New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-24
THE DEPEV DINNER.
Az INVITED GUEST WHO CoVLpN
TELLS HOW THE FEAST MIGHT HAVE
BEEN ENIIvENED

Az INVITED GUEST WHO COULDN'T AilN'D
TELLS HOW THE FEAST MIGHT HAVE
BEEN ENIIvENED.
To the Editor OF The Tribune. 80
SIR: The dinner given by the Lotos Ciup ~
Chauncev" last night was. in many Respects
great success II was attended by the oes' p'op
and great number OF them IL was al 80,
tribute 10 perhaps the mos. remarkaoie man a.
understandable for the peculiar gli's "''
not need 10 be described or named LOT '"'Y o..
known and appreciated wherever over the iou'''
globe the English language is spoken OF u'u.'
e.ood The Lo;os Club did Itself honor III seleo''7
sucb guest for one OF It's highest dsthe''o"s
and the guest OF the occasion himself. IN MS si
OF acknowledgment. manifested In mah'le' ~" o.
own his profound appreciation OF the "''D' -
him The occasion being such as II was 81
be readily understood that Mr. Dope" H'P"' "-
been somewhat embarrassed, although. as e'''!
body knows the sensation OF embarrassment -
something with which he is-if one may J".I
from his public appearances-quite unfamiliar II.
d'd not manifest, however, the least shano" "a
mental perturbation. either during MS o""
marks or while other speakers were express'ns
their own unbounded admiration for HIM ihiS -
one OF the marks OF true greatness
And vet suspect that to many who were pre-
ent and perhaps 70 many others OF the thousH"''
who read the reports o, the festivities IN the Sun"
dav papers il may have occurred that one ho''
wa lacking in the general JOY. The element o. ~"
NOR though not entirely absent--it couid ho' ''
where Chaurcey is the guest-was inst trihe ihco"-
spcuous. Chauncey took himself as seriously A.
he could. The occasion compelled IT, But ne i 81
his best, as all know. when somebody ike Joseph
C7,oate or Horace Porter or El'hu Root rubs up
his mental processes with little harmless chan
II IS that sort OF friction which brings ont me N
finite variety which age cannot wiiher nor custom
stale. The only criticism that be passed upon
the festival-ard this may be hypercr. tc!sn1-iS
tia, Il was a trlne too serious. II little too
worshipful. A bit Of chan would have relieved H.
Now that It is all over. II may help give the pro-
ceelings a little rnorrer setting 10 print the fol-
lowing letter OF regret sent by one Of Chauncoy's
Oldest and most ardent admirers. which. ~ the
writer's shame and confusion. coldly sup
pressed
cs MS es s G 4 d Eq sser'a6 shall be unable
on account of precious engagements to accept the
I-pios cub 70 be s guest at dinner 10 De given ID
thc Hon. Chauncey NJ. Depew in the clubhouse on
II the thought has occurred to me once II has
more than million times during the last two or
three years that somebody ought to give a dinner
to Chauncey am glad The Loios CUB WIN
whose charitable Instincts am not unacduaint d,
has at last broken the ice and decided to give him q
dnher-ohe OF those siohtah'9iS dinners YOU k.Ne
man from pure kindness OF heart simply because
] would give him dinner myself. but upon those
rare OCCASIONS when Nj. Du Val has permitted me 20
l
remarkable conversational giits that have dG,r-
ally forgotten 20 ask him If he was hungry IFS
Intellectual operations were constant, and within.
enhancing. that IL never occurred 10 me- that he
might have susiatory processes and possibly Gigcsi-
/ he never vas. And am also proud to say Tat
he nev.s intiir atei that he thought was.
ton Of daie ior this unusual event; 1t II quite
fitting as well as somewhat suggestive. that the
/ dinner shoud be given on the Anniversary OF N"
cause no more grateful emotions inspired the
breast OF the patriot in turning back TO the Farewe
Address OF Washington than IN looking forward 90
similar effort OF Chsuncey Suggestive because OF
certain marked differences amounting almost 10 con-
tras;s between the two George never could take a
joke. which was his conspicuous weakness. Chaun-
cey can. which Il his chiefe.i charm. GtoTge rather
ehrank from the Office OF President Chauncey has
been enough to it to make It plain that. al
though ne did not care 10 take 1t away from any
HIN by A grateful people George. too abor'd under
orv-h,,. l,,. m. ruth. rharnce,'s Account i~..
mcn;s are confined within no such narrow bouli~.
For iles. reasons am Klot you are Eong to . a.
Chauncov a dinner on mo :2d l should iiko ., 10.
there and s,r KIM eat H. even Il i, ,xcied emo o,-
IN that had 10 drown. am certain you wii
VII you pardon me for suggesting something
which may not nare OCCURRED = you. bu' which
,i,sur.7 That f. mar otii;. late an IN. ever irr
when hts GiHilsrrc g. somewhat worn Of. Not
should arproacL him caufou.I, and wArily with 4
request that b. should y. ke q fow remarks 4
may he dnlcul' 60 persuade him. but think II YOU
assure him that fhey SHAH - no further AMI "I
h,s relc,anc 90 f. r ani,c nappy in convcrsatoa
when uninterrupted and ] am not sur" hu' 'hni h'
has an orhioiical cift u b" VIII only "nhfie" ih'
Thanking YOU again for your courteous invita-
ton and with r'grct that snail hc unable - 10
with you, am. yours. etc,
The letter was doubtless deemed too frivolous for
80 serious an occasion. bar can't - thinking
ABSENTEE
Ncw-York. Feb g. I.ef