The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-12
BROTHER GARDNER.
his Lecture Before the Lime Kiln
Club on Providence.

Ny frens.' began Brother Gardner,
after the dogs had been kicked out of
Paradise Hall and Samuel Shin placed
at the outer door as guard, most of
yo' have got at least a dim idea of
what Providence am. It's ginerally
supposed to be q presence or speerit
OATS hoverin' around to shell out bush
els of good things fur pore folks We
read dat Providence saved dis pusson
from gittin' drowned an dat pusSOn
from a railroad wreck, an dat PrOvI-
dence stepped in jest in time to prevent
a house burnin' up or a ship goin
down.
'Widin de las year. 'cordin' to what
hev heard, Waydown Bebee would hev
met a mad dog face to face if Provi-
dence hadn't told him to stop into a
grocery and inquire if de price of cod
fish had come down.
Gideon Jones was about to put
stick of dynamite in de stove along wild
de frewood when Providence had I'm
Gle Reuben White drao in an tell him
what de stuff was.
"Cottonball Davis starts fur de gro
Gerry to git a quart O kerosene He
turns back arter goin' a few rods to ak
de ole woman why she didn't put mo-
water wild de lie, an a sewer under de
street blows UP. If Providence hadn't
turned him back he'd bin busted all to
squash.
Elder Penstock starts out one eaven-
in fur prayer meetin', but still small
voice tells him to stay home and play
checkers wild his wife. He does so. an
de roof of de church falls in an kills
'leven wolks. If he'd bin OAR he'd heV
bin a goner. fur suah.
"One mo case. Kurnel Lincoln
Brown am walkin' home wild 81 in his
pocket. 1t am a dark night an he has
to pass some vacant lots. Providence
whispers in his ear to take to Gle middle
of de road an run like a rabbit. He
does so, an he escapes two robbers VINO
was lynn in wait fur him wild clubs.
"An desc cases. an a dozen mo heV
bin talked about in dis yere Lime Kiln
club. till some of de members hey got
to believin' dat Providence viii be be
hind EN- in playin' pool or shootln
craps. It was only de odder night DAT
Resolution Hooper goes home wild
dollar in his pocket an tells his wife dat
Providence helped him to find it on de
doah of a saloon Whar he was standin'
around fur a free treat.
MY frens don't yO git things mixed
up. Oar may be SIGH a thing as ProVl-
dence, but she's got about all she kin
do to take keer of herself If any Of yo'
argue dat she am hoVerin' ober yo' 10
guide 20 to q lost pocketbOok yo' am
gwine to want fur Eaters befo' yo' find
de money to buy EN-. I started out IN
life firm believer in Providence, but /
hahn bin takin any chances fur de las
five vars Its bin my experience dat It
I sot on de fence all summer l shiyered
around a cold stove all winter
"On sebera1 occushuns 1 hev spent my
last half-dolIar TO go to a circus, an
hev depended on Providence to send me
bacon fur breakfast. 1t didn't come
What did come was talk from de ole
woman.
"A dozen time or mo- I hey used my
rent money to fit me out wild a new
kaliker shirt fur cake-walk, thinkin,
Providence would help me to find S.
bill on de sidewalk. If any s. bills was
lost / didn't find 'em, but de landlord
found me all right, an gin me notice
to quit
"I'ze token a leetle walk of night to
look fur watermillyons I has found a
patch an climbed ober de fence wild a
feelin dat Providence was boostin' me
up. but as a result I'm carryin' de scars
of dozen dog bites an was twice near
" pizened to death