AMATEUR THEATRICALS 177 



filled us with admiration, while its probable ex- 

 pense appalled us, and his proposal was rejected 

 with few dissenting voices, among which Dan- 

 iel's was the loudest. 



The Professor opined that a handsome dinner- 

 set would always be appreciated. The neigh- 

 bors all agreed to this, but as prevailing opinion 

 appeared to be in favor of doing something orig- 

 inal, the proposal was voted down, with apolo- 

 gies to the Professor. The two old ladies thought 

 an old-fashioned sideboard or highboy would be 

 a good thing. We all concurred in this with great 

 enthusiasm, but as nobody present was willing 

 to sacrifice his antique furniture, and as the en- 

 tire crowd were in a state of deep financial de- 

 pression, the idea was abandoned. 



Cut glass was beyond our means, silverware 

 out of date, if not ditto, tin and wooden more 

 suitable to our station in life, and so we decided 

 on tin, wood, leather, zinc, and brass. 



How to give them ? was the next question. 

 This caused great discussion, in which all mem- 

 bers took an active part. 



One of the old-fashioned gentlemen, however, 

 made a tremendous hit with his speech. Draw- 

 ing himself up to his full height and placing one 

 hand on his hip and flourishing his pince-nez 

 with the other he thus addressed us : - 



"Fellow citizens, ah, friends and neighbors, 



