The Portland daily press., 1897-08-25
WHY GRANT WAS NOT KIDNAPPED.
A "Reminiscences of the Knights of the
Golden Circle.
New York SUM-

on a mule drew rein in Missouri lane
within speaking distance of two young
men husking corn in company with sew
eral adult negroes 1t was about 4
O'Clock of a cold gray day.
II hate to see men work so hard, " the
rider called, with intent to be sarcastic.
tHello, jeff, - the young fellows called
as they rose from the piles of stalks be-
fore which they sat and sauntered toward
the fence
you're a likely chap to talk about
work, ridin' around the country on a
mewel, like they weren't no work to do. I"
The rider grinned. cts too late to
husk corn anyhow. You, South Car lini-
ans are always about two months late :"
Suddenly his voice changed to tone of
joyous excitement, and he bent over the
pommel of his saddle:
Say, the Knights meet tonight"
''Shut up, you fool, ;" said one of the
huskers. Don't you see the niggers lis
tening. what's going on?"
The riders voice sank to humble.
81 don't know. Jim met me and told me
the Dutch peddler had brought some
Jews and said he wanted all the Knights
to be on hand
Where do we meet?''
Jim Lyons's barn.
"Wen, I'll tell you this-we've got to
have lot O. pickets out, for the niggers
are excited. They have an idea some
thing is going on that would interest
them.''
"Jim'll watch out fer that. Well-so
long. Be on hand.'
tWe'll be there
The country about ST. Louis was at
that time more secession than Union in
feeling, and though the farmers of the
creek were pursuing their ways quietly
they were ready at any moment for an
enterprise in aid of the South. By
swift and decided stroke of military fore
sight Frank P. Blair had captured Camp
Jackson and it's arsenal in May, thus saw
ing the city and its munitions to the
Union, but there had sprung up all over
the country secret society in sympathy
with the South. These societies were
branches of the knights of the Golden
Circle, and it was their hope that at some
time they might be able to do some de-
cisive work in aid of secession.
There was lodge or circle at Gravois,
into which all the Confederate sympa-
thizers were gathered, It thus far the
Southern cause owed them little. There
was something in the sudden call for a
meeting this November day. however,
which convinced every eager Knight that
the time for action had come at last
Some deed was to do-what it was no one
could tell, save the peddler; but as the
night grew thick, from every direction,
on foot and on horseback, the men began
to move through the cold, bleak air to-
ward the rendezvous. The two young
men of the cornshocks were brothers,
Abner and Zimri Taylor. They were both
stalwart, bearded and quiet in man ner
At supper they uttered no word of the
news brought to them, for black ears
keen as an hare's, were open to hear the
lowest word. The blacks were already
tremulous with excitement over the news
of battles in the South, which some of
them comprehended to mean that certain
white men were fighting for them. 9th
ers merely felt sympathetically the tense
anxiety of the time, which portended
tragic deeds. There was restraint in
the silence which Abner's wife perceived
AS he rose from the table that night he
said to his wife:
I'm going to the postoffice to hear the
news. %
The young wife seized the moment to
Fob, Abner, hope it isn't any project
of the Knights"
''Be quiet" he said, sharply. "You
wouldn't go into the service, and l won't
at least, not now"
Promise me not to do anything rash,
Abner'
He smiled little. ST don't have that
reputation among the circle, he said.
The younger brother grew impatient.
ooh, come along, Abner; we'll be late.
Abner had already been under arrest
for rebellious act while on visit to St.
Louis, and his wife was easily alarmed
now, By z. 80 the barn held score of men
of all ages and sizes, and outside circle
of pickets kept watch that no pry1ng ne
gro came within hearing distance OF the
loft in which the meeting was held. In the
centre of the group, and doing most Of
the talking, was big, black whlskered
man of alert and vigorous manner. The
members were hunched or sprawling
about on tho hay listening in silence.
At last the chairman raped for order,
and said in low voice:
Brothers of the Circle, you are called
together tonight because there is work to
be done. You've all been just achin' to
&c something for the cause, and nos yo'
chance. We've had to keep our mouths
shet. We've had to submit to these Yam
kee scrubs who hold our fo't. Fo't
jackson should never have been surren-
dered. We have been helpless under the
heel OF these Northern vandals ever since.
Now we have chance to make them pay
Brother Nose Banner has n wordsto say"
Bauner was peddler who carried
drugs from st. Louis to the Confederate
armies in the southern part of the State.
He carried also whatever news of mill
tary movements he could secure, He
now stepped out,into the floor the excite
ment of the big project in. mis- yisage
He plunged into the plan at once.
Brothers, we have a chance to rob the
Northern armies of a Brigadier General
Gen. U. S. Grant of Cairo is home On a
leave Of absence. He drove out TODAY
without a guard. Nobody with him.