Chapter Twelfth.
"If thou neglect'st, or dost unwillinglyWhat I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps,Fill all thy bones with aches; make thee roar,That beasts shall tremble at thy din."--SHAKESPEARE'S TEMPEST.
The Ion family were spending the day at the Oaks. It was now early inthe fall of 1868 and political excitement ran high over the comingpresidential election. There had been as yet no effectual check given tothe lawless proceedings of the Ku Klux, and their frequent raids andnumerous deeds of violence had inaugurated a reign of terror that was ashame and reproach to our boasted civilization and free institutions.
Many of the poorer class, both blacks and whites, dared not pass thenight in their houses, but when darkness fell, fled for safety to theshelter of the nearest woods, carrying their beds with them, andsleeping in the open air.
That the Ku Klux Klan was a political organization working in theinterests of the Democratic party, their words to their victims left nodoubt. The latter were told that they were punished for belonging tothe Union League or for favoring the Republican party or using theirinfluence in its behalf, and threatened with severer treatment if theydared vote its ticket or persuade others to do so.
The outrages were highly disapproved by all Republicans and by most ofthe better class in the opposite party; but many were afraid to expresstheir opinions of the doings of the Klan, lest they should be visitedwith its terrors; while for the same reason, many of its victimspreferred to suffer in silence rather than institute proceedings, ortestify against their foes.
It was a state of things greatly deplored by our friends of the Oaks andIon, and Messrs. Dinsmore and Travilla, who were not of the timid sort,had been making efforts to bring some of the guilty ones to justice;though thus far with very little success.
Such an errand had taken them to the town on this particular day.
They were returning late in the afternoon and were still several milesfrom home, when, passing through a bit of woods, a sudden turn of theroad brought them face to face with a band of mounted men, some thirtyor forty in number, not disguised but rough and ruffianly in appearanceand armed with clubs, pistols and bowie knives.
The encounter was evidently a surprise to both parties, and reining intheir steeds, they regarded each other for a moment in grim silence.
Then the leader of the band, a profane, drunken wretch, who had been asurgeon in the Confederate army, scowling fiercely upon our friends andlaying his hand on a pistol in his belt, growled out, "A couple ofscalawags! mean dirty rascals, what mischief have you been at now, eh?"
Disdaining a reply to his insolence, the gentlemen drew their revolvers,cocked them ready for instant use, and whirling their horses half wayround and backing them out of the road so that they faced it, whileleaving room for the others to pass, politely requested them to do so.
"Not so fast!" returned the leader, pouring out a torrent of oaths andcurses; "we've a little account to settle with you two, and no time'slike the present."
"Yes, shoot 'em down!" cried a voice from the crowd.
"Hang 'em!" yelled another, "the ---- ---- rascals!"
"Yes," roared a third, "pull 'em from their horses and string 'em up tothe limb o' that big oak yonder."
Our friends faced them with dauntless air.
"You will do neither," said Mr. Dinsmore, in a firm, quiet tone; "we arewell armed and shall defend ourselves to the last extremity."
Travilla threw his riding whip into the road a foot or two in front ofhis horse's head, saying, as he looked steadily into the leader's eyes,"The first one who passes that to come nearer to us is that instant adead man."
The two were well known in the community as men of undoubted courage anddetermination; also as excellent marksmen.
A whisper ran along the lines of their opponents.
"He's a dead shot; and so's Dinsmore; and they're not afraid o' thedevil himself. Better let 'em go for this time."
The leader gave the word, "Forward!" and with hisses, groans and avariety of hideous noises, they swept along the road and passed out ofsight, leaving our friends masters of the field.
"Cruelty and cowardice go hand in hand," observed Mr. Travilla, as theyresumed their homeward way.
"Yes, those brave fellows prefer waging war upon sleeping unarmed men,and helpless women and children, to risking life and limb in fair andopen fight with such as you and I," returned his companion.
"They are Ku Klux, you think?"
"I am morally certain of it, though I could not bring proof to convicteven that rascally Dr. Savage."
They agreed not to mention the occurrence in presence of their wives:also that it would be best for Travilla to take his family home early,Mr. Dinsmore and Horace Jr. accompanying them as an escort.
This they could readily do without arousing the fears of the ladies, asboth were constantly coming and going between the two places.
