The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-02-19
SILVER SERVICE
PRESENTED TO c. I. TOPPING BY
HOUSE CLERKS BANQUET
AND THEATER PARTY.

N ~ 49,. MEfNM4 AHHr. aaNatAw =. E.W
CHARLESTON. Feb. lsTsaturday
nSgnt was a surprise TO many and none
We're more surprised than Hon. 9, l..
topping, the genial and efficient clerk
ne .aouse OF inviting
eHsres Oh the iower vs. spend
ne eYeh,ns WIN nun, ne vas confront
WIN we elicienI clerks IN ms once
=. \ eapieoi ana presented with a
Y serves set' expressing their ap-
preetafioh OF ene man VINO presid,
~ 80 apiy a'2tne desk Oh the House OF
peleeaees
About 1880 o'clock the clerks lined
into MI. Topping's office and Mr.. S..
s. HODGES. the popular reading clerk
Of the House. made the following pre-
sentation speech, during which he was
~applauded time and again by those
present:
Mr.. Clerk, clerks, fellow creatures,
fellow servants, gentlemen and ladies'
If anybody Is omitted speak up. It
has usually been my extreme misfor.
tune 70 De called upon to make the
speech on an occasion like this. l
say extreme misfortune only on &C
count OF the embarrassment that my
Wen known modesty causes me.
ITO be called upon to handle a
large ind important subject with
such little notice, adds further en-
barrassment. Would that I possessed
the %eloIuence of a Demosthenes or a
Cicero, that I might be able to do this
occasion Justice. IL saying that
thought unspoken fall back dead, then
mine must be a veritable Greenwood
of the dead for the thoughts that do
not find expression are rising in my
mind and fall back for lack of abili.
ty to express them. Beneath the road
and rush of ocean waves lie buried
oceans richest treasures and SO be-
hind the empty sounding words that 4
speak, deep in our hearts there abides
a respect and a liking for the subject
of these remarks that almost amounts
to love.
ITO that big.hearted. handsome
clerk and politician, a excellence. Il
affords ME great pleasure to present
a small token Of tn. regard in which
you are held by those under yoar al.
~rection in this House from those Won
have always treated in the most pleas.
ant and courteous manner. over look.
ing all faults and shortcomings in that
largeness of heart that distinguished
you. To the present very eficient
clerk of the House OF Delegates and
the next Secretary of State. / take the
greatest pleasure in presenting this
silver service with the hone that vour
political future may be as bright. and
your political honors as .untarnisbed
as the silver that marbles within tbis
case"
with these words hat e-xnressed
the gratitude Of the clerks OF the
House. Mr.. Hodges presented To Mr.
Topping a magnificent silver set On
the la of the case was in.cr,had
Presented to C. T. Tonn,ng nv tha
clerks of the session Of 1907. inside
was a card bearing the names of tba
obligine clerks who had tbus shown
their appreciation Of the work NJ M
Topping. Inscribed unon the same
were the names OF q n : n. n
F. finder. r.. n. savre NJ 9 -IIaa,a.
IA. s. Jarrett. s s, ppzzard n n e.
skadon. Charles steeIs c,,..,s
J. s, Mcpherson. p NJ E,,t,a =
McGrew. .Julins n H.. ~
gar. j. d sbott 4 w w,,,,amsa. y
=. Hughes. miss carrev n,,ss e1,s,
burg aud Mrs. q. + .Jacrson
Mr.. Toppine made ! resnon.a 4,
all the words that wera ~ his aom.