Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-08
THE CLAXSMAY;
An Historical Romance of the
Ku Klux Klan.
BY THOMAS DIXON, JR.
Copyright by the Author and Puohsheo
CHAPTER VI.
A WHISPEH IN TIE


the first Reconstruction election In
the south paralyzed the industries
of the country. When demagogues
poured down from the north. and
began their raving before crowds
of ignorant negroes the plow stopped
In the furrow, the hoe was dropped
and the millennium was at hand.
Negro tenants. working under con-
tracts issued by the Freedman's Bu-
reau, stopped work. and rode their
landlords mules and horses around the
country, following these orators.
The loss to the cotton crop alone
from the abandonment Of the growing
plant was estimated at over $6O.OOO,OOO'
The one thing that saved the situa-
ton from despair was the large grain
and forage crops Of the previous season
which thrifty farmers had stored In
their barns. So important was the
barn and it's precious contents that DR..
Cameron hired Jake to sleep in his.
This immense barn, which was situ-
ated at the foot Of the hill some two
hundred yards behind the house, had
become favorite haunt of Marion and
Hugh. She had made pet OF the
beautiful thoroughbred mare which
had belonged to Ben during the war.
Marion went every day to give her an
apple or lump of sugar, or carry her a
bunch Of clover. The mare would fol-
low her about like a cat
Another attraction at the barn for
them was Becky Sharp, Ben's setter.
She came to Marion one morning wag-
ging her tail, seized her dress, and led
her into an empty stall, where beneath
the trough lay sleeping snugly ten lit
tie white-and-bla spotted puppies.
The girl had never seen such a sight
before and" went into ecstasies.
Becky wagged her tail with pride at
her compliments. Every morning she
would pull her gently into the stall
lust to hear her talk and laugh and pet
her babies.
Whatever election day meant to the
men, to Marion 1t was one OF unalloyed
happiness she was to ride horseback
alone and dance at her first ball. Ben
had taught her to ride, and told her
she could take Queen to Lovers Leap
and back alone. Trembling with joy,
her beautiful face wreathed in smiles
she led the mare to the pond In the
edge of the lot and watched her drink
its pure spring water.
When he helped her to mount In
front Of the hotel under her mothers
gaze, and saw her ride out of the
gate, with the exquisite lines OF her
little figure melting into the graceful
lines Of the mares glistening form, he
exclaimed:
'I declare, I don't know which is the
prettier, Marion or Queen!"
"I know" was the mothers soft an
swer.
"They are both thoroughbreds," said
Ben, watching them admiringly.
Wait till you see her tonight in her
first ball-dress," whispered Mrs. Le-
noir.
At noon Ben and Phil strolled to the
polling place to watch the progress OF
the first election under negro rule. The
Square was jammed with shouting,
jostling, perspiring negroes men, wo-
men, and children. The day was warm,
and the African odor was supreme even
in the open air.
A crowd Of two hundred were packed
around a peddler's box. There were
two Of them-one crying the wares,
and the other wrapping and delivering
the goods. They were selling a new
patent poison for rats.
"Tve only a few more bottles left
now, gentlemen" he shouted land the
polls will close at sundown. A great
day for our brother in black. Two
years Of army rations from the Freed
mans Bureau, with old army clothes
thrown in, and now the ballot-the
priceless glory of American citizenship.
But better still the very land Is to be
taken from these proud aristocrats and
given to the poor down-trodden black
man. Forty acres and a mule-think
of It! Provided. mind you-that you
have a bottle of my wonder-worker to
kill the rats and save your corn for
the mule. No man can have the mule
unless he has corn: and no man can
have corn II he has rats-and only a
few bottles left"
Gimme one." yelled a negro.
Forty acres and a mule, your old
master to work your land and pay his
rent in corn, while you sit back in the
shade and see him sweat"
Gimme er bottle and two er dem
pictures!" bawled another candidate
for a mule.
The peddler handed him the bottle
and the pictures and threw a handful
of his labels among the crowd. These
labels happened to be just the size of
the ballots, having on them the picture
of a dead rat lying on his back, and,
above. the emblem of death, the cross
boHes and skull.
Forty acres and a mule for every
black man-why was l ever born
white? l never had no luck, nohow!"
Phil and Ben passed on nearer the
polling place, around which stood a
Gordon of soldiers with line of negro
voters two hundred yards in length ex-
tending back into the crowd.
The negro Leagues came in armed
battalions and voted in droves, carry
ing their muske:s in their hands. Less
than a dozen white men were to be
seen about the place.
The negroes, under the drill of the
League and the Freedman's Bureau
protected by the bayonet. were voting
to enfraCchise themselves, disfranchise
their former masters, ratify new con-
stitution. and elect legislature to do
their will. Old Aleck was a candidate
for the house. chief poll-holder, and
seemed to be in charge of the move
ments of the voters outside the booth
as we'll as inside. He appeared to be
omnipresent, and his importance
was a sight Phil had never dreamed