The sun was nearing the horizon when they reached the Oaks.
Rose and Elsie were in the veranda awaiting their coming in someanxiety.
"Oh," they cried, "we are so rejoiced to see you! so thankful that youare safe. We feared you had met some of those dreadful Ku Klux."
"Yes, little wife, we are safe, thanks to the protecting care which isover us all in every place," Mr. Travilla said, embracing her as thoughthey had been long parted.
"Ah yes," she sighed, "how I have been forgetting to-day the lessons offaith and trust I have tried to impress upon Mrs. Leland. It is fareasier to preach than to practice."
Little feet came running in from the grounds, little voicesshouted, "Papa has come! Papa and grandpa too," and a merry sceneensued--hugging, kissing, romping--presently interrupted by the callto tea.
There was nothing unusual in the manner of either gentleman and thewives had no suspicion that they had been in peril of their lives.
"I think it would be well to return home early to-night," Mr. Travillaremarked to Elsie.
"Yes," she said, "on account of the children."
So the carriage was ordered at once, and shortly after leaving the tablethey were on their way--Elsie, children and nurses in the carriage, withMr. Travilla, Mr. Dinsmore and son, all well armed, as their mountedescort.
Horace had been taken aside by his father and told of the afternoon'sadventure, and in his indignation was almost eager for "a brush with theinsolent ruffians."
None appeared, however; Ion was reached in safety, they tarried there anhour or more, then returned without perceiving any traces of the foe.
The hush of midnight has fallen upon the Oaks, Ion, Fairview and all thesurrounding region; the blinking stars and young moon, hanging a goldencrescent just above the horizon, look down upon a sleeping world; yetnot all asleep, for far down the road skirting yonder wood, a strangeprocession approaches;--goblin-like figures, hideous with enormoushorns, glaring eye-balls and lolling red tongues, and mounted uponweird-looking steeds, are moving silently onward.
They reach a small house hard by the road-side, pause before it, andwith a heavy riding whip the leader thunders at the door.
The frightened inmates, startled from their sleep, cry out in alarm,and a man's voice asks, "Who's there?"
"Open the door," commands the leader in a strange sepulchral voice.
"I must know first who is there and what's wanted," returns the other,hurrying on his clothes.
A shot is fired, and penetrating the door, strikes the opposite wall.
"Open instantly, or we'll break in, and it'll be the worse for you,"thunders the leader; and with trembling hands, amid the cries of wifeand children, the man removes the bars, draws back the bolts, and looksout, repeating his question, "What's wanted?"
"Nothing, this time, Jim White, but to warn you that if you vote theRepublican ticket, we'll call again, take you to the woods, and flog youwithin an inch of your life--Beware! Forward, men!" and the troop sweepsonward, while White closes and bars the door again, and creeps back tobed.
"Ku Klux!" says t
he wife shuddering. "Jim, we'll have to hide o' nightsnow, like the rest. Hush, hush, children, they're gone now; so go tosleep; nothing'll hurt ye. Jim, ye'll mind?"
"Yes, yes, Betsy, though it galls me to be ordered round like a nigger;me with as white a skin as any o' them."
Onward, still onward sweeps the goblin train, and again and again thesame scene is enacted, the victim now a poor white, and now a freedman.
At length they have reached Fairview; they pause before the gate, twodismount, make off into the woods, and presently reappear bearing ontheir shoulders a long dark object; a little square of white visible onthe top.
They pass through the gate, up the avenue, and silently deposit theirburden at the door, return to their companions, and with them repair tothe negro quarter.
Dismounting, they tie their horses to the fence, and leaving them incharge of one of their number, betake themselves to the nearest cabin,surround it, break open the door, drag out the man, carry him to alittle distance, and with clubs and leathern straps, give him a terriblebeating.
Leaving him half dead with pain and fright, they return to his cabin,threaten his wife and children, rob him of his gun, and pass on torepeat their lawless deeds; menacing some, beating and shooting others;not always sparing women or children; the latter perhaps, being hurtaccidentally in the melee.
From the quarter at Fairview, they passed on to that of Ion, continuingthere the same threats and acts of violence; winding up by setting fireto the school-house, and burning it to the ground.
