Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

NOT SO GOOD. 163 of that part before, having been content ‘with the importance that such a position would give him, but Trial’s suggestion was worthy of adoption. If the lodge could only be made‘a large one his financial problems would be solved along with the glory he hoped to reap. “Whut Pete means is he’s gwine git ten puh cent each o’ receipts an’ disbu’s’- ments,” said Joe. ‘““Dat’s me, seats an’ bussments. Dat’s mah paht.”’ ““T’ll jine aftah I sees dat de thing’s all right,” said Trial. ‘“‘ When’s you gwine organize?” ‘“'To-morrow night. In dat vacant house nex’ to de Railroad Salume. I gwine fix up foh dat. Be dah at seven o’clock.”’ ‘* Us ’ll be dah.” | Pete hurried away on his mission of soliciting members for the new lodge. The following night the Knights and Ladies of the Guiding Light was fully or- ganized, with a membership of twenty- seven. Ten of these were American negroes, seven men and three women, and the rest Jamaica negroes, five of whom! were women. Pete was at the height of his glory. He was president and treasurer. In addition to the initiation fee of three dollars and the four weeks’ dues payable in advance, each member had to pay for his or her uniform, which was to be worn on certain occasions. These were to be pur- chased from the lodge, which gave Pete still more fees. : Uniforms, however, were to be done with- out until a little later date, when the lodge should be financially strong enough to buy the uniforms for its members and le? them pay for them on the instalment plan. Cer- tain sick and death benefits were embodied in the rules of the lodge, all of which Joe Wallace, the secretary, explained at length | and in detail to Pete. Just exactly what uses the lodge would serve, Pete hadn’t any clear idea. He only knew that being at the head of a lodge would give him a certain prestige among the members of his race, and the discovery that he was to get pay for it came as a pleasant surprise. Next day Pete had a visitor at his little cabin on the edge of town. He was de- cidedly annoyed. ‘Huh! I sees dat mad niggah, Big Gun, comin’ up heah. Wondah what he wants now?” s Big Gun came, his massive shoulders swinging belligerently. ‘* Mawnin’, Pete.” ‘“ Mawnin’, Big Gun.” “ Mistah Big Gun, you means.” ‘ Dat’s right, Mistah Big Gun. Sho’ does mean jes dat.” ‘““Heah you niggahs been organizin’ a lodge.”’ ‘* Sho’ is.” ‘T’s comin’ in it.” ‘Be mighty glad to have you in de Knights an’ Ladies o’ de Guidin’ Light. Cost you three dollahs to jine, an twenty- five cents a week dues, payable fo’ weeks in ’vance, an’ de regalias an’ things lik’n to dat, dey all mus’ be bought fum de lodge, but dat paht don’ come jes’ yit. We ain’ got de money in de treasury to buy all de things we needs, so we jes’ gwine hol’ it till we gits a little mo’.” ‘‘ Ain’ gwine cos’ me nothin’ to jine.” ‘“ How come dat?” ‘“T’s gwine be a officer in de lodge.” ‘We done got a secretary, an’ de bear- ers o’. de light—an’—” ‘““Shet up, ol’ niggah. I ain’ tawkin’ bout none o’ dem little ol’ offices. I’s gwine be de treasurer.” ‘““ But P’s de treasurer.” ‘““You’s been de treasurer. Now I’s ewine be de treasurer. I heah you’s de president. One office is ‘nough foh one man.” ‘* But I gotta be de—” ‘““T gwine be de treasurer, or I gwine be de treasurer an’ president, too, an’ put you clean out ’n de whole thing. Now what—” ‘“ Now don’ git all excited lak dat, Mistah Big Gun.” ‘“ Look heah, ol’ niggah. You don’ know me good, I guess. I’s bad medicine, I is, an’ you don’ want to projec’ wid me, else ’n I'll sho’ disagree wid you bad. I’s bad med- icine. You knows me. I ain’ de kind o’, niggah lik ’n dese funny-tawkin’ Jamaica niggahs dat says ‘ hi ham goin’ hup,’ plac’n ‘I’s gwine up.’ I gwine be de treasurer,’ or CoOnniclooolkks