Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 8, Number 40, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 30 March 1878 — Page 2

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOFLE.

1KRRE HAUTE, MARCH 80,1878

THEN AND NO W.

She stood at tbe threshold at evening 8he was clad In her bridal dress She knew he was reads to greet her,

And the longed for bis fond caress. 7TU

the robe she would wear on the mor* row. And she wanted her lover to see How fair was his choseu flower—

How beauteous his darling coald be.

And hope with her 1 tterlng fingers Bade her look to the life befor*, And she sml ed In tho mirth of herspliit,

As she stood at the study door.

Years passed—three short years of gladness And the stream of her young life flowed Like thefcti-eam of a laughing rivulet

When the sunshine knows no cloud.

And again doth she stand on the threshold Where she stood on that liappy night, But her eyes are no longer laughidg.

Her dress is no longer white.

And tbe sorrow that plays o'er her features Is as dark as tbe roue she weats, And a wreath of undying flowers ,.

To lay on the dead she bears.

For he never again shall grett her He shall rise to receive her no more Jy 'f The voice which she loved is silent

As she waits at the st. dy door.

Then her step was so fl aad eager It is now so subdued and low

MS®

Then 'twas he who had stooped to kiss her Hhe must kneel to kiss him now.

Scrlbner's Magazine—April,

KING DAVID,

CONSTANCE FEN I MORE WOOLSOlf.*-

The scholars were dismissed, but they trooped—big boys, little boys, and fall grown men. Then what antics, what linked lines of scuffling, what double shuffles, leaps, and somersaults, what rolling laughter, interspersed with shorty el 08, and guttural cries, as wild and fi-ee" as tbe sounds tbe mustangs make, gamboling on tbe plains! For Kins David's scholars were blaok black as the ace of spades. He did not say that he knew very little about the ace. He said simply that bis scholar* were 'colored and sometimes he called them 'the Children of Ham.' But so many mistakes were made over this title, in spite of his careful explanations (tbe Children having an undoubted taste for bacon), that he finally abandoned it, and felLback upon tbe national name of 'freedmen,' -a title both good and true. He even tried to make it noble, speaking to tbern often of their wonderiul lot as the emancipated teachers aad helpers of their race laying before them their mission in the future, which was So go over to Africa, and wake out of their long sloth and slumber the thousands of souls there. But Cassius and Pompey had only a mytbio idea of Africa they looked at the globe as it was turned around, they saw it there on the other side, and then their atteution wandered off to an adventurous ant, who was making the tour of Soudan, and crossing tbe mountains of Kong, as though they were nothing.

Lessons over, the scholars went home. The soboolmaster went homo too, wiping bis forehead as he went. He was a grave young man, tall and this, somewhat narrow obested, with the diffident air of a country student. And yet tbis country student was hero, far down in the South, hundreds of miles away from the New Hampshire village where he had thought to spend bis life as teacher of tbe district sehool. Extreme nearsightedness. and an inherited delicacy of constitution which he bore silently, had kept him out of the field during the days or tbe war. 'I should be only an encumbrapce,' be thought. But when tbe war was over, tbe fire which bad burnt withiu burst forth in the thought,* 'the Freedmen!' There was work fitted to his hand that one thing he could do. 'My turn has come at last,' he said. 'I feel the call to go.' Nobody cared much because be was leaving. 'Going down to teach tho blacks?' said the farmers. 'I don't soe as you're called, David. We've paid dear enough to set 'em free, good* ness knows, and now they ought to look out for themselves.' 'But they must first be taught,'said tbe schoolmaster. 'Our responsibility Is great our task is only just begun.' •Stutt

Baid

the farmers. What with

tbe graves down in the South, and the taxes up in tbe North, they were not prepared to bear any talk about begin ning. Beginning, indeed! Tbey called it ending. The slaves were freed and it was right they should be freed. But Ethan and Abner were gone, and their households were left unto them desolate. Let tbe blacks tako care of themselves.

