The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-21
HAT SMiSHING At 4 DINNER,
A Diversion that Faded what was Int e nd c d
for % Briinaat Society Event.

for a Briinaat Society Event.
A man who is know rs tho Ak-tor because
OF several determined, cold blOoded. and rcck-
less endeavors to daily with such trifing
characters rs Hamlet. B,atus, Richard Ralph
RarkSGatr, The Ghost. and King Lear. is to be
married carly In January. Recently, after he
had by one Of his performances enriched tho
treasury Of IN amateur society in New York.
his friends came together and decided to givs
q little dinner in his honor. 1t was agreed that
the project should be kept secret. and ono OF
the appointed time to tho rondezvous wIere
This occurred last night For once in tho
maintained, ana tho Ak-tor knew nothing
about it until no WAS taken into tho dining
had promised to be there were on hand. The
dinner was ready at z, the oysters, were on the
S ." and ha the M"vrs Sa Pss sn9s h s4s
before they had made a poo. Of 81 apiece
rivn '' s'S ocle e tho n fsS m " Wh" was
in rather a, foggy condition; arrived, gave q Jo-
overturned II glass. and sat down on tho steam
radiator. II WAS not y success. He rose again.
went over and sat nlono in tho corner. by this
time tho soup had quite cvaporatnd. the fish
wns black the Walters we're n humoroh. and
ding wood with.
Thus far the dinner did not seem to be the
and the diners we're Wondering what had be-
como Of tho Ak.,or. The man who had gone in
5 O'clock in tho afternoon. II subsequently,
transpired that tho Ak tor had had a fatguing
hn s mi n 81 & e sns e%yd walk
up town by way OF u brace. To tho kcen and
bracing December wind they had added divers
ter. 80 that when they arrived at Broome
street, tho brilliant sehome entered the
friends head Of leading tho Ak-tor astray and
taking him to tho dinner IN n Stu9e OF hilarious
glee. To this end he led him through many
nEG ao1Ss ana a m % IN bs S%
When the pair arrived at Fourteenth street tho
Ak-tor was erect, sombrc. and morosc whio
ness and much annoyed by the unscemy and
fanciful gyrations, OF lamp, posts. doorways.
condition. he impaired tho fact that he was
taking the tor TO dinner, and the Ak-tor.
aonilios ali tho melancholy characteristics OF
what he considered was too brief warning Of
the dinner. For two hours ho steadily refused
10 go To tho hotel where tho dnnor wns given
but finally he yielded TO tho solicitations OF his
friend. got into cab and drove to tho festive
Whom he arrived he found that the men who
at the roast This no considered now insult.
shook hands With IN with ssry
BY n Mr.. sat down sunny at tho board and Pre-.
pared 10 cat, About this time the other mem.
probably tho worst dinner ever served in New
York. 1t was 30 completely the opposite OF
what Its projectors had intended. that heavy
dreariness rested on them all until the coffee
made several cutting Eomarks about bout
drunkards. and put on his hat with some un-
steadiness. they all rosO. put on their
hats in turn. and then. yielding to the solicita-
tions OF one Of the members. lighted iheir
ci.nrs. Nearly all Of them had backed Cleye-
land and the array Of shiny beavers was i'm:
upon the Ak-tor thnt n red flag has upon bull.
for. with n wild out burst OF feeling and q mock
ing laugh. he picked IN half a loaf OF bread
and SHE'D 1t at the man on the right. 1t struck
tho hat knocked 1t across the room. and q
second later tho air WAS iied with Cleveland
hats. and eight men were plunginR around In
the widest sort OF excitement, shouting with
laughter and batting hats with the very reck
lessnoss OF despair.
Meanwhile the Al. tor, who was nothing II
not shrewd. sprang to tho door. placed his own
hat on u table in the AnterOom and returned
to tho melee. The action WAS not unobserved.
Tho friend who had brought him uptown
slipped out. PLACED his own hat on the table,
put the Ak tor shat on his head and returned
to the room. All the other men were holding
their hats under the table or behind them.
when no walked down before the Ak-tor with
his hat on his head. The Ak-tor luneed for 1t.
So did every ono else. The hat In n remarka-
bly, short space q time was Grotoslue md
| quickly ms IL had begun, md tho men slipped
on their ovsrcoats and hnta. 1t was then that
the Ak-tOr discovered his mistake. He with
drew without wcrd. And 50 ended what WAS
probably the mos unsuccessful dinner ever
givon In New York