Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-24
Blu REV. THOMAS DIXON, JR.
CoDuri0ht 1902
Bu Doubleday, PAGE 8 Go

1
| chief justice of the supreme court.
| Legree was In Washington at the time
/ on mission to secure a stand Of twenty
| thousand rifles from the secretary of
war, with which to arm the negro troops
| he was drilling for the approaching cleo
ton. The grant was made and Legree
| came back in triumph with his rifles.
Relief for the ruined people was now
| hopeless dream. Black despair was
clutching at every white mans heart.
| The taxpayers had held convention and
sent their representatives to Washington
| exposing the mOnstrous thefts that were
| being committed under the authority of
the government by the organized band of
| thieves who were looting the state But
l the thieves were the pets of politicians
| high in power. The committee of taxpay-
ers were insulted and sent home to pay
| their taxes.
And then a thing happened in Ham
| bright that brought matters to a sudden
| crisis.
The Hon. Tim Shelby as school commits
| sioner, had printed the notices for an ex-
animation of school teachers fer Camp
| bell county. An enormous tax had been
| levied and collected by the county for this
purpose, but no school had been opened.
Tim announced, however, that the school
would be surely opened the first Monday
in October.
Miss Mollie Graham, the pretty niece
of the old DOCTOR was struggling to sup
port a blind mother and four younger
! children. Her father and brother had
been killed In the war Their house had
been sold for taxes, and they were re-
quired now to pay Tim Shelby ten dol
lars a month for rent. When she saw
that school notice her heart gave leap.
If she could only get the place, It would
save them from beggary.
She fairly ran TO the preacherIto get
his advice.
Certainly. child. try for It. It's hui
initiating TO ask such favor Of that
black ape, but If you can save your loved
| ones, do It,"
So with trembling hand she knocked at
Tins door. He required all applicants to
her with the bows and smirks of a dane
ing master.
Delighted to see your pretty face this
morning, Miss Graham" he cried en-
! Enthusiastically.
The girl blushed and hesitated at the
door.
Just walk right into the parlor. tn
join you in a moment"
She bravely set her lips and entered.
."And now what can do for you, MISS
| Graham?"
1--WE come to apply for teachers place
| in the school"
"Ah: indeed, I'm glad to know that.
There is only one difficulty. You must be
loyal. Your people were rebels. and the
new government has determined to have
| only loyal teachers"
IT think I'm loyal enough to the old
flag now that our people have surrender
ed" said the girl
Eyes, yes. dare say, but do you think
you can accept the new regime of govern
ment and society which we are now es-
tablshing in the south2 We have abol-
ished the color line Would you have
! mixed school If assigned one7"
II think I'd perfer to teach a negro
school outright to a mixed one" she said
after a moments hesitation.
Tim continued, "You know we are living
in a new world The supreme law Of the
land has broken down every barrier Of
race and we are henceforth to be one
people, The struggle for existence knows
! no race or color. Its a struggle now for
bread. I'm oin a position 70 be of great
help to you and yoar family If you will
only let me- ptr
The girl suddenly rose impelled by some
resistless instinct. pa
MAY I have the place them" she ask
ed approaching the door.
well, now you know IT depends really
altogether on my fancy. I'll tell you
what I'll do. You're stfll full OF silly
prejudiees. I can see that. But IL you
viii overcome them enough - do one
thing for me as a test. that will cost you
nothing and of which the world will
never be the wiser I'll give you the
place and more, T. remit the ten dollars
a month rent you're now paying. VIII
you do it?''
''What is ita" the girl asked with pale
quivering lips.
LET me kiss you--onceg he whisper
ed.
With scream, she sprang past him out
of the door, ran like deer across the
lawn, and fell sobbing in her mothers
arms when she reached her home.
The next day the town was unusually
quiet. Tim had business with the COM
mandant Of the company of regulars still
CHARTERED at Hambright He spent most
of the day with him, and walked about
! the streets ostentatiously showing his
familiarity with the corporal who ac-
companied him. A guard of three SOL
diers was stationed around Tins house
for two nights and then withdrawn.
The next night at twelve o'clock two
hundred white-robed horses assembled
around the old home of Mrs. CASTOR
where Tim was sleeping. The moon was
full and flooded the lawn with silver
| glory. On those horses sat two hundred
white-robed silent men whose close-fit-
| ting hood DISCUSSES looked like the mall
| helmets of ancient knights.
1t was the work Of a moment to seize
| Tim, and bind him across horses back.
Slowly the grim procession moved to the
| court house square.
When the sun rose next morning the
lifeiess body of Tim Shelby was dangling
| from a rope tied to the iron rail of the
| balcony of the court house. His neck
broken and his body hanging low-searce-
ly three feet from the ground. His thick
| lips had been split with sharp knife and
from his teeth hung this placard: d.
1.-THE answer of the Anglo-Saxon
race to negro lips that dare pollute
with words the womanhood of the
south X. K. k
And the Ku Klux Khan was master of
| Campbell county.
The origin of this Law and Order
League which sprang UP like magic in
night and nullified the program Of con-
! gress though backed by an army of
million veteran soldiers. is yet a mys-
! terry.
The simple truth is, 1t was a spontane-
Gus and resistless racial uprising Of clans
men Of highland origin living along the
Appalachian mountains and foothills Of
the south, and It appeared almost stimuli
| taneousy in every southern state pro-
duced by the same terrible conditions.
1t was the answer to their foes of
proud and indomitable race Of men driven
to the wall In the hour Of their defeat
| they laid down their arms and accepted
| in good faith the results of the war. And
then, when unarmed and defenceless,
4 aHaNg