FIRST ANNUAL BANQUET. 155 



of respect and reverence to age and learning, and as he 

 returned to his home it was in the full consciousness of 

 victory. The next day he returned to give his accustomed 

 lessons. Of course, there was added majesty to his de- 

 meanor, there was conscious authority and victory in his 

 eye as he walked up the long aisle ; the flunkies bowed 

 lower than ever, the doors were flung open to him, and, as 

 he entered the hall from the upper end, there came tripping 

 down gracefully to meet him, courtesying humbly as siie 

 came, the Princess Alice. The Doctor rejoiced at the 

 completeness of his victory. But lo! as she reached him, 

 bowing low but looking archly up, she cries out — *' Good 

 morning to you, Hicks. How are you to-day, Hicks? I 

 hope you are in a better humor to-day than you were yes- 

 terday. And now, old Hicks, good-night, for I am going 

 to bed." Now, don't laugh the wrong way about that, for 

 I am afraid your sympathies are with the Princess Alice 

 instead of with Doctor Hicks. 



But, gentlemen, let us not forget the serious side of this 

 matter. In addition to the defeated aspirants for the law- 

 ful honors of Betala alba^ the ferules, raw-hides, rattans, 

 straps, et id omne genus^ there comes direct from the Court 

 of England, backed by British authority, — and who will 

 deny by British gold, — this new and ignoble competitor, 

 endeavoring to supplant the products of our American for- 

 ests. We have stood such things as long as we may, and 

 now I appeal to you, gentlemen, in the name of our coun- 

 try, to protect Betida alba from all foreign importations, 

 from the rawhide of South America, the rattan of India, 

 the ferule, come whence it may, and especially from this 

 last innovation of an effete and, I may say, a bed-ridden 

 monarchy ; and I ask in behalf of the cause I seek to up- 

 hold, that the Trustees of the Garden join hand in hand 

 with the educational associations of the State and, appear- 

 ing before Congress, demand a prohibitory tariff against 

 this and everything else, for the protection of our native 

 and all-powerful Betula alba. 