So, all alone, down came David King, with such aid and instruction as the Freed man's Bureau could give him, to this little settlement among the pines, where tbe freed ui an had built some cabins,in a careless way, and then seated themselves to wait for fortune. Freedmen! Yes a glorious Idea! But how will it work its way out into practical life? What are you going to do with tens of thousands of Ignorant, childish, irresponsible souls thrown suddenly upon your hands—souls that trill not long stay obildlsb, and that have In them also all the capacities for evil that you yourselves have—you with your safeguards of generations of conscious responsibility and self government, and yet—so'many lapses' This is what David King thought. He did not see his way exactly no, nor the nation's way. But he said to himself, *1 can at leant begin if I am wrong I shall find it out in time. But it now seems to me that our first duty Is to educate them.' So he began at'a, and ou must not steal 'you must not ght 'you must wash your faces which may be called, I think, the first working out of the emanaipation problem.

2

Jubilee town was the name of the settlement and when tbe schoolmaster announced his own, David King, the title struck tbe Imitative minds of the scholar*, and, turning it around, tbey made 'King David' of it, and kept it so. Delighted with the novelty, the Jubilee freedmen came to school in such numbers that the master was obliged to classify them boys and men in the sAornings and afternoons the old people In the evenings the young women and girls by theiuselTM for an hour in the early morning. 'I cannot do full justice to all,' be thought, 'and in the men lie* the danger, in the boys the hope the women cannot vote. 'Would to Ood tho men oould not either, until they have learned to read and write, and maintain themselves respectably!'

For, abolitionist as be was. David Ktng would have given years of his life for the poww to restrict the suffrage Not havit hi* powr-r, however, be worked at the problem in the only way left open 'T**e two app'.e* ft-om four apples, Juliwv-how many will be lellT*

What la this hear, C«*r, about stolen baoonf* ,*

On this day the master went home, tired and dispirited tbe novelty was over on both aide*. He bad been five montha at Jubilee, and his scholars were more of a pusale to him than ever. They learned, some of them, readily bat tbey forgot ss readily. They had a vast capacity for parrot like repetition, aud caagbt his long words so qulokly, and

repeated tbetn so volubly, with but slight comprehension of their meanin that bis sensitive conscience shran from using them, and hd was forced back upon a rude plainness of speech whloh was a pain to nis pedagogic ears. Where be baa once said, 'demean yourselves with sobriety,' he now said, 'don't get drunk/

He would have fared better If he had learned to say 'uncle' and 'aunty,' or 'maumer,' in the familiar Southern fash Ion. But he bad no knowledge of tbe customs —how could he have? He oould only blunder on in his slow Northern way.

His cabin stood in the pine forest, at a little distance from the settlement be had allowed himself that grace. There was a garden around it, where Northern flowers came up after a while—a little pale, perhaps, like English ladies in India, bat doubly besutlrul and dear to exiled eyes.

Tbe schoolmaster had cherlahed from the first a wish for a cotton field—a cotton field of bis own. To him a cotton field represented tbe South,—a cotton field in the hot sunshine, with a gang of slaves toiling under the lash of an overseer. This might have been a fancy pic tore, and it might not. At any rate it was real to him. There was, however, no overseer now, and no lash no slaves and very littte toil. The negroes would work only when tbey pleased and that was generally not at all. There was no doubt but that tbey were almost hopelessly Improvident and lazy. 'Entirely so,' said the planters. 'Not quite,' said tbe Northern schoolmaster. And therein lay tbe difference between tbem.

