The method which Elder King took to evince his hostility—­his exclusion of me from his house—­was extremely injudicious; and I have no doubt that he, himself, now sincerely regrets it.  It excited to action the mob spirit which had all along existed in the hearts of the people, and was only awaiting the pretext which the Elder gave—­the placing of me before the community, as a marauder upon the peace of his family.  The mob, also, gave to the matter what the King family, evidently afterwards, greatly deplored—­extraordinary notoriety.  Elder King would certainly have displayed more worldly sagacity, to say nothing of Christian propriety, to have admitted me into his house as usual, where we could, all together, have reasoned the matter; and if prejudices could not have been conciliated, the Elder, at all events, by his previous acquaintance with my character, had every reason to suppose that I should have conducted myself as became a gentleman and a Christian.  But so it is,—­prejudice thus bewilders the faculties, and defeats the objects which it aims most to accomplish.

CHAPTER IV.

THE MOB.

Hardly unlooked for by myself was this mob, especially after I had learned of the direction which “the subject” had taken in the family of Mr. King.

On Sabbath afternoon, January 30th, while Mr. and Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Porter’s sister, Miss King, and myself, were enjoying ourselves in social conversation, a gentleman from the village of Fulton called at the residence of Mr. Porter, to give an account of events as they were transpiring in the village.  This gentleman was decidedly opposed to “amalgamation,” expressed the utmost surprise that Mr. Porter should for a moment suppose that God ever designed the inter-marriage of white and colored persons,—­but he was, nevertheless, a man of friendly disposition,—­and as a friend he came to Mr. Porter. We were to be mobbed,—­so this gentleman informed us.  He advised escape on the part of Mr. Porter and myself, otherwise the house would be demolished!  All Fulton, since Saturday night, he informed us, had been in arms.  Crowds of men could be seen in the streets, at every point, discussing the subject of our marriage, and with feelings of the most extraordinary excitement; and similar discussions, he added, had been held during the live-long night preceding, in all the grog shops and taverns of the village.

All sorts of oaths had been uttered, and execrations vented.  Tar, feathers, poles, and an empty barrel spiked with shingle nails had been prepared for my especial benefit; and, so far as I was concerned, it must be escape or death.  Mr. Porter was to be mobbed, he said, for offering me entertainment, and for being supposed friendly to our union.  This friend did not understand the whole plan of the onslaught, but he gave sufficient information to justify us in surmising that no harm was intended to be inflicted upon Miss King, or any lady of the house.