The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-11-22
coLoRED WOMEN's CLUBS.
One of Their o bjects Good Fune-
raj and Shiny Coffin.

One of Their o bjects a Good Fune-
raj and Shiny Coffin.
What the colored woman of In
dianapolis most desires is member
ship in society that insures care
in sickness and respectable burial
when death comes. Her chief OBJ
ject in life is apparently to have her
mortal remains disposed of in good
style. The great majority Of negro
women, as we'll as the men, in this
city pay weekly dues into some
lodge treasury and sleep sweet
dreams of peace in consequence.
Thrift in its best development they
may not have, but a failing in this
direction is not to be held to their
blame, since for so many genera
tions they were not permitted to
depend upon themselves nor re-
quired to take thought for the NOR
row. Though in many cases their
forethought extends to the limits
named and no further, it is step
in the right direction and an augury
of better things in future.
"Just what do the societies do for
you?" was asked of an old ''aunty"
-one of those relics, 80 fast pass
ing away, of the time before the war.
EFF we done get SICK" was the
reply, "a committee comes to look
after US. Eff we is jes' porely and
fibhle they send the doctah. Eff we
git right down sick in bald they
send somebody to take care of US.
Eff we up an die they gives US a
funeral"
"What kind of a funeral?"
"Wha' kind? A good one-a
mighty good funeral. Nice, black,
shiny coffin, cahiages, all the mem
bahs of the lodge who can anyhow
be thar, and sehmun and a good
funeral! Whaffor you reckon we
gwine pay % cents week dues an
not have some style when we laid
away?"
"If your husband or children are
able to take care Of you themselves
does the lodge do anything?'
"Jes the same, rich er pore; the
lodge is boun' to pervide for every
membah who keeps her dues paid
reglah."
"Much trouble about payments?'
"Most membahs is mighty reglah.
Dues is only 25 cents a week, and
anybody kin git that, though wo-
men, with big family O chillun finds
it right smart hard to spar. l know
a heap O. lazy, triflin' niggah gals
who will wo'k to git 25 cents foh
lodge, an then go bahfoot an rag
ged rest O. the week an mebbe hun
cry"
"Any men allowed in the lodges?"
"Men? Go way Hain't got no
use foh men folks in ouah lodges.
They done stay wha they b'long, in
their own s'cieties." And the scorn
of the male sex and its financial aid
expressed in the tone of the ample
matron's lip and the toss of her head
could not have been exceeded by
any member of the Propyl9um.
"What are the names Of your
lodges?"
"They's a pow'ful lot, an I'm
mighty apt to disrecollect some, but
they's Stab Temple, Debore (prob-
ably Deborah J Temple, Daughtahs
of the Rising Sun, Sistahs of St.
Mary, Sistahs of St. Deretha, Sis
ters of Chahity, the Jubaniles (Ju-
veniles), Doves o Protection-I'm
a dove, honey-Household Ruth,
Sistahs of Samahitans, Nunited
(United) Sistahs, Independent
Daughtahs of Honah and Queen
Estah's Cou't. Daughtahs of Hon
ah are a branch of Sons Of Honah
and Queen Estah is a branch OF
Odd Fellows. Mighty fine they
think themselves, layin' back in
cahiages at funerals, with puhple
ribbons on they hats an puhple
velvet collahs. Mighty fine an
biggity. The Lilies o. the Valley
an the Daughtahs o the Mohning
had lodges in Indianapolis, but they
done got broke up"
"Down in Louisville the cullud
ladies have othah lodges, an Mis-
Brown, who is the gues' O. frien's
an resides in Washin tn, wha Gen'l
Hahison is, says they done got
some what we amt got. Young
Home Sea'ch Daughters O. Love
Daughtahs of the Golden Cha'iot
Loving Daughtahs o Pahadise, and
Sistahs O. the Lo'd's Delight S'ciety
Mis- Brown tole us bout Ind'nap-
lis cullud ladies dom cab foh tc
have no triflin foolish names. Doves
is good 'nough foh u.s."
"What do you do at your lodge
meetings, aunty?"
) "We-we-look a heah, chile
dom yin try fob get me tell secrets
Doves O. Protection is secret S SCI
ETY.. Me tell wha' we do in lodge
No, no; no, no. Mustn't ask that
Laws, no. An eff l, eff DON be
gwine on with these yer clo'es won't
be no washin'- done this day. And
- 4-l-ol ,;o~,or coff1v ! n