New-York tribune., 1900-12-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
TWAIN's SATIRE ON CITY.
HUMORIST HAS FUN WITH THE GOV.
ERNMENT AT sT. NICHOLAS DINNER

ANNUAL FEAST OF THE SOCIETY MARKED
BY MERRYMAKING AND THE QUAINT
CUSTOMS OF THE ORGANIZATION
The St. Nicholas Society held its sixty-slxth
annual dinner at Oernonico's last night About
five hundred persons present and the two
bright particular features OF the evening were
Mark TWain's speech and the singing between
the toasts by a chorus OF choir boys from Grace
Church. The boys were encored again and
again. and the president and toastmaster. Fred
erick De Peyster Foster. humorously com
manded Evert j Wendell. chairman of the
stewards in charge OF the dinner. that
they were well stuffed with ice cream and cakes
in return for the pleasure they had given the
diners. Mr.. Wendell promised. with a wink. and
IL the boys are too sick to sing next Sunday the
choirmaster will know the man to blame for IL.
MARK TwAINs SPEECH
Mark Twain was there to respond to the toast
"Our City" He began with his usual drOIlness.
and after he had got the company laughing and
of it's guard he delivered few neat uppercuts
OF satire and sat down before his hearers had
time to recover their breath. A previous speaker.
the Rev. Donald Sage Mackay. had said that
Mr.. Clemens was. in his way. true preacher
Of religion as any conseerated bishop on earth.
opening OF his speech. saying:
These are prosperous days for me The night be-
fore last Bishop Potter thanked ne Tor my con
tr5Itions 70 theology and Rr NaGkay s has 10 To-
Of them for discovering things IN me which I had
wong 0Ed aS0 oSd revere recoTniz 9S
/ feel gentlemen, that these compliments are de-
served, but let me hasten TO- sTapple me business
end OF my toast, "Our City" i have been absent
see great moral improvements. Some think this Is
because have been away; the more intelligent see
Mr. Clemens then noted some Of the physical
improvements of the city. and spoke especially
Of the street railways. the skyserapers and the
elevators. OF the elevators he said:
And we have elevators that really go. They are
not at al Ss ii the ,saf 9 EgrqR s %R9a s6d9R Is n al
ways stoPplhs TO, 20 @ LIZ b t e "a aIssfor -
tell you that men who intend to go far in Euro
before they start they viii be able to recognize
In All things Which ter 10 make nfe Comfortable
and convenient and handy. New-York is far be-
yond the dreams Of Europe.
These compliments to "Our City" were warmly
applauded- Mr.. Clemens paused to take a drink
Of water. and a wicked twinkle came into his
eye. Then he resumed:
And gentlemen you have the very best munici-
pal government in the whole world-and the most
Totid1 70 civic 91 Bv YOUR copscentions exsT
else Of the burdens OF citizenship you have made
R and e MHe HnS5 gu die S sn to S
will shout, Here they cOmei Here they come!
the archangePs box and turn the limelight
them,'
Then he sat down 1T is sometimes difficult
to tell whether Mr. Clemens is in fun in
earnest" said one son Of St. Nicholas but those
last remarks certainly hit us pretty hard"
MERRY FEAST
The feast was a merry one. The memorable
ceremonies of the society were observed with
due formaIity The president his black
cooked hat and uniform Of Office all night. The
ancient weathercock was born to the dais with
pomp and bugIe note. The stewards tapped the
floor with the long wands as they walked IN
procession The long clay church warden pipes
were graveIy smoked and the souvenirs or the
occasion were handsome delft tankards with
pewter tons imported especially for the dinner
I from Utrecht Holland. The other speakers be-
sides Mark Twain and the Rev. DR.. Mackay, who
RESPONDED to the toast OF St Nicholas, We're the
Rev DR. J. Lewis Parks, Our Country : Baron
C;evers the Minister of Holland who spoke on
s.HolIand and the Founders of New-Amster-
dam; Major-General Brooke Lne army my
Rear-AdniraI Barker. The Navy; ex-Judge
/ Henry y Rowland. The Close OF the Nine
/ teenth Century" The stewards we're Evert j.
Wendell George Blagden, William Person HAM
/ ilton Paul G. Thebaud, James Gore klns anu
\ Moses Taylor Pyne.
At the table Of honor, in addition to the speak
ers sat Julien 7. Davies, president or 81 DaVG
Society: William z. Dodge president OF tne
New-England Society; NichoiaS FISH ElcS- ,P.T
dent OF the Society Of Colonial Wars; Frederic j.
De Peyster governor-general Of the Society o.
Colonial Wars: George Morrison represenths
St. Andrews Society; James A . Corman Presi- I
dent of the Friendly Sons Of ST. Patrick j. Rut-
gers PIanten COnsul-G General from the Nether-
lands: John W. Vrooman. OF the Holland society,"
and George Gray Ward president OF St- George ;
Society.