Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-12
The Original Gridiron Quartet.

AS musical features nave marked the
Gridiron dinners from the beginning, Presi-
dent Coolidge said he thought it would be
appropriate to introduce "the original Grid
iron quartet" of twenty years ago. To the
delight and amusement of the audience the
quartet was found to consist of Gen. II. V.
Boynton, Mr. William L. Curtis, Mr. Crosby
S. Noyes and Mr.. Robert NJ. Larner. As
the elders of the quartet, grave and digni-
fled citizens that they are sang discord-
ant song, under the leadership of Mr.. Lar
ner. the audience roared with laughter.
The musical program was unusually elab-
crate and entertaining. Topical songs upon
a number of prominent men were rendered
and were heartily enjoyed, even by the vic
tins thmselves.
roasted in several verses, the chorus of
which ram
Good luck, my Fairbanks, good luck to you
There is some trouble stili ahead for you;
When you need comfort that's sweet and true,
Come to Fairbanks, and we'll give it to you
Chairman Cortelyou of the republican ma
tional committee was thus addressed:
Chairman Cortelyou Chairman cortelyou!
He Is wise, knows what to do
How to do. who to do;
Chairman Cortelyou! Chairman Cortelyou.
A wise old bird
Is Chairman Cortelyou.''
Senator Cockrell was good naturedly han
died In several verses, of which this was the
refrain:
':Good-bye. my Senator,
Farewell, nv senator;
You are the idol and darling of my heart.
Some day you will come back to me,
With fat b,
81 goodbye. my Senat tor, goodbye"
Many other songs were rendered. adding
to the great enjoyment Of the guests
The Dead Letter Office.
One of the more elaborate skits of the
evening was an exhibition of a dead let
ter office, significant of the appointment of
Mr.. James Rankin Young to be chief of the
dead letter Office. After several years serv-
ice in Congress, as President Coolidge said
Mr. Young had at last entered upon life
where he could be of use.
A dead letter office was set up and the
PLAYERS tried TO read the addresses Of
''blind" letters. One letter, containing only
a sunfiower, under a weeping willow tree
was declared TO be from Kansas, evidently
Ii was opened and found 10 contain this
sonnet:
This office holding is u sell;
tried do my duty well.
But time Is up-l hear the Bell =
''EuGENE F. WARE
Other letters were found TO contain note
from j. II Maddy, refunding his salary to
the b. & 0. railroad. as conscience contri-
button; receipt from Henry g. Davis for
a contribution of $3.50 TO the democratic
national committee, and bunch of money
which Thomas Taggart said evidently was
Intended for Cortelyou, and anyway had
come too late to be of any use to him. An
envelope with BARI as the only super
scription was declared to be intended for
Henry G. Davis. on account of the smallness
of the bunghole.
During the playing of this skit opportu-
nifty was afforded for several hits at promi-
ment guests which raised laugh and con-
cluded by bringing Speaker Cannon to his
feet in delightful little five-minute speech.
The Fortune Teller.
A fortune teller's establishment was util-
lied to bring on the reorganizers of the
democratic party for a little quizzing. The
fortune teller said he had been fred from
the weather bureau because he predicted