The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-28
A GLOVER CLUB DINNER.
How It Struck Max ORell-An Aliu-
sion to the Gridiron Club.


characters. Yoa find it in the Scotch. 1t
overfows in the well-bred American, who
Is the prince of Rocd fellows.
The Americans are so good at taking q
Joke. 50 good-tempered that, even in public,
they enjoy to banter each other and
serve as butts for each others sarcasms; it
is on these occasions that American humor
is allowed free play. There are even
"Gridiro;r clubs-clu1s where guests are
invited only TO be put on the grill
The most famous of these is the Clover
club of Philadelphia. Outside paradise
there is no place where men are treated with
SO little regard to their rank. The members
of the Clover club are no respectors Of per-
sons. Nothing is sacred to them, age or
position count for naught in their assem-
bles.
The club is composed of the principal
journalists of Philadelphia. Once a year
fhey ask to their table about fifty guests,
people talked about; the President of the
United States himself has an invitation, if
he cares to submit himself to the ''grilling"
process.
The banqu is princely, the menu most
recherche.
But let US take peep at the proceedings.
The president of the club, Mr.. Handy, an
American brimming over with wit, takes
his place at the center of the table and the
feast begins. Choice dishes follow one
another and are washed down with choice
wines. Conversation flows and faces light
I'D. An orchestra, placed in a neighboring
room makes pie tsant, subdued music. The
guests begin 10 think over the speeches they
will soon be- called upon to deliver-you
recognizs them by their white faces; the
Cl0verites quietly sharpen their weapons
for the frav. Presently comes desert. The
president strikes two or three little blows
L 49,, No P.r
for the quart d'heure de RdbetdlS!
"Gentlemen,n says the president, II have
the honor to propose the first toast Of the
evening Let us fill our glasses and drink
to the honorable member of congress on my
right | doubt not you will push your
amiability and patience SO far as to listen
to his speech in respectful silence. He will
be all the more proud to have an audience
tonight, because, as we all know, when the
honorable member gets upt to make speech
at Washington the benches begin to empty
by magic. Gentlemen, give him chance. "
The congressman takes tue joke merrily
and thus commences his speech:
"GenHemen-I mean members Of the
Clover Club
The members pocket the satire with a
hearty laugh.
Presently comes the turn of the second
speaker.
This one speaks in a scarcely audible
voice.
''Raise your voicetn cry the members.
Ppm sorry you cannot hear" quietly an
swers the speaker; ''come nearer"
The cries of ''louder!n continue
eff I speak IolO," says the interrupted
man, lit is in order to get down to your
level"
This convulsed the assembly with laugh
ter.
was aghast.
Can it be possible, thought, that they
will stand that? The joke may be new and
funny, but surely it is being carried beyond
the bounds. If such things went on in
France, one would see duels going on in all
the retired spots of the neighborhood next
morning.
The health of third guest is proposed in
terms as grotesque as the preceding ones.
This gentleman is an American, whose
| daughter is the wife of a member of the
EGG ISL aristocracy. By the manner in
which he rises and begins to speak, it is easy
to see that he is an old hand at this kind of
tournament. He oegi1s:
Gentlemen, when | was present at your
| dinner last year,
Last yearw cries Cloverite; chow did
You get invited again thsSyear, prayW
"Oh, you know you can't do without me.
| You must have few respectable people al
your table. | mix with the ariStocracy,
| gentlemen; but, as you see, | am not at all
| proud come and sit at meat with you Ii
| is not that have the least esteem for you,
| but will not have folks say that because
| | move in the society of dukes, marquises,
earls'-
"Shut up! what do we care for your
| dukes9 Sit down. shout some members.
| GO on" shout others.
Bah" resumes the orator, "of course
there IS no blue blood in you; you can't APP
! preciate the honor | am doing yoa.n
The ironical laughter is deafening but
| the speaker will not be baffled in his say.
Before l came here l made up my mind
Your what 2"
''My mind
"Ha, ha, ha -
Here the Cloverites stamp and shout, bu
the speaker braves out the storm. As a
peroration this is what ne offers to his hosts
"Gentlemen, | had prepared a speech
| something refined, which w6Ald be faI
| beyond your understanding. l like to be
appreciated and | am not going to cast my
pearls to all right, all right , ] VIII sill
down, Perhaps next year | may find you
q little more civilized"
Next year catch us asking you again,
old fellow
The president rises once more.
My turn has come.
Scarcely had said the word Gentle
men," when volley of shouts and whis
| things greets me-
| sec that am not going to be spared.
Excuse me- | continued perhaps
had better explain to you why l accepted
! your invitation. Since | am In America
mean to study the customs a9d manners OF
| the people. With this object in view il
would not do for me to confine myself tC
! good society, and | have determined tC
make a study this evening"
That's right whispers my neighbor, II
way OF encouragement, continue in that
strain and you will do"
| For hours the speechifying goes on
mixed with music, Rotations songs and
anecdotes.
AT o lock in the morning hosts and
| guests separate, declaring that they have
had q real good tim
The Clover Club is q hrst-rate leveler. Any
man whose self esteem has been over-cultl
waited can BE- supplied by this club will
wholeS lie physic.
There exists many other clubs Of thi'
kind, where the hospitality consists o
getting amusement at the guests expense
The idea is droll and naive. The Gridiroi
club, at Washington, was founded by jour
ualists on the same lines as the Glove Clul
in Philadelphia During the evening oil
which | was present at the monthly Dime
| of the GriiirOn member Of the Chimes
embassy replied in Chinese to the toast tina
was proposed IN his honor. | replied Il
| French. 1t was satisfaction to read in tn
Washington papers next morning that tn
! Chinese and French speeches had bee