Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-01-13
1 Birthday Party.

thursday, December j. wAS ~. ~,
Towers birthday, and Mrs. Towti
planned a surprise for him by ask
ing in some sixteen Of his gentlemen
friends to spend the evening. Tic
company meet at O. IL. Newells
store aud marched in a body to tire
home OF Mr., and Mrs. Tower, where
they found Mr.. Tower waiting to re.
ceive them. This was pleasant for
there were grave fears that some.
body might have beeh negligent
about letting the cat out of ihe has
and that The pleasure of a surprise
would be spoiled by really going in
on him unawares. Happily the
usual routine of surprise parties was
not mared by any such oversight.
Whist tables were brought out aud
the gentlemen being unincumbered
by the gentler sex, that is to say
being deprived of the pleasure Of
the society Of the ladies, man.
aged to get along and spent a most
delightful evening. After playing
whist for a couple Of hours the gen.
tlemen were invited to the dining
room, where Mrs. Tower, assisted by
Mrs. G. E. Smith and Mrs. C. A.
Allen, served a supper by courses
that was all that mn epicure could
desire, and called fourth many COM
plimentary remarks from the gem
tlemen. After supper when the
guests had repaired to the pnrlor
came the part Of the surprise plan
neJ by the visitors. Prof. Bear,
stepped out and brought in an eles
CANT rocking chair which the COM
pany had brought along as a slight
testimonial and good will. Here there
was slight hitch as nobody had been
selected to make the presentation
speech. Some one said that he had
positive information that W. C. Mil
Ter had expected the honor to fall on
him and for three days had been
practicing on it, but Mr.. Miller de-
MED the charge and refused to come
forward. Eli Lanb modestly sug.
gested that he could make an i'm
promptu presentation that would do
credit to himself and the company.
The bare suggestion of such a thing
brought forth such evident symp-
toms of distress that he consider
ately withdrew the offer. Prof.
Bean got out several sheets of paper
and after covering them with alge-,
braic signs vas unable to figure out
a satisfactory presentation speech.
The News scribe all this time had
been at work and was about to an
.nounce that he was the proper party
to do the thing rs it should be done
when it occurred to him, that as a
matter of precaution, it might be
well to recite it on the side TO a
friend. He started in to do this,
but had not proceeded far when a
friend with a look of supreme dis
gust stopped him, and said that sort
of stuff might do fer a tive-cent Il
liner, advertising chairs, but forany
other purpose was simply horrible.
+. w. Woodruff asked for no hon
ors for himself, but feeling insisted
that all precedents should not be
broken by allowing the occasion TO
pass without someone using that
time-honored expression: "In be-
half of these assembled friends l
present to you this token OF our es-
TEEN, not for its intrinsic value, etc"
However, no n seemed to be in and
oraterical mood, and no speech was
made, just simply gave Mr.. Tower
the chair without any eloquence.
and after all that was q very good
way. The remainder of the even
ing was spent in social chat, and
along towards midnight the guests
repaired to their homes, after wish
ing Mr.. Tower many happy returns
of the occasion CorrectioariNe Neus.