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Show J :- i i : , . -Reconstruction I i Q l I, 11 V HjX . tj Joel Chandler Harrta 3 5 . .. " .(CoplrM. 1? by Jol Chandlrr Harris.) J ' . 3 (CHAPTER XL-Continued.) "We are now ready I presume for the ceremonies te begin," remarked Mr. Hotchkiss. "First we will elect officers of the league, and I suggest that the Hon. Jeremiah Tomlln be made president." presi-dent." "Dat's right!". .He sho Is de man!": "No needs fer ter put dat ter de question!" ques-tion!" ere some of the Indorsements that came from various parts of the room. . - - The Rev. Jeremiah was Immensely tickled' by- the title of Honorable that had been so unexpectedly bestowed on him. He- hung his head with as much modesty as he could summon and, bearing bear-ing In mind his calling, one might have been pardoned for suspecting that he was offering up a brief prayer of thanksgiving. He rose . In his place, however. . . "Mr. .Cheer, I thank you an flere friends might'ly fer de re nomination er my name, an' de gen'ral endossments er de balance er deze gentermen. Bo fur, so good. . But, Mr. Cheer,, fo' we gits right spang down ter business, I moves dat some er de brers be ax'l fer ter give der Idee er dls plan which; have- been laid befo' us by our hon'bul frien. -1 moves dot we hear f um Brr Plato Clopton, ef'so be.de sperret Is on him fer ter gi us his sesso." Uncle Plato, taken somewhat by sur-. prise, was slow in responding, but when he rose he presented a striking figure. He was taller thatyfre average negro, and there was a single dignity an alr-of alr-of gentility and serene affability In his attitude and bearing that attracted the attention of Mr. Hotchkles.- " The Rev. Jeremiah was still standing, and Uncle .Plato, after bowing gracefully to Mr. Hotchkiss, turned with a smile to . the negro wHo had 'called on him. - "You know mighty welL Br'er Jerry, dat I ain't sech a talker es ter git up an' say my say des dry so, an' let it go at dat Howsomever, I laid off ter say Bomp'n, an' I ain't sorry you called my name. In what has ben said aey's a heap dat I agrees wld. I b'lleve dat de cullud folks oushter work tergedder, an stan' tergedder fer ter he'p an be holped. -But when you call on me fer ter turn my back on my marster, an go to hatln' 'im, you'll hater skusen me. You sho will." , "He ain't yo marster now, Br'er Plato, Pla-to, an yo' know It" a!d the Rev. Jeremiah. Jere-miah. "I know dat mighty well." replied Uncle Plato; "but ef It don't hurt my feelln's fer ter call him dat it oughtn't ter pester yuther people. How it may be wld yo' all, I dunno; but me an' my marster wux boys tergedder. We uster play wld one an'er, an fall out an' fight an' I've whipped him des ex many times et he ever whipped me an' he'll tell you de same." "But all this," suggested Mr. Hotch kiss, coldly, "has nothing to do with the matter, in hand. The colored race is facing conditions that amount to a rriaia a crisis that has no parallel In Isfactory reply. ', Perceiving this, Mr. Hotchkiss came to the rescue. "You must bear In mind," he blandly remarked, re-marked, "that this is not a cuestion of ane person . here and another person there. It concerns a whole race. Should all the former slave-owners . of the South succeed In reclaiming their slaves, Mr. Tomlln and Mr. CloDton would be compelled by public sentiment to reclaim theirs. If they refused to do so, their former slaves would fall into the bands of new masters. It Is not a questionof Individuals at all." . . "Well. suh. we'll fin' out atter awhile dat we'll hatter to like de white folks. E-veV tub'll hatter stan On its own bot-torrf. bot-torrf. I'm des ex free new ei I wux twenty years ago" -. . "I can well believe that after -what you 'have said," Mr. Hotchkiss Interrupted. Inter-rupted. - - The tone of his voice was as smooth as velvet, but his words can-fed the sting of an imputation, and Uncle Plato felt it and resented It "Yes, suh an' I wux des es free twenty years ago ei yo' Ail will ever be. My marster has been good ter me f um de word go. I ain't stayln"wld 'lm bekase he got money. Ef him an' Miss Sa'ar dl'n'a have a dollar dol-lar In deworl'. an no way ter git it I'd work my arms oft f r im.. An' ef I 'fused ter do it my wife 'd quit me. But Til tell you what I'll do; when' my marster 'tu'ns his. back on me I'll tu'n my back' on him." "I'm really, sorry thai you persist in making this Question . a personal one , when If affects all the negroes now llv- i lng and-mtlllens yet to be 'born," said Mr. Hotchkiss. , . "Well, suh. leslook at It .dat away," Uncle Plato insisted.' SpOxenyo ban' tergedder -like dls, an' -try ter tu'n de white folks ag'ln you, an' dey see what I you up ter, an tu'ns- der backs, "den what you gwine ter do? You got fer live here an' you got ter make yo' livln' here. Is yo' gwine ter cripple de cow dat gives de cream?" Uncle - Plato paused and looked around. He saw at once that he was In I a hopeless minority, and so he reached . for his hat. "I'm mighty glad ter know you, suh,' he said to Mr. Hotchkiss, with a bow that Chesterfield might have envied, "but '11 hatter bid . you good night" With that he went out followed by Wlrey Mill Irons and Walthall's Walt-hall's Jake, much to the relief of Rev. Jeremiah, who proceeded to denounce "white folks' niggers," and to utter some violent threats. Then, In no long time, the Union league' was organized. Those In the closet failed to hear the' words that con- . stltuted the ceremony of initiation. Only On-ly low mutterlngs came to their ears. But the ceremony consisted of a lot of mummery, well calculated to Impress I the simple-minded negroes. After a I time the meeting adjourned, the soli- i tary candle was blown out and the last I negro departed. (Continued .Monday.) I the world's history." ."Dat Is suUlnly bo!" the Rev. Jeremiah Jere-miah ejaculated, though he had but a dim notion of what Hotchkiss was talking talk-ing about. "They have been made citizens," pursued pur-sued the orgaRlzer, "and It Is their duty to demand all their rights and to be satisfied with nothing less.- The best men of our party believe that the rebels are still rebellious, and that they will elze the first opportunity to re-enslave the colored people." "Ah-yl!" exclaimed the Rev. Jeremiah. Jere-miah. triumphantly. "Does you reely bUeve, Br'er Jerry, dat' Pulaski Tomlln will ever try ter put you back in slav'ry? asked Uncle Plato. The Inquiry was a poser, and the Revr Jeremiah was unable to make any sat- |