The Opelousas courier., 1894-05-05
THE LIN CLUB.
Hon. Standoff Johnson's Appea! for
the Cakewaik,

the SdAGSHdiN.
When the routine proceedings Of
the Limekiln Club Saturday night
meeting had been disposed of, Bro.
Gardner arose and announced that
the Hon tandoff johnson of Alabama
was in the anteroom and anxious to
address the club on the subject Of the
cakeWalk-a matter dear to the heart
of every colored man, woman and
child in this fair land. He had not
only made a long journey with this adj
dress in view, but was considered the
highest and best authority in the
United States. On motion OF Glvea-
dam Jones it was decided that he
should be given an opportunity to
speak. While the Reception Com
mittee were absent from the room
Bro. Gardner ordered two more can
dies to be lighted and one of the alley
windows lowered from the top, and
Shindig Watkins and Samuel Shin,
both of whom have cOnsumptive
coughs which can be heard so rods
against the wind, We're allowed to go
home.
The Hon. johnson was then brought
in by the Reception Committee and re-
ceived in an enthusiastic manner He
was a well-formed. two-story man'of
middle age, with whiskers on his chin,
and there was a certain magnetism
about his cool, calm demeanOr. lie
| bowed right and left, shook hands with
Bro. Gardner and Sir Isaac Nalpole
in a very hearty manner and began:
MY fren's a crisis has FRO in Gle
history of de Guild people of America.
While de white man has bin officiousiy
g"rantin' us political an civil rights he
has bin at de same time privately con-
spirin' to rob US of II of de greatest
an most sacred privileges handed
down by our forefathers. Right yere
in my pocket | hev a list of 80
newspapers an 100 memhrs of Con-
grisS who am pledged to ecure de en-
actment of a law forbiddin' any Guild
pusson or pusson's from ~originatin'
or holdin' or attendin' dat sacred in
stitushin known as a cakewalk." On
tense excitement.)
De conspiracy originated ODER five
vars ago, but de movements of de con-
spirators war so quiet, dat muffin Was
known of m till about three months
since. De objick was to git all ready
an den suddenly Jump on us with boat
feet, but thank heaben dat we hay
heard de alarm an hev de power to
checkmate de conspiracy! (Cheers.)
All 0ber dis land de Guild men and
women am risin' up to protest in thun-
derous tones agin this great wrong to
anashum of 5000, 600 people. Nells.)
| am here tonight to receive de pro-
test of dis Limekiln Club. | shall visit
cherry city in de Norf wild the same
obiick. an befo' de next Congriss
meets dar will be such a wave of indlg-
nashun sweepin' ober dis kentry dat
de white men will tremble in his
butes. (Vociferous %applause.)
What am de c~akewalk? answer
dat it am a social i~nstituShun handed
down to us from de sacred past. De
ideah was to gather an assemblage OF
wit, beauty an intelligence fur mu-
tual improvement. Bein' gathered
together, yo' might as we'll walk as to
sit down on a hard bottomed cher.
Bein' on de walk, yo' might as well
walk fur a cake as fur fun. Continued
cheering.) 1t am next to a prayer
meetin' fur innocence. 1t is sunthin'
enjoyed by de ole man an de young
chile alike. 1t am to us what a soiree
am to de white folks, bnt bekase we
Git a heap mo- fun out of it do white
folks am mad an want to abolish it.
Shall we bend our necks to de tyrants'
heel, or shall we riz up in our majesty
on shed our blood to uphold our
rights? cloud cries in favor of she'd
ding the last drop.)
Il expected it," said the Hon.
Standoff, as the dust settled down
and the splinters ceased flying. II
fully believed | could count on de
patriotism of dis Limekiln Club from
Brudder Gardnerdown to Elder Toots.
De kentry looks to dis club to take de
lead in dis matter an to maintain it.
De cakewalk must be preserved an
handed down to II children as it has
bin handed down to US. De white mar
has deprived us of our possum bakes,
! our persimmon festivals an u yam
socials, but he must stop right dar.
We hev reached de dedline. Let him
bewa' befo' dis kentry swims in blood
an revels in gore. wild APP
plause.) AFTER de meetin' has broke
in two yo' will find me in de ante
room wild a protest ready fur yo'r sig,
natures. l hope an expect cherry
member to sign it an de anne Of SIGH
as am willing to die, if needs be, to
uphold our cause will be marked by q
cross in red ink an preserved among
de heroes and martyrs Of de fucher.-
[St. Louis Republic.