. Here
+she lived in isolation with her boy, receiving no callers and paying
+no visits. Being a devoted Catholic, she attended all the services of
+her church and reared Bernard in that faith.
+
+For a time white and colored people speculated much as to who Mrs.
+Belgrave was, and as to what was the source of her revenue; for she
+was evidently a woman of wealth. She employed many servants and these
+were plied with thousands of questions by people of both races. But
+the life of Mrs. Belgrave was so circumspect, so far removed from
+anything suspicious, and her bearing was so evidently that of a woman
+of pure character and high ideals that speculation died out after a
+year or two, and the people gave up the finding out of her history as
+a thing impossible of achievement. With seemingly unlimited money at
+her command, all of Bernard's needs were supplied and his lightest
+wishes gratified. Mrs. Belgrave was a woman with very superior
+education. The range of her reading was truly remarkable. She
+possessed the finest library ever seen in the northern section
+of Virginia, and all the best of the latest books were constantly
+arriving at her home. Magazines and newspapers arrived by every mail.
+Thus she was thoroughly abreast with the times.
+
+As Bernard grew up, he learned to value associating with his mother
+above every other pleasure. She superintended his literary training
+and cultivated in him a yearning for literature of the highest and
+purest type. Politics, science, art, religion, sociology, and, in
+fact, the whole realm of human knowledge was invaded and explored.
+Such home training was an invaluable supplement to what Bernard
+received in school. When, therefore, he entered Harvard, he at once
+moved to the front rank in every particular. Many white young men of
+wealth and high social standing, attracted by his brilliancy, drew
+near him and became his fast friends. In his graduating year, he was
+so popular as to be elected president of his class, and so scholarly
+as to be made valedictorian.
+
+These achievements on his part were so remarkable that the Associated
+Press telegraphed the news over the country, and many were the
+laudatory notices that he received. The night of his graduation, when
+he had finished delivering his oration that swept all before it as
+does the whirlwind and the hurricane, as he stepped out of the door
+to take his carriage for home, a tall man with a broad face and long
+flowing beard stepped up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.
+
+Bernard turned and the man handed him a note. Tearing the envelope
+open he saw in his mother's well known handwriting the following:
+
+    "Dear Bernie:
+
+    "Follow this man and trust him as you would your loving
+    mother.
+
+      "Fairfax Belgrave."
+
+Bernard dismissed his carriage, ordered to take him to his lodging,
+and spoke to the man who had accosted him, saying that he was at his
+service. They walked a distance and soon were at the railroad station.
+They boarded the train and in due time arrived in Washington, D.C.,
+Bernard asking no questions, knowing that a woman as habitually
+careful as his mother did not send that message without due care and
+grave purpose.
+
+In Washington they took a carriage and were driven to one of the most
+fashionable portions of the city, and stopped before a mansion of
+splendid appearance. Bernard's escort led the way into the house,
+having a key to which all of the doors responded. Bernard was left in
+the parlor and told to remain until some one called for him. The tall
+man with long flowing beard went to his room and removed his disguise.
+
+In a few minutes a negro servant, sent by this man, appeared and led
+Bernard to a room in the rear of the house on the second floor. It was
+a large room having two windows, one facing the east and the other the
+north.
+
+As he stepped into the room he saw sitting directly facing him a
+white man, tall and of a commanding appearance. His hair, and for that
+matter his whole noble looking head and handsome face bore a striking
+resemblance to Bernard's own. The latter perceived the likeness and
+halted in astonishment. The man arose and handed Bernard a note.
+Bernard opened it and found it exactly resembling the one handed him
+just prior to his journey to Washington.
+
+The man eyed Bernard from head to foot with a look that betrayed the
+keenest interest. Opening one of the drawers of his desk he drew
+forth a paper. It was a marriage certificate, certifying to a marriage
+between Fairfax Belgrave and ------.
+
+"I am your mother's lawful husband, and you are my legitimate child."
+
+Bernard knew not what to say, think, or feel. His mother had so
+carefully avoided any mention of her family affairs that he regarded
+them as among things sacred, and he never allowed even his thoughts to
+wander in that direction.
+
+"I am Senator ------ from the state of ------, chairman of ------
+committee."
+
+The information contained in that sentence made Bernard rise from his
+seat with a bound. The man's name was a household word throughout the
+nation, and his reputation was international.
+
+"Be seated, Bernard, I have much to say to you. I have a long story to
+tell. I have been married twice. My first wife's brother was Governor
+of ------ and lived and died a bachelor. He was, however, the father
+of a child, whose mother was a servant connected with his father's
+household. The child was given to my wife to rear, and she accepted
+the charge. The child bloomed into a perfect beauty, possessed a
+charming voice, could perform with extraordinary skill on the piano,
+and seemed to have inherited the mind of her father, whose praises
+have been sung in all the land.
+
+"When this child was seventeen years of age my wife died. This girl
+remained in our house. I was yet a young man. Now that my wife was
+gone, attending to this girl fell entirely into my hands. I undertook
+her education. As her mind unfolded, so many beauteous qualities
+appeared that she excited my warm admiration.
+
+"By chance, I discovered that the girl loved me; not as a father, but
+as she would a lover. She does not know to this day that I made the
+discovery when I did. As for myself, I had for some time been madly in
+love with her. When I discovered, that my affections were returned,
+I made proposals, at that time regarded as honorable enough by the
+majority of white men of the South.
+
+"It seemed as though my proposition did not take her by surprise. She
+gently, but most firmly rejected my proposal. She told me that the
+proposal was of a nature to occasion deep and lasting repugnance, but
+that in my case she blamed circumstances and conditions more than she
+did me. The quiet, loving manner in which she resented insult and left
+no tinge of doubt as to her virtue, if possible, intensified my love.
+A few days later she came to me and said: 'Let us go to Canada and get
+married secretly. I will return South with you. No one shall ever
+know what we have done, and for the sake of your political and social
+future I will let the people apply whatever name they wish to our
+relationship.'
+
+"I gladly embraced the proposal, knowing that she would keep faith
+even unto death; although I realized how keenly her pure soul felt at
+being regarded as living with me dishonorably. Yet, love and interest
+bade her bow her head and receive the public mark of shame.
+
+"Heroic soul! That is the marriage certificate which I showed you. You
+were born. When you were four years old your mother told me that she
+must leave, as she could not bear to see her child grow up esteeming
+her an adulteress.
+
+"The war broke out, and I entered the army, and your mother took you
+to Europe, where she lived until the war was over, when she returned
+to Winchester, Virginia. Her father was a man of wealth, and you own
+two millions of dollars through your mother. At my death you shall
+have eight millions more.
+
+"So much for the past. Let me tell you of my plans and hopes for your
+future. This infernal race prejudice has been the curse of my life.
+Think of my pure-hearted, noble-minded wife, branded as a harlot, and
+you, my own son, stigmatized as a bastard, because it would be suicide
+for me to let the world know that you both are mine, though you both
+are the direct descendants of a governor, and a long line of heroes
+whose names are ornaments to our nation's history.
+
+"I want you to break down this prejudice. It is the wish of your
+mother and your father. You must move in the front, but all that money
+and quiet influence can do shall be done by me for your advancement.
+I paid Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard two thousand dollars a year to
+teach you at Winchester. His is a master mind. One rash deed robbed
+the world of seeing a colossal intellect in high station. I shall tell
+you his history presently.
+
+"I desire you to go to Norfolk County, Virginia, and hang up your
+sign as an attorney at law. I wish you to run for congress from that
+district. Leonard is down there. As you will find out, he will be of
+inestimable service to you.
+
+"Now let me give you his history. Leonard was the most brilliant
+student that ever entered ------ University in the state of ------.
+Just prior to the time when he would have finished his education at
+school, the war broke out and he enlisted in the Confederate Army, and
+was made a colonel of a regiment. I was also a colonel, and when our
+ranks became depleted the two regiments were thrown into one. Though
+he was the ranking officer, our commander, as gallant and intrepid an
+officer as ever trod a battle field, was put in command. This deeply
+humilitated Leonard and he swore to be avenged.
+
+"One evening, when night had just lowered her black wings over the
+earth, we were engaging the enemy. Our commander was in advance of
+his men. Suddenly the commander fell, wounded. At first it was thought
+that the enemy bad shot him, but investigation showed that the ball
+had entered his back. It was presumed, then, that some of his own men
+had mistook him for an enemy and had shot him through mistake. Leonard
+had performed the nefarious deed knowingly. By some skillful detective
+work, I secured incontestible evidence of his guilt. I went to him
+with my proof and informed him of my intentions to lay it before a
+superior officer. His answer was: 'If you do, I will let the whole
+world know about your nigger wife.' I fell back as if stunned. Terror
+seized me. If he knew of my marriage might not others know it? Might
+not it be already generally known? These were the thoughts that
+coursed through my brain. However, with an effort I suppressed my
+alarm. Seeing that each possessed a secret that meant death and
+disgrace to the other (for I shall certainly kill myself if I am ever
+exposed) I entered into an agreement with him.
+
+"On the condition that he would prepare a statement confessing his
+guilt and detailing the circumstances of the crime and put this paper
+in my hand, I would show him my marriage certificate; and after that,
+each was to regard the other's secret as inviolate.
+
+"We thus held each other securely tied. His conscience, however,
+disturbed him beyond measure; and every evening, just after dusk, he
+fancied that he saw the form of his departed commander. It made him
+cowardly in battle and he at last deserted.
+
+"He informed me as to how my secret came into his possession. Soon
+after he committed his crime he felt sure that I was in possession
+of his secret, and he thought to steal into my tent and murder me. He
+stole in there one night to perpetrate the crime. I was talking in my
+sleep. In my slumber I told the story of my secret marriage in such
+circumstantial detail that it impressed him as being true. Feeling
+that he could hold me with that, he spared my life, determined to
+wound me deeper than death if I struck at him.
+
+"You see that he is a cowardly villain; but we sometimes have to use
+such.
+
+"Now, my son, go forth; labor hard and climb high. Scale the high wall
+of prejudice. Make it possible, dear boy, for me to own you ere I pass
+out of life. Let your mother have the veil of slander torn from her
+pure form ere she closes her eyes on earth forever."
+
+Bernard, handsome, brilliant, eloquent, the grandson of a governor,
+the son of a senator, a man of wealth, to whom defeat was a word
+unknown, steps out to battle for the freedom of his race; urged to put
+his whole soul into the fight because of his own burning desire
+for glory, and because out of the gloom of night he heard his grief
+stricken parents bidding him to climb where the cruel world would be
+compelled to give its sanction to the union that produced such a man
+as he.
+
+Bernard's training was over. He now had a tremendous incentive. Into
+life he plunges.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+LOVE AND POLITICS.
+
+
+Acting on his father's advice Bernard arrived in Norfolk in the course
+of a few days. He realized that he was now a politician and decided
+to make a diligent study of the art of pleasing the populace and to
+sacrifice everything to the goddess of fame. Knowing that whom
+the people loved they honored, he decided to win their love at all
+hazards. He decided to become the obedient servant of the people that
+he might thus make all the people his servants.
+
+He took up hie abode at Hotel Douglass, a colored hotel at which the
+colored leaders would often congregate. Bernard mingled with these men
+freely and soon had the name among them of being a jovial good fellow.
+
+While at Harvard, Bernard had studied law simultaneously with
+his other studies and graduated from both the law and classical
+departments the same year.
+
+Near the city court house, in a row of somewhat dilapidated old
+buildings, he rented a law office. The rowdy and criminal element
+infested this neighborhood. Whenever any of these got into
+difficulties, Bernard was always ready to defend them. If they were
+destitute of funds he would serve them free of charge and would often
+pay their fines for them. He was ever ready to go on bonds of any who
+got into trouble. He gave money freely to those who begged of him. In
+this manner he became the very ideal of the vicious element, though
+not accounted by them as one of their number.
+
+Bernard was also equally successful in winning favor with the better
+element of citizens. Though a good Catholic at heart, he divided his
+time among all denominations, thus solving the most difficult problem
+for a Negro leader to solve; for the religious feeling was so intense
+that it was carried into almost every branch of human activity.
+
+Having won the criminal and religious circles, he thought to go forth
+and conquer the social world and secure its support. He decided to
+enter society and pay marked attention to that young lady that would
+most increase his popularity. We shall soon see how this would-be
+conqueror stood the very first fire.
+
+His life had been one of such isolation that he had not at all moved
+in social circles before this, and no young woman had ever made more
+than a passing impression on him.
+
+There was in Norfolk a reading circle composed of the brightest,
+most talented young men and women of the city. Upon taking a short
+vacation, this circle always gave a reception which was attended
+by persons of the highest culture in the city. Bernard received an
+invitation to this reception, and, in company with a fellow lawyer
+attended. The reception was held at the residence of a Miss Evangeline
+Leslie, a member of the circle.
+
+The house was full of guests when Bernard and his friend arrived. They
+rang the door bell and a young lady came to the door to receive them.
+
+She was a small, beautifully formed girl with a luxuriant growth of
+coal black hair that was arranged in such a way as to impart a queenly
+look to her shapely head. Her skin was dark brown, tender and smooth
+in appearance. A pair of laughing hazel eyes, a nose of the prettiest
+possible size and shape, and a chin that tapered with the most
+exquisite beauty made her face the Mecca of all eyes.
+
+Bernard was so struck with the girl's beauty that he did not greet
+her when she opened the door. He stared at her with a blank look. They
+were invited in.
+
+Bernard pulled off his hat and walked in, not saying a word but eyeing
+that pretty girl all the while. Even when his back was turned toward
+her, as he walked, his head was turned over his shoulders and his eye
+surveyed all the graceful curves of her perfect form and scanned those
+features that could but charm those who admire nature's work.
+
+When he had taken a seat in the corner of a room by the side of his
+friend he said: "Pray, who is that girl that met you at the door? I
+really did not know that a dark woman could look so beautiful."
+
+"You are not the only one that thinks that she is surpassingly
+beautiful," said his friend. "Her picture is the only Negro's picture
+that is allowed to hang in the show glasses of the white photographers
+down town. White and colored pay homage to her beauty."
+
+"Well," said Bernard, "that man who denies that girl's beauty should
+be sent to the asylum for the cure of a perverted and abnormal taste."
+
+"I see you are rather enthusiastic. Is it wise to admire mortgaged
+property?" remarked his friend.
+
+"What's that?" asked Bernard, quickly. "Is any body in my way?"
+
+"In your way?" laughed his friend. "Pray what do you mean? I don't
+understand you."
+
+"Come," said Bernard, "I am on pins. Is she married or about to be?"
+
+"Well, not exactly that, but she has told me that she cares a good bit
+for me."
+
+Bernard saw that his friend was in a mood to tease him and he arose
+and left his side.
+
+His friend chuckled gleefully to himself and said: "The would-be
+catcher is caught. I thought Viola Martin would duck him if anybody
+could. Tell me about these smile-proof bachelors. When once they are
+struck, they fall all to pieces at once."
+
+Bernard sought his landlady, who was present as a guest, and through
+her secured an introduction to Miss Viola Martin. He found her
+even more beautiful, if possible, in mind than in form and he sat
+conversing with her all the evening as if enchanted.
+
+The people present were not at all surprised; for as soon as Bernard's
+brilliancy and worth were known in the town and people began to love
+him, it was generally hoped and believed that Miss Martin would take
+him captive at first sight.
+
+Miss Viola Martin was a universal favorite. She was highly educated
+and an elocutionist of no mean ability. She sang sweetly and was the
+most accomplished pianist in town. She was bubbling over with good
+humor and her wit and funny stories were the very life of any circle
+where she happened to be. She was most remarkably well-informed on all
+leading questions of the day, and men of brain always enjoyed a chat
+with her. And the children and older people fairly worshipped her; for
+she paid especial attention to these. In all religious movements among
+the women she was the leading spirit.
+
+With all these points in her favor she was unassuming and bowed her
+head so low that the darts of jealousy, so universally hurled at
+the brilliant and popular, never came her way. No one in Norfolk was
+considered worthy of her heart and hand and the community was tenderly
+solicitous as to who should wed her.
+
+Bernard had made such rapid strides in their affections and esteem
+that they had already assigned him to their pet, Viola, or Vie as she
+was popularly called.
+
+When the time for the departure of the guests arrived, Bernard with
+great regret bade Miss Martin adieu.
+
+She ran upstairs to get her cloak, and a half dozen girls went
+tripping up stairs behind her; when once in the room set apart for the
+ladies' cloaks they began to gleefully pound Viola with pillows and
+smother her with kisses.
+
+"You have made a catch, Vie. Hold him," said one.
+
+"He'll hold himself," said another. To all of which Viola answered
+with a sigh.
+
+A mulatto girl stepped up to Viola and with a merry twinkle in her eye
+said: "Theory is theory and practice is practice, eh, Vie? Well, we
+would hardly blame you in this case."
+
+Viola earnestly replied: "I shall ask for no mercy. Theory and
+practice are one with me in this case."
+
+"Bah, bah, girl, two weeks will change that tune. And I, for one,
+won't blame you," replied the mulatto still in a whisper.
+
+The girls seeing that Viola did not care to be teased about Bernard
+soon ceased, and she came down stairs to be escorted home by the young
+man who had accompanied her there.
+
+This young man was, thus early, jealous of Bernard and angry at Viola
+for receiving his attentions, and as a consequence he was silent all
+the way home.
+
+This gave Viola time to think of that handsome, talented lawyer whom
+she had just met. She had to confess to herself that he had aroused
+considerable interest in her bosom and she looked forward to a
+promised visit with pleasure. But every now and then a sigh would
+escape her, such as she made when the girls were teasing her.
+
+Her escort bade her good-night at her father's gate in a most sullen
+manner, but Viola was so lost in thought that she did not notice
+it. She entered the house feeling lively and cheerful, but when she
+entered her room she burst into crying. She would laugh a while and
+cry a while as though she had a foretaste of coming bliss mixed with
+bitterness.
+
+Bernard at once took the place left vacant by the dropping away of the
+jealous young man and became Viola's faithful attendant, accompanying
+her wherever he could. The more he met Viola, the more beautiful she
+appeared to him and the more admirable he found her mind.
+
+Bernard almost forgot his political aspirations, and began to ponder
+that passage of scripture that said man should not be alone. But he
+did not make such progress with Viola as was satisfactory to him.
+Sometimes she would appear delighted to see him and was all life and
+gayety. Again she was scarcely more than polite and seemed perfectly
+indifferent to him.
+
+After a long while Bernard decided that Viola, who seemed to be very
+ambitious, treated him thus because he had not done anything worthy
+of special note. He somewhat slacked up in his attentions and began
+to devote himself to acquiring wide spread popularity with a view to
+entering Congress and reaching Viola in this way.
+
+The more he drew off from Viola the more friendly she would seem to
+him, and he began to feel that seeming indifference was perhaps the
+way to win her. Thus the matter moved along for a couple of years.
+
+In the mean time, Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard, Bernard's old
+teacher, was busy in Norfolk looking after Bernard's political
+interests, acting under instructions from Bernard's father, Senator
+------.
+
+About this stage of Bernard's courtship Mr. Leonard called on him and
+told him that the time was ripe for Bernard to announce himself
+for Congress. Bernard threw his whole soul into the project. He
+had another great incentive to cause him to wish to succeed, Viola
+Martin's hand and heart.
+
+In order to understand what followed we must now give a bit of
+Virginia political history.
+
+In the year ---- there was a split in the democratic party of Virginia
+on the question of paying Virginia's debt to England. The bolting
+section of the party joined hands with the republicans and whipped
+the regular democrats at the polls. This coalition thus formed was
+eventually made the Republican party of Virginia.
+
+The democrats, however, rallied and swept this coalition from power
+and determined to forever hold the state government if they had to
+resort to fraud. They resorted to ballot box stuffing and various
+other means to maintain control. At last, they passed a law creating a
+state electoral commission.
+
+This commission was composed of three democrats. These three democrats
+were given the power to appoint three persons in each county as an
+Electoral Board. These county electoral boards would appoint judges
+for each precinct or voting place in the county. They would also
+appoint a special constable at each voting booth to assist the
+illiterate voters.
+
+With rare exceptions, the officials were democrats, and with the
+entire state's election machinery in their hands the democrats could
+manage elections according to their "own sweet will." It goes without
+saying that the democrats always carried any and every precinct that
+they decided, and elections were mere farces.
+
+Such was the condition of affairs when Bernard came forward as a
+candidate from the Second Congressional District. The district was
+overwhelmingly republican, but the democrats always secured the
+office.
+
+It was regarded as downright foolhardy to attempt to get elected to
+Congress from the District as a republican; so the nomination was
+merely passed around as an honor, empty enough.
+
+It was such a feeling that inspired the republicans to nominate
+Bernard; but Bernard entered the canvass in dead earnest and conducted
+a brilliant campaign.
+
+The masses of colored people rallied around his flag. Ministers of
+colored churches came to his support. Seeing that the colored people
+were so determined to elect Bernard, the white republicans, leaders
+and followers, fell into line. Viola Martin organized patriotic clubs
+among the women and aroused whatever voters seemed lethargic.
+
+The day of election came and Bernard was elected by a majority
+of 11,823 votes; but the electoral boards gave the certificate of
+election to his opponent, alleging his opponent's majority to be
+4,162.
+
+Bernard decided to contest the election in Congress, and here is where
+Leonard's fine work was shown. He had, for sometime, made it appear in
+Norfolk that he was a democrat of the most radical school. The leading
+democrats made his acquaintance and Leonard very often composed
+speeches for them. He thus became a favorite with certain prominent
+democrats and they let him into the secret workings of the electoral
+machinery. Thus informed, Leonard went to headquarters of the
+Democratic party at Richmond with a view to bribing the clerks to give
+him inside facts. He found the following to be the character of the
+work done at headquarters.
+
+A poll of all the voters in the state was made. The number of white
+and the number of colored voters in each voting precinct was secured.
+The number of illiterate voters of both races was ascertained. With
+these facts in their possession, they had conducted all the campaign
+necessary for them to carry on an election. Of course speakers were
+sent out as a sham, but they were not needed for anything more than
+appearances.
+
+Having the figures indicated above before them, they proceeded to
+assign to each district, each county, each city, each precinct just
+such majorities as they desired, taking pains to make the figures
+appear reasonable and differ somewhat from figures of previous
+years. Whenever it would do no harm, a precinct was granted to the
+republicans for the sake of appearances.
