As the fall election drew near when county and state officers were to be elected, a tremendous effort was being made by all opposing factions to defeat those candidates that the Klan was said to favor. The wildest stories were circulated as to outrages having been committed by the Klan. The fear of the negroes was again played upon.
Rastus Jones was airing some of the church troubles of the Union Avenue Baptist Church in the Wilford State Bank one morning and the bank force who had time to listen were greatly interested in his recital.
"You sees it wa' jest like this. I's elected deacon and so's that rascally niggah, Sam Jenkins. I se's I ain't gwine to act as no deacon if that low down niggah is goin' to be deacon. It's not in accordance wid my exalted opinion of the dignities an duties of the impo'tant and splendiferous office of chu'ch deacon."
"I guess that's right, Rastus," remarked the bank teller.
"Yes, sah; dat is right. Well, when we'd been instituted in ouh offices——"
"You mean installed, don't you?" Ruth asked.
"Yes'm, dat's it, installed. The fust Sunday we 'ficiated aftah de duties and sponsibilities had become incumbent upon us dat impudent niggah looks at me and says, 'Rastus, do you presume that you has the qualifications requisite to serve as deacon?' It was lucky for that niggah that I didn't have my razzer with me. I jumps up befo' the entire boad of deacons and says, 'I moves that Sam Jenkins is disqualified to occupy the high and exalted position of deacon of The Union Avenue African Church.' Maybe you don't tink that brought on a battle. About half took sides wif me and tothah half wid Sam. Dar ware some langwage bein' used what wouldn't sound good in a pulpit when the Reverend George Washington Bascom entered and ast what all de argument was about. Well, Sam splained and I splained; but Sam splained moah than I did, an the Reverend George Washington Bascom decided that Sam could remain a deacon. I'd done said that I ain't gwine to serve with no sech a low down niggah so I takes my hat and walks out, and I ain't gwine to pay no moah of my ha'd earned money to a prechah what ain't got no mo' discriminatin and amplyfien powah than to side in with sech a wuthless niggah. I'se done stopped payin' and I reckons the Reverend is gwine to miss my thuty cents what I'se been takin' evah Sunday."
"You better watch out," warned the cashier. "The Ku Kluxers may visit you."
"Ain't nobody gwine to scah me with no Ku Klux talk. If I'se some if these niggahs what's a shootin' craps and liftin' othah people's chickens of' de roosts I might be scahed, but I'se a Christian, I is, and I jest like to know why the Kluxer would botheh me."
"They might get you for going back on the preacher."