Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-05-19


who was religious, PUT il On high moral
grounds. She said she didn't know
what she would do if Will came home
drunk-which was true she didn't, as
the following narrative will show.
The first winter they were married
company X arranged for big military
ball and invited the governor. AS an
Extra inducement they got an appro-
prlation from somewhere or other and
bought a carload of champagne. The
evening of the dance the governor was
present with his entire suite and they
converted one of the ante-rooms into
sort of champagne shower bath. But
after the governor, who was a very
tall and thin man of good cid Puritan
stock, had led the grand march with
the wife of the captain. who was
very short fat and redfaced woman
of middle-age and unmiStakable Irish
descent, to the admiration of all, and
the fat prompter had barked al the
skin off the back of his throat and
nearly gone into apoplexy and every
body had gone home, it was discovered
that the company in it's extreme gener-
osity had overestimated the capacity of
the invited guests. So, as last resort
and sort Of gentle bid for the golden
opinions Of the press, the newspaper
men were invited in.
And after the first edition had gone
down as many men as possible adj
journed to the city hall ard sat down at
a long table in the ante-room, with the
governor at the head. OF course, the
governor could not under the circum-
stances refrain from letting his full
heart run over in q speech. In it he
said he never could adequately express
his great appreciation of the honor of
sitting at the table with the repre-
sentatives of that glorious and power
full instrument of civilization-th
press. He himself had always had the
most profound confidence in newspaper
men and he was proud to say they had
almost unanimously shown confidence
in him. He was also proud to say
great many nice things about the press
and its influence for good. A few
minutes after these remarks the gov
ernor left for his hotel, having press
ing appointment at $50 the next morn
ing and having felt during the evening
unmistakabie symptoms CT the return
of the diphtheria CT spinal meningitis
or something Of the sort he had con-
-ractcd during the arduous labors of the
last campaign, SO he left the adjutant-
general to represent him.
The adjutant general, who was fat
and red-faced man, having represented
governors at champagne suppers for
'NTeat many years. was a very able
representative indeed, and when the
governor went away much of the cere-
mony of the occasion went with him
and it became quite informal. every
inducement to informality being offered
by the management. Whenever you
began to talk to your neighbor your
glass was filled UP by the colored
waiter at your elbow with such natural
ness that not even the most accom-
plshed could get an approximate idea
of how much he had drunk until he
regained consciousness.
One OF the chief diversions or the oc-
casion was arranged to be furnished by
Billy Meekins. He had been induced
to attend under more or less false pre-
lenses, and when once in the hall was
placed by special arrangement next to
the acknowledgement. The adjutant-
general was to do the rest. Billy
wasn't inclined to drink at first, till the