Produced by Steve Read, Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: Cronkey Gudehart [Page 103 THE FIRST GLOOMSTER] 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 [Illustration] 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