The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-07-09
Uneasy DAYS OF
RECONSTRUCTION
,,.tracts From the Diary of Il Young
woman i'm the Turbulent Period
After the Great War.
10 Miss s. OH. DICKSON.

Itl III 10 OCNS
~ ana our little town is swarming
..th blue-coatS, Think of having
t6ie to go through with. again when
-, Thought we were done with such
espionage.
When / turned my back on Ia
1.ile NouNelle Orleans" / thought
Il, were coming away from the tur-
iglance Of the times. Alas! we seem
- haze stepped out of the frying pan
INTO the tire, and we necessarily feel
more anxious because brother, in
>yit, Of his clerical coat, is excitable,
pnreconstructed, and rash of speech.
don't believe that he is actually a
,Dtmher Of the x. K. X, though he
will neither say yes or no.
nave just heard that Merrill has
taken as headquarters the beautiful
Did home Of the Noes. That seems
terrible to me, because they are not
only among the best people of this
section, but have always been the
strongest Of secessionists, and 50 it
looks as if it is done to humiliate the
family, who are away from home at
present.
Later.-The colonel and his staff
haze brought a party of ladies with
them to participate in the festivities
Of this occasion, Fancy what kind
If hearts must beat under the beauti-
iul costumes that have already be-
gun to be f1aunted on the streets be-
fore our poor Confederate eyes.
Colonel - M. on the
Square that he kneW every woman
in town by name, and where she lived.
Who cares, and why did he say SO?
If il was to terrify US, it has failed
IF TO disgust, it is a splendid Suc-
cess.
Mother Is not willing to go out, nor
is she willing for me to do so, but
brother says that we must go. just
to show that we do not propose to
have our personal liberty curtailed.
That sounds fine and rebelliouS, but
really it is not pleasant on the streets.
You meet soldiers at every turn. and
have heard that they stare at us,
but | can't say as ] resolved never
to look at either officers nor men
when they pass me. I always find
something across the way-or in the
frees-Or in the Sky-that eXCiteS my
interest just at that time.
Mrs. NJ, with whom we are board
ing, is the most terrible rebel ] ever
knew. Dear mother is shocked by
her vindictiveness and it's small meth
DDS Of expression. For instance, she
told US with much enjoyment of her
lifting her skirts and turning her head
away as she passed some officers the
other day, and while we were sitting
on the porch that evening a riding
party came by-OficerS elegantly
mounted and uniformed, and hand
some women in riding habits that
turned me fairly green with envy
Turn your backs, turn your
backs She cried to US, going into the
house and slamming the door violent
~ as they passed the gate.
Mother looked unusually stern "a
she said: NO, my daughter, you are
a lady as well as a Confederate
h next day Mrs. NJ. was inform.
ed that she would be put under ar.
rest if she showed any further dis
respect to the Army Of the Republic
Now she is furious, her husband
IS suspected, and in great danger O
beng arrested. She believes Their
are spies around the house ever,
night and has armed herself with
pistol which she wants to shoot OF
every evening at dusk, but h /
very near-Sighted, and accordingl.
mas asked me to stand by her an
Tell her where to shoot! Dear moth
er's face was a study when the re
quest was made.
No, indeed / said. MY pa
trlotism does not take that form!'
30, as she is afraid Of shooting
1flend-she nearly fired on one Q
my friends who came to call-Sh
vents her spleen by going to the up
per porch at dark every evening an
hrlng her pistol off in the air!
squads are going in every direction
ana arrested men are being brough
~ every night. Merrilrs proclama
hon is a call to all who have take
part IN the seditious organizatio
hhoWn as the Ku-kIux Khan to SUI
render themselves, their arms an
DISCUSSES"
a number Of our gentlemen ar
reported as absent from town. Poe
ieiloWs! flying for life, for they n
what will be done. Major A. and h
brother, DR.. A., who were most prom
lhent IN the Khan, and DR.. B. HAY
ri'-the latter making his way
disguise to Canada.
ne negroes, more demoralized tina
thcy ever were during the long 70,