Smyrna times., 1893-01-25
BANQUET.

members of the Fidelity Mutual Life
Association" and invited gnests at the
Delaware House on Wednesday night,
had all the essentials of a first-class
banquet-wit, humor, music and a
bountiful table of most appetizing eat.
ables.
e. II. Beck, the General Agent, re.
ceived the guests in the parlor of the
hotel, and put them at once at ease
AT such times it remains to a few TO dc
the storytelling, while the larger mum
ber, net so gifted, join in full gusto the
general chorus of laughter. 1t WAS a
stag party. l.. Irving Handy, John P
Hudson and ]. Ed. Hoffecker, were
the fun makers. Prof Handy led of
aud kept in the lead all the evening, a
long way, and would have been the
central figure in a gang of commercial
travellers as yarn spinner.
Before this had got under way, how
ever, there was treat of really good
music. G. Virgil Gordon took his seat
at the piano, and J. Ed. Hoffeck el
sang a solo, followed by another from
l.. NJ. Price, DR.. Walls, in a lauRhable
mule song, duet by J. E. and w. O.
Hoffecker, and then a auartette by
them all. Walter Il. Massey supple.
mented this by personal take.off, oi
some of the members of the company,
with guitar accompaniment
Before going out to the refreshmenl
table Mr.. Beck read letter of regrst
from Mr.. FOuse, the President of the
Association, who had been expected to
be present to make an address, but was
unexpectedly called TO the West the
day before similar letter of disap.
pointment was also read from the sec.
retary Mr.. Beck was thus forced in a
measure to take their place, and read
from the report of the President the
statement of the condition of the Asso-
citation, it's rapid growth and its claims
for confidence as flourlshing and sub
stantial company.
MIR. Armstrong, the proprietor, who
had prepared supper for fifty, invited
the guests to the dining room after
half past ten, and it was nearly twelve
when they arose. The menu laid at
each plate, covered the usual long list
of appetiZing articles but the average
eater bOthers himself usually with
Only few articles-chicke salad.
turkey, fried oysters, ham aud tongue.
celery, Jelly, biscuit, coffee, etc, wind
ing up with cake aud cream. All these
were in hrst-class order, as was mani
fest in the way they disappeared.
When they were all done eating but
Hudson and one or two others, Mr..
Beck announced a feast of another
kind, hoping they had enjoyed the one
Just finished, and re9retting that Mr.
FOuse was not here TO lead off as ex-
pected, said there were others
here they would like to hear from. and
called on Mr.. Hudson. This was on
tirely unexpected, bit pushing his un.
finished plate of cream from him, cut.
ting his left eye across the room in
moment of reflection, arose and said ::
Here's to Harry Beck
VINO can't play checkers to save his neck
There wasn't word in it about life
insurance, but he sat down amid the
peal OF laughter that follows ready
hit
b. A. HazelI was next called. He
represented the unmarried man who
wasn't, but ought to have an in
surance on his life for the good of his
family. He spoke pertinently of insu-
rance AS principle, and good word
for the Fidelity.
Walter O. HOffecker. as a brother in
the same business, being the General
Agent for the State, of the Washington
Llte Insurance Company, was next
called on to speak, a thing not expect
ed. Like the first speaker called. he
too was interested in a dish in front of
hlm, but responded in speech of sew.
eral minutes, referring to the different
methods OF their respective companies.
dwelling at length on the idea of life
insurance as business necessity. that
should he entered into at once, without
waiting for an apparent opportunity.
From the fact that Mr.. Handy was
there made the preceding speakers less
inclined to take the time. With his
usual readiness to grasp subject, he
spoke to the question of life insurance
as the central idea, with numerous di.
Vergences to make local hit or per-
sonai point-the latter, for their wit
and aptness of illustration. CAUSING fire..
quent explosions of laughter. In the
serious part of his address. he pictured
the gloom and helplessness of a family.
the head of which had died without
thus providing for the emergency of
his death, and expressed the opinion
that the business of life insurance was
as yet IN its infancy, aud the time
would soon come when it would be as
general AS insurance against fire. at
rates like the latter brought down to
the minimum, not in one, two and
three thousand dollars, like it is now,
but at much larger figures. Such men.
said he, as Father Ashcraft (referring
10 DR.. Ashcraft, who sat at his rigbt1
Will have $4,000 and possibly 800 900
insurance on their lives.
The company dispersed, soon after
leaving the table.