The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-02


helped just a little, anyway"
well, you are in the last stages" she
| exclaimed gleefully.
''And you are glad of it
"Of course l am, it will make a man of
YOU"
but suppose 1 lose?"
She was silent a moment and then
slipped her arm gently about him, drew
| down his ear and whispered:
''You shall not lose-Pve set my heart
| on it,"
He pressed her hands and said, How
| like my sweet mothers voice was that!'
He hurried to his office and read his
mail. There were two letters retaining
| his services for jury work in important
cases. His heart leaped at the sign of
coming success. What a new meaning
love gave to every event in life.
He turned TO his books and began i'm
mediately a searching study of every
question involved in these cases. He
would carry the court by storm. He
would lead the jury spellbound by his
eloquence to a certain verdict. How
| clear his brain, He felt he was alive to
| his fnger-tips, and argue eyed.
| He worked hour after hour without the
slightest fatigue or knowledge of the
| fight of time. He looked up at last with
surprise to find it was night, and was
| startled by the voice of the preacher
| calling him from below.
| whats the matter with you? Mrs.
| Durham sent me to find you. She was
| afraid you had gone up on the roof and
| walked Off"
| "Ill be ready in minute, DOCTOR" he
| called from the window.
What have you been doing?" asked
| Mrs. Durham when he joined her.
Building a home for herr" he cried
| in a whisper He went behind the chair
where his foster mother sat pouring his
/ tea, bent low and kissed her high fore
head Sweet mother! I'll never call
you auntie again!"
| Tears srang to her eyes and she kissed
his hand, tenderly holding it to her lips.
/ "Ahi Love is a wonder worker, ism
he, Charlie?"
Yes, and / can't realize the JOY that
| lifts and inspires me when think that l
am one of the elect. It's too good to be
true. / have been initiated into the
great secret of Eternity. have tasted
the water of Life. | shall not see
Death"
Later he found the preacher quietly
smoking, seated on the rustic settee UNI
der a giant oak that stood on the corner
of the square.
Charlie, I've heard some startling
news since you left home, and l can't
sleep nights thinking about it."
You've heard of McLeod's scheme
Exactly. And it means the ruin of
the South unless it can be defeated"
"HOw are Won poinp m do
Its a puzzle, but it's got to be done.
l tell you the future of the State and the
South depends on our keeping the white
race unit in politics and in thought.
The moment we divide while the negro
holds ballot, the white man will begin
to court that ballot. To do this they
u must get on his level. When the white
race begins to hobnob with the negro and
seeks his favor they must grant him alb
solute equality. You can't ask man to
vote for you and kick him down your
front doorstep and tell him to come
aIound the back way" l
Il think you exaggerate the social dan
ger. but see the political end CT it"
Il don't exaggerate in the least. l am
looking into the future. There is enough
negro blood here to make mulatto. the
whole Republic.
Such a danger seems too remote for
| serious alarm to me- replied the young
er man.
"Ah. there's the tragedy" passionate
~ cried the preacher. you younger men
are growing careless and indifferent to
this terrible problem. It's the one I'M
solved and unsolvable riddle of the com
ing century! Can you build in Demo-
4
hostile races? We must do this or be-
come mulatto, and that is death. Every
inch in the approach of these races across
the barriers that separate them is q
movement toward death. You cannot
seek the negro vote without asking him
to your house, he will break bread with
you at last. And If you seat him at your
table, he has the right to ask your
daughters hand in marriage"
at seems to me a far cry to that! Blu
II see the political crisis. What is your
. plan?"
, 'This-organi2e the young Democracy
. in every township in the State and pu
yourself at it's head control the prima
ries and down the old crowd. They've
!, got to follow you. Fight the campaign
with the desperation of despair. If yol
are defeated God have mercy on us, blu
i you will be ready for the next BATTLE"
f "I'll do it, said CASTOR with empha
Fl sis.
Then / want you to go on a mission
5 to Col. Duke, the President of the Ma
tional Farmers Alliance He's goo
Baptist. He means we'll, but he's crazy
He dreams Of the Presidency when h
: has established the Sub Treasury for tn
4 farmers! He's afraid of the negro, an
y is nervous about using him. He knows
am the most influential Baptist preache
g in the State. Tell him / say you viii
win, and that we will give him the nomi
nation for Governor, and put him in lin
\ for the Presidency"
when shall go to see him."
Immediately. Get ready tonight"
The next week Mcleod was seated i
4 his office at Hambright receiving report
S behind the ground glass door on whic
q was the legend Collector of Interna
$ Revenue, Western District of n. c. Til
/ reports he ives receiving, however, wer
rot from his deputy collectors, but fror
d his political henchmen at Raleigh.
Il tell you, Mcleod, there's a hitcf
| Something's dropped. Dukes as coy a