place without some
slight discord. The first storm arose through a dispute as to where
the big dinner should be held upon the arrival of the boat. The first
suggestion was that it be held in the opera house. But unfortunately,
many of the best people of Algonquin objected to holding anything there
as a matter of principle.

It was the common case of a very good place having a bad name. Had the
opera house been called the town hall, which it really was, no one
would have found fault with it. But its name suggested actors and the
theatre, and many of the good folk, Mr. McPherson at their head, just
wouldn't countenance it at all.

Of course there was the other class who said Algonquin would be too
dull to live in were it not for the winter attractions of the opera
house which gave it such a bad name. In fact every one who had any
pretensions towards knowing what was the correct thing in city life,
went regularly to the plays, and declared they were just as high class
as you would see in Toronto.

Indeed a new play was always announced as "The Greatest Attraction in
Toronto Last Week," and companies had several times come all the way
from New York just to appear in Algonquin. Then every winter there
were the Topp Brothers who came and stayed a whole week in Crofter's
Hotel, and gave a different play every night. There were all the best
known dramas, "Lady Audley's Secret," and "East Lynne" and "Uncle Tom's
Cabