Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-03-15
RECEPTION AND BANQUET.
The Knights Templar tender Mr.. and Mrs
George L. Pratt a Reception and Banquet.

1enpIaf. he spacious apartments were
| thronged with Sir Knights and ladies to
welcome brother knight and his bride
back home.
At nine o'clock they all were seated in
the banquet hall where sumptuous
spread and pleasant conversation quickly
stole away a good portion of the evening.
The banquet was served under the able
directions Of Mr.. S. a. Dumphy, which is
a guarantee that the substantial part was
au tait. Sir knight J. \. Hollinger was
toast master and in his good natured way
called for responses 20 various toasts.
Each speaker was listened to attentively
and the listeners showed their apprecia-
ton by hearty applause. Wit and humor
predominated and provoked mirth and
laughter from first to last
A blessing was asked By the Rev. J. D.
Hcwett, and the first toast was responded
to by Sir Knight Harry L. Arnold.
OUR GUESTS"
1t has become my pleasant duty to wei
come our guests to this festal board this
evening. 1t would be presumptiye in me
to attempt to introduce Sir knight Pratt
to this assembly, composed wholly Of his
friends and associates; and the regular
program Of the evening has rendered it
unnecessary for me to introduce his young
wife to those who are to become her
friends and associates.
One year ago, when Sir Knight Jones
was drinking the pure wine from cup of
his own choosing, and Sir Knight Mccall
was repeatedly calling attention to
the 'extinguished taper " and Sir knight
Gates was standing within the portals OF
the tomb and with pathetic solemnity
pointed the way to eternal life. And still
later, on October S, 1889, when Sir knight
Pratt was drinking dom" punch with
Sir Knight Davidson at Washington City,
little did we think that Sir Knight Pratt
was burning the midnight oil searching
the scriptures. But recent events have
proved this to be true. And the result of
his lengthy and dilligent search seems TO
have been the proclamation royal found in
Genesis, second chapter aud 18th verse:
And the Lord GO,dsaid, 1t is not good that
man should be alone; will make him
helpmeet for him" But the result OF Sir
Knight Pratt's search may rebound to the
benefit of others.
But in his recent wanderings up and
down the earth in search of pleasure we
have no doubt that Sir Knight Pratt's
thoughts were continually reverting to the
Peerless Princess" and his many friends
contained within her thrcbbing bosom,
and especially TO the true hearts contained
OliYet COmmandery No. II. l have no
doubt that in dreams his thoughts were
like the waves on mother Ocean-uoubled,
impeded at uninterrupted at times,
Yet finally breaking on the
sandy shores of that eternal
brotherhood found within the confines of
our mystic triangle, and can assure him
that the beating of our hearts kept cadence
with his as he again took "a solemn VOW
at the sacred altar" and we extend to
him that welcome due from brother to
brother. We congratulate him. not alone
on the jewel he has found in other lands
and brought home TO make one at our
social hearthstOne, but because he has, n
this marriage so solemnly consummated
one month ago, in all reasonable probable |
ity escaped charges at the hands of Il mem
Der of this commandery which, if they
could have been proven true, would have
sent him to the penltentiary, the insane
asylum, the hospital or the grave. He has
by this early marriage escaped exposures /
of his private affairs which would have
been at once embarrassing and humiliat- |
ing, and would have rendered your mar
riage improbable. For, so far, not a
single unmarried Sir Knight of Mt. Oil /
yet Commandery No y, has escaped the |
pen of Sir Knight Phillips and his articles /
in the Sunday Mirror. Sir knight Pratt.
| congratulate you on your timely escape. !
But we have other guests here tonight /
whose bright smiles and brighter eyes are |
not always with us at our banquets, eX-
cept in dreams. Ladies, we welcome you |
one and ali; though a question might arise /!
in the light of recent events which |
would render it doubtful whether you are |
our guests or we yours. Be that as it may, |
we extend to you That knightly reception |
which your happy faces and true hearts |
mpel. W welcome you to the cOurtesleS |
n frnt a whose
ciples is your protection and honor We !
welcome YOU to the fireside of fraternity !
hat has stood for centuries Ike adamant |
and watched the fall OF empires while |
kings died and their thrones crumbled into |
dust. 1t has wlthstOOd the greatest civil /
war, in our blessed America, that the /
world has ever known and the thunder of |
whose mighty cannon sent its echoes roll |
ing against the battlements of heaven. In /
.he name of that ancient Institution | wei /
come you But why you are at our ban |
Iuets so seldom ! am unable to guess, and /
can only say that l hope it Is not from any |
.imidity you may have with regard to the /
mystic goat, for that IS all a cruel hoax,
gotten uD, | understand, by Joe Allen |
aud Charley Jones for the sole |
purpose of pulling the wool over |
the ewes OF their wives. But there !
IS not Il word of truth in it. and l say now /
and here on behalf of the commanGery, we .
welcome you TO any aud all OF our ban
luets.
And now. Sir knight Pratt, we welcome |
you and your new recruit home and assign !
rou Il place in our hearts for two instead |
IF one. We wish you all the joys and COM /
,orts incident to your changed condition,
md say again, we are yours to command. |
Guests, one and all, in the language of |
he hero of the Catskills, May you live /
ong and prosper
And now, Mrs Pratt, it is my pleasant
privilege to present you, on behalf of Mt.
Dliyel COmmandery, this bouquet of flow
RS Let their beauty and delicate per-
tune remind you OF the sincere regard in
which You and your chosen companion are
leld 10y this fraternity. Take ii, and let
Is innocence commend TO you the regard
If its glyers.
By Sir Knight, w. S. Corbett.
MOUNT oLIyET C0MMANDEEY.
An orator was once asked the secret of
making brilliant speech. He said, !
When about TO address an audience, look
.rouud you and rIvet your eyes on some
lrainy gentleman, aud begin 10 talk: you
viii soon fiuu that you are speaking the
,Jher mans thoughts Now, l have nv
yes vlyeJed on SIR Knight Jones and i'll
all TO mske a brilliant speech, it VIII be
lis fault.
In the great drama Of life whether we
ise to the highest pinnacle Of mans am
,ition, or walk in the humber scale OF
bscurity W. have all part to perform.
Ask wha, is human lite--The sage replies,
With appointment, lowering ID n eyes,
a ua.ufIi Ia~s5 Ee - ec a resi- -ts- hood,
A vain pursuit OF fugitive false sooL
The poor, Injured 30 drudgery and distress,
Act without ann. thIls1 II tie anu feel less
Riches are passed away from hand IN hand,
A. fortune. vice o. folly may command;
~ N a dance the par that JtNv the lead
TUru downward and Jhe lowest PAIR succeed.
20 shifting anu - various - tl.s p lu
By which heaven rules JAe mix q affairs OF nan
Ii Is God plan that In thls drama but
wv can De mighty actors; the great masses