The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 1, 1903, Page 1

*9r= HIS is the second installment k of *“The Leopard’s Spots.™ wher the author, Thomas Dixon Jr., has taken up the tale of ‘the white man’s burden” in the South during the awful carmage of the great civil strife in 1860, and the more distressing period since, and drawn a picture that is heartrending in its vividness And yet the very best part of Mr. Dixon's remarkable book is the fact at he¢ has mot written merely to 1l you. There is no striving af- ter effect. He writes very quietly of things. as they are and were, but those things tremendously por- tential. Moreover he has written in this, his latest book, the@tenderest love passages, the most virile, tense situations ever created by modern pen If you bave read any part of the first instgllment, printed last Sun- day~if oply the first chapter—you need only the simple announcement that you get the whole book—frée— in two gr three editions to keep you on the qui vive for the NEXT SUN- DAY CALL Immediately after the completion of “The Leopard’s Spots” you will get “THE THIRTEENTH DIS- TRICT.” by Brand Whitlock. This novel has created a tremendous sen- sation both in America and in Europe its expose of the insidious, vam- thd for pire-like effect of social life in Wash- ington, upon the moral and political careersof those who are drawn into the maslstrom. Watch this novel You’'ll hear it talked about. Then in -apid succession will fol- ew, “The Gentieman From Indiana,” by Booth Tarkington; “The Mississ- ppi Bubble,” by Emerson Hough; Tainted Gald,” by Mrs. C. N. Wil- liamson; “The Turnpike House,” by Fergus Hume, etc., etc There are othe: announcements to be made later that will be right in line with the splendid literary policy of The Gpnday C 11 already outlined, by which our readers get the best fic- tion of the day without any extra cost pyT 2 Doubleday, Page & Co. rights reserved. HAPTER CONTINUED FEW years ago a Southern (13 Representative in stupid rage knocked wharles Sumper down - e and racked his sk this ¥ ree men now f Charles Sumner Thaddeus Bte speect . & r that prea < siong vou ek him few He aiwavs some sorf of spite Of the wus GRIan Lands with ihege ariy b thelr the - hea ilable ing joined confii-t of i whether this reput Anglo-Saxon. ) the kindliest 4 faces fee he¢ remembered the flerce sms i1 the hearts of the demagogues who were experimenting with this social 1 dypamite. it was a joke that hellish, sinister meaning. took on 8 CHAPTER XIIL HE WAS_ TEO. WZLD, DRANK 700 MUCH WHISKEY, ANVD WAS DICK When (harlle Gaston reached his home afier a never-to-be-forgotten day 'in the »ods with the preacher, he found a rag- little dirt-smeared negro boy pesp- through the fence into the woodyard. “What you want?” cried Charlle. R 700 HANDY . '\t"zos your father?” WITH A4 Haint got none. My mudder say she was tricked, en I'se de trick!" he chuck- led and walled his eyes. arlie came close and looked him over. k giggled and showed the whites of s, REVOLVEF” conscience was the fire that kindled ths vil War, rofe in solemn nrotest against this Insanity., Thelr rotest was drowned in the rear of muiiitudes maddened by demagogues who were preparing for a political campaign. . « » & Late in August Hambright and 4 % Campbell County were thrilled with 2 horror at the report of a terrible crime. A whole white family had been mur- der in their home, the father mother and three children in o~9 night, and no clew to the murderers could be found. Two days later the rumor r?md over the country that a horde of negroes, “heavily armed, were ap- roaching Hambright burning, pil- aging and murdering. All day terrified women, soi walking with babes In their arms gome riding in old wagons and earry- g what household goods they could load them, were hurrying with blanched taces into the town. By night five hundred determined white n had answered an alarm_bell and sembled in the courth use. Every ne- o save a few faithful servants had isappeared. A strange stiliness fell over the village. Mrs. Gaston €&t in her house without a light, looking anxiously out of the window, overwhelmed with the sense of helplessness. Charlie, frightened by the wild stories he had heard, was trylug in spite of his fears to comfort her. Don’t cry. mama!” 'm not crying because I'm afraid, darling, I'm only crying because your father i mot here to-night. I can't get used to living without him fo protect.us.” “I'll take care of you, mama—Nelse and “What made that streak on your neck™” “Nigger done it wid er ex.” “Wkat nigger “Low life nigger name er Amos, what y's roun’ cur house Sunday m a ‘“Where is Nelse?" £ ‘He's cleaning up the shotgum.” “What made him do 1t> He low he wuz me dad- , en I sez he wuz er lar, den he grab de ax en ury to chop me head off. “Gracious, be ’'most killed you!"” “Yasstr, but de doctor sewed me head back, en grow’d.” jovdaees e " srinned Dick . en I ain't gwine home ne mox 1 done run away, en I wants ter 1 wid you” “Will you help me and else work?"” “Dut I will. I can do »s' anyting. You ax yer ma fur me, an’ doan let dat nigger Nelse git