A Last Century Silver Wedding.

A Last Century Silver Wedding .

W . liliO . . TAMICS 8 TKPI 1 KXS , I ' . D . fi . D . C .

\ Y . Bro . and Mrs . James Stephens entertained some 200 ol" their friends at the Kraseati , Oxford Street , W ., on the 31 st December , on the occasion of their silver wedding . The entertainment included a sumptuous banquet and dance , concert , and variety entertainment , so that the various tastes of their guests were liberally provided for . The banquet consisted of the most nxlicixlic things that the combined efforts of art and nature are capable of producing . Both the edibles and potables were in abundance ,

and served with that excellent taste and artistic finish which is characteristic of the cuisine arrangements of that establishment . The gaiety of the evening was kept merrily going for a brief period of the New Century , and would doubtless have run its lively course well into the morning had not the unrelenting law ol " licensed premises bade the festive party disperse . When that part of the menu had been reached which marks the

introduction of toasts , Bro . STKI > HKXS rose and said : ¦ -Ladies and gentlemen , I rise to inform you , and I know you will be pleased to hear it , that we are not met here this evening for the purpose of speech-making . It is my hope that brevity will be the particular feature of the toasts and the replies of those who respond to them . Our first and pleasant duty is to recognise

that illustrious sovereign , Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen . ( Prolonged applause . ) Knowing the deep-seated affection which exists in the hearts of all of you for her , it needs no words from me to commend to your favourable acceptance this toast , which I will thank you to drink upstanding and heartily . Bro . GKOHOK RKADKK , in proposing the toast ol" "The Ladies , " said : I am asked to propose a toast to which the tongue of the most gifted orator would not suffice to do sufficient justice . At whatever stage

one considers the ladies , whether as the companion of the pleasures of one ' s vouth , or as the companion of our pleasures and joy in maturer life , or as the solacer of one ' s troubles , or the companions of old age , they are equallv indispensable and equally charming . It was difficult to say which was tlie more charming time of life with the ladies . Whether it was in the rosy blush of youth , or the maturer age of twenty-five years of married lifeor when one comes to see the venerable and white-haired lady . That

, the ladies are our equals in intellect , we have example in our Queen , and that thev are our superiors in amiability , charity , and affection , we have examples known to us all in our own domestic lives . Gentlemen , 1 have now to ask you to drink to the health of the ladies , and I wish to associate with that toast the name of Mr . Quinn , who , before the banquet commenced , expressed to me his appreciation of the bevy of beautv assembled in the reception room .

Mr . [ . Qi'ixx , in reply , said : I am afraid that whoever has been responsible in associating my name with this toast has made a mistake , because I do not see why a man who has been a bachelor all his life should be called upon to speak on a subject of which he knows extremely little , or of which he ought to know little . If I do not exactly know something , or as much as Mr . Header , I know something about landladies . ( Laughter . ) Perhaps you will allow me to explain . If most of the young le present had been amongst landladies as I havethey would know

peop , something . Most of my friends say that landladies have only one side . Xow , I have found that they have two . Bachelors are knocked about from the frying-pan into the lire , and thus they are only too pleased to turn their attention to thoughts of love . That is my situation . I can give 110 belter testimony of my regard and feeling for the ladies than by saying I am shortly going to take to myself one of the ladies sitting on my right . ( Applause . ) If landladies have two sides , 1 have seen the reverse side . II

will not be necessary for me to detain you longer , or to follow in the foolsteps of my predecessor , who dwelt upon the intellectual powers of the ladies . You all know that in the century about to close , tin- niosl remarkable feature in connection wilh it has been the

wonderful position women have reached during that period . In my own little wav 1 have always advocated the developeinent and the employment of the powers of women ( great laughter ) whether physically or intellectually . As an instance of the excellence of women , I might , as a matter of fact , refer to one with whom you are all acquainted I refer to Mrs . Stephens . I will ask bachelors to make up their minds and follow in inv footsteps as quickly as they can . It is a great pleasure to love and

beloved , and in conclusion I will just quote you one or two lines : " "Pis better to have loved and lost , than never to have loved at all . " Y . W . Bro . W . H . HAII . EY , P . G . Treasurer , who was received with applause , said : —I have had in my life-time many difficult tasks set before me , but I never remember any task half so difficult as that which I have to discharge to-night , when I say I have to propose to you the toast ol" our excellent and charming hostess and host . ( Cheers . ) It has been to meas it

