Democratic messenger., 1892-09-17
THE LIMEkILN CLUB Lee
TUIE.
The Hon. johnson Makes n Few
Remarks About the Future.


Remarks About the Future.
After the regular business Of the
weekly meeting Of the Limekiln club
had been concluded, Brother Gardner
announced that the Hon. Backstep
johnson, Of West Virginia, was wait
ing To deliver a lecture before the
club. After the floor had been
sprinkled with water, the alley WIN
dows raised and Samuel Shin caution
ed about falling asleep and swallowing
the glass stopper of a bottle he was
holding in his mouth to cure him Of
the habit of suffering, the reception
committee brought the stranger in.
Nr. Johnaon appeared to be about
forty-five years old He was tall,
thin and serious, with stiff leg and a
bald head. lie brought in with him
from the antcroom, rs if mistrusting
the honesty of the janitor, large,
lank satchel of the crop of ls72, and
a cotton umbrella which probably saw
the opening of the civil war.
lie was accorded a hearty welcome,
however, and he deposited satchel and
umbrella, remov, d his coat and got to
business without DELAY.
"My fren's," he said in a voice
which reminded everybody of a corn
shelter hard at work, "de subjeck Of
my imperious remarks dis evenin am
entitled 'Lookin Ilenceward.' Oar
may be some among yo' who don't
know what 'henceward' means. will
darefore explain dat it means beyand
in de iucher-way off ahead APP
plause from Shindig Watkins, who
had been puzzling over 'henceward'
for the last two months. lo' kin
look back thirty Vars and see what
progress the Guild man has made, but
de fucher am what is ahead of US. De
fucher is headlight to guide us on
de upward path and finally seat us on
de pinacle of greatness and verbosity
While we may feel proud of de past,
we am justified in feelIn feeln of
sloriosity obcr de fucher. [General
applause, which sagged the stovepipe |
in the middle and threatened calam-
ity.]
"My fren's,' continued the speaker
as he helped himself to glass of root
beer from Brother t;ardner's pitcher |
and wiped off his chin. Il put de pist |
behind me an urge yo' onward to de /
fucher Widin de next hundred vars
DIR am gwine to be sich a mighty
change take place dat it almos' takes
ones bref away To think of it. It's
gwine to be change to put the Guild
man whar he belongs-on top de heap.
| predict
81. \ gradual but sartin change
in de h'ar De kinks an knots will all
straighten out, an de- h'ar take on
gloss and will be envy of de civiliz ID
world.
- \ gradual but sartin fadin out
of color until We become whittier dan
white folks. Dey will be probably be
mad and jealous about it, but what am
to be will be an dey can stop it. |
predict dat t;iveadam Jones. heah on
my right, who am now de color Of
black COW at midnight, hasn't got To
lib over fo'ty vars To bleach out as
white as governors Sunday SHIRT
"3. \ gradual but sartin acquire
ment of grace an beauty 1t won't
be fifty vars befo' yo' cant find
boSlegged Guild man in weeks
travel, an one wild bald head or
pair Of cross eyes will be as much of
novelty as mastodon Our moufs
will contract, our lips fall away in
flesh an poets will rage over our
droopin' blue eyes. White folks will
be mad huff to bust, but we mus 60
right along an pay no 'tenshun to deir
empirical feelins.
u. In de c'ose of dc next hundred
Vars de Guild man will be on top de
heap in oratory, poetry, paintin' as
tronomy an all de arts an sciences. lie
will sit in de White House an he will
make de laws. lie will make de his
tory of de kentry, an he will also write
it.
-. Instead of de black folk gwine
to Africa to lib de white folks will
probably cl'ar out fur Mexico or de
Sandwich Islands. Today de great
problem of dis kentry am not what to
do wild de black man. but what is
gwine to become OF de white folks in
a few vars mo-.
st. \ gradual but sartin con-
trackshun of the feet till No. will
fit mos eberybody in de crowd. You
can't skassly comprehend it as yo' look
at de No. Is boots adornin de feet of .
Waydown Beebee, an pinchin' his
hoofs at dat. but sich will be result of /
progress. Brudder Beebee himself
may lib to see dat day
".An now, my fren's," continued the
speaker rs he drained the pitcher of
its contents, Il do not wish to take up
yo'r valuable time. | did not come
heah to dedicate an evaporashun Of
but 20 briefly connive my
sanguinity toward bitd-
minous propaeashun of what ! arm
estly believe will come to pass.
thank yo', sentlcmen-thank yo' from
de bottom of my heart, an shall cber
hold de memory of dis eavening as one
of de most electuated in my audala-
cious career"