highly
wrought up. Dr. Le Grand came slowly up to them, paused and raised his
hands for silence. "Why this excitement so early in the morning?" he
asked. "We's prepared fer um ter day," said a woman, coming forward and
brandishing a broomstick. "Dey says dey gointer kill niggers, but we's
gwine ter tek er few er dem long wid us." "Bah!" exclaimed the minister.
"What will such a thing as that amount to against rifles? Disperse and
go home, or you'll be sorry." This command had but slight effect upon
this throng, whom Rev. Le Grand left and proceeded toward a crowd of
white men and boys who stood not far distant, apparently debating the
question of bearing down upon and dispersing the blacks on the corner.
"Halt!" said one of the men, stepping in front of Mr. Le Grand and
placing his rifle against his breast. "You can't go no further; this
town's under military law now." "What means this demonstration?" calmly
asked the minister, with his eyes fixed steadily upon the face of the
man who had given the command. "It means that white men are in charge of
things from now on," said another fellow, stepping up and eying the
minister contemptuously. "You educated nigger preachers have been
teaching your race that white men are not ordained to rule, and such
teaching has got 'em beside themselves, so much so that the white people
are compelled to take stringent measures."

"Will you kindly inform me who the leader of this movement is?"
persisted Dr. Le Grand calmly. "Big words these," said the first man who
had spoken. "I guess we'd better settle this nigger." "Hold on, Sam,"
said the second man, pushing aside the gun the man had raised. "This is
St. Stephen's preacher. He is not on the list." "I'm out here in the
name of peace," said Dr. Le Grand, "willing to do anything to bring that
end." "Well," said the leader, producing a notebook from his breast
pocket, and scribbling something in it, "we came out to-day to wash the
streets in nigger gore, and if you can induce them to go home, you and
others of the leading men of your race, instead of encouraging them to
bully white people, you can save many lives. Colonel Moss is the
gentleman to go to. But you'll need a pass," tearing a leaf from the
notebook and handing it to Dr. Le Grand; "and I doubt if that will take
you through the lines. You will doubtless find the colonel somewhere in
the down-town section of the city. Stand aside, men, and let him pass."
Dr. Le Grand took the sli