The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-11-24
HurCH1NsoN,s ENTERTAINMENT.

1 tionate capacity for frater1ization; turl
r them loose on a gala day; give them th'
e liberty of the town for one sun and {
: better part of the following night: give
them a hall to mingle together in; ban
quet TO be convivial at and there you
have it-a convention of commercial
travellers. The grocery man halts in his
harangue on the comparative qualities
of sugar and teas, of canned goods
and talks to the hardware man,
who, too. has shed himself of the atmos-
phere of the matchless eloquence that
gilds his wares to the gaping merchant OF
the inland town-here they talk together
in endless groups.
The grocery man scores the hardware
man in bright repartee, and the crowd,
made up of the profession diveSted for the
time of its trade-of its tinware and
glassware; Its fruits and its confecuons;
its cigars and its drugs; of its
jewelry and dry goods, of everything
that common man, or an uncommon
one, can see on the Main street of any
town-this group that is different in
everything but the unselfsh purpose of
being fraternal, applauds.
This is the way Hutchinson entertained
the K. T. A. last Saturday-(a dangerous
part of the week for such an occasion
| for who could expect travelling man to
cease celebrating by II o'clock0 The
association, which is only three years
old, had been rife with rumors to the
effect that Hutchinson was to do the
very best thing by it, at its meeting,
yet attempted in the state and throw all
other similar events, ingloriously in the
shade Nor in this particular did it
fail jot or title. But this rumor with
the further announcement that their
wives should come with them, brought
the boys out.
In they came by every railroad and
every train. In came the big fat drum
mer with the little valise and the slim
little drummer with the predigious
satchel; in came the Jolly drummer with
the latest story; and the trim drummer
with many a reminiscence of some cross |
road conquest of rustic maiden's heart.
In came the gruff drummer, who does
not talk anything but ''shop" and the
garrulous drummer, who has many a |
wrong, in freights and transportations, to |
be righted: in they all came, some laugh |
ing, some joking, some smiling, crowding |
about the hotel registers or putting white
tobacco smoke in entwined strea rs to |
the ceiling-in they came all intent on
fraternity and happy in its warmth.
And they had good time. Hutchin-
son saw to that. There was a meeting
in the morning, where some business,
which might have been dull under any
other circumstances, was transacted.
Every man was decorated oD his coat.
lapel with a splendid badge, to which
was attached miniature satin sack of
mindl this was at Hutchinson.
Then after dinner, there was parade
up the street, the boys walking and their
wives in carriages And so it was kept
up all day. Then in the evening, the
hall, all hung in bunting and banked
with flowers, was the scene of more
gaiety. There were songs by local
vocalists
Everybody had a good time. They
couldn't escape it. Dick Haus was there.
He presided. Mindi there is no trifing
when Dick Haus is around. Not a bit :
Of it. Stay away if you are a wall
lower, if Dick Haus is around, because {
ne will break you of it. Stay away, if :
you are morose if Dick Haus is around, !.
because he will make you merry. Stay
away, if you are dignified and reserved,
f Dick Haus is around, for the first
hing you know you will be chattering :
or all your life with a total stranger :
lext seat TO you.
Oh, but Dick Haus is rousing chair !:
nan. Always saying something when
lobody is expecting it-going about and !,
stirring people into merriment
md waking them up with sudden sharp :.
laps of his hands. And he presented
he different boys with various presents. =
Asa Forker with a new grip. =
And then they called on Harry Devlin, u
IL the boys know Harry Devlin, and he
vouldn't go forward. No, sir; not he. !
here must be some mistlke. But he =
ad TO 60 He was pulled up, a man on y
ach side, and Dick Haus made little q
peech and then pulled the newspaper off Il
he table and there was beautiful solid
liver water-set And Harry hung his q
cad and for a minute or two couldn't j.,
pen his lips, and those who were not a
lughing trembled for him. But finally '.
e acknowledged it in a bluff off-hand Il
'ay-but he afterwards made real
earty toast at the banquet, though, and ~
rOved that he could make a speech, he -
he was given notice. - Z,
And after other presentations were
lade then came the banquet. Two hun ~
red plates and over. And the tables "
eaped high and swelling with apoplectic !"
pulence, and myl but the good things -
beef with delicate garnishes; quail ie
4 toast with water crosses and oysters
I'D salads and everything. Then straw !"
erries and cream. Just think of that, p
rawberries-red, fat, blushing straw -
srries-not canned, mind YOU, but Just n y
tucked, this, after the middle of Novem- y. ~
II and the snow drifting outside at the -
,ry moment! Oh, but it was a CAV i,
'ard. And the toasts were good, and =
ch gentleman received a souvenir a.
agic cigar case full of cigars-none of = =
'ur two-fers, but Hoffman house ten
nters. And everybody was so intent -
/ finding the secret of getting the @.
gsrs out that nobody could hear the .
.Nt sneech and Dick Hn,,a La u "