by the
majority of white men of the South.

"It seemed as though my proposition did not take her by surprise. She
gently, but most firmly rejected my proposal. She told me that the
proposal was of a nature to occasion deep and lasting repugnance, but
that in my case she blamed circumstances and conditions more than she
did me. The quiet, loving manner in which she resented insult and left
no tinge of doubt as to her virtue, if possible, intensified my love.
A few days later she came to me and said: 'Let us go to Canada and get
married secretly. I will return South with you. No one shall ever
know what we have done, and for the sake of your political and social
future I will let the people apply whatever name they wish to our
relationship.'

"I gladly embraced the proposal, knowing that she would keep faith
even unto death; although I realized how keenly her pure soul felt at
being regarded as living with me dishonorably. Yet, love and interest
bade her bow her head and receive the public mark of shame.

"Heroic soul! That is the marriage certificate which I showed you. You
were born. When you were four years old your mother told me that she
must leave, as she could not bear to see her child grow up esteeming
her an adulteress.

"The war broke out, and I entered the army, and your mother took you
to Europe, where she lived until the war was over, when she returned
to Winchester, Virginia. Her father was a man of wealth, and you own
two millions of dollars through your mother. At my death you shall
have eight millions more.

"So much for the past. Let me tell you of my plans and hopes for your
future. This infernal race prejudice has been the curse of my life.
Think of my pure-hearted, noble-minded wife, branded as a harlot, and
you, my own son, stigmatized as a bastard, because it would be suicide
for me to let the world know that you both are mine, though you both
are the direct descendants of a governor, and a long line of heroes
whose names are ornaments to our nation's history.

"I want you to break down this prejudice. It is the wish of your
mother and your father. You must move in the front, but all that money
and quiet influence can do shall be done by me for your advancement.
I paid Mr. Tiberius Gracchus Leonard two thousand dollars a year to
teach you at Winchester. His is a master mind. One rash deed robbed
the world of seeing a colossal intellect in high station. I shall tell
you his history presently