FALLING LEAVES 321 



In the early watches of the night, like the leaf 

 that is hurried away by a passing storm into the 

 depths of the forest, he has departed. And he will 

 no more return. He loved the whole SADDLE AND 

 SIRLOIN world, and contributed through his unique 

 mentality to its enrichment. 



We have been dealing here in large degree with 

 men of the long ago; but I now begin to realize 

 that, as a matter of fact, the charmed circle of those 

 with whom I have walked and talked and worked 

 within my own lifetime is rapidly narrowing. One 

 by one the oldest and the best of friends are taking 

 their way silently into the shades; and year after 

 year the SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB will become to 

 me more and more a place of memories. Happily, 

 however, the pictures and the scenes and incidents 

 which they recall exert, not a feeling of depression, 

 but of deep and mellow satisfaction. These men 

 have not really gone on and left nothing of them- 

 selves for our comfort and consolation. Here they 

 have met and exchanged words and sentiments that 

 live. Each has given something of himself to what 

 I can only call again the "atmosphere" of these 

 rooms. Nowhere else have these splendid types of 

 men come together so intimately. No other spot 

 has been the rendezvous of so many who have 



