Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-07-23
THE KU-KLUX KLAN.
BY MRS. S. A. WEISS.

BY MRS. S. A. WEISS.
Mr.. Peter Stokes was a highly
respectable citizen of Peddleville,
one of the suburban towns" of
New York. For the last ten
years he had been clerk to a res
pectable firm and the recipient of
a respectable salary, which, as he
was q bachelor, and had no ex.
pensive habits, amply sufficed to
support himself. In disposition
he was peaceable and retiring
some called him timid-while, in
person, he presented a rotund ap-
pearance, with placid rosy face, a
smooth and shining head, slightly
bald, and light grey eyes peering
through gold-rimmed spectacles.
His wardrobe was of the most
respectable description, his hat
might have served as a mirror,
and his linen was a credit to bis
washerwoman. Mentally he was,
without being a genius, person
Of inquiring mind and consequent
general information. He sub
scribed to three papers, and read
whatsoever others came in his
way. His politics were undecid-
ed and of a mild type. The on
Iy points on which he felt perfect
ily sure were that the radicals
were all right; that the negro,
though a british and disgusting
subject, should be free, and allow
ed equal privileges with any other
human being; and that southern
ers were rebels and traitors, and a
desperate, bloodthirsty race, who
would never rest until they had
found some means of revenging
themselves upon the victorious
and magnanimous north for hav-
ing whipped them back into the
bonds Of the glorious Union.
This latter idea was not a very
pleasant one to Mr.. Stokes. He
knew that southerners had plenty
of fierce physical courage of a
gorilla-like kind, and he believed
them to be determined and revenge
full. What act, therefore, of bru'
tai cunning and ferocity was not
to be anticipated from such a pee.
pie? Mr.. Peter Stokes had often
felt his cheeks blansh and his
heart quail at the thought.
And now it was come at last,
that which he had long foreseen
and foretold. Here was the
dreaded and mysterious Ku-Klux
Klan overshadowing with Its de-
mon wings the distracted country
-foredoomingits victims to death,
sending forth its mysterious warn.
ings, and "Heaven knows what
else of horror!" exclaimed Mr..
Stokes, shaking his head in mel
ancholy presentiment.
It was at the house of his friend
Brown that Mr.. Stokes expressed
himself as here described. Brown
had recently built himself a snug
little cottage on Long Island, in
one of those delightful suburban
localities where, consequently
people at night go stumbling am
phibiously through trackless bogs
and marshes, and plunging blind
ly into treacherous pools of stag
nant rain water, and stumping the
toes on loose-lying brickbats, ano
getting themselves lost in wilder
nesses of brick and mortar anG
scafoldiug, until, in their bewil
derment, they are progressing up
on their heads or their feet. Ane
this was how it came to pass tha
Mr.. Peter Stokes, bidding adieu t.
his friend Brown at ten o'clock a
night, and walking, as he though
strait forward to the nearest fer
Try, presently found himself adrif
in an unknown region of mut
and darkness, without Landmark
to direct him into the right Way
7 What should he do? So far a
he could ascertain through tn
foggy gloom it seemed an unin
habited region. except for the pig
and goats who gave drowsy utter
ance to their disapprobation as b
came stumbling amongst them
Once he ventured to call aloud
but his voice sounded SO awful,
hoarse and sepulchral on the still
ness that he had not the courag