The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-20
A YOUNG LIFE
WAS BLIGHTED
An Awful Mistake at Christening
the Shadow of a Vir-
ginia Home,

The fifth annual banquet OF the hlch-
mond Alumni Chapter OF Kappa .AiPise'
was given at the Jefferson last night.
The fraternity numbers among It's mem
bers many of the leading citizens OF
Richmond. and last night before the pau
u11et a business meeting was heid ana
officers for the next year elected: MI.
C. 3. Antrim, president; Mr.. Z. NJ. Pllch-
err yice-president, and Mr. w. D. Duke,
secretary and treasurer. Colonel 20 Iahc
Stern who has been president for two
years. declined reelection.
Mr. ]. NJ. BossieuX moved that a roll
of the llonored dead of the order De es-
tablished.
After the more material features of the
evenings entertainment, Mr.. Spencer u.
Carter gave as a recitation. The Story
of a Race" a poem in negro dlalect'
which Mr.. Carter commands admirably
Colonel Stern, who presided in introduce
ing the next speaker, told of his having
taken the place of prominent divine at
a Woman's College commencement, when
stern on Good Behavior figured proui-
nently in the programme Mr.. funston
Cary told q good story on Judge Lamp.
and Mr.. w. D. Duke sang of the adVen-
lures of Johnnie Sands.
Colonel Stern then arose. and after
prefacng his remarks by narratinS en-
barrassments and troubles which had in
congratulated the brothers assembled
that Kappa Alpha had been in the past
free from blot or stain of any charac-
ter. Mingled with this note of rejoicing
there was Il strain of sadness however,
for once, long before the war, 1t is SAD,
a misfortune had overtakcn a brother
that was so profound and far-reachinS
that the whole order was involved. The
speaker went on to say that, further
more, the Kappa Alpha, whose life had
been passed under the shadow OF this
cloud was a minister of the gospel and
one of their number, most highly es-
teemed and beloved. This brother di-
vine, it seems, from his earliest ministc-
rial activity had given evidence of pc
Culiar gifts in christening infants
However, misfortune overlook him. On
one occasion he was called upon to
christen the eldest son and heir Of one
OF the first families in old Virginia. Per
civai Harrison was to be the christening
given at the launching of this fraiI bark
of humanity, but in an evil moment this
hope and JOY of d noble Virginia fans
was baptized 'Dinah Johnson" The sup
plications of the bereaved mother, ana
the entreates of the distressed family
proved OF no avail-"Dinah Johnson" il
had been christened and ''Dinah Johle
SON. it must remain. y lt.e had been
blasted;~ and the man who had It was a
Kappa Alpha, seated with them, the Rev.
DR..
When Colonel Stern took his scat. Dr.
arose and very vigorously defended
himself, claiming that he was innocent
of this grave charge. Colonel Stern
stated in reply, that he had expected this
effort on the part Of the accused to es-
cape, but that he was prepared; that the
unfortunate infant and his old nanny
nurse We're in the hotel. At a signal the
doors opened, and in came Aunt Della.
an Old negro nanny OF the antebellum
type. rolling the unfortunate "Dinah
Johnson bottle and all The costumes
of Aunt Della and Dinah Johnson We're
creations" Aunt Della very graphically
described how the great event of the
christening was looked forward TO on the
Westmoreland estate, how all, white ana
black alike, felt the livef;est interest in
the naming of son ana heir; then came
the narrowing recital of the awful mis-
take of the Rev. Dr. -. Dinah, too.
had never thrived and had become an i'm
beetle. Aunt Della was just closing her
narration when Dnah caught sight OF tie
reverend gentlemen who had wrought her
undoing, and forthwith screamed and
shrieked so vigorously that Aunt Della
had to hasten with her away.
The parts of Aunt Della and Dina We're
well carried through by Mr.. Spencer Car
ter and Mr.. L. NJ. Judkins.