Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-01
LOOKING HENCEwARD,

The Subject Of an Appreciated Lecture to the
Idmekiln Club.
Charles B. Lewis in the New York Sun. US.
After the regular business of the weekly meet
ing OF the Limekiln Club had been concluded
Brother Gardner announced that the Hon
Backstep johnson Of West Virginia was waiting
to deliver a lecture. After the floor had been
sprinkled with water, the alley windows raised
and Samuel Shin cautioned about falling asleep
and swallowing the glass stopper Of bottle he
was holding in his mouth to cure him Of the habit
OF suffering the reception committee broughs
the stranger in. Mr.. Johnson appeared to be about
forty-fve years old. He was TALL thin and SER
ious, with a stiff leg and a bald head. He
brought in with him from the anteroom, - II
mistrusting the honesty Of the janitor, large,
lank satchel Of the crop Of 1872, and O. cotton
umbrella which probably saw the opening Of
the civil war. He had hearty welcome, how
ever, and he deposited satchel and umbrella,
removed his coat and got to business.
my fren's," he said, in a voice which re-
minded everybody Of o corn shelter hard at
work, 'de subjeck Of my imperious remarks dis
eavenin am entitled Looking Henceward.' Oar
may be some among 70 who doan know what
'henceward' means. / will darefore explain
dat II means beyand-in de fucher-waY of
ahead. Applause from Shindig Watkins, who
had been puzzling over 'henceward' for the
last two months.l Yo kin look back thirty
vars an see what progress de Guild man has
made, but de fucher am what ID ahead Of us.
DE fucher Is headlight to guide us on dc up
ward path an finally seat us on de pinnacle Of
greatness an verbosity. While We may feel
proud OF de past we am justified in feein' .
feeling of gloriosity obor dc fucher. General
applause, which sagged the stovepips In tho
middle and threatened calamity.1
my fren's," continued the speaker as he
helped himself to glass Of root beer from
Brother Gardner's pitcher and wiped off his
chin, II put de past behind me an urge yo'
onward to de fucher Widin dc next hundred
vars dar am gwine to be SIGH mighty change
take place dat it almos' takes ones bref away
TO think Of 1t. It's gwine to be q change TO put
the Guild man whar he belongs top de heap.
predict:
~. A gradual but sartin change In do
ha'r. De kinks and knots will all straighteu
out de har take on gloss, and we will DO do
envy OF de civilized world.
A gradual but sartin fadin' out Of color
until we become whittier dan white folks. Dew
will probably be mad and jealous about il, but
what am to be will be, an dey can't stop it. I
predict dat Giveadam Jones, hear on my right,
who am now de color of black COW at mid
night, hasn't got to lib ober. foty Vars to
bleach white as governors Sunday shirt.
grace an beauty. 1t won't be fifty vars befo'
yo' can't find a bowlegged Guild man in
weeks travel, an one wild bald head or q pair
OF cross eyes will be as much of a novelty as q
mastodon. Our moufs will contract, our lips
falls away in flesh, an poets will rave ober our
droopin' blue eyes. White folks will be mad
huff to bust. but we mus 60 right along an
pay no 'tention to DER empirical feelius.
"a. In de co'se of the next hundred vars de
Gull d man will be on top de heap in oratory,
poetry, paintin, astronomy an all de arts and
sciences. He will sit in de White House an
he VIII make de laws. He will make de history
Of de kentry, an he will also write it,
IS. Instead of de black folks gwine to
Africa to lib. de white folks will probably o'lar
out fur Mexico or de Sandwich Islands. To-
day de great problem Of dis kentry am not
what to do with de black man, but what il
gwine to become of de white folks in q few
Vars no.
"6. A gradual but sartin contrackshun Of
feet till No will 1T most eberybody in dc
crowd. You can't skassly comprehend it a.
20 look at de No. IS boots adornin' de feet Of
Waydown Bebee an pinchin' his hoofs at dat,
put sich WI! be de result Of progress. Brud-
der Bebee himself may lib to see dat day.
An now my frens, ~ continued the speaker,
as he drained the pitcher of its contents,
Il do not wish to take up your valuable time.
did not come heah to dedicate an evapora-
shun Of cupidity, but to briefly connive my
cantileverous consanguinity toward a bitumi-
nous propagashun Of what I airnestly believe
will come to pass. L thank yo', gentlemen,
thank yo' from de bottom of my heart, an
shall eber hold de memory Of dis eavenin' as
one OF de most electuated in my faliacious
career"
The gentleman left the hall amid wild and
tumultuous applause. but when he had disap-
peared the silence was profound. II was not
broken for couple OF minutes. Then Brother
Gardner arose and said: :.
"A hundred vars am a long time to wait, but
I reckon we'll hev to. We will now break do
meetin' in two an 60 home