Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-04
SURGE ONS EAT SHAD
The Military Association Takes Trip to
Marshall Hall
Looking at the Historic Potomac
Hats on mt Mount vernon-An
zs Enjoyable Trfp.

The close Of the sessions of the Associa-
ton of Military Surgeons of the United
States was signalized last night with a
Poton &C excursion and a Marshall Hall
planl ed shad dinner This entertainment
was provided for the visiting surgeons by
the COMMITTEES of arrangements. of which
Maj. George Henderson was chairman.
About 800 guests took advantage of the
event. and their appreciation of the merits
OF plarked shad was gratifying to the man.
ayers Of the excursion and to all loyal ex-
Founders of the glories of this sport.
The surgeons. with their sisters and their
cousins and their aunts. began to arrive at
the dock OF the Manchester before the time
scheduled for departure. and were welcom-
ed by Maj. Henderson. DIR. Luce and 9TH
ers or the local committee of arrangements
Lines were sounded of at 4:3O. and the
trip begun. The strangers took a strong
interest in ali the historic places pointed
out to them along the river, and listened
and laughed appropriately at all the river
stories and anecdotes perpetrated on them
Capt. Blake, Navigating Capt. Ross and
Pilot Turner were besieged with questions
as to river rules and steamboat regulations.
and on several occasions Chief O'Donnell
was pretty nearly crowded out of the
gine room by curious lockers on. The ex-
planation of all this was that scores of the
the steamboat is a rare bird.
The tolling of the bell as the Manchester
passed Mount Vernon was the cue for eyes
to be turned in the direction of the hal
lowed place. When 1t was explained to
them that al, merchant steamers tolled bells
In passing. and that the officers and men Of
all government ships uncovered while pass
ing, many Of the surgeons lifted their hats
and remained bareheaded till the somber
tones Of the Macs bell had died away.
Many of the points Of interest in Alexan-
dria were pointed out and a hearty desire
to land there was manifested by many Of
the people. The legend of the old Addison
manor was told to groups. and cold shivers
went the rounds. Some of the old earth
works which still scar the hills were shown
and the usual tales about Broad creek.
Hattons Point, Piscataway creek, Bryan's
fishing shore. and the torpedo ground were
hstened 10 with unsuspecting confidence.
At the Hall.
At Marshall Hall the first break was made
for the al fresco fireplace where the fnny
denizens Of the Potomac were undergoing
the Improvement and refining process which
fire Is said sometimes to confer The guests
stood around the blazing oaken logs and
smiled the coming of the feast Those who
were to leeward sneezed. wept. and waved
their handkerchiefs under the inspira ton of
the smoke. and those to windward whett ed
their appetites with the savory fumes and
wondered II those old oak planks wouldn't
go pretty good with little salt and pepper
on them. The camera fiend was there and
got in some telling ncks. Groups broke
away nnally, and drifted out to the old
tournament ground, where the chiyalrous
knights OF Maryland and Virginia annually
cross lances for the honor of crowning his
best girl the Queen of Love and Beauty
Then many people strolled down into the
Marshall family graveyard, read the in
scriptions and wondered what death was.
some or the people from the west were es-
pecially curious to know why the distin-
gushing word Gentleman" was used on
the stones Some of the people talked flip
panty, put most OF them. In the presence
OF these gloomy witnesses of the mutability
OF life, fell into reverie.
The Big Dinner,
Inc surrounding woodland was invaded,
and finally when DINER was announced
the crowd fell to. Four tables extended
from end to end Of the dining room. These
were prismatic with rosy radishes, white
onions. green lettuce and dark, rich olives
Some flowers also graced the scene There
vas was an absolute lack of formality. and the
folks ate as though they had come for that
purpose and were not to be disappointed.
ana they were not. Col McKibben and
Superb tendent McDevitt had done them
good things came upon the tables and the
rapidity with which they vanished gave
eloquent evidence of the hungry apprecia-
ton or the throng. All the guests could
not be accommodated at the first set of
tables, but there was no hurry and less
scarcity. The menue was elaborate, but
the pieces de resistance. or something like
that, were clam chowder, shad and its roe
Maj. Henderson moved around and in the
most soltcitous way would ask of each
eater: Want anything?" Got everything
you want? etc.
Back Again.
The surgeons owned the place, and none
OF the proprietors evipced the least desire
to dispute the title. Finally departure time
came. and homeward the Manchester wend-
ed her way. Songs were the order Of the
upward trip. and some frst-class exhibi-
tons OF song were given.
The ladies' committee for the excursion
was Mrs. A A. Birney, Washington, DC;
Mrs. Dr. Pyles, Washington, DC; Miss
Hazel Henderson, Washington, DC; Miss
Cora Clay, Washington, DC. Miss Wilson,
New York; Miss Z. NJ. Foster, Washington
DC; Miss Solomons, Washington, DC:
Miss Clear, Washington, DC.
Before leaving for the Hall last evening
the association attended and enjoyed litter
and ambulance drill and illustration of first
aid to wounded on the field at the barracks
by a detachment of the hospital corps
This morning many of them accepted the
invitation of Col Henry and attended the
drill of the troops at Fort Myer.
Quite number Of the visitors left today
for the battle fields of Bull Run, and some
Of them will go to Yorktown.