The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-10
CATCHING AKU-KLUx.
The Experience OF Jordan sodom. nm Ameri-
can Citizen Of African Descent.

Where are you living nowr asked his
ex-master.
I'm crsppln on the Hearn place. sir Crap
pin on shears, and Tse running for Justice OF de
Peace out In our nelghborhood. Never mind,
Marse Johnl I sees you lofin."
81 understand there are a great many coored
persons on the lIearp place." said tho Colonel.
=" Dere is dat, thick as neas on an old hound
Can't turn round widout knocking over niggers
Ike dead cotton stalks"
"what capital place for Ku-Klux." quietly
observed John Wetherill, who was carving a
| dabolical head upon green pecan.
"Ieyl What you say2" Jordan prlcked up
his ears, moved closely to the young mans side,
and fingered the lapel OF his coat nervously.
" Heyl What did you say, Marso JOhnw
Inc Hearn place would be a capital neld Of
operations for the Ku-KluI," said young Weth
erl going on with his carving without looking
| up.
See here, Marse John" Jordan said In a
WHISPER, III there is anything wants to know
about, II Ia dem Ku-Kluxers; please sir, tell me
about dem. I'll give you eenamost anything II
you do 8. You SEQ dons lea dc old place for
quiet, AMI don't want to be Interested no mo-.
and when Use Justice of de Pence you know, l
must be 'quaintei wild der Ku-Kiux."
81 don't know much about them myself"
II done heard much I'm gettln' skeered Of
dem critters. Brewer Cash, sister Spinach, ana
me done sot up three cessable nights waitn' for
dem, and we hant seed hair nor hide OF 'em
yet. What does dey look like2 Anything like
varmentsl Anything like ghostcsses7 Any
thing like c0rcasses and cotpscs2 Anything
hkn folks or owl-1 Is dey Rebs ghosts or is
! dev Democracsi DO give some exernment
u dem. We ol.red ks done been stirred M
about dem ku klux. Ne can't pass All old
stump widdout lOukin' bonn" N
- I..l
auout them h. tae papers"
III 2ess In de pers, Marse John dey must
oe sumethtn awful"
"Yes. vOry-so the papers say They 60 about
| shooting and siashing the colore people ike
devils eat negroes with IN appetite, wool aud
all. Tney won't let coored children 10 To school
| to Learn; thcv burn school houses, whip the
teachers, hang them sometimes, aud tney scalp
worse than Indians all tue colored people that
want to WORK and make money ihey come at
night and have square meal on every poor ne
gro who believes he IL going to yet forty acres
aud mule for voting for the good. honest car
pet-oageers." John wetherill let hi. hands drop
and raised MS head suddenly saying under his
ION. Lordy. IL DAT iao'7" Jordan rolled bis
ewes In terror having strenuou-lv voted for
overy carpet bagger IN the county who had
punched him Familiarity In the riOs and swore
he loved him better than his soul or money, aud
looked apprehensiyelv behind him. Does you
ihink oats a fsc2 VIII them things 10 we all
dat "A wayf
They know IN ore about II than l do said the
Young man. turning away aud saunterine back
companions had resumed their places aud were
discussing fresh cigar. Jordan followed, per
and .tiitsTins ia his eaSerness. When JOIN
wetherll sat down and resumed his carving
Jordan squatted beside him and entreated to
II cin't sleep o nights for thinking much
bout dem ku-Kiux. | want to know something
mo. MaIse John. Please, sur. tell the all you
knows. | won't toll, he laid, earnestly.
" | cannot explain the whole matter to you. IL
Will only pcrpleK YOU. Ia my opinion II Is Chi
h'.'i'"
his shins, and stared into the lmmobile face be-
fore him. scratched his shirt bosom, then hi
legs. naally gave /. up-he couldn't abstract a
meaning from any point.
well knows one thing: III keep lookin
out; some day rrcken ~ nnd out all about
EN-. see here, Marse John" edeing close " lm
I most dead To tell YOU how haid Use been
,r,ln' to come w wild dem things"
, why don't YOU tell meY"
"kase I'm frad yOu'il Ian at me-.
