Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-29
A BANQUET TO THE LANCERs.
The National Rifles Handsomely Entertain
Their Boston Guests-Pleasant Speeches

Il
| Made.
| The National Rifles clinched their hold upon
/ the affections of their guests the National Lam
GERS of Boston, last night by means of n fine re-
| past at the armory on q street. For fou- hours,
| short hours they were, too the members of the
/ Commands sat together, so closely and SO clev-
! etly intermingled that it took a practiced eve
| to distinguish them. and IL at the end of the
banquet n Lancer went home in Rifles over
coat in his effort to carry out the idea Of unity
and closeness Of communion, there should be
| no wonder.
The guests were escorted to the armory from
their hotel by their hosts, marching without
arms and in their fatigue uniforms. The word
| had been passed that the affair WAS to be quite
/ informal and that fatigue uniforms were suf-
/ hcently dress" for the occasion. Indeed it
was fearfully whispered around that strict
| orders had been given by the chairman Of the
evening to one of the sergeants TO shootevery
red coat he saw. But there was no need for
shooting, for men have found from experience
that they can eat better in short loose jackets
than they can in great double-breasted smoth-
erers. and II the scene did lack the vividness Of
| color that might have been expected every one
seemed TO enjoy the repast with more appetite
/ In consequence.
table in the drill hall, which had been hand
somely decorated with plants and palms and
! flags Tor the occasion. Great holders of roses
were placed along the board at intervals and
everything was done to hide away for the time
the grim visage of war; the terrible monotony
of black parallel lines, the guns in their racks
and other signs of the avocations of the feast
ers.
1t was little after 8 O'Clock when the two
commands were marched into the large hall
upstairs in a line of twos, with the Rifles on
one slde and the Lancers on the other. Orders
we're given, overcoats were thrown of and
stacked and when the magic word was passed
up from the regions below that all was ready
the joint command was marched of in sections
/ to the table. Everything was done neatly and
without delay or confusion. though there were
I fully $50 men seated. The precision of military
movements saved many minutes that were very
| significant to the hungry ones.
The bell was rung, the courses we're rum
/ though not at quite so lively a pace as that
would indicate-and it was nearly ii o'clock
when the speeches were begun. The combina-
ton had enjoyed itself to the full 1t had eaten
heartily and tasted of the substitutes for local
color that had been furnished, il had been
merry, Ii had sung when the orchestra had
struck up familiar airs, such as Annie Rooney"
| and Comrades" The latter hymn had been
encored, as the soldiers recognized its signii-
canoe, and the walls of the drill hall shook with
the thunder of hundred and fifty voices roll
ing forth the half orgotten, never-learned
words of the good old-fashioned tune that their
grandfathers used to sing. II there was any
one there who knew that his grandfather did
not sing 1t he did not say anything.
THE SPEECH MAKING.
Tho, yba, tho f.ast hal hoor o.o,, ,5
80 '-.o -' .~N ''eA e"'en "N"
every one was III goou humor, capt oyster
raped for order and made a neat address of
welcome to the Lancers telling them how
much pleasure il gave the Rifles To be able 10
reclprocate the hospitality that was rendered
them In Boston. He introduced as toast master
OF the evening Mr.. E. b. Hay, who kept the
story or two and EXPRESSED bis gratitnds for
the divine gift of apnet;te He snoEe too of
the tricks his memory nlaved him about me
events that occurred on the Boston trim and
he said that he hoped that the Rifles wonid he
able to make thu memories Of the Iancars as
| to the details of their trim inst as confnsino
But he hoped thew would carr away With them
| a sense of the brotherIy love and affection that
was felt for them bv Washinpton' and narticn.
| Iieut Fmmerson WIN ia commanding tho
Iancers on the trim in tho absanca of -,
| Nichols. RESPONDED to the toast~.sTbe IA
tionaI T,ancers-" He said that there never was
a prouder man than he was whenever he han
pened To he at the head of tho hangers and IN
| deed there was never man who ever marched
at their head who did not feel proud. Pride
i l .ne ouraen OF ms lnoughts, ana ne
had a riSbt 70 be ,prnnd oS NIB oor'n n"' n1
He read telegram from the absent cantain
expressing his grief at his separation from the
| COMPANY and telling his lieutenant that the
stay-at-h homes were nrenarine for their return
i.ieut. Manson smoke in resnonse 10 the fell
| low-toast: .The National Rifles " He alluded
10 the good effects of the citizen-soldierv. the
| great need of something of the sort durine the
\ late war. and the safety of the country when il
| had such bodies as Nationals scattered all over
the land. He spoke of the war and of the
splendid feeling with which the men of each
side have lain down arms and Joined in one
feeling of love for country and flag.
Chaplain RYDER of the Lancers was given no
particular toast. but after having been elo-
aueutly introduced by Lieut. Hav. whom he
persisted in calling ':Hayes." he made an ex-
cellent little speech. that was full of Wit and
strong sentiment. and not too deeply touched
with religious matters to mar in any wav tbe
| extreme iollity of the occasion. He told a con-
| pie of clever stories, and when he sat down he
was roundly cheered, and then the whole
assemblace broke forth into the sonp-..For
| He's jolly Good Fellow"
Other speeches were made nv oficers ~ tho
! two commands. and it was midnioht when the
pavel fell for the last time the order was o,ven
| to rise and the COMPANIES marched ont ~ the
room,
| m, p..,a,, -;a;,.u a.. 49,
- -.,r-aa g. a. - -: II.
- chs it, nv, .~oaos;,.Ir b;rs S..e..,
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| ant ;mn,ass,ons Of tbis citv anJ ~ ~ tp 20!
taIty of its citizens especiailv the of1icers and