The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-02-28

Stew Meat departed from the lodge
rooms OF the Sons and DaughterS o.
I VIII Arise and sauntered happily TO-
ward the civic center Of Birmingham
Darktown. He even smiled warmly al
the young gentleman whom he had
come to meet.
MI. Coot Warning was a large. person
with a complexion most unequivocally
black. He was 10 ear of age Inc not
ov~erburdened with brain, but he pos
sessed plenty Of bulgy muscle which
during the football season-made him
a school hero.
Two other boys stood beside, Ceot
and considerably less Stygian in hue
The expressions Of all three were SOL
emn, and they bowed formally to the
dapper Mr.. Rogers. Mr.. Rogers was In
a friendly and expansive mood.
"Wha' yuh say, fellers?" he inquired
MI. Waring jerked his bulletlike head.
He said, s%epulchrally: "Foller us"
Stew Meat follered more i'm
pressed than he cared to admit. At the
corner of Fourth alley the trio hemmed
him in and Coot Warning proceeded to
oscar Rogers" he announced, you
have o been tapped"
"Uh-huh. I sho' have. But what fo'?"
"You have been tapped TO- the United
Brothers of Friendship and the Sup
porting Social Sisters of the Myster-
Stew Meats eyes opened wide. He
said, "well, I'll be dawg-bit!" He also
said, Listen, Coot-it amt that I don't
appreciate this, an all. but I thought
that sassiety was TO- seniors only"
1T is" explained Mr.. Warning. "But
you have been at the high school long
enough to be q senior twice over, so
we 1ected you. Do you assept?"
Stew Meats acceptance was almost
tearfully enthusiastic.
Lection Friday night" announced
Coot ,W!aring. Eight o'clock at my
Stew Meat promised to be on time
and declared stoutly that no matter
how severe the initiation he would cor
tinue to be the happiest colored boy in
Birmingham.
Friday night he appeared at the home
of Coot Waring. It was a more than
modest place. It was, in fact, a dilapi-
dated, implanted, three room alley COT
tage. It's sparse furnishing attested to
the near bankruptcy of Coot's parents
Five persons were present in addi-
were the same two Young men who
had assisted in the tapping, and three
more or less pulchritudinous maidens
for whom, until this moment, Stew
Meat had entertained no particular
The sextet conducted Stew Meat
into a large vacant lot. Then they pro-
ceeded to initiate him.
From the outset it became apparent
that this ordeal was to be both strenu-
GUS and humiliating. Stew Meat ex-
h1bited Spartan courage, but his flesh
ached and his spirit was crushed before
n ceremony was half finished. His
dignity was in shreds-and he was bull
warked only by the thought that very
per Of n most exclusive organization
in high school.
Mr.. Rogers soul revolted against
two hours of torture. But he obeyed
outrageous commands without finch
ing. And finally, when it seemed that
the flesh could stand no more re-
CARELESS of the spirit-Mr. Coot War
ing hunched his massive shoulders and
announced that the initiation was over.
Furthermore, he said when the boys
an gals at school heah about this
they're goin' to laugh their se'ves
when they heah about it?" Stew
Meat knew a moment of apprehension,
for he had performed many antics that
forget. How come they'll heah about
it, Coot? Amt these limitations secret?"
These amt" responded MI. War
ing cheerfully.
Then-as though at a signal-the
initiators threw back their heads and
guffawed. A premonition that all was
not as it should be smote Mr.. Rogers.
~ don't understand" he said.
Amt I a member of the United Broth
ers of Friendship and the Supporting
Social Sisters of the Mysterious Ten?
Coot Waring roared with glee. "Co,se
wei"
The horror of what had occurred
struck Stew Meat with crushing force.
you mean you amt none of you
members Of that sassiety? You mean
you just been maxim a fool out of
me?"
That's the n thing we amt been
dom anything else but"
Stew Meat vas not large. He was 80
pounds lighter than his bette noire.
But tears Of futile rage and righteous
anger welled into his eyes and he shook
his fist In Coot Warnings face.
He told Coot many things. He ex-
pressed his opinion in profane and