Vermont Dairymen's Association. 125 



THE BANQUET. 



Probably the most impressionistic event of the meeting was 

 the banquet, which about 350 people sat down to at eight o'clock, 

 Wednesday evening, in the Van Ness dining room. Souvenir 

 menu cards, a salt shake and an ash tray were at every plate — 

 gifts from separator and salt firms exhibiting at the meeting. 



When all were seated there appeared in line 45 waitresses, 

 bringing trays laden with soup plates, all under charge of cap- 

 tain-generalissimo H. E. Woodbury. Soon the orchestra, tuning 

 in the entrance way, burst into rhythmic melody, the finest strains 

 almost inaudible above the chatter of assembled guests at the five 

 long tables. It was a grand occasion already and a serious one 

 apparently for the hotel men, who were thoroughly alert to their 

 responsibilities. 



THE SPEECHMAKING. 



After the "all out" order to the waitresses, President H. C. 

 Bruce introduced F. L. Greene of St. Albans as toastmaster, say- 

 ing of him that President McKinley remarked that he was the 

 best toastmaster he had ever seen behind a table. 



Mr. Greene ably sustained his reputation, presenting the 

 speakers with clear and interesting remarks and an inexhaustible 

 fund of applicable stories. He ranged from the ludicrous to the 

 poetical, or to serious discourse, moving men to sympathy. His 

 elastic smile, on occasion, was one of the treasured memories of 

 the evening. 



Mayor Jame;s E. Burke: 



Responding to the sentiment, "The Queen City," spoke of 

 Burlington as the convention, educational and trading center of 

 the State. He is a man of directness — a man of the people, and 

 voiced many truths. He paid a tribute to Gov. Bell, which 



