Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1887 — Lecture in the Lime Kiln Club. [ARTICLE]

Lecture in the Lime Kiln Club.

Pickles Smith was requested to walk up the hall, and -when he had come to a halt before the platform Brother Gardner said: “Brudder Smith, I has bin informed dat you has been, sued by a grocer for a bill of fo’ dollars. ” “Yes, sab.” “De bill was fur oysters, dried peaches an’ jellies?” “Yes, sah.” “And why didn’t you pay it ?” “Kase Ize hard up, sah.” “Now, Brudder Smith, de member of dis club who kin afford oysters on a salary of $7 per week kin afford to pay fur ’em. If dat debt ain’t squar’d up befo’ de nex’ meetin’ you will h’ar sunthin’ drap!” “Yes, sah.” “In bringin’ "dis performance to a close,” said the Pwident, as he nodded to Samuel Shin to strike the triangle, “let me say to one and all of you dat de present ailment of dis kentry am de want of commor. sense. De man who aims $7 per week wants to lib an* dress as well as de man who pirns sl2, an’ dis piles up dabta an’ brings about trickery, fraud an’ communism. Nobody am satisfied to be what he am. Eben de poorest of de poo’ will go hungry sooner dan let anybody know dey can’t buy fried oysters. De member of dis club who hankers fur luxuries made fur de tables of millionaires kin make up his mind to pay fur ’em or be known in dis hall no moa’. Let us . perqambulate homewards.”— Detroit Tree Press.