The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-12-15
FoGGY BOTTOM LITERARY.
Members of the Club Enter into IA
Dispute which Wakes
Warm.

Warm.
Ladies an gemmen," said the chair
man, as he wiped his square silver
trimmed glasses, "de purpose o. dishere
society is ter meet an discuss de
creates literary works in de Africo-
English language"
"Dar ain no sech language" inter-
rupted Miss Desdemona Todd, COM
paratively light-complexioned young
woman with an air of general frivolity.
Look yere: you doesn' wanter say
it dat way. Say yoh had yoh sp'icions,
but don't say it's ner 'tain't,' case
yoh's gwineter git tripped if you does.
Hist'ry done shows us dat de Angles
an de Saxons made de Anglo-Saxon
language about which you read so much
in de newspapers"
''Let i'm alone! Let i'm alone" said
Mr.. Erastus Pinkley, admiringly.
Hes been de janitor in two high
schools, an he knows what he's talkin'
bout. 1 begs yo' padding, Uncle Ras-
berry," he added, as the old man turned
a reproving look in his direction.
snow, hyah in Foggy Bottom, some
er de talk we uses is white an some
is cullud; which is why makes it
known to dis assemblage, an thence to
de worl', as de Africo-E English Ian
guage."
Il 'sputes de pint" remarked big
young man with polka dot collar and
shirt front, and cane with large
silver-plated handle.
"On what groun's does you desiah to
dispute ?" inquired the old man, ON
inously.
81 doesn' make no diff'unce bout
de groun's. I'll 'spute it right hyuh
on de f1o'."
He had arisen from his chair, but
couple of others pulled him back.
The chairman walked over to the stove,
stirred the fire nervously, and then pro-
ceeded:
"As was sayin', we is hyah to let de
gentle influences of poetry an prose
flow ovuh our souls. I hab always in
sisted dat man who gifts his system
well soaked wifi poetry is incapable of
crime. De selection which I has se-
lected foh discussion dis eyenin' is dat
beautiful verse, which begins: DE boy
stood on de burnin' deck.'''
II 'sputes dat pint" said the burly
man with the polka dots.
There was a buzz of apprehension,
and the chairman looked annoyed, but
he controlled himself and went on:
"Now, ladies an gemmen, eff yoh
wants to git de true benefit of poetry,
you's gotter go deep down. Who was
dis boy dat stood on de burnin' deck?'
He was wahm member" comment
ed Mr.. Pinkley.
'Dat is well TAKEN" observed Uncle
Raspberry, affably. "Now, ev'ybody
was tellin' him to come away an he
wouldn' move. What were de matter?"
Il oncet knowed a gemmen dat got
excited an stood on his own foot SOS
he couldn't move" said Miss Miami
Brown.
"Dis war only boy" was the grave
response. "His weight wouldn' have
held i'm down. We has not looked
down deep enough. We has took dat
boy to our hearts an whooped 1t up foh
i'm jes' because somebody done wrote
piece O. poetry bout i'm. My private
'pinion bout dat case is dat de boy
dat stood on de burnin' deck was de
same breed as de man dat doesn' know
enough to come in out'n de rain."
II 'sputes dat pint" came the inter
ruption from the big young mans cor
ner.
rs de pahty dat spoke got any weap-
ons on imp" asked the old man, after
looking at him sternly over the top of
his spectacles.
Eyes" was the prompt answer. "I's.
got razzer, an rs ready to make
good"
rs he got revolver?"
"No,"
swell, sub. l isn't got no razzer, but
eff he will allow me ter use de stove
poker as my weapon, he kin take out
his razzer an come on"
Friends tried to dissuade the old man
from his rash enterprise, but he held to
his purpose, and the crowd fell away,
when the big young man staggered
up with one hand at his hip pocket.
He drew his razor, flung it open, and
was about to make lunge when Uncle
Raspberry reached over to the stove
and drew the poker. The bully fell
back in CONSERVATION. The poker was
red hot.
As his assailant left the place the
old man said:
ladies an gemmen, we will meet
mex Saturday night as usual. De sub
ject foh discussion on dat occasion will
be de wonders of science. Washing
ton Star.