, now dat I think of it. Oh, de sights of them
days. They camp all 'round up at Mt. Zion College and stable their
hosses in one of de rooms. They gallop here and yonder and burn de
'Piscopal Church on Sunday mornin'. A holy war they called it, but they
and Wheeler's men was a holy terror to dis part of de world, as naked
and hungry as they left it. I marry Savannah Parnell and of all our
chillun, dere is just one left, a daughter, Izetta. Her in Tampa,
Florida.

"Does I 'members anything 'bout de Ku Klux? No sir, nothin'. I was
always wid de white folks side of politics. They wasn't concerned 'bout
me. Marster James have no patience for dat kind of business anyhow. Him
was a lawyer and believed in lettin' de law rule in de daylight and
would have nothin' to do wid work dat have to have de cover of night and
darkness.

"Does I 'member 'bout de red shirts? Sure I does. De marster never wore
one. Him get me a red shirt and I wore it in Hampton days. What I
recollect 'bout them times? If you got time to listen, I 'spect I can
make anybody laugh 'bout what happen right in dis town in red shirt
days. You say you glad to listen? Well, here goes. One time in '76. de
democrats have a big meetin' in de court house in April. Much talk last
all day. What they say or do up dere nobody know. Paper come out next
week callin' de radicals to meet in de court house fust Monday in May.
Marster Glenn McCants, a lawyer, was one of old marster's sons. He tell
me all 'bout it.

"De day of de radical republican meetin' in de court house, Marster Ed
Ailen had a drug store, so him and Marster Ozmond Buchanan fix up four
quart bottles of de finest kind of liquor, wid croton-oil in every
bottle. Just befo' de meetin' was called to order, Marster Ed pass out
dat liquor to de ring leader, tellin' him to take it in de court house
and when they want to 'suade a nigger their way, take him in de side
jury rooms and 'suade him wid a drink of fine liquor. When de meetin'
got under way, de chairman 'pointed a doorkeeper to let nobody in and
nobody out 'til de meetin' was over, widout de chairman say so.

"They say things went along smooth for a while but directly dat
croton-oil make a demand for 'tention. Dere was a wild rush for de door.
De doorkeeper say 'Stand back, you have to 'dress de chairman to git
permission to git out'. Chairman rap his gavel and say, 'What's de
matter over dere? Take your seats! Parliment law 'quire you to 'dress de
chair t