+
+Ballot boxes of varied patterns were secured and filled with ballots
+marked just as they desired. Some ballots were for republicans, some
+for democrats, and some marked wrong so as to indicate the votes of
+illiterates. The majorities, of course, were invariably such as suited
+the democrats. The ballots were all carefully counted and arranged;
+and tabulated statements of the votes cast put in. A sheet for the
+returns was put in, only awaiting the signatures of the officials
+at the various precincts in order to be complete. These boxes were
+carried by trusted messengers to their destinations.
+
+On election day, not these boxes, but boxes similar to them were used
+to receive the ballots. On the night of the election, the ballot boxes
+that actually received the votes were burned with all their contents
+and the boxes and ballots from Richmond were substituted. The judges
+of election took out the return sheet, already prepared, signed it
+and returned it to Richmond forthwith. Thus it could always be
+known thirty days ahead just what the exact vote in detail was to
+be throughout the entire state. In fact a tabulated statement was
+prepared and printed long before election day.
+
+Leonard paid a clerk at headquarters five thousand dollars for one of
+these tabulated statements. With this he hurried on to Washington
+and secretly placed it before the Republican Congressional Campaign
+Committee, with the understanding that it was to be used after
+election day as a basis for possible contest. Fifteen of the most
+distinguished clergymen in the nation were summoned to Washington and
+made affidavits, stating that they had seen this tabulated statement
+twenty days before the election took place.
+
+When Virginia's returns came in they were found to correspond in every
+detail to this tabulated report.
+
+As nothing but a prophet, direct from God, could have foreseen the
+results exactly as they did occur, this tabulated statement was proof
+positive of fraud on a gigantic scale.
+
+With this and a mass of other indisputable evidence at his back,
+secured by the shrewd Leonard, Bernard entered the contest for his
+seat. The House of Representatives was democratic by a small majority.
+The contest was a long and bitter one. The republicans were solidly
+for Bernard. The struggle was eagerly watched from day to day. It
+was commonly believed that the democrats would vote against Bernard,
+despite the clear case in his favor.
+
+The day to vote on the contest at last arrived and the news was
+flashed over the country that Bernard had triumphed. A handful of
+democrats had deserted their party and voted with the republicans.
+Bernard's father had redeemed his promise of secret support. Bernard's
+triumph in a democratic house caused the nation to rub its eyes and
+look again in wonder.
+
+The colored people hailed Bernard as the coming Moses. "Belgrave,
+Belgrave, Belgrave," was on every Negro tongue. Poems were addressed
+to him. Babies were named after him. Honorary titles were showered
+upon him. He was in much demand at fairs and gatherings of notable
+people. He accepted every invitation of consequence, whenever
+possible, and traveled far and wide winning friends by his bewitching
+eloquence and his pleasing personality.
+
+The democrats, after that defeat, always passed the second district by
+and Bernard held his seat in Congress from year to year unmolested.
+He made application and was admitted to plead law before the Supreme
+Court of the United States. And when we shall see him again it will
+be there, pleading in one of the most remarkable cases known to
+jurisprudence.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+CUPID AGAIN AT WORK.
+
+
+Belton, after graduating from Stowe University, returned with his
+mother to their humble home at Winchester. He had been away at school
+for four years and now desired to see his home again before going
+forth into the world.
+
+He remained at Winchester several days visiting all the spots where he
+had toiled or played, mourned or sung, wept or laughed as a child.
+He entered the old school house and gazed with eyes of love on its
+twisting walls, decaying floor and benches sadly in need of repair.
+A somewhat mournful smile played upon his lips as he thought of the
+revengeful act that he had perpetrated upon his first teacher, Mr.
+Leonard, and this smile died away into a more sober expression as he
+remembered how his act of revenge had, like chickens, come home to
+roost, when those dirty socks had made him an object of laughter at
+Stowe University on commencement day.
+
+Revenge was dead in his bosom. And it was well for the world that this
+young negro had been trained in a school where there was a friendly
+lance to open his veins and let out this most virulent of poisons.
+
+Belton lingered about home, thinking of the great problem of human
+life. He would walk out of town near sunset and, taking his seat on
+some grassy knoll would gaze on the Blue Ridge mountains. The light
+would fade out of the sky and the gloom of evening gather, but the
+mountains would maintain their same bold appearance. Whenever he cast
+his eyes in their direction, there they stood firm and immovable.
+
+His pure and lofty soul had an affinity for all things grand and he
+was always happy, even from childhood, when he could sit undisturbed
+and gaze at the mountains, huge and lofty, rising in such
+unconquerable grandeur, upward toward the sky. Belton chose the
+mountain as the emblem of his life and he besought God to make him
+such in the moral world.
+
+At length he tore himself loose from the scenes of his childhood, and
+embracing his fond mother, left Winchester to begin life in the city
+of Richmond, the capital of the old Confederacy. Through the influence
+of Mr. King, his benefactor, he secured a position as a teacher in one
+of the colored schools of that city.
+
+The principal of the school to which Belton was assigned was white,
+but all the rest of the teachers were young colored women. On the
+morning of his arrival at the school building Belton was taken
+in charge by the principal, and by him was carried around to be
+introduced to the various teachers. Before he reaches a certain room,
+let us give you a slight introduction to the occupant thereof.
+
+Antoinette Nermal was famed throughout the city for her beauty,
+intelligence and virtue. Her color was what is termed a light brown
+skin. We assure you that it was charming enough. She was of medium
+height, and for grace and symmetry her form was fit for a sculptor's
+model. Her pretty face bore the stamp of intellectuality, but the
+intellectuality of a beautiful woman, who was still every inch a woman
+despite her intellectuality. Her thin well-formed lips seemed arranged
+by nature in such a manner as to be incomplete without a kiss, and
+that lovely face seemed to reinforce the invitation. Her eyes were
+black, and when you gazed in them the tenderness therein seemed to be
+about to draw you out of yourself. They concealed and yet revealed a
+heart capable of passionate love.
+
+Those who could read her and wished her well were much concerned that
+she should love wisely; for it could be seen that she was to love with
+her whole heart, and to wreck her love was to wreck her life. She had
+passed through all her life thus far without seriously noticing any
+young man, thus giving some the impression that she was incapable of
+love, being so intellectual. Others who read her better knew that
+she despised the butterfly, flitting from flower to flower, and was
+preserving her heart to give it whole into the keeping of some worthy
+man.
+
+She neither sang nor played, but her soul was intensely musical and
+she had the most refined and cultivated taste in the musical circles
+in which she moved. She was amiable in disposition, but her amiability
+was not of the kind to lead her in quest of you; but if you came
+across her, she would treat you so pleasantly that you would desire to
+pass that way again.
+
+Belton and the principal are now on the way to her room. As they
+entered the door her back was to them, as she was gazing out of
+the window. Belton's eyes surveyed her graceful form and he was so
+impressed with its loveliness that he was sorry when she began to turn
+around. But when she was turned full around Belton forgot all about
+her form, and his eyes did not know which to contemplate longest, that
+rich complexion, those charming eyes, or those seductive lips. On the
+other hand, Miss Nermal was struck with Belton's personal appearance
+and as she contemplated the noble, dignified yet genial appearance
+which he presented, her lips came slightly apart, rendering her all
+the more beautiful.
+
+The principal said: "Miss Nermal, allow me to present to you our newly
+arrived associate in the work, Mr. Belton Piedmont."
+
+Miss Nermal smiled to Belton and said: "Mr. Piedmont, we are glad to
+have a man of your acknowledged talents in our midst and we anticipate
+much of you."
+
+Belton felt much flattered, surprised, overjoyed. He wished that
+he could find the person who had been so very kind as to give that
+marvelously beautiful girl such a good opinion of himself. But when he
+opened his mouth to reply he was afraid of saying something that
+would shatter this good opinion; so he bowed politely and merely said,
+"Thank you."
+
+"I trust that you will find our association agreeable," said Miss
+Nermal, smiling and walking toward him.
+
+This remark turned Belton's mind to thoughts that stimulated him to
+a brisk reply. "Oh assuredly, Miss Nermal. I am already more
+than satisfied that I shall expect much joy and pleasure from my
+association with you--I--I--I mean the teachers."
+
+Belton felt that he had made a bad break and looked around a little
+uneasily at the principal, violently condemning in his heart that rule
+which led principals to escort young men around; especially when
+there was a likelihood of meeting with such a lovely girl. If you
+had consulted Belton's wishes at that moment, school would have been
+adjourned immediately, the principal excused, and himself allowed to
+look at and talk to Miss Nermal as much as he desired.
+
+However, this was not to be. The principal moved to the door to
+continue his tour. Belton reluctantly followed. He didn't see the need
+of getting acquainted with all the teachers in one day. He thought
+that there were too many teachers in that building, anyhow. These were
+Belton's rebellious thoughts as he left Miss Nermal's room.
+
+Nevertheless, he finished his journey around to the various rooms
+and afterwards assumed charge of his own room. Some might ascribe his
+awkwardness in his room that day to the fact that the work was new to
+him. But we prefer to think that certain new and pleasing sensations
+in his bosom were responsible.
+
+When the young lady teachers got together at noon that day, the
+question was passed around as to what was thought of Mr. Piedmont.
+Those teachers whom Belton met before he entered Miss Nermal's room
+thought him "very nice." Those whom he met after he left her room
+thought him rather dull. Miss Nermal herself pronounced him "just
+grand."
+
+All of the girls looked at Miss Nermal rather inquiringly when
+she said this, for she was understood to usually pass young men by
+unnoticed. Each of the other girls, previous to seeing Belton, had
+secretly determined to capture the rising young orator in case his
+personal appearance kept pace with his acknowledged talents. In
+debating the matter they had calculated their chances of success and
+had thought of all possible rivals. Miss Nermal was habitually
+so indifferent to young men that they had not considered her as a
+possibility. They were quite surprised, to say the least, to hear her
+speak more enthusiastically of Belton than any of the rest had done.
+If Miss Nermal was to be their rival they were ready to abandon
+the field at once, for the charms of her face, form, and mind were
+irresistible when in repose; and what would they be if she became
+interested in winning the heart of a young man?
+
+When school was dismissed that afternoon Belton saw a group of
+teachers walking homeward and Miss Nermal was in the group. Belton
+joined them and somehow contrived to get by Miss Nermal's side. How
+much she aided him by unobserved shifting of positions is not known.
+
+All of the rest of the group lived nearer the school than did Miss
+Nermal and so, when they had all dropped off at respective gates, Miss
+Nermal yet had some distance to go. When Belton saw this, he was a
+happy fellow. He felt that the parents of the teachers had shown such
+excellent judgment in choosing places to reside. He would not have
+them change for the world. He figured that he would have five evenings
+of undisturbed bliss in each week walking home with Miss Nermal after
+the other teachers had left.
+
+Belton contrived to walk home with the same group each evening. The
+teachers soon noticed that Miss Nermal and Belton invariably walked
+together, and they managed by means of various excuses to break up the
+group; and Belton had the unalloyed pleasure of escorting Miss Nermal
+from the school-house door to her own front yard. Belton secured
+the privilege of calling to see Miss Nermal at her residence and he
+confined his social visits to her house solely.
+
+They did not talk of love to one another, but any one who saw the
+couple together could tell at a glance what was in each heart. Belton,
+however, did not have the courage to approach the subject. His passion
+was so intense and absorbing and filled him with so much delight that
+he feared to talk on the subject so dear to his heart, for fear of
+a repulse and the shattering of all the beautiful castles which his
+glowing imagination, with love as the supervising architect, had
+constructed. Thus matters moved along for some time; Miss Nermal
+thoroughly in love with Belton, but Belton prizing that love too
+highly to deem it possible for him to be the happy possessor thereof.
+
+Belton was anxious for some indirect test. He would often contrive
+little devices to test Miss Nermal's feelings towards him and in
+each case the result was all that he could wish, yet he doubted. Miss
+Nermal thoroughly understood Belton and was anxious for him to find
+some way out of his dilemma. Of course it was out of the question
+for her to volunteer to tell him that she loved him--loved him madly,
+passionately; loved him in every fibre of her soul.
+
+At last the opportunity that Belton was hoping for came. Miss Nermal
+and Belton were invited out to a social gathering of young people one
+night. He was Miss Nermal's escort.
+
+At this gathering the young men and women played games such as pinning
+on the donkey's tail, going to Jerusalem, menagerie, and various other
+parlor games. In former days, these social gatherings played some
+games that called for kissing by the young ladies and gentlemen, but
+Miss Nermal had opposed such games so vigorously that they had long
+since been dismissed from the best circles.
+
+Belton had posted two or three young men to suggest a play involving
+kissing, that play being called, "In the well." The suggestion was
+made and just for the fun of having an old time game played, they
+accepted the suggestion. The game was played as follows.
+
+Young men and young women would move their chairs as close back to the
+walls as possible. This would leave the center of the room clear. A
+young man would take his place in the middle of the floor and say,
+"I am in the well." A questioner would then ask, "How many feet?"
+The party in the well would then say, for instance, "Three feet." The
+questioner would then ask, "Whom will you have to take you out?"
+
+Whosoever was named by the party in the well was required by the rules
+of the game to go to him and kiss him the number of times equivalent
+to the number of feet he was in the well.
+
+The party thus called would then be in the well. The young men would
+kiss the ladies out and vice versa.
+
+Miss Nermal's views on kissing games were well known and the young men
+all passed her by. Finally, a young lady called Belton to the well
+to kiss her out. Belton now felt that his chance had came. He was so
+excited that when he went to the well he forgot to kiss her. Belton
+was not conscious of the omission but it pleased Antoinette immensely.
+
+Belton said, "I am in the well." The questioner asked, "How many
+feet?" Belton replied, "ONLY one." "Whom will you have to take you
+out?" queried the questioner. Belton was in a dazed condition. He was
+astounded at his own temerity in having deliberately planned to call
+Miss Nermal to kiss him before that crowd or for that matter to kiss
+him at all. However he decided to make a bold dash. He averted his
+head and said, "Miss Antoinette Nermal."
+
+All eyes were directed to Miss Nermal to see her refuse. But she cast
+a look of defiance around the room and calmly walked to where Belton
+stood. Their eyes met. They understood each other. Belton pressed
+those sweet lips that had been taunting him all those many days and
+sat down, the happiest of mortals.
+
+Miss Nermal was now left in the well to call for some one to take
+her out. For the first time, it dawned upon Belton that in working
+to secure a kiss for himself, he was about to secure one for some one
+else also. He glared around the room furiously and wondered who would
+be base enough to dare to go and kiss that angel.
+
+Miss Nermal was proceeding with her part of the game and Belton began
+to feel that she did not mind it even if she did have to kiss some one
+else. After all, he thought, his test would not hold good as she was,
+he felt sure, about to kiss another.
+
+While Belton was in agony over such thoughts Miss Nermal came to the
+point where she had to name her deliverer. She said, "The person who
+put me in here will have to take me out." Belton bounded from his seat
+and, if the fervor of a kiss could keep the young lady in the well
+from drowning, Miss Nermal was certainly henceforth in no more danger.
+
+Miss Nermal's act broke up that game.
+
+On the way home that night, neither Antoinette nor Belton spoke a
+word. Their hearts were too full for utterance. When they reached Miss
+Nermal's gate, she opened it and entering stood on the other side,
+facing Belton.
+
+Belton looked down into her beautiful face and she looked up at
+Belton. He felt her eyes pulling at the cords of his heart. He stooped
+down and in silence pressed a lingering kiss on Miss Nermal's lips.
+She did not move.
+
+Belton said, "I am in the well." Miss Nermal whispered, "I am too."
+Belton said, "I shall always be in the well." Miss Nermal said, "So
+shall I." Belton hastily plucked open the gate and clasped Antoinette
+to his bosom. He led her to a double seat in the middle of the lawn,
+and there with the pure-eyed stars gazing down upon them they poured
+out their love to each other.
+
+Two hours later Belton left her and at that late hour roused every
+intimate friend that he had in the city to tell them of his good
+fortune.
+
+Miss Nermal was no less reserved in her joy. She told the good news
+everywhere to all her associates. Love had transformed this modest,
+reserved young woman into a being that would not have hesitated to
+declare her love upon a house-top.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+NO BEFITTING NAME.
+
+
+Happy Belton now began to give serious thought to the question of
+getting married. He desired to lead Antoinette to the altar as soon as
+possible and then he would be sure of possessing the richest treasure
+known to earth. And when he would speak of an early marriage she would
+look happy and say nothing in discouragement of the idea. She was
+Belton's, and she did not care how soon he claimed her as his own.
+
+His poverty was his only barrier. His salary was small, being only
+fifty dollars a month. He had not held his position long enough to
+save up very much money. He decided to start up an enterprise that
+would enable him to make money a great deal faster.
+
+The colored people of Richmond at that time had no newspaper or
+printing office. Belton organized a joint stock company and started a
+weekly journal and conducted a job printing establishment. This paper
+took well and was fast forging to the front as a decided success.
+
+It began to lift up its voice against frauds at the polls and to
+champion the cause of honest elections. It contended that practicing
+frauds was debauching the young men, the flower of the Anglo-Saxon
+race. One particularly meritorious article was copied in _The Temps_
+and commented upon editorially. This article created a great stir in
+political circles.
+
+A search was instituted as to the authorship. It was traced to Belton,
+and the politicians gave the school board orders to dump Belton
+forthwith, on the ground that they could not afford to feed and clothe
+a man who would so vigorously "attack Southern Institutions," meaning
+by this phrase the universal practice of thievery and fraud at the
+ballot box. Belton was summarily dismissed.
+
+His marriage was of necessity indefinitely postponed. The other
+teachers were warned to give no further support to Belton's paper on
+pain of losing their positions. They withdrew their influence from
+Belton and he was, by this means, forced to give up the enterprise.
+
+He was now completely without an occupation, and began to look around
+for employment. He decided to make a trial of politics. A campaign
+came on and he vigorously espoused the cause of the Republicans. A
+congressional and presidential campaign was being conducted at the
+same time, and Belton did yeoman service.
+
+Owing to frauds in the elections the Democrats carried the district
+in which Belton labored, but the vote was closer than was ever known
+before. The Republicans, however, carried the nation and the
+President appointed a white republican as post-master of Richmond. In
+recognition of his great service to his party, Belton was appointed
+stamping clerk in the Post Office at a salary of sixty dollars per
+month.
+
+As a rule, the most prominent and lucrative places went to those who
+were most influential with the voters. Measured by this standard and
+by the standard of real ability, Belton was entitled to the best place
+in the district in the gift of the government; but the color of his
+skin was against him, and he had to content himself with a clerkship.
+
+At the expiration of one year, Belton proudly led the charming
+Antoinette Nermal to the marriage altar, where they became man and
+wife. Their marriage was the most notable social event that had ever
+been known among the colored people of Richmond. All of the colored
+people and many of the white people of prominence were at the wedding
+reception, and costly presents poured in upon them. This brilliant
+couple were predicted to have a glorious future before them. So all
+hearts hoped and felt.
+
+About two years from Belton's appointment as stamping clerk and one
+year from the date of his marriage, a congressional convention was
+held for the purpose of nominating a candidate for Congress. Belton's
+chief, the postmaster, desired a personal friend to have the honor.
+This personal friend was known to be prejudiced against colored people
+and Belton could not, therefore, see his way clear to support him for
+the nomination. He supported another candidate and won for him the
+nomination; but the postmaster dismissed him from his position as
+clerk. Crushed in spirit, Belton came home to tell his wife of their
+misfortune.
+
+Although he was entitled to the postmastership, according to the
+ethics of the existing political condition, he had been given a
+commonplace clerkship. And now, because he would not play the puppet,
+he was summarily dismissed from that humble position. His wife cheered
+him up and bade him to not be despondent, telling him that a man of
+his talents would beyond all question be sure to succeed in life.
+
+Belton began to cast around for another occupation, but, in whatever
+direction he looked, he saw no hope. He possessed a first class
+college education, but that was all. He knew no trade nor was he
+equipped to enter any of the professions. It is true that there were
+positions around by the thousands which he could fill, but his color
+debarred him. He would have made an excellent drummer, salesman,
+clerk, cashier, government official (county, city, state, or national)
+telegraph operator, conductor, or any thing of such a nature. But the
+color of his skin shut the doors so tight that he could not even peep
+in.
+
+The white people would not employ him in these positions, and the
+colored people did not have any enterprises in which they could employ
+him. It is true that such positions as street laborer, hod-carrier,
+cart driver, factory hand, railroad hand, were open to him; but such
+menial tasks were uncongenial to a man of his education and polish.
+And, again, society positively forbade him doing such labor. If a man
+of education among the colored people did such manual labor, he was
+looked upon as an eternal disgrace to the race. He was looked upon as
+throwing his education away and lowering its value in the eyes of the
+children who were to come after him.
+
+So, here was proud, brilliant Belton, the husband of a woman whom he
+fairly worshipped, surrounded in a manner that precluded his earning
+a livelihood for her. This set Belton to studying the labor situation
+and the race question from this point of view. He found scores of
+young men just in his predicament. The schools were all supplied with
+teachers. All other doors were effectually barred. Society's stern
+edict forbade these young men resorting to lower forms of labor. And
+instead of the matter growing better, it was growing worse, year by
+year. Colleges were rushing class after class forth with just his kind
+of education, and there was no employment for them.
+
+These young men, having no employment, would get together in groups
+and discuss their respective conditions. Some were in love and desired
+to marry. Others were married and desired to support their wives in a
+creditable way. Others desired to acquire a competence. Some had aged
+parents who had toiled hard to educate them and were looking to them
+for support. They were willing to work but the opportunity was denied
+them. And the sole charge against them was the color of their skins.
+They grew to hate a flag that would float in an undisturbed manner
+over such a condition of affairs. They began to abuse and execrate
+a national government that would not protect them against color
+prejudice, but on the contrary actually practiced it itself.
+
+Beginning with passively hating the flag, they began to think of
+rebelling against it and would wish for some foreign power to come
+in and bury it in the dirt. They signified their willingness to
+participate in such a proceeding.
+
+It is true that it was only a class that had thought and spoke of
+this, but it was an educated class, turned loose with an idle brain
+and plenty of time to devise mischief. The toiling, unthinking masses
+went quietly to their labors, day by day, but the educated malcontents
+moved in and out among them, convincing them that they could not
+afford to see their men of brains ignored because of color.
