Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-28
THE CLAXsMAX:
An Historical Romance Of the
Ku KluX Klan.
BY THOMAS DIXON, JR.
nthor and Published by poubleday, Page & Co.
Copyright by the Author and Publish
Book 1.-THE Revolution.
CHAPTER X.
TOSSED BY THE STORM,

TOSSED BY THE STORM.
AS the storm of passion raised by the
clash between her father and the pres
ident rose steadily to the sweep of
cyclone, Elsie felt her own life but
leaf driven before its fury.
Her only comfort she found in Phil
whose letters TO her were full or love
for Margaret He asked Elsie thou
sand foolish questions about what she
thought of his chances.
To her own confessions he was al
sympathy.
"Of fathers wild scheme of venge-
ance against the SOUTH" he wrote, 81
am heart sick. hate II on principle
to say nothing of girl l know. l am
with General Grant for peace and re-
conciliation. What does your lover
think of 1t all? l can feel your an
guish. The bill to rob the southern
people of their land, which l hear is
pending, would send your sweetheart
and mine, our enemies, into beggared
exile. What will happen In the south!
Riot and bloodshed, of course-per-
haps a guerilla war Of such fierce and
terrible cruelty humanity sickeAs al
the thought. l fear the Rebellion un-
hinged our fathers reason Oh some
things. He was too old to go to the
front The cannon's breath would have
cleared the air and sweetened his tenn
per. But it's healing was denied.
believe the tawny leopardess who
keeps his house influences him In TINS
cruel madness. 1 could wiring her
neck with exquisite pleasure. Why ne
allows her to stay and cloud his iite
with she-devil temper and fog MS
name with vulgar gossip is peyono
me-"
Seated In the park on the Capitol
hill the day after her father had intro
duced his Confiscation Bill in the house.
pending the Impeachment OF the presl-
ideat, she again attempted to draw
Ben out as to his feelings on politics.
She waited In sickening fear and
bristling pride for the first burst or his
anger which would mean their separa-
ton. =.
How do 1 feel?" he asked. Don't
feel at all. The surrender of General
Lee was an event so stunning, my
mind has not yet staggered past II.
Nothing much can happen after that
so II don't matter"
Negro suffrage don't matter"
mo. We can manage the negro he
said, calmly.
with thousands of your own people
disfranchised?"
"The negroes will vote with us, as
they worked lOr us uuTlHS lIlS "ett
II they give them the ballot. they'll
wish they hadn't"
Ben looked at her tenderly, bent
near, and whispered:
Don't waste your sweet breath talk
ing about such things. My politics Is
bounded on the north by pair Of am
Der eyes, on the south by dimpled
little chin, on the east and west by a
rosy cheek. Words do not frame its
speech. Its language Is a mere sign,
a pressure OF the lips-yet it thrills
body and soul beyond all words
Elsie leaned closer. and looking at
the capitol. said wistfully:
Il don't believe you know anything
that goes on In that big marble build
ing"
"Yes, do
What happened there yesterday"
"You honored 1t by putting your
beautiful feet on it's steps. l saw the
whole huge pile of cold marble sudden
ly glow with warm sunlight and flash
with beauty as you entered It,"
The girl nestled still closer to his
side, feeling her utter helplessness In
the rapids of the Niagara through
which they were being whirled by
blind and merciless forces. For the
moment she forgot all fears in his
nearness and the sweet pressure OF his
hand.