In the evening Louis called the people together, and talked with them, trying to keep them from being discouraged, for the times were evil, and the days were very gloomy.  The impeachment had failed.  State after State in the North had voted against enfranchising the colored man in their midst.  The spirit of the lost cause revived, murders multiplied.  The Ku Klux spread terror and death around.  Every item of Northern meanness to the colored people in their midst was a message of hope to the rebel element of the South, which had only changed.  Ballot and bullet had failed, but another resort was found in secret assassination.  Men advocating equal rights did so at the peril of their lives, for violence and murder were rampant in the land.  Oh those dark and weary days when politicians were flattering for place and murdered Union men were sleeping in their bloody shrouds.  Louis’ courage did not desert him, and he tried to nerve the hearts of those that were sinking with fear in those days of gloom and terror.  His advice to the people was, “Defend your firesides if they are invaded, live as peaceably as you can, spare no pains to educate your children, be saving and industrious, try to get land under your feet and homes over your heads.  My faith is very strong in political parties, but, as the world has outgrown other forms of wrong, I believe that it will outgrow this also.  We must trust and hope for better things.”  What else could he say?  And yet there were times when his words seemed to him almost like bitter mockery.  Here was outrage upon outrage committed upon these people, and to tell them to hope and wait for better times, but seemed like speaking hollow words.  Oh he longed for a central administration strong enough to put down violence and misrule in the South.  If Johnson was clasping hands with rebels and traitors was there no power in Congress to give, at least, security to life?  Must they wait till murder was organized into an institution, and life and property were at the mercy of the mob?  And, if so, would not such a government be a farce, and such a civilization a failure?

With these reflections passing through his mind he fell asleep, but his slumber was restless and disturbed.  He dreamed (but it seemed so plain to him, that he thought it was hardly a dream,) that Minnie came to his side and pressed her lips to his, but they were very pale and very cold.  He reached out his hand to clasp her, but she was gone, but as she vanished he heard her say, “My husband.”

Restless and uneasy he arose; there was a strange feeling around his soul, a great sinking and depression of his spirits.  He could not account for his feelings.  He arose and walked the floor and looked up at the heavens, but the night was very bright and beautiful, still he could not shake off his strange and sad forebodings, and as soon as it was light he started for home.

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[Installment missing.]