Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-06

parent had always been a prime favor
lie. Whatever their faults NAV bo
they are at least not fiunkeys, and hi,
popularity with them is in no sense az.
tributable to his exalted position. bue
tc their regard for him as a man. N
there Is one man In all England who
may be pardoned for allowing a far.
terer to get the blind side OF him. IN
Is surely he whose every wish or
whim 1t is the business of those abous
him to humor. Yet IL there is one
man in England who is absolutely in-
| accessible to flattery. 1t is the genial
generous, but keen-eyed prince. Thfs
the Ishmaelites know well, and then
love him for it, just as they hail him
prince OF good fellows, and the best
and most honest hater of sham and
humbug in the country.
Hence the dinner VIII ich was beinR,
given in his honor was the most bril-
liant and at the same time the heart
lest function that the club, house has
ever witnessed. Brains. pluck and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES are what the
lshmaelites most delight to honorss.
but being a British club, they put
bravery before even brains. and at the
high table that night sat wearers on
the Victoria cross. leaders of forlorn,
| hopes, admirals who had saved life an
well as fought the enemy at sea. ex-
plorers, travellers and soldiers who
with handful of men had held an
impossible position or not hesitated tor
face thrice outnumbering foe.
Everything had gone without n
hitch. and there was no denying thar
| the function was magnificent success.
The prince, still pale from his recent
illness. was, it was easy to see. both
touched and gratiied by the genuinelv,
enthusiastic and affectionate greeting
| which had been accorded to him: and
never had he looked more thorougbIv
at home than when hobnobbing with
the Ishmaelites
Dinner heing finished. and the per.
mission. Brother ishp;aeiites. Won
| may smoke" ta- Ing gone forth ana,
been received with the customary veI1
The chairman rose in his place tn
make the speech OF the evening. bv
proposing the princes health. An
other yell greeted the placing of the
| ten-minute bell before him, and yek
another the setting of the machinery
| in motion Then he began his speech
| Nothing of the sort could have BEEN
| happier. for there was not i false meta
| throughout He claimed for sle princc
ohIy tiAaI lhuStrlouS perSonageS due:
and yet he referred so sympath etically
to his illness and paid so graceful q,
trlb@te TO his qualities as a man, a
sportsman anu good fellow. that theL
iSOhaeiitys al. 1rsJ,cu hiIa again and
/ USo.n WIN r.n-i-s cheers.
| The annUGnvon., u,-,ae unexpeet ed
| bnnoJnceIae nt-tu,,t tie prince nad
That evening expressed his wish to be-
come a member of the club and a
Brother Ishmaelite, brought the en-
thasiasm to the eliminating point: but.
the welcome words had scarcely passed.
the chairmans lips before the first
stroke of the ten-minute gong was
heard, and at the sound he held I'D the
customary silencing hand and dropped
back into his chair.
| The rule of the club is that when
| the gong strikes. the speaker, who-l
ever he may he. at once resumes hia'
seat, and every one sits in silence I'M
til the ten strokes have sounded, when
members are az liberty TO give express
sion TO their feelings. n privilege of
which they avail themselves by Yell
ing, bowling and hurting epithets, and
even match-boXes, cigar-ends, or any
thing else which may be handy. at tho
offender who has tranSgressed their
time-honored ten-minutes rule.
| Hence when Lord Crauthorpe
relapsed into his seat there was
q sudden hush while the membera
waited dutifully for the ten strokes
10 sound. Half dozen seconds had
not throbbed away before the Ishmael-
ties became aware that someth ing
out of the ordinary-but what they
did not k1ow--was happening. There
was flutter of repressed excitement
Then some one called out "Hush," and
the silence became electric What was
that sprinkling of bird-song music that
percoated the smoke hung atmos-
!phere as II fairy hands we're ainging
the largest OF Tiny wafer-like silver,
coins for all to gather? "Hush!" some
one said impatiently again. Expecta-
ton stood on tiptoe, as every ear was
strained and every face became alert
and eXpectant
Note by note the thin thread of mu-
SIC rlppled out. IL was recognized.
and a tremendous cheer set rattlina
the trophies on the wall as the chair
man rose and with wave of his hand
above his head took up the strain
In another second every man was on
his feet. and God Bless the Prince Of
Wales was being sung as it had never,
been sung before.
| with heart and voice awaken
| Those minstrel strains of yore,
l Till Britain's name and glory
Resound from shore TO shore.
From all our ancient mountains
And from our lovely wales,
| Q! let the prayer rc-echo-
| God bless the prince of Wales-'
The secretary's little unreheaI seAf
| effect was huge success. Perhaps tho,
princes illness had left him somewhat
weak and shaky, for as the hymn COM
| Guided with the most deafening Three.
L