+
+Belton viewed this state of affairs with alarm and asked himself,
+whither was the nation drifting. He might have joined this army of
+malcontents and insurrection breeders, but that a very remarkable and
+novel idea occurred to him. He decided to endeavor to find out
+just what view the white people were taking of the Negro and of the
+existing conditions. He saw that the nation was drifting toward a
+terrible cataract and he wished to find out what precautionary steps
+the white people were going to take.
+
+So he left Richmond, giving the people to understand that he was gone
+to get a place to labor to support his wife. The people thought it
+strange that he did not tell where he was going and what he was to do.
+Speculation was rife. Many thought that it was an attempt at deserting
+his wife, whom he seemed unable to support. He arranged to visit his
+wife twice a month.
+
+He went to New York and completely disguised himself. He bought a wig
+representing the hair on the head of a colored woman. He had this
+wig made especially to his order. He bought an outfit of well
+fitting dresses and other garments worn by women. He clad himself and
+reappeared in Richmond. His wife and most intimate friends failed to
+recognize him. He of course revealed his identity to his wife but to
+no one else.
+
+He now had the appearance of a healthy, handsome, robust colored girl,
+with features rather large for a woman but attractive just the
+same. In this guise Belton applied for a position as nurse and was
+successful in securing a place in the family of a leading white man.
+He loitered near the family circle as much as he could. His ear was
+constantly at the key holes, listening. Sometimes he would engage in
+conversation for the purpose of drawing them out on the question of
+the Negro.
+
+He found out that the white man was utterly ignorant of the nature of
+the Negro of to-day with whom he has to deal. And more than that, he
+was not bothering his brain thinking about the Negro. He felt that the
+Negro was easily ruled and was not an object for serious thought. The
+barbers, the nurses, cooks and washerwomen, the police column of the
+newspapers, comic stories and minstrels were the sources through which
+the white people gained their conception of the Negro. But the real
+controling power of the race that was shaping its life and thought
+and preparing the race for action, was unnoticed and in fact unseen by
+them.
+
+The element most bitterly antagonistic to the whites avoided them,
+through intense hatred; and the whites never dreamed of this powerful
+inner circle that was gradually but persistently working its way in
+every direction, solidifying the race for the momentous conflict
+of securing all the rights due them according to the will of their
+heavenly Father.
+
+Belton also stumbled upon another misconception, which caused him
+eventually to lose his job as nurse. The young men in the families
+in which Belton worked seemed to have a poor opinion of the virtue of
+colored women. Time and again they tried to kiss Belton, and he would
+sometimes have to exert his full strength to keep them at a distance.
+He thought that while he was a nurse, he would do what he could to
+exalt the character of the colored women. So, at every chance he got,
+he talked to the men who approached him, of virtue and integrity.
+He soon got the name of being a "virtuous prude" and the white men
+decided to corrupt him at all hazards.
+
+Midnight carriage rides were offered and refused. Trips to distant
+cities were proposed but declined. Money was offered freely and
+lavishly but to no avail. Belton did not yield to them. He became the
+cynosure of all eyes. He seemed so hard to reach, that they began to
+doubt his sex. A number of them decided to satisfy themselves at all
+hazards. They resorted to the bold and daring plan of kidnapping and
+overpowering Belton.
+
+After that eventful night Belton did no more nursing. But fortunately
+they did not recognize who he was. He secretly left, had it announced
+that Belton Piedmont would in a short time return to Richmond, and
+throwing off his disguise, he appeared in Richmond as Belton Piedmont
+of old. The town was agog with excitement over the male nurse, but
+none suspected him. He was now again without employment, and another
+most grievous burden was about to be put on his shoulders. May God
+enable him to bear it.
+
+During all the period of their poverty stricken condition, Antoinette
+bore her deprivations like a heroine. Though accustomed from her
+childhood to plenty, she bore her poverty smilingly and cheerfully.
+Not one sigh of regret, not one word of complaint escaped her lips.
+She taught Belton to hope and have faith in himself. But everything
+seemed to grow darker and darker for him. In the whole of his school
+life, he had never encountered a student who could surpass him in
+intellectual ability; and yet, here he was with all his conceded
+worth, unable to find a fit place to earn his daily bread, all because
+of the color of his skin. And now the Lord was about to bless him with
+an offspring. He hardly knew whether to be thankful or sorrowful over
+this prospective gift from heaven.
+
+On the one hand, an infant in the home would be a source of unbounded
+joy; but over against this pleasing picture there stood cruel want
+pointing its wicked, mocking finger at him, anxious for another
+victim. As the time for the expected gift drew near, Belton grew more
+moody and despondent. Day by day he grew more and more nervous. One
+evening the nurse called him into his wife's room, bidding him come
+and look at his son. The nurse stood in the door and looked hard at
+Belton as he drew near to the side of his wife's bed. He lifted the
+lamp from the dresser and approached. Antoinette turned toward the
+wall and hid her head under the cover. Eagerly, tremblingly, Belton
+pulled the cover from the little child's face, the nurse all the while
+watching him as though her eyes would pop out of her head.
+
+Belton bent forward to look at his infant son. A terrible shriek broke
+from his lips. He dropped the lamp upon the floor and fled out of the
+house and rushed madly through the city. The color of Antoinette was
+brown. The color of Belton was dark. But the child was white!
+
+What pen can describe the tumult that raged in Belton's bosom for
+months and months! Sadly, disconsolately, broken in spirit,
+thoroughly dejected, Belton dragged himself to his mother's cottage at
+Winchester. Like a ship that had started on a voyage, on a bright day,
+with fair winds, but had been overtaken and overwhelmed in an ocean
+storm, and had been put back to shore, so Belton now brought his
+battered bark into harbor again.
+
+His brothers and sisters had all married and had left the maternal
+roof. Belton would sleep in the loft from which in his childhood he
+tumbled down, when disturbed about the disappearing biscuits. How he
+longed and sighed for childhood's happy days to come again. He felt
+that life was too awful for him to bear.
+
+His feelings toward his wife were more of pity than reproach. Like the
+multitude, he supposed that his failure to properly support her had
+tempted her to ruin. He loved her still if anything, more passionately
+than ever. But ah! what were his feelings in those days toward the
+flag which he had loved so dearly, which had floated proudly and
+undisturbed, while color prejudice, upheld by it, sent, as he thought,
+cruel want with drawn sword to stab his family honor to death. Belton
+had now lost all hope of personal happiness in this life, and as he
+grew more and more composed he found himself better prepared than ever
+to give his life wholly to the righting of the wrongs of his people.
+
+Tenderly he laid the image of Antoinette to rest in a grave in the
+very center of his heart. He covered her grave with fragrant flowers;
+and though he acknowledged the presence of a corpse in his heart,
+'twas the corpse of one he loved.
+
+We must leave our beautiful heroine under a cloud just here, but God
+is with her and will bring her forth conqueror in the sight of men and
+angels.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ON THE DISSECTING BOARD.
+
+
+About this time the Legislature of Louisiana passed a law designed
+to prevent white people from teaching in schools conducted in the
+interest of Negroes.
+
+A college for Negroes had been located at Cadeville for many years,
+presided over by a white minister from the North. Under the operations
+of the law mentioned, he was forced to resign his position.
+
+The colored people were, therefore, under the necessity of casting
+about for a successor. They wrote to the president of Stowe University
+requesting him to recommend a man competent to take charge of the
+college. The president decided that Belton was an ideal man for the
+place and recommended him to the proper authorities. Belton was duly
+elected.
+
+He again bade home adieu and boarded the train for Cadeville,
+Louisiana. Belton's journey was devoid of special interest until
+he arrived within the borders of the state. At that time the law
+providing separate coaches for colored and white people had not been
+enacted by any of the Southern States. But in some of them the whites
+had an unwritten but inexorable law, to the effect that no Negro
+should be allowed to ride in a first-class coach. Louisiana was one of
+these states, but Belton did not know this. So, being in a first-class
+coach when he entered Louisiana, he did not get up and go into a
+second-class coach. The train was speeding along and Belton was
+quietly reading a newspaper. Now and then he would look out of a
+window at the pine tree forest near the track. The bed of the railway
+had been elevated some two or three feet above the ground, and to get
+the dirt necessary to elevate it a sort of trench had been dug, and
+ran along beside the track. The rain had been falling very copiously
+for the two or three days previous, and the ditch was full of muddy
+water. Belton's eyes would now and then fall on this water as they
+sped along.
+
+In the meanwhile the train began to get full, passengers getting on
+at each station. At length the coach was nearly filled. A white lady
+entered, and not at once seeing a vacant seat, paused a few seconds to
+look about for one. She soon espied an unoccupied seat. She proceeded
+to it, but her slight difficulty had been noted by the white
+passengers.
+
+Belton happened to glance around and saw a group of white men in an
+eager, animated conversation, and looking in his direction now and
+then as they talked. He paid no especial attention to this, however,
+and kept on reading. Before he was aware of what was going on, he
+was surrounded by a group of angry men. He stood up in surprise to
+discover its meaning. "Get out of this coach. We don't allow niggers
+in first-class coaches. Get out at once," said their spokesman.
+
+"Show me your authority to order me out, sir," said Belton firmly.
+
+"We are our own authority, as you will soon find out if you don't get
+out of here."
+
+"I propose," said Belton, "to stay right in this coach as long----"
+He did not finish the sentence, for rough fingers were clutching his
+throat. The whole group was upon him in an instant and he was soon
+overpowered. They dragged him into the aisle, and, some at his head
+and others at his feet, lifted him and bore him to the door. The train
+was speeding along at a rapid rate. Belton grew somewhat quiet in his
+struggling, thinking to renew it in the second-class coach, whither
+he supposed they were carrying him. But when they got to the platform,
+instead of carrying him across they tossed him off the train into that
+muddy ditch at which Belton had been looking. His body and feet fell
+into the water while his head buried itself in the soft clay bed.
+
+The train was speeding on and Belton eventually succeeded in
+extricating himself from his bed of mud and water. Covered from head
+to foot with red clay, the president-elect of Cadeville College walked
+down to the next station, two miles away. There he found his satchel,
+left by the conductor of the train. He remained at this station until
+the afternoon, when another train passed. This time he entered the
+second-class coach and rode unmolested to Monroe, Louisiana. There
+he was to have changed cars for Cadeville. The morning train, the one
+from which he was thrown, made connection with the Cadeville train,
+but the afternoon train did not. So he was under the necessity of
+remaining over night in the city of Monroe, a place of some twenty
+thousand inhabitants.
+
+Being hungry, he went forth in quest of a meal. He entered a
+restaurant and asked the white man whom he saw behind the counter for
+a meal. The white man stepped into a small adjoining room to fill the
+order, and Belton eat down on a high stool at the eating counter. The
+white man soon returned with some articles of food in a paper bag.
+Seeing Belton sitting down, he cried out: "Get up from there, you
+nigger. It would cost me a hundred dollars for you to be seen sitting
+there."
+
+Belton looked up in astonishment, "Do you mean to say that I must
+stand up here and eat?" he asked.
+
+"No, I don't mean any such thing. You must go out of here to eat."
+
+"Then," replied Belton, "I shall politely leave your food on your
+hands if I cannot be allowed to eat in here."
+
+"I guess you won't," the man replied. "I have cut this ham off for you
+and you have got to take it."
+
+Belton, remembering his experience earlier in the day, began to move
+toward the door to leave. The man seized a whistle and in an instant
+two or three policemen came running, followed by a crowd. Belton stood
+still to await developments. The clerk said to the policeman: "This
+high-toned nigger bought a meal of me and because I would not let him
+sit down and eat like white people he refused to pay me."
+
+The officers turned to Belton and said: "Pay that man what you owe
+him."
+
+Belton replied: "I owe him nothing. He refuses to accommodate me, and
+I therefore owe him nothing."
+
+"Come along with me, sir. Consider yourself under arrest."
+
+Wondering what kind of a country he had entered, Belton followed the
+officer and incredible as it may seem, was locked up in jail for the
+night. The next morning he was arraigned before the mayor, whom the
+officer had evidently posted before the opening of court. Belton was
+fined five dollars for vagrancy and was ordered to leave town within
+five hours. He paid his fine and boarded the train for Cadeville.
+
+As the train pulled in for Cadeville, a group of white men were seen
+standing on the platform. One of them was a thin, scrawny looking man
+with a long beard, very, very white. His body was slightly stooping
+forward, and whenever he looked at you he had the appearance of
+bending as if to see you better. When Belton stepped on to the
+platform this man, who was the village doctor, looked at him keenly.
+
+Belton was a fine specimen of physical manhood. His limbs were well
+formed, well proportioned and seemed as strong as oak. His manly
+appearance always excited interest wherever he was seen. The doctor's
+eyes followed him cadaverously. He went up to the postmaster, a short
+man with a large head. The postmaster was president of the band of
+"Nigger Rulers" of that section.
+
+The doctor said to the postmaster: "I'll be durned if that ain't the
+finest lookin' darkey I ever put my eye on. If I could get his body to
+dissect, I'd give one of the finest kegs of whiskey in my cellar."
+
+The postmaster looked at Belton and said: "Zakeland," for such was the
+doctor's name, "you are right. He is a fine looking chap, and he looks
+a little tony. If we 'nigger rulers' are ever called in to attend to
+him we will not burn him nor shoot him to pieces. We will kill him
+kinder decent and let you have him to dissect. I shall not fail to
+call for that whiskey to treat the boys." So saying they parted.
+
+Belton did not hear this murderous conversation respecting himself. He
+was joyfully received by the colored people of Cadeville, to whom
+he related his experiences. They looked at him as though he was a
+superior being bearing a charmed life, having escaped being killed. It
+did not come to their minds to be surprised at the treatment accorded
+him for what he had done. Their wonder was as to how he got off so
+easily.
+
+Belton took charge of the school and began the faithful performance of
+his duties. He decided to add an industrial department to his school
+and traveled over the state and secured the funds for the work. He
+sent to New Orleans for a colored architect and contractor who drew
+the plans and accepted the contract for erecting the building.
+
+They decided to have colored men erect the building and gathered a
+force for that purpose. The white brick-masons of Monroe heard of
+this. They organized a mob, came to Cadeville and ordered the men
+to quit work. They took charge of the work themselves, letting the
+colored brick-masons act as hod carriers for them. They employed a
+white man to supervise the work. The colored people knew that it meant
+death to resist and they paid the men as though nothing unusual had
+happened.
+
+Belton had learned to observe and wait. These outrages sank like
+molten lead into his heart, but he bore them all. The time for the
+presidential election was drawing near and he arose in the chapel one
+morning to lecture to the young men on their duty to vote.
+
+One of the village girls told her father of Belton's speech. The old
+man was shaving his face and had just shaved off one side of his beard
+when his daughter told him. He did not stop to pull the towel from
+around his neck nor to put down his razor. He rushed over to the house
+where Belton boarded and burst into his room. Belton threw up his
+hands in alarm at seeing this man come, razor in hand, towel around
+his neck and beard half off and half on. The man sat down to catch
+his breath. He began: "Mr. Piedmont, I learn that you are advising our
+young men to vote. I am sure you don't know in what danger you stand.
+I have come to give you the political history of this section of
+Louisiana. The colored people of this region far outnumber the white
+people, and years ago had absolute control of everything. The whites
+of course did not tamely submit, but armed themselves to overthrow us.
+We armed ourselves, and every night patrolled this road all night long
+looking for the whites to come and attack us. My oldest brother is
+a very cowardly and sycophantic man. The white people made a spy and
+traitor out of him. When the people found out that there was treachery
+in our ranks it demoralized them, and our organization went to pieces.
+
+"We had not the authority nor disposition to kill a traitor, and
+consequently we had no effective remedy against a betrayal. When the
+news of our demoralized condition reached the whites it gave them
+fresh courage, and they have dominated us ever since. They carry on
+the elections. We stay in our fields all day long on election day
+and scarcely know what is going on. Not long since a white man came
+through here and distributed republican ballots. The white people
+captured him and cut his body into four pieces and threw it in the
+Ouachita River. Since then you can't get any man to venture here to
+distribute ballots.
+
+"Just before the last presidential campaign, two brothers, Samuel and
+John Bowser, colored, happened to go down to New Orleans. Things are
+not so bad down there as they are up here in Northern Louisiana. These
+two brothers each secured a republican party ballot, and on election
+day somewhat boastfully cast them into the ballot box. There is, as
+you have perhaps heard, a society here known as 'Nigger Rulers.' The
+postmaster of this place is president of the society, and the teacher
+of the white public school is the captain of the army thereof.
+
+"They sent word to the Bowser brothers that they would soon be there
+to whip them. The brothers prepared to meet them. They cut a hole
+in the front side of the house, through which they could poke a gun.
+Night came on, and true to their word the 'Nigger Rulers' came. Samuel
+Bowser fired when they were near the house and one man fell dead.
+All of the rest fled to the cover of the neighboring woods. Soon they
+cautiously returned and bore away their dead comrade. They made no
+further attack that night.
+
+"The brothers hid out in the woods. Hearing of this and fearing that
+the men would make their escape the whites gathered in force and
+hemmed in the entire settlement on all sides. For three days the men
+hid in the woods, unable to escape because of the guard kept by the
+whites. The third night a great rain came up and the whites sought the
+shelter of their homes.
+
+"The brothers thus had a chance to escape. John escaped into Arkansas,
+but Samuel, poor fool, went only forty miles, remaining in Louisiana.
+The mob forced one of our number, who escorted him on horseback, to
+inform them of the road that Samuel took. In this way they traced and
+found him. They tied him on a horse and brought him back here with
+them. They kept him in the woods three days, torturing him. On the
+third day we heard the loud report of a gun which we supposed ended
+his life. None of us know where he lies buried. You can judge from
+this why we neglect voting."
+
+This speech wound up Belton's political career in Cadeville. He
+thanked the man for the information, assuring him that it would be of
+great value to him in knowing how to shape his course.
+
+After Belton had been at Cadeville a few years, he had a number of
+young men and women to graduate from the various departments of his
+school. He invited the pastor of a leading white church of Monroe to
+deliver an oration on the day of commencement exercises. The preacher
+came and was most favorably impressed with Belton's work, as exhibited
+in the students then graduating. He esteemed Belton as a man of great
+intellectual power and invited him to call at his church and house if
+he ever came to Monroe.
+
+Belton was naturally greatly elated over this invitation from a
+Southerner and felt highly complimented. One Sabbath morning, shortly
+thereafter, Belton happened to be in Monroe, and thinking of the
+preacher's kind invitation, went to his church to attend the morning
+service. He entered and took a seat near the middle of the church.
+
+During the opening exercises a young white lady who sat by his side
+experienced some trouble in finding the hymn. Belton had remembered
+the number given out and kindly took the book to find it. In an
+instant the whole church was in an uproar. A crowd of men gathered
+around Belton and led him out of doors. A few leaders went off to
+one side and held a short consultation. They decided that as it was
+Sunday, they would not lynch him. They returned to the body of men yet
+holding Belton and ordered him released. This evidently did not please
+the majority, but he was allowed to go.
+
+That afternoon Belton called at the residence of the minister in order
+to offer an explanation. The minister opened the door, and seeing
+who it was, slammed it in his face. Belton turned away with many
+misgivings as to what was yet to come. Dr. Zackland always spent
+his Sundays at Monroe and was a witness of the entire scene in which
+Belton had figured so prominently. He hastened out of church, and as
+soon as he saw Belton turned loose, hurried to the station and boarded
+the train for Cadeville, leaving his hymn book and Bible on his seat
+in the church. His face seemed lighted up with joy. "I've got him at
+last. Careful as he has been I've got him," he kept repeating over and
+over to himself.
+
+He left the train at Cadeville and ran to the postmaster's house,
+president of the "Nigger Rulers," and he was out of breath when he
+arrived there. He sat down, fanned himself with his hat, and when
+sufficiently recovered, said: "Well, we will have to fix that nigger,
+Piedmont. He is getting too high."
+
+"What's that he has been doing now? I have looked upon him as being an
+uncommonly good nigger. I have kept a good eye on him but haven't even
+had to hint at him," said the postmaster."
+
+"Well, he has shown his true nature at last. He had the gall to enter
+a white church in Monroe this morning and actually took a seat down
+stairs with the white folks; he did not even look at the gallery where
+he belonged."
+
+"Is that so?" burst out the postmaster incredulously.
+
+"I should say he did, and that's not all. A white girl who sat by him
+and could not read very well, failed to find the hymn at once. That
+nigger actually had the impudence to take her book and find the place
+for her."
+
+"The infernal scoundrel. By golly, he shall hang," broke in the
+postmaster.
+
+Dr. Zackland continued: "Naturally the congregation was infuriated
+and soon hustled the impudent scoundrel out. If services had not been
+going on, and if it had not been Sunday, there is no telling what
+would have happened. As it was they turned him loose. I came here
+to tell you, as he is our 'Nigger' living here at Cadeville, and the
+'Nigger Rulers' of Cadeville will be disrespected if they let such
+presumptuous niggers go about to disturb religious services."
+
+"You are right about that, and we must soon put him out of the way.
+To-night will be his last night on earth," replied the postmaster.
+
+"Do you remember our bargain that we made about that nigger when he
+came about here?" asked Dr. Zackland.
+
+"No," answered the postmaster.
+
+"Well, I do. I have been all along itching for a chance to carry it
+out. You were to give me the nigger's body for dissecting purposes, in
+return for which I was to give you a keg of my best whiskey," said Dr.
+Zackland.
+
+"Ha, ha, ha," laughed the postmaster, "I do remember it now."
+
+"Well, I'll certainly stick up to my part of the program if you will
+stick to yours."
+
+"You can bet on me," returned Dr. Zackland. "I have a suggestion to
+make about the taking off of the nigger. Don't have any burning or
+riddling with bullets. Just hang him and fire one shot in the back of
+his head. I want him whole in the interest of society. That whiskey
+will be the finest that you will ever have and I want a good bargain
+for it."
+
+"I'll follow your instructions to the letter," answered the
+postmaster. "I'll just tell the boys that he, being a kind of decent
+nigger, we will give him a decent hanging. Meantime, Doctor, I must
+get out. To-day is Sunday and we must do our work to-morrow night. I
+must get a meeting of the boys to-night." So saying, the two arose,
+left the house and parted, one going to gather up his gang and the
+other to search up and examine his dissecting appliances.