, has been to many of you present , a source of most profound pleasure to number among my friends my dearest and best ol" friends our host and hostess . I must , for myself , candidly say that they have thrown hack upon me that mantle of love and affection which I have endeavoured to shower upon them , with double and treble interest . There is no one whose namewas a greater household word than our host to-night ; and there is no one whose kindness of heart is more greatly esteemed , unless it should be the

excellent wife of his bosom , to whom all ol" us say on this very happy and pleasant occasion of their silver wedding —God bless the excellent pair , may thev live long and have earthly pleasure , and may heaven give to them all the blessings the world can bestow , including the best of health , without which everything is but nothing . I sometimes wonder why it is James Stephens and Mrs . Stephens make so many attached and true friends . ( Cheers . ) I have made a few , but I cannot make them as they do . I suppose it is that magnetic influence which springs from the hearts of both of them . I have known

them so long that I dare not say what 1 should like to say if they were not here to-night . Of all the kind hearts that have ever beaten , none have throbbed more sincerely for the welfare and benefit of everyone than those ol" our host and hostess . Blessed as they are with all the prosperity that Providence can bestow , I can only say God bless them both . ( Cheers . ) I am pleased- all present I am sure are pleased- -to be able to count themselves as links in that great chain of friendship and affection which binds us to our host and hostess . On behalf of everyone in this room I tender to you

our sincere thanks for the enjoyment of the evening . What I offer to you from my poor lips is only the expression of all who know you both . On the threshold of the new century I offer you our testimony of love , sincerity , and affection . If there is anything in this world I could implore ol" Providence to be-slow upon you it is a ctntinuance of that love and affection which has always existed between you , and which you haveshowered ou your friends so bountifully . I wish you both that great

happiness of health so that you may be spared to invite us on the occasion ol" vour golden wedding . May God grant to you both health and happiness , now and for ever . ( Applause . ) W . Bro . f AMKS STKI'HKXS , P . Dep . G . D . C ., in reply said :- -Mr . Bailey , your kind expressions have so touched me that I find a great difficulty in saving what I desire to say . If" ever there was a moment in my life when I felt happy , it is on this occasion . I have , ladies and gentlemen , first of

all to express to you my regret at the unfortunate absence of my dear old friend , Sir [ ohn Monckton , who had intended to be with us , and wrote some few weeks ago that unless lie was in Derbyshire he would certainly be with us to-night . On Friday last , however , he wrote to me to the effect that he had been obliged to join the party to which he was invited prior to my invitation , and here is the tone of his letter , which I should like you to hear : - "My Dear Brother Stephens ,

" I am now starting lor Derby , as 1 thought might be the case . I can only offer to you and your wife my warmest felicitations on the happy event of your Silver Wedding , and ask you to accept my own unworthy likeness in a silver frame . " ( Applause . ) Well , my dear Mr . Bailey , you have spoken about us so kindly that I feel like a General returning from South Africa , who has been feted again and again , but who , in returning thanks for the many kindnesses shown him , said that the result had not been obtained bhimselfbut by those serving

y , with him . I feel that in all the kind things you have been good enough to say of inv wife , there is not the slightest tinge of flattery . There never was a dearer soul on this earth , never one more devoted , never did onework harder , never was one more true , more honest , and more just , not only to myself , but , indeed , to the whole of my friends and relations . If anything were wanting to testify to the kindness of heart of a wife , it is when the husband ' s relations speak of" her in equal terms of praise to

those ol" her own relations . I can assure you that my wife is esteemed and beloved by every one of my relations , in like manner that she is beloved by her own brothers , sisters , and relations . We have had twentylive years of married bliss . I will not attempt to say that we have never had a few cross words , bul for my part I am inclined lo think that I have been a qual . lied candidate for the Diunnow Hitch . ( Laughter . ) My good wife believes in the old saying that the " course of true love never runs

smooth , " ami therefore she rather enjoys , what I will call the angular portions of our life , because ( here is the consequent making up . Of the two , I venture to think she appreciates the making up the better . ( Hear , hear . ) Well , ladies and gentlemen , it is fiveand-twenty years ago yesterday since we were married , and 1 am pleased to see my dear old friend , Harry Ward , the only gentleman present to-day outside the members of my own family who was present then . I may tell him that

we very often think of him when we look at the tea service , or rather the remains of il , that he was kind enough to give us on that occasion . It is a great source of pride and pleasure to me to know that through God ' s providence we have been able to succeed as we have done . 1 am happy indeed in the knowledge that we have been instrumental in bringing that result about mainly by our own efforts , industry , and . Never did a man have a wife who worked harder in this

perseverance world than my good wife has worked . This is well known lo the bulk of unfriends here , and , indeed , many of them have said : "Jimmy , the better part of von is the good wife . " I frankly admit that most of the good things friend Bailey had said of me just now was but the reflection of that influence and character of my good wife . We started in a somewhat humble sphere of life , and determined lo gel on if we could . I have 110