Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-02
STARTLING DINNERS.
Two Carat Diamonds Among the
Costly SOuvcnirs Given Away.


Costly Souvenirs Given Away.
In no place in tho world is the sou
venir so firmly established as in the
United States, where 1t is now consid-
cred indispensable at dinner parties.
balls. weddings, christenings and, in
fact. any function OF n social nature
given in celebration Of some interest.
ing personal event.
One of the most startling entertain.
ments ever given in honor Of n young
girl took place at Atlantic City not
long ago when Mr. and Mrs. Samuel
We'll gave dinner in celebration Of
the nineteenth anniversary of their
youngest daughters birthday. While
the decorations and the birthday cake
We're marvels Of beauty. the chief at
traction consisted Of q fine two carat
diamond which was dropped into each
glass reserved for the champagne. Over
each gem Il tiny rosebud was placed.
and upon this the wine was poured
into the glass. Not until the last toast
had been drunk to the young lady's
health were the diamonds lifted from
the champagne glasses, and the guests
were asked to retain them in remcm.
brance Of the happy occasion.
Four years ago Mr. and Mrs Adolph
Crantz Of Pittsburg celebrated their
diamond wedding by giving dinner to
twenty Of their friends. The occasion
was marked by much costly expendl-
ture, the souvenirs taking the form OF
diamond pins for the gentlemen and
bracelets for the ladies. These costly
gifts were placed beside che plate Of
each guest, resting on miniature beds
of lilies OF the valley. violets and
maidenhair fern. Just prior to the ar.
rival Of the ices the star" guest rose
and proposed the health of the coupt
whose diamond wedding they were eel.
ebrating ard referred to the interest
ing fact that the combined ages Of Mr..
and Mrs. Crantz totaled up 20 160
years.
After the toast had been drunk Mrs.
Grant, rose and proceeded to fasten
the pins in the lapels Of tho gentle
mems dress coats, while Mr.. Crantz
clasped the bracelets round the arms
of his fair guests.
Perhaps the most interesting sou
vcnirs ever given away were those dis
tributed at dinner last March inau-
gurated by the American Institute Of
Electrical Engineers in honor of Thorn
as Alva Edison. These souvenirs con-
sisted Of small ivory boxes bearing a
Grecian figure holding aloft light and
inscribed THE Genius of the Lamp"
This was a copy Of the famous statue
in Mr.. Edison's laboratory at Orange.
which typifies the triumph Of electric
fly and which Mr.. Edison bought some
years ago at the Paris exhibition.
Besides these ivory boxes there were
also beautiful pins made in the minia-
ture Of an incandescent lamp. the bulb
being formed by single pearl. These
latter. however. were given to the la
dies only. The menus also formed in
teresting souvenirs, for they bore ON
the outside the picture Of a bronze
bust of Edison, while below was an
autograph signature Of the Wizard"
Another interesting feature Of this re-
markable dinner was the procession of
walters bearing the ices, each one Of
which was contained in a model Of an
Edison invention-motors, Photographs,
swtchboards. automobiles, incandes-
cent apparatus, etc. The ices them
selves were in the form and size Of in
candcscent bulbs.-Detroit Tribune.