Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-01-29

Washington, d. c., January 2S.-The
Gridiron Club gave it's fourteenth an
nual dinner at the Arlington Hotel to-
night The club is composed of forty
Washington newspaper correspond
ents, who have made a speciality of
the entertainment of distinguished
guests at dinners of a unique charac-
ter. The dinner tonight was no ex-
ception, and has added another notable
and picturesque performance to the
credit of the club. More than one
hundred and seventy-five persons were
present, including men from every
sphere of public life and from differ
ent quarters of the globe. Many feat
ures Of entertainment were intro
duced, such as burlesqueing events of
the day, touching upon topics of gen.
eral interest and humorously imper-
sonating prominent men who were
guests of the evening. The speeches
and features were interspersed with
songs by the club quartete, solos and
witty Interruptions and observations.
Gen. Harry V. Boynton, the newly
elected president of the club, occupied
the head of the table. Grouped about
him were men whose fame has extend
ed wherever the English language is
read and spoken. The dining room at
the Arlington was handsomely decor
ated with North Carolina laurel, hung
with festoons of pink ribbon. The
tables, which were arranged to re-
semble gridiron, were covered with
ferns, in which pink roses and orchids
were imbedded. blazing gridiron,
just back of the president, threw a
lustre over the scene and was reflected
in the plate glass sides of the room.
President Boynton, in a patriotic
utterance, opened with toast to the
President of the United States, an in
novation which he commended, say
ing:
In this new time, the Gridiron
Club desires to make new sugges-
ton concerning toasts to the Presi-
dent of the United States.
There is an Anglo-Saxon nation
| across the sea whose boast for many
decades has been that it rules the
waves, and that the sun never sets on
its dominion.
"At all it's feasts, whether in Polar
regions or where palms wave within
the tropics, the first toast is The
Queen
There is now another Anglo-Saxon
nation this side the sea, upon whose
flag of stars the sun shines unceasing-
ly. 1t is as if the trumpet of resurrec-
ton had sounded for the nation, call
ing it in the twinkling of an eye to new
life, to wider responsibilities, to broad
er fields of patriotic effort, to a COM
manding position among the powers
of the earth.
Let Anglo-Saxon forms follow our
drum beat around the world, and at
all our feasts where the ice breaks
within the Arctic circle, where the tenn
perature regions smile, or where tropic
airs blow softly, let the first toast be
always-'The President
"And, tonight, it shall be to that
| President under whose mastery guild
ance the marvellous results of the year
| have been wrought out"
Among the speakers of the evening
were:
Senators Foraker, Frye and Gray, of
! Delaware, member of the peace COM
mission; Secretary Wilson, Mr.. W.
| the Chinese minister, Mr.. Komura, the
! Japanese minister, Gen. Corbin, Ad-
miral Schley, Mr.. Depew, Mr.. O'Meara
and Mr.. Allen.
The menu was a calendar for 1899
the months surrounding jolly looking
monk who held a gridiorn to his breast
! and seemed to invite enjoyment and
promise good cheer. He stood at the
opening of a kitchen upon a door sill
marked with the latin word Pax" as
| typical of the peace soon expected To
| come.
The initiation of Mr.. Henry Hall af-
! forded an opportunity for play upon
/ the Mormon question. AS he came into
| the room he was followed by four al
| legged wives personated by members
| of the club in female costumes, who
4 were attached to him by gaily col
! ored ribbons. Mr.. Hall was not al.
| lowed admission to the club until
| divorces had been secured, which were
| speedily granted with the assistance
of a Chicago lawyer. The wailing
| grass widows were provided for by
lottery, each pulling out of basket q
! large card with the name of some
| prominent guest attached. proceed
| ing which created much 9TH
| The Gridiron Club ratified the treaty
! of peace. A mock executive session Of
| the Senate was held, different members
of the club impersonating various Sen
ators prominently identified either fol
or against the treaty and after brief
discussion and several very funny in
cidents, the treaty was finally ratified
President Boynton then declared that
the greatest secrecy be maintained as
to the action taken, stating that on nc
account should the proceedings in exec
utive session be allowed TO come TO the
public AS he ceased speaking a great
elamor was heard at the doors, and
Mr.. Crosby N. Moves, editor of the
Star, came in at one door with large
bundle Of extra Stars under his arm
while Mr.. Beriah Wilkins. editor Of the