Weekly Trinity journal., 1862-11-22
The First and last Dinner.

(
and their local Interests, as permanent inhabi-
! tants Of the metropolis, agreed, one day when
they were drinking wine at the Star and Garter.
! ut Richmond, to institute an annual 0tnuer amoag
/ themselves, under the following regulations
! That they should dine alternately at each Others
houses on the frst and last day of the year and
the first bottle Of wine uncorked at the first din
| ner should be recorked and put away to be
drunk by him who should be the last of their
number that they should never admit new
member that, when one died, eleven should
meet, and when another died, ten should meet,
and SO on and that, when only one remained be
should, on these two days. dine by himself and
sit the usual hours at his solitary table; but the
first time he had so dned, lest 1t should be the
oqly one he should then u1cork the first bottle,
and in the FIRST glass, drink to the memory of all
who were gone.
Some thirty years had now glided away, and
only ten remained but the stealing hand Of
Time had written sundry changes in most legible
characters. Raven locks had become griZzled ;
two or three heads had not as many locks as
may be reckoned in walk of halt mile along
the Regents Canal-one was actually covered
with brown wig-the crows feet were visible
in he corner OF the eye-good old port aud warm
Madeira carried it against hook, claret red bur-
gundy, and champagne-stews, hashes and
ragouts grew iuto favor-crusts were rarely
called for to relish the cheese after dinner-con-
versation was less boisterous and it turned chiefly
value OF landed property-apologes were made
for coming in thick shoes and warm stockings
the doors and windows were more carefully pro-
vded with lists and sandbags-the fire in more
request-und quiet game OF whist tilled up the
hours that were wont to be devoted to drinking.
singing, aud riotous merriment Two rubbers, u
cup of coffee, and at home by eleven o'clock, was
the usual cry, when the fifth or sixth glass had
gone round after the removal OF the CLOTH AT
parting. too there was now a long ceremony in
the hall, butoning up great coats, tying on
WOODEN comorters fixing silk handkercheis over
the mouth aud up to the ears, aud grasping
sturdy walking canes to support unsteady feet.
The fitieth anniversary came, and death had
indeed been busy. Four little old men of with
cred appearance aud decripit walk, with cracked
voices aud dim, rayless eyes, sat down by the
mercy of Heaven, Gas they tremulously declared,)
to celebrate, for the liltieh time, the first day OF
the year, TO observe the trolic compact. which,
half century before, they had entered into ut
the Star aud Garter, at Richmond. Eight were
:" % a"aes hsy sGat aheaqqaa ssqa1
their glass, though they could scarcely carry
1t to their lips, if more than half full; and
cracked their jokes, though they articuated their
words with difficulty, aud heard each other with
! still greater difficulty. They mumbled, they
chattered, they laughed, Qf "a sort of strangled
wheezing might be called laugh,) and as the
wine sent their icy blood IN warmer pulse through
their veins, they talked of their past as If it
were but u yesterday that had slipped by them
aud of their future as If 1t were busy century
that lay before them.
AT length came the LAST dinner (; and the sur
vivOr OF the twelve upon whose head four score
and ten winters had showered their snow, ate his
solitary meal. Ii so chanced that IL was In his
house, aud at his table, they celebrated the first.
In his cellar, too, had remained for eight and
forty years the bottle they had then uncorked,
aud which he was that day to uncork again. 1t
stood beside him. With feeble and reluctant
grasp be took the " trail memorial " of youth
lul vow, aud for a moment memory was faithful
to her office. She drew open the long vista OF
buried years, and his heart travelled through
them all their lusty and blithesome spring
their bright aud fervid summer,-their ripe and
temperate autumn,-ther chill but not too frozen
winter. IIe saw, AS in mirror, one by one. the
laughing companions of that merry house at
Richmond, had dropped into eternity. lie felt
the loneliness OF his condition, (for he had
eschewed marriage, and in the veins of no living
creature ran a drop OF blood whose source was
in his own y and as he drained the glass which
he had filed to the memory of those who were
gone" the tears slowly triclSled down the deep
furrows of his aged face.
He had thus fulfilled one part of his vow, and
he prepared himself to discharge the other by
sitting the usual number of hours at his desolate
table With heavy heart he resigned himself
to the gloom of bis own thoughts lethargc
sleep stole over him his head fell upon his
bosom confused images crowded into his mind
be bubbled to himself ; was silent aud when his
servant entered the room, alarmed by noise
which he heard, he found his master stretched
upon the carpet at the foot OF the easy chair out
OF which he had slipped in an apopectlc IT. lie
never spoke again, nor once opened his eyes,
though The vital spark was not extinct TIL the
following day. Aud this was the LAST DINNER'