Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-03-06
SURPRISE ON JUDGE KENNEDY.
Presented With a Magnificent
Gold Headed Cane by Friends
On His 80 Birthday.

On HIS % b1rJnOay.
Mrs Kennedy decided to give the
Judge a genuine surprise last Friday
evening and sent word to number OF
lawyers, ministers and the editors
that she would be pleased to have
them attend six o'clock dinner, but
function figured out that something
beyond dinner was concealed in the
social summons, and it was discovered
by some of the inquisitive guests that
the Judge was SO years old, and the
"boyS" decided to do little surpris-
ing on their own account.
The Judge had been in bed all day
Thursday but was up and around the
house Friday afternoon, and great
was his surprise when he found pre-
parations for an elaborate dinner in
progress about the time the guests
arrived, and at 6:3O the guests were
seated to enjoy a delicious dinner
which was served in courses.
Those present were Rev. W. Alfred
Cave, Rev. G. s. Evans, Oscar s. Gift
ford, Arthur r. Brown, A. b. Carl
son, Asa Forest, jr., Charles Q. Knud-
son, Clinton e. Benedict, John G.
Solem, Floyd Cooper, Claude Bennett,
Frank Nash, d. S. Waldo, Albert
Gardner and Arthur Linn, and at
the head of the table sat the gentle
man in whose honor the party had as
sembled.
At the conclusion of the dinner the
editor of the LEADER announced that
it was customary on such occasions
for someone to express the apprecia-
tion of the assembled guests, and
with many brilliant members OF the
legal profession present, it would be
eminently fair to give the expounders
of the Gospel the opening address,
consequently Rev. Cave was called
upon to lead.
He discussed the pulpit and the bar
as the greatest elements in promoting
and sustaining civilization and looked
with fatherly kindness upon the edi-
itors present as the real peace makers.
Then he referred to the event of the
evening and illustrated his desire to
cut his refnarks short with an anus
ing story of man and a barber and
a chicken, and resumed his seat while
the guests applauded.
Hon. A. r. Brown was the next
gentleman called upon, and as a rep
resentative of the most numerous
class of professional gentlemen pres
ent, he was not limited to the eyi-
dence but was fully authorized to
cover the entire case as lawyers usual
lly do if not called down by the court.
He referred tenderly and lovingly
to the pulpit and spoke of the great
work Of the gentlemen who labor for
humanity and pray for the sick and
the lawyers, and bless the editors and
marry the widows, and then remem-
bered the editors with a few compli-
mentaries, and passed on to the glor-
les and brilliancy of the gentlemen
who solve the problems that disturb
the human race from misfit marriages
to drainage bitches. The speaker was
in an exceedingly happy frame OF
mind which called for a story. Then
| he devoted "brief" or two to the
dignified head of the table and ex-
pressed pleasure at participating in
the happy event of the evening. and
closed his case amid hearty applause
The press was called upon next to
defend it's standing among such a
brilliant array Of takers and Editor
Nash did it we'll. He said that edi-
1 tors were the greatest takers in the
world and did it SO modestly and so
/ effectively that they were justly con-
/ sidered the "moulders Of public opin-
ion." They did their great moulding
stunt with the pen while the others
did it with their-eloquence. He said
/ editors were too modest and tender
hearted to peel the bark off sinners or
law breakers; they confined themsel-
/ YES to politics and seed corn and let
| it go at that. He spoke Of the happy
event which called the guests togeth-
er and hoped to see more of them,
and the press retired with laurels and
applause.
The editor of the LEADER thought
the press was properly vindicated and
called upon the distinguished benefic-
|iary of the surprise to be heard in his
own defense.
i Judge Kennedy arose and responded
with an eloquent tribute to the kind
ness and consideration of his friends
for their greeting and their esteem
! for one who had lived so long among
them as citizen and a lawyer. He
paid the pulpit and the bar and the
press high compliment, and assured
his guests that the occasion would
ever remain one Of the brightest
events in his life and thanked one
and all for their presence.
y During the dinner hour Miss Jessie
Roderick rendered very enjoyable
musical program assisted by Milliarc
Kennedy on the clarionet. Imagine
the Judges surprise for there sat hi.