Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1886 — The Lime-Kiln Club. [ARTICLE]

The Lime-Kiln Club.

the meeting had been opened in due form Brother (l craned hia neck to look behind Wavdown Bebee and saij.l; • ‘‘Am Zollicoffer Stebbin.s sittin’ hack dar? If so, I'd like so hev’ him come ford to tie roHtriim," Zollicoffer was there, and ho rose np and modestly approached the designated spot.- reSL- ••• “Bntdder Stel(bins,” continued the President, “I Earned dat you slrawed SBOO in a lottery a few davs ago. Am Ik’rect?” “No, sah. My aunt died and left me money. ” “Oh, she did? Well, it’s about do same thing, only it was a lee tie surer ease fur you to have your aunt die. Brtidder Stebbins, I ar’ told dat you* are werry anxious to pyt dat money whar it will make a big return." “Yes, sah.” ~ “Wall, I has bin sliinnin’ around an’ makin’ some inquiries of late. Brudder Stebbins, it am a sack dat seven-eighths of de houses of imfamy in Detroit am owned by pussons who pass fur werry respectable men an’ women. Moas’ of ’em go in good society, and a sheer of ’em am members of de church. Dey not only know jist what sort of tenants dey liov got, but dey exact art’ receive twynty-five per cent, mo’ rent dan could be got from any odder class of people. If you kin buy a couple of ole houses and rent ’em out in dis fashun you’ll soon be rollin’ in wealth. “Agin, Brudder Stebbins, two-thirds of de saloons in Detroit am owned by respectable citizens. A place which would rent fur sls per month fur a shoe shop brings $25 as a saloon. Try and get hold of a couple of places. “Once rno’, Brudder Stebbins, why not rim for Alderman ? De electors of Detroit doan’ ask dat a eandydate shall eben be able to write his own name. DeV dean’ look fur ordinary intelligence. Dey doan’ ask any guara-atee of his honesty. De pay of an alderman am $3 per week. Men go dar fur de honor of it, an’ de fust thing you know r dey am buyin’ houses an’ lots an’ drivin’ S6OO horses. If you succeed in gettin’ in doan’ hev no twinges of conscience about sellin’out to de highest bidder and makin’ all de money you kin. De mo’ you make de mo’ eminent you will be arter you hev retired to de seclusion of your own co’ner grocery sto’!

“I lias bin knockin’ ’round on top of .dis vere earth a good many v’ars, Brudder Stebbins, an’ I Imp diskivered dat a dozen honest men die in de poo’ house whar-one gits rich. I has seen men so honest dat dey wouldn’t pick up a lost boss-shoe take a back seat, while de man who picked up de shoe an’ stole de boss to boot was giben a place in de front row. Doan’ start out wrong eand foremost. Doan’ be too good. Doan’ expeck to sot a shinin’ example fur politishuns. We hev got men in Detroit worth tens of thousands who started on less capital dan you possess, but dey didn’t begin by payin’ pew-rent or sendin’ money to de heathen. ” —Detroit Free Press.