Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-22
The LeoD0rdS Spots"


makes you so grave this morning? asked
Lowell with kindly patronage.
Harris felt that his hour had come, ana
he must face 1t. He leaned forward In
his chair and looked steadily down at
the rug, while he clasped both his hands
firmly across his lap and spoke with great
rapidity.
Mr.. Lowell, wish to say to you that
you have taught me the greatest faith of
life, faith in my fellow-man without which
there can be no faith in God. What have
suffered as a man as have come in con-
tact with the brutality with which my
race is almost universally treated, God
only can ever know.
''The culture have received has simply
multiplied a thousand fold my capacity to
suffer But for the inspiration of your
manhood would have ended my life in
the river In you 1 saw great light. l
saw a man really made in the image OF
God with mind and soul trained, with head
erect, scorning the weak prejudices of
caste, which dare call the image OF God
clean or unclean in passion or pride.
IT lifted up my head and said one such
man redeems a world from tnfamy. It's
worth while to live in a world honored by
one such man. for he is the prophecy OF
more to come"
He paused a moment, fidgeted with
piece of paper he had picked up from the
1t never dawned on Lowell what he was
driving at. He supposed, as a matter OF
course, he was referring to his great
speeches and was going to ask for some
promotion in. a governmental department
at Washington.
I'm proud to have been such an inspi-
ration to you, George. You know how
much 1 think of you. What is on Your
mind?" he asked at length.
'I have hidden it from every eye. sir.
am afraid to breathe it aloud alone. l
have only tried TO sing II in song in an Inn
personal way. Your wonderful words OF
late have emboldened me to speak. 1t Is
this-I am madly, desperately In love with
your daughter"
Lowell sprang TO his feet as though a
bolt of lightning had suddenly shot down
his backbone. He glared at the negro
with wide, dilated eyes and heaving
breath as though he had been transformed
into leopard or tiger, and was. about
to spring at his throat.
Before answering. and with gesture
commanding silence. he walked rapidly TO
the library door and closed it.
'And have come to ask you" contin-
ued Harris. ignoring his gesture, If may
pay my addresses to her with your con-
sent"
Harris. this is crazy nonsense. Such
an idea is preposterous. I am amazed
IlaI IL SnOulu ever nave 6nNGECu yOAt
head. Let this he the end of 1t here and
now, If you have any desire to retain my
friendship"
Lowell said this with a scowl. and an
emphasis of indignant. rising infection
The negro seemed. stunned by this swift
blow in his very teeth, that seemed TO
place him outside the pale of human
being. F
"Why is such a hope unreasonable, sir,
to man Of your scientific mind?"
"It is question of taste, . snapped Low
ell. o.
Am not a graduate of the same uni
verslty with you? Did I not stand as high
and age for age, am not your equal in
culture?"
Granted. Nevertheless. you are a ne
gro, and do not desire the infusion of
your blood in my family"
rBut have more of white than negro
blood SIR" is y s.r e...-
80 much the worse 1t is the mark Of
shame"
but It is the one drop of, negro blood
at which your taste revolts, is II not?'
ITO be frank, IT is"
''Why is 1t an objectionable sin in me
that my ancestors were born under tropic
skies where skin and hair were tanned
and curled to suit the suns fierce rays?'
"AIl tropic races are not negroes, and
your race has characteristics apart from
accidents of climate that make it unique
in the annals of man." rejoined Lowell
"And yet you demand perfect equality
of man with man. absolutely in form and
substance without reservation or subter-
fuge?" t9
YES. political equality"
politics is but a secondary phenomena
of society, You said absolute equality. :"
protested Harris.
1.-THE question you breach is a question
,E1T &c
of racial purity and self preservation.
care not what your culture, or your ge-
MUS or your position, do not desire, and
will not permit. a mixture of negro blood
in my family. The idea is nauseating. and
to my daughter II would be repulsive
beyond the power OF words to express
it,"
And yet" pleaded Harris, ''you invited
me to your home. introduced me to your
daughter. seated me at your table and
used me in your appeal to your constitu-
ents, and now when I dare ask the priv
ilege of seeking her hand in honorable
marriage, you, the scholar, patriot, states
man and philosopher of equality and de-
mocracy, slam the door in my face and
tell me that am negro! Is this fair or
manly?" $3.50.
Il fail to see fits unfairness."
1T is amazing. You are a master of
history and sociology. You know as clearly
as I do that social intercourse is the only
possible pathway to love. And you opened
IL to me with your own hand. Could con-
troll the beat of my heart? There are some
powers within us that are involuntary.
You could have prevented me meeting
your daughter as an equal. But all the
will power of earth could not prevent my
loving her. when once had seen her and
spoken to her. The sound of the human
voice. the touch Of the human hand in
81
that open the mystery of love-"
Social rights are one thing, political
rights another" interrupted Lowell.
IT deny II. If you are honest with. your
self, you know 1t is not true Politics is
but a manifestation of society. Society
rests on the family. The family is the
unit Of civilization. The right to love and
wed where one loves is the badge of fell
lowship in the order Of humanity. The
man who is denied this right in any So
ciety is not a member of 1t. He is outside
any manifestation of it's essential life. You
had as well talk about the Importance of
clothes for a dead man as political rights
for such a pariah. You have classed him
with the beasts of the field. AS a human
unit he does not exist for you
Harris, it is utterly useless to argue a
point like this" Lowell interrupted coldly.
This must be the end of our acquaint-
ance. You must not enter my house
again"
MY God. sir! you can't kick me out of
your home like this when you brought me
to it and made it an issue of life or