The Washington times., 1911-02-28
DINNER UNMARRIED
BY NIGHT SESSION
University Club Banquet
Goes Merrily on Despite
Senator's Absence.

The all-night session of the United
States Senate could not mar the pleas
ure or program of the University Club
dinner last night, regardless of tae fact
that the tOastmaster and half the guests
of the speakers table were locked in the
Senate chamber and could not get away
only one of the prisoners broke jail"
and that was Senator Depew, who left
long enough to sing his swan song"
while making one of the wittiest and
most graceful speeches of his life. Sen
atOr Carter, who was 10 have presided,
found no way in which he could elude
the Sergeants-at-ArmS, but a worthy
substitute was found and the fun went
along just the same.
This famous Club-famous for the
personnel of its membership, its hospi-
tality, its culture, and its dinners-was
al its best last night. Nearly GOO men,
bcrS and their guests sat in the big
banquet hall of the Willard and took
a personal part in the whole joyful
proceeding.
Fun Starts Early.
Most dinners really begin about II
o'clock. The first three hours are usu-
ally devoted to the serious business
of eating. After that the diners manage
to have some fun. Last night the fun
started with the first course, and II did
not stop until the big chamber was
cleared
President Taft, Senator Depew, Rep
resentative-elect Martin w. Littleton,
and Ambassador Bryce were the speak
ers Of the evening. Mr.. LittletOn led
off. He proved himself princely story
teller and finished orator. He has none
of the violence of gesture or volume of
voice which characterizes some famous
public speakers. but the Tennesseean-
TeXan-New Yorker is all there when
II comes To making d striking and ef-
fcctVe after-dinner speech.
The British ambassador, Mr.. Bryce,
was given an ovation by the diners. He
always receives a hearty welcome from
an American audience. hut he was
never more heartily greeted than when
he came among the club members last
night He told them about the differ
cnCeS in the organization Of the English
and American universities, but the spirit
and the culture and the life of them. he
added. was not different.
Some of Features.
But then there were many features
Of the clubs own program that made
the dinner worthy Of a club famed for
its unique banQuets. There was a raised
platform in TIA" middle of the dining
hall and directly in front of the
speakers table On this there were
Various performances and various
stunts.
\ boy choir sang and was Chez cd TO
the echo. The clubs amalgamatcd
Quartcts sang from time to time. Negro
SOngsterS, some Of them the real thing
and some of them only limitations, did
their part. and from this same dais a
member in cap and gown delivered
medals of honor to Mr.. LittletOn, Sen
atOr Dcpew, the AMBASSADOR, and the
President
Between courses and during cours 5
the orchestra played wildly, and the
members sang ioyfullN. In the menu
was nrogram of nearly 1O0 popular
songs. TO got one of these songs start
, i it was only necessary for enough
members TO CLINE together to make
themselves heard. Then the song would
sweep over the whole hall.
There were lots of little touches TO
last nights dinner. which made it dis
tinctivef There were clown caps and
other hidcouS headgear distributed
about 10 o'clock. and when the diners
J.ut them on the whole floor was like
a field of nOddinE color.