David lighted bis fire of pitch pine, spread bis little table, and begsn to cook bis supper carefully. When it was nearly ready, he beard a knock at his gate, Two representative specimens of bis scholars were waiting without,—Jim, a field band, and a woman named Esther, who bad been a bouse servant in a planter's family. Jim bad come 'to borry an ax,' and Esther to ask for medicine for a Bick child. 'Where is your own ax, Jim?' said tke schoolmaster. 'Somehow et's rusty, sab. Dey gets rusty mighty quick.' 'Of course, because you always leave them out in tbe rain. When will you learn to take care of your axes?' •Don't know, mars.' 'I have told you not to call me mas ter,' said David. 'I am not your master.' 'You's school mars, I reckon,'answer ed Jim. grinning at his repartee. 'Well. Jim,' said tbe schoolmaster, relaxing into a smile, 'you have the best of it this time but you know quite well what I mean. You can take the ax but bring it back to-night. And yon must see about getting anew one immediately there is something to begin with. Now, Esther, what is it? Your boy sick? Probably it is because you let him drink tbe water out ef that swampy pool. I warned you.' 'Yes, sab,' said tbe woman impassively.

She was a slow, dull witted creature, who bad executed her tasks marvelously well in the planter's family, never varying a hair's breadth either in time or method during long years. Freed, she was lost at once if she had not been swept along by her companions she would have sat down dumbly by tbe wayside, and died.

The schoolmaster offered supper to both of his guests. Jim took a seat at the table at once, nothing loth, and ate and drank, talking all tbe time with occasional flash^B of wit, and an unconscious suggestion of ferocity in tbe way be backed and tore tbe meat with bis sharp clasp knife, and his strong white teeth.

Esther stood nothing coald induce her to sit in tbe master's presence. She ate aud drank quietly, and dropped a courtesy whenever he spoke to her, not from any especial respect or gratitude, hawever, but from habit. 'I may possibly teach the man something,' thought the schoolmaster 'but what a terrible ereature to turn loose in tbe world, with power in bis hand! Hundreds of these men will die, nay, must die violent deaths before tbelr people can learn what freedc means, and what

it

does

not mean. As for tbe woman, It Is hopeless she

canDot

learn. But her child

can. In truth, our bopd is in the children.' And then he threw away every atom of the food, washed his dishes, made up the fire, and went back to the beginning again and cooked a second supper. For he still shrank from personal oontaot with tbe other race. A Southerner would have found it impossible to comprehend tbe fortitude it required for the New Englander to go through bis daily rounds among them. He did his best but it waa duty, not liking. Supper over, he went to tbe scboolheuse again in the evenings, he taught the old people.

It was an odd sight to note them as tbey followed tbe letters with a big crooked forefinger, slowly spelling out words of three letters. They Bpelled with their whole bodies, stooping over the books which lay before them until tbelr old grissled heads and gay turbans looked as if tbey were set on the table by the chins in a long row. Patiently tbe master taught them they bad gone no farther than'cat'in five long mentbs. He made the letters for them on the black board again and again, but tbe treat of the evening was the making of these letters on tbe board by the different scholars In turn. 'Now, Dinah—B.' And old Dinah would bobble up proudly, and, with much screwing of her mouth and tongue, and many long hesitations, produce something which looked like a figure eight gone mad. Joe bad bin turn next, and he would make, perhaps, an for a D. The master would go back and explain to him carefully tbe difference, only to find at the end often minute* that the whole class was hopelessly confused Joe's mistake had routed them all. There was one pair of spectacles among tbe old people these were passed from hand to hand as tbe turn came, not from necessity always, but as an adjunct to tbe dignity of reading. 'Never mind tbe glasses, Tom. Surely you can spelt 'bag1 without them.'

Mars King

Dey help?. Mars King David,' replied nportance. He then adorned himself with tbe spectacles, and spelled it—'g, a, b.'

oil Turn with solemn tin

they never felled to make an es toilet—ranch shirt collar for tbe oia men and olean turbans for the old women. Tbey seemed to be generally half crippled, poor old creature* slow tbelr movements as tortoises, and often unwieldy tbelr shoe* were cariosities of

Eut

ntcbes. rags* string*, and carpeting, sometime* a'flue old blade Hot was lifted from the alow moving balk, and Arum wider wrinkled eyelid* keen sharp

•yes met the master's, aa intelligent as bit own. There was no ehnrcb proper In Jubilee on Sundays, tbe people, who were generally Baptists, assembled In the schoolroom, where services were conducted by a brother who had 'de glf ob preach In'' and who poured forth a flood of Scripture phrases with a volubility, incoherence und earnestness extraordinary. Presbyterian David attended these service*, not only for tbe sake' of example, but also because he steadfastly believed in 'the publio assembling of ourselves together for the worship of Almighty Ged.f 'Perhaps tbey understand him,' he thought, noting tbe rapt blaok faces, 'and (, at least,.have no right to judge them—I, who with all the light I have bad, still find myself unable to grasp the great doctrine of Election.' For David bad been bred in Calvinism, and many a night when younger and more hopeful of arriving at finalities, bad be wrestled with its problems. He was not so sure, now, of srriving st finalities either in belief or in daily life but be thought tbe fault lay with himself, and deplored it. .Tbe Yankee schoolmaster was, course, debarred from intercourse wiia those of bis own color in th* u- hiorbood. There were no 'poor hi tV*.' there he was spared tbe sight of their long, clay colored faces, lank yellow hair, and half open mouths he was not brought Into contact with tbe ignorance and dense self oonoeit of this singular class. Tbe wbites of tbe neighborhood were planters, and they regarded the school master as an interloper, a fanatic, knave or a fool, according to their various degrees of bitterness. The phantom of a cotton field still haunted tbe mas ter, and be often walked by tbe abandoned fieldsoftbese planters, and noted tbem carefully. In addition to his fancy there was now another motive. Things were not going well at Jubilee, and he was anxious to try whether tbe men would not work tor good wages, paid regularly, and for tbelr Northern teacher and friend. Thus it happened that Har •f tt Ammerton, retired planter, perceived, one afternoon, a stranger walk ing up the avenue that led to bis dilapidated mansion and as he was near sighted, and as any visitor was, besides, a welcome interruption in his dull day, be went out upon the piazza to meet him, and not until he had offered a cli tir did he recognize his guest. He said nothing for he was in his own house. But a gentleman can freeza the atmosphere around bimeven in bis own house, and this he did. The schoolmaster stated bis errand simply he wished to rent one of tbe abandoned cottonfields for a year. The planter could have answered with satisfaction that his fields might lie forever untitled before Yankee hands should touch tbem. But he was a poor man now, and money was money.

He endured his visitor, and he rented his field and, with the perplexed feel ings of his class, he asked himself how it was, how it oould be, that a man like that—yes, like that—bad money, while be himself bad none! David had but little money—a mere handful to throw away in a day, the planter would have thought in tbe lavish old times but David ha(\ the characteristic New England thrift.

I am hoping that tbe unemployed hands over at Jubilee will cultivate this field for me,' he said 'for fair wages, of course. I know nothing of cotton myself.'

You will be disappointed,' said the planter. But they must live they must lay up something for the winter.' 'They do not know enough to live. They might exist, perhaps, in Africa as tbe rest of their race exists, but here, in this colder climate, they must be taken care of, worked, and fed, as we work and feed our horses—precisely iu the same way.' 'I cannot agree with you,' replied David, a color rising in bis thin face. 'They are idle and shiftless, I acknowledge that but is it not tbe natural result of generations of servitude and ignorance?'

Tbey have not capacity for anything save ignorance.' You do not know then, perhaps, that I—that I am trying to educate those who are over at Jubilee,'said David. There was no aggressive confidence in his voice be knew that be bad accomplished little as yet. He looked wistfully at bis host as he spoke.

Harnett Ammerton was a born patrician poor, homely, awkward David felt this in every nerve as he sat there. For be loved beauty in spite of himself, and in spite of bis belief that it was a tendency of the old Adam. (Old Adam has such nice things to bother his descendants with almost monopoly, if we are to believe some creeds.) So now David tried not to be influenced by tbe fine face before him, and steadfastly went on to sow a little seed, if possible, even upon this prejudiced ground. 'I have a school over there,' be said. 'I have beard something of tbe kind, I believe,' replied tbe old plsnter, as though Jubilee town were a thousand miles away instead of a blot upon bis own border. 'May I ask how you are succeeding?'

There was a fine irony in this question. David felt it, but replied courageously that success, he hoped, would come in time.

And I, young man, hope that it will ie! The negro with po iv with a little smattering of knowledge in bis shallow, crafty brain—a knowledge which you and your kind are now stnv lag to give him—will become an ele ment of more danger In this land than it has ever known before. You Northerners do not understand the blacks. They are an inferior race by nature Ood de tbem so. And God forgive those

never come! T&e negro with power in his hand, which you have given blm,

(although I never can) wbo have placed them over us—yes, virtually over us, their former masters—poor ignorant creatures!'

At this instant an old negro came up tbeVeps with an armful of wood, and the eye of tbe Northerner noted (was forced to note) the contrast: there sat the planter, his hesd crowned with silver hair, bis finely chiseled face glowing with the warmth of his Indignant words snd there passed the old slave, bent and black, his low forehead and broad animal features seeming to typify scarcely more Intelligence than that of tbe dog that followed him. Tbe planter spoke to tbe servant in his kindly way as he passed, and the old black face lighted with pleasure.

This, too, the schoolmaster's sensitive mind noted none of bis pupils looked st him with anything like that affection. 'Bat it right they should be freed, it it right,'he said to himself as he walked back to Jubilee, 'aad to that belief will I clingas long as I have my being. It it right/ And then he came into Jubilee, and found three of his freedmea drank,

and quarreling la the street. Heretofore the settlemen

and

purse

bad

forlorn salt of drunken

No Itauoc was sold in

the vicinity, snd David

bad anooeeded

iu keeping'his scholars from wandering almlesalv about tbe country from place to piare^-often tbe first use tbe blacks made of their freedom. Jubilee did not go to tbe liquor. Bat, at iset, tbe liquor

bad oometo Jubilee. Shall tbey not have all rights and privileges, these new born citlsens of oars? The bringer of these doctrines, and of the fluids to molstsn tbem. was a white man, one of that olass which has gone down on the page of American history, knighted with the initials C. B. 'l'be captain' the ne groes called him—and he was highly popular already, three hours of tbe captain being worth three weeks of David, asfsras familiarity went, lbe man was a glib tongued, smartly dressed fellow, well supplied with money, and bis errand was, of course, to influenoe the votes st the next election. David, meanwhile, bad so carefully kept all talk of politic* from bis scholars, that tbey bardly knew that an election was nesr. It became, now, a contest between tbe two higher intelligences. If tbe schoolmaster bad but won tbe easily won and strong sffections of bis pupils! But, in'sll those months, be had gained only dutiful attention. Tbey did not even respect blm as tbey hsd respected their old masters, and tbe cause (poor David!) was tbat very thrift and industry which hs relied upon as an example. 'Ole Mars Ammerton would uebber wash hia dishes ef dey was nebber washed,' confided Msum Jane to Elsy, as they caught sight of David's shining pans.

The schoolmaster could have had retinue of servants for small price, or no price at all but to tell the truth (which he never told), he could not endure them about him. 'I must have one spot to myself,' he said feverishly, after be hsd labored all day among them, teaching, correcting untidy ways, administering simple medicines, or binding up a bruised foot. But be never dreamed tb%t this isolation of bis personality, this very thrift, were daily robbing him of the Influence which he so earnestly longed to possess, In New England, every man's house was his castle and every man's bands were thrifty. He forgot tbe easy familiarity, tbe lordly ways, tbe crowded households, and tbe royal carelessness, to which tbe slaves bad always been accgstomed in their old master's homes.

At first the captain attempted inti maoy. 'No. reason why you and me shouldn't work together,' he"said with a confidential wink. 'Tbis thing's being done all over tbe South, and easy done, too Now's the time for smart chaps like us— "transition," you know. Tbe old Southerners ara mad, and won't come forward, so we'll just sail iu and have a few years of it. When they're ready to come back—why, we'll give them up the place again, of course, if our ckets are well lined. Come now, just acknowledge tbat tbe negroes have got to have somebody to lead 'em.' 'It shall not be such as you,' said David indignantly. 'See those two men quarreling that is the work of the liquor you have given them!'

They've a3 good aright to their liquor as other men have,' replied tbe captain, carelessly, 'and that's what tell 'em they ain't slaves now—they're free. Well, boss—sorry you don't like my idees, but can't help it must go ahead. Remember, I offered you a chance, and you would not take it. Morning.'

The five months had grown into six and seven, mid Jubilee town was known far and wide as a dangerous and disorderly neighborhood. The old people and tho children still came to school, but the young men and boys had deserted in a body. The schoolmaster's ootton field was neglected he did a little there himself every day, but the work was novel, and his attempts awkward and slow. One afternoon,Harnett Ammerton rode by on horseback the road passed near tbe angle of the field where the schoolmaster was at work.

JElow is your experiment succeeding?' said tbe planter, with a little smile of amused scorn as hs saw tbe lonely figure. 'Not very well,'said David.

He paused and looked np earnestly into the planter's face. Here was a man who bad lived among the blacks all bis life, and knew them if he would but give honest advice! The schoolmaster was sorely troubled tbat sfternoon. Should he speak He would at least try.

Mr. Ammerton,' he said, 'do yon intend to vote at the approsching election

No,' replied the planter, 'nor any person of my acquaintance.' 'Then incompetent, and I fear, evilminded men will be put into offlne.'*Of course tbe certain result of negro voting.' 'But If you, sir, and tbe class to which you belong, would exert themselves, I sm inclined to think much might be done. Tbe breach will only grow broader every year act now, while you still have influence left.' 'Then you think that we have influence,' said the olanter.

He was curious -concerning the ideas of this man, wbo, although not like the tvpical Yankee exact.y, was yet plainly s*fanatic while as to drtw» and airwhy, Z'p, his old valet, had more polish.

I know at leanttbat I have uone.'said David Then be came a step nearer. 'Do you think, sir,' he began slowly, 'that I bnve gone to work in tbe wrong way? Would it have been wiser to have obtaiued some post of authority over tbem—the office of justice of tbe peace, for instance, with power of arrest?' *1 know nothing sbout it,' said the planter curtly, touching his horse with bis whip and*riding on. He had no intenlinii of stopping to discuss ways snd means with au abolition schoolmaster!

Things grew from bad to worse at Jubilee. Most of tbe men bad been field hands, there was but little intelligence among them tbe few bright minds among David's pupils caught the specious arguments of tbe csptalR, and repeated tbem to the others. Hie captain explained bow much power tbey held tbe captain laid before tbem glittering plans tbe captain said tbat by good rights each famny ought to have a plantation to repay tbem for tbelr years of enforeed labor tbe captain promised tbem a four story brick college for tbelr boys, which was more than King David had ev»r promised, teacher though be was. They found out that they were tired of King David and his narrow talk and tbey went over to Hildore Corners, where a new store had been opeoed, which contained, among other novelties, a bar. This was one of tbe captain's benefactions. 'If yon p*y your money for it, you've ai good aright to your liquor ss any one, I guess,' be observed. 'Not that it's anything to roe, of course bat I allow I like to see IStir play!'

It was something to him, however] tbe new store bad a silent partner. And tbis was but one of many small and silent enterprises In whioh be was enin throughout tbe neighborhood.

Jbe women of Jubilee, mors faithful than the men, still seat their children to school hot tbey did it with discouraged hearts, poor things! Often now tfiley were seen with bandaged heads snd bruised bodies, the result of drunken blows

from

husband brother and*

Pattest by nature, they lived along as best tbey oould. and tolled in their smsll fields like horses bat the little prides, the vsgue grotesque aspirations and hopes thst baa oome to tbem with their freedom, gradually faded away. 'A blue painted front do''a black silk spron with red ribbons 'to make a minister of little Job and 'a real crock'iy pitcher,' were wishes unspoken now. Tbe thing was only how to live from day to day, and keep tbe patched clothes together. In the mesnwhile, trashy finery was sold st the new store, and the younger girls wore gilt ear rings.

