in quarters where the facts
should have been known, and after it became a rumor, every effort was made
to quell suspicion. But, however that may have been, after the
unsuccessful feint to which we have called attention, no further effort
was made to interfere with the calm-faced crowds which, looking neither to
the right nor left, persevered in that unvarying procession which led them
to and from the news centres. A K. K. K. placard, which had been posted at
a popular street corner during the previous night, and which, for
contrasted reasons, had been given a wide berth by the rival factions,
became, as the evening wore along, the one subject which seemed to
possess sufficient interest to attract the regards of passers-by, and it
is probable that its importance (like some sentient wonders that we wot
of) was derived from the circumstance of its connection with weightier
subjects.

It was probably past the hour of noon before the extent of the Ku-Klux
raid was certainly known to the State authorities, and to say that the
intelligence cast a palpable gloom over the various departments of
government, would hardly particularize the situation with that
definiteness which the curiosity of the reader may demand. After the noon
recess it was found impossible to assemble a quorum of either the
legislative or judicial functionaries, and when visitors sought
individuals belonging to these branches, with a view to conference on
private topics, they were, oftener than not, sent away with the
intelligence that they had left the city. But this was scarcely true in
any case, for not only was there no hegira of State officers from the
scene of their labors on this day, but out-bound trains flew along the
landscapes with hardly any reasonable ballast in the way of passengers.
The secret of the whole business, as revealed soon after, showed that some
very extensive caucusing was being done, and that the K. K. K. cabal, for
the first time in its history, was receiving that attention from the
government authorities which its importance demanded. It is not known with
certainty what was resolved upon at these meetings, but it may be guessed,
with tolerable assurance, that those bold measures soon afterwards
instituted in the House (though enterprised too late for any practical
use) received their inspiration from this excited period. And it was soon
after published as an item of news, that the judiciary demanded of their
law-making colleagues