Tom stopped by a cleaner’s window and ripped loose a poorly pasted rectangle of paper.

The paper read:

James Wolfe is a nigger lover. He is a Devil’s Disciple and liar.

These are Caxton nigger-lovers:

Frank Grover: Grover’s Dairy

Rolfe Higgins; Higgins drugstore

James Wolfe: lawyer

Mac Considine: Considine-­Millers

Horace MacDonald: New York Cleaners

Polecat Nelson: lawyer

Sidney Arthur: lawyer

Anthony Ferman; Jew policeman

Jigs Leave Our Caxton High School, You Stink!

KEEP OUR SCHOOLS WHITE

The Caxton High underground is watching you . . .

Abel Green is the N.A.A.C.P. nigger in Farragut County

COONS GO HOME!

HARLEY PATON GET OUT!

WHITE NIGGER TEACHERS

RESIGN . . .

Attorney Wolfe is a nigger lover.

COONS GO BACK TO LINCOLN HIGH.

The courthouse Click is:

Crook Lawyer James Wolfe

Attempted murderer, Crook-

lawyer Polecat Nelson Moron,

Sidney Arthur, Crook-lawyer Fred Unser, City Judge Maxwell,

Crook-lawyer Ollie Dodds

The school Click is:

Agnes Angoff, former whore,

sleeping with Jew-Principal

Harley Paton Behind His Wife’s back;

Drunkard David Segrist’s Wife

Crook-lawyer Fred Unser’s Wife

Jew-Principal Paton and his Jew-Wife

All nigger lovers

The Skool-board Click is: Vicious

Thief Carl Curtis

Crook Frank Leroy

Home-Wrecker Joel Nearing, Jr.

Nigger-lover Harley Paton

Preacher Samuel Ginther is a nigger-lover, a communist stooge, half Jew.

He was caught by the river 5 years ago, with another man’s wife. Said, he was holding a “Prayer meeting.”

Je’ge Silvuh!

He our boss,

Yessuib, he loves

us nigguhs.

Tom methodically tore the orange paper into several pieces and dropped the pieces onto the sidewalk.

He continued walking.

They crossed another street and proceeded through the crowd of young people on the wide school lawn. The children there were standing about in loose groups, watching.

Some whispered or spoke softly.

“I’ll be goddamned. It’s old man McDaniel.”

“Yeah.”

“Never thought we’d see them again!”

“Me neither.”

“Boy.”

A half-block from the school, the Rev. Lorenzo Niesen and Bart Carey stepped out of the Sunshine Cafeteria, which fronted George Street.

They stood on the sidewalk and watched, chewing their scrambled eggs slowly.

Neither spoke.

“I guess this is good enough,” Joey Green said when they had crossed the length of the lawn and reached the schoolhouse steps.

“Okay,” Tom said.

Joey nodded to Clarence Jones and the young Negroes went into the building.

“Thanks,” Joey said, but he did not put out his hand. “I don’t think I could of swung it all by myself.”

Tom took a cigarette from his shirt pocket, lit it and walked away. He knew that all eyes were on him, but it was over now and he felt fine. He had to be careful not to feel too fine, however. You’re no hero, he thought. A short walk down a hill with a bunch of scared kids doesn’t make you a hero.

Still, the eyes followed him.