Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07
GR|D|RON CLUBGUESTS
Opening the Winters Series
of Dinre1s.
NUMEROUS HAPPY HITS
MANY PROMINENT GUESTS WELL
ENTERTAINED.
Current Events Touched Upon in the
Manner Characteristic Of the
Merry Diners.
NUMEROUS HAPPY HITS


fore a gathering OF 2Oc other men, includ-
| ing distinguished persons In many calhngs,
to make the half dozen active participants
! in the fun and humor Of an evenings en-
| tertainment is rather G. delicate undertake
J ing. The Gridiron Club undertook it Sat-
| urday night and got away with 1t, as the
| club invariably. does in such affairs and in
! like circumstances
! This winters series of Grdiron Club din
ners was begun at the Arlington under most
! favorable conditions, promising a successful
| season.
! For half an hour before the dinner bell,
: in good oldfashioned way, announced the
! spreading of the feast the guests chatted in
| the reception rooms adjoining the banquet
/ hall. Ambass ldors senators, representa-
/ tives. jurists. army and navy officers and
| men prominent in social circles of the ma
! tfonal capital. together with visitors from
/ other cities. renewed old acquaintance and
! engaged in converse ton.
A Scene of Rare Beauty.
| When the banquet hall doors We're opened
a scene of rare beauty was disclosed. The
tables for the banuueters were arranged in
the shape of gridiron and were beauti-
! fully decorated with roses. smilax and
! chlys n thenu.ns and resplendent in snowy
l
of candelabra and inc1ndescent globe. The
ceilings and walls were hung with smilax
/ and the partition in the rear of the long
! table forming the bar of the gridiron was
a dense mass of green picked out with
American beauty roses and rich chrysanthe-
NUNS. disposed in Small S most effective
! manner.
! As the guests stood back of their chairs
! awaiting the signal to be seated the electric
| lights in the hall blnked and the great
| electric gridiron over the presidents head
| flashed its brilliant welcome. Then Vice
/ President Coolidge. the presiding officer, be-
J spoke for the club the Indulgence of the
! guests in the entertainment that to be
! offered and added that in what might fol-
| low there was no thought of malice, no in
tentiOn to wound and the club hoped that
/ the quipS would be accepted in the spirit
| in which they were offered. Mr.. Coolidge
made very graceful presiding officer. and
his witty remarks introducing the skits and
speakers ELECTED rounds of applause
1t is the custom of the Gridiron Club to
interlard the courses of the dinner with
sketches bearing upon important events of
the day or referring to prominent people,
and there were many happy hits in these
the guests seated when a shout of laugh
ter from the center of the hall attracted
every ones attention. A big, blue-coated
cop" was seen In the act Of hanging
Mayor-elect Mcclellan Of New York and
Mr.. Charles F. Murphy. the leader Of Tam
many All through the dinner the red
light hung above them. One Of the topi-
cal songs of the evening made the new
mayor it's subject. and occasfoned shouts
of laughter the Grtdiron chorus sang it.
Mr.. Mcclellan was forced to hts feet and
made a felicitous speech. being followed
for the real thing.
Other speakers were the British ambas-
sador. Sir Henry Mortimer Durand: Sir
Chentung LANG Cheng, the Chinese minis
or Sneaker Cannon Senator Hapna SEN
ator German and Mr.. s. E. Johnson. The
last mentioned was the only member of the
Gridiron Club who responded to a toast.
His subject was ohio. the Mother of
Presidents" He acquitted himself with
great credit His eloquent description Of
some Of Ohio's favorite sons present was
full Of sarcastic wit that brought forth
prolonged applause. No report is made of
| the text of speeches delivered at Gridiron
dinners. All the speakers were exceed
ingly happy in their remarks Saturday
night. Before the British ambassador. who
has entered upon his duties at this post,
took the floor the club sang the British ma
tional anthem.
Initiation Of Members.
Three new members of the club were in
itiated-Mr. Samuel G. Blythe Of the New
| York World, Mr. Henry S. Brown Of the
New York Herald and Mr.. Edgar c. Sny
der Of the Omaha Bee. They were brought
respondents seeking a place on a newspa-
per, the editors of which were engaged in
the usual daily conference. The questions
asked them and the instructions given Gre
ated great merriment for the auditors.
During the progress of tine initiation a
reporter rushed in with a great piece OF
| news for the fictitious editors Senator
Hanna had declared he would not be a can
didate for President. Great excitement In
the editorial room. The city editor calls
up a supposit!tious White House and en-
cages in conversation with Its CHIEF occu-
pant. The remarks of the man at the Grid
iron end Of the phone ran something like
this:
'Is that the Pres. dent? Well. this is the
city editor. l have a statement from
Ser ator Hanna that he will not run for the
pr. sidency How's that Delighted?
Oh.
Yes the report is true. What's that?
You want Affidavit
That sally convulsed the audience, and II
was several minutes before the performance
could proceed.
A Number of Happy Hits.
Speaker Cannon was made the subject of
IA topical song which delighted all who
know the Speakers characteristics. The
Speaker was also cast a passenger in
the clubs flying machine. bound for the
White House. but for reasons set forth in
the dialogue was compelled to relinquish
his seat and return to the table. Then
Senator German was seated in the machine.
but it was found that he could not be car
ried. Senator Hanna suffered the same
fate. and finally in desperation the 'Dn-
| lrth twins" forrner Senator Charles A.
! Towne and Representative Bede were put
| in with their speeches and Jokes for
| ballast. but thep proved to weighty, and
| the machine collapsed.
| Another happy hit was the Introduction
of veritable Jack-in-the-box. the republic
| of Panama. which popped up Unexpectedly
| and engaged In an animated conversation
| with Uncle Sam, the republican elephant
ssnd the democratic donkey. Uncle Sam
| gave the new republic an army. navy and
! u pest office department. the democratic
| donkey protesting loudly all the while and
| calling on Bryan, John Sharp Williams and
the shade OF Thomas Jefferson for help
4 fhs,-la