The bright light shining in at the open windows of her room, awoke thelittle Elsie. She sprang from her bed, and ran to the window. She couldsee the flames bursting from every aperture in the walls of the smallbuilding, and here and there through the roof, curling about therafters, sending up volumes of smoke, and showers of sparks; and intheir light the demon-like forms of the mischief-doers, some seated upontheir horses and looking quietly on, others flitting to and fro in thelurid glare; while the roar and crackling of the flames, and the soundof falling timbers came distinctly to her ear.
At the sight a panic terror seized the child. She flew into the roomwhere her parents lay sleeping, but with habitual thoughtfulness forothers, refrained from screaming out in her fright, lest she shouldrouse the little ones.
She went to her father's side, put her lips to his ear, and said in lowtremulous tones, "Papa, papa, please wake up, I'm so frightened; there'sa fire and the Ku Klux are there. O papa, I'm afraid they'll come hereand kill you!" and she ended with a burst of almost hysterical weeping,rousing both father and mother.
"What is it, darling?" asked Mr. Travilla, starting up to a sittingposture, and throwing an arm about the child, "what has alarmed mypet?" while the mother, exclaiming "Vi! is she gone again?" sprang outupon the floor, and hastily threw on a dressing-gown.
"No, no, no, mamma; Vi's safe in bed, but look at that red light on thewall yonder! it's fire, and the Ku Klux!"
In another moment all three were at the window overlooking the scene.
"The school-house!" exclaimed Mr. Travilla. "I am not surprised; for theKlan is greatly opposed to the education of the negro, and has burneddown buildings used for that purpose in other places. Do you see them,wife? those frightful looking horned animals."
"Yes," she said with a shudder, followed by a deep sigh, "and O Edwardwhat may they not be doing to our poor people? can we do anything tosave them?"
He shook his head sadly.
"No: they are out in considerable force, and I could do nothing,single-handed, against twenty or thirty armed men."
"O papa, mamma, I am so frightened!" cried little Elsie, clinging tothem both. "Will they come here and hurt us?"
"I think not, daughter," her father said soothingly; "their raids havehitherto been almost entirely confined to the blacks, and poor whites,with now and then one of those from the North whom they stylecarpet-baggers."
"Be calm, dearest, and put your trust in the Lord," the mother said,folding the trembling, sobbing child to her breast. "'The beloved of theLord shall dwell in safety by him, and the Lord shall cover him all theday long.' 'Not an hair of your head shall fall to the ground withoutyour Father.'"
"Yes, sweet words," said Mr. Travilla; "and remember what the Lord Jesussaid to Pilate, 'Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except itwere given thee from above.'"
A short pause, in which all three gazed intently at the scene ofconflagration, then, "Do you see how the walls are tottering?" said Mr.Travilla, and even as he spoke they tumbled together into one burningmass, the flames shot up higher than before, burning with a fierce heatand roar, while by their lurid light the Ku Klux could be seen taking uptheir line of march again.
The two Elsies watched in almost breathless suspense till they saw themturn in a direction to take them farther from Ion.
"Thank God they are not coming here!" ejaculated Mrs. Travilla, in low,reverent, grateful tones.
"Hark, mamma, papa, I hear cries and screams!" exclaimed little Elsie."Oh it must be some of the poor women and children coming up from thequarter!"
As the child spoke there came a quick sharp tap, that seemed to tell offright and excitement, at the outer door of the suite of apartments, andan old servant, hardly waiting for the permission to enter, thrust inhis head, saying in tremulous tones, "Mars Ed'ard, de people's allcomin' up from de quarter, an' knockin' an' cryin' to get in. Dere'sbeen awful times down dere; de Ku Klu--"
"Yes, yes, Jack, I know; but be quiet or you'll wake the children. Openthe hall door and let the poor things in, of course," said Mr. Travilla,"and I'll be down in a moment."
"Plenty room on de back veranda, Mars Ed'ard, an' 'tween dat an' dekitchen."
"Very well, they'll be safe there, but if they don't feel so let theminto the hall."
"Yes, sah."
The head was withdrawn, the door closed, and Jack's shuffling feet couldbe heard descending the stairs.
Mr. and Mrs. Travilla, having each completed a hasty toilet, were aboutto go down; but little Elsie clung to her mother.
"Mamma, mamma, don't go and leave me! please let me go too."
