The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-07
Odd.FellOyv,s Festival.

affair OF OF this kind that we have ever had in
this city, came off at the Court House on New
Years Eve, on which occasion the members
of Ottumwa Lodge No. 9, gave a private en-
tertainment to their friends. The company.
including the members. their wives and invited
guests, may be safely estimated at two hun
dred and fifty.
The Court room was brilliantly lighted, and
most opriately decorated for the occasion.
A table, extending nearly across the room
diagonally. groaned under profusion of sub
stantials and Injuries, prepared and arranged
with that consummate skill and taste for
which our Ottunwa Ladies are celebrated.
and in which they beat the world, we think.
Cakes there were Of magnificent proportions
and exquisite workmanship, and all having a
motto or appropriate ornament. One in par
ticular, presented by Mrs. C. G. Cloutman.
was chef d'ourre. II bore the motto in beau
tiful letters, s'To the Wapelo' Bards" The
other material Of this sunrtuous repast was
in keeping, but cannot be particularly des.
cribed.
A stage on one side Of the desk. was occu-
piel by the Ottumwa Sax Horn and Orches-
ira Bands, who, together with the Wapello
Bards, discoursed appropriate and inspiring
music. interspersed with songs. during the ev-
ening. Over the desk was a tree filled with
apples, quite noticeable ornament, while
across the back part of the room was stretch
ed the American Flag. One of the Jury rooms
served an excellent purpose as kitchen, as did
the other and the Clerks Office below, as an
terooms.
The moments fed swiftly and pleasantly, as
they could not fail Of doing where every one
was happy and determined to make everybody
else happy too. Greetings between old &C.
quaintances and forming new ones, converse
ton, music and songs, occupied in very
pleasant manner the early hours of the even
ing, until the hour of supper, which was thor
oughly discussed, the gentlemen serving the
ladies first, and the ladies gracefully returning
the complement. The physical wants of the
company having been provided for, and the
Sax Horn Band having performed, in excel
lent style, the remainder of the evening was
devoted to subjects calculated to refresh the
intellectual man, consisting Of some happily
conceived sentiments, announced by Mayor
Gaylord, and responded to in speech or sor.g.
BY this time it was getting late, and the com
pany soon dispersed to their homes, universal
ly delighted with the entertainment, and con
curing in the sentiment, that if this was an
outward manifestation of Odd Fellowship:
II Friendship, Love and Truth" shone so re-
spiendantly in the Vestibule of the Order. the
interior of the Temple must be inviting indeed:
oil inspired with feelings of profound re-.
gard for the members of ssOttumwa Lodge No.
g." individually and collectively. and wishing
them many returning festivals equally agreea-
BILE, and that they might be there to enjoy
them. -
The following are the regular toasts and so
many of the responses as have been furnished
US for publication: -#z f..
The Day ace cdebrate-May it he the commence
ment OF Happy New Year to all, and on its recur-
renee find as in the enjoyment and happiness of an
other Odd Fellow Festival. II = -. : -
Rev. B. A. spauldng, responded as follows
LADIES AND GENrLEMEN:--I was invited
here, like the rest of you, to be entertained,
but without expecting to be called upon to
furnish any part of the entertainment. Of
course it would be idle for me now 10 UNDER
take to interest you after the beauty and the
chivalry Of our city have been engaged all day
In preparing an entertainment which we have
already tasted with our lips. Indeed I can
hardly suppose that this is expected Of me-
understand that provision for the intellect
has also been made, and that we are now
about TO partake of an intellectual feast, and as
there happened 10 be sort of chasm between
the two, have been thrown in to fill it up.-
Or perhaps have been called out on the same
principle that an aeronaut, when he is about
to ascend in his balloon, sends up one of a
lighter or more worthless character, simply TO
try tho state of the atmosphere. have only
to say, then that you may expect to see man
60 up, by and by.
But the sentiment which las been read calls
upon me to speak Of the day we celebrate.
1t is the first day in the year. would there
fore extend to you the welcome of those who
have invited US here, and would also prefer
them our thanks for bringing together so large
and interesting company on the opening of
the year.
But as the year is the theme of which am
to speak, and have the reputation of some.
times speaking too long, I made definite con-
tract with those who invited me to address
you, by which have the entire year, if need
ed, to finish my remarks. wish you to UNI
derstand that If you have time to hear any 9TH
er speaker, or to enjoy any thing else this
year, you are indebted 10 me for it. If YOU
wish me TO discourse on matters of interest
involved in the coming year, it will require all
the time till 1859. Let us, then, press boldly
forward TO the hopes, joys and trials that await
US in the coming year. May it be fraught
with the richest Of Heavens blessings to us
all. 49,. 49,
am also called upon in the sentiment
which was read, to speak Of another
Odd Fellows meeting, at the opening Of the
next year. Now, understand the word, odd,
to be applied properly to those not in pairs
Using the VOID in this sense, it cannot he ex-
pected Of me that l shall undertake TO make
odd fellows. It's entirely contrary to both
nv profession and practice. MANY time
moor disconsolate odd faiIo,y b,. 49,. =