The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-03-02

to nearly every piece of furniture in the
parlors was arraigned TO play its part.
Sit on one chair and out went the gas:
take another seat and it would light
again: sitting on an ottoman produced
a mysterious rapping under the floor:
pressure upon some chairs started off
drums, triangIes, tamborines, cymbals
and other musical instruments; in fact.
it seemed unsafe to sit down anywhere.
The guests stood about in groups and
whispered, each hoping to see his
neighbor or a newcomer caught
mapping. One visitor secured an appa-
funny story-he had left electric
ty far behind-but just as he reached
the climax, pretty funnel-shaped jap
anese affair like big Ounce cap, that
seemed but ceiling ornament, dropped
from overhead and quietly covered him
up, thus silently extinguishing the story
and the story-telIer. In a convenient
position stood the silver lemonade
pitcher; it was filed with the tempting
beverage. but no matter how much
guest might desire the lemonade, one
touch of the handle convinced him that
the pitcher was SO heavily charged with
electricity as to render it impossible for
him to pour out a drink.
SOME ONE PROPGrSED MUSIC,
and half a selection had been enjoyed,
when something seemed to give way
inside the piano. and suddenly there
emanated from that bewitehed instru-
ment conglomeration of sounds that
drowned the voices of the singers, and
the keys seemed to beat upon horrible
jingle of drums, gongs and every noise
producing implements.
After the guests were treated to
beautiful display of electrical expert
ments, they We're escorted to the dining
room. where an electrical supper had
been prepared and was presided over by
Jupiter, who was in full-dress suit, AMI
sat at the head of the table. where. by
means of small phonograph inside of
his anatomy he shouted: welcome. So
ciety of Seventy-seven and their friends
to Jove's festive board The menu was
as follows: Electric Toast, Wizard
Pie" .'Sheol Pudding. Telegraph
Cake. Menlo Park Fruit, s.Incandes-
cent Lemonade Electric Cigars etc.
and music by Prof. Meplistophele's Elec-
trio Orchestra. About the table were
pretty bouquets, and among the flowers
shone tiny incandescent lamps.
Promptly at IL o'clock, as the chimes of
the distant churches came softly into
the room, pandemonium seemed to
change places with the modest
dining-room. A cannon on the porch,
just outside the door, and another inside
the chimney, were unexpectedly dis
charged, and at this sudden roar every
man sprang back from the table; the
lights disappeared; gongs under the
chairs beat tattoo: two bricks fell
down the chimney, and the year of
1885 faded away the .sSheol Pudding
s.
mating the room; the Telegraph Cake"
clicked forth messages: bells rang inside
the pastry; incandescent lamps burne |
underneath the lemonade, while the cof-
fee and toast {made by electricity were
rapidly absorbed the Magnetic
Cake disappeared; the Wizard Pie
vanished, and Jupiter raised a glass to
his lips and began to inlbibe The effect
was astonishing: the gas Instantly went
out, while Jupiter nose assumed
THE COLOR OF GENUINE TOPPER.
The electric diamonds on his shirt
front tiny lamps blazed forth and
twinkled ike stars, as he monograph
icaIly shouted Happy New Year! Hap
MONIES now becoming more gentle, the
| que is turned their attention to the beau
| tiful fruit piece, over four feet high, that
stood in the centre of the table. From
| the fruit hung tiny electric lamps. and
the whole was surmounted by bronze
/ figure of Bartholdis Statue of Liber-
/ ty;" uplifted in Miss Liberty'sr right
hand burned an Edison lamp no larger
than bean. The supper finished speeches
were delivered by Messrs. Hammer,
Rutan. McDougall, AIottram, Dent
Som, Brown. Delano. Worl, Duneka and
Dawson, and an original poem was read
by Mr. Van Wyck. Upon repairing to the
parlor the guests saw Mr. Hammers little
sister May, dressed in white and mounted
upon pedestal, representing the God
dess of Electricity" tiny electric lamps
hung in her hair, and were also sus
pended IS earrings, while she held Z
wand surmounted by star, and con
tanning very small electric lamp. No
the least interesting display Of elec
| tricity took place in front of the house
when rockets. Roman candles. and othel
| fireworks were sent up by electricity
After an exhibition of electrical appa
ratus and experiments with a large pho
nograph, the guests departed with /,
beMildered feeling that somehow they
had been living half century ahead o
! the new yezr.