The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-25

81 nebber dun heard dat it was a
crime to dream" protested Absolute,
as he felt a feeling of desperation
stealing over him.
sists in bein' fool niger 'nuf to go
around and tell of it. A body can't
help but dream. but a body wants to
keep his dreams to hisself. same as
he does de combinashun of his burglar
proof safe. You may pass out and
jine de purcession. Has any member
observed Pickles Smith we're dis
eavenin' p
Pickles had not only been observed,
but had observed himself. and the
came so Unexpectedly that
he was a long half minute getting to
his feet, Then an ashy gray stole
bic, and he realized that he was
doomed.
"Brudder Smith" said the president
in a impressive voice, you was one
You has filled cherry office in it ex-
cept president. Your record u to dis
eavenin' has bin widout a stain. If
any one had told me dat you would
dun go and make a fule o. yourself /
couldn't have believed it,"
Il didn't mean to dream. sir"
faltered Pickles.
"II glib you credit fur dat. but de
but you come mighty nigh dom a
heap of damage by tellin' of it. A
few eavenin's ago your wife went ober
to a naybur's and you laid down on
de lounge to take a nap. Oar was
seben daWgS and a goat in de room,
and it was no wonder you had a
dream. You dreamed dat you was
gwine to de grocery arter half a
pound of butter when a lack a
dropped out of a Under on your
back, and as you hoIlered out a cross
eyed old woman came along and be-.
labored you wild a puddin' stick. How
did you interpret dat dream, Brudder
Smith ?"
"Why. dat de yaIler fever was COM
in along to kill a heap OF colored
folks off"
land you was SIGH a fool as not to
know dat cold kills off yaller fever!
If you had kept still about you dream
it would nave been all right, but you
must rush out doahs and tell a dozen
people, and dey went rushin'
tellin' odders. and dere was
of a skeer dan as If war had
broken out. AS one of de Oldest mem
bers of dis club. and as a man who
refused to buy Il gold brick When it
was offered to him fur fifteen cents,
you Orter nave knowed better
Fur dis reason I shall make your
fine $4,000. Known what your
wag are. 1 fgger dat it will take you
three thousand years to be restored to
membership. Dis old Paradise Hall
some of de members may be gone
by dat time. but you will be welcomed
and start in anew wild a clear
record / now come to de case of
Sawed-On Hoke."
Sawed-On was rightly named. He
is a man five feet high and Jour feet
broad, and his p-ugnacious disposition
is known to all members. There was
aggressive look on his face, and
without waiting for criticism he said:
Il dun dreamed dat I was drowned
in a a of skinned milk. sab, and I
hold dat 1 have a right to dream and
tell folks about it."
"Brudder Hoke, please disremember
you am addressin'."
and I can't be put out O. dis club
dreamin'."
Il shall fine you $4,000 if you glib
me any imoudence."
And I won't pay it nor go out
eitheri"
Brother Gardner regarded him for
a m and then slowly rose up
and let fall his Roman toga- Then he
spat on his hands and descended from
the dafs and cache for Sawed-On'sl
and found it. There was a strug-
lasting for a moment, with clouds
Of dust rising to the ceiling, and then
the p~ugnacious member was lying on
his back in the ante-room and the
stovepipe had escape a peril.
And l wish to observe said
Brother Gardner as he returned to
his place and his toga, dat anv fur
der dreamin' by members Of dis club
dat am any furder dreamin' dat
gifts be productive of SIGH
ln~culc7shun dat de present imDersona-
shun Will be no comparison to it. We
viii now sing u usual cIosin' song
and take ourselves homewardsVS
1905, BY T.. c. McC7ure.)
Can't be perfect health without p,ra