holt er me. Charlle’s heart went ot to the ragged little waif. He took himn by the hanc led him into the yard, found his mother, ~and begged her to give him & e to ep and keep bin Hils mother tried to per- iim to make Dick go s own home, 34 in his ob- e newcomer, e looked at h she wouu over the fence. k stuck doggedly rlie’s heels. a, dear, see; they Lead d the bor. ar wheeled Dick around and showed the ter- rib across the back of his neck. t dey didn't cut hut 1 i " muttered Nelse. ., you can't send him back to be riing, I'll see about it to-mor- Dick; I'll show you where to . day Dick's mother wasiglad d of him by binding him legaliy Gaston, and a lonely boy found and partner in work, he was forget CHAPTER XIV. T NEGRO UPRISING The summer of 18671 Wil ever a South ern man or woman who saw it forget its A group of oath-bound secret « the Tnion League, the Heroes a and the Red Strings dominat ty and maruuding bands of ne- ecenes? stealing,-burning and murdering. was not only demoralized, it had exist. Depression was univ States as a deliberative body under con- stitutional forms of government no_long- er existed. The Speaker of the House »(d. tarming paralyzed, investivents dead, shook his , fist. at the President and nd all property insecure. Moral obli- threatened -openly to hang him, and he gatlons were dropping away from con- was-arraigned for impeachment for dar- ouct, and a gulf as deep as hell and high ing to exercise the constitutional functions | en opening between the two races. ot nis office! Y wegro preachers openly instructed The division agents of the Freedman's their flocks to take what they needed Bureaw in the South sent to Washington -India.and Egypt the mastery of the cot- *Tell h% to come here.” from their white neighbors. If any man tle most alarming reports, declaring a ton markets of the world! . When else approached his mistress dured prosecute a thief, the answer was famine imminent. In reply the vindictive * Congres: me to the desolate South ‘asked: ¥ & burned barn or a home in ashes. leaders levied a tax of §15 2 bale on cotton, what Attilg, the “Scourge of God,” was . *“Nelse, do you really think this tale gi The wildest passions held riot in Wash- plunging thousands o° Southern-farmers -to civilized Europe. is true?” 5 The Congress of (he United into immediate bankruptcy and giving te The Abolitionists of the North, whose *“No, missy, I doan belleve nary word uf ington, [man’s Bureau, issued a windy § every dir Shhoma D, g TERARY - SECTION {f. Same time I'se gettin’ ready fur ‘em. Ef er nigger come foolin' roun’ dis house ter night, he'll t'ink he's run ergin er whole regiment! I hain’t been ter wah fur nuttin’.” “Nelse, you have always been faithful. 1 trdst you implicitly.” “De Lawd, mbk dat you kin do! I fight fur vou en dat boy till I drap dead in my tracks!” “I believe you would.” ““Yessum, cose I would. En I wants dat swo'de er Marse Charles to-night, missy, en Charlie ter help me sharpen 'im on de_grirestone.” She took the sword from its place and handed it to Nelse. Was there just a shade of doubt in her heart as she saw his black hand close over . its hilt as he drew it from the, scabbard and feit its edge! 1f so she gave no sign. Charlie turned the grindetone while Nelse proceeded to violate the laws of nations by putting a keen edge on the blade. bber seed no sense in dese dull swodes nohow!” ‘“Why ain’t they sharp. Nelse?” “Doan know, hor Marse Charlie tell me de law doan ’'low it, but dey sho hain’t no law now!" We'll sharpen it, won't we, Nelse?" wlispered the boy s he turned faster “Dat us will, honey. En den you des watch me mow uiggers ef dey come er ywlin' round dis house!” Did you kill many Yankees in the war, e spec I did.” tgke the gun an know, Are you the sword?” “Bofe um ‘em, chile. T'se gwine ter shoot er pair er niggers fust, en den charge de whole gang wid dis swode. Hain't nuttin’ er nigger's feared uf lak er keen edge. Wish ter God I had a razer long es dis swods! 1'd des walk clean froo er whole army er niggers wid guns. Man, hit 'ud des natchelly be er sight! Day'd slam dem guns down en bust . themselves open gittin® outen my wayl: When the sun rose next merning the bodies of ten negroes lay dead and wounded {n the road about a mile outside of towr. The pickets thrown out in every direction had discovered their approach about eleven o'clock. They were allowed to advance within a mile. There were not more ihan two hundred in the gang, doz- ens of them were drunk, and like the Seépoys of India, they were under the command of a white scalawag. At the first «volley they broke und fled in wild disorder. heir- leader managed to cape. This event cleared the atmosphere for honey, going to or a few weeks; and the people breathed more freely when another company of army regulars marched into.town and camped In‘the school grounds of the old academy. CHAPTER XV. THE NEW CITI N Of all the elections the English speaking race the one } under the “Reconstruction” act of 1 in the South was the most unique. Ezra Perkins, the agent of the Freed- proclama- tion to the new citizens tc come forward on a