The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-05-23
An AgitatOr i'm the LiIne-kiIn
Club.


| By actual count there was forty-three men,
bers of the club coughing and sneezing at the
moment the triangle sounded, and ii was not
until four minutes after the echo died away
that the President arose from behind his desk
and said;
"lf Socrates Spkeroot am in de hall dis
evenin' would like to see him out heah in
| front of de desk"
Socrates had just crowded himself in be-
tween the stove and the wood-box, calculating
to get warmth enough to last him until the
next meeting and he didn't look over-p pleased
at being disturbed. When he had limped
along to the desk. one hand in his pocket and
the other digging into his wool, Brother Gard
ner continued:
"llow long has you been member of dis
club"
"Aout six months, sah.''
"Um! 1t has been bout three months since
fust had my eyes on you, an tonight YOU
sober your connexun wild dis club. Misser
Spikeroot, it was understood when you jined
dis club, dat you was barber. Has you
barbed anybody or anythin' since dat date?"
1,-I-no sah."
ION de contrary you has loafed aroun' sa-
looms, an policy shops, an queer places, an
no man has known you to do an honest days
work. We doan banker artcr any SIGH men,
bers as you. When poo man can lib wild.
out labor people hab right to be suspishus
of him. Brudder Giveadam Jones, you will
escort de pusson to de doah If. when he gets
dar', he should utter any remark derogytory
to de character of de Lime Kiln club, you
needn't put de Bogardus kicker at work. Let
him go in peace. What he kin say won't
hurt us, an you might kick too hard am
break a leg"
After the late deceased had been shown out
and order restored, the president said:
"Gem'len, if dar am eny mo agitators in de
hall want EN- to listen closely. Socrates
Spikeroot used to be hard workn' man. All
at once he got the idea dat capital was OPP
pressin' labor. He quit earnin' SI2 per week
bekase he DIDN'T want to be oppressed. In a
month hebecame dead beat While it am a
serious offence for capitalist to Cypress la
Dor, it am all right for a kicker to 90 aroun'
borrowin money, runnin' in debt an stealin'
his wood. A few weeks ago Misser Spikeroot
got lonesome, an he began to agitate. He
went to va'rus laborn' men an convinced em
dat de man who aims his Sic or SI4 per week
orter turn out an mob de capitalists who
furnish him de chance. He am now an All
tator. He has got Jacks an fggers to prove
dat de workin' man who owns his cottage an
kin arm good support fur wife an chill'en
am de most oppressed bein' on de face of dis
airth. When saloon turns him out he
threatens to boycott it. When man refuses
to lend his money he am bloated monopo.
list When his wife wants shoes or his chll'en
cry fur bread he comforts 'em wild the state
ment dat America am buildin' up an aristoc.
racy to lord it over de poo men an grind EN-
to powder If Misser Spikeroot has left any
friends behind an opportunity will now be
giben 'em to pick up der hats an feet an
) trabble."
There was deep silence for a minute, and
as no one travelled the President signed for the
, Secretary to proceed with the regular order Of
business Detroit Free Press.