The Irish standard., 1891-01-03
ZEB CARRIERS GRIT.
He Came to Stay--FightinR
Band OF Regulators.

IAe term "ku-kluF WIS lau1iAtak '"
the people Of the rural districts In ut
least two Southern States mt the close
OF the war; but in tho wira-grass region
OF Georgia tho organization was known
az "The Bag Company'~~and the mys-
tory that shroudcd It's movements; tho
unknown men who composed 1t, rldlnG
with masked faces through tho country
on stormy nights; surrounding the dwell
ings OF mem who perhaps had conmltted
crime, or wcro obnoxious to tho com
munlty in which they lived, and In voice
less silence, binding their victim and
taking him to tho thick woods Whcro,
after the lash was applied, no was ,rlVen
warming to leave the country and return
40 more. made people Sh"dder Wl1onats
name. was mentioned.
Tho d,sorganlzed condition OF tho
country ut that tImo mado something OF
tho kind necessary In manly localities.
Things were In II state OF chaos; the law
was but {: 1noclscry; men won't trampinG
through the country, pillaginS tho farm
houses ana often burning them; others
settled down in communities and prcycd
upon tho people like wolves, and goneE~
III disorder reigned everywhere.
It was ut this time that Ieb Carter and
his wlfn rented II little farm near tho
old Albany and Gulf road, in the wire
grast region Of Georgia, and set to work
10 mend their broken fortunes. Ihcy
had lost their MI by tho war, in which
Xcb had served ns Il private in Tho Con-
Tolerate ranks from tho beginning To
tho ond ''Ihcir all" did rot moan
much, conDured with the losses hus~
tanned by others, and yct, 1T was much
to them though it only represented q
llttlo house in Savannah, which GcD had
buiit limanif with tho money he lnd
saved from his hard labor
But he went bravery To work again.
And Xcb was hard worker. Whll" no
split the rails to fence In his farm, no
also furnished tho railroad with wood.
which the engines took from the rack
at station *El0>1' and left therefor tho
checks WEIGH brought him bread.
Xnh had only been In dhe country
month when, coming home one day wlLh
M axo on his shoulder. nc was met by
his wife aud three men, who seemed TO
have business with him. His vito wns
the frat to speak.
'I'ln 80 glad you've come, Fob she
said. These n.cn have been Wnldln' to
sec ypu; and They've axod no so many
curious q l~stlonA that didn't know
how 10 answer en-. I'm erfGarcd they
den, mean as any gooA," sho whispered
~ ;.ub broaght tho pole OF his axe 10
the ground with Il tnud and, leaning on
tho handle, slipped his arm. around his
wifc's waist aud faced the mon.
II don't thiulz wc'vo ovHr met before,
said Xeb, addressing his visitors Il
haiu't had timo TO cit round among The
pcoplo vet, but i's:. powerful glad to 500
You. WHAT'S up?"
1--WE want to speak to you privately
said one or the 12cn
"Wcll, 80 ahead said Icb we're
private now You needn't be afHarcd O.
NV vito. She an mes one"
II rather you'd step aside with mo
moment" said thc man. ~ can't say
what ana instructed TO say TO yo" III
tho presence Of your wife"
"All right" said lob. shonldcrinE bis
axe again gym 'grccablo. ANY thing
to save time. I'm in O. powerful big
hurry"
They stepped apart from the rest and
convnrsed In low tones.
'It's no lso talkinG," said Fob, as tho
man demonstrated with him. ~ know
my business. I'm q pcaccablc an law
ubidin' man, whether there's amy law In
w.
to Join yonr society. | rospoc' the law,
but God did at mako nc to deal it out TO
people, aren't got brains enough Tor
that
sUut evory respectable man In the
country belongs TO us" said tho man,
We'll, here, one that don't b'long to
your said Zcb, bringing the polo "t his
nxc down to the ground again IAN
what's moro, TO aron't a-goin TO b'long
to YOU. ! don't h'lcvc In your kind o
buainras.'
IN g!vc you {. week to consider the
ma:s.,r boforo mako my report, SAID
tho man, as he bccl1oned to his com
penions and moved away, and ia ad-
wise you to give tho right kind Of an
swor when wo sec you again. IL might
10 better 70. you in tho cad
'l'yo done spoke my mind" replied
Zeb, "an' You heard 1t. You know my
scntiments.'
a week rolled by-a week of hard
work TO Deb, and no hal almost forgot.
ton In, hille episode recorded above,
when tac committee O! three called on
him again. The mon ha,l come to SEQ
IL his nial hnl ondergcnn any change
with reta,:neo TO his joining thcls 'or-
ganiza.los.
I, hat. rn. ard 1cb told them SO worry
plainly.
So they lef. HIM to report his case un-
favorabiy ut headquarters,
II can't SEQ that they wnntWith me, "
remarked zol to his wife rs they sat to-
ycther by their oaLln ilro ono rainy
wintor night. ''1hcy'vo got mon
cuough to do al tho mischief they want
without nc. An to my mird they do
more mischief than good, from what !
! can hear"