The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-14

n the first place. neither time. previous
engagements Tor intervening space between
invited guest and grooming board need bar
tn" guests Attendance.
II t. quit" as easy 10 imagine the Amsri-
"an Ambassador At Paris present at such
- feast. in spite nf the thousand leagues
that separate him from Us.
Senator Dop"w might easily have made
the wclk!n ring with eloquenCe. in person.
hy telephone or photograph at a dozen 9th
"r hanGu"ts n the very moment that ours
was in progress.
They might still be with Us in spirit. since
il is the spirit OF such an occasion, rather
than the yiInds and the vintages, that in
vires the soul.
Again. the morning hours that follow en-
tail no such invidiOuS thought rejecting on
the JOY OF living as too frequently are found
in the immediate train of a rousinE dinner
in the lusty cympanionship OF our cheerful
friends.
The imaginary banquet knows not the
nan who smokes too much 'tWiXt assem-
bly, hour and parting.
The wines are Of the best 10 him of edr-
Gated fancy. and may be drained unto IN"
dregs and drained again without an expan-
siveness Of brain too great for pleasure
when the dawn breaks on the scene.
one need not fear that In the menu turks
a thing or two that twinges the digestion
and gives yellow. blue and creenish hues To
si me S-SNlS tIt IlbNSI eye JOCKS on Nn"N
day attends upon the raising of the night.
To such a banquet certain folk Of ~colquent
=. pute were invited. Some there were who
cam" ana some who stayed away.
Some brought new thoughts and anec-
dpt"s. and some said nauEht. and some IT,
frrGci the hosts to other fea&ts for samples
al their wisdom and their humGr.
The noble Twain, who's given much to all
riarkind. is represented here by words OF
wisdom that should guide his fellow-crafts-
men in the art which he hath mastered.
Sage and quipsome "DOoley." saying
naught. was yet included in the goodly
company by those who wished him there,
and having but the wish 70 give them coun-
tcGance. accounted him among the wits
who also ran
The towering ard funsreai Simeon Ford.
o'erlong in stature. but too brief Of speech.
the fancy also c%ouiured up.
The ever young Depew. who must be
watched right closely. since in growing
backward a. 10 age he may vet BE- found
deiighting us with tales Of other days, like
him grown young again.
And Ade-the master of n slanguage as
marvellous as mellifluous-and Harrington.
the Gentleman from Indiana's way. no ora
tor, perhaps, but speaker of repute when In
the mood.
Ard Lauterhach. and Howland and a host
of other men of wit and wisdom most Sd
eacious in the fancied recess of the sane
tum's banquet hall sat round the feStal
board.
The words that fell from lips like those.
o: might have fallen thence. are set down
here for reasons that seem good to one
whose only thought is. in these gladstone
days. to add somewhat unto the good cheer
of the land.
The tales they tell. the wise saws they
indulge in and their quips and quirks hath
each some point of humor or philosophy
that man may take and inwardly 'iiGest
with profit. laughter and the hetterneut Of
their souls.
The dinner never was. save In the fancy,
yet it might have been; and some day IN
the future il may be that this. our Christ
mas dream. may yet come true.
Thus they spake: