Alfalfa Club Dinner Program
Title
Alfalfa Club Dinner Program
Creator
Alfalfa Club Dinner Program
Identifier
WWP16464
Date
1923 April 21
Description
Program for the Tenth Dinner of the Alfalfa Club of Washinton.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
WASHINGTON, DC
TO
OUR GUESTS OF HONOR
Charles Porterfield Light
Major JC Hemphill
Milton C. Elliott
Hark, Alfalfans! either renew the fight,
Or tear the Lights out of Charlie’s coat!
[Drawing of coat of arms]
THE LIGHT COAT OF ARMS
Let there be Light; and there was Light.
THAT was way back yonder when the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Then the firmament, and
“Where aeons ago, with half shut eye,
The sluggish saurian crawled to die.”
There is the next hint of the Light Family. It was not much of a Light but in those dark days the modest glow worm was a brilliant part of the soggy shores.
More aeons, and there was advancement in the Light Family—the gaudy Firefly cast a beam or two now and then. Still more aeons passed, and we find the Lights gathered about a hollow tree where fox fires’ heatless glow warned wild creatures that the Lights were about with appetites to eat.
The centuries unfolded. The Lights are now sporting a boar grease in a shell with crushed fibre for a wick; and thus was born the feeble rays of a dip.
Then did they a beauteous offspring create—’twas a one-cylinder candle, and the amorous Lights drank off candles’ ends from flap-dragons.
The Candle Lights were filled with the stuff that spells success and so rapidly did they rise in the ranks of the society Big Bugs that their Lightning Bug days were never mentioned.
Next came the Lantern Lights, forbears of the Lamp Lights. In the Volstead Age came a horde of wild automobiles from the Great Lakes regions, and many of the best Lamp Lights were Henried or otherwise destroyed.
The Nineteenth Century brought the Gas Lights, but along came the Electric Lights, who were wizards, and they turned night into day. These Lights, born under the sign of Aries or Taurus, were difficult to control. Many of them failed to generate magnetic personality and were quick to anger. It is whispered there were more blowouts and short circuits in the families of the Electric Lights than among any of their ancestors.
Others of the line deserving of mention are the Flash Lights and all their little Lights.
And then in the glow and splendor of Anno Domini 1923, came
CHARLES PORTERFIELD LIGHT
who, strange to say, is not even remotely related to Wine Light or Beer Light, the millionaires, who have gone into partial retirement.
Dinner Committee
John H. Carroll
Chairman
Wilds P. Richardson
Edgar C. Snyder
J. Harry Cunningham
Joseph H. Gaines
Richard W. Hynson
William F. Roberts
Wendell C. Neville
George Richards
Charles B. Ward
P. St. Julien Wilson
Claudian B. NorthropThomas W. Brahany
Acting Secretary
for the Occasion[Cartoon drawing of two cooks carrying a steaming pot]MenuCOQUILLE SAUVAROFF
STRAINED CHICKEN GUMBO
olivesradishescurled celery
BROILED SHAD WITH ROE. M’AITRE D’HOTEL
cucumbers
SPRING LAMB, BOURGEOISE
mint sauce
new potatoesgreen peas, paysanne
BAKED SMITHFIELD HAM
madeira sauce
chiffonade salad
ICES
plombiere chantilly
sponge cakesfriandisespatisseries
COFFEE, DEMI TASSE
cigars
white rockcigarettes
[Cartoon drawing of two cooks wrestling a large fish.]
Guests
H. H. Adams
Herbert Lee Alexander
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Robert B. Armstrong
William Ballantyne
Lester A. Barr
Dr. Marcus Benjamin
J. F. M. Bowie
Frank G. Carpenter
William Clabaugh
J. Maxson Cunningham
Howard Chandler Christy
New York
George H. Cushing
Frank De Ronde
Major General Robert C. Davis
Joseph R. Draney
New York
Fred East
Frank H. Edmonds
Charles Elliott
Harry W. Finney
Karl Knox Gartner
Dr. Thoams E. Green
Frank S. Hight
George G. Hill
COl. John A. Hull
Matthew Horne
James D. Hobbs
George Adams Howard
Gaillard Hunt
Charles Elder Howe
Brig.-Gen. Frank T. Hines
Edmund L. Jones
Reginald H. Johnson
Boston
Rudolph Kauffmann
Brig.-Gen. R. C. Marshall, Jr.
Brig.-Gen. Charles McCawley
Rear-Adm. Newton A. McCully
H. Tudor Morsell
Martin B. Madden
Colonel Watson B. Miller
Colonel Henry May
Fleming Newbold
John Callan O’Laughlin
Captain George W. Phillips
Arthur B. Pierce
Samuel Ross
T. Baker Robinson
B. H. Roberts
Sadao Saburi
John Lewis Smith
William Walter Smith
Hamlin M. Vandervor
tHenry L. West
Frederic William Wile
George H. Wilson
Col. Clark C. Wright
[Cartoon drawing of a man with cane in periwig.]
