The postmaster looked at Belton and said:  “Zakeland,” for such was the doctor’s name, “you are right.  He is a fine looking chap, and he looks a little tony.  If we ‘nigger rulers’ are ever called in to attend to him we will not burn him nor shoot him to pieces.  We will kill him kinder decent and let you have him to dissect.  I shall not fail to call for that whiskey to treat the boys.”  So saying they parted.

Belton did not hear this murderous conversation respecting himself.  He was joyfully received by the colored people of Cadeville, to whom he related his experiences.  They looked at him as though he was a superior being bearing a charmed life, having escaped being killed.  It did not come to their minds to be surprised at the treatment accorded him for what he had done.  Their wonder was as to how he got off so easily.

Belton took charge of the school and began the faithful performance of his duties.  He decided to add an industrial department to his school and traveled over the state and secured the funds for the work.  He sent to New Orleans for a colored architect and contractor who drew the plans and accepted the contract for erecting the building.

They decided to have colored men erect the building and gathered a force for that purpose.  The white brick-masons of Monroe heard of this.  They organized a mob, came to Cadeville and ordered the men to quit work.  They took charge of the work themselves, letting the colored brick-masons act as hod carriers for them.  They employed a white man to supervise the work.  The colored people knew that it meant death to resist and they paid the men as though nothing unusual had happened.

Belton had learned to observe and wait.  These outrages sank like molten lead into his heart, but he bore them all.  The time for the presidential election was drawing near and he arose in the chapel one morning to lecture to the young men on their duty to vote.

One of the village girls told her father of Belton’s speech.  The old man was shaving his face and had just shaved off one side of his beard when his daughter told him.  He did not stop to pull the towel from around his neck nor to put down his razor.  He rushed over to the house where Belton boarded and burst into his room.  Belton threw up his hands in alarm at seeing this man come, razor in hand, towel around his neck and beard half off and half on.  The man sat down to catch his breath.  He began:  “Mr. Piedmont, I learn that you are advising our young men to vote.  I am sure you don’t know in what danger you stand.  I have come to give you the political history of this section of Louisiana.  The colored people of this region far outnumber the white people, and years ago had absolute control of everything.  The whites of course did not tamely submit, but armed themselves to overthrow us.  We armed ourselves, and every night patrolled this road all night long looking for the whites to come and attack us.  My oldest brother is a very cowardly and sycophantic man.  The white people made a spy and traitor out of him.  When the people found out that there was treachery in our ranks it demoralized them, and our organization went to pieces.