+
+Monday night about 9 o'clock a mob came and took Belton out into
+the neighboring woods. He was given five minutes to pray, at the
+expiration of which time he was to be hanged. Belton seemed to have
+foreseen the coming of the mob, but felt somehow that God was at work
+to deliver him. Therefore he made no resistance, having unshaken faith
+in God.
+
+The rope was adjusted around his neck and thrown over the limb of a
+tree and Belton was swinging up. The postmaster then slipped forward
+and fired his pistol at the base of his skull and the blood came
+oozing forth. He then ordered the men to retire, as he did not care
+for them to remain to shoot holes in the body, as was their custom.
+
+As soon as they retired, three men sent by Dr. Zackland stole out of
+hiding and cut Belton's body down. Belton was not then dead, for
+he had only been hanging for seven minutes, and the bullet had not
+entered the skull but had simply ploughed its way under the skin. He
+was, however, unconscious, and to all appearances dead.
+
+The three men bore him to Dr. Zackland's residence, and entered a rear
+door. They laid him on a dissecting table in the rear room, the room
+in which the doctor performed all surgical operations.
+
+Dr. Zackland came to the table and looked down on Belton with a happy
+smile. To have such a robust, well-formed, handsome nigger to dissect
+and examine he regarded as one of the greatest boons of his medical
+career.
+
+The three men started to retire. "Wait," said Dr. Zackland, "let us
+see if he is dead."
+
+Belton had now returned to consciousness but kept his eyes closed,
+thinking it best to feign death. Dr. Zackland cut off the hair in
+the neighborhood of the wound in the rear of Belton's head and began
+cutting the skin, trying to trace the bullet. Belton did not wince.
+
+"The nigger is dead or else he would show some sign of life. But I
+will try pricking his palm." This was done, but while the pain was
+exceedingly excruciating, Belton showed no sign of feeling. "You may
+go now," said the doctor to his three attendants, "he is certainly
+dead."
+
+The men left. Dr. Zackland pulled out his watch and said: "It is now
+10 o'clock. Those doctors from Monroe will be here by twelve. I can
+have everything exactly ready by that time."
+
+A bright ray of hope passed into Belton's bosom. He had two hours more
+of life, two hours more in which to plan an escape. Dr. Zackland was
+busy stirring about over the room. He took a long, sharp knife and
+gazed at its keen edge. He placed this on the dissecting table near
+Belton's feet. He then passed out of doors to get a pail of water, and
+left the door ajar.
+
+He went to his cabinet to get out more surgical instruments, and
+his back was now turned to Belton and he was absorbed in what he was
+doing. Belton's eyes had followed every movement, but in order to
+escape attention his eyelids were only slightly open. He now raised
+himself up, seized the knife that was near his feet and at a bound was
+at the doctor's side.
+
+The doctor turned around and was in dread alarm at the sight of the
+dead man returned to life. At that instant he was too terrified to
+act or scream, and before he could recover his self-possession Belton
+plunged the knife through his throat. Seizing the dying man he laid
+him on the dissecting board and covered him over with a sheet.
+
+He went to the writing desk and quickly scrawled the following note.
+
+  "DOCTORS:
+
+  "I have stepped out for a short while.
+  Don't touch the nigger until I come.
+
+    "Zackland."
+
+He pinned this note on that portion of the sheet where it would
+attract attention at once if one should begin to uncover the corpse.
+He did this to delay discovery and thus get a good start on those who
+might pursue him.
+
+Having done this he crept cautiously out of the room, leapt the back
+fence and made his way to his boarding place. He here changed his
+clothes and disappeared in the woods. He made his way to Baton Rouge
+and sought a conference with the Governor. The Governor ordered him
+under arrest and told him that the best and only thing he could do was
+to send him back to Cadeville under military escort to be tried for
+murder.
+
+This was accordingly done. The community was aroused over the death
+of Dr. Zackland at the hands of a negro. The sending of the military
+further incensed them. At the trial which followed, all evidence
+respecting the mob was excluded as irrelevant. Robbery was the motive
+assigned for the deed. The whole family with which Belton lived were
+arraigned as accomplices, because his bloody clothes were found in his
+room in their house.
+
+During the trial, the jury were allowed to walk about and mingle
+freely with the people and be thus influenced by the bitter public
+sentiment against Belton. Men who were in the mob that attempted
+Belton's murder were on the jury. In fact, the postmaster was the
+foreman. Without leaving their seats the jury returned a verdict of
+guilty in each case and all were sentenced to be hanged.
+
+The prisoners were taken to the New Orleans jail for safe keeping.
+While incarcerated here awaiting the day of execution, a newspaper
+reporter of a liberal New Orleans paper called on the prisoners. He
+was impressed with Belton's personality and promised to publish
+any statement that Belton would write. Belton then gave a thorough
+detailed account of every happening. The story was telegraphed
+broadcast and aroused sympathetic interest everywhere.
+
+Bernard read an account of it and hastened to his friend's side in New
+Orleans. In response to a telegram from Bernard a certain influential
+democratic senator came to New Orleans. Influence was brought to bear,
+and though all precedent was violated, the case was manoeuvred to the
+Supreme Court of the United States. Before this tribunal Bernard made
+the speech of his life and added to his fame as an orator. Competent
+judges said that the like of it had not been heard since the days of
+Daniel Webster.
+
+As he pleaded for his friend and the others accused the judges of
+the Supreme Court wept scalding tears. Bernard told of Belton's noble
+life, his unassuming ways, his pure Christianity. The decision of the
+lower court was reversed, a change of venue granted, a new trial held
+and an acquittal secured.
+
+Thus ended the tragic experience that burned all the remaining dross
+out of Belton's nature and prepared him for the even more terrible
+ordeal to follow in after years.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+MARRIED AND YET NOT MARRIED.
+
+
+Bernard was now at the very acme of fame. He had succeeded in becoming
+the most noted negro of his day. He felt that the time was not ripe
+for him to gather up his wealth and honors and lay them, with his
+heart, at Viola's feet. One afternoon he invited Viola to go out buggy
+riding with him, and decided to lay bare his heart to her before their
+return home. They drove out of Norfolk over Campostella bridge and
+went far into the country, chatting pleasantly, oblivious of the farm
+hands preparing the soil for seed sowing; for it was in balmy spring.
+About eight o'clock they were returning to the city and Bernard felt
+his veins throbbing; for he had determined to know his fate before he
+reached Viola's home. When midway the bridge he pulled his reins and
+the horse stood still. The dark waters of the small river swept on
+beneath them. Night had just begun to spread out her sombre wings,
+bedecked with silent stars. Just in front of them, as they looked out
+upon the center of the river, the river took a bend which brought a
+shore directly facing them. A green lawn began from the shore and ran
+back to be lost in the shadows of the evening. Amid a group of trees,
+there stood a little hut that looked to be the hut of an old widower,
+for it appeared neglected, forsaken, sad.
+
+Bernard gazed at this lonesome cottage and said: "Viola, I feel
+to-night that all my honors are empty. They feel to me like a load
+crushing me down rather than a pedestal raising me up. I am not happy.
+I long for the solitude of those trees. That decaying old house calls
+eloquently unto something within me. How I would like to enter there
+and lay me down to sleep, free from the cares and divested of the
+gewgaws of the world."
+
+Viola was startled by these sombre reflections coming from Bernard.
+She decided that something must be wrong. She was, by nature,
+exceedingly tender of heart, and she turned her pretty eyes in
+astonished grief at Bernard, handsome, melancholy, musing.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Belgrave, something terrible is gnawing at your heart for one
+so young, so brilliant, so prosperous as you are to talk thus. Make a
+confidante of me and let me help to remove the load, if I can."
+
+Bernard was silent and eat gazing out on the quiet flowing waters.
+Viola's eyes eagerly scanned his face as if to divine his secret.
+
+Bernard resumed speaking: "I have gone forth into life to win certain
+honors and snatch from fame a wreath, and now that I have succeeded,
+I behold this evening, as never before, that it is not worthy of the
+purpose for which I designed it. My work is all in vain."
+
+"Mr. Belgrave, you must not talk so sadly," said Viola, almost ready
+to cry.
+
+Bernard turned and suddenly grasped Viola's hands and said in
+passionate tones: "Viola, I love you. I have nothing to offer you
+worthy of you. I can find nothing worthy, attain nothing worthy. I
+love you to desperation. Will you give yourself to a wretch like me?
+Say no! don't throw away your beauty, your love on so common a piece
+of clay."
+
+Viola uttered a loud, piercing scream that dispersed all Bernard's
+thoughts and frightened the horse. He went dashing across the bridge,
+Bernard endeavoring to grasp the reins. When he at last succeeded,
+Viola had fainted. Bernard drove hurriedly towards Viola's home,
+puzzled beyond measure. He had never heard of a marriage proposal
+frightening a girl into a faint and he thought that there was surely
+something in the matter of which he knew nothing. Then, too, he was
+racking his brain for an excuse to give Viola's parents. But happily
+the cool air revived Viola and she awoke trembling violently and
+begged Bernard to take her home at once. This he did and drove away,
+much puzzled in mind.
+
+He revived the whole matter in his mind, and thoughts and opinions
+came and went. Perhaps she deemed him utterly unworthy of her. There
+was one good reason for this last opinion and one good one against it.
+He felt himself to be unworthy of such a girl, but on the other hand
+Viola had frequently sung his praises in his own ears and in the ears
+of others. He decided to go early in the morning and know definitely
+his doom.
+
+That night he did not sleep. He paced up and down the room glancing
+at the clock every five minutes or so. He would now and then hoist
+the window and strain his eyes to see if there were any sign of
+approaching dawn. After what seemed to him at least a century, the
+sun at last arose and ushered in the day. As soon as he thought Miss
+Martin was astir and unengaged, he was standing at the door. They each
+looked sad and forlorn. Viola knew and Bernard felt that some dark
+shadow was to come between them.
+
+Viola caught hold of Bernard's hand and led him silently into the
+parlor. Bernard sat down on the divan and Viola took a seat thereon
+close by his side. She turned her charming face, sweet in its sadness,
+up to Bernard's and whispered "kiss me, Bernard."
+
+Bernard seized her and kissed her rapturously. She then arose and sat
+in a chair facing him, at a distance.
+
+She then said calmly, determinedly, almost icily, looking Bernard
+squarely in the face: "Bernard, you know that I love you. It was I
+that asked you to kiss me. Always remember that. But as much as I love
+you I shall never be your wife. Never, never."
+
+Bernard arose and started toward Viola. He paused and gazed down upon
+that beautiful image that sat before him and said in anguish: "Oh God!
+Is all my labor in vain, my honors common dirt, my future one dreary
+waste? Shall I lose that which has been an ever shining, never setting
+sun to me? Viola! If you love me you shall be my wife."
+
+Viola bowed her head and shook it sadly, saying: "A power higher than
+either you or I has decreed it otherwise."
+
+"Who is he? Tell me who he is that dare separate us and I swear I will
+kill him," cried Bernard in a frenzy of rage.
+
+Viola looked up, her eyes swimming in tears, and said: "Would you kill
+God?"
+
+This question brought Bernard to his senses and he returned to his
+seat and sat down suddenly. He then said: "Viola Martin, you are
+making a fool of me. Tell me plainly why we cannot be man and wife, if
+you love me as you say you do?"
+
+"Bernard, call here to-morrow at 10 o'clock and I will tell you all.
+If you can then remove my objections all will be well."
+
+Bernard leaped up eager to get away, feeling that that would somewhat
+hasten the time for him to return. Viola did not seem to share his
+feelings of elation. But he did not mind that. He felt himself fully
+able to demolish any and all objections that Viola could bring. He
+went home and spent the day perusing his text-book on logic. He would
+conjure up imaginary objections and would proceed to demolish them
+in short order. He slept somewhat that night, anticipating a decisive
+victory on the morrow.
+
+When Bernard left Viola that morning, she threw herself prostrate on
+the floor, moaning and sobbing. After a while she arose and went to
+the dining room door. She looked in upon her mother, quietly sewing,
+and tried to say in a cheerful manner: "Mamma, I shall be busy writing
+all day in my room. Let no one disturb me." Her mother looked at her
+gently and lovingly and assured her that no one should disturb her.
+Her mother surmised that all had not gone well with her and Bernard,
+and that Viola was wrestling with her grief. Knowing that spats were
+common to young people in love she supposed it would soon be over.
+
+Viola went upstairs and entered her room. This room, thanks to Viola's
+industry and exquisite taste, was the beauty spot of the whole house.
+Pictures of her own painting adorned the walls, and scattered here
+and there in proper places were articles of fancy work put together in
+most lovely manner by her delicate fingers. Viola was fond of flowers
+and her room was alive with the scent of pretty flowers and beautiful
+roses. This room was a fitting scene for what was to follow. She
+opened her tiny writing desk. She wrote a letter to her father, one to
+her mother and one to Bernard. Her letter to Bernard had to be torn
+up and re-written time and again, for fast falling tears spoiled it
+almost as fast as she wrote. At last she succeeded in finishing his
+letter to her satisfaction.
+
+At eventide she came down stairs and with her mother, sat on the rear
+porch and saw the sun glide gently out of sight, without a struggle,
+without a murmur. Her eye lingered long on the spot where the sun had
+set and watched the hidden sun gradually steal all of his rays from
+the skies to use them in another world. Drawing a heavy sigh, she
+lovingly caught her mother around the waist and led her into the
+parlor. Viola now became all gayety, but her mother could see that it
+was forced. She took a seat at the piano and played and sang. Her rich
+soprano voice rang out clear and sweet and passers by paused to listen
+to the glorious strains. Those who paused to hear her sing passed
+on feeling sad at heart. Beginning in somewhat low tones, her voice
+gradually swelled and the full, round tones full of melody and pathos
+seemed to lift up and bear one irresistibly away.
+
+Viola's mother sat by and looked with tender solicitude on her
+daughter singing and playing as she had never before in her life.
+"What did it mean?" she asked herself. When Viola's father came from
+the postoffice, where he was a clerk, Viola ran to him joyously. She
+pulled him into the parlor and sat on his knee stroking his chin and
+nestling her head on his bosom. She made him tell her tales as he did
+when she was a child and she would laugh, but her laugh did not have
+its accustomed clear, golden ring.
+
+Kissing them good night, she started up to her bed room. When at the
+head of the stairway she returned and without saying a word kissed her
+parents again.
+
+When she was gone, the parents looked at each other and shook their
+heads. They knew that Viola was feeling keenly on account of something
+but felt that her cheerful nature would soon throw it off. But the
+blade was in her heart deeper than they knew. Viola entered her room,
+fastening the door behind her. She went to her desk, secured the three
+letters that she had written and placed them on the floor a few inches
+apart in a position where they would attract immediate attention upon
+entering the room. She then lay down upon her bed and put one arm
+across her bosom. With her other hand she turned on the gas jet by the
+head of her bed. She then placed this other hand across her bosom and
+ere long fell asleep to wake no more.
+
+The moon arose and shed its sad, quiet light through the half turned
+shutters, through the window pane. It seemed to force its way in in
+order to linger and weep over such queenly beauty, such worth, meeting
+with such an accursed end.
+
+Thus in this forbidden path Viola Martin had gone to him who said:
+"Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
+you rest."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+MARRIED AND YET NOT MARRIED. (Continued.)
+
+
+At ten o'clock on the next day, Bernard called at Viola's residence.
+Viola's mother invited him in and informed him that Viola had not
+arisen. Thinking that her daughter had spent much of the night in
+meditating on whatever was troubling her, She had thought not to
+awaken her so early. Bernard informed her that Viola had made an
+engagement with him for that morning at ten o'clock. Mrs. Martin
+looked alarmed. She knew that Viola was invariably punctual to an
+appointment and something unusual must be the matter. She left
+the room hurriedly and her knees smote together as she fancied she
+discovered the scent of escaping gas. She clung to the banisters for
+support and dragged her way to Viola's door. As she drew near, the
+smell of gas became unmistakable, and she fell forward, uttering a
+loud scream. Bernard had noticed the anxious look on Viola's mother's
+face and was listening eagerly. He beard her scream and dashed out
+of the parlor and up the stairs. He rushed past Mrs. Martin and burst
+open the door to Viola's door. He drew back aghast at the sight
+that met his gaze. The next instant he had seized her lifeless form,
+beautiful in death, and smothered those silent lips with kisses.
+
+Mrs. Martin regained sufficient strength to rush into the room, and
+when she saw her child was dead uttered a succession of piercing
+shrieks and fell to the floor in a swoon.
+
+This somewhat called Bernard's mind from his own grief. He lay Viola
+down upon her own bed most tenderly and set about to restore Mrs.
+Martin to consciousness. By this time the room was full of anxious
+neighbors.
+
+While they are making inquiry let us peruse the letters which the poor
+girl left behind.
+
+    "MY DEAR, DEAR, HEART-BROKEN MAMA:--
+
+    "I am in the hands of God. Whatever He does is just, is right,
+    is the only thing to be done. Knowing this, do not grieve
+    after me. Take poor Bernard for your son and love him as you
+    did me. I make that as my sole dying request of you. One long
+    sweet clinging kiss ere I drop into the ocean of death to be
+    lost in its tossing waves.
+
+      "Viola."
+
+    "BELOVED PAPA:--
+
+    "Your little daughter is gone. Her heart, though torn,
+    bleeding, dead, gave, as it were, an after throb of pain as it
+    thought of you. In life you never denied me a request. I have
+    one to make from my grave, knowing that you will not deny me.
+    Love Bernard as your son; draw him to you, so that, when in
+    your old age you go tottering to your tomb in quest of me, you
+    may have a son to bear you up. Take my lifeless body on your
+    knee and kiss me as you did of old. It will help me to rest
+    sweetly in my grave.
+
+      "Your little Vie."
+
+    "DEAR BERNARD:--
+
+    "Viola has loved and left you. Unto you, above all others, I
+    owe a full explanation of the deed which I have committed; and
+    I shall therefore lay bare my heart to you. My father was a
+    colonel in the Civil War and when I was very young he would
+    make my little heart thrill with patriotic fervor as he told
+    me of the deeds of daring of the gallant Negro soldiers. As
+    a result, when nothing but a tiny girl, I determined to be a
+    heroine and find some outlet for my patriotic feeling. This
+    became a consuming passion. In 18-- just two years prior to
+    my meeting you, a book entitled, 'White Supremacy and
+    Negro Subordination,' by the merest accident came into my
+    possession. That book made a revelation to me of a most
+    startling nature.
+
+    "While I lived I could not tell you what I am about to tell
+    you. Death has brought me the privilege. That book proved to
+    me that the intermingling of the races in sexual relationship
+    was sapping the vitality of the Negro race and, in fact, was
+    slowly but surely exterminating the race. It demonstrated that
+    the fourth generation of the children born of intermarrying
+    mulattoes were invariably sterile or woefully lacking in vital
+    force. It asserted that only in the most rare instances were
+    children born of this fourth generation and in no case did
+    such children reach maturity. This is a startling revelation.
+    While this intermingling was impairing the vital force of our
+    race and exterminating it, it was having no such effect on the
+    white race for the following reason. Every half-breed, or for
+    that, every person having a tinge of Negro blood, the white
+    people cast off. We receive the cast off with open arms and he
+    comes to us with his devitalizing power. Thus, the white man
+    was slowly exterminating us and our total extinction was but
+    a short period of time distant. I looked out upon our strong,
+    tender hearted, manly race being swept from the face of the
+    earth by immorality, and the very marrow in my bones seemed
+    chilled at the thought thereof. I determined to spend my life
+    fighting the evil. My first step was to solemnly pledge God
+    to never marry a mulatto man. My next resolve was to part in
+    every honorable way all courting couples of mulatto people
+    that I could. My other and greatest task was to persuade the
+    evil women of my race to cease their criminal conduct with
+    white men and I went about pleading with them upon my knees to
+    desist. I pointed out that such a course was wrong before God
+    and was rapidly destroying the Negro race. I told them of my
+    resolve to never marry a mulatto man. Many had faith in me
+    and I was the means of redeeming numbers of these erring ones.
+    When you came, I loved you. I struggled hard against that
+    love. God, alone, knows how I battled against it. I prayed Him
+    to take it from me, as it was eating my heart away. Sometimes
+    I would appear indifferent to you with the hope of driving you
+    away, but then my love would come surging with all the more
+    violence and sweep me from my feet. At last, you seemed to
+    draw away from me and I was happy. I felt free to you. But you
+    at last proposed to me when I thought all such notions were
+    dead. At once I foresaw my tragic end. My heart shed bloody
+    tears, weeping over my own sad end, weeping for my beloved
+    parents, weeping for my noble Bernard who was so true, so
+    noble, so great in all things.
+
+    "Bernard, how happy would I have been, how deliriously happy,
+    could I but have stood beside you at the altar and sworn
+    fidelity to you. Ours would have been an ideal home. But it
+    was not to be. I had to choose between you and my race. Your
+    noble heart, in its sober moments will sanction my choice,
+    I would not have died if I could have lived without proving
+    false to my race. Had I lived, my love and your agony, which I
+    cannot bear, would have made me prove false to every vow.
+
+    "Dear Bernard, I have a favor to ask of you. Secure the
+    book of which I spoke to you. Study the question of the
+    intermingling of the races. If miscegenation is in reality
+    destroying us, dedicate your soul to the work of separating
+    the white and colored races. Do not let them intermingle.
+    Erect moral barriers to separate them. If you fail in this,
+    make the separation physical; lead our people forth from this
+    accursed land. Do this and I shall not have died in vain.
+    Visit my grave now and then to drop thereon a flower and a
+    flag, but no tears. If in the shadowy beyond, whose mists
+    I feel gathering about me, there is a place where kindred
+    spirits meet, you and I shall surely meet again. Though I
+    could not in life, I will in death sign myself,
+
+    "Your loving wife,
+
+      "Viola Belgrave."
+
+Let us not enter this saddened home when the seals of those letters
+were broken. Let us not break the solemn silence of those who bowed
+their heads and bore the grief, too poignant for words. Dropping a
+tear of regret on the little darling who failed to remember that we
+have one atonement for all mankind and that further sacrifice was
+therefore needless, we pass out and leave the loving ones alone with
+their dead.