The Alfalfa Club
Major-General Charles F. Humphrey
President
Major J. C. Hemphill
First Vice-President
Edgar C. Snyder
Second Vice-President
Colonel Wilds P. Richardson
Club Whip and Sergeant-at-Arms
Charles P. Light
Secretary-Treasurer
Milton C. Elliott
Toastmaster
Colonel John H. Carroll
Toastmaster for the Occasion
Thomas W. Brahany
Acting Secretary
Members in Attendance
Gibbs L. Baker
Thomas W. Brahany
Col. Barry Bulkley
H. Ralph Burton
L. White Busbey
Col. John H. Carroll
John H. Carroll, Jr.
George H. Carter
Justin Morrill Chamberlain
George B. Christian, Jr.
John B. Cochran
Col. Thomas S. Crago
Daniel R. Crissinger
J. Harry Cunningham
James C. Davis
M. C. Elliott
Edward C. Finney
Joseph H. Gaines
Hampson Gary
John M. Goodell
Elliot F. Goodwin
Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson
Dr. Louis S. Greene
Gilbert Grosvenor
Col. Henry Hall
Dr. Joseph M. Heller
Major J. C. Hemphill
Frank J. Hogan
Beale R. Howard
Maj.-Gen. Charles F. Humphrey
Richard W. Hynson
Coleman Jennings
Forney Johnston
Gus J. Karger
Charles P. Light
Charles Colfax Long
Rep. Nicholas Longworth
Chief Justice Walter I. McCoy
H. Frank McGee
Brig.-Gen. Charles H. Martin
Maj.-Gen. H. P. McCain
William J. McNally
Thomas H. McDonald
North O. Messenger
Dr. Willis L. Moore
Dr. Charles E. Munroe
Maj.-Gen. W. C. Neville
Claudian B. Northrop
George H. O’Connor
Richard W. Oulahan
J. E. Pennybacker
Senator Key Pittman
Brig.-Gen. George Richards
Col. Frank A. Richardson
Col. Wilds P. Richardson
William F. Roberts
Horace D. Rouzer
Frank E. Scobey
Arthur J. Sinnott
Major Wm. Wolff Smith
Edgar C. Snyder
Hugh M. Southgate
Joseph P. Tumulty
Senator James E. Watson
Charles V. Wheeler
Walter D. Wilcox
Capt. P. St. J. Wilson
[Cartoon drawing of a man roasting a chicken on a spit over a candle.]
TO
OUR GUESTS OF HONOR
Charles Porterfield Light
Major JC Hemphill
Milton C. Elliott
Hark, Alfalfans! either renew the fight,
Or tear the Lights out of Charlie’s coat!
[Drawing of coat of arms]
THE LIGHT COAT OF ARMS
Let there be Light; and there was Light.
THAT was way back yonder when the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Then the firmament, and
“Where aeons ago, with half shut eye,
The sluggish saurian crawled to die.”
There is the next hint of the Light Family. It was not much of a Light but in those dark days the modest glow worm was a brilliant part of the soggy shores.
More aeons, and there was advancement in the Light Family—the gaudy Firefly cast a beam or two now and then. Still more aeons passed, and we find the Lights gathered about a hollow tree where fox fires’ heatless glow warned wild creatures that the Lights were about with appetites to eat.
The centuries unfolded. The Lights are now sporting a boar grease in a shell with crushed fibre for a wick; and thus was born the feeble rays of a dip.
Then did they a beauteous offspring create—’twas a one-cylinder candle, and the amorous Lights drank off candles’ ends from flap-dragons.
The Candle Lights were filled with the stuff that spells success and so rapidly did they rise in the ranks of the society Big Bugs that their Lightning Bug days were never mentioned.
Next came the Lantern Lights, forbears of the Lamp Lights. In the Volstead Age came a horde of wild automobiles from the Great Lakes regions, and many of the best Lamp Lights were Henried or otherwise destroyed.
The Nineteenth Century brought the Gas Lights, but along came the Electric Lights, who were wizards, and they turned night into day. These Lights, born under the sign of Aries or Taurus, were difficult to control. Many of them failed to generate magnetic personality and were quick to anger. It is whispered there were more blowouts and short circuits in the families of the Electric Lights than among any of their ancestors.
Others of the line deserving of mention are the Flash Lights and all their little Lights.
And then in the glow and splendor of Anno Domini 1923, came
CHARLES PORTERFIELD LIGHT
who, strange to say, is not even remotely related to Wine Light or Beer Light, the millionaires, who have gone into partial retirement.