The master, toiling on at bis vain task, was at bis wit's end. 'Tbey will not work, before long tbey must steal,' he said. He brooded and thought, and at last one morning he came to a decision. Tbe same day in the afternoon be set out for Hildore Corners. He bsd thought of a plan. As he was walking rapidly through the pine woods, Harnett Ammerton on norseback passed bim. Tills time tbe Northerner had no questions to ssk nsy, he almost hung his heu), so ashamed waa he of the reputation that had attached itself to the field of his labors. But the planter reined in his horse when he saw who it was he was tbe questioner now. 'Schoolmaster/ he begsn, 'in the name of all tbe white families about here, I really must ask you if you can do nothing to keep in order those mis erable, drinking, ruffianly negroes of vours over at Jubilee Wby,—we shall all be murdered In our beds before long! Are you aware of tbe dangerous spirit tbey have manifested lately 'Only too well,' said David. 'What are you going to do How will it end •Ood knows.'1 'Ood knows. Is thst all you have to say? Of course He knows but the question is, do yeu knew You have brought tbe whole trouble down upon our heads by yo ir confounded insurrec tionary school! Just as I told you, your negroes, with the little smattering of knowledge you have given them, are now the most dangerous, riotous, thieving, murdering rascals in the district.' •They are baa. but it is not tbe work of tbe school, I hope.' 'Yes, it is,' said tbe planter angrily. 'Tbey have been lea astray lately, Mr. Ammerton a person has come among them 'Another Northerner.' 'Yes,' said David, a flush rising in his cheek 'but not all Northerners sre like tbis man, I trust.' 'Pretty much all we see are look at tbe State.' 'Yes, I know I suppose time alone can help matters,' said the troubled teacher. 'Give up your school, and ooma and join us,' said the planter abruptly 'vou at least, are honest in your mistakes. We are going to form an association for our own protection join with us. You can teach my grandsons if you like, provided you do not put any of your— knatacism into them.'

This was an enormous concession for Harnett Ammerton to make something in tbe schoolmaster's worn face had drawn it out.

Thank you,' said David slowly 'it is kindly meant, sir. But I cannot give up my work. 1 came down to help the freedmen, and 'Then stay with them,' said the planter, doubly angry for tbe very kindness of tbe moment before. 'I thought yon were a decent living white man, according to your fashion, but I see I was mistaken. Dark days are coming, and you turn your back upon thoseof your own color and side with tbe slaves 1 Go and herd with yqur negroes—but, look you, sir, we are prepared. We will shoot down any one found upon our premises after dark—shoot .him down like a dog. It has come to that, and, by Heaven we shall protect ourselves.'

He rode on. David sat down on a fallen tree for a moment, and leased his head upon his hand. Dark days were

Jready

as tbe planter had said nay, there. Wa« he in any way

responsible'for tbem? He tried to think. 'I kuow not,'he said at last but I must go on and do tbe best I can. I must carry oot my plan.' He rose and went forward to tbe Corners.

A nuaiber of Jubilee men weje lounging near the new store, and one of tbem was reading aloud from a newspaper which tbe captain bad given him ie bad been David's brightest scholar and he oould read readily but what he read was inflammable matter of tbe worst kind, a speech which had been written for just such purposes, and which was now being circulsted through the district. Mephistopheles, In the form of Harnett Ammerton, seemed to whisper in tbe schoolmaster's ears, 'Do you take pride to yourself tbat you taught that man to read

