y teachers was tearing up a piece of paper and arose to
come to the window to throw it out. Belton was listening, just at that
time, to what the colored teacher was saying, and did not see the lady
coming in his direction. Nor did the lady see the form of a man until
she was near at hand. At the sight she threw up her hands and
screamed loudly from fright. Belton turned and fled precipitately.
The chicken-coop door had been accidentally left open and Belton,
unthinkingly, jumped into the chicken house. The chickens set up a
lively cackle, much to his chagrin. He grasped an old rooster to stop
him, but missing the rooster's throat, the rooster gave the alarm all
the more vociferously. Teachers had now crowded to the window and were
peering out. Some of the men started to the door to come out. Belton
saw this movement and decided that the best way for him to do was to
play chicken thief and run. Grasping a hen with his other hand, he
darted out of the chicken house and fled from the college ground,
the chickens squalling all the while. He leapt the college fence at a
bound and wrung off the heads of the chickens to stop the noise.

The teachers decided that they had been visited by a Negro,
hunting for chickens; laughed heartily at their fright and resumed
deliberations. Thus again a patriot was mistaken for a chicken thief;
and in the South to-day a race that dreams of freedom, equality, and
empire, far more than is imagined, is put down as a race of chicken
thieves. As in Belton's case, this conception diverts attention from
places where startling things would otherwise be discovered.

In due time Belton crept back to the dormitory, and by a signal agreed
upon, roused his room-mate, who let down the rope, by means of which
he ascended; and when seated gave his room-mate an account of his
adventure.

Sometime later on, Belton in company with another student was sent
over to a sister University in Nashville to carry a note for the
president. This University also had a colored teacher who was one
point in advance of Belton's. This teacher ate at the same table with
the white teachers, while Belton's teacher ate with the students.
Belton passed by the dining room of the teachers of this sister
University and saw the colored teacher enjoying a meal with the white
teachers. He could not enjoy the sight as much as he would have liked,
from thinking about the treatment his teacher was receiving. He had
not, prior to this, th