WHICH MR JOHNSON?

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4082, 21 August 1884, Page 4

WHICH MR JOHNSON?

A Conundrum AVhicii Agitated a Colored Masquerade Party. It was an early hour in the morning, and All night had the casement jessamines stirred To the dancers dancing in tune. This masquerade Avas the event of the season. It had been long heralded and anxiously expected. Great preparations had been made fur it. The colored aristocracy of Third and Fourth avenues, State, Polk, Harrison, and Clark-streets, ivas represented Avith its beauty and chivalry. No one was admitted except Avith mask and costume, and tickets avoi-o $1 50c each, so it may be supposed tho assemblage was reasonably exclusive. About sixty couple were present, and all came promptly at S o'clock in order to have as much fun as possible out of tho event. The orchestra was a good one, and consisted 01 six pieces, the first and second violins, bass viol, trombone, harmonica, and bones. AVhen they struck up the march of the "Charleston Blues " the effect upon tho assemblage ivas electrical, and Miss Angelino Lee confided to her partner, Henry Clay Jackson, that— "Dat dar music has done set my soul to Avandcring already. I Avish dey'd git to bizness." After playing four or iivo versos of that stirring ballad, ivhich got every heel to rocking in the room, tlie orchestra stopped, and Mr John AVilliams stepped up on tlie platform aud addressed the audience. "Ladies an' genlem," he said, "I don' sposo you all wants to hear no speech from me or no one else on de present 'casionAYe all havo done mot fur 'nuther aud'tirely different puphouse den listening tor speeches. An' even if 1 hu:l do time I couldn't spatiatc sufficiently too keep yer from practising do steps like young Mosior in the corner over thah. To 'void all unpleasan complications I as mastali of ceremonies fur do obening, call up all genlem an' ladies to fohm on fur do gran' march." AVhen the march began it was seen that many very handsome costumes were present, while there was a preponderance of the grotesque and comic. After the march, dancing iv earnest, andivas kept upas if they had not another night to live. About midnight a dancer avlio ivoro a "Brother Jonathan" costume, and had distinguished himself during the evening by his wonderful leaps and contortions, had the bad luck to lose his mask, and it was revealed to the astonished eyes of those near him that he was a Avhite man.

There was an excited rush for tho intruder, and he ivas quickly surrounded by a threatening crowded, while a horrified murmur of " A white man " ran through tho room. " AVliat you doin' heal), man r" asked a burly fellow costumed as Romeo. "Doun' you kuoAV you lias 'suited dis gndderin', hoy?" "I was invited to come," replica tho culprit, nearly scared to death. '•'Who inwited your" asked Romeo, threateningly. " Yes, dats it. AVho chir'd tor 'suit do ladies dat way?" chipped in a person dressed to represent a Polk street dude. "AVho dar'd," was tho mutter all around, " to inwito permiskous pvtssons to dis heah dance ?'' "Mr Johnson," replied tho intruder, plucking up a little courage as he thought of tho justice of his cause. "Johnson! Wat Johnson? Whah is

Johnson ? Less see 'bout dis," said Romeo. " Johnson !" exclaimed the dude. "Dat brack cus always doin' something he no business ter do." "Johnson !" repeated one of tho ladies in a sky-blue dress, plentifully trimmed ivith gilt stars. " Jes tink ob do cheek ob dat Johnson—imvitrng loav Av'ito trash 'mong ladies and gentlemen." "His imperdence is 'nuff to make a spectable pusson ignoh him," exclaimed a rather overfed Juliet. About this time the music ceased and tho members of tho orchestra climbed down to see what tho trouble was, and a dozen or two hands were thrust in pockets where razors were concealed. 11 W'ch Johnson!-" asked a tall ungainly figure, dressed in a poke bonnet and hoop skirts to represent Jeff Davis. " Dar's two or free Johnsons, man." "Was it Johnson do calsominah ?" inquired Romeo, with a threatening gesture. " Johnson de barbah ?" asked another. " Here he comes now," said the Avhite man, in a tone of intense relief, as a largo powerful man with a make-up like John L. Sullivan elbowed his ivay through the crowd. " Oh, Billstickah Johnson," said several. "Dats all right." " Who dat wants me ?" inquired Johnson, doubling up a fist that looked like a boiled ham. '' Anybody been pesterin' you, Billy ?" he asked of his white friend. ""W'y Mist ah Johnson, dat you." smirked the ladies, who had been anxiously waiting to see the "white trash" thrown out. "Ef dis gentleman's a fren' of yourn we's glad to know him," said Romeo. "He is a fren'," said Johnson, "an' any brack niggah dat " The remainder of his threat Avas lost in a rush of friends who croAvdod up to shake hands with the best amateur colored pugilist of the city. Then " Billsticker " Johnson, with a nod to bis Avhite friend Billy, walked off ivith tho two belles of tho ball on his arms, Avhile the master of ceremonies climbed on a chair and said, "Take podnahs fob do cowtillion and prepah fob trubblc !"—Chicago InterOcean.