The New York herald., 1922-10-28
NCURABLE IS HOST
AT COOD-BY DINNER
Veteran Who Feels Death
Near Entertains Fifty
ut Cheerful Table.
WANTS A JOLLY TIME
Percy Evans Makes Speech
to Old Friends in Oranges
After Losing Fight.
INJURED IN GAS ATTACK
Preferred Comforts Of Home to
Spending Time for Rest in
Sanitarium.
INJURED IN GAS ATTACK

George p. Evans, 80, who lives alone
in the home which his parents left to
him at 24S Main street, East Orange,
realized few days ago that his fight
against tuberculosis. which he had
been carrying on ever since one night
in France when the Germans sent
over cloud of gas, was as good as
lost, and that. even If he was lucky,
he could live only two or three more
weeks
So Thursday night he called some of
his old boyhood friends and a few Of
his war comrades about him and pre-
sided at his own farewell dinner.
Evans, who has been known TO his
friends as Percy Evans" ever since
he wore knee trousers about the
streets of East Orange, was one Of
the first dozen men from the Oranges
to volunteer when the United States
declared war on Germany.
He served with the engineers and
went through the war as a private.
He returned an invalid, and for sew
eral months he stayed at the Essex
Mountain Sanitarium at Verona, n. j.
Failed to Keep Up Cure.
Somehow Evans believed that no
amount of fresh air and no amount OF
taking care of himself would save his
life. He had an income, so when the
restrictions of the sanitarium began to
get on his nerves he moved back TO his
old home. in Main street. East Orange.
and began living out his days as cheer
fully as he could.
Six months agoq he told some friends
who went to see him one afternoon that
when he was pretty sure the fight was
up he would give a dinner party. The
first Of this week fifty OF his friends
received invitations.
The fifty friends went early Thursday
night into the blue room OF the old
clubhouse of the Washington Society,
which was the headquarters Of the old
Orange Club. They gathered about the
table, and just before the clock struck
z taxicab rolled up TO the front of the
clubhouse Percy Evans got out slowly,
and, supported by two friends. walked
He was pale. but he was smiling. and
he wore a bright red flower in his but
tonhole.
Puts No Limit on Guests.
They propped him up at the head OF
the table in big easy chair, with three
pillows back of him. and then every
body sang For He's jolly Good Fell
low" He put up his hand.
You can go tho limit tonight" he
said Nothing Is barred. I only ask
YOU not TO wreck the place. / told the
Washington Society when / rented this
room that we would be careful, and I'm
responsible for damages.
The guests sat down and they went
through with the dinner the orchestra
playing merry music, and Percy himself
frowning on everything that smacked
OF melancholy. Those at the party said
II was as jolly an affair as ever was
held in the old days when the steIns on
the wall were filled with foam and no.
body's thought was of war or death.
Thomas Cudire, Democratic leader in
the Oranges, was toastmaster. He made
n little speech and gave Evans a silver
loving oap and a cane, while everybody
sang some more and the orchestra played
old drinking songs. Then there were
more speeches. Joseph Finneran, a pro-
fessional ballplayer, who used to play
with Percy when they were boys on the
sand lots In East Orange, spoke Of other
times with only the slightest trace OF
sadness. And then they prevailed on
Percy to speak.
Expects BelI TO Ring for Him.
The orchestra stopped, and Evans
leaning weakly with his hands on the
blue checked table cloth and swaying
ever so slightly. began.
"I'l try not TO be sentimental" he
said, "but | know | have only a few
more days left I'm like all the others
who have what I've got inside here
be tapped his chest--'we going along
getting worse and then some day IL comes
on US suddenly and rs all over. | know
Z. won't be much longer. that's why
wanted 20 have you here. The old bell
On the church down on the corner. the
Church OF Our Lady Help of Christians
eill be ding-donging for me. like I've
heard Il ding-donging for a lot of other
fellows, though most of them were older
Than J.
"Come 10 think Of II, there isn't any
thing I wanted 10 say TO you tonight
except. maybe. that / appreciate your
coming TO see mo when ] was fiat on my
back. simply wanted TO have you
with me and hear you sing and laugh
again before the old bell"
He slumped back In his chair grinned
and waved his hand toward the orches-
ira, commanding
Something Jolly. please"