Dinner Committee
John H. Carroll
Chairman
Wilds P. Richardson
Edgar C. Snyder
J. Harry Cunningham
Joseph H. Gaines
Richard W. Hynson
William F. Roberts
Wendell C. Neville
George Richards
Charles B. Ward
P. St. Julien Wilson
Claudian B. NorthropThomas W. Brahany
Acting Secretary
for the Occasion[Cartoon drawing of two cooks carrying a steaming pot]MenuCOQUILLE SAUVAROFF
STRAINED CHICKEN GUMBO
olivesradishescurled celery
BROILED SHAD WITH ROE. M’AITRE D’HOTEL
cucumbers
SPRING LAMB, BOURGEOISE
mint sauce
new potatoesgreen peas, paysanne
BAKED SMITHFIELD HAM
madeira sauce
chiffonade salad
ICES
plombiere chantilly
sponge cakesfriandisespatisseries
COFFEE, DEMI TASSE
cigars
white rockcigarettes
[Cartoon drawing of two cooks wrestling a large fish.]
Guests
H. H. Adams
Herbert Lee Alexander
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Robert B. Armstrong
William Ballantyne
Lester A. Barr
Dr. Marcus Benjamin
J. F. M. Bowie
Frank G. Carpenter
William Clabaugh
J. Maxson Cunningham
Howard Chandler Christy
New York
George H. Cushing
Frank De Ronde
Major General Robert C. Davis
Joseph R. Draney
New York
Fred East
Frank H. Edmonds
Charles Elliott
Harry W. Finney
Karl Knox Gartner
Dr. Thoams E. Green
Frank S. Hight
George G. Hill
COl. John A. Hull
Matthew Horne
James D. Hobbs
George Adams Howard
Gaillard Hunt
Charles Elder Howe
Brig.-Gen. Frank T. Hines
Edmund L. Jones
Reginald H. Johnson
Boston
Rudolph Kauffmann
Brig.-Gen. R. C. Marshall, Jr.
Brig.-Gen. Charles McCawley
Rear-Adm. Newton A. McCully
H. Tudor Morsell
Martin B. Madden
Colonel Watson B. Miller
Colonel Henry May
Fleming Newbold
John Callan O’Laughlin
Captain George W. Phillips
Arthur B. Pierce
Samuel Ross
T. Baker Robinson
B. H. Roberts
Sadao Saburi
John Lewis Smith
William Walter Smith
Hamlin M. Vandervor
tHenry L. West
Frederic William Wile
George H. Wilson
Col. Clark C. Wright
[Cartoon drawing of a man with cane in periwig.]
The Alfalfa Club
Major-General Charles F. Humphrey
President
Major J. C. Hemphill
First Vice-President
Edgar C. Snyder
Second Vice-President
Colonel Wilds P. Richardson
Club Whip and Sergeant-at-Arms
Charles P. Light
Secretary-Treasurer
Milton C. Elliott
Toastmaster
Colonel John H. Carroll
Toastmaster for the Occasion
Thomas W. Brahany
Acting Secretary
Members in Attendance
Gibbs L. Baker
Thomas W. Brahany
Col. Barry Bulkley
H. Ralph Burton
L. White Busbey
Col. John H. Carroll
John H. Carroll, Jr.
George H. Carter
Justin Morrill Chamberlain
George B. Christian, Jr.
John B. Cochran
Col. Thomas S. Crago
Daniel R. Crissinger
J. Harry Cunningham
James C. Davis
M. C. Elliott
Edward C. Finney
Joseph H. Gaines
Hampson Gary
John M. Goodell
Elliot F. Goodwin
Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson
Dr. Louis S. Greene
Gilbert Grosvenor
Col. Henry Hall
Dr. Joseph M. Heller
Major J. C. Hemphill
Frank J. Hogan
Beale R. Howard
Maj.-Gen. Charles F. Humphrey
Richard W. Hynson
Coleman Jennings
Forney Johnston
Gus J. Karger
Charles P. Light
Charles Colfax Long
Rep. Nicholas Longworth
Chief Justice Walter I. McCoy
H. Frank McGee
Brig.-Gen. Charles H. Martin
Maj.-Gen. H. P. McCain
William J. McNally
Thomas H. McDonald
North O. Messenger
Dr. Willis L. Moore
Dr. Charles E. Munroe
Maj.-Gen. W. C. Neville
Claudian B. Northrop
George H. O’Connor
Richard W. Oulahan
J. E. Pennybacker
Senator Key Pittman
Brig.-Gen. George Richards
Col. Frank A. Richardson
Col. Wilds P. Richardson
William F. Roberts
Horace D. Rouzer
Frank E. Scobey
Arthur J. Sinnott
Major Wm. Wolff Smith
Edgar C. Snyder
Hugh M. Southgate
Joseph P. Tumulty
Senator James E. Watson
Charles V. Wheeler
Walter D. Wilcox
Capt. P. St. J. Wilson
[Cartoon drawing of a man roasting a chicken on a spit over a candle.]
Files
Collection
Citation
Alfalfa Club Dinner Program, “Alfalfa Club Dinner Program,” 1923 April 21, WWP16464, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.