"And over one hundred Negro churches have preaching in them every Sunday."
"And from what I can learn, these murders are rarely mentioned, in any."
"I have been thinking for a long time—before you came—of a Y.M.C.A. for our people in this town, but I have never spoken of it. But since I have known and talked with you, Miss Latham, and have seen the way our people are conducting themselves, I have been constrained to take up the effort of securing one." He said this very calmly, with no undue excitement.
"Have you, Mr. Jacobs?" She made no attempt to use the clerical term. Her tone was eager, anxious.
"Yes," he repeated. "I have decided to begin at once, regardless of the discouraging spectacle of Grantville."
"Oh, I'm so glad," she sighed, relieved.
He looked at her, but said nothing. He knew that she would be glad to hear it. He was glad, though, that she had spoken.
"Yes," he resumed. "I have discussed the matter with the heads of three of the big trunk lines operating in and out of this town, and all of whom have shops here that hire black men, and, as you might, of course, expect, they are all in favor of it. They have, moreover, advised me that they will bring such a movement to the attention of the board of directors. They have further advised me, however, that I must not expect to exceed five thousand dollars from either, and not to be disappointed if the board failed to give anything at all. That, they explained, and I understood without explanation, was due to the financial conditions of the railroads. I have met the same response from other local interests. But by them all, I have been encouraged. Of course, the white Y.M.C.A. are agreeable to giving assistance as in other towns, and have given me to understand that they will put in twenty-five thousand dollars. And then the Chicago philanthropist, of course, has a like amount awaiting. But the time limit expires in six months."
"From these, I have gone to our people."
"You went?" She held her breath now.