The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-16

RoSeleaf Outing, Soclal ana IlIe Saving Club. Me fren de barkeep is de president of de Roseleafers, and he being Maggie de house. maids study she was going along wit me and Duchess. We all couldn't get a day off togedder unless our folks was going away, too. But Duchess fixed dat. She knows dat Miss Fannie was tink- ing about a days visit to some frens over White Plains way; so Duchess put it up to her to go on de day of our picnic. "It wouldn't be altogether eonven- tent to go on dat day" says Miss Fannie.
 I'm sorry" says Duchess. be cause Chames and me and Maggie was going on a picnic on dat day; but of course if Madam is to be at home on dat day, we cannot go"
 "Oh, very we'll" says Miss Fan nie, eve have to go some time, so we may as well go dat day as anodder."
 De Roseleafers Is a good lot of boys and goils, but dere notion of gailly-gailly always takes in a scrap; and Duchess being French doesn't know how much good it does a man to have a scrap once in while, to keep him in mind dat he isn't do whole woiks, and dat dere is no real fun in dis life dat hasn't to be hustled for. Me frens down Bowry way hasn't got no woise tempers dan odder folks; but dey is more fruitful about what dey likes and doesn't like; and so when dey feel likes a scrap as all good men must once in while-why, dey has one. Oats all.
 Well, say, Duchess and Maggie was dreams! Duchess was ragged out in some close Miss Fannie passed on to her, and Maggie was ragged out in some Duchess had passed on to her; and dey looked so much like de real ting dat me fren de barkeep blew us off for carriage to drive down to de pier, where de boat was dat was to take us up de river. Dat was de beginning of de trouble as, like as not, me fren knowed 1t would be.
 He had a trouble of his own; he has been Maggie's steady a long time, but she wouldn't give up her place at our house and marry him. She wants him to shave off his fedders, and take a place as but Ter wit MT. Paul. He could get de place, and would make a corker utler; which dc same MT. Paul knows, him sometimes going down to me fren's place on de Bowry to study life. as he says.
 q can't stand for it" says me fren to me, as we gassed de game togedder. "I own me own drum now"-drum? Why a drum is a place, a saloon. 1 taught you spoke de English langwudge- "I've paid for me own drum, and am making more long green in week dan mo wages as butler would be in a mont. Maggie has forgot de Bowry, along wit being trun in wit does forn soivants, and she tinks dat keeping a drum isn't high-toned."
 Well, as I was saying, we drove down to de pier, and de gang give us de gaff for fair, when dey pipes us in de carriage.
 Here's de Honorable Chimmio Fadden." says dey. Whats de matter wit coming down by street car. or by hand. Make way for de silk haired ladies and gents! /"
 We jollied back. and noting doing at foist, because when you gets in a scrap too close to de pier, some cop may see, and ring for de resolves, and come out i'll a patrol bot, and spoil de fun be- fore it's half over. So we jollied de game along, quiet like, and ,tarted de dancing and singing, and pretended not to hear de tlngs dat was said what mean fight. Dat WdS udIu, JUL, lOt "oo iCho N'C on a scrap; and what wit all de exercise I has, teaching sports to visitors at our place, I was feeling dat I could give good story to any one of me weight dat would listen to me.
 Duchess started it. She'd danced wit me, and wit me fren, and was toisty, so she says to goil dat she sees wit mug of beer, Me good woman" she says, "Give me dat glass of beer and run and get yourself anodder."
 De goil near drops de glass, she was so paralyzed it de cheek of Duchess; den she let out holler for her steady, who comes on de run. When he hears de story he near falls dead, too, and gets his gang; and dey comes over to where I was, and he says, Have you got gang, Chimmie?"
 0Cura Milxav I says for I always