Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-07-01
PYTHIANS GAVE A BANQUET
Last Meeting Previous to the Sum-
mer Vacation was Made
Jolly Social affair.

Last Tuesday evening the Pythian
Brotherhood of Lancaster had a full
house; it was gala evening for them
and they assembled from near and far
to close up most successful season.
The number of automobiles packed
around the court house square showed
that number of them had braved
the hot weather to join in last pre-
vacation convention.
But, Gosh it was hot in the hall.
| should have written castle, for
Pythians never meet in a hall; they
always meet in a castle. -Four buzz
zers were trying to get the heat out
of the windows, but only succeeded
in stirring up the dust and forcing it
up to the ceiling One powerful
blast by the buzzer and lights went
out, just as two neophites in charge
of Vulcan entered the castle and
were put in charge of an undertaken,
and after passing bravely through a
most trying ordeal they earned the
golden spurs. | could not see who
buckled them on; it was too dark.
Nevertheless these neophites were
properly initiated into Knighthood.
The old fashioned knights, such as
the knights of Malta and others, were
always clad in steel armor, with steel
helmet and visor, and carried a sword
or lance and rode big horse, but
we latter day Knights take it more
easy and comfortable. Had squad
of these old time Knights entered our
castle hall Tuesday night they would
have felt disguised, as that whole
bunch of Lancaster Knights were in
their shirt sleeves with sleeves rolled
up, and there was one great big
Knight who had even his collar off,
and instead of lance or sword they
were armed with stogas and some
with pipes.
About the time of night when
ghosts are supposed to be stalking
about, the assembly adjourned to
Hoffman's to partake of a banquet.
The eats were all right; there was
ice cream and pickles and paper
napkins and good coffee, and water
and stacks of buns, properly halved
with ham sandwiched between, and
there were other things to eat. |
did not undertake to tackle any of
them, but | noticed two undertakers
undertake to get away with one; |
mean each with one. One of them
stepped back two feet with mouth
open and ran against one. shudder-
ed and turned around, but the sand
witch was gone when / came to.
There was music galore; a man
skilled in the art kept turning the
crank of the Victor and the quivering
notes flew out as one sees them in
the picture books and the various
tunes, from Marching Through
Georgia, as sung by Sherman $
Army, to ''Home Sweet Home" and
Rocked In the Cradle of the Deep, =
were ground out successfully.
1t is customary at banquets that
$50 called after dinner speeches be
delivered, but only one guest is al
lowed to talk at a time. 1t was
different at this eat; the whole bunch
were talking at the same time as is
the usual custom at regular Katie
klatch.
Every thing on this sphere has an
end and so must banquet. In con-
clusion the knighted Knights caused
a box of fragrant cigars to be opened
and passed around. Everybody
smoked, but the smoke got so thick
that it obscured the electric lights
and the boys CROPPED their way out
of the banquet hall.
1t is difficult to tell how many
were present but Hoffman, the land
lord, stood at the door; he knows,