The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-04-10
COMMERCIAL
CLUB HEARD
mr. M'ELR0Y

Mr.. William II. McElroy OF New Yorl
gave the Commercial club series OF
faithful portraits OF famous after dinner
speakers and wits at the Wellington Sat-
urday night that proved entertaining to
that organization. which had previously
enjoyed one OF the best dinners on the
program of that popular dining resort.
| Most OF the business men OF the city
Of note were present. the president and
guests occupying a table OF horseshoe
| shape.
Steward Richard Butler and Alfred
| Brand. the head walter, had as usual
| spent n great deal of time on The decora-
| tions and had the hollaw part OF the
horseshoe filled in with palms and flower
ing shrubs and 1T up with electric lights.
| The members and guests assembled in
| the low ceilinged. middle room whore ap-
| petizers and sanwiches were served, and
there was a short session for the trans
action OF business, at which Colonel
George l.. Shepley presided. Secretary
! Michael Dooley read an interesting report
OF the last meeting and dinner, which
was approved and applauded. A nomi-
| mating committee, comprising former
| Governor Charles Dean Kimball, James
Kenyon and George Lampheare.
Those at the presidents table COM
prised: George l.. Shepley. William H.
| McElroy, LID: w. III. II. Faunce, ID. d ::
! Hon. William w. Douglas. Hon. Charles
Dean Kinball, Walter Calender, James
| f. Field. Marsden J. Perry, David s.
| Barry, Gardiner G. Sims, Samuel NJ
| Nicholson. Walter S. Hackney, Commits
sioner Walter F. Slade
Or. Faunce invoked divine blessing on
the gathering and then for about a cou-
| pie Of hours the eating and music by
! Bowen r. Church. Claude Spary and
| the Wellington orchestra occupied the at
! tention OF the party.
THE AFTER DINNER.
President George F. Shepley. in open
| ing the post prandial exercises an
nounced that this was the 18th year Of
the clubs existence. and speaking OF the
| long membership list and the large
waiting list. as well as the excellent con-
| dition OF the treasury.
The many famous speakers who had
appeared before the club. Grover Cleve-
land, Chauncey NJ Depew, Lieut.. Peary
| De Windt, the great Canadian Charles
Emory Smith and William Wyman
! peace TO his ashes. a literary man and
editorial writer OF renown. Mr.. Shepley
introduced William II. McElroy OF New
! York.
IT seems to me, Mr. President men are
never better employed than you are to
! night when you put the rivalries behind
you and bring the amenities 20 the front
and appear as good fellows. was his open
ing remark. and his talk was just a
series OF interesting "reminiscences.
Adam, Newton and William Tell all had
dealings with an apple. The first as a
famous sinner, the second as n scientist
| and the latter az a sharpshooter
| II Is the same with people at n dinner
but there is a class that comes In for the
| after dinner. IL is the same as n young
lady who the world over writes letter
so she can put on the postscript
Dyspepsia Is the dinners revenge on
those who have trihed with IT, II is all
| there is 10 modern infidelity
AMERICAN SPEAKERS.
81 am going 10 talk OF the after dinner
of America today. There isn't time for
more when you come to that. there ist't
| any more.
"You take our friends across the water.
| They can't speak very we'll before dinner
and they speak worse after dinner There
are exceptions OF course" said he, when
some have murmured," and he named a
few and cited examples OF this.
Some years ago sat next to Chauncey
Depew at Yale dinner. and I said TO
him: Which OF all these functions to
most out Of He said. L think / get about
the most from tho college dinners"
The college Dime" has been what in
tho old days when | wrote essays, an
oasis The college men come together,
trast the alma mater the president has
son ething inspiring to say and we go
away better men
The college rinner has added somethirg e
to literature. Take the class OF 20. oliver
Werdel Holmes wrote his rhyme, HAS
there any old fellow got mixed with the
boys?" for that dinner and think is go
ing to last forever
Charles Emory Smith. friend OF mine
used to say that college professor of
his used TO spend 3s5 days Sunday and all
he could think was mathematics. Two
colleges gave him the LII d and he did
not want TO put both sets after his name
and TO the Joy of the college wrote his
rnme officially William L. Gillespie. L.
fourth power ID. square.
I asked r. u. Hayes what was the mat
ter with the speakers at the Washington
centennial dinner aad he said IL was be-
onuso they were talking for posterity in
stead OF the immediate audience before
them.
THE ALDEN DINNER.
The Alden dinner was spoken of. Mark
Twain, DIR. Rainsford. James Whitcomb
Riley and r. Hopkinson Smith were some
os those present and strong tribute was
paid TO James Whitcomh Riley as a com
rlcitator on human nature and he refer
rcd 90 man as follows: II know him and
I like him. but he oonfesses his intimacy
with God Almighty on the slightest provo
cation"
Or Rainsford told a story about being
On an errand OF mercy on the lower East
Side on n bitter winters night. he saw
man kicked out Of a saloon into the snow.
II was reused" he said, land I tapped
hir- under the chin and the door was