shed; but, as they
couldn't get out an injunction against him, and as he had the whole
undignified but still voting black belt behind him, he went serenely on
his way.

"They're after you hot and heavy, Asbury," said one of his friends to
him.

"Oh, yes," was the reply, "they're after me, but after a while I'll get
so far away that they'll be running in front."

"It's all the best people, they say."

"Yes. Well, it's good to be one of the best people, but your vote only
counts one just the same."

The time came, however, when Mr. Asbury's theory was put to the test.
The Cadgerites celebrated the first of January as Emancipation Day. On
this day there was a large procession, with speechmaking in the
afternoon and fireworks at night. It was the custom to concede the
leadership of the coloured people of the town to the man who managed to
lead the procession. For two years past this honour had fallen, of
course, to Robinson Asbury, and there had been no disposition on the
part of anybody to try conclusions with him.

Mr. Morton's faction changed all this. When Asbury went to work to
solicit contributions for the celebration, he suddenly became aware that
he had a fight upon his hands. All the better-class Negroes were
staying out of it. The next thing he knew was that plans were on foot
for a rival demonstration.

"Oh," he said to himself, "that's it, is it? Well, if they want a fight
they can have it."

He had a talk with the party managers, and he had another with Judge
Davis.

"All I want is a little lift, judge," he said, "and I'll make 'em think
the sky has turned loose and is vomiting niggers."

The judge believed that he could do it. So did the party managers.
Asbury got his lift. Emancipation Day came.

There were two parades. At least, there was one parade and the shadow of
another. Asbury's, however, was not the shadow. There was a great deal
of substance about it--substance made up of many people, many banners,
and numerous bands. He did not have the best people. Indeed, among his
cohorts there were a good many of the pronounced rag-tag and bobtail.
But he had noise and numbers. In such cases, nothing more is needed. The
success of Asbury's side of the affair did everything to confirm his
friends in their good opinion of him.

When he found himself defeated, Mr. Silas Bingo saw that it would be
policy to placate his rival's just anger against him. He called upon him
at his office the day after th