The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-23
Delightful Surprise Accorded
Local Postal Clerks Last
Evening While at Their An
nuaI Banquet.
ISLANDERS RENDERED.
SONG OF 40 VERSES
At the Conclusion, However,
1t Was Discovered the vis-
itors Were Only Disguised
Office Employees.

The male employees OF the Rich
mond postoffice. including city and
rural carriers. clerks and all other at
taches, together with few invited
guests. celebrated Washington's birth
day anniversary in a most delightful
manner last evening. in the Odd Eel
lows hall
The affair was in accord with an
established custom Of the Richmond
postoffice to observe with a banquet
and musical program. the anniversary
though previous observances have
been noteworthy in all respects. last
nights affair capped the climax in all
particulars.
Staff Efficient One.
The high standing of the Richmond
office has been brought about by the
very thorough system of cooperation
between employees and the postmaster
and the public, which has been served
SO well. can never begrudge the force
| a night Of extreme enjoyment. There
was only one outburst Of seriousness
| last night. That was an address by
Postmaster Spekenhier on the Value
of the Demerit System" as in vogue
at the local office. and it proved In
teresting. The remainder of the ev-
ening was one OF surprises for all
concerned. At $3.50 o'clock the gong
sounded and all hands seated them
selves to a repast that the cabinet
of President Roosevelt would have
been proud to have sampled.
Turkey to Toothpiets.
| There was everything digestiklo
and indigestible from turkey down
| to toothpicks and and when the finish
came there was nothing left for do
nations to the poor. During the pro-
gress Of the banquet a messenger boy
entered the hall and made straight for
Perry ]. Freeman. former postmaster.
a special guest of the evening. and
handed to him bulky envelope which
was sealed with red wax and berib-
boned in a profuse manner. Mr..
Freeman opened the envelope and
read to the assembled guests the con-
tents of the missive within. II was
to the effect that King Rapoldatiou.
of one of the islands in the Samoan
group, together with four Of his
slave" girls were on their way from
the South Pacific to Washington. d.
c., to attend the Inauguration of Pres
ident Taft and in Difference to Wash
ington's birthday and the celebration
being held by the postoffice employees
in Richmond, the United States gov-
ernment had ordered a stop here for
the evening.
Entrance Of The King.
Fifteen minutes later the doors to
the dining hall were pried open by
the king" who chanced to be Lawr-
, ence A. Handley, superintendent OF
carriers. Close on his trail tripped
: the slave girls" impersopated by
) Louis Newcomer, Harry Young, Clar-
ence Foreman and John Maag. Tho
. costuming Of the 'maidens' was ex-
, quisite and evidently a very close
: study of the modes prevailing in the
Samoan group had been made. The
dazzling natural beauty of the maid
ems" was enhanced by the bewilder-
ing display of silks and costly gems
with which they were adorned. The
banquet hall resounded with the 40
verse song that the slave" girls and
the king" rendered and there was
| not an employe of the postoffice to
escape calling" the peculiarities Of
each being played upon. This fea'
ture of the program being kept a well.
guarded secret until it had been
sprung. was heartily enjoyed.
Had Fiddler Contest.
L. L. Parks and George Culbertso1.
two rural carriers. engaged I'm Id
dlers contest in which the old fash
ioned tunes" predominated. and hon
> ors were declared even by the ESSEN
bled guests. The postal quintet com
!, posed of Edgar Mote. Perry J. Free
man. Will Morgan. Ollie Hill and u.
8. Coe, sang several numbers, some
of them sounding familiar and others
! being difficult to distinguish. Tbs
3 evening wound up with = social seo-
2 sion at which progressive euchre and
other games were enjoyed.
II George washinolon's memory
survives another year. the Richmond
{ postoffIce employees win oncs more
: make proper observance