Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1901-11-30

invitation of Judge John Townsend to
celebrate his reelection as judge for
.he supreme court of Illinois; and wish
Ing to make It a memorable occasion
be had not only entertained them roy
ally through the day and with boxes
Tor the opera in the evening, but
rlidnight banquet had been arrangd
in their honor.
Judge Townsend seated his guests at
a round table, the appointments of
which were dainty and elegant in the
extreme: rare china, cut glass and sill
yer, choice fruits and fragrant flowers
adorned the board, the whole softened
and melloweC by electric lights in rich
glass bulbs which studded the ceiling;
In the distant corners electric fans
gen'iv stirred the perfumed air, and
iki!led walters in pure white suits
glided noiselessly over the Persian rugs
POLITELY anticipating the wants Of each
guest.
AS Judge Townsend took his position
and glanced around at the intelligent
and refined faces of his coterie Of
friends, his heart swelled with pride;
every man present was a judge and
several had attained to higher honors.
Ono was an associate justice of the
United States supreme court. One
served his country as secretary OF
state; several OF them were judges of
the supreme c.lrts, and all were men
Of marked ability, a group which any
man might be proud to call friends.
The banquet continued until the
tmall hours, and wit and humor
flashed from the brains of these elo-
quent warriors of the bench-all the
more enjoyable because entirely i'm
promptu.
The Hon. U. S. Justice had the repu-
tation of being famous story teller,
and during a lull in the conversation
was urged by his friend, Judge D.,
10 give one of his characteristic west
ern sketches. TO which he responded
with his usual bon-homie, calling forth
rousing encore.
As he rose to bow in response to the
encore, he paused moment before re-
seating himself and, raising his hand
to request silence. said. in humorous
ly impressive manner:
Fellow judges ad friends. our es-
teemed host has put up job on US
We shall one OF us be a spook before
the end of the year-there are thirteen
at this table. We call upon Judge
Townsend to explain himself and tell
us how he dares defy the laws of super
stition and thus publicly declare his
unbelief in spooks and their vista
tons"
A chorus OF voices arose for an ex-
PLANTATION from their host. and Judge
Townsend. rising to his feet. glanced
round the table at the smiling faces oi
his guests, then bowling to his accuser
said, in reply:
"Your honor, in giving my invita-
tlons have evidently forgotten to in
clude myself. therefore | am number
thirteen; but in response to the accu'
sation which you have seen At to make
against me | will relate few incidents
in my own life history, which. l trust
will sufficiently explain my present in
difference to all danger OF ghostly vlsi
tations.
II have friend who is more to mi
even than a brother; we were born IL
the same town, the estates OF our faith
ers Joined. and not day OF our boy
hood was passed that We lid not SCI
each other; between us existed thu
most perfect harmony OF mind, al
though we differed widely In person
Horace was dark, strong, powerful!
built, full Of life and vigor, while l wa
blonde, delicate. by no means physical
ly strong and somewhat timid.
81 owe my present physical strength
TO Horace. for he encouraged me il
athletic sports and laughed me out O
my timidity, and when we went ava
to college together, was almost II no
quite his peer.
II will pass over our college life b.
simply saying that, as usual. we aide
and assisted each other and graduate
In the same class.
Together we discussed almost ever
theme which was presented for argu
ment, and among other things the su
pernatural was often touched upon b
ds.
"One day Horace astonished me
asserting that he believed In some rar
instances God in his goodness an
mercy allowed the souls OF his earthl
children who were to be taken ava
suddenly, with some duty unperforme
or some warning unsaid. to wander {
will over the earth and finish tn;
work before they were translated
heaven. whence he thought there wa
no return.
II pooh-hooed at him, as | alwa,
did when our conversation touche
upon the powers of the soul, but Ho