fro-American Order of Supreme Kings of the
Universe has a large and a widely distributed membership--and if under
the sacred pledge of secrecy which only may be broken on pain of
mutilation and death by torture he--with the aid of these fraternal
allies of his--conducted certain discreet inquiries, why, that was his
own private business. Assuredly, so far as surface indications counted,
he appeared to have no business other than pleasurable pursuits. From
Little Rock he turned his face southeastward, landing at Macon, Georgia,
where he lingered on for upward of a week, breaking his visit only by a
day's side trip to a smaller town south of Macon. Altogether Jeff was
an absentee from his favorite haunts back home for the greater part of a
month.

He reached town on a Monday. Betimes Tuesday morning, inspired outwardly
by the zeal of one just won over from skepticism to the immediate
advisability of following a sapient course, he sought opportunity to
become a member in good standing of the Shining Star Colored Uplift and
Progress League, a simple ceremony and a brief, since it involved merely
the signing of one's name on Dotted Line A of a printed form card and
the paying of a dollar into the hand of Dr. J. Talbott Duvall. On
Tuesday evening the league met in stated session at Hillman's Hall on
Yazoo Street and Jeff was early on hand, visibly enthusiastic and
professedly ready to do all within his power to further the aims and
intents of the organization. As a brand snatched from the burning he was
elevated before the eyes of the assemblage so that all might see him and
mark his mien of newborn fervor, for Doctor Duvall, following his
custom, called to places upon the platform the proselytes enrolled since
the previous meeting, to the end that older members might observe the
physical proof of a steady and a healthful growth.

So there sat Jefferson in the very front row of wooden chairs, where all
might behold him and he might behold all and sundry. About him were his
recent fellow converts. Almost directly behind him was a door giving
upon a side entrance; there was another door serving similar purposes
upon the opposite side of the stage. Beyond him to the left in the
center of the stage were grouped the honorary officers of the league,
flanking and supporting their chief.

Being an honorary officer carried with it, as the title might imply,
honor and prominence second only to that enjoyed by the
president-organizer