Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-03-01
THE A1HENIAN BANQUET.
The Most Successful Event in the
History OF This Popular Club.

The Athenian Forensic Club Of
this city held its eighth annual ban
quet at the Rudolph last Friday even
ing and the genial landlord, Col.
McDermott, had spared no expense in
providing entertainment and decora-
lions to command the admiration OF
our modern Athenians. The large
dining room of The Rudolph was
charmingly attractive in bunting, cut
flowers and plants, and the tables
were attractive enough in floral
wealth to make one fancy the birth
of cupid in a bower of ferns, and add
ed TO the electric briliiancy were two
groups of varigated candles shedding
a pale light upon the handsome faces
of those who sat at the festal board.
1t was a scene worthy OF ancient
Athens.
The menu was superb as Col.
McDermott had drawn upon the pro-
ducts Of sunny climes to render COM
plete the matchlesS WORK Of Chef
Evans. The service was perfect and
the courses came with quick-time
music by the HotchkisS orchestra.
There was no detail lacking in the
perfect arrangements and course
after course came between periods OF
oratory and applause. The banquet
table was formed in the shape OF the
letter l. and at the angle sat Toast
master Tuve who amused the guests
with wit and jest and story as he
called the orators to respond. lie
spared not under the limit of a toast
masters license and the speakers
threw javelins of sarcasm and wit at
the helpless heads Of those who had
been selected to meet the %oratorical
test.
The POSTMASTER after reviewing
every test of patience known to the
inexperienced autoist, called on Or.
Wendt to tell of his first experience
with an automobile. After the
Doctor got through there wasn't a
man i'm the room who would have
taken as a gift the best machine
made if compelled to keep it in run
ming order. The doctors experience
was perfectly dreadful, and the ladies
adored him for his patience and cour-
age, but all were willing to affirm
that there was a gasoline smell in the
room when he sat down.
The next gentleman to feel the elo-
quence OF the POSTMASTER was Fred
Cuthbert, but Fred came out OF the
ordeal with renewed appreciation OF
his oratory. His subject was "Orator-
ical Influence and he handled the
subject with great credit, not forget
ting to throw a sarcastic dart occa-
Sionally at those who we're to defend
themselves later.
Prof. Lawrence was the next victim
of the POSTMASTER and the Professor
suffered in silence until he got the
floor. His subject was "Recollectlon
as an Influence and before he sat
down several of the youthful orators
had reason to appreciate the fact
| tIldU lis ICIOjlC1OiOti
by the oratorical jabs he had receiv-
ed. He told a beautiful moon story
of love and of the cowardice OF cupid
when the heart beats fast. He cast a
whitening glance down the table but
no one could tell whether he was hit
ting the County Attorney or the
head of the high school or the gentle
man who settles disputes oyer wills.
He threw a ''gridiron club" jest at
the orators who preceded him, but
they took their medicine without
wincing, but he "a careful not to
arouse the genial postmaster. When
he concluded all were well satisfied
that he had a keen appreciation Of
recollection as an influence and
everybody vas wondering who it
could be who said to his best girl one
beautiful moonlit evening as they
%journeyed arm in arm in the sweet
contemplation of two hearts that
beat as one. s.Say, my dear" said
the manly beating heart, ''do you
love the moon?n Then he gazed
heavenward in the ecstacy of loves
young dream and she answered that
she loved the moon with all the
power of a loving heart. Then said
he, II wish | vas the MOON A
silence more dense than forest gloom
fell upon them, but finally he remark
ed that 1t was likely to rain and they
had better go home. Some thought
the Professor was driving at Fred
Cuthbert. but the searching glances
Of the fair ladies' were not in his di-
rection although he in sotto voce de-
clared that no moon love would ever
deter him in such Il plight.
"The Gentle Art OF Roasting" was
the subject upon which Attorney
Carlson spoke, and all concluded that
he could roast a fellow to the Queens
delight when he got a good opening.
Mr.. Carlson did some modest roasting
as he went along and few escaped a
jolt or a dig, but so neatly was it
done that ali enjoyed the inodesty of
it. He referred to the Moon story
rather b%ashfully for him and a new
interest was aroused among the lad
les, but he failed to affirm or deny
the soft impeachment and the man
whO waptad RI nror0Sn fhr0IIuh tho