The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-20
THE SUICIDE CLUB
i or
Brother Smosk ssvpiIss sa hsameIs
n the Revival N the piteest."

WV bHfNoF NNHHe wv Vf"fNHfsI HH
afpHt Mo- HfHfhry auteet nod hsaB
hfrtaht ~ ~fap~nvnte from ne native
piscr " indlsus w ne rsFuoe n her seslth
tte had found nsr laughter Nlas asfly,
the hasss-~si errgfe N . havy N eouef
~ ~ that NJ nuss heseiT him~N n Ne
SB'iid not ~ distshe~yi IN tha esce
'fSde~s . 10 drswied stretching NE M
lee hftufioualy after layiae ae'ia ne hatf
NJ . sateYmpipa n whleh oniv the whits
%feftstuei, 'an' ct1hsi taWd, I inns lined ~
many m 'en that dsne fefeue Which ~
b'ioaapt ,sy MT they aaa't a0y w 'sfn
ekil ~ one hesed ~ 40 thets IN ind'aaa
spills That sifs vi q intHfsstln' stub
N b'lona ter.
Tell about n. M. amcen.' Mlss sally
aailei peps,ssiveiy
why MIas Sally I cay'nt tsiii lt'sa hind
N q ascre, order hut I've been thtakln'
some " e'aftlh' D right here IN Jinnp,
" hin az enough 10 jiBs.'
The esveTHl coiofed youths who feFasd
Mis- saily'e court looked coaeclously n n
another. should they watt n 10 ashed,
OF vas this o hint that they ehould propose
thsmeeivesp They vsFs q little IN ave of
Ne. sInoch, for HE costumes and baaflne
VNNNlNDNs WI NN9 NIOIt8 VI uuNNN0 uunHN
sonvillians and, moreover, no came from
indiana.
Mics sally came 10 che rescus.
well, I'm sure there's enough right here
for . start, anyway; en- thefs's no time
like the present. . afse said.
Mr., Smoek smiled In O superior way.
sOh, quite enough. Almost and
he glanced severely a. Mr., Beverly Bulitt,
who had been irritatingly popular with
ths hsiress that svenins-'almo's more
Beverly smiled serenely. and the gentle
man from Indiana continued with a eight
tremor In his voice:
"As you 90 obscurely says. Miss Sally,
there's 10 time like the present. He glanced
gracefully around his circle OF listeners.
SShall we organize, brothersf'
IL now developed that for reasons which
90 did not be stated In the presence Of Miss
Sally the membership must be limited
and the fees .proportionately high. NJ.
Smock, 70 settle the eIistence. Of the club
. SsyNS %i.s as sSiIy .B R6SRHi ssoo %sf i,s s sponsoI,
and In that lady's presence the members
were enrolled Inc solemn VOWS taken to
carry out It's laws.
The rules and bylaws aaid the new ly
elected Grand Master, Brother Smook,
ter-morrow night, az the clock strikes
twelve"
With this announcement the meeting
broke up. The next day much boasting
was INDUCED in by the members OF the new
lodge, and heart burnings were felt by
the Masons and United Brethren over their
own diminished light.
At midnight the members assembled in
the privacy OF Brother Smook Q apartment.
There beneath a flag which their sponsor
had presented the Grand Master greeted
them with an air Of dark mystery which ate
into their very souls.
Brother Smock opened:
is you all got your dues with you? VIII
Brother Mapp erblige by handin round
the hat2' he said.
A collection was made and the expected
amount returned, with the exception of
Brother Beyerly's fee, which came in short
10 cents, which he declared himself unable
to produce.
Il amt got another cent" be announced.
IN bring y to the mex meetin'.,,
Masters brow. Top Harris, fearful Of
consciousness, interposed:
You'll be put out O. tbesh yer club
Beverly Bullitt!' he cried.
But Mr.. Smock frowned still moro fercely
at this suggestion.
sNo, he won't be put out, he said. There
amt nobody kin leave this CLUB cop n
way. You've all swore, an the cornsti-
tootion don't admit it,
He then dismissed the sub jeot Of the de-
linquent's fee and proceeded with much
state to turn out one Of the two smoky
lamps and turn down the other very low.
A p~remonitory thrill shot through the
assembly.
1Thesh yer club, announced he in hollow
tones. "is called the Suicide Club"
ment, but to his hearers the word was q
new one, and they remained quiet.
Its bylaws and c~ornstitootion Ia as follerB.
member pays IS a month, the duos
is high because they amt many members
an the Expenses ia great
He paused.
what ia the ixpensesi' came a query
the Bemi-darkness.
Brother Smock's answer caused the wool
TO rise all over the room.
Fun rails, " he said in solemn tones.
There was a breathless silence, broken at
maTksd agitation
The Grand Master felt that he must put
Il automatically:
my Lawd!' came IN horror stricken
accents from the corner, 'But We amt
none OF US daid.'
"But we're goin' to be. That's how the
men had their club ranged, an this
Is the same kim. on'y oolored, .onos q
Adverse comment, athere's a meetin' an
4 banquet. When the dues fer the month
ID all paid In. the names O. the members
put In q hat, an one O. them drawed out.
The member o. the name that Ia drawed'-
be paused dramatically, from every quarter
OF the room came heavy breathing, and
the voice In the corner emitted a hollow
yroan-''that member goes out an kills
The silence was broken by the hurried
rising of the member In the corner. SIN
zoin' TO git out O. this, /" he exclaimed.
stop that man, brother members"
called the Grand Master authoritatively.
You can't git out, any more h ! can.
Amt you all swore members? Din Miss
Sally stand sponsor to the club, right there
IN her mas front pooh an now you,
Bev'ly Bullitt, tryin' to scrimshank out
Or it."
A chorus Of groans indicated the clubs
toward Beverly's conduct.
mo, we's all in together, an In ives all
got ter stay, This time mex month we
meet agin fer the fus' DRAWN. An ev'body
brings what they kin collec' fer the ban
luet. This meetin' lie 10Y dissolved"
The true meaning Of the suicide club did not
public, as the word was strange and
vas believed TO have been adopted merely
because Of its novelty and musical sound,
regard to meaning. But a distinct
Weakening of interest took place on the part
u the members. Mr.. Beverly BuHitt even
vent 30 far as 10 hit O youth smaller than
who dared to mention the subject.
As the time OF the next meeting APP
one Of the members, Top, vas
- Ii.