The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-26
CUSTOM FOR YEARS
-FOUR PROMINENT GENTLEMEN EN-
JOY TOGETHER THEIR TWEEN
TIETH THANKSGIVING.
MET AT CAPT. J. ]. M'CARDYS.
GEN. NJ. ID. FLOWER, CAPT. IL. A..
CASTLE AND JUDGE H. G. HICKS,
OF MINNEAPOLIS,
THEY COMPLETE THE QUARTETTE
Pretty Individual Menu Cards Spe-
ciaIIy Prepared for the Event
Mrs. Castle Absent.

Few, if any, of the Thanksgiving dim
ners or reunions held in ST. Paul yes
terday were more interesting or more
enjoyable than the one given at the
residence of Comptroller j. J. NcCardy
on Kent street The party consisted OF
Capt H. A Castle, Judge H. G. Hicks,
Gen. NJ. D. Flower and Capt. j. j. Nc
Cardy and their wives. A score or
years ago, or, to be more explicit, on
Thanksgiving day. 1877. there was a
dinner at the home of Capt. 0lcCardy.
At this spread the four gentlemen men
toned and their wives were gathered.
1t was agreed during the day that in
the future the couples would all join
in a Thanksgiving dinner at the home
of one or the other Of the gentlemen.
The idea was considered capital one,
and each year since the agreement was
entered into the event has been looked
forward to as one of the most pleas
ing days in the year Yesterday was
the twentieth annual dinner, and a
merry party it was that graced the
board presided over by Capt. McCardy
as host For the first time in the TWEEN
ty years there was a break in the
party. Mrs Castles health being such
as to prevent her journeying from
Washington with her husband to take
part in the dinner.
The menu cards were specially pre-
pared for the occasion, and on the
outside of each. was a huge wish
bone with the figures twenty IN the
center. The page, blazed in colored
inks. announced that this was the
twentieth annual reunion of the big
-Four" The card, engraved with the
name of J. j. McCardy on the outer
mage. had a drawing inside of man
rushing away from farm yard carry
ing in one hand a huge turkey, While
the occupants Of the house near by
were turning in a general alarm. The
sketch was labeled "Foraging, while
on the opposite page was we'll eX-
ecuted drawing of Capt. McCardy load
ed I'D with all the incidentals OF a
Thanksgiving dinner, and beneath the
Inscription, Behold, the Conquerlng
Hero Comes"
The card for Gen. Flower represent
ed that gentleman seated on an I'M
mense porker just as the steed was
passing a mile post, which read that
if was six miles from st. Paul. In the
distance was the South st. Paul stock
wards. On the opposite side Of the
card was a., we'll laid Thanksgiving
table, while at the side of the board
were two casks labeled "Hamm's" and
"Pabst's." The caption Of the sketch
was Just Before the Battle"
One page of Capt. Castles card rep
resented him wheeling from Washing
ton to st. Paul at a scorching gait and
on the opposite page he was sketched
in his official position decapitating
postal officials. The caption announc-
ed him as the Lord High Execution
er"
The card for Judge Hicks showed on
one page a sleeping judge with an at
torney endeavoring to awaken the Ju-
dicial officer by argument. This sketch
was entitled Justice May Never Die,
but Sometimes Sleeqs." On the oppo-
site page was a life-like figure of the
judge with a pair of boxing gloves on
his hands, intending to represent an in
cident which occurred at the last ses-
sion of the legislature.
An elaborate dinner was served, and
the remainder. of the day was spent by
the party in revivirg occurrences of
the past and recalling pleasant recol-
lections. ALI of the gentlemen fought
for their country during the civil war.
Capt. Castle, Gen. Flower and Judge
Hicks in Illinois regiments and Capt
McCardy in a Kentucky regiment. The
quartette, with the exception of Judge
Hicks, are members of Acker post, of
this city, and Judge Hicks is mem
Der of a Minneapolis post. The TWEEN
ty-first reunion of the big Four" will
be held next year at the home of Gen.
Flower.