Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
merry SPREE ENDS
Friends of Mr.. Caramel Gently
Carry Him Home.
CLUB NOT QUITE FORMED
"The Christmas Carol Quartet"
Gives One Serenade, However.
FAIL TO REVIVE OLD CUSTOMS
Names Of Obsolete Musical Instru-
ments and Stems Of Beer Do
Not Harmonize.
CLUB NOT QUITE FORMED
FAIL TO REVIVE OLD CUSTOMS

ments and Stems of Beer Do
Not Harmonic.
Three men walked tinlidly down that |
street in Mount Pleasant which bears no
relation whatsoever to any other |
in the Districts highway |
plan, and rang timidly at the bell to
Mr.: Caramel's house. They were Mr.. j.
Dennison Bounce. Mr.. Lapsley and Mr.. |
Cool. Mr. Caramel was evidently wait
ing for them inside. for as the bell jim
gled he appeared suddenly. like
marionet in a children's Christmas play.
us it all right?' whispered Mr.. Cool.
yes. I told her that I had to go out
with some friends to a citizens assoeia-
ton meeting. Tee hee.''
Tee hee," echoed Mr.. Cool.
'Tee hee,' murmured Mr.. ]. Dennison
Bounce
Zee hee," rippled Mr.. Lapsley. I told
my wife I had to go to the Office"
And with that the guilty quartet softly
stepped down the six concrete front steps
and turned their heads with .one accord
in the direction Of thing the proprietor
called palm garden. because he sold
beer and had six imitation palms badly
in need of a vacuum cleaner.
Mr.. Caramel ordered -four with the
air of experience, recalled from time
when he could indulge in malt without
calling the place citizens association
meeting.
And now. gentlemen" said Mr.. Cool
as he placed his stein upon the table,
what shall we call ourselves?"
WELL said Mr.. Caramel, 81 had been
thinking that something alliterative would
be fine Something like The Christmas
Carol Quartet
Stems Take the Usual Course.
-Four stems went to four mouths, and
as four threats were slaked with four
large drafts, four heads nodded affirma-
lively. while Mr.. Cool, in his impetuous
manner, shouted:
Fine"
do We sing?" asked ]. Dennison
Bounce.
Christmas waits what did you expect
to do. Walk a tight roper
why, no. not exactly. thought waits
played on instruments"
'Oh. as for that" interposed Mr.. Laps
ley, waits can play. you know. and
sing. too
"WeI," said Mr. Caramel, 'ff we sing
and play at the same time We have to
have string instruments and the waits
read about all play the hautboy."
THE haw-what?" asked j. DenpisOn
Bounce.
"Hautboy-its an old English instru-
ment. something like clarinet. looks
like this"
The three looked and beheld Mr.. Cara
mel make terrific snoot of his mouth,
while his fingers went prancing up and
down an imaginary instrument which ex-
tended below his waist. He played an
imaginary flourish.
"See-that kind Of thing Can't you
imagine one of these real old English
waits. with green greatcoat and a pur-
n
a furze bush and playing a Noel on a
hautboy?'
I Mr. Lapsley lifted hand to his mouth
and confided in j. Dennison Bounce:
He's drunk Already. He amt the sport
I took him to be-
whats a fir bush-a Christmas tree?"
aAnd a Noel?" asked J. Dennison
Bounce
Tells Them What They Need.
Jaw, you fellows make me SICK" an
swered Mr.. Caramel. as he pushed his
stein forward at a replenishing sugges-
ton from Mr.. Lapsley. What you need
| is a course in old English customs-fine
old days, those-fine old days-yule logs.
mulled ale, plum pudding" and he looked
around him.
one of his relentless unbelievers.
"Aw-it's a kind of bush. Waits popped
up behind from 'em. That's what we
have to do"
Have we got one up here in Mount
"Well, Mr.. Cool. I know hedge re-
sponded the affable Mr.. Caramel, "Old
Dodo Simonds has one. and We can pop
up from behind it., just as some of our
| friends come along and sing right out on
'em. Crisp air, song-good cheer, you
| know
| The waiter appeared with the four
stems, and Mr.. Caramel produced from
his inside pocket. with great solicitude,
| four pieces of typewrittsn paper.
Here he said, II have written a
round
Around nothing. It's round, not
| around"
"You rummy. that's what I said.''
You didn't"
| did"
Didn't
I'll leave it to the crowd.
But the crowd was divided.
Listen pleaded Mr.. Caramel This
| is a-get that "a"-round. Round is a
| chorus. but the verse will be easy. Lis
ten now:
Frost and snow. good cheer. Ho!. no.!
! "See, there's the local color right there.
| Frost and snow
<"Yes, but 1t might rain and be muddy,
interposed J. Dennison.
"Shucks! You're always looking to spoil
something. Gimme a chance:
Chance for Harmony.
"'Frost and snow. good cheer. Ho! no!
Heigh no, the holly!'
That gives a swell chance for harmony
| hol-l-lele-e-e-e-
who's going to write the music!
| asked Mr. Lapsley from his stein.
"Oh that's all right: Well get that all
right. Just gimme a chance, for heaven S
sake. on this:
Frost and snow, good cheer. Ho! no!
Heigh no, the holly!
For Christmas comes but once year;
Sing and be jolly
! There! What do you think of that?"
"Well, it's all right If we can get some
music"
Then the four put their heads together
and began a series of experiments In
harmony which worried the head waiter
exceedingly, because they had the APP
pearance Of quiet customers. and he hated
to think of spilling them all out on the
| sidewalk. However, they seemed to agree
on a sprightly tune for their words, and
started their talk on instrumental music.
"All the pictures / ever saw or waits,
said Mr.. Cool, Showed them playing
musical instruments. Now, wouldn't 1t
be fine IL we could all get some old-time
instruments and play them when we
| weren't singing?'
sWell," Mr. Caramel said. with an air
of authority, "of course 1t might be a lit