E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Josephine Paolucci, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/americana) Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See http://www.archive.org/details/unfetterednovel00grigrich UNFETTERED. A NOVEL. by SUTTON E. GRIGGS, Author of "Imperium in Imperio," "Overshadowed," "Dorlan's Plan," etc. Nashville, Tenn.: The Orion Publishing Company. 1902. Copyright By Sutton E. Griggs. 1902. _DEDICATION._ _While a last beloved sister MARY, Was, with patience and fortitude, awaiting the slow but certain tread of the Grim Reaper, she spared strength enough to read, from beginning to end, "Overshadowed," that came to greet her ere she sped to the home of the departed. Were she mindful of happenings on the earth to-day the author of this volume would be sure of at least one sympathetic reader. To her memory "Unfettered" is affectionately dedicated._ _THE AUTHOR._ * * * * * "The chains that bound the body * * were as tender chords of mercy compared with the shackles that gyved his mind * *."--_Kelley Miller._ AUTHOR'S PREFACE. On a sad occasion in days gone by, the people of the United States were called upon to deal with the Negro's woes, and in the haze of battle there arose to thrill the hearts of men a Fort Sumter, a Bull Run, a Gettysburg, and, at last, an Appomattox. Since those pregnant days, in spite of a seeming retrogression in some quarters, there has been a steady, unbroken march of the Negro in an upward direction. One day our great nation that once dealt with the Negro's woes will be summoned to deal with his strength, to kindly accept or finally reject _all_ that he can do. * * * * * As the day of final adjustment is inevitable, it is wise for all of us who love our country to make a study of the internal workings of a race now shaking itself loose from the death sleep of the ages. It is the aim of "UNFETTERED" to lead the reader into the inner life of the Negro race and lay bare the aspirations that are fructifying there. Those who come to these pages in quest of pen pictures of either angels or demons, are not likely to find what they seek, for our story has to do with human beings, simply. That is, we should say, with the exception of--but you will make your own exceptions when the tale is fully told. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. CHAPTER. PAGE.