The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-17
BROTHER GARDNER.
He Sees Danger Ahead for the
Colored Race.

my frens." said Brother Gardner,
as he stood I'D in his place after the
routine business Of the Lime Kiln club
had been disposed of the other even
ing. IT has bin tellin' yo' fur de last
i've vars dat yo' am all wrong an
orter change. an re gwine to repeat
my words agin tonight. I has bin
Watehin' de Guild man an woman
mighty clus fur a long time back, an
re tellin yo' dat mos of EN- am get
tin ready to cum down outer de tree
Oar hain't skasSly Guild man of
my acquaintance today who hahn
Dayin' out mo- money fur his cuffs.
collars an neckties dan was paid fur
de clothes of a hull family fifteen vars
ago.
I'VE needn't go outside dis club to
dnd SIGH cases of extravaganza as will
make de ole-fashioned folks open DER
eyes. From Whar l stand I kin per-
eeive dat:
''Waydown Bebee am wearin' di-
pund pin dat nebber cost less'n fo'
dollars.
"Brudder Jones has squeezed dem
bis feet o his into a pair o patent
leather shoes dat cost de same, an
am maxim a cripple of him.
Samuel Shin has got dollar shirt,
. 50-cent necktie an cuffs good huff
fur millionaire.
''KurneI johnson has got a watch
dat cost him $40, an a chain dat cost
g. mo-. an he's swellin' around as if
he owned de club.
Abraham Lincoln Jones has bios
somed out in a sl1y-blue necktie an
q dimund Din. an he must have scent
cigars or none tall.
'Eben Elder Penstock dat ole grav-
headed patriarch who used to be salts
ded with straw hat in January an
ehoes Wtdout heels, now comes march
IN into dis hall wild de latest thing in
shoes an regular plug hat.
When I take my leetle daily walks ]
ar invited into de house of Brudder
johnson. At de parlor windows 1 be-
hold lace curtains On de parior floor
behold a real carpet. On de manteI I
ebhold cuckoo clock. I am invited to
sit down on stuff cheer, an Mrs.
johnson brings me in a glass O. beer
an hunk O. frosted cake. I jist sot
dar wild my eyes bulgin out an can't
say a word Brudder Johnson hain't
airnin' but $40 a week. an how does he
git all dat luxury? If his ole ladder an
mudder. who libed up to twenty vars
ago, had woke up some mawnin' an
found dat cuckoo clock cuck-oo-in' away
IN de parlor dey'd have fallen ober dead.
De next house go into am Brudder
Simpsons, an 1 am skassly inside when
I see a parlor organ standin' up as bold
as a hill, an dar am a rug on de fioah
plenty good huff fur a kings palace. I
ar offered wine an angels food here,
an also learn dat Brudder Simpson
an de works of all de poets dis winter
OATS Brudder Simpson, an he Arms
SO a week in q woodward. His ole
fadder am libbin' yit, but he won't lib
two days arter seem dat rewolvin'
bookcase go rewolvin' around
I call at de house of Brudder Cabiff
to see if his baby am better of de Group,
an find mo- stuff cheers, mo- princely
rugs an mo- luxuriousness. He has
chen got an extension table an a side
bod in de dining room. 1 ar offered a
milk-punch an sweet biscuit, but I
can't eat nor drink I ar all choked I'D
wild surprise an wonder
'On de street, de same day, I meet
Guild women wheelin' DER pickaninnies
in SO baby keeridges, while de mud
ders am carryin' fo'-dollar parasols an
dressin' in silks. I don't faint away
at de sight, but do git SIGH wobble
in my knees dat have to lean up agin
de fence to rest befo' I kin go on.
''All around me har about dis man
gwine to de races, dat man rentin' a
postoffis box an some odder man buy
in a SIS obercoat. Widin' de last
month, 'cordin' to my own knowledge:
DE wife of Abraham Green has
giben a high tea.
DE wife of Prof. Comeback has
giben a birthday party.
DE wife of Samuel Shin has giben
an ice cream social.
DE wife of Plutarch JoneSssflas giben