Life — June 7, 1883 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- LIFE: THE STUFFED CLUB. (IN FOUR CHAPS. AND ONE P. S, CHAPTER I. HY they called it the Stuffed Club will ap- pear in the sequel. Any how that was. the club’s name, Charles Fresh was a member of the Stuffed Club, and this is how Charlie achieved this distin- guished distinction. Charlie was waited upon in his sump- tuous apartments by some near and dear friends, who invited Charlie to join the Stuffs before it, was too late. The met bership, they sai a P lacked but five of the full quota, and the dues were light. Here was a fine chance for Charlie to sample the joys of Club Life! Would Charlie embrace it? . He would, and he did, as the subsequent chapter of this narra- tive will demonstrate. CHAPTER II. Charlie Fresh was elected a member of the Stuffs straightway and unanimously. The genial Secretary took pleasure in informing him of the fact, and the faithful and trusted Treasurer acknowledged, with thanks, the receipt of Charlie's cheque for $25, the same being the regular entrance fee. The simple ceremony of initiation only remained to be gone through with, and after that Charlie would be a full and ac- cepted Stuff. He had simply to write a philosophical essay, compose an orig- inal song, and present himself, in full evening dress, on the Fri- day evening next following his election. Being facile with his pen, and having a large wardrobe, Charlie fulfilled these simple conditions in a manner creditable to his in- tellect, and likewise to his tailor, as the sequel to this story will CHAPTER III. On the evening appointed ‘in our last chapter, Charlie wended his way to the appointed place, and entering an ante-room, he was presently joined by four other nice young men who had likewise embraced this golden opportunity to enroll their names among the Stuffs. Soon these five young gentlemen arose, waited upon by the President of the Stuffed Club, who welcomed them very cor- dially, and, under the escort of this distinguished functionary, they proceeded to a spacious banquet hall, wherein was a table laden with much sumptuousness. ‘Twenty-five covers were laid, and after the five new members had been duly presented, they teokuthe seats assigned them at the table with the twenty old Stuffs, The dinner was fine, and after it had been disposed of, the President felicitously announced that the feast of reason was now in order—as the subsequent chapter of this tale will undertake to specify. CHAPTER IV. The accomplished presiding officer proceeded to regale the as- sembled Stuffs with a breezy homily on Club Life—telling them how it welded anew the bonds of amity and good fellowship, pro- moted refined sociability, and how, under its cheery infu the welfare and happiness of mankind were promoted, aims and purposes of the Stuffed Club,” continued the presiding officer, with eloquent emotion, Here the speaker's voice was drowned amid a tumult of ap- plause, a clinking of glasses and knives andiforks and spoons and other things, and cries of ‘* Hear!" “Hear !""-—an outburst of en- thusiasm which was quelled in time to enable the fresh Stuffs to hear the speaker express the pleasure it afforded him to extend to the five neophytes the right hand of fellowship on this auspi- cious occasion. Concluding with the wish that each and every one of them might realize all the pleasure which he himself had derived from the charming association which clustered around the Stuffed Club. * (Cheers.) The first regular toast was in honor of Charles Fresh, and in response thereto Charlie read an essay on ‘‘Embolism,” and then sang his original song to the tune of ** Grandfather's Clock.” Charlie was followed by his four new as- — sociates, who read their several essays and sang their several songs with great impressiveness, and then and there the five young gentlemen were declared to be entitled to all the privileges of the Stuffed Club. P. This beautiful symposium was the first, last and only gather. ing of the Stuffed Chub: so its accounts to date stand about thus - Dr. To fees of initiation to Stuffed Club of five Sresh Stuffs, at $25 cack (PAID sTRICTLY | $125.00 IN ADVANCE OF INITIATION), Cr. By Dinner for Twenty-five Members of Stuffed ~ Club (including Wines and Cigars), Balance (refunded to five fresh Stuffs), $124.88 12 cents, G. F, Baneirr. Betow cost.—A large assortment of black kids, in lots to suit the trade. Apply at once, Colored Found- lings’ Home, Hoboken, N. J.—Adv. comicbooks.com