Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1885 — Emblems of the Lime-Kiln Club. [ARTICLE]

Emblems of the Lime-Kiln Club.

On motion of Calaminty Hastings the matter of a national emblem for the colored race was taken from the table for discussion. He favored a bee-hive himself, but would not be captious about it. Professor Bannister favored the coon as an emblem. It represented industry, vigilance, and courage. Colored people were often referred to as coons, anyhow, and the emblem would cut both ways. Trustee Pullback had given the matter much thought, but his preference was for an old hen setting on about thirty-four eggs. If that didn't represent industry and clear grit he didn’t know what could. Samuel Shin had made up his mind that the only emblem he would vote for would be that of a colored man walking in a shady lane with a watermelon under each arm. Sir Isaac Walpole favored a figure of a black bear; Elder Toots declared in saver of the beaver; Judge Cadaver would have nothing but the figure of a black man waving a plow in one hand, a threshing-machine in the other and and crying “Yewreka.” The discussion promised to bring forth no fruit, when the President put a stop to it by saying: “Gen’len: At a meetin’ of the committee on harmony, art, and agriculture, held in de library last nigh, an emblem was decided bn. It am dat of an eagle seated on de fence between a co’nfield an’ a tater patch, while his claws hold a banner on which am inscribed: ‘Hard work will bring you plenty of both.’ ” — Detroit Free Press.