The Mayor mounted with him. Behind this cart, drawn up in
military array were fifty men armed with shot guns. In front of the
cart rode the Grand Marshall of the occasion followed the band which
consisted of a solitary hand-organ. Order for advance being given, the
parade started for the lake. When they reached the water-side, Paul was
requested to step into the little tent which had been erected for him
and to be seated until the fence was made. The Grand Marshal then
ordered all the people to fall back, while he stationed the guards with
loaded shot guns at intervals around the entire lake. Then riding his
horse wildly up to the crowd he informed them that "this line of guards
was the fence and that any person coming within one hundred yards of the
line would be shot."
"This," pointing to two of the committee men, who stood with shot guns
near an old soap box in which a slit was cut to receive the money, "is
the entrance gate. Niggers twenty-five cents, whites fifty cents. Now
get right in or get off this prairie."
The whole exhibition was unexpectedly successful. There was not a dead-
head around the lake. Paul took for his share two hundred and thirty
dollars, beside spending one of the pleasantest days he remembers.
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