The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-26

and lilies, ana the air OF uiiiihs
and foyer was laden with a heavy per-
fcme.
The floral conceits were perhaps the
most beautiful ever used In Richmond
for table decorations. On the speakers
table. at which sat the most distinguished
guests. there was a plaque OF roses
fully four feet long by two feet "'ue.
They were the La France creations anu
maidenhair ferns enhanced the peau'y
OF the lovely petals. II was beautliul
Coral ARRANGEMENT, and al either emo
of the table large plaques OF roses were
also placed.
Then. on the seven tables were 'aIse
baskets Of cut flowers, and the centre
pieces of each table were maidenhair
ferns. arranged so as to form mound.
and flowers surmounting the top. Inc
baskets were at either end
All were beautiful, and Mr.. Harvey his
able assistant. Mr. William Mann, and
others deserve a great deal OF creult
for the truly artistic manner in which
they did their work.
The beauty Of the flowers was a revela-
tion to many.
The committee on arrangements had
been very careful to let those who wished
TO attend the banquet know beforehand
that their presence was desired as near
that the great feast would promptly be-
gin at o'clock. The Tip" was not given
i'm vain: the diners showed up IN good
season, but some little delay was natur-
ally experienced, and 1t was half an
hour behind the schedule time when the
doors Of the beautifully decorated dining
hall were thrown open.
The window of the cloak-room was the
first stopping room. There quite a scram-
BILE ensued, for everybody was telling his
neighbor that he had stood there for
an hour or so and thought himself en-
titled to be relieved of his overcoat first.
1t goes without saying that everybody
was good-natured, and quite a number Of
jokes were cracked-new ones and those
that showed their age on their faces
while all were waiting.
Just a little way around the corner
there was another delay, caused by a
mysterious looking little ante-room.
where the crowd disappeared one by one.
as by a certain secret order. l stood there
for while and pondered what the at
traction on the other side of the door
might have been; but when I noticed the
dlgnifed, swallow-tailed gentlemen as
they came again TO light, being engaged
in applying their "mouchoirs" to the
lower part of their physiognomies, / be-
IN refreshing the inner man.
All this time a string band of thirty
pieces. under the leadership Of Mr.. John
Baseler. filled the atmosphere of the
lobby with the sweetest melodies. Finally
the signal was given, and the guests filed
into the diningroom, where the invited
guests had already taken their positions
on the raised platform. Several minutes
elapsed before everybody had managed
to find his proper place. Rev. Moses D..
Hoge. D. D., the beloved pastor of the
Second Presbyterian church, stood in
waiting, TO the right of the POSTMASTER
Of the evening. Colonel Archer Anderson.
and at the proper moment pronounced the
blessing in the following words:
The Blessing.
Father of Mercies! grant us thy grace
tlat while we live on thy goodness we
may live to thy glory. Bless thy SER
wants gathered here in fraternSl union TO
thank thee for the institutions bequeathed
to us by brave and pious fathers, and to
consider how they may be preserved and
perpetuated.
Bless all who are in authority over us
now; and bless thy servant, the Presi-
dent-elect, with all who shall I've asso-
ciated with him In the administration OF
the Government, that unity. peace and
prosperity may prevail HUN 4NOl III "
South and from East to West, to the well
fare of our whole country and to the
glory of thy great name. evermore.
Amen.
Caterer Zimmerman next had full
sway, and the profound attention which
the diners paid to the various luxurious
dishes set before them proved to the
fullest satisfaction that the viands were
fully worth the distinguished asseTblage.
The seats had all been previously ar
ranged and marked down on the diagram
At the eleventh hour. however. some
changes lad become necessary for the
reason that several u those who had in
tended TO be present, had been prevent "a
at the last to attend. Among them was
State Senator Basil b. Gordon, the chair
man of the Democratic State Committee
who had left his home in Spotsylvania
and started for Richmond when a tele-
graph message called him back. His seat
On the platform was filled by Congress
man Charles T. O'Ferrall. To his left
Congressman George d. Wise was substi-
tuted for Mr. C. b. Olcott. Of New York,
who had sent letter Of regret.
In the audience the seat of Mr.. John A.
Buchanan at table c was occupied by
Mr.. Thomas Potts and Mr.. j. n. Brena-
man, of Newmarket. in the Shenandoah
amy, i4litQ lllC Stdl uSSl5ICu 1T ldDlG a
TO Mr.. j. NJ. Spott.
Mr.. Brenaman is member of the board
OF Worlds Fair managers of Virginia, and
a member of its executive committee. That
body was to have held a meeting last
evening, but the gathering had to DO
postponed until the next day for he rea-
son that It's members desired 20 take
their places in the ranks of loyal Demo
Gratis 10 do homage to the coming rulers
OF the country, President-elect Grow IT
Cleveland and Vie Presid intellect A. Il.
Stevenson.
Mr.. ]. Taylor Curtis. son OF Hon.
John A. Curtis. occupied the seat which
originally Lad been assigned to Mr.. Sig
mund ~ Goodman.
Captain Cunningham Hall ATTENDED the
dinner in place of Colonel NJ. L. Spots
wood, and Mr.. James II. Barton was SUBJ
stitTted for Mr.. Fritz Sitterdiag.
While the feast was progressing the
band was playing lively tunes. and when
ever they struck up d popular Southern
melody they were enthusiastically greeted
by an appreciative audience.
Shortly after 20 o'clock Toastmaster
Anderson raped fer order and welcomed
the diners with the following address:
We come together tonight to celebrate
a great Democratic victory, and il is
fitting that this suspicious turning point
In our politics should be marked In
some signal way by the people of our
beloved city of Richmond. There
is a good old custom in Virginia that no
great object can be properly advanced
until we meet our friends at some hos
pitable board face TO face and discuss
1t. and weigh 1t in the light Of social
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