Tbe reader stopped he had discovered the new suditor the men stared

if* L4DTR

JUcsSci*, they can only be ftoi4 now In largecttl"* io »ie'

retail ltw-»e lovely arta la S7.j»» In To

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they had never seen the master at tbe Corners before. Tbey drew together and waited he approached tbem, and paused a moment then be began to speak. 'I hare come, friends,' he said, 'to make a proposition to you. You, on your side, have nothing lsid up for the winter, and I, on my side am anxious to have your work. I have a field, you know, a cotton field what do you say to going to work there, all of you, for a month I will agree to pay you more than any man about here pays, and you shall hsve the cash everv Monaay morning regularly. We wilf hold a meeting over at Jubilee, and you shall chooee your own overseer for I am very ignorant about ootton fields: I must trust to you. What do you say

The men looked at each other, but no one spoke. 'Think of your little- children without clothes.'

Sttll silence. 'I have not succeeded among you,' oootinued the teacber, 'as well as I hoped to sucoeed. You do not come to school any m»re, and I suppose it is because you do not like me.'

Something like a murmur of dissent came from tne group. Tbe voice went on: 'I have thought ofsometbiug I oan do, however I can write to the North for another teacber to take my place, and be shall be a man of your own raoe one who Is educated, and, If possible, also a clergyman of your own fcitb. You can have a little cburob, then, and Sabbath servioes. As soon as he oomes, I will yield my plaoe to bim but, in tbe meantime, will you not cultivate that field for me I ask it as a favor. It will be but for a little while, lor, when the new teacber comes, I shall go, unless, indeed,' he added, looking around with a smile that was pathetio in its appeal, 'you should wish me to stay.'

There was no answer. He had thrown out this little test question suddenly. It had failed. 'I am soiry I have not succeeded better at Jubilee,' bo said after a abort pause—and his voice altered in spite of his self control—'but at least you will believe, I hope, that I have tried.' 'Dat's so,' 'dat's de trouf,' said one or two tbe rest stood irresolute. But at this moment a new speaker came forward it was theoaptain, who bad been listening in ambush. 'All gammon, boys, all gammon,' he began, seating himself familiarly among them on tbe fence rail. 'The season for planting's over, and your work would be thrown away in that field of his. Ho knows it, too be only wants to see you marching around to his whistlirg. And he pays you dotible wages, does be? Double wages for perfectly useless work. Doesn't that show, clear ss daylight,, what he's up to If he hankers so after your future—your next winter, and all that—why don't he give yer tbe money right out, if he's so Bush? But no he wants to put you to work, and that's all there is or it. He can't deny a word I've said, either.' 'I do not deny tbat I wish you to work, friends,' began David— 'There! he tells yer so, himself,'said tbe captain 'he wants yer back in yer old places again. I seen him talking to old Ammerton the other day. Give

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a chance, them two classes, and they'll have you slaves a second time before, you know it." 'Never!' cried David. 'Friends, it is not possible tbat you can believe tbis man! We have given our lives to make you free,' be adaod passionately, "we came down among you, bearing your freedom in our bands-—' 'Come |now—I'm a Northerner too, ain't I Interrupted the captain 'there'3 two kinds of Northerners, boys. I waa in the army, and that's more than be oan say. Mueh freedom he brought down in hia bands, safe at home in his narrer-minded, penny-scraping village He wasn't in the army at all, boys, and he can't tell you be was/

Tbis was true tbe school master could not. Neither could he tell tbem what was also true, namely, that tbe captain bad been an attache of a sutler's tent, and nothing more. But tbe sharp-wit-ted captain bad the whole history of his opponent at bis fingers' ends. •Come along, boys/ said tbis jovial leader 'we'll have suthin' to drink tbe health of tbis tremenjous soldier in—tbis fellow ss fought so hard for your freedom and for you. I always thought he looked like a fighting man witn them fine brosd shoulders of bis!' He laughed loudly, and the men trooped into the store after bim. Tbe achool master, alone outside, knew that bis chance was one. He turned away and took tbe lomeward road. One of his plsns bad failed there remained now nothing save to oarry out the other.

Prompt as usual, he wrote bis letter as soon as be reached bis cabin, asking that another teaoher, a colored man if [Continued en Third Page.]

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