Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-12-22
UNION LITERARY SOCIETY,
Interesting Exercises Saturday After
noon Highly Enioyed-Miss Erma
Johnson's Selection-0ther
Fine Contributions.

This snterprising society held Its
regular weekly meeting at the High
School Saturday afternoon and an
exceptionally long, but BY no means
tedious, programme was rendered. 1t
has been q long time since the mem
bers Of the society have enjoyed such
excellent duties as those prepared for
this occasion. It appeared as though
each member thought the success Of
the meeting depended wholly upon
his or her effort and, therefore, put
their entire soul into the preparation Of
yheir contributions.
Perhaps the most interesting featnre
OF the exercises was a recitation In
negro dialect delivered by our gifted
elocutionlst, Miss Erma johnson, In a
natural original manner that charac-
terizes all good elocution. The story
pictured, to begin with, was OF an
amusing nature, but changed its air
before IL reached lie conclusion. II
ran like this: The represented speaker,
an old negro slave, was talking to the
son OF his "young masser," who was
killed In the var The old darkey told
the boy how sshim and young masser''
had shared their troubles together In
infancy, having been raised in the
aame crib and nursed by the same old
black mammie; how they had hunted
the rabbit and coon together when
they were youths and how under these
circumstances they had become very
much attached to each other. When
they had grown to maturity and the
time came for "youpg masser" to leave
home to attend college he would moi
leave the negro athome, but took him
and boarded him at the college. Thui
they remained loyal friends until the
war, when 'young masser'' was called
away by q shot. The old darky's eyes
filed with tears as he related the sad
story Of the bygone days and, az
recited by Miss johnson, started .9srs
of sympathy, but here the story took
q sudden turn as the boy gave the old
darky q e5 bill, which carried him to
such q high pitch OF excitement that
be forgot to go IN with his story. The
members OF the society feel a just
pride in Miss johnson.
The Grafton of the afternoon was
delivered by Claude Fowles, the De-
mosthenes Of the society. The speaker
was well aware Of the fact that to have
an GRAFTON of interest he must fret
have the subject. In view Of this fact
re selected the most worthy topic,
"The Temperance Man, This was q
strong effort on the part of MI. Fowles
and recsiyed q hearty applause from
the entire membership.
Miss Jessie Purcell read a rare coll
lection Of local Christmas ADVERTISE
ments, telling the boys where they
could get the finest candies, chinaa
and other things suitable for a young
lady. No doubt Miss Purcell will get
an unusual number Of presents from
the boys this year, after having in
formed them In such an open manner
as to whore they can spend their
money. There were q number Of
other duties that deserve mention, but
space forbids.
The question, "Resolved, That Mis-
souri, Should Have Property Qualiaca-
tions to Vote" was freely aired and
was decided in favor OF the negative
side.
After an unusual amount OF miscel-
ianeous business the session adjourned
to meet next Saturday afternoon.
Interested visitors welcome.