"My darling, you would be quite safe here; and it is much earlier thanyour usual hour for rising."
"But day is breaking, mamma, and I could not sleep any more: besidesmaybe I could help to comfort them."
"I think she could," said her father, and mamma gave consent at once.
They found the back veranda, the kitchen, and the space between, filledwith an excited crowd of blacks, old and young, talking, gesticulating,crying, moaning and groaning.
"De Ku Klux, de Ku Klux!" was on every tongue.
"Tell ye what, darkies," one was saying, "dey's debbils! why two ob demstop befo' my doah an' say 'You black rascal, give us some watah! quicknow fo' we shoot you tru the head': den I hand up a gourd full--'bout aquart min' yo',--an de fust snatch it an' pour it right down his troat,an' hand de gourd back quick's a flash; den he turn roun' an' ride off,while I fill de gourd for de udder, an' he do jes de same. Tell ye whatdey's debbils! didn't you see de horns, an' de big red tongues waggin'?"
There was a murmur of assent, and a shudder ran through the throng. ButMr. Travilla's voice was heard in cheerful reassuring tones.
"No, boys, they are men, though they do the work of devils. I have seentheir disguise, and under that long red tongue, which is made offlannel, and moved by the wearer's real tongue, there is a leather bag,inside of the disguise--and into it they pour the water; not down theirthroats."
"Dat so, Mars Ed'ard?" cried several, drawing a long breath of relief.
"Yes, that is so, boys. And they've been threatening and abusing youto-night?"
"Yes, sah, dat dey hab!" cried a score of voices, and one after anothershowed his wounds, and told a piteous tale.
Elsie and her namesake daughter wept over their losses and sufferings:the medicine closet was unlocked and its stores liberally drawn upon formaterials to dress their wounds, both master and mistres
s attending tothem with their own hands; and at the same time speaking soothing,comforting words, and promising help to repair the damage to theirproperty, and make good their losses: also to bring their enemies tojustice if that might be possible.
It was broad daylight ere the work was finished.
The veranda was nearly empty now, the people slowly returning to theirhomes--Mr. Travilla having assured them the danger was past for thepresent--when Elsie caught sight of a woman whom she had not observedtill that moment.
The poor creature had dropped down upon a bench at the kitchen door. Herright arm hung useless at her side; with the left she held the bloodycorpse of a puny infant to her breast, and the eyes she lifted to theface of her mistress were full of a mute, tearless agony.
Elsie's overflowed at the piteous sight. "O my poor Minerva," she said,"what is this they have done to you and poor little Ben?"
"Oh, oh, oh, Miss Elsie! de Ku Kluxes dey shot tru de doah, an' de ballsflyin' all roun', an'--an'--one hit me on de arm, an' killed my baby!"she sobbed, "oh! oh! oh! de doctah mend de arm, but de baby,he--he--done gone foreber;" and the sobs burst forth with renewedviolence, while she hugged the still form closer, and rocked herself toand fro in her grief.
"Gone to heaven, my poor Minerva, to be forever safe and happy with thedear Lord Jesus," her mistress said in quivering tones, the tearsrolling fast down her own cheeks.
"An' he neber hab no mo' miseries, honey," said Aunt Dicey, drawingnear; "no Ku Klux come into de garden ob de Lord to scare him or hurthim; bress his little heart!"
"Wish we all dere, safe an' happy like he! Let me wash off de blood an'dress him clean for de grave," said Aunt Sally, the nurse of thequarter, gently taking the child, while Mr. Travilla and Elsie bound upthe wounded arm, speaking soothingly to the sufferer, and promising thedoctor's aid as soon as it could be procured.
Aunt Sally sat near attending to the last offices for the tiny corpse,little Elsie looking on, with big tears coursing down her cheeks.Presently going to her mother's side, she whispered a few words in herear.
"Yes, dear, you may go to the bureau drawer and choose it yourself," wasthe prompt reply, and the child ran into the house, returning directlywith a baby's slip of fine white muslin, delicately embroidered.
"Put this on him, Aunt Sally," she said; "mamma gave me leave to getit."
Then going to the bereaved mother, and clasping the dusky, toil-wornhand with her soft, white fingers, "Don't cry, Minerva," she said, "youknow poor little Ben was always sick, and now he is well and happy. Andif you love Jesus, you will go to be with him again some day."
