ТОП просматриваемых книг сайта:
Unconquered. Johnny Neil Smith
Читать онлайн.Название Unconquered
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781611390612
Автор произведения Johnny Neil Smith
Издательство Ingram
Surprised at the remarks that had been made, Lucretia stammered, “There are good people in both the North and South. It’s the politicians that should be held responsible for the bloodshed. They start the wars and the common citizen pays the cost. It’s those politicians who ought to burn in hell. Those southern boys were no different from ours. And, most southerners don’t even hold slaves.”
Stumbling out of his chair Jones raised his glass and getting the attention of those around, he exclaimed, “Well folks, it appears we have a Southern sympathizer with us here tonight. I’d like to make a toast to the pretty Southern Belle. I guess she comes from Georgia or perhaps Alabama.”
Robert immediately rose to his feet and with clinched fist said. “Sir, this woman is no Southern sympathizer and in fact she served as a nurse to our soldiers after the battle of Gettysburg. You will apologize to her.”
With a smurk on his face the drunk replied, “You sure are a mighty scrawny twirp to be talking so big. I bet you never served in the army, did you? “
Alex got to his feet. “He might be scrawny but there are at least two of us who’ll shut your filthy mouth.”
No sooner had Alex finished, than the hotel manager and a policeman entered the room and hurried over to where they stood. Pushing the drunk away from Robert, he said, “Mister, you’ve had too much to drink and for you two young men, there won’t be any fist a cuffs in this establishment. It’s getting late and I think it’s time for all of you to retire for the evening.”
Robert took Lucretia by the arm, relieved that he did not have to tangle with the man. “We were not bothering anyone until he insulted Miss Caulder. I owe no apologies for my behavior. Lucretia, you and Alex wait here while I take care of dinner.”
Standing there at the window, watching the snow floating and swirling in all directions, Lucretia thought how proud she was of the way Robert had defended her. The man, much older and stronger, would have probably beaten both Robert and Alex. There was so much to admire in Robert. A girl would be foolish not to marry him, she reasoned. Then seeing a lone man standing outside waiting in the cold, her mind wondered back to the war years. They were boys just like ours except they were far from home, not knowing if they would ever see their love ones again, she thought. The man turned toward her and seeing her gaze, smiled and gave her a faint wave. For a moment she imagined him to be the boy she had met years before. She could see that dark curly hair, sparkling blue eyes and sheepish smile, as she told the young soldier that she was fourteen, and standing there on the tips of her toes, she received her first kiss.
Phoenix Hotel, Meridian, Mississippi, January, 1869
The men hushed their talk when they heard two taps on the door followed by a harder knock. During the evening they could hear loud talking, cursing and occasionally a gunshot from outside. This was a typical Saturday night in Meridian.
“Ralph, check the door. It sounds like one of ours.”
“Yes sir,” came the reply.
Ralph eased the door open and, recognizing the men standing in the hall, motioned them in whispering, “Anybody see you come in?”
“Not on your life, Ralph. There’s too much of a ruckus going on in the streets tonight for anyone to pay any attention to the likes of me and Frank. The troops have got their hands full with some drunks up the street. One of ‘em got shot.”
Inside the smoke-filled hotel room were eleven well-dressed men who by appearance looked to be men of means and power. Hendon began shaking hands and introducing Frank and himself.
In a few moments one of the men, Daniel McWorthan, who had earlier conducted the meeting in Hickory, asked the men to have a seat and said, “Men, I apologize for calling this meeting on Saturday night, but as you can tell from all that is going on outside, we certainly won’t be bothered. Also, we have reserved rooms for all of you for the night. If you care for a drink, we have a small bar set up for you over by the window. Hendon, we’re glad you and Mister Olliver could be with us.”
“Thank you Sir,” Hendon replied, settling himself in a chair.
“Now to get to the point, this here is Jonathan Curry from over at Birmingham,” McWorthan said, glancing over to the man sitting next to him. “Even though you’ve met him, you don’t know what he wants to share with us and at this time, I’m turning the meeting over to him. Mister Curry.”
Curry, a heavy set man with a bulging stomach that completely covered his belt, short stout arms and a bushy unkempt beard, started to stand, then realizing this was only a small group, he settled himself back into his seat. For a moment he quietly looked each man in the face as they sat there wondering what he had in store for them.
Finally he said, “Men, you know from the meeting in Hickory, what we intend to do and if it’s not clear, let me refresh your memory. We believe that some things are gonna happen later this year that’s gonna open the political doors in this here State of Miss’sippi and when it does, we’re taking this state back. We plan to place our handpicked men in every elected office in each southern state. We plan to get every Negro and undesirable white out of office and we will go to whatever means it takes to accomplish this goal. Nothing is going to stop us.”
One of the men interrupted, “This ain’t gonna be easy, especially with all them Yankee troops here.”
“I didn’t say anything about being easy, Sir. Right the opposite. We will be highly organized in all that we do and secrecy will be mandated. Some of us will probably lose our lives in the struggle, but in the end we will prevail. We will get Miss’sippi back. We will be in control of what happens to us and our children to come. Our organization is becoming more powerful by the day.”
At that, the men nodded their approval and softly applauded.
McWorthan then spoke. “There are secret meetings going on all over the South just like what’s happening here tonight to organize each state county by county. As you look around here you see men from Lauderdale, Kemper, Neshoba, Newton, Jasper and Clarke counties. You men and your counties will represent district nine of our organization. Each one of you will be in charge of selecting your candidates, raising election funds and running the program.”
“What program are you talking about?” Frank asked, excited at what he was hearing.
“Young man, I’m talking about the Klan. You are to enlist men in Newton County, hold your own meetings, conduct your business and do whatever it takes to secure Newton County in the new South. You will be the head of the Klan in your county.”
Then looking over at Hendon he said, “People over in Little Rock know you as a teacher, but I also know how involved you’ve always been in politics. If you’ll take the position, we’d like for you to take Newton County for us.”
Hendon remained quiet for a moment thinking about his demanding duties as a teacher, his family responsibilities, and the possibility of becoming in trouble with the government and thought, I might not be the best husband in the world, but I do care for my children. If I end up dead or in prison, who’ll take care of them? But the thought of leading others in the struggle for recapturing Mississippi and the power that could come from such a movement was certainly a dream of his.
“I can do what you propose, Sir,” he said. “I don’t know much about the Klan, but politically, I’ll work for Newton County. I know a lot of men over there who’ll do what is necessary.”
“That’s good, Hendon. For a moment I thought we’d picked the wrong man. And for you Mister Olliver, we feel like you’ll be a good assistant for him. You’re young, energetic and from what we hear, own a large amount of Miss’sippi land. Think you can help us?”
Without thinking Frank blurted out, “We can