+
+But, we may gaze on Bernard Belgrave as he emerges from the room where
+his sun has set to rise no more. His eyes flash, his nostrils dilate,
+his bosom heaves, he lifts his proud head and turns his face so that
+the light of the sky may fall full upon it.
+
+And lifting up his hands, trembling with emotion as though
+supplicating for the strength of a god, he cries out; "By the eternal
+heavens these abominable horrors shall cease. The races, whose union
+has been fraught with every curse known to earth and hell, must
+separate. Viola demands it and Bernard obeys." It was this that sent
+him forth to where kings were eager to court his favor.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+WEIGHTY MATTERS.
+
+
+With his hands thrust into his pockets, and his hat pulled over his
+grief stricken eyes, Bernard slowly wended his way to his boarding
+place.
+
+He locked himself in his room and denied himself to all callers. He
+paced to and fro, his heart a cataract of violent, tossing, whirling
+emotions. He sat down and leaned his head upon the bed, pressing his
+hand to his forehead as if to restore order there. While thus employed
+his landlady knocked at the door and called through the key hole,
+informing him that there was a telegram for him. Bernard arose, came
+out, signed for and received the telegram, tore it open and read as
+follows:
+
+  Waco, Texas, ----l8----
+
+    "HON. BERNARD BELGRAVE, M.C.,
+
+    "Come to Waco at once. If you fail to come you will make the
+    mistake of your life. Come.
+
+  "BELTON PIEDMONT."
+
+"Yes, I'll go," shouted Bernard, "anywhere, for anything." He seemed
+to feel grateful for something to divert his thoughts and call him
+away from the scene where his hopes had died. He sent Viola's family
+a note truthfully stating that he was unequal to the task of attending
+Viola's funeral, and that for his part she was not dead and never
+should be. The parents had read Bernard's letter left by Viola and
+knew the whole story. They, too, felt that it was best for Bernard to
+go. Bernard took the train that afternoon and after a journey of four
+days arrived at Waco.
+
+Belton being apprised by telegram of the hour of his arrival, was at
+the station to meet him. Belton was actually shocked at the haggard
+appearance of his old play-fellow. It was such a contrast from the
+brilliant, glowing, handsome Bernard of former days.
+
+After the exchange of greetings, they entered a carriage and drove
+through the city. They passed out, leaving the city behind. After
+going about five miles, they came in sight of a high stone wall
+enclosure. In the middle of the enclosed place, upon a slight
+elevation, stood a building four stories high and about two hundred
+feet long and one hundred and eighty feet wide. In the center of the
+front side arose a round tower, half of it bulging out. This extended
+from the ground to a point about twenty feet above the roof of the
+building. The entrance to the building was through a wide door in this
+tower. Off a few paces was a small white cottage. Here and there trees
+abounded in patches in the enclosure, which seemed to comprise about
+twenty acres.
+
+The carriage drove over a wide, gravel driveway which curved so as to
+pass the tower door, and on out to another gate. Belton and Bernard
+alighted and proceeded to enter. Carved in large letters on the top
+of the stone steps were these words: "Thomas Jefferson College." They
+entered the tower and found themselves on the floor of an elevator,
+and on this they ascended to the fourth story. The whole of this story
+was one huge room, devoid of all kinds of furniture save a table and
+two chairs in a corner. In the center was an elevated platform about
+ten feet square, and on this stood what might have passed for either a
+gallows or an acting pole.
+
+Belton led Bernard to the spot where the two chairs and table stood
+and they sat down. Belton informed Bernard that he had brought him
+there so that there would be no possibility of anyone hearing what, he
+had to say. Bernard instantly became all attention. Belton began his
+recital: "I have been so fortunate as to unearth a foul conspiracy
+that is being hatched by our people. I have decided to expose them and
+see every one of them hung,"
+
+"Pray tell me, Belton, what is the motive that prompts you to be so
+zealous in the work of ferreting out conspirators among your people to
+be hanged by the whites?"
+
+"It is this," said Belton: "you know as it is, the Negro has a hard
+time in this country. If we begin to develop traitors and conspirators
+we shall fare even worse. It is necessary, therefore, that we kill
+these vipers that come, lest we all be slain as vipers."
+
+"That may be true, but I don't like to see you in that kind of
+business," said Bernard.
+
+"Don't talk that way," said Belton, "for I counted upon your aid. I
+desire to secure you as prosecuting attorney in the case. When we thus
+expose the traitors, we shall earn the gratitude of the government
+and our race will be treated with more consideration in the future. We
+will add another page to the glorious record of our people's devotion
+by thus spurning these traitors."
+
+"Belton, I tell you frankly that my share in that kind of business
+will be infinitessimally small. But go on. Let me know the whole
+story, that I may know better what to think and do," replied Bernard.
+
+"Well, it is this," began Belton; "you know that there is one serious
+flaw in the Constitution of the United States, which has already
+caused a world of trouble, and there is evidently a great deal more to
+come. You know that a ship's boilers, engines, rigging, and so forth
+may be in perfect condition, but a serious leak in her bottom
+will sink the proudest vessel afloat. This flaw or defect in the
+Constitution of the United States is the relation of the General
+Government to the individual state. The vague, unsettled state of
+the relationship furnished the pretext for the Civil War. The General
+Government says to the citizen: 'I am your sovereign. You are my
+citizen and not the citizen of only one state. If I call on you
+to defend my sovereignty, you must do so even if you have to fight
+against your own state. But while I am your supreme earthly sovereign
+I am powerless to protect you against crimes, injustices, outrages
+against you. Your state may disfranchise you with or without law,
+may mob you; but my hands are so tied that I can't help you at all,
+although I shall force you to defend my sovereignty with your lives.
+If you are beset by Klu Klux, White Cappers, Bulldozers, Lynchers, do
+not turn your dying eyes on me for I am unable to help you.' Such is
+what the Federal Government has to say to the Negro. The Negro must
+therefore fight to keep afloat a flag that can afford him no more
+protection than could a helpless baby. The weakness of the General
+Government in this particular was revealed with startling clearness
+in connection with the murder of those Italians in New Orleans, a few
+years ago. This government had promised Italy to afford protection to
+the property and lives of her citizens sojourning in our midst. But
+when these men were murdered the General Government could not even
+bring the murderers to trial for their crime. Its treaty had been
+broken by a handfull of its own citizens and it was powerless to
+punish them. It had to confess its impotence to the world, and paid
+Italy a specified sum of money. The Negro finds himself an unprotected
+foreigner in his own home. Whatever outrages may be perpetrated upon
+him by the people of the state in which he lives, he cannot expect
+any character of redress from the General Government. So in order to
+supply this needed protection, this conspiracy of which I have spoken
+has been formed to attempt to unite all Negroes in a body to do that
+which the whimpering government childishly but truthfully says it
+cannot do.
+
+"These men are determined to secure protection for their lives and
+the full enjoyment of all rights and privileges due American citizens.
+They take a solemn oath, offering their very blood for the cause. I
+see that this will lead, eventually, to a clash of arms, and I wish
+to expose the conspiracy before it is too late. Cooperate with me and
+glory and honor shall attend us all of our days. Now, Bernard, tell me
+candidly what you think of the whole matter. May I not rely on you?"
+
+"Well, let me tell you just exactly what I think and just what I shall
+do," thundered Bernard, rising as he spoke. Pointing his finger
+at Belton, he said: "I think, sir, that you are the most infernal
+scoundrel that I ever saw, and those whom you call conspirators are a
+set of sublime patriots; and further," hissed Bernard in rage through
+his teeth, "if you betray those men, I will kill you."
+
+To Bernard's surprise Belton did not seem enraged as Bernard thought
+he would be. Knowing Belton's spirit he had expected an encounter
+after such words as he had just spoken.
+
+Belton looked indifferent and unconcerned, and arose, as if to yawn,
+when suddenly he threw himself on Bernard with the agility of a tiger
+and knocked him to the floor. From secret closets in the room sprang
+six able bodied men. They soon had Bernard securely bound. Belton then
+told Bernard that he must retract what he had said and agree to keep
+his revealed purpose a secret or he would never leave that room alive.
+
+"Then I shall die, and my only regret will be that I shall die at the
+hands of such an abominable wretch as you are," was Bernard's answer.
+
+Bernard was stood against the wall. The six men retired to
+their closets and returned with rifles. Bernard gazed at the men
+unflinchingly. They formed a line, ten paces in front of him. Belton
+gave Bernard one last chance, as he said, to save his life, by silence
+as to his plans.
+
+Bernard said: "If I live I shall surely proclaim your infamy to our
+people and slay you besides. The curse of our doomed race is just such
+white folks' niggers as you are. Shoot, shoot, shoot, you whelps."
+
+They took aim and, at a command from Belton, fired. When the smoke had
+lifted, Belton said: "Bernard, those were blank cartridges. I desired
+to give you another chance. If you consent to leave me unmolested to
+ferret out those conspirators I will take your word as your bond and
+spare your life. Will you accept your life at such a low price?"
+
+"Come here and let me give you my answer," said Bernard. "Let me
+whisper something in your ear."
+
+Belton drew near and Bernard spat in his face and said, "Take that,
+you knave."
+
+Belton ordered Bernard seized and carried to the center of the room
+where stood what appeared to be an acting pole, but what was in
+reality a complete gallows. A black cap was adjusted over Bernard's
+head and a rope tied to his hands. He was told that a horrible death
+awaited him. He was informed that the platform on which he stood was
+a trap door that concealed an opening in the center of the building,
+that extended to the first floor. He was told that he would be dropped
+far enough to have his arms torn from his body and would be left to
+die.
+
+Bernard perceptibly shuddered at the fate before him but he had
+determined long since to be true to every higher aspiration of his
+people, and he would die a death however horrible rather than stand
+by and see aspiring souls slaughtered for organizing to secure their
+rights at all hazards. He muttered a prayer to God, closed his eyes,
+gritted his teeth and nerved himself for the ordeal, refusing to
+answer Belton's last appeal.
+
+Belton gave command to spring the trap door after he had counted
+three. In order to give Bernard a chance to weaken he put one minute
+between each count. "One----Two----Three----" he called out.
+
+Bernard felt the floor give way beneath his feet and he shot down with
+terrific speed. He nerved himself for the shock that was to tear his
+limbs from his body, but, strange to say, he felt the speed lessening
+as he fell and his feet eventually struck a floor with not sufficient
+force to even jar him severely. "Was this death? Was he dead or
+alive?" he was thinking within himself, when suddenly the mask was
+snatched from his face and he found himself in a large room containing
+desks arranged in a semi-circular form. There were one hundred and
+forty-five desks, and at each a person was seated.
+
+"Where was he? What did that assemblage mean? What did his strange
+experiences mean?" he asked himself. He stood there, his hands tied,
+his eye wandering from face to face.
+
+Within a few minutes Belton entered and the assemblage broke forth
+into cheers. Bernard had alighted on a platform directly facing the
+assemblage. Belton walked to his side and spread out his hands and
+said: "Behold the Chiefs of the conspirators whom you would not
+betray. Behold me, whom they have called the arch conspirator. You
+have nobly stood the test. Come, your reward awaits you. You are
+worthy of it and I assure you it is worthy of you."
+
+Bernard had not been killed in his fall because of a parachute which
+had been so arranged, unknown to him, to save him in the descent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+UNWRITTEN HISTORY.
+
+
+Belton, smiling, locked his arm in Bernard's and said: "Come with me.
+I will explain it all to you." They walked down the aisle together.
+
+At the sight of these two most conspicuous representatives of all that
+was good and great in the race, moving down the aisle side by side,
+the audience began to cheer wildly and a band of musicians began
+playing "Hail to the Chief."
+
+All of this was inexplicable to Bernard; but he was soon to learn what
+and how much it meant. Belton escorted him across the campus to the
+small but remarkably pretty white cottage with green vines clinging
+to trellis work all around it. Here they entered. The rooms were
+furnished with rare and antique furniture and were so tastefully
+arranged as to astonish and please even Bernard, who had been
+accustomed from childhood to choice, luxuriant magnificence.
+
+They entered a side room, overlooking a beautiful lawn which could
+boast of lovely flowers and rose bushes scattered here and there. They
+sat down, facing each other. Bernard was a bundle of expectancy. He
+had passed through enough to make him so.
+
+Belton said: "Bernard, I am now about to put the keeping of the
+property, the liberty, and the very lives of over seven million five
+hundred thousand people into your hands."
+
+Bernard opened his eyes wide in astonishment and waited for Belton to
+further explain himself.
+
+"Realize," said Belton, "that I am carefully weighing each remark
+I make and am fully conscious of how much my statement involves."
+Bernard bowed his head in solemn thought. Viola's recent death, the
+blood-curdling experiences of the day, and now Belton's impressive
+words all united to make that a sober moment with him; as sober as
+any that he had ever had in his life. He looked Belton in the face and
+said: "May revengeful lightning transfix me with her fiercest bolts;
+may hell's most fiery pillars roll in fury around me; may I be
+despised of man and forgotten of my God, if I ever knowingly, in
+the slightest way, do aught to betray this solemn, this most sacred
+trust."
+
+Belton gazed fondly on the handsome features of his noble friend and
+sighed to think that only the coloring of his skin prevented him
+from being enrolled upon the scroll containing the names of the very
+noblest sons of earth. Arousing himself as from a reverie he drew near
+to Bernard and said: "I must begin. Another government, complete in
+every detail, exercising the sovereign right of life and death over
+its subjects, has been organized and maintained within the United
+States for many years. This government has a population of seven
+million two hundred and fifty thousand."
+
+"Do you mean all that you say, Belton?" asked Bernard eagerly.
+
+"I shall in a short time submit to you positive proofs of my
+assertion. You shall find that I have not overstated anything."
+
+"But, Belton, how in the world can such a thing be when I, who am
+thoroughly conversant with every movement of any consequence, have not
+even dreamed of such a thing."
+
+"All of that shall be made perfectly clear to you in the course of the
+narrative which I shall now relate."
+
+Bernard leaned forward, anxious to hear what purported to be one of
+the most remarkable and at the same time one of the most important
+things connected with modern civilization.
+
+Belton began: "You will remember, Bernard, that there lived, in the
+early days of the American Republic, a negro scientist who won an
+international reputation by his skill and erudition. In our school
+days, we spoke of him often. Because of his learning and consequent
+usefulness, this negro enjoyed the association of the moving spirits
+of the revolutionary period. By the publication of a book of science
+which outranked any other book of the day that treated of the same
+subject, this negro became a very wealthy man. Of course the book is
+now obsolete, science having made such great strides since his day.
+This wealthy negro secretly gathered other free negroes together and
+organized a society that had a two-fold object. The first object
+was to endeavor to secure for the free negroes all the rights and
+privileges of men, according to the teachings of Thomas Jefferson.
+Its other object was to secure the freedom of the enslaved negroes
+the world over. All work was done by this organization with the sole
+stipulation that it should be used for the furtherance of the two
+above named objects of the society, and for those objects alone.
+
+"During slavery this organization confined its membership principally
+to free negroes, as those who were yet in physical bondage were
+supposed to have aspirations for nothing higher than being released
+from chains, and were, therefore, not prepared to eagerly aspire to
+the enjoyment of the highest privileges of freedom. When the War of
+Secession was over and all negroes were free, the society began to
+cautiously spread its membership among the emancipated. They conducted
+a campaign of education, which in every case preceded an attempt at
+securing members. This campaign of education had for its object the
+instruction of the negro as to what real freedom was. He was taught
+that being released from chains was but the lowest form of liberty,
+and that he was no more than a common cur if he was satisfied with
+simply that. That much was all, they taught, that a dog howled for.
+They made use of Jefferson's writings, educating the negro to feel
+that he was not in the full enjoyment of his rights until he was on
+terms of equality with any other human being that was alive or had
+ever lived. This society used its influence secretly to have appointed
+over Southern schools of all kinds for negroes such teachers as would
+take especial pains to teach the negro to aspire for equality with all
+other races of men.
+
+"They were instructed to pay especial attention to the history of the
+United States during the revolutionary period. Thus, the campaign of
+education moved forward. The negroes gained political ascendancy in
+many Southern states, but were soon hurled from power, by force in
+some quarters, and by fraud in others. The negroes turned their eyes
+to the federal government for redress and a guarantee of their
+rights. The federal government said: 'Take care of yourselves, we are
+powerless to help you.' The 'Civil Rights Bill,' was declared null and
+void, by the Supreme Court. An 'honest election bill' was defeated
+in Congress by James G. Blaine and others. Separate coach laws
+were declared by the Supreme Court to be constitutional. State
+Constitutions were revised and so amended as to nullify the amendment
+of the Federal Constitution, giving the negro the right to vote.
+More than sixty thousand defenseless negroes were unlawfully slain.
+Governors would announce publicly that they favored lynching. The
+Federal Government would get elected to power by condemning these
+outrages, and when there, would confess its utter helplessness. One
+President plainly declared, what was already well known, 'that
+the only thing that they could do, would be to create a healthy
+sentiment.' This secret organization of which we have been speaking
+decided that some means must be found to do what the General
+Government could not do, because of a defect in the Constitution. They
+decided to organize a General Government that would protect the negro
+in his rights. This course of action decided upon, the question was as
+to how this could be done the most quickly and successfully. You well
+know that the negro has been a marvelous success since the war, as a
+builder of secret societies.
+
+"One member of this patriotic secret society, of which we have been
+speaking, conceived the idea of making use of all of these secret
+orders already formed by negroes. The idea met with instant approval.
+A house was found already to hand. These secret orders were all
+approached and asked to add one more degree and let this added degree
+be the same in every negro society. This proposition was accepted, and
+the Government formed at once. Each order remained, save in this last
+degree where all were one. This last degree was nothing more nor less
+than a compact government exercising all the functions of a nation.
+The grand purpose of the government was so apparent, and so needful of
+attention, that men rushed into this last degree pledging their lives
+to the New Government.
+
+"All differences between the race were to be settled by this
+Government, as it had a well organized judiciary. Negroes, members
+of this Government, were to be no longer seen fighting negroes before
+prejudiced white courts. An army was organized and every able-bodied
+citizen enlisted. After the adjournment of the lodge sessions, army
+drills were always executed. A Congress was duly elected, one member
+for every fifty thousand citizens. Branch legislatures were formed
+in each state. Except in a few, but important particulars, the
+constitution was modeled after that of the United States.
+
+"There is only one branch to our Congress, the members of which are
+elected by a majority vote, for an indefinite length of time, and may
+be recalled at any time by a majority vote.
+
+"This Congress passes laws relating to the general welfare of our
+people, and whenever a bill is introduced in the Congress of the
+United States affecting our race it is also introduced and debated
+here.
+
+"Every race question submitted to the United States judiciary, is also
+submitted to our own. A record of our decisions is kept side by side
+with the decisions of the United States.
+
+"The money which the scientist left was wisely invested, and at the
+conclusion of the civil war amounted to many millions. Good land at
+the South was offered after the war for twenty-five cents an acre.
+These millions were expended in the purchase of such lands, and
+our treasury is now good for $500,000,000. Our citizens own about
+$350,000,000. And all of this is pledged to our government in case it
+is needed.
+
+"We have at our disposal, therefore, $850,000,000. This money can he
+used by the Government in any way that it sees fit, so long as it is
+used to secure the recognition of the rights of our people. They are
+determined to be free and will give their lives, as freely as they
+have given their property.
+
+"This place is known as Jefferson College, but it is in reality the
+Capitol of our Government, and those whom you have just left are the
+Congressmen."
+
+"But, Belton," broke in Bernard, "how does it happen that I have been
+excluded from all this?"
+
+"That is explained in this way. The relation of your mother to the
+Anglo-Saxon race has not been clearly understood, and you and she have
+been under surveillance for many years.
+
+"It was not until recently deemed advisable to let you in, your
+loyalty to the race never having fully been tested. I have been a
+member for years. While I was at Stowe University, though a young man,
+I was chairman of the bureau of education and had charge of the work
+of educating the race upon the doctrine of human liberty.
+
+"While I was at Cadeville, La., that was my work. Though not
+attracting public attention, I was sowing seed broadcast. After my
+famous case I was elected to Congress here and soon thereafter chosen
+speaker, which position I now hold.
+
+"I shall now come to matters that concern you. Our constitution
+expressly stipulates that the first President of our Government should
+be a man whom the people unanimously desired. Each Congressman had
+to be instructed to vote for the same man, else there would be no
+election. This was done because it was felt that the responsibility
+of the first President would be so great, and have such a formative
+influence that he should be the selection of the best judgment of the
+entire nation.
+
+"In the second place, this would ensure his having a united nation at
+his back. Again, this forcing the people to be unanimous would have
+a tendency to heal dissensions within their ranks. In other words, we
+needed a George Washington.
+
+"Various men have been put forward for this honor and vigorous
+campaigns have been waged in their behalf. But these all failed of
+the necessary unanimous vote. At last, one young man arose, who was
+brilliant and sound, genial and true, great and good. On every tongue
+was his name and in every heart his image. Unsolicited by him, unknown
+to him, the nation by its unanimous voice has chosen him the President
+of our beloved Government. This day he has unflinchingly met the test
+that our Congress decreed and has come out of the furnace, purer than
+gold. He feared death no more than the caress of his mother, when he
+felt that that death was to be suffered in behalf of his oppressed
+people. I have the great honor, on this the proudest occasion of my
+life, to announce that I am commissioned to inform you that the name
+of our President is Bernard Belgrave. You, sir, are President of the
+Imperium In Imperio, the name of our Government, and to you we devote
+our property, our lives, our all, promising to follow your banner into
+every post of danger until it is planted on freedom's hill. You are
+given three months in which to verify all of my claims, and give us
+answer as to whether you will serve us."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Bernard took three months to examine into the reality and stability
+of the Imperium. He found it well nigh perfect in every part and
+presented a form of government unexcelled by that of any other nation.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+CROSSING THE RUBICON.
+
+
+Bernard assumed the Presidency of the Imperium and was duly
+inaugurated in a manner in keeping with the importance of his high
+office. He began the direction of its affairs with such energy and
+tactful discretion as betokened great achievements.
+
+He familiarized himself with every detail of his great work and was
+thoroughly posted as to all the resources at his command. He devoted
+much time to assuaging jealousies and healing breaches wherever such
+existed in the ranks of the Imperium. He was so gentle, so loving, yet
+so firm and impartial, that all factional differences disappeared at
+his approach.
