Page:By Sanction of Law.pdf/176



"Why there are more black than white people here!" exclaimed Bennet as they were shown to their rooms in the Great Southern Hotel, after their ride from the ship.

"Not quite, but almost," answered Dr. Tansey.

"And they seem to be minding their own affairs."

"Yes," was the laconic reply.

Both men were standing at the window of their hotel watching the panorama passing before them on the street below. There were well dressed colored men passing along the street; well dressed white men and women; some ragamuffins, pedlars, persons in automobiles with Negro chauffeurs, and tip carts drawn by mules and driven by black men, winding in and out in front of automobiles and street cars. Except for the: number of black, brown, yellow and white faces, the scene might easily have been one of any large bustling northern city.

As the two men stood looking, suddenly a street car came along to the intersection of the street just as a dumpcart driven by a tall rather aged Negro and drawn by a mule, was crossing. The cart was in the middle of the street before the street car reached it. Dr. Tansey and Bennet looked for the car to halt to let the tip cart pass. What was their surprise and shock to see the motorman clang his bell and drive the car straight into the tip cart.

There was a resounding crash of breaking wood, an unearthly scream from the driver—and a thud of mule and man to the ground where the car shoved the mass along