The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-16
YESTERDAY'S EVENTS IN SOCIETY WORLD Women As After-Dinner Speak CTS At U. D. C. Banquet MANY PATRIOTIC TOASTS Alabama Daughters Close One of the Most Successful Conventions In
 the History of the
 Division.
MANY PATRIOTIC TOASTS
BY ANNIE KENDRlcK WALKER.

BY ANNIE kENDRlcK WALKER. Women in the role of after-dinner speakers was an innovation last evening when the social features of the conven- tion of the Alabama Daughters of the Confederacy were brought to a happy close with a banquet given by the hostess chapter in the ball room of the Hillman. Another banquet innovation was the ab- senee of gentlemen, covers being laid for 135 ladies, who arose to the dignity of after-dinner speakers, to toastmasters, and who managed to have very cheer full time, although their husbands and sweethearts were absent.
 The ball room was decorated with palms, and the banquet table, extending almost the entire length of the room, was beautifully decorated with white and pink roses and shaded candles. The ladies were in handsome dinner costumes. An was stringed orchestra which received early instructions not to monopolize.
 Mrs c. M. Tardy, president of Pel- ham chapter, presided at the banquet Mrs. J. A. Rountree, chairman of the general arrangement committee, was toastmaster, and there were several formal toasts as well as later ones which closed a brilliant evening
 Mrs Charles G. Brown, who was yes terday reelected as president of the division, responded to the toast, "The Alabama Division.''
 Mrs A. l.. Dowdell, secretary general of the General U. D. C., spoke on, ''The Labors of a General Secretary" Mrs. J. N. Thompson, former president, re- sponded to the toast, After Having Been President" Mrs. E. L. Pride, secretary Bright Spots in a Secretarys Life" Miss Wilcox responded for the press Mrs B. B. Ross. first vice president, re- sponded to the toast, Monuments Why?' Miss Lillie Pratt spoke of work among new chapters.
 Mrs. Harvey E. Jones of Mobile, his torian of the division, responded to the toast Under the Flag" Mrs. Mary G. P;ckens, chairman of the Children of the Confederacy, was to have responded to the toast, Daughters and Sons of the Future" but was unable to be present. She sent greetings and her response to this toast was read by another guest The closing toast was by Mrs. Chappell Cory, president of the William l.. Yam cey chapter, her charm as a speaker and her eloquent words of farewell bring ing forth applause.
 To the toast Good Night and Good by" Mrs Cory responded as follows:
 The hour to part has almost come, and the pleasant task is mine to sweeten the parting, if I can, with good night full of love, and a good-by radiant with the promise of another greeting time. It is not a farewell song I am called to sing. If so, I could not have borne the burden. But good night, rightly said. carries with it right good wishes. It is full of tenderness that wants the very best to happen to ones friend; as sweet sleep, and, if dreams must come, then rosy smiling dreams; and sort of unuttered prayer for happy waking to an innocent and happy morning. We say good night expecting that the curtain dropped by night shall rise again, and the day be all the brighter for the rest time. So when the daughters of Birmingham say good night to you their good wishes follow to your pillow and finger there, but their thought and hopes and hearts are looking toward the dawn so little while away, when we all shall greet each other in the shining busy day.
 And what is goodbye but just good night reaching over many nights and days, full of the same tender wish and hopes, looking forward just little longer to a near or distant greeting? May all good things attend you till that other greeting time is come and flowers spring beneath your footsteps on the way, even as your presence here has filled our homes and hearts with bloom.
 Goodbye whispers in the sweet and tender harmony of the word, of joys that we have had together, with a shade of sorrow overlaying them down for even one years brief span But what, after all, is the regret of goodbye, compared to the comfort and joy of knowing the past is the only bud and promise of the future? Even through tears, tomorrow sends radiant light.
 So when we say good night and good bye take it as message of our faith that we shall meet again and yet once more, and yet again, till we say goodbye to all things of time and sense. And even then good bye is the Chrisitian's link between the yesterday of life on earth and the tomorrow of life in heaven. The Gentle Nazarene came into this un- welcoming world to banish "farewells'' from the bed of death and substitute good-byes.
 So we, who labor so earnestly to pre- serve from the cold farewell of careless human history the memory and the glory of our hero kindred can smile at part ing. Although our eyes may meet and our hands may clasp no more this side the grave, it is only a goodbye.
 We shall surely meet in that some where land" and hear the welcome plaudit that waits the patriot "she has done what she could"
 Once more, good night and goodbye, sweet dreams and rosy mornings till the flight of time shall bring you back to us again, every one.
 The souvenir programmes were most attractive. The following was the menu, to which the Daughters paid their re- spects during a programme of patriotic airs:
 Bouches.
 Bouillon de volatile, en tasse.
 Whipped cream.
 Salted almonds Pimolas. Celery hearts.
 Confection.
 Fresh shrimps law Newburg,
 en Ramequins, Pomme de Terre,
 en Bordure
 Small patties, au Champignon.
 New potatoes.
 Roast spring chicken, farci, cresson.
 Raspberry ice
 Petts Pois, Francaise.
 Salad de Tomat, Frappe, Aux Laiture.
 Banquet waters
 Ice cream, au fait individual.
 Gateau aSeortes.
 Demi Tasse.
 The committee on courtesies made It's re- port in which thanks of the Daughters