Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-19
By Members Of the Fa-
nous Gridiron Club.
Enjoys Jokes on Himself As
Well As Those on Others.
Keen 1hrssts and Jlbes, Jokes and
Songs Order Of the Evening.

Washington, April 1S.-The broiler of
the Gridiron Club, that famous organ
ization Of newspaper men. was kept
busy Saturday night serving up wit
and humor at a special dinner compli-
mentary to the new administration,
given in the hall of the New Willard.
Care was taken that men prominent
in the public eye got all that was com
ing to them in the way OF thrusts and
tibes that kept the great assemblage
In q constant state of uproar. And then,
too there were some skits by an aggre-
CATION Of scintillating stars that would
have put to blush many VINO count
themselves In the class of professionals
or course President Taft was there,
as were Speaker Cannon, members or
the cabinet and the diplomatic corps
senator's and representatives, men hlgn
In the Industrial and financial world
and plenty of others of distinction.
In the absence Of Pres. Henry Hall,
who ia lust recovering from long III
ness. Vice Pres. Scott c. Bone OF the
Washington Herald presided over the
evenings doings.
As soon as the diners were seated the
room was thrown into darkness, wniie
n musical welcome was extended to the
DISTINGUISHED guests. Then the MAN.
moth electric gridiron flashed INTO
view, the lights were turned on
throughout the room and the fun com
mcnced
Almost the first thing to greet the
guests was a handful distributed by
some speedy messenger boys announc-
ing that there would be great MN
strel show by allstar performers, IN
GLIDING "vocalists, comedians ana
cabinet officers"
This undoubtedly was the hit OF the
evening. In true minstrel fashion with
all The accomplishments of busters ana
q more or less discOrdant band. TINS
troupe of club talent paraded through
the hall before going on the stage
The program of the show was cie.-
or imitation of the real thing. even to
the naming of the executive staH' To-
gether with special mote by tre
management" which called attention
TO what was to come and added the IN
function that there should be no HOW
ers.
eating through Georgia" was the
oDener, and it ran like this:
Sound the good old dinner horn. we'll sing
another song ,
About the trip that Taft once made
when with digestion strong,
Uc ate his share OF everything that they
would bring along:
AS we went eating through Georgia
We tackled the opossum that they took
care to bake! ILL,
We ate canned watermelon and dish
they called hoe-cake:
kl,o oil
We didn't even draw the line III aliisato'
AS we went eating through Georgia.
BY Southern hospitality our hearts were
And we resolved to do the very oest 'i"'
could be done
For Democrats and so We saved some pie
AS we went eating through Georgia.
And the chorus. Well it would crate on
the nerves of hungry man if he heard
these words:
Hurrah, Hurrah, we sound the jubilee:
Uurrah. Hurrah. twas something fine to
We put away three meals a day.
And sometimes three times three.
AS we went eating through Georgia
Then there ensued some lively CONVEX
sation between the middlemen. who posed
as the Vice President" and the Speaker
of the House and the cabinet officers.
who composed the balance of the troupe.
After good deal of sparring over what
was the meaning Of dead literature,
and whether 1t referred to Sanscrit or
Aztec. the end man declared 1t to b.
Presidents messages.
Say. Mr.. Vice President" member
of the cabinet" inquired, do you re-
member the morning when all those boil
ers blew up and scared a lot of people,"
20. yes. remember 1t perfectly; but
do not see why it should have scared any
body 1t was merely a big noise