The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-10-25
Bachelor Maids who were later to be
toasted by Mr. Woolston.

|
companied by the talented Miss Hazel
Laub, next favored the banqueters with
violin solo. Miss Higgins showed her
self veritable master of this which is at
once the most difficult and the sweetest
voiced of instruments. Nothing is worse
than the music of the violin poorly played
and nothing can be more exquisite than
the response of the strings to the artists
touch. The two selections given by Miss
Higgins were genuinely good and were
most thoroughly enjoyed.
| Mr.. ]. H. Mahoney covered himself
with glory by his response to the toast
"Civilzed man cannot live without cooks"
Is the single man therefore blessed?'
We had imagined that the life of rail.
road man was not conducive to wit, but
we must have been mistaken, or else MIR.
Mahoney's overfiowing humor was due to
his nativity. Whatever the first cause.
the response kept the audience in
storm of laughter and applause. The wit
took such unexpected turns and such
original forms that we are moved to
pronounce it one of the cleverest toasts
ever given by Denison after dinner
speaker. If ability in this line is prime
requisite Denison can furnish a worthy
successor to Senator Depew on the
directorate of the New York Central.
| One of the gems of the evening was the
beautifully worded and finely thought out
toast to civilian Shakespeare" given by
Miss Edith Gillmor. The speaker ap
preached fer subject with something
akin to reverence and the toast breathed
spirit of intelligent appreciation and dis
eliminating judgment which showed that
in this instance the study of the great mas
ter of English composition has fallen into
competent hands. Very properly there was
no attempt at witticism in this response,
but it was literary gem worthy of any
student of the great poet.
Miss Grace Van Ness who is one of the
very best of our younger pianists next fa-
vored the feasters with an excellently rem
dered selection ''Novellette in F. by Schu-
mann.
"The Poetry of Living" gave to Rev.
w. e. Bryce the text for an eloquent
toast that, while it breathed the spirtuali-
/ ty of the man, contained no trace of cant
or pedanry. In words as poetic as his
subject he pointed out the beauties of life
and how their enjoyment could ssoniy be
attained by the pure in heart. The talk
by Rev. Bryce gave to the occasion just
that touch of earnestness and of purpose
that was needed to make the evening an
ideal one
A second violin solo by Miss Higgins
delighted all and then Mr.. Frank Wool
ston was introduced to respond to the
toast to the 'sBachelor Maids :" Like the
good Sunday school boy that he is, Mr..
Woolston drew largely upon the wisdom
of Solomon to assist him in his bright and
witty toast, and one was surprised to find
how much of the wit and wisdom of the
sage was applicable to present day condi-
tions and to bachelor maids in particular.
Frank confessed before his toast that it
was even money whether he would get
through with the job or not, but no one
who heard him would have thought but
that after dinuer speaking was his special
delight. One could but recall the clever
toast delivered by Mrs. Woolston last
year and decide that toasting ran in the
family. Mr.. Woolston made the very
most of his subject and with the Bache-
lor Maids to talk about. that is saying
great deal.
The closing toast was delivered by Mrs.
D. L. Boynton. 1t was delightful SER
les of Confessions which did not confess,
and some very clever wittic. .sms at the ex
pense of club members that were heartily
appreciated by all. Mrs. Boynton con-
tion which was given with skill that
would have done credit to a professional
reader.
The evening closed with a solo by Miss
Ethel Gulick, a dainty little song os good
night sung as dalntity as the words were
written and with voice as exquisite as the
music. Miss Gulick has just the kind of
a voice we like to hear and it was very
evident from the applause that this feel
ing was shared by others present. A
word of good night from the president
ended the memorable program, program
that made one feel renewed pride in his
home city and its goodly people.
The menu committee with Mrs. w. D.
McAhren as chairman and the decora-
tons committee of which Mrs. w. T.
Wright was the head, deserved the un-
stinted praise they received during the
evening. The young ladies who served,
together with the accomplished cateress
Mrs. Silleto also deserve much credit for
L ~, H. A.