The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-19

He was a New York representative and
the only guest who appeared in evening
dress. As the dinner mad been announced
as entirely Informal, he felt himself some
what homogeneous. In a little speech he
accounted for his plight
Il came to Washington at the beginning
of the session." said he, without q dress
suit. fancying that l would not need it UNI
I'll after the holiday recess. Week before
last was about to decline an invitations
70 dinner when l was assured that the
affair was entirely impromptu, and that
evening dress was not a requisite 1 went
TO the dinner and found myself the only
one present without dress suit. The fol-
lowing week 1 was honOred with another
invitation to meet some friends at the
house of a well-known senator. I told the
host my predicament. and he convinced
me that those appearing in evening dress
would be debarred from the dinner. To
my modification, l was again conspicuous
by the absence OF a swallow-tail To-day
our host assured me that his dinner was
not en- reggie; but bearing in mind my
former experiences / went to a tailor on
Ninth street northwest and hired this ul-
tra-fashionable apparel And now l ina
myself the only guest a the feast arrayed
like waiter The modification / can
swallow, but l can never forgive myselr
for being buncoed out of the three doll
lars"
When the laughter had subsidized, Gov.
Flower ordered a bumper to the health OF
the dress suit, which was drank amid
great applause, and the member subsidized
A magnificent entertainer was Ben Ca
BILE of Illinois He had house filled with
rare old missals and bric-a-brac, and a
cellar where genuine Royal Johannes
burger lay In sweet repose. II was served
at the proper course, and the sparkling
eyes and glib tongues of his guests told
how much Is was appreciated. Chioce
,tsFs.a
of "reminiscences abounded- sherman
Hoar and George Fred Williams were his
colleagues In congress, and were always
welcome guests at his house. Hoar was
an unexoelled racontuer, and the diletan-
telsm of George Fred had full play Gable
was a great favorite with the Washington
correspondents, the choicest Of whom
frightened his table with their presence.
Equally sparkling were the dinners OF
Joe Washington of Tennessee. One serv-
ed during the first session of the Fifty
second congress was made memorable by
John Allen of Mississippi and Jim Mcken-
zle of Kentucky. These two great story
tellers Of the south locked horns, and tho
fun grew fast and furious. Each detailed
personal "reminiscences of his native state.
and each was peculiarly unique and orig
inal The feast was flooded with merrf-
ment, and Aurora was flushing the east
when the last group Of guests took their
departure.
COL. FELLOWS AND JOHN ALLEN.
A dinner remarkable for It's display OF
fervor and friendship was that given by
the New York representatives to Col john
r. Fellows on the coloneFs retirement from
congress. No man more popular ever
held a seat in the House. Rarely has one
as eloquent ever held its members SPELL
bound. He was a prince In the domain
of geniality and he had host of friends
wit whom his influence was unbounded.
Probably his nearest and dearest friend
In Washington was John Allen The two
men seemed almost inseparable. Both
had served in the confederate army ana
this service seemed to strengthen the INK
which bound them together. OF course,
John Allen was guest at the dinner Inc
festivities were tinged with regret az the
loss of Col Fellows. 1t was also known
that John Allen had received saddening M
telIigence from dear ones at nome VINO
were Frustrated with sickness and that
his presence there was imperative. AT
$40 he arose, and paid heartfelt tribute
to his old friend, saying that the hour Tor
the departure Of the train for the south
was near, and he was compelled to bid
him good-by. The table was in the form
of a horse shoe and Col Fellows sat az
the head of the shoe. Walking up to him
from the interior of the shoe, Allen
reached across the table and clasped ms
hand The colonel arose. His eyes were
tome he alluded to his friends of the past.
II have climbed the pathway Of 1ife,' said
he land on looking backward before de-
scending the hill, see my pathway strewn
not with flowers, but marked by the graves
Of INV friends" In impassioned eloquence
he bore tribute to their virtues. His very
words seemed to be magnetic. Each guest
intuitively left his seat, and all gathereo
within the horse shoe. The colonel retain
ed his grasp of Aliens hand, and alluded
TO their friendship and appreciation or
each other in terms so pathetic and tender
that nearly every eye at the table was
suffused. When Allen slowly departed,
he remaining guests resumed their seats
ne though dazed. Gradually, however,
thew recovered from the magical spell OF
the coloneps eloquence, and the dinner
wound up in the utmost MARTY. ms
scene however was so impressive that
every man VIII remember il to his dying
| day. Amos D.
|
l CKx