.. when
they sweat they stink too badly ... no, sir, John Brown's State or not,
the negro was never meant to mix with the white on terms of equality."
* * * * *
It was mainly out of consideration for Langworth, and desire to please
him, that I now joined the Unitarian Church, of which all the old
settlers of Laurel were members. This included a testy old gentleman
named Colonel Saunders, who had been one of John Brown's company, had
quarrelled with him,--and who now, every year, maintained, at the annual
meeting of old settlers, that Brown had been a rogue and murderer ... a
mad man, going about cutting up whole families with corn knives....
At this juncture in his speech, which was made undeviatingly every year,
a sentimental woman would rise and cry out--
"John Brown, God bless him, whatever you say, Colonel Saunders, his soul
still goes marching on--"
"I grant that, madam--that his soul still goes marching on--I _never_
contested that--but _where_ does it go marching on!"
Then the yearly riot of protests and angry disputation would wake.
And every spring, in anticipation of this melee, reporters from the
Kansas City papers were sent to cover the story of the proceedings of
the Old Settlers' Society.
* * * * *
Bob Fitzsimmons stopped off at our town, with his show.
Pages:
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428