not permit colored passengers to ride in the white cars. You’ll have to go forward to the next coach,” he added, addressing Miller this time.
“I have paid my fare on the sleeping-car, where the separate-car law does not apply,” remonstrated Miller.
“I can’t help that. You can doubtless get your money back from the sleeping-car company. But this is a day coach, and is distinctly marked ‘White,’ as you must have seen before you sat down here. The sign is put there for that purpose.”
He indicated a large card neatly framed and hung at the end of the car, containing the legend, “White,” in letters about a foot long, painted in white upon a dark background, typical, one might suppose, of the distinction thereby indicated.
“You shall not stir a step, Miller,” exclaimed Dr. Burns wrathfully. “This is an outrage upon a citizen of a free country. You shall stay right here.”
“I’m sorry to discommode you,” returned the conductor, “but there’s no use kicking. It’s the law of Virginia, and I am bound by it as well as you. I have already come near losing my place because of not enforcing it, and I can take no more such chances, since I have a family to support.”
“And my friend has his rights to maintain,” returned Dr. Burns with determination. “There is a vital principle at stake in the matter.”
“Really, sir,” argued the conductor, who was a man of peace and not fond of controversy, “there’s no use talking—he absolutely cannot ride in this car.”
“How can you prevent it?” asked Dr. Burns, lapsing into the argumentative stage.
“The law gives me the right to remove him by force. I can call on the train crew to assist me, or on the other passengers. If I should choose to put him off the train entirely, in the middle of a swamp, he would have no redress—the law so provides. If I did not wish to use force, I could simply switch this car off at the next siding, transfer the white passengers to another, and leave you and your friend in possession until you were arrested and fined or imprisoned.”
“What he says is absolutely true, doctor,” interposed Miller at this point. “It is the law, and we are powerless to resist it. If we made any trouble, it would merely delay your journey and imperil a life at the other end. I’ll go into the other car.”
“You shall not go alone,” said Dr. Burns stoutly, rising in his turn. “A place that is too good for you is not good enough for me. I will sit wherever you do.”
“I’m sorry again,” said the conductor, who had quite recovered his equanimity, and calmly conscious of his power, could scarcely restrain an amused smile; “I dislike to interfere, but white passengers are not permitted to ride in the colored car.”
“This is an outrage,” declared Dr. Burns, “a d——d outrage! You are curtailing the rights, not only of colored people, but of white men as well. I shall sit where I please!”
“I warn you, sir,” rejoined the conductor, hardening again, “that the law will be enforced. The beauty of the system lies in its strict impartiality—it applies to both races alike.”
“And is equally infamous in both cases,” declared Dr. Burns. “I shall immediately take steps”—
“Never mind, doctor,” interrupted Miller, soothingly, “it’s only for a little while. I’ll reach my destination just as surely in the other car, and we can’t help it, anyway. I’ll see you again at Wellington.”
Dr. Burns, finding resistance futile, at length acquiesced and made way for Miller to pass him.
The colored doctor took up his valise and crossed the platform to the car ahead. It was an old car, with faded upholstery, from which the stuffing projected here and there through torn places. Apparently the floor had not been swept for several days. The dust lay thick upon the window sills, and the water-cooler, from which he essayed to get a drink, was filled with stale water which had made no recent acquaintance with ice. There was no other passenger in the car, and Miller occupied himself in making a rough calculation of what it would cost the Southern railroads to haul a whole car for every colored passenger. It was expensive, to say the least; it would be cheaper, and quite as considerate of their feelings, to make the negroes walk.
The car was conspicuously labeled at either end with large cards, similar to those in the other car, except that they bore the word “Colored” in black letters upon a white background. The author of this piece of legislation had contrived, with an ingenuity worthy of a better cause, that not merely should the passengers be separated by the color line, but that the reason for this division should be kept constantly in mind. Lest a white man should forget that he was white,—not a very likely contingency,—these cards would keep him constantly admonished of the fact; should a colored person endeavor, for a moment, to lose sight of his disability, these staring signs would remind him continually that between him and the rest of mankind not of his own color, there was by law a great gulf fixed.
Having composed himself, Miller had opened a newspaper, and was deep in an editorial which set forth in glowing language the inestimable advantages which would follow to certain recently acquired islands by the introduction of American liberty, when the rear door of the car opened to give entrance to Captain George McBane, who took a seat near the door and lit a cigar. Miller knew him quite well by sight and by reputation, and detested him as heartily. He represented the aggressive, offensive element among the white people of the New South, who made it hard for a negro to maintain his self-respect or to enjoy even the rights conceded to colored men by Southern laws. McBane had undoubtedly identified him to the conductor in the other car. Miller had no desire to thrust himself upon the society of white people, which, indeed, to one who had traveled so much and so far, was no novelty; but he very naturally resented being at this late day—the law had been in operation only a few months—branded and tagged and set apart from the rest of mankind upon the public highways, like an unclean thing. Nevertheless, he preferred even this to the exclusive society of Captain George McBane.
“Porter,” he demanded of the colored train attaché who passed through the car a moment later, “is this a smoking car for white men?”
“No, suh,” replied the porter, “but they comes in here sometimes, when they ain’ no cullud ladies on the kyar.”
“Well, I have paid first-class fare, and I object to that man’s smoking in here. You tell him to go out.”
“I’ll tell the conductor, suh,” returned the porter in a low tone. “I ’d jus’ as soon talk ter the devil as ter that man.”
The white man had spread himself over two seats, and was smoking vigorously, from time to time spitting carelessly in the aisle, when the conductor entered the compartment.
“Captain,” said Miller, “this car is plainly marked ‘Colored.’ I have paid first-class fare, and I object to riding in a smoking car.”
“All right,” returned the conductor, frowning irritably. “I’ll speak to him.”
He walked over to the white passenger, with whom he was evidently acquainted, since he addressed him by name.
“Captain McBane,” he said, “it’s against the law for you to ride in the nigger car.”
“Who are you talkin’ to?” returned the other. “I’ll ride where I damn please.”
“Yes,