Evidently much gratified by the honor done her dead babe, Minerva sobbedout her thanks for that, and the dressing of her wounded arm, anddropping a courtesy, followed Aunt Sally as she bore the corpse intoAunt Dicey's cabin close by.
The scanty furniture of Minerva's own had been completely demolished bythe desperadoes, and her husband terribly beaten.
He and one or two others had not come up with the crowd, presumably frominability to do so, and Mr. Travilla now mounted his horse and went insearch of them.
They had been left by their assailants in the woods, where one--"UncleMose"--dreadfully crippled by rheumatism, still lay on the ground halfdead with bruises, cuts, and pistol shot wounds.
Another had crawled to his cabin and fainted upon its threshold; while athird lay weltering in his gore some yards distant from his.
Mr. Travilla had them all carried into their houses, and made ascomfortable as circumstances would permit, and a messenger wasdispatched in all haste for Dr. Barton.
The family at Fairview had slept through the night undisturbed by thevicinity, or acts of the raiders. Mr. Leland's first intimation of theirvisit was received as he opened the front door at his usual early hourfor beginning his morning round of the plantation.
He almost started back at the sight of a rude pine coffin directlybefore him; but recovering himself instantly, stooped to read a labelaffixed to the lid.
"Beware, odious carpet-bagger! this is your third and last warning.Leave the country within ten days, or your carcass fills this."
He read it deliberately through, carefully weighing each word, not amuscle of his face moving, not a tremor agitating his nerves.
Turning to his overseer, who at that moment appeared before him, "Bringme a hatchet," he said in stern, calm tones, "and be quick, Park; Iwould not have your mistress see this on any account."
Stepping upon the lid as he spoke, he broke it in with a crash,finishing his work when the hatchet came, by quickly chopping andsplitting the coffin up into kindling-wood.
"There!" he said, bidding the man gather up the fragments and carry themto the kitchen, "they'll not put me into that, at all events. Whatmischief have they been at in the quarter, I wonder?" he added,springing into the saddle.
"Dreffle bad work, sah; mos' killed two ob de boys; scared de rest todeff," said Park, hastily obeying the order to gather up the bits ofwood, "jes' gwine tell ye, sah, when you tole me go for de hatchet."
"Indeed! hellish work! Follow me, Park, as quickly as you can. And mind,not a word of this," pointing to the demolished coffin, "to any one,"and putting spurs to his horse, he galloped off in the direction of thequarter.
But presently catching sight of the still smoking embers of the Ionschool-house, he drew rein for an instant with a sudden exclamation ofsurprise and regret. "The wretches, what will they do next? burn ourhouses about our ears?" and sighing, he pursued his way.
Indignant anger, and tender pity and compassion filled his breast byturns, on reaching the quarter and discovering the state of thingsthere; worse even than Park's report had made it.
He rode from cabin to cabin inquiring into the condition of the inmatesand speaking words of pity and of hope.
Finding several badly bruised and cut, and others suffering from gunshotwounds, he sent to the house for lint, salve and bandages, and directeda lad to run to the stables, saddle a horse; and go immediately for Dr.Barton.
"De doctah ober to Ion now, sah," returned the boy, "debbils dore las'night, too, sah."
"Run over to Ion, then, and ask the doctor to come here when he isthrough there," said Mr. Leland.
Mr. Travilla came with the doctor and the two planters compared notes,in regard to damages, Mr. Leland also telling the story of the coffinlaid at his door.
"What do you intend doing?" asked Mr. Travilla.
"Inclination says, 'Stay and brave it out;' but I have not yet fullydecided. I have invested all my means in this enterprise, and have awife and family of helpless little ones to support."
"That makes it hard indeed; yet I fear your life is in great danger. Butcome what may, Leland, I stand your friend. If you should be attacked,fly to Ion; you will find an open door, a hearty welcome, and suchprotection as I am able to give. I think we could conceal you so thatit would be a matter of difficulty for your foes to find you."
"A thousand thanks! God bless you for your kindness, sir!" exclaimedLeland, with emotion, warmly grasping the hand held out to him; and thetwo parted, each wending his homeward way.
Elsie's Motherhood Page 12