The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-16
LETTER CARRIERS BANQUET.
Happy Gathering of the P0stmen at TIL
linghas's.
Continued Tomorro ".

|
| It was a goodly show that attended
| on Saturday night last.
| When The NEWS was requested to send
Its best reporter to the sixth annual re-
union of the Rhode Island Letter Carriers
| / was sent. i hint above with all due
modesty that the best reporter was invit-
| ed, and, being accustomed to modesty,
| put on no extra airs nor graces, but simply
my busipess suit and spring overcoat.
When / arrived at Tillinghnst's parlors,
| the rendezvous of the carriers of billet
| doux and bills due, could not but help
| thinking of the appropriateness OF Willie
| Golfers expressions: ''You would never
know me now." or course we all under
stand that Collier, in his various "make-
| ups" Is beyond recognition, but / was
| unaware that Uncle Sans proteges
changed SO much when they shed their
| gray uniforms and donned the conven-
| tional clawhammer of society; still such
| was the case.
Up to the time OF adjourning to the
banquet hall observed that society and
the reunited letter carriers trundled har-
moniously along, hand in hand; here
however, at the temple of Epicurus they
switched off i'm their methods OF conduct
ing banquet. The former carries out
the ceremony in a set formal fashion very
trying to ones patience and appetite,
while the latter throws the aforesaid for
mality to the wind, tips the waiter with
IL or shoves ii in SOME obscure corner un-
der the tab and settles down to roll
licking, happy evening of jest and jollity.
Such was the case on Saturday night,
when the letter carriers from Providence
to Newport, from every city, town. and
village In the State that boasted OF pos
,essing mail dispenser, gathered round
the festive board, partaking OF the dain-
"A l..f, haa oft,a
sweet and dulcet music. When the in
ner man was satisfied, CT in other words,
after the spread was over, and Chere was
nothing more to cat, each carrier on the
program piped his little lay or sang his
song, and then all hands listened TO the
set speeches and the speeches which, like
Mother McCarthy's hen, failed to set at
all.
His Excellency, the Governor, delivered
his usual statistical address, cut and
dressed accordingly To ut the appropriate
ness OF the evening, while His Honor,
the Mayor, worked along smoothly until
the applause became thunderous, when
he let loose and tro the planks Of the
political Ilatfcrm.
But the gentleman who mostly interest
ed me was the hon. George A. Little
field, the POSTMASTER Of the evening. l
have tried TO analyze the reason for this
interest and have finally concluded bat IL
was Que to the two extra cigars which he
gave me. The more I think of that
coup d'etat the more ! am inclined TO
believe that such wilynCs, will ulti-
mately bring the honored name of Little
field before the public II II lies i'm the
power OF humble reporters TO do so.
description OF the elaborate m snu
should be given. Starting right here
shall ondeavor to pay my debt OF graft
tude to Mr.. Littleileld for that brace OF
cigars by quoting his appropriate re-
marks:
"Ihe red upon the program" he be-
gan, "denotos courage; the white, purity;
the blue upon the lamp post, trust; and
the rcd, white and blue, the emblamatio
colors OF this glorious country OF ours.
The bronze Of the mail tox stands for
gold and sound currency and upon such
a bssis Of patriotism and no froe-silver
ism Is this magnificent cover Gesigned.n ~
Though the lamp post blue was green,
i'm accordance with all the customs OF the
post Office department., still such slight
error passed unnoticed under the iniiu.
ence of MIR. Littlefiold's oratory.
The postmasters Of the various cities
also spoke, and taken as a whole ii was
n valarous night for the knights OF the
mail pouch and delivery bag.