Evening star., 1902-01-27
HUMDR AND SATIRE
THE GRIDIRoN CLUB AND GUESTS
PASS A.MERRY EVENING.

THE GRIDIRos CLUB AND GUESTS
PASS 4. MERRY EVENING.
seventeenth Annual Banquet OF =
Noted Orxanixatfon-Distin
ed 1stMen Present.
."The ladies are always present; the re-
porters are never present
This is thefg significant paradox with
which Grfdironi dinners have been opened
since the days of auId lang syne. It's gem
tie yet unmistakabIe admonition that the
over-rfsque story is barred is never dis
regarded by the guests and the implied as
surance that NO man shall be held account
able in cold type the next morning for his
utterances In the midst Of friendly festiy-
tiles, Is never disregarded by the hosts. A
little nonsense now and then Is relished by
the best of men. The nonsense was not
stinted upon this hospitable occasion. and
among those who relished 1t were people
who are eminent in almost every field OF
Intellectual endeavor. The pen and sword
dwelt together without envy of each 9TH
er's prowess, and the iron horse OF the
railway magnate ambled in harness with
Pegasus. For there was poetry galore.
some OF 1t was sung; some was reciteo
Some was concealed IN the form or prose,
and much Of it was silently expressed IN
the beautiful decorations which made the
banquet hall a picture which nothing but
another Gridiron scene could enace.
Songs and Verses.
There are certain ancient forms without
which no Gridiron dinner could be COM
plete. There are certain songs which aside
from the ever-freshness of their beauty
serve to link the present with the past and
revive pleasant memories. Hear Dem
Bell is a signal that almost every man OF
prominence in the country has at some
time or other recognized as Warnans sd That chat
Reached My Heart" has always been
looked forward to as a touch OF sentiment
to relieve the caustic cynicism and re-
morseless repartee.
Every branch of art was called upon to
contribute something to the entertainment
Music, sentimental. serious and comic, was
provided, and the swinging choruses
tempted many man whose voice mas De.
come .attuned to the severe exactions Of
business-like debate to take up some old
fashioned melody and make it unanimous.
Any traditional quality manifest In the
tune was counterbalanced by the remark
able timeliness Of the words.
Satire Ran Riot.
Present company was never excepted In
any compliments which the club had to be-
stow. Yet the whimsicaltties often dis
armed possible criticism by their absolute
frankness and there was at all times del
icate discrimination which prevented the
true word from dropping its mask Of jest.
There were pictures as well as poetry ana
song, and phase Of histrionfc talent which
lent itself admirably to the occasion. Satire
ran riot and in democratic spirit select
ed its subjects from the entire social scale,
equal to shat Of Prince Henry of Prussia.
Some Of the personal illusions with which
mock presentations were made were no
less happy than the responses from the
recipients.
The pace was rapid from the inter-
change Of remarks with which Robert J.
Wynne was Installed as successor to Ar
thur w. Dunn in the presidency until the
village school -skit in which potent grave
and reverend seniors of journalism mas
queraded in knickerbockers and pinafores
and made precocious answers to the school
marm's questions. The make-ups for this
bit Of the entertainment rivalled in their
elaborate character the Star Mary" who
distributed q burlesque on yellow Journal
ism entitled "The Yaller Yawp," and of
''Signor Maccarom," the wireless photo
graph man. or Of 'the King Of SIAM"
or the typical humorous Frenchman, with
a Panama canal for sale or exchange
of a typical Uncle Sam. It is i'm
possible to enumerate all the excellent
features of a Gridiron dinner. The occas-
ion is one Of esprit de CORPS and the re-
suits goes in to a general treasury OF mirth,
whose riches are so abundant that the
time between 8 o'clock and midnight is
scarce sufficient for their adequate dis
play. President Roosevelt was the guest
of honor OF the evening. His remarks were
distinguished by a graceful appreciation
of the character Of the occasion. while
President Wynne presided over the banquet
with marked ability and grace. The menu
was as follows:
Oyster Cocktails
Clear Turtle Soup.
Pmo1as. Anchovies. Caviar. Radishes.
Celery.
Salted Nuts.
Shad. Broiled, Maitre d'Hotel
Cucumbers. Potato Croauettes.
Filet of Beef, larded, Imperatrice.
French Beans.
Terrapin, Arlington Style
White Squads, Roasted, Hominy Cakes.
Cheffonade Salad.
Brandy Peaches and Vanilla Ice Cream.
c.r Fancy Cakes.
sauterne.
Moet and Chandon. Imperial Brut.
Apollinarts Water.
The guests We're: The President of the
United States, W. W. Abel, Baltimore Sun:
e; c. Adams Philadelphia; Milton E.
Allies. assistant secretary of treasury: Nell
son W; Aldrieh, senator from Rhode ISL
and; FreaerleK Il l. Allen. commissioner of
Democrat; Don II. Bacon. Birmingham.
Ala; Joseph c; Baldwin, Jr.. New York;
James F. Barbour, Washington, D. G.:
Frank n. Barksdale, Pennsylvania rail-.
road: Albert J. Barr. Pittsburg Post; Will
lam NJ. Black, major. U. g. A.; e, r. Bliss.
Chicago; Tasker II. Bliss, major, U. s. A.;
Scott c. Bone, Washington Post; Charles
A. Bowman, Philadelphia; George W.
Boyd. Pennsylvania railroad: Richard !.
Bright. Washington D. c.: Henry Shroff
Bryan, Akron. Ohio; R. E. L. Bunch. Sea-
board Air Line railway; Henry Burk. repre-
sentative from Pennsylvania; Edward F.
Burns. Philadelphia; Joseph q. Cannon.
representative from Illinois; william s.
Carroll, Washington, D. c.; ]. M. Carson.
jr.. captain. U. 8. A; Thomas III. Garter
Montana; w. II. Carter. colonel U. s. A.:
James r. Chadwick, MD, Boston: John A
Childs, Evanston Index; Charles E, Clark
captain .. s;sN.a1su s. N; T E 2 cIeaves, Washing
Pacific railway; Henry g Cnrhin .aaia.