Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE DREAMERS
A Club. _Being a More or Less Faithful
Account of the Literary Exercises
of the First Regular Meeting
of that Organization, Reported by_
JOHN KENDRICK BANGS
_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_
_By_ EDWARD PENFIELD

NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
1899

BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

PEEPS AT PEOPLE. Passages from the Writings of Anne Warrington
Witherup, Journalist. Illustrated by EDWARD PENFIELD. 16mo, Cloth,
Ornamental, Uncut Edges and Colored Top, $1.25.

GHOSTS I HAVE MET, AND SOME OTHERS. With Illustrations by NEWELL,
FROST, and RICHARDS. 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

A HOUSE-BOAT ON THE STYX. Being Some Account of the Divers Doings
of the Associated Shades. Illustrated by PETER NEWELL. 16mo, Cloth,
Ornamental, $1.25.

THE PURSUIT OF THE HOUSE-BOAT. Being Some Further Account of the
Doings of the Associated Shades, under the Leadership of Sherlock
Holmes, Esq. Illustrated by PETER NEWELL. 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental,
$1.25.

PASTE JEWELS. Being Seven Tales of Domestic Woe. 16mo, Cloth,
Ornamental $1.00.

THE BICYCLERS, AND THREE OTHER FARCES. Illustrated. 16mo, Cloth,
Ornamental, $1.25.

A REBELLIOUS HEROINE. A Story. Illustrated by W. T. SMEDLEY. 16mo,
Cloth, Ornamental, Uncut Edges, $1.25.

MR. BONAPARTE OF CORSICA. Illustrated by H. W. MCVICKAR. 16mo,
Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

THE WATER GHOST, AND OTHERS. Illustrated. 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental,
$1.25.

THE IDIOT. Illustrated. 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.00.

THREE WEEKS IN POLITICS. Illustrated. 32mo, Cloth, Ornamental, 50
cents.

COFFEE AND REPARTEE. Illustrated. 32mo, Cloth, Ornamental, 50
cents.

NEW YORK AND LONDON:
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS.

Copyright, 1899, by HARPER & BROTHERS.
_All rights reserved._

Dedicated
WITH ALL
DUE RESPECT AND PROPER APOLOGIES

TO

RICHARD HARDING DAVIS
JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS
RUDYARD KIPLING
HALL CAINE
SUNDRY MAGAZINE POETS
ANTHONY HOPE
THE WAR CORRESPONDENTS
A. CONAN DOYLE
IAN MACLAREN
JAMES M. BARRIE
THE INVOLVULAR CLUB
AND
MR. DOOLEY

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE IDEA 1
II. IN WHICH THOMAS SNOBBE, ESQ., OF YONKERS, UNFOLDS A TALE 21
III. IN WHICH A MINCE-PIE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A REMARKABLE
COINCIDENCE 44
IV. BEING THE CONTRIBUTION OF MR. BEDFORD PARKE 59
V. THE SALVATION OF FINDLAYSON 80
VI. IN WHICH HARRY SNOBBE RECITES A TALE OF GLOOM 102
VII. THE DREAMERS DISCUSS A MAGAZINE POEM 123
VIII. DOLLY VISITS CHICAGO 142
IX. IN WHICH YELLOW JOURNALISM CREEPS IN 163
X. THE MYSTERY OF PINKHAM'S DIAMOND STUD 185
XI. LANG TAMMAS AND DRUMSHEUGH SWEAR OFF 207
XII. CONCLUSION--LIKEWISE MR. BILLY JONES 228

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
THE FIRST GLOOMSTER _Frontispiece_
DISCUSSING THE IDEA 3
AND SO TO DREAM 17
THE DREAMERS DINE 25
"'REMEMBER TO BE BRAVE'" 35
"'ELEANOR HUYLER HAS DISAPPEARED'" 39
"WRIT A POME ABOUT A KID" 47
"I BOUGHT A BOOK OF VERSE" 51
"IT FILLED ME WITH DISMAY" 55
"'COME IN'" 61
MARY 65
EDWARDS REBELS 71
THE VICEROY EXAMINES HIS RUINED SMILE 85
THEY GAVE HIM _PUNCH_ 89
THE DONKEY ENGINE CALLS ON FINDLAYSON 93
THE END OF THE GLOOMSTER 109
WISHED HER A HAPPY NEW-YEAR 117
"'O ARGENT-BROWED SARCOPHAGUS'" 125
"_SARCOPHAGUSTUS_" 131
MR. BILLY JONES 137
"'I MUST SEE HIM,' SAID DOLLY" 145
"'KAPE YOUR HOOSBAND HOME'" 155
MIXING ILLUSTRATIONS 159
THE SHIP'S BARBER AT WORK 167
A CLEVER CAROM 177
SINKING THE _CASTILLA_ 181
THE LAMP-POSTS WERE TWISTED 191
HOLMES IN DISGUISE INTERVIEWS WATTLES 199
"'YOU DID TOO!' SAID POLLY" 203
"'HOOT MON!'" 209
"A SWEET-FACED NURSE APPEARED" 213
TAMMAS MEETS DRUMSHEUGH 221
MR. JONES BEGINS 231
HE DID NOT SEE 243
THE STENOGRAPHER SLEPT 247

THE DREAMERS: A CLUB