+
+Added to his great popularity because of his talents, there sprang up
+for him personal attachments, marvelous in depth. He rose to the full
+measure of the responsibilities of his commanding position, and more
+than justified the fondest anticipations of his friends and admirers.
+In the meanwhile he kept an observant eye upon the trend of events
+in the United States, and his fingers were ever on the pulse of the
+Imperium. All of the evils complained of by the Imperium continued
+unabated; in fact, they seemed to multiply and grow instead of
+diminishing.
+
+Bernard started a secret newspaper whose business it was to chronicle
+every fresh discrimination, every new act of oppression, every
+additional unlawful assault upon the property, the liberty or the
+lives of any of the members of the Imperium. This was an illustrated
+journal, and pictures of horrors, commented upon in burning words,
+spread fire-brands everywhere in the ranks of the Imperium. Only
+members of the Imperium had access to this fiery journal.
+
+At length an insurrection broke out in Cuba, and the whole Imperium
+watched this struggle with keenest interest, as the Cubans were in a
+large measure negroes. In proportion as the Cubans drew near to their
+freedom, the fever of hope correspondingly rose in the veins of the
+Imperium. The United States of America sent a war ship to Cuba. One
+night while the sailors slept in fancied security, some powerful
+engine of destruction demolished the vessel and ended the lives of
+some 266 American seamen.
+
+A board of inquiry was sent by the United States Government to the
+scene of the disaster, and, after a careful investigation of a most
+thorough character, decided that the explosion was not internal and
+accidental but external and by design. This finding made war between
+the United States and Spain practically inevitable.
+
+While the whole nation was in the throes of war excitement, a terrible
+tragedy occurred. President McKinley had appointed Mr. Felix A. Cook,
+a colored man of ability, culture and refinement as postmaster of Lake
+City, South Carolina. The white citizens of this place made no protest
+against the appointment and all was deemed satisfactory.
+
+One morning the country awoke to be horrified with the news that Mr.
+Cook's home had been assaulted at night by a mob of white demons in
+human form. The mob set fire to the house while the occupants slept,
+and when Mr. Cook with his family endeavored to escape from the flames
+he was riddled with bullets and killed, and his wife and children
+were wounded. And the sole offense for which this dastardly crime
+was perpetrated, was that he decided to accept the honor which the
+government conferred upon him in appointing him postmaster of a
+village of 300 inhabitants. It was the color of his skin that made
+this acceptance odious in the eyes of his Anglo-Saxon neighbors!
+
+This incident naturally aroused as much indignation among the members
+of the Imperium as did the destruction of the war ship in the bosoms
+of the Anglo-Saxons of the United States. All things considered,
+Bernard regarded this as the most opportune moment for the Imperium to
+meet and act upon the whole question of the relationship of the negro
+race to the Anglo-Saxons.
+
+The Congress of the Imperium was called and assembled in special
+session at the Capitol building just outside of Waco. The session
+began on the morning of April--the same day on which the Congress
+of the United States had under consideration the resolutions, the
+adoption of which meant war with Spain. These two congresses on
+this same day had under consideration questions of vital import to
+civilization.
+
+The proceedings of the Anglo-Saxons have been told to the world in
+minute detail, but the secret deliberations of the Imperium are herein
+disclosed for the first time. The exterior of the Capitol at Waco
+was decorated with American flags, and red, white and blue bunting.
+Passers-by commented on the patriotism of Jefferson College. But,
+enveloped in this decoration there was cloth of the color of mourning.
+The huge weeping willows stood, one on each side of the speaker's
+desk. To the right of the desk, there was a group of women in widow's
+weeds, sitting on an elevated platform. There were fifty of these,
+their husbands having been made the victims of mobs since the first
+day of January just gone.
+
+To the left of the speaker's desk, there were huddled one hundred
+children whose garments were in tatters and whose looks bespoke lives
+of hardship. These were the offsprings robbed of their parents by the
+brutish cruelty of unthinking mobs.
+
+Postmaster Cook, while alive, was a member of the Imperium and his
+seat was now empty and draped in mourning. In the seat was a golden
+casket containing his heart, which had been raked from the burning
+embers on the morning following the night of the murderous assault.
+It was amid such surrounding as these that the already aroused and
+determined members of the Congress assembled.
+
+Promptly at 11 o'clock, Speaker Belton Piedmont took the chair. He
+rapped for order, and the chaplain offered a prayer, in which he
+invoked the blessings of God upon the negro race at the most important
+crisis in its history. Word was sent, by proper committee, across the
+campus informing the president that Congress was in session awaiting
+his further pleasure. According to custom, the president came in
+person to orally deliver his message.
+
+He entered in the rear of the building and marched forward. The
+Congress arose and stood with bowed heads as he passed through. The
+speaker's desk was moved back as a sign of the president's superior
+position, and directly in the center of the platform the president
+stood to speak. He was dressed in a Prince Albert suit of finest
+black. He wore a standing collar and a necktie snowy white. The hair
+was combed away from that noble brow of his, and his handsome face
+showed that he was nerved for what he regarded as the effort of his
+life.
+
+In his fierce, determined glance you could discover that latent fires,
+hitherto unsuspected even in his warm bosom, had been aroused. The
+whole man was to speak that day. And he spoke. We can give you his
+words but not his speech. Man can photograph the body, but in the
+photograph you can only glimpse the soul. Words can portray the form
+of a speech, but the spirit, the life, are missing and we turn away
+disappointed. That sweet, well modulated voice, full of tender pathos,
+of biting sarcasm, of withering irony, of swelling rage, of glowing
+fervor, according as the occasion demanded, was a most faithful
+vehicle to Bernard; conveying fully every delicate shade of thought.
+
+The following gives you but a faint idea of his masterly effort. In
+proportion as you can throw yourself into his surroundings, and feel,
+as he had felt, the iron in his soul, to that extent will you be able
+to realize how much power there was in what is now to follow:
+
+THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
+
+"Two terrible and discordant sounds have burst forth upon the
+erstwhile quiet air and now fill your bosom with turbulent emotions.
+One is the blast of the bugle, fierce and loud, calling us to arms
+against a foreign nation to avenge the death of American seamen and
+to carry the cup of liberty to a people perishing for its healing
+draught. The other is the crackling of a burning house in the night's
+dead hours, the piteous cries of pain and terror from the lips of
+wounded babes; the despairing, heart-rending, maddening shrieks of the
+wife and mother; the harrowing groans of the dying husband and father,
+and the gladsome shout of the fiendish mob of white American citizens,
+who have wrought the havoc just described, a deed sufficiently
+horrible to make Satan blush and hell hastily hide her face in shame.
+
+"I deem this, my fellow countrymen, as an appropriate time for us to
+consider what shall be our attitude, immediate and future, to this
+Anglo-Saxon race, which calls upon us to defend the fatherland and at
+the same moment treats us in a manner to make us execrate it. Let
+us, then, this day decide what shall be the relations that shall
+henceforth exist between us and the Anglo-Saxon race of the United
+States of America.
+
+"Seven million eyes are riveted upon you, hoping that you will be
+brave and wise enough to take such action as will fully atone for
+all the horrors of the past and secure for us every right due to
+all honorable, loyal, law-abiding citizens of the United States.
+Pleadingly they look to you to extract the arrow of shame which hangs
+quivering in every bosom, shame at continued humiliation, unavenged.
+
+"In order to arrive at a proper conclusion as to what the duty of
+the hour is, it would be well to review our treatment received at the
+hands of the Anglo-Saxon race and note the position that we are now
+sternly commanded by them to accept.
+
+"When this is done, to my mind, the path of duty will be as plain
+before our eyes as the path of the sun across the heavens. I shall,
+therefore, proceed to review our treatment and analyze our present
+condition, in so far as it is traceable to the treatment which we now
+receive from the Anglo-Saxon.
+
+"When in 1619 our forefathers landed on the American shore, the music
+of welcome with which they were greeted, was the clanking of iron
+chains ready to fetter them; the crack of the whip to be used to plow
+furrows in their backs; and the yelp of the blood-hound who was to
+bury his fangs deep into their flesh, in case they sought for liberty.
+Such was the music with which the Anglo-Saxon came down to the shore
+to extend a hearty welcome to the forlorn children of night, brought
+from a benighted heathen land to a community of _Christians!_
+
+"The negro was seized and forced to labor hard that the Anglo-Saxon
+might enjoy rest and ease. While he sat in his cushioned chair, in
+his luxurious home, and dreamed of the blessedness of freedom, the
+enforced labor of slaves felled the forest trees, cleared away the
+rubbish, planted the seed and garnered the ripened grain, receiving
+therefor no manner of pay, no token of gratitude, no word of coldest
+thanks.
+
+"That same hammer and anvil that forged the steel sword of the
+Anglo-Saxon, with which he fought for freedom from England's yoke,
+also forged the chain that the Anglo-Saxon used to bind the negro more
+securely in the thralldom of slavery. For two hundred and forty-four
+years the Anglo-Saxon imposed upon the hapless, helpless negro, the
+bondage of abject slavery, robbed him of the just recompense of his
+unceasing toil, treated him with the utmost cruelty, kept his mind
+shrouded in the dense fog of ignorance, denied his poor sinful soul
+access to the healing word of God, and, while the world rolled on to
+joy and light, the negro was driven cowering and trembling, back, back
+into the darkest corners of night's deepest gloom. And when, at
+last, the negro was allowed to come forth and gaze with the eyes of a
+freeman on the glories of the sky, even this holy act, the freeing of
+the negro, was a matter of compulsion and has but little, if anything,
+in it demanding gratitude, except such gratitude as is due to be given
+unto God. For the Emancipation Proclamation, as we all know, came not
+so much as a message of love for the slave as a message of love for
+the Union; its primary object was to save the Union, its incident,
+to liberate the slave. Such was the act which brought to a close two
+hundred and forty-four years of barbarous maltreatment and inhuman
+oppression! After all these years of unremitting toil, the negro was
+pushed out into the world without one morsel of food, one cent of
+money, one foot of land. Naked and unarmed he was pushed forward into
+a dark cavern and told to beard the lion in his den. In childlike
+simplicity he undertook the task. Soon the air was filled with his
+agonizing cries; for the claws and teeth of the lion were ripping open
+every vein and crushing every bone. In this hour of dire distress the
+negro lifted up his voice in loud, long piteous wails calling upon
+those for help at whose instance and partially for whose sake he had
+dared to encounter the deadly foe. These whilom friends rushed with a
+loud shout to the cavern's mouth. But when they saw the fierce eyes of
+the lion gleaming in the dark and heard his fearful growl, this loud
+shout suddenly died away into a feeble, cowardly whimper, and these
+boastful creatures at the crackling of a dry twig turned and scampered
+away like so many jack-rabbits.
+
+"Having thus briefly reviewed our past treatment at the hand of the
+Anglo-Saxon, we now proceed to consider the treatment which we receive
+at his hands to-day.
+
+
+THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION.
+
+"During the long period of slavery the Negro race was not allowed to
+use the mind as a weapon in the great 'battle for bread.'
+
+"The Anglo-Saxon said to the negro, in most haughty tones: 'In this
+great "battle for bread," you must supply the brute force while I will
+supply the brain. If you attempt to use your brain I will kill you;
+and before I will stoop so low as to use my own physical power to earn
+my daily bread I will kill myself.'
+
+"This edict of the Anglo-Saxon race, issued in the days of slavery, is
+yet in force in a slightly modified form.
+
+"He yet flees from physical exertion as though it were the leprosy
+itself, and yet, violently pushes the negro into that from which he
+has so precipitately fled, crying in a loud voice, 'unclean, unclean.'
+
+"If forced by circumstances to resort to manual labor, he chooses the
+higher forms of this, where skill is the main factor. But he will not
+labor even here with the negro, but drives him out and bars the door.
+
+"He will contribute the public funds to educate the negro and then
+exert every possible influence to keep the negro from earning a
+livelihood by means of that education.
+
+"It is true, that in the goodness of his heart he will allow the negro
+community to have a negro preacher, teacher, doctor, pharmacist and
+jackleg lawyer, but further than this he will not go. Practically all
+of the other higher forms of labor are hermetically sealed so far as
+the negro is concerned.
+
+"Thus, like Tantalus of old, we are placed in streams of water up to
+our necks, but when we stoop down to drink thereof the waters recede;
+luscious fruit, tempting to the eye and pleasing to the taste,
+is placed above our heads, only to be wafted away by the winds of
+prejudice, when, like Tantalus we reach up to grasp and eat.
+
+
+OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.
+
+"An Italian, a Frenchman, a German, a Russian, a Chinaman and a Swede
+come, let us suppose, on a visit to our country.
+
+"As they draw near our public parks they look up and see placards
+forbidding somebody to enter these places. They pause to read the
+signs to see who it is that is forbidden to enter.
+
+"Unable to understand our language, they see a negro child returning
+from school and they call the child to read and interpret the placard.
+It reads thus: 'Negroes and dogs not allowed in here.'
+
+"The little negro child, whose father's sweaty, unrequited toil
+cleared the spot whereon the park now stands, loiters outside of
+the wicker gate in company with the dogs of the foreigners and gazes
+wistfully through the cracks at the children of these strangers
+sporting on the lawn.
+
+"This is but a fair sample of the treatment which our race receives
+everywhere in the South.
+
+"If we enter a place where a sign tells us that the public is served,
+we do not know whether we are to be waited upon or driven out like
+dogs.
+
+"And the most shameful and hopeless feature connected with the
+question of our civil rights is that the Supreme Court has lent its
+official sanction to all such acts of discrimination. The highest
+court in the land is the chief bulwark of caste prejudice in
+democratic America.
+
+
+EDUCATION.
+
+"The race that thinks of us and treats us as we have just indicated
+has absolute charge of the education of our children.
+
+"They pay our teachers poorer salaries than they do their own; they
+give us fewer and inferior school buildings and they make us crawl in
+the dust before the very eyes of our children in order to secure the
+slightest concessions.
+
+"They attempt to muzzle the mouths of negro teachers, and he who
+proclaims too loudly the doctrine of equality as taught by Thomas
+Jefferson, will soon be in search of other employment.
+
+"Thus, they attempt to cripple our guides so that we may go forward at
+a feeble pace.
+
+"Our children, early in life, learn of our maltreatment, and having
+confidence in the unused strength of their parents, urge us to right
+our wrongs.
+
+"We listen to their fiery words and gaze in fondness on their little
+clinched fists. We then bow our heads in shame and lay bare to them
+the chains that yet hold our ankles, though the world has pronounced
+us free.
+
+"In school, they are taught to bow down and worship at the shrine of
+the men who died for the sake of liberty, and day by day they grow to
+disrespect us, their parents who have made no blow for freedom. But it
+will not always be thus!
+
+
+COURTS OF JUSTICE.
+
+"Colored men are excluded from the jury box; colored lawyers are
+discriminated against at the bar; and negroes, with the highest legal
+attainments, are not allowed to even dream of mounting the seat of a
+judge.
+
+"Before a court that has been lifted into power by the very hands
+of prejudice, justice need not be expected. The creature will,
+presumably, serve its creator; this much the creator demands.
+
+"We shall mention just one fact that plainly illustrates the character
+of the justice to be found in our courts.
+
+"If a negro murders an Anglo-Saxon, however justifiably, let him
+tremble for his life if he is to be tried in our courts. On the other
+hand, if an Anglo-Saxon murders a negro in cold blood, without the
+slightest provocation, he will, if left to the pleasure of our courts,
+die of old age and go down to his grave in perfect peace.
+
+"A court that will thus carelessly dabble and play in puddles of human
+blood needs no further comment at my hands.
+
+
+MOB LAW.
+
+"The courts of the land are the facile instruments of the Anglo-Saxon
+race. They register its will as faithfully as the thermometer does the
+slightest caprice of the weather. And yet, the poor boon of a trial in
+even such courts as these is denied the negro, even when his character
+is being painted with hell's black ink and charges that threaten his
+life are being laid at his door. He is allowed no chance to clear his
+name; no opportunity to bid a friend good bye; no time to formulate a
+prayer to God.
+
+"About this way of dealing with criminals there are three horrible
+features: First, innocent men are often slain and forced to sleep
+eternally in dishonored graves. Secondly, when men who are innocent
+are thus slain the real culprits are left behind to repeat their
+deeds and thus continue to bring reproach upon the race to which
+they belong. Thirdly, illegal execution always begets sympathy in
+the hearts of our people for a criminal, however dastardly may be his
+crime. Thus the execution loses all of its moral force as a deterrent.
+That wrath, that eloquence, which would all be used in abuse of the
+criminal is divided between him and his lynchers. Thus the crime for
+which the man suffers, is not dwelt upon with that unanimity to make
+it sufficiently odious, and, as a consequence, lynching increases
+crime. And, too, under the operation of the lynch-law the criminal
+knows that any old tramp is just as liable as himself to be seized and
+hanged.
+
+"This accursed practice, instead of decreasing, grows in extent year
+by year. Since the close of the civil war no less than sixty thousand
+of our comrades, innocent of all crime, have been hurried to their
+graves by angry mobs, and to-day their widows and orphans and their
+own departed spirits cry out to you to avenge their wrongs.
+
+"Woe unto that race, whom the tears of the widows, the cries of
+starving orphans, the groans of the innocent dying, and the gaping
+wounds of those unjustly slain, accuse before a righteous God!
+
+
+POLITICS.
+
+"'Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers
+from the consent of the governed!'
+
+"These words were penned by the man whom the South has taught us to
+revere as the greatest and noblest American statesman, whether those
+who are now alive or those who are dead. We speak of Thomas Jefferson.
+They have taught us that he was too wise to err and that his sayings
+are truth incarnate. They are ready to anathematize any man in their
+own ranks who will decry the self-evident truths which he uttered.
+
+"The Bible which the white people gave us, teaches us that we are men.
+The Declaration of Independence, which we behold them wearing over
+their hearts, tells us that all men are created equal. If, as the
+Bible says, we are men; if, as Jefferson says, all men are equal;
+if, as he further states, governments derive all just powers from the
+consent of the governed, then it follows that the American government
+is in duty bound to seek to know our will as respects the laws and the
+men who are to govern us.
+
+"But instead of seeking to know our will, they employ every device
+that human ingenuity can contrive to prevent us from expressing our
+opinion. The monarchial trait seems not to have left their blood. They
+have apparently chosen our race as an empire, and each Anglo-Saxon
+regards himself as a petty king, and some gang or community of negroes
+as his subjects.
+
+"Thus our voice is not heard in the General Government. Our kings,
+the Anglo-Saxons, speak for us, their slaves. In some states we are
+deprived of our right to vote by frauds, in others by violence, and
+in yet others by statutory enactment. But in all cases it is most
+effectually done.
+
+"Burdens may be put upon our shoulders that are weighing us down,
+but we have no means of protesting. Men who administer the laws may
+discriminate against us to an outrageous degree, but we have no power
+to remove or to punish them.
+
+"Like lean, hungry dogs, we must crouch beneath our master's table
+and snap eagerly at the crumbs that fall. If in our scramble for these
+crumbs we make too much noise, we are violently kicked and driven
+out of doors, where, in the sleet and snow, we must whimper and whine
+until late the next morning when the cook opens the door and we can
+then crouch down in the corner of the kitchen.
+
+"Oh! my Comrades, we cannot longer endure our shame and misery!
+
+"We can no longer lay supinely down upon our backs and let oppression
+dig his iron heel in our upturned pleading face until, perchance, the
+pity of a bystander may meekly request him to desist.
+
+"Fellow Countrymen, we must be free. The sun that bathes our land in
+light yet rises and sets upon a race of slaves.
+
+"The question remaining before us, then, is, How we are to obtain this
+freedom? In olden times, revolutions were effected by the sword and
+spear. In modern times the ballot has been used for that purpose. But
+the ballot has been snatched from our hands. The modern implement of
+revolutions has been denied us. I need not say more. Your minds will
+lead you to the only gate left open.
+
+"But this much I will say: let not so light, so common, so universal a
+thing as that which we call death be allowed to frighten you from the
+path that leads to true liberty and absolute equality. Let that which
+under any circumstances must come to one and all be no terror to you.
+
+"To the martyr, who perishes in freedom's cause, death comes with a
+beauteous smile and with most tender touch. But to the man whose blood
+is nothing but sour swill; who prefers to stay like fattening swine
+until pronounced fit for the butcher's knife; to such, death comes
+with a most horrifying visage, and seizing the victim with cold and
+clammy hands hurries with his disgusting load to some far away dumping
+ground.
+
+"How glad am I that I can glance over this audience and see written
+upon your faces utter disdain of death.
+
+"In concluding let me say, I congratulate you that after years of
+suffering and disunion our faces are now _all_ turned toward the
+golden shores of liberty's lovely land.
+
+"Some tell us that a sea is in our way, so deep that we cannot cross.
+Let us answer back in joyful tones as our vessels push out from the
+shore, that our clotted blood, shed in the middle of the sea, will
+float to the other side, even if we do not reach there ourselves.
+
+"Others tell us that towering, snow-capped mountains enclose the
+land. To this we answer, if we die on the mountain-side, we shall be
+shrouded in sheets of whitest snow, and all generations of men yet
+to come upon the earth will have to gaze upward in order to see our
+whitened forms.
+
+"Let us then, at all hazards, strike a blow for freedom. If it calls
+for a Thermopylae, be free. If it calls for a Valley Forge, be free.
+If contending for our rights, given unto us by God, causes us to be
+slain, let us perish on the field of battle, singing as we pass out
+of the world, 'Sweet Freedom's song,' though every word of this
+soul-inspiring hymn must come forth wrapped in our hearts' warm blood.
+
+"Gentlemen of the Imperium in Imperio, I await your pleasure."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE STORM'S MASTER.
+
+
+When Bernard ceased speaking and took his seat the house was as silent
+as a graveyard. All felt that the time for words had passed and the
+next and only thing in order was a deed.
+
+Each man seemed determined to keep his seat and remain silent until he
+had some definite plan to suggest. At length one man, somewhat aged,
+arose and spoke as follows:
+
+"Fellow citizens, our condition is indeed past enduring and we must
+find a remedy. I have spent the major portion of my life in close
+study of this subject, searching for a solution. My impression is that
+the negro will never leave this country. The day for the wholesale
+exodus of nations is past. We must, then, remain here. As long as we
+remain here as a separate and distinct race we shall continue to
+be oppressed. We must lose our identity. I, therefore, urge that we
+abandon the idea of becoming anything noteworthy as a separate and
+distinct race and send the word forth that we amalgamate."
