The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-01-30

tentiOn to that extent that determined IL
walch well and faithfully all the minute de-
tails of the affair from It's first and prelimin-
airy steps to Its termination, and note the
varied changes until success or failure
marked the termination of this important
and to me apparently gigantic undertaking.
Being just outside the society limits, or in
other words not having the password and
grip of the order, my information must
necessarily be CLEANED through brother,
and II any mistake should occur, this alone
should be ample apology, unless perchance
such mistake might lead to important and
gigantic misunderstanding.
II l am correctly informed, the scheme
of having public installation followed by a
lecture and X. 0. Il. M. banquet was first
sprung upon the Bancroft Tent No. 271,
by one of its members, Oh or about the first
of December and at time when the whole
membership numbered thirty-fve. The
proposition was brought up at regular
meeting and passed through the several
stages of introduction, opposition, delibera-
ton, etc., and finally about Christmas eve
or near that time became real, live ism,
and the whole matter was referred to a COM
mittee who had full and complete authority
to conduct the affair in all its minutest de-
tails rs best pleased them. The committee
consisted of the following seven gentlemen:
Lester Roberts, George Cosgrove, >. >.
Quincy, l.. Braden, John OHarra, L.. ID.
Obert and w. II. Strong. and to them may
be given all the credit for the success If any
was allowed, and they were alike RESPONSE
BILE for any failure or deficiency should any
occur at any time from introduction to pre-
face. These seven gentlemen, realizing the
responsibility resting upon them and further
seeing at glance the necessity of system
and discipline, at once divided the work and
the cares into the following classes or de-
partments with the following sir knights as
chairmen of the several committees, each to
care for, look after and become responsible
for the advancement and success of their
own department: On printing and invita-
ton, S. j. Quincy; decorations, l.. Z. Smith;
soliciting tables, dishes. silver and linen,.
Fred Sabin; soliciting provisions, l.. ID.
Obert; music, Claude Watson; securing
eyergreens, w. M. Strong; reception, 5. j.
Quincy; supper tickets, John O'Harra;
toasts, George Cosgrove; heating and light
ing, John Newman; door keeper, Charles
Lamb. The above are only chairmen of
the several committees to which were added
sufficient of the other sir knights to az
eOmplsh this great amount of work within
the given limited time. This much being
accomplished it was still self evident that
success could only be attained through
united efforts, every sir knight with full
determination to win went to work as one
man. While the invitation committee was
putting forth every effort to secure crowd,
Sabin, with his forces, were securing tables,
dishes, silver and linen for the convenience
of the guests and the provisions which
Obert and his assistants were securing the
village and country to secure, and Newman
with the forces at his command was rallying
to secure system of heating and lighting,
not only to make comfortable the guests as
sembled, but also to display at as good an
advantage as possible, the lanterns in varied
styles and designs, the flags, the shields, the
streamers the notices of 'WelcOme Sir
Knights all woven in and entwined with
evergreens which Smith with what few sir
knights he could enroll had with persistent
and untiring efforts been so busy in arrang-
ing. The ladies, too, reading the counten-
ances of their husbands, sons and even
sweethearts, discovered their anxiety, and
with their usual and accustomed interest
and activity, perceived at a glance what
dilemma they would he placed in were there
anything lacking i'm the tables, either i'm the
crockery, the linen, the silver or even in
the substantials and delcacies of the season,
united as did the gentlemen, and with their
united stregth and wisdom put forth every
effort to further the success of this first an
nual banquet of the X. o. L. M.
So far l have been but preparing for the
reality which the pinions of swift winged
time hath SO silently yet so quickly brought
about. The joyful day has at length ar
rived. 1t is the Esd and it is but fair to say
that what imagination had from time to
time had been picturing as beautiful, was
even much'more beautiful i'm the reality.
The opera house, beautifully decorated as
it was, was crowded to its utmost capacity
to accommodate the sir knights, their wives
and friends who had come to behold and
listen to the beautiful and impressive cere-
monies of the installation, conducted as it
was by Sir Knight Great Commander w. S.
Linton, of Saginaw, with Sir Knight Great
Record Keeper n. S. Boynton, of Port
Huron in the chair and genial Will Bigelow,
of Corunna, as Master at Arms, the OPEN
ing and closing Odes being beautifully
rendered by the Bancroft quartette club.
After the installation w. S. Linton hon.
ored the audience with few remarks which
were cheerfully received and besides giving
credit and honor to the order made for him
self very many warm friends who will re-
him well and favorably when all
other rec0llections of the evening and the
banquet are lost in oblivion. After this was
the orchestra which was at its best Oh this
occasion; then piece of vocal music by
Nellie McCaughna which to hear was but to
appreciate, and then the old veteran. N. s.
Boynton, who has really been the father of
the Michigan Maccabees for years that are
past, made few well chosen remarks well
adapted to the occasion and all was over.
But now to the banquet which took place at
the rink. The rink having been cleared
and beautifully decorated with evergreens
and varied and truly ornamental line of
is now converted as IL were,
from large and cOmm0diOus warehouse to
an elaborate and magnificent dining-room,
in which are placed twenty-one tables all
furnished with china, silver and linen Of
the latest designs, and presided over by
those who own and furnish them. Now
these tables are of sufficient magnitude to
accommodate two hundred and seventy-fve
people and every place was taken, while
outside were yet many eager to get to the
feast. The tables being once used were
then reset until about four hundred and
sixty had been fed. To accomplish this
great object the sir knights of Bancroft
Tent (which by the way has grown to be
strong since this banquet was
have had to furnish about
forty chioLou pipe nearly eix hundred bia-