The Portland daily press., 1895-08-22
South Portland Drum Corns

| South Portland Drum Corps
Bayard Lodge, South Portland-Geo. G.
| Grover, marshal, 4S men,
Presumpscot Valley, Westbrook-H. G.
Starr, marshal, Is men,
Weseustogo Lodge, Yarmouth-T. S.
Blake, marshal, l6 men.
Narragansett Lodge, Buxton Centre-A.
Hill marshal IL men.
Dirigo Lodge, Gorham-S. P. Libby,
| marshal 25 men.
Westbrook Lodge, Westbrook-A. G.
| Meserve, marshal, Is men.
There were doubtless representatives of
other lodges in the ranks, as for instance,
Pine Tree of Portland had three men in
the ranks of Bramhau, Friendship of
Hollis turned out five men, and Rocky
| Hill, of Deering, and Oriental of South
| Wlndham, several men. In the rear of
| the procession were two carriages, the first
containing Grand Chancellor W. A.
Taylor, Grand Vice Chancellor Henry
Evans, Grand Prelate G. H. Moses,
General Keeper of Records and Seals W.
II. Smith, and the second Past General
Commander +. NJ Robinson and Supreme
Tribune B. T. Chase. Notwithstand-
ing the procession was not as large as ex-
pected it was a most attractive one The
brilliant uniforms of the Uniform Rank,
the gorgeous banner of the Order, the
waving flags, the general good marching,
| and the neat dark suits of the lodges,
| only broken at rare intervals by lighter
color, the white caps worn by several,
all added to produce pleasing effect.
l1dn al apria6
Dirigo had blue caps with gilt ornaments.
When State street was reached a halt of
some little time was made, while aids
were sent to the Union Station to see if
anything could be heard from the delega-
tions expected. They returned with the
announcement that there was no sign of
any Pythians and the route was resumed
to the boat at Custom House wharf
Manager Cooling held the Emita and
Cadet for the procession, but the Harps-
we'll boats had to leave on their hours
The ladies of the party, in goodly num-
berS, were ready to take the boat and
among them were delegations from
Damon of Portland, Calanthe' of Cum
berland Mills, Crescent of Deering and
Oriental of South Windmham. The band
was placed on the forward deck and at II
o'clock the boats pulled out from the
wharf the band playing lively air.
AT LONG ISLAND.
Several hundred embarked for Long
island. The weather was magnificent,
and every one seemed bent on enjoying
the occasion to the utmost Of course the
clambake was first in order, and to this
ample justice was DONE Then the tables
were cleared away, and there was dancing
for those who wished, while others betook
| themselves to the hill where the contests
were in order. These wele generally
athletic.
THE PIE EATING CONTEST.
But the contest which far and away
above all others made interest and history
was the pie eating contest. -Four re-
doubtable champions were entered:
Ephraim G. Webster, Richard Smith,
Harry Phillips and c. W. Thomas.
"You can bet on Eph Webster" said
an enthusiastic partisan. He ate at
Sebago."
''Oh, yes, he has eaten in more than
one place, y said third.
'sEph has eaten four times and won
four first prizes, said fourth.
''The honor of Bayard lodge is safe
with Eph, you can bet, Z" said fifth.
"Eph has eaten his way to glorious
victory at Sebago two fourths of July at
Knightville and once at South Portland, :"
said sixth.
"Eph for an eat can't be beat" said a
tall South Portlander with long hair.
The writer must confess that all these
expressions of confidence in Eph raised
up prejudice in favor of the tall, bald
headed, Pythian, who with luxuriant
mustache and eager face stood with hands
tied behind him bending slightly over the
table on which were the pies, each in
tin plate, The other contestants sat in
chairs, and one of them, when the word
was given, couldn t'eyen reach his pie.
Not SO with Eph Posing like a tall
rooster about to seize grasshopper, he
opened wide his mouth and jabbed fair at
the middle of the pie. The sure blow
laid open the crust and scooped out the
blueberries-al the pies were of blue
berries. Not an instant stopped Eph.
Blow after blow did he deal that pie. 1t
seemed that his mouth never closed. The
great jaws of the dredger have to close
on their burden, but it seemed that the
impetus of Eph's blow also drove the pie
down his throat without the necessity of
closing his mouth or swallowing.
The other pies were still retaining
much of their original size when nothing
but scattered crumbs on a shiny tin plate
told where Ephs had been.
Then across the voice of detraction and
jealousy.
It was alleged that Eph had knocked
many pieces of his pie onto the ground,
and that he was pie scatterer, not pie
eater; that anybody could eat pie if they
did as he did; and finally that Eph as a
pie eater was a "has been''
Then arose Eph, for his own fame and
for the glory of old Ravard P;r;po hic