+
+When the word "amalgamate" escaped his lips a storm of hisses and
+jeers drowned further speech and he quickly crouched down in his
+seat. Another arose and advocated emigration to the African Congo
+Free State. He pointed out that this State, great in area and rich in
+resources, was in the hands of the weak kingdom of Belgium and could
+be wrested from Belgium with the greatest ease. In fact, it might
+be possible to purchase it, as it was the personal property of King
+Leopold.
+
+He further stated that one of his chief reasons for suggesting
+emigration was that it would be a terrible blow to the South. The
+proud Southerner would then have his own forests to fell and fields to
+tend. He pictured the haughty Southern lady at last the queen of her
+own kitchen. He then called attention to the loss of influence and
+prestige which the South would sustain in the nation. By losing nearly
+one half of its population the South's representation in Congress
+would be reduced to such a point that the South would have no
+appreciable influence on legislation for one half a century to come.
+He called attention to the business depression that would ensue when
+the southern supply merchant lost such an extensive consumer as the
+negro.
+
+He wound up by urging the Imperium to go where they would enjoy all
+the rights of free men, and by picturing the demoralization and ruin
+of the South when they thus went forth. His suggestion met with much
+favor but he did not make clear the practicability of his scheme.
+
+At length a bold speaker arose who was courageous enough to stick a
+match to the powder magazine which Bernard had left uncovered in all
+their bosoms. His first declaration was: "I am for war!" and it was
+cheered to the echo. It was many minutes before the applause died
+away. He then began an impassioned invective against the South
+and recited in detail horror after horror, for which the South was
+answerable. He described hangings, revolting in their brutality; he
+drew vivid word pictures of various burnings, mentioning one where a
+white woman struck the match and ignited the pile of wood that was
+to consume the trembling negro. He told of the Texas horror, when a
+colored man named Smith was tortured with a red hot poker, and his
+eyes gouged out; after which he was slowly roasted to death. He then
+had Mrs. Cook arise and gather her children about her, and tell her
+sorrowful story. As she proceeded the entire assembly broke down in
+tears, and men fell on each other's necks and wept like babes. And
+oh! Their hearts swelled, their bosoms heaved, their breath came quick
+with choking passion, and there burst from all their throats the one
+hoarse cry: "War! war! war!"
+
+Bernard turned his head away from this affecting sight and in his soul
+swore a terrible oath to avenge the wrongs of his people.
+
+When quiet was sufficiently restored, the man with the match arose and
+offered the following resolutions:
+
+"WHEREAS, the history of our treatment by the Anglo-Saxon race is but
+the history of oppression, and whereas, our patient endurance of evil
+has not served to decrease this cruelty, but seems rather to increase
+it; and whereas, the ballot box, the means of peaceful revolution is
+denied us, therefore;
+
+"_Be it Resolved_: That the hour for wreaking vengeance for our
+multiplied wrongs has come.
+
+"_Resolved_ secondly: That we at once proceed to war for the purpose
+of accomplishing the end just named, and for the further purpose of
+obtaining all our rights due us as men.
+
+"_Resolved_ thirdly: That no soldier of the Imperium leave the field
+of battle until the ends for which this war was inaugurated are fully
+achieved."
+
+A dozen men were on their feet at once to move the adoption of these
+resolutions. The motion was duly seconded and put before the house.
+The Chairman asked: "Are you ready to vote?" "Ready!" was the
+unanimous, vociferous response.
+
+The chairman, Belton Piedmont, quietly said: "Not ready." All eyes
+were then pointed eagerly and inquiringly to him. He called the senior
+member of the house to the chair and came down upon the floor to
+speak.
+
+We are now about to record one of the most remarkable feats of oratory
+known to history. Belton stood with his massive, intellectual head
+thrown back and a look of determined defiance shot forth from his
+eyes. His power in debate was well known and the members settled
+themselves back for a powerful onslaught of some kind; but exactly
+what to expect they did not know.
+
+Fortunately for Belton's purpose, surprise, wonder, expectancy,
+had, for the time being, pushed into the background the more violent
+emotions surging a moment before.
+
+Belton turned his head slowly, letting his eye sweep the entire circle
+of faces before him, and there seemed to be a force and an influence
+emanating from the look. He began: "I call upon you all to bear me
+witness that I have ever in word and deed been zealous in the work of
+building up this Imperium, whose holy mission it is to grapple with
+our enemy and wrest from him our stolen rights, given to us by nature
+and nature's God. If there be one of you that knowest aught against
+my patriotism, I challenge him to declare it now; and if there be
+anything to even cast a suspicion upon me, I shall gladly court a
+traitor's ignoble doom."
+
+He paused here. No one accepted the challenge, for Belton was the
+acknowledged guiding star that had led the Imperium to the high point
+of efficiency where Bernard found it.
+
+"By your silence," Belton continued, "I judge that my patriotism is
+above suspicion; and this question being settled, I shall feel free
+to speak all that is within me on the subject now before me. I have a
+word to say in defence of the south--"
+
+"No! No! No! No!" burst from a score of throats. Friends crowded
+around Belton and begged him to desist. They told him that the current
+was so strong that it was death to all future usefulness to try to
+breast it.
+
+Belton waved them away and cried out in impassioned tones: "On her
+soil I was born; on her bosom I was reared; into her arms I hope
+to fall in death; and I shall not from fear of losing popular favor
+desist from pointing out the natural sources from which her sins
+arise, so that when judgment is pronounced justice will not hesitate
+to stamp it with her righteous seal."
+
+"Remember your scars!" shouted one.
+
+"Yes, I am scarred," returned Belton. "I have been in the hands of
+an angry mob; I have dangled from a tree at the end of a rope; I have
+felt the murderous pistol drive cold lead into my flesh; I have been
+accounted dead and placed upon the dissecting table; I have felt the
+sharp surgical knife ripping my flesh apart when I was supposed to be
+dead; all of these hardships and more besides I have received at the
+hands of the South; but she has not and cannot drive truth from my
+bosom, and the truth shall I declare this day."
+
+Seeing that it was useless to attempt to deter him, Belton continued
+his speech without interruption: "There are many things in the message
+of our most worthy President that demand attention. It was indeed an
+awful sin for the Anglo-Saxon to enslave the negro. But in judging a
+people we must judge them according to the age in which they lived,
+and the influence that surrounded them.
+
+"If David were on earth alive to-day and the ruler of an enlightened
+kingdom, he would be impeached forthwith, fined for adultery,
+imprisoned for bigamy, and hanged for murder. Yet while not measuring
+up to the standard of morality of to-day, he was the man after God's
+own heart in his day and generation.
+
+"If Abraham were here to-day he would be expelled from any church
+that had any regard for decency; and yet, he was the father of the
+faithful, for he walked according to the little light that struggled
+through the clouds and reached him.
+
+"When slavery was introduced into America, it was the universal
+practice of mankind to enslave. Knowing how quick we all are to heed
+the universal voice of mankind, we should be lenient toward others who
+are thus tempted and fall.
+
+"It has appeared strange to some that the Americans could fight for
+their own freedom from England and yet not think of those whom they
+then held in slavery. It should be remembered that the two kinds of
+slavery were by no means identical. The Americans fought for a theory
+and abstract principle. The negro did not even discern the points at
+issue; and the Anglo-Saxon naturally did not concern himself at that
+time with any one so gross as not to know anything of a principle for
+which he, (the Anglo-Saxon) was ready to offer up his life.
+
+"Our President alluded to the fact that the negro was unpaid for all
+his years of toil. It is true that he was not paid in coin, but he
+received that from the Anglo-Saxons which far outweighs in value
+all the gold coin on earth. He received instruction in the arts of
+civilization, a knowledge of the English language, and a conception of
+the one true God and his Christ.
+
+"While all of the other races of men were behind the ball of progress
+rolling it up the steep hill of time, the negro was asleep in the
+jungles of Africa. Newton dug for the law of gravitation; Herschel
+swept the starry sky in search of other worlds; Columbus stood upon
+the prow of the ship and braved the waves of the ocean and the fiercer
+ridicule of men; Martin Luther, single handed and alone, fought the
+Pope, the religious guide of the world; and all of this was done while
+the negro slept. After others had toiled so hard to give the bright
+light of civilization to the world, it was hardly to be expected that
+a race that slept while others worked could step up and at once enjoy
+all the fruits of others' toil.
+
+"Allow me to note this great fact; that by enslavement in America the
+negro has come into possession of the great English language. He is
+thus made heir to all the richest thoughts of earth. Had he retained
+his mother tongue, it would perhaps have been centuries untold before
+the masterpieces of earth were given him. As it is we can now enjoy
+the companionship of Shakespeare, Bacon, Milton, Bunyan, together with
+the favorite sons of other nations adopted into the English language,
+such as Dante, Hugo, Goethe, Dumas and hosts of others. Nor must
+we ever forget that it was the Anglo-Saxon who snatched from
+our idolatrous grasp the deaf images to which we prayed, and the
+Anglo-Saxon who pointed us to the Lamb of God that takes away the sins
+of the world.
+
+"So, beloved fellow citizens, when we calmly survey the evil and the
+good that came to us through American slavery, it is my opinion that
+we find more good for which to thank God than we find evil for which
+to curse man.
+
+"Our President truly says that Abraham Lincoln was in such a position
+that he was forced to set the negro free. But let us remember that it
+was Abraham Lincoln and those who labored with him that created this
+position, from which he could turn neither to the right nor to the
+left.
+
+"If, in his patriotic soul, we see love for the flag of his country
+overshadowing every other love, let us not ignorantly deny that other
+loves were there, deep, strong, and incapable of eradication; and let
+us be grateful for that.
+
+
+THE LABOR QUESTION.
+
+"Prejudice, pride, self-interest, prompt the whites to oppose our
+leaving in too large numbers the lower forms of labor for the higher;
+and they resort to any extreme to carry out their purpose. But this
+opposition is not an unmixed evil. The prejudice and pride that prompt
+them to exclude the Negro from the higher forms of labor, also exclude
+themselves from the lower forms, thus leaving the Negro in undisputed
+possession of a whole kingdom of labor.
+
+"Furthermore, by denying us clerical positions, and other higher types
+of labor we shall be forced into enterprises of our own to furnish
+labor for our own talent. Let us accept the lesson so plainly taught
+and provide enterprises to supply our own needs and employ our own
+talents.
+
+"If there is any one thing, more than another, that will push the
+Negro forth to build enterprises of his own, it will be this refusal
+of the whites to employ the higher order of labor that the race from
+time to time produces. This refusal will prove a blessing if we accept
+the lesson that it teaches. And, too, in considering this subject let
+us not feel that we are the only people who have a labor problem on
+hand to be solved. The Anglo-Saxon race is divided into two hostile
+camps--labor and capital. These two forces are gradually drawing
+together for a tremendous conflict, a momentous battle. The riots
+at Homestead, at Chicago, at Lattimer are but skirmishes between the
+picket lines, informing us that a general conflict is imminent. Let us
+thank God that we are not in the struggle. Let us thank Him that our
+labor problem is no worse than it is.
+
+
+OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.
+
+"For our civil rights we are struggling and we must secure them. But
+if they had all come to us when they first belonged to us, we must
+frankly admit that we would have been unprepared for them.
+
+"Our grotesque dress, our broken language, our ignorant curiosity,
+and, on the part of many our boorish manners, would have been
+nauseating in the extreme to men and women accustomed to refined
+association. Of course these failings are passing away: but the
+polished among you have often been made ashamed at the uncouth antics
+of some ignorant Negroes, courting the attention of the whites in
+their presence. Let us see to it, then, that we as a people, not a
+small minority of us, are prepared to use and not abuse the privileges
+that must come to us.
+
+"Let us reduce the question of our rejection to a question pure and
+simple of the color of our skins, and by the help of that God who gave
+us that color we shall win.
+
+"On the question of education much might be said in blame of the
+South, but far more may be said in her praise.
+
+"The evils of which our president spoke are grave and must be righted,
+but let us not fail to see the bright side.
+
+"The Anglo-Saxon child virtually pays for the education of the Negro
+child. You might hold that he might do more. It is equally true that
+he might do less. When we contrast the Anglo-Saxon, opening his purse
+and pouring out his money for the education of the Negro, with the
+Anglo-Saxon plaiting a scourge to flog the Negro aspiring to learn,
+the progress is marvelous indeed.
+
+"And, let us not complain too bitterly of the school maintained by the
+Southerner, for it was there that we learned what true freedom was. It
+was in school that our hearts grew warm as we read of Washington, of
+Jefferson, of Henry, apostles of human liberty. It was the school of
+the Southerner that has builded the Imperium which now lifts its hand
+in power and might to strike a last grand blow for liberty.
+
+
+COURTS OF JUSTICE.
+
+"As for the courts of justice, I have not one word to say in
+palliation of the way in which they pander to the prejudices of the
+people. If the courts be corrupt; if the arbitrator between man and
+man be unjust; if the wretched victim of persecution is to be stabbed
+to death in the house of refuge; then, indeed, has mortal man sunk to
+the lowest level. Though every other branch of organized society may
+reek with filth and slime, let the ermine on the shoulders of the
+goddess of justice ever be clean and spotless.
+
+"But remember this, that the Court of last resort has set the example
+which the lower courts have followed. The Supreme Court of the United
+States, it seems, may be relied upon to sustain any law born of
+prejudice against the Negro, and to demolish any law constructed in
+his interest. Witness the Dred Scott decision, and, in keeping with
+this, the decision on the Civil Rights Bill and Separate Coach Law.
+
+"If this court, commonly accepted as being constituted with our
+friends, sets such a terrible example of injustice, it is not
+surprising that its filthy waters corrupt the various streams of
+justice in all their ramifications.
+
+
+MOB LAW.
+
+"Of all the curses that have befallen the South, this is the greatest.
+It cannot be too vehemently declaimed against. But let us look
+well and see if we, as a people, do not bear some share of the
+responsibility for the prevalence of this curse.
+
+"Our race has furnished some brutes lower than the beasts of the
+field, who have stirred the passions of the Anglo-Saxon as nothing in
+all of human history has before stirred them. The shibboleth of the
+Anglo-Saxon race is the courage of man and the virtue of woman: and
+when, by violence, a member of a despised race assails a defenseless
+woman; robs her of her virtue, her crown of glory; and sends her back
+to society broken and crushed in spirit, longing, sighing, praying for
+the oblivion of the grave, it is not to be wondered at that hell is
+scoured by the Southern white man in search of plans to vent his rage.
+The lesson for him to learn is that passion is ever a blind guide and
+the more violent the more blind. Let him not cease to resent with
+all the intensity of his proud soul the accursed crime; but let this
+resentment pursue such a channel as will ensure the execution of the
+guilty and the escape of the innocent. As for us, let us cease to
+furnish the inhuman brutes whose deeds suggest inhuman punishments.
+
+"But, I am aware that in a large majority of cases where lynchings
+occur, outrages upon women are not even mentioned. This fact but
+serves as an argument against all lynchings; for when lawlessness
+breaks forth, no man can set a limit where it will stop. It also warns
+us as a race to furnish no crime that provokes lynching; for when
+lynching once gets started, guilty and innocent alike will suffer, and
+crimes both great and small will be punished alike.
+
+"In regard to the lynching of our Comrade Cook, I have this to
+say. Every feature connected with that crime but emphasizes its
+heinousness. Cook was a quiet, unassuming, gentlemanly being, enjoying
+the respect of all in a remarkable degree. Having wronged no one he
+was unconscious of having enemies. His wife and loving little ones had
+retired to rest and were enjoying the deep sleep of the innocent. A
+band of whites crept to his house under the cover of darkness, and
+thought to roast all alive. In endeavoring to make their escape the
+family was pursued by a shower of bullets and Cook fell to the ground,
+a corpse, leaving his loved ones behind, pursued by a fiendish mob.
+And the color of Cook's skin was the only crime laid at his door.
+
+"If ye who speculate and doubt as to the existence of a hell but peer
+into the hearts of those vile creatures who slew poor Cook, you will
+draw back in terror; for hell, black hell is there. To give birth to
+a deed of such infamy, their hearts must be hells in miniature. But
+there is one redeeming feature about this crime. Unlike others,
+it found no defense anywhere. The condemnation of the crime was
+universal. And the entire South cried out in bitter tones against the
+demons who had at last succeeded in putting the crown of infamy of all
+the ages upon her brow.
+
+
+POLITICS.
+
+"The South has defrauded us out of the ballot and she must restore
+it. But in judging her crime let us take an impartial view of its
+occasion. The ballot is supposed to be an expression of opinion. It
+is a means employed to record men's ideas. It is not designed as a
+vehicle of prejudice or gratitude, but of thought, opinion. When the
+Negro was first given the ballot he used it to convey expression of
+love and gratitude to the North, while it bore to the South a message
+of hate and revenge. No Negro, on pain of being ostracised or probably
+murdered, was allowed to exercise the ballot in any other way than
+that just mentioned. They voted in a mass, according to the dictates
+of love and hate.
+
+"The ballot was never designed for such a purpose. The white man
+snatched the ballot from the Negro. His only crime was, in not
+snatching it from him also, for he was voting on the same principle.
+Neither race was thinking. They were both simply feeling, and ballots
+are not meant to convey feelings.
+
+"But happily that day has passed and both races are thinking and are
+better prepared to vote. But the white man is still holding on to
+the stolen ballot box and he must surrender it. If we can secure
+possession of that right again, we shall use it to correct the many
+grievous wrongs under which we suffer. That is the one point on which
+all of our efforts are focused. Here is the storm center. Let us carry
+this point and our flag will soon have all of our rights inscribed
+thereon. The struggle is on, and my beloved Congress, let me urge one
+thing upon you. Leave out revenge as one of the things at which to
+aim.
+
+"In His Holy Word our most high God has said: 'Vengeance is mine.'
+Great as is this Imperium, let it not mount God's throne and attempt
+by violence to rob Him of his prerogatives. In this battle, we want
+Him on our side and let us war as becometh men who fear and reverence
+Him. Hitherto, we have seen vengeance terrible in his hands.
+
+"While we, the oppressed, stayed upon the plantation in peace, our
+oppressors were upon the field of battle engaged in mortal combat; and
+it was the blood of our oppressor, not our own, that was paid as the
+price of our freedom. And that same God is alive to-day; and let us
+trust Him for vengeance, and if we pray let our prayer be for mercy on
+those who have wronged us, for direful shall be their woes.
+
+"And now, I have a substitute proposition. Fellow Comrades, I am not
+for internecine war. O! Eternal God, lend unto these, my Comrades, the
+departed spirit of Dante, faithful artist of the horrors of hell, for
+we feel that he alone can paint the shudder-making, soul-sickening
+scenes that follow in the wake of fast moving internecine war.
+
+"Now, hear my solution of the race problem. The Anglo-Saxon does not
+yet know that we have caught the fire of liberty. He does not yet
+know that we have learned what a glorious thing it is to die for a
+principle, and especially when that principle is liberty. He does not
+yet know how the genius of his institutions has taken hold of our very
+souls. In the days of our enslavement we did not seem to him to be
+much disturbed about physical freedom. During the whole period of our
+enslavement we made only two slight insurrections.
+
+"When at last the war came to set us free we stayed in the field and
+fed the men who were reddening the soil with their blood in a deadly
+struggle to keep us in bondage forever. We remained at home and
+defended the helpless wives and children of men, who if they had been
+at home would have counted it no crime to have ignored all our
+family ties and scattered husbands and wives, mothers and children as
+ruthlessly as the autumn winds do the falling leaves.
+
+"The Anglo-Saxon has seen the eyes of the Negro following the American
+eagle in its glorious flight. The eagle has alighted on some mountain
+top and the poor Negro has been seen climbing up the rugged mountain
+side, eager to caress the eagle. When he has attempted to do this, the
+eagle has clawed at his eyes and dug his beak into his heart and has
+flown away in disdain; and yet, so majestic was its flight that the
+Negro, with tears in his eyes, and blood dripping from his heart has
+smiled and shouted: 'God save the eagle.'
+
+"These things have caused us to be misunderstood. We know that
+our patient submission in slavery was due to our consciousness of
+weakness; we know that our silence and inaction during the civil war
+was due to a belief that God was speaking for us and fighting our
+battle; we know that our devotion to the flag will not survive one
+moment after our hope is dead; but we must not be content with knowing
+these things ourselves. We must change the conception which the
+Anglo-Saxon has formed of our character. We should let him know that
+patience has a limit; that strength brings confidence; that faith
+in God will demand the exercise of our own right arm; that hope and
+despair are each equipped with swords, the latter more dreadful than
+the former. Before we make a forward move, let us pull the veil from
+before the eyes of the Anglo-Saxon that he may see the New Negro
+standing before him humbly, but firmly demanding every right granted
+him by his maker and wrested from him by man.
+
+"If, however, the revelation of our character and the full
+knowledge of our determined attitude does not procure our rights, my
+proposition, which I am about to submit, will still offer a solution.
+
+
+RESOLUTIONS.
+
+"1. Be it _Resolved_: That we no longer conceal from the Anglo-Saxon
+the fact that the Imperium exists, so that he may see that the love of
+liberty in our bosoms is strong enough to draw us together into this
+compact government. He will also see that each individual Negro does
+not stand by himself, but is a link in a great chain that must not be
+broken with impunity.
+
+"2. _Resolved_: That we earnestly strive to convince the Anglo-Saxon
+that we are now thoroughly wedded to the doctrine of Patrick Henry:
+'Give me liberty or give me death,' Let us teach the Anglo-Saxon that
+we have arrived at the stage of development as a people, where we
+prefer to die in honor rather than live in disgrace.
+
+"3. _Resolved_: That we spend four years in endeavors to impress the
+Anglo-Saxon that he has a New Negro on his hands and must surrender
+what belongs to him. In case we fail by these means to secure our
+rights and privileges we shall all, at once, abandon our several homes
+in the various other states and emigrate in a body to the State of
+Texas, broad in domain, rich in soil and salubrious in climate. Having
+an unquestioned majority of votes we shall secure possession of the
+State government.
+
+"4. _Resolved_: That when once lawfully in control of that great state
+we shall, every man, die in his shoes before we shall allow vicious
+frauds or unlawful force to pursue us there and rob us of our
+acknowledged right.
