The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-12-25
4 Lanaiy Banquet. {

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In 1862 ten Young gentlemen, d
consenial tastes and tempels
boarded at a fashionable boarding
house i'll New York. They divided
up into parties ofstwos and threes
and fours, and attended Theatres
I lectures and other places OF inter
est in the evenings, and when they
returned they made tia point &c
meet in the parlor and talk over
the business. pleasures and adyen.
lures of the day, before they re.
tired to their rooms. Their close
friendship, and the method of each
communicating their experience fol
the benefit of all, proved both in
strnctfve and entertaining, and
these daily reunions possessed at.
traction enough to draw them to-
Igether at a regular hour in the
evening" This mode Of life con.
tinued for some years, until at
length the time came when they
must separate. The country need
ed itsyoung men, and called for
several Of this party of ten. They
had a farewell dinner at their
boarding house on the 10th OF Sep
TENDER, 1862 and a grand time
feasting and singing songs.
One remarkable feature of this
celebration was, that before they
separated at two o'clock in the
morning, each rose in his place
and made a solemn vowithat, if liv-
ing, he would meet the rest of his
companions at eight O'Clock in the
same. place, and dine with them
ten years hence, as they dinel that
night. Each ore was to occupy
the. same seat, and as nearly as
possible, they were to have the
same kind of dinner. So they babe
each other good night and sscrara-
ted, in Recourse of Years the house
changed hands, and set up the
more pretentious claims of a hotel.
The dining rDm remained, how
ever just as it was, and probably
the old table and chair were still
on duty.
Some days ago Mr. Edward X.
Winship, broker, No "a Dord
street, called on the proprietor Of
the hotel, and requested him TO
prepare dinner for ten gentlemen,
in The old dining room, OH the cv-
4ening Of September 10. Mr. Wins.
hip briefly narrated the circum.
Istances Of the compact to- explain
the request, and that he be NC the
eldest OF the party of ten, he had
been appointed Oh the evening Of
their dining. in 1862, as eli irman.
at precisely eight O'Clock Oh the
evening Of Septen Der 10th, Mr..
Winsh!p entered and the door was
quietly closed behind him. No one
Ielse came. The table was bounte.
ously spread, three colosetl walters
were there, nine empty chairs, and
inverted plates and glasses at each
chair. The meal was begun. and
the solitary guest was served with
the prescribed courses in 81 ence
Mr. Winsbip occasionally passed
a word with the head waiter.
Poor boys = They've all gone"
said he. Zone went down in the
Monitor IN Mobile bay, and anotll-
er was drowned in the same water.
Two were shot in Mobile. One lost
both legs by a ball, and another
was pierced through the he1rt.
Another died in Philadelphia, and
another in New York. He said
that, wilhelm February last, lie was
walking up broadway one evening,
he felt a tap on the shoulder, and
a voice asked him whether he
knew Mr.-, 81 do" replied
Mr. Wnship. "He died at four
o'clock today" said tho voice.
Though Mr. WiEship turned quick
~ on hearing the voice, he was uD-
able to ascertain who it was that
had addressed him. He afterwards
learned that one of the party often
had died that day at the hour in
dicated. Mr. Winship srd flat the
oldest of the party next to himself
was only twenty-nine.- Exchange.
OREGON ELoQUENCE. - There
was a bill before the Legislature
for the appointment of a State ge-
ologist, and, amid GREATNESS 81
lence, a gifted member said: "Mr.
Observation-Disclosures or unfortu-