The Portland daily press., 1893-08-02
v. c. A. & ?. c.
How the Cunners Disported Themselves
Yesterday.

Yesterday.
CAMP JOHN MILLER,
| CAPE ELIZABETH, Aug. /, 1898.
Do sleep? Do dream?
Has my poor brain gone wrong?
Are things what they seem?
| Was the water too strong?
Am poet in Pooduck, or heather
| Chlnee in Hong Kong?
Since were the thoughts of your cor
respondent as he awoke this morning to
the realization of the fact that for once
in the history of his long membership in
this ancient association of wakeful cum
ners he had slept during the entire night
in peaceful, undisturhed repose. And he
thought of the customs of the years that
had flown, and positively regretted that
for the comfort of a few aged, dyspeptic.
inconsiderate, grouty pessimists, the
customary bachanalian, nocturnal con-
certs were omitted from the programme.
So for once I am out of my element in
Gunner cottage. Should this statement
be doubted, interview those who were
there and note the grand result. George
Raymond knows, also Frank Leavitt,
| John Shaw, John Miller, Con. Leach,
Chris Way and others equally as truth
full, not excepting Samuel F. Bearce, the
new and susceptible member.
The annual meeting was held at a.
m. The secretary read the record of the
club. giving its doings the preceding
year. and the faithful portrayal of the
many amusing incidents connected
Herewith was rapturously received.
Billy Colby, the accomplished and gem
ial commissary, began early in the day
to assume the dignity Of his office, and
maintained it throughout, despite the
| numerous attempts to break him up.
Dignity is SO freely discounted among
the Cunners that to the average COM
missary
Good manners are Greek.
And for the ways that are dark,
And Superlative cheek,
And for notions of common politeness, he
stands unsurpassed and unique.
| But Billy has held his own during his
| two years autocracy, and retires with
much becoming goodness and grace.
There was an aspirant for this Office
| number Of years ago who was not built
| for that special chair.
Hewould freeze your young soul
With an omnous glare,
Or eclipse the North Pole
With cold, stony stare,
But would say, 81 am with you to die and
to do and to dare,'s
but he never reached the height of his
| ambition, as the right kind of commits
missary has to be born for it. He can
not be educated to it.
| The one referred to above to above
graduated early in life and finally
reached Congress where he was lost to
everybody in quick time.
Hew would lazily yawn
In your face, and then fret,
Or he'd treat you with scorn,
And pretend to forget
Your existence, and finish his choWder, and
| Swell like a real baronet
The distinguished officers of the pres
ent day are selected for their unlimited
suavity of manners and their hard heads.
Nothing disturbs them. AS an instance
of this, please note the following listiof
those who were elected today to serve
| for the ensuing year:
| Commissary-Leander w. Fobes.
| Vice Commissary-Harvey Murray
Treasurer-Charles Ell. Toman.
| Secretary-Con. O. Leach.
Foreign COrreSpondentTWm Ross.
| Potato Slicerz-Geo E. Raymond.
| Firemen-J. Ambrose Merrill, Fred Earring
Wakemen-C. L. Tukesbury, Samuel F.
Bearce.
In spite of their robes and chains of
| office, they can be approached if diplo-
macy and due amount of caution is OBJ
! served. Commissaries inspire one with
unmitigated awe, vice-commissar les
with wonder, and the rest with short
allowance of respect. The wonderful
expansive quality of the human appetite
is always exhibited by the entire club.
There are plenty of lively episodes that
belong exclusively to the Venerable
! CunnerS.
| Peables's bull-scare was hauled out for
an airing today. John Shaw figured
largely in this and still claims, that he
held both bowers and the ace when the
bull with a bigger hand swooped down
and took the entire deck.
Then the trouble began,
And they beata retreat.
Every one to a man
Started up to his feet.
But all who were tardy came in handy Tor
paving the street.
OF all the events of by-gone days, the
only mystery that remains unsolved is
the culinary disaster that originated the
inquiry. ''who trod on the eggs?'' John
Miller, one of the "original six,'' and the
only one of that little band who is able
to be present today, can alone alone an
swer the question, and he still remains
mute. 1t is well known, however. that
not all of those eggs were fresh picked.
So he went on his way
AS a doomed fel0n goes,
With white rose bouquet
Held up close to his nose,
For the smell of that place was peculiar as
doubtless the miscreant knows.
The members Of the Executive Com
mittee Association of Portland were the