"suppose l dol Won't you let mo enjoy a
'Ahe! fellow don't Ike 4 all de time
YOU know; put dang t. a, rs you. Mrse
. one n.rht wo- setting Ia nv house studyin'
. and puz1lin' my ole m9ddle head ,oont den
a oe a iuI u IDEAS ana a .er1ichia' sTpposin
1 dey come to Interest you. what you gwine tC
= do ~ at even wild demY Dey II come fust to d,
> hon house, sure. I re- Dout dar and den dey'l
I make Tor Jordan, II dey has anything to do wi,
: has Devil ue pirOultn' and prswiin about al
I .wV,yr o'clock. Dey tells me ole Satin m Ike,
i his last round a. Twelve o'clock ile goes q IN
;, spect his nix bin' pot, and to see " the hre- arr
- hot enun, den he stirs up lie pot wtd his lon
u fork, aud dem spirits dat done dra2 to tue bot
., watch his eDbils no mo-. and = es To sleep. A
soon As de dsbbils cool on little an ind oil
y Satin asnorin' dog hops out an Jst 60 IL III al
q Kinds Z rascalitv uIl daylight. hebbe dems d.
y ku-kluxers you metng'
Weiheriil shook his head. mo, oarpet-bag
j. well" resumed Jord IN. II Trunk II all over
IA and | sed 10 myself, Jordan Sodom. ef den
- ku-hluhers cotches YOU, twill be your owl
II faJt. You ought 70 keep your ewes skinne
'- aud not he cltched a nappn.' So riz 40, ant
"a went u the outside OF my hen house, ana So
I; big b.x to make 1t IAN heavy, and then sue
l. myself inside d" hen mouse, whar could watc
a my tran ana near II TALL
ID " Kept ~ siill as - mouser, and watched der
IL long time. | wus gIttin mighty sleepy.
h didn't hear NUM- hut nv cnickeus en- nrin
"A legs on de roost, and old Re td-eve and straw
n neck, NV sSttin hens, qlirmtn' on their nest
r | ue-an TO think aOout gavin It up, my heA
Il. Gept droppn on my brenst. aud my ewes
y -huttin. and | would eaten myself snort
~ snort snorts aud suappln my teeth liks "A pal
b. Of SCISSOR; when heard sonethin' cIlc' "a
m sticks. Gollv! commenced 10 tremble
NV, Jordan, thinks |, you've got yoursel
ID in pretty SNAIL, you thick headed asa! 'Sp sii
In DIT ku kiux takes a turn on YOU. Instead ,
u cotcnin nan lie cotches you, How You gwiu
t. helu you,se,ff | didn't KNOW what To ii,
r. kept 4 drawn ana drawn. TN nv scalp q,
te nKe ptcn vi SER. lhen got r,0-e-nesny %
ID IA eacn otner AMI r,ulin' inside my breecn,
m like old bones bat had done douv 10. / ",
lt .lNl ia ne htu hoisrs AMI lUAf 1 hAu ~ -tiN.
ne sun, heard creepin' and a cfccptu'.
lis held breath ttgut, and pressed my han
r hard over my heart. ka.e II thumped, aud
At uedt. aud IL kept gNine till thot would haN
r to let -. AM let II pop ri-ht uH my thro
er Narre Johu, nigRers ave mishty hard - salts
'r ! don't "clicb its In d~m eDer 10 toe sati,1e
al DO you know, tho wus SACRED euui TO have
= spas. wanted j. t. see dat ku-kIl TX tho wors
Nd even el he gobbied me down Wild one bite
e =" ke.t "A listoniu' Wild all my ears, and lie o
q pea sucks kept - cracAin', "nI 1t VS. still
al comm, when
Z "Mhack, darl
NJ :" De uggery four shot up ami down come d
=. box. ,iy mOui hsw open, and grunei uil tt
es hinges Of my J Avs era ked and ached | ha,
p haWed right ont TIL sot ali de BOOSTERS to cac
~ ling ana sdliug up to de OFT hens. Then
IT. 8. ppel Juba on my sides. III hadn't been
IN religious pussin I'd have need a set to tig
An thar and then M n wOs, | wus 5, rejoIced
IS" .mpeA stiight w and crossed my le9s afore
GER found my senses.
liz 80 LORD, dar, | done done 1t ngunl
IRE flung myself right down ON my knees, stuck Il
ne he ~ In old straw nest, ami sed II
&C. prayers:
ne - Good Lord, who done forgive Ebenez
when he yumlcAed no de whale under ms oN
rd gouri Niue please forgive JOid an Tor a cro-si
OF OF his legs In the success Of his .tlefdcuuu =
ct before your face, In hi- own hen house. He
40 mo rite nuN IN my Time Of need 10 cOtch dis I,
n 4llN ku-klux. dat Il may come no mo to i