ome going, but all
moved by the same irresistible impulse to test their freedom--to see if
they really could come hither and go yonder without let or hinderance.
Uncle Plato and his family, with a dozen others who were sagacious
enough to follow the old man's example, remained in their places and
fared better than the rest.

For a time Shady Dale rested peacefully in its seclusion, watching the
course of events with apparent tranquillity. But behind this appearance
of repose there was a good deal of restlessness and uneasiness.
Sometimes its bosom (so to speak) was inflamed with anger, and sometimes
it would be sunk in despair. One of the events that brought Shady Dale
closer to the troubles that the newspapers were full of, was a circular
letter issued by Major Tomlin Perdue, of Halcyondale. Major Perdue had
returned home thoroughly reconstructed. He was full of admiration for
General Grant's attitude toward General Lee, and he endorsed with all
his heart the tone and spirit of Lee's address to his old soldiers; but
when he saw the unexpected turn that the politicians had been able to
give to events, he found it hard to hold his peace. Finally, when he
could restrain himself no longer, he incited his friends to hold a
meeting and propose his name as a candidate for Congress. This was done,
and the Major seized the opportunity to issue a circular letter
declining the nomination, and giving his reasons therefor. This letter
remains to this day the most scathing arraignment of carpet-baggery,
bayonet rule, and the Republican Party generally that has ever been put
in print. It contained some decidedly picturesque references to the
personality of the commander of the Georgia district, who happened to be
General Pope, the famous soldier who had his head-quarters in the saddle
at a very interesting period of the Civil War.

Major Perdue did not intend it so, but his letter was a piece of pure
recklessness. The effect of this scorching document was to bring a
company of Federal troops to Halcyondale, and in the course of a few
weeks a detachment was stationed at Shady Dale. In each case they
brought their tents with them, and went into camp. This was taken as a
signal by the carpet-baggers that the region round-about was to be
cultivated for political purposes, and forthwith they began operations,
receiving occasional accessions in the person of a number of scalawags,
the most respectable and conscientious of these being Mr.