certain day to register and receive heir “‘elective franchise.” The negroes poured into tion from early KING. ever conducted by town dawn. from Some carried baskets, some carried jugs, and some were pushing wheelbarrows, but most of them had an empty bag. They were packed around s0.d black ma Nelse laughed until around him. the "agency in a a crowd gathered ordy, look at dem bags!” he shouted “En dars ole Ike wid er jug. He's gwine ter take hisen in licker. En br God dars_er fool wid er wheelbarrer!” Nelse lay down and rolled with laughter They falled to see the joke, and when the agency was opened they made a break for the door, trampling each other down I{n a mad fear that there wouldn't te enough ‘elective franchise” to go round! The first negro who emerged from the our came Wwith a crestfallen face aud an empty bag on his arm. He was surrounded by anxfous snquirers. “What wuz hit ‘Nuffin. Des stan up dar befo’ r man with en he make export de ¢ Nu big whiskers me swar nstitu ited States iy 2 When Nelse appeared Perkins loked at hith a mo. ment and ed ““Are you m on Leagu: nber of aside and let these It you want to vote » reply, but i ed with the Re urham by his side. He flowed to register, but from t he was a marked man a short John al- me he r at da among b en the registration closed Per- was in high glee “We've got ‘em. Timothy dead sure thing!” he er as siipped his arm around Tim's s der. “If it ain't big enough we'll franchise morq aristocrats and fra e the dogs.” Tim w whether this proposition was gether Natiering. During the progress of the paign a committee from th. zution of the “truly loyal.” kins and Dave Hal Camp. “Mr. Camp, we want y 2 leader among the p dis- er dered alto- cam- organi- Ezra Per- , called on Tom help as or white peo- the country from these ruined g up the wrong ' answered Tom dryly. ““The poor men have got to stand together now and get their rights.” “Well, if I've got to stand with niggers, have 'em & me and blow reath in my face; as you fel- are doin’, You can count me and if that's all you want with me. you'll find the door open.” Faley tried his hand. “‘Look here, Camp, we ain't got no hard feelin’s agin you., but there's agoin' to be trouble for every rebei in this county who don’t git on our side and do it quick.” “I'm used to ‘trouble, pardner,” replied Tom. “You've got a nice little cabin home and ten acres of land. Fight us and we will ve this house and lot to a nigger.” E don't believe it." cried Tom. “Come, come,” sald Perkins, “you're fool enc to fight w e a dead su > fixed before the vot ngress and the w arm 1 ain't er hat's t c Hale v T t c . toi he’s goin’ to he him all the way up to tk him on the outs wi with © were allowed.to find® them as best they could. £ the poil holder st to keep the by three d eral In command Carolina cores of negroes, under the Instrue- tions of their lead: voted three timés that day boy fairly well was allowed to vote and no ques- sked as to age polls attemptin to v st the Rev. Em Perkins, the poll h A crowd of i furiated negroes surrounded Lim in a mo ment “Kill "im! Knock 'im in the head! De black debbil, votin® agin his color! big s right and left en space the edge of which lay zen negroes scram- bling to get to their feet The negroes med a line In t of d t nost one sald t dat vote in de box we m down before he got h. “Hone: 1o shouted w d back and star s ordered the guard to arrest rd earried N you vit, ole hoss!” was ord as he disappeared throug} C > supper table fa the hat at ight informal census of the voters was taken. There were present at the table a distinguished e, two lawyers, a gene two_cler- a nt, a farmer and two nics. ly man of all allowoed ote that was the negro who wait- 1 the ta us began the era of a corrupt and I n the Sou sorrow historie institutions lee t and vice. The yotes were sent e military com dant at CI t i the results ced. ad elected 110 representative whites ten. I vely an m Washing ernmen rth Car- CHAPTER XVI. LEGREE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. The new government was now in full swing and a saturnalia began. _Amos of the House. and the H of the maj floor ¢ of Oaks, straw mat able members of th pied these. They were clos to “allow a bottle of wi be { 1 from at any he t. the t t the beds were ar this view and were much f the crowd a_valise The others w odds and red b ndkerchiefs of them had walked all the wayv aleigh and ke the woods from as ther two rode train and han their tickets to ranger they saw on the plat- ar_they boarded. is for!” said the stranger Them's our tickets. A!n’t you the door kee; : ought to be one to ev ave one when you g 1o Duke, apologized for she showed them to gentlemen, 1 The landlad the poor beds theit room them’s fine the woods and iodgin’ ole Vagee's them wh eets 15 the thing we've seed i r years, er more They were humble and made no com 1 of the week the Ezra Perkins plaints.. But at tl gathered around for a grave consulta “When are we going ter draw?’ sald one. “Air we ever goin’ ter draw?" asked »yw and doubt here fer ef we caln't other looking sa another with sor we answered Ezra,