+
+"5. _Resolved_: That we sojourn in the state of Texas, working out
+our destiny as a separate and distinct race in the United States of
+America.
+
+"Such is the proposition which I present. It is primarily pacific: yet
+it is firm and unyielding. It courts a peaceable adjustment, yet it
+does not shirk war, if war is forced.
+
+"But in concluding, let me emphasize that my aim, my hope, my labors,
+my fervent prayer to God is for a peaceable adjustment of all our
+differences upon the high plane of the equality of man. Our beloved
+President, in his message to this Congress, made a serious mistake
+when he stated that there were only two weapons to be used in
+accomplishing revolutions. He named the sword (and spear) and ballot.
+There is a weapon mightier than either of these. I speak of the pen.
+If denied the use of the ballot let us devote our attention to that
+mightier weapon, the pen.
+
+"Other races which have obtained their freedom erect monuments over
+bloody spots where they slew their fellow men. May God favor us to
+obtain our freedom without having to dot our land with these relics of
+barbaric ages.
+
+"The Negro is the latest comer upon the scene of modern civilization.
+It would be the crowning glory of even this marvelous age; it would
+be the grandest contribution ever made to the cause of human
+civilization; it would be a worthy theme for the songs of the Holy
+Angels, if every Negro, away from the land of his nativity, can by
+means of the pen, force an acknowledgment of equality from the proud
+lips of the fierce, all conquering Anglo-Saxon, thus eclipsing the
+record of all other races of men, who without exception have had to
+wade through blood to achieve their freedom.
+
+"Amid all the dense gloom that surrounds us, this transcendent thought
+now and then finds its way to my heart and warms it like a glorious
+Sun. Center your minds, beloved Congress, on this sublime hope, and
+God may grant it to you. But be prepared, if he deems us unfit for so
+great a boon, to buckle on our swords and go forth to win our freedom
+with the sword just as has been done by all other nations of men.
+
+"My speech is made, my proposition is before you. I have done my duty.
+Your destiny is in your own hands."
+
+Belton's speech had, like dynamite, blasted away all opposition. He
+was in thorough mastery of the situation. The waves of the sea were
+now calm, the fierce winds had abated, there was a great rift in the
+dark clouds. The ship of state was sailing placidly on the bosom of
+the erstwhile troubled sea, and Belton was at the helm.
+
+His propositions were adopted in their entirety without one dissenting
+voice.
+
+When the members left the Congress hall that evening they breathed
+freely, feeling that the great race problem was, at last, about to be
+definitely settled.
+
+But, alas! how far wrong they were!
+
+As Belton was leaving the chamber Bernard approached him and put his
+hands fondly on his shoulders.
+
+Bernard's curly hair was disordered and a strange fire gleamed in his
+eye. He said: "Come over to the mansion to-night. I wish much to see
+you. Come about nine P.M."
+
+Belton agreed to go.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE PARTING OF WAYS.
+
+
+At the hour appointed Belton was at the door of the president's
+mansion and Bernard was there to meet him. They walked in and entered
+the same room where years before Belton had, in the name of the
+Congress, offered Bernard the Presidency of the Imperium.
+
+The evening was mild, and the window, which ran down to the floor,
+was hoisted. The moon was shedding her full light and Bernard had not
+lighted his lamp. Each of them took seats near the window, one on one
+side and the other on the other, their faces toward the lawn.
+
+"Belton," said Bernard, "that was a masterly speech you made to-day.
+If orations are measured according to difficulties surmounted and
+results achieved, yours ought to rank as a masterpiece. Aside from
+that, it was a daring deed. Few men would have attempted to rush in
+and quell that storm as you did. They would have been afraid of
+being torn to shreds, so to speak, and all to no purpose. Let me
+congratulate you." So saying he extended his hand and grasped Belton's
+feelingly.
+
+Belton replied in a somewhat melancholy strain: "Bernard, that speech
+and its result ended my life's work. I have known long since that a
+crisis between the two races would come some day and I lived with the
+hope of being used by God to turn the current the right way. This I
+have done, and my work is over."
+
+"Ah, no, Belton; greater achievements, by far, you shall accomplish.
+The fact is, I have called you over here to-night to acquaint you with
+a scheme that means eternal glory and honor to us both."
+
+Belton smiled and shook his head.
+
+"When I fully reveal my plan to you, you will change your mind."
+
+"Well, Bernard, let us hear it."
+
+"When you closed your speech to-day, a bright light shot athwart my
+brain and revealed to me something glorious. I came home determined to
+work it out in detail. This I have done, and now I hand this plan to
+you to ascertain your views and secure your cooperation." So saying
+he handed Belton a foolscap sheet of paper on which the following was
+written:
+
+
+A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO.
+
+1. Reconsider our determination to make known the existence of our
+Imperium, and avoid all mention of an emigration to Texas.
+
+2. Quietly purchase all Texas land contiguous to states and
+territories of the Union. Build small commonplace huts on these lands
+and place rapid fire disappearing guns in fortifications dug beneath
+them. All of this is to be done secretly, the money to be raised by
+the issuance of bonds by the Imperium.
+
+3. Encourage all Negroes who can possibly do so to enter the United
+States Navy.
+
+4. Enter into secret negotiations with all of the foreign enemies of
+the United States, acquainting them of our military strength and men
+aboard the United States war ships.
+
+5. Secure an appropriation from Congress to hold a fair at Galveston,
+inviting the Governor of Texas to be present. It will afford an excuse
+for all Negro families to pour into Texas. It will also be an excuse
+for having the war ships of nations friendly to us, in the harbor for
+a rendezvous.
+
+6. While the Governor is away, let the troops proceed quietly to
+Austin, seize the capitol and hoist the flag of the Imperium.
+
+7. We can then, if need be, wreck the entire navy of the United States
+in a night; the United States will then be prostrate before us and our
+allies.
+
+8. We will demand the surrender of Texas and Louisiana to the
+Imperium. Texas, we will retain. Louisiana, we will cede to our
+foreign allies in return for their aid. Thus will the Negro have an
+empire of his own, fertile in soil, capable of sustaining a population
+of fifty million people.
+
+Belton ceased reading the paper and returned it to Bernard.
+
+"What is your opinion of the matter, Belton?"
+
+"It is treason," was Belton's terse reply.
+
+"Are you in favor of it?" asked Bernard.
+
+"No. I am not and never shall be. I am no traitor and never shall be
+one. Our Imperium was organized to secure our rights within the United
+States and we will make any sacrifice that can be named to attain that
+end. Our efforts have been to wash the flag free of all blots, not to
+rend it; to burnish every star in the cluster, but to pluck none out.
+
+"Candidly, Bernard, I love the Union and I love the South. Soaked as
+Old Glory is with my people's tears and stained as it is with their
+warm blood, I could die as my forefathers did, fighting for its honor
+and asking no greater boon than Old Glory for my shroud and native
+soil for my grave. This may appear strange, but love of country is one
+of the deepest passions in the human bosom, and men in all ages have
+been known to give their lives for the land in which they had known
+nothing save cruelty and oppression. I shall never give up my fight
+for freedom, but I shall never prove false to the flag. I may fight
+to keep her from floating over cesspools of corruption by removing the
+cesspool; but I shall never fight to restrict the territory in which
+she is to float. These are my unalterable opinions."
+
+Bernard said: "Well, Belton, we have at last arrived at a point of
+separation in our lives. I know the Anglo-Saxon race. He will never
+admit you to equality with him. I am fully determined on my course of
+action and will persevere."
+
+Each knew that further argument was unnecessary, and they arose to
+part. They stood up, looking each other squarely in the face, and
+shook hands in silence. Tears were in the eyes of both men. But each
+felt that he was heeding the call of duty, and neither had ever been
+known to falter. Belton returned to his room and retired to rest.
+Bernard called his messenger and sent him for every man of prominence
+in the Congress of the Imperium.
+
+They all slept in the building. The leaders got out of bed and hurried
+to the president. He laid before them the plan he had shown Belton.
+They all accepted it and pronounced it good. He then told them that he
+had submitted it to Belton but that Belton was opposed. This took them
+somewhat by surprise, and finding that Belton was opposed to it they
+were sorry that they had spoken so hastily.
+
+Bernard knew that such would be their feelings. He produced a written
+agreement and asked all who favored that plan to sign that paper, as
+that would be of service in bringing over other members. Ashamed to
+appear vacillating, they signed. They then left.
+
+The Congress assembled next day, and President Belgrave submitted his
+plan. Belton swept the assembly with his eyes and told at a glance
+that there was a secret, formidable combination, and he decided that
+it would be useless to oppose the plan.
+
+The President's plan was adopted. Belton alone voted no.
+
+Belton then arose and said: "Being no longer able to follow where the
+Imperium leads, I hereby tender my resignation as a member."
+
+The members stood aghast at these words, for death alone removed a
+member from the ranks of the Imperium, and asking to resign, according
+to their law was asking to be shot. Bernard and every member of the
+Congress crowded around Belton and begged him to reconsider, and not
+be so cruel to his comrades as to make them fire bullets into his
+noble heart.
+
+Belton was obdurate. According to the law of the Imperium, he was
+allowed thirty days in which to reconsider his request. Ordinarily
+those under sentence of death were kept in close confinement, but not
+so with Belton. He was allowed all liberty. In fact, it was the secret
+wish of every one that he might take advantage of his freedom and
+escape. But Belton was resolved to die.
+
+As he now felt that his days on earth were few, his mind began to turn
+toward Antoinette. He longed to see her once more and just let her
+know that he loved her still. He at length decided to steal away to
+Richmond and have a last interview with her. All the pent up passion
+of years now burst forth in his soul, and as the train sped toward
+Virginia, he felt that love would run him mad ere he saw Antoinette
+once more.
+
+While his train goes speeding on, let us learn a little of the woman
+whom he left years ago.
+
+Antoinette Nermal Piedmont had been tried and excluded from her church
+on the charge of adultery. She did not appear at the trial nor speak a
+word in her own defense. Society dropped her as you would a poisonous
+viper, and she was completely ostracised. But, conscious of her
+innocence and having an abiding faith in the justice of God, she moved
+along undisturbed by the ostracism. The only person about whom she was
+concerned was Belton.
+
+She yearned, oh! so much, to be able to present to him proofs of her
+chastity; but there was that white child. But God had the matter in
+hand.
+
+As the child grew, its mother noticed that its hair began to change.
+She also thought she discovered his skin growing darker by degrees.
+As his features developed he was seen to be the very image of Belton.
+Antoinette frequently went out with him and the people began to shake
+their heads in doubt. At length the child became Antoinette's color,
+retaining Belton's features.
+
+Public sentiment was fast veering around. Her former friends began to
+speak to her more kindly, and the people began to feel that she was a
+martyr instead of a criminal. But the child continued to steadily grow
+darker and darker until he was a shade darker than his father.
+
+The church met and rescinded its action of years ago. Every social
+organization of standing elected Antoinette Nermal Piedmont an
+honorary member. Society came rushing to her. She gently smiled, but
+did not seek their company. She was only concerned about Belton. She
+prayed hourly for God to bring him back to her. And now, unknown to
+her, he was coming.
+
+One morning as she was sitting on her front porch enjoying the morning
+breeze, she looked toward the gate and saw her husband entering. She
+screamed loudly, and rushed into her son's room and dragged him out of
+bed. She did not allow him time to dress, but was dragging him to the
+door.
+
+Belton rushed into the house. Antoinette did not greet him, but cried
+in anxious, frenzied tones: "Belton! there is your white child! Look
+at him! Look at him!"
+
+The boy looked up at Belton, and if ever one person favored another,
+this child favored him. Belton was dazed. He looked from child to
+mother and from mother to child. By and by it began to dawn on him
+that that child was somehow his child.
+
+His wife eyed him eagerly. She rushed to her album and showed him
+pictures of the child taken at various stages of its growth. Belton
+discerned the same features in each photograph, but a different shade
+of color of the skin. His knees began to tremble. He had come, as the
+most wronged of men, to grant pardon. He now found himself the vilest
+of men, unfit for pardon.
+
+A picture of all that his innocent wife had suffered came before
+him, and he gasped: "O, God, what crime is this with which my soul is
+stained?" He put his hands before his face.
+
+Antoinette divined his thoughts and sprang toward him. She tore his
+hands from his face and kissed him passionately, and begged him to
+kiss and embrace her once more.
+
+Belton shook his head sadly and cried: "Unworthy, unworthy."
+
+Antoinette now burst forth into weeping.
+
+The boy said: "Papa, why don't you kiss Mama?"
+
+Hearing the boy's voice, Belton raised his eyes, and seeing his image,
+which Antoinette had brought into the world, he grasped her in his
+arms and covered her face with kisses; and there was joy enough in
+those two souls to almost excite envy in the bosom of angels.
+
+Belton was now recalled to life. He again loved the world. The cup of
+his joy was full. He was proud of his beautiful, noble wife, proud of
+his promising son. For days he was lost in contemplation of his new
+found happiness. But at last, a frightful picture arose before him.
+He remembered that he was doomed to die, and the day of his death
+came galloping on at a rapid pace. Thus a deep river of sadness went
+flowing on through his happy Elysian fields.
+
+But he remained unshaken in his resolve. He had now learned to put
+duty to country above everything else. Then, too, he looked upon his
+boy and he felt that his son would fill his place in the world. But
+Antoinette was so happy that he could not have the heart to tell her
+of his fate. She was a girl again. She chatted and laughed and played
+as though her heart was full of love. In her happiness she freely
+forgave the world for all the wrongs that it had perpetrated upon her.
+
+At length the day drew near for Belton to go to Waco. He took a
+tender leave of his loved ones. It was so tender that Antoinette was
+troubled, and pressed him hard for an answer as to when he was to
+return or send for them. He begged her to be assured of his love and
+know that he would not stay away one second longer than was necessary.
+Thus assured, she let him go, after kissing him more than a hundred
+times.
+
+Belton turned his back on this home of happiness and love, to walk
+into the embrace of death. He arrived in Waco in due time, and the
+morning of his execution came.
+
+In one part of the campus there was a high knoll surrounded on all
+sides by trees. This knoll had been selected as the spot for the
+execution.
+
+In the early morn while the grass yet glittered with pearls of water,
+and as the birds began to chirp, Belton was led forth to die. Little
+did those birds know that they were chirping the funeral march of the
+world's noblest hero. Little did they dream that they were chanting
+his requiem.
+
+The sun had not yet risen but had reddened the east with his signal
+of approach. Belton was stationed upon the knoll, his face toward the
+coming dawn. With his hands folded calmly across his bosom, he stood
+gazing over the heads of the executioners, at the rosy east.
+
+His executioners, five in number, stood facing him, twenty paces away.
+They were commanded by Bernard, the President of the Imperium. Bernard
+gazed on Belton with eyes of love and admiration. He loved his friend
+but he loved his people more. He could not sacrifice his race for his
+dearest friend. Viola had taught him that lesson. Bernard's eyes swam
+with tears as he said to Belton in a hoarse whisper: "Belton Piedmont,
+your last hour has come. Have you anything to say?"
+
+"Tell posterity," said Belton, in firm ringing tones that startled the
+birds into silence, "that I loved the race to which I belonged and the
+flag that floated over me; and, being unable to see these objects of
+my love engage in mortal combat, I went to my God, and now look down
+upon both from my home in the skies to bless them with my spirit."
+
+Bernard gave the word of command to fire, and Belton fell forward,
+a corpse. On the knoll where he fell he was buried, shrouded in an
+American flag.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+PERSONAL.--(Berl Trout)
+
+
+I was a member of the Imperium that ordered Belton to be slain. It
+fell to my lot to be one of the five who fired the fatal shots and I
+saw him fall. Oh! that I could have died in his stead!
+
+When he fell, the spirit of conservatism in the Negro race, fell with
+him. He was the last of that peculiar type of Negro heroes that could
+so fondly kiss the smiting hand.
+
+His influence, which alone had just snatched us from the edge of the
+precipice of internecine war, from whose steep heights we had, in our
+rage, decided to leap into the dark gulf beneath, was now gone; his
+restraining hand was to be felt no more.
+
+Henceforth Bernard Belgrave's influence would be supreme. Born of
+distinguished parents, reared in luxury, gratified as to every whim,
+successful in every undertaking, idolized by the people, proud,
+brilliant, aspiring, deeming nothing impossible of achievement, with
+Viola's tiny hand protruding from the grave pointing him to move
+forward, Bernard Belgrave, President of the Imperium In Imperio, was a
+man to be feared.
+
+As Bernard stood by the side of Belton's grave and saw the stiffened
+form of his dearest friend lowered to its last resting place, his
+grief was of a kind too galling for tears. He laughed a fearful,
+wicked laugh like unto that of a maniac, and said: "Float on proud
+flag, while yet you may. Rejoice, oh! ye Anglo-Saxons, yet a little
+while. Make my father ashamed to own me, his lawful son; call me a
+bastard child; look upon my pure mother as a harlot; laugh at Viola
+in the grave of a self-murderer; exhume Belton's body if you like and
+tear your flag from around him to keep him from polluting it! Yes,
+stuff your vile stomachs full of all these horrors. You shall be
+richer food for the buzzards to whom I have solemnly vowed to give
+your flesh."
+
+These words struck terror to my soul. With Belton gone and this man
+at our head, our well-organized, thoroughly equipped Imperium was a
+serious menace to the peace of the world. A chance spark might at
+any time cause a conflagration, which, unchecked, would spread
+destruction, devastation and death all around.
+
+I felt that beneath the South a mine had been dug and filled with
+dynamite, and that lighted fuses were lying around in careless
+profusion, where any irresponsible hand might reach them and ignite
+the dynamite. I fancied that I saw a man do this very thing in a
+sudden fit of uncontrollable rage. There was a dull roar as of distant
+rumbling thunder. Suddenly there was a terrific explosion and houses,
+fences, trees, pavement stones, and all things on earth were hurled
+high into the air to come back a mass of ruins such as man never
+before had seen. The only sound to be heard was a universal groan;
+those who had not been killed were too badly wounded to cry out.
+
+Such were the thoughts that passed through my mind. I was determined
+to remove the possibility of such a catastrophe. I decided to prove
+traitor and reveal the existence of the Imperium that it might be
+broken up or watched. My deed may appear to be the act of a vile
+wretch, but it is done in the name of humanity. Long ere you shall
+have come to this line, I shall have met the fate of a traitor. I die
+for mankind, for humanity, for civilization. If the voice of a poor
+Negro, who thus gives his life, will be heard, I only ask as a return
+that all mankind will join hands and help my poor down-trodden people
+to secure those rights for which they organized the Imperium, which
+my betrayal has now destroyed. I urge this because love of liberty is
+such an inventive genius, that if you destroy one device it at once
+constructs another more powerful.
+
+When will all races and classes of men learn that men made in the
+image of God will not be the slaves of another image?
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Imperium in Imperio: A Study Of The
+Negro Race Problem, by Sutton E. Griggs
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO: A STUDY ***
+
+***** This file should be named 15454.txt or 15454.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+        https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/4/5/15454/
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, S.R. Ellison and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
+will be renamed.
+
+Creating the works from public domain print editions 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.  Special rules,
+set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
+copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
+protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
+Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
+charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
+do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
+rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
+such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
+research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
+practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
+subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
+redistribution.
+
+
+
+*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
+
+THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
+PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
+
+To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
+distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
+(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
+https://gutenberg.org/license).
+
+
+Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic works
+
+1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
+and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
+(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
+the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
+all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
+If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
+terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
+entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
+
+1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
+used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
+agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
+things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
+even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
+paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
+and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.  See paragraph 1.E below.
+
+1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
+or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
+collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
+individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
+located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
+copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
+works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
+are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
+Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
+freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
+this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
+the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
+keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
+
+1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
+what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
+a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
+the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
+before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
+creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
+Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
+the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
+States.
+
+1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
+
+1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
+access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
+whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
+phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
+copied or distributed:
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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
+
+1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
+from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
+posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
+and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
+or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
+with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
+work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
+through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
+Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
+1.E.9.
+
+1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
+with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
+must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
+terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
+to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
+permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
+
+1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
+work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
+
+1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
+electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
+prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
+active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm License.
+
+1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
+compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
+word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
+distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
+"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
+posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
+you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
+copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
+request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
+form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
+
+1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
+performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
+unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
+
+1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
+access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
+that
+
+- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
+     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
+     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
+     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
+     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
+     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
+     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
+     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
+     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
+     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
+     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
+     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
+     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
+     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+     License.  You must require such a user to return or
+     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
+     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
+     Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
+     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
+     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
+     of receipt of the work.
+
+- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
+     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
+forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
+both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
+Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
+Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
+
+1.F.
+
+1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
+effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
+public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
+collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
+"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
+property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
+computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
+your equipment.
+
+1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
+of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
+liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
+fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
+LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
+PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
+TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
+LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
+INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
+DAMAGE.
+
+1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
+defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
+receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
+written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
+received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
+your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
+the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
+refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
+providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
+receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
+is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
+opportunities to fix the problem.
+
+1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
+in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
+
+1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
+warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
+If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
+law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
+interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
+the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
+provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
+
+1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
+trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
+providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
+with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
+promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
+harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
+that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
+or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
+work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
+Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
+
+
+Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
+electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
+including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
+because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
+people in all walks of life.
+
+Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
+assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
+goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
+remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
+and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
+To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
+and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org.
+
+
+Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
+Foundation
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
+501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
+state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
+Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
+number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
+https://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
+permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
+
+The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
+Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
+throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
+809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
+business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
+information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
+page at https://pglaf.org
+
+For additional contact information:
+     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
+     Chief Executive and Director
+     gbnewby@pglaf.org
+
+
+Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
+spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
+increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
+freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
+array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
+($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
+status with the IRS.
+
+The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
+charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
+States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
+considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
+with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
+where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
+SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
+particular state visit https://pglaf.org
+
+While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
+have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
+against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
+approach us with offers to donate.
+
+International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
+any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
+outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
+
+Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
+methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
+ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
+donations.  To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate
+
+
+Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.
+
+Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
+concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
+with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
+Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
+
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
+unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+
+Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
+
+     https://www.gutenberg.org
+
+This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
+including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
+Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
+subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
diff --git a/15454.zip b/15454.zip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc6dff8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/15454.zip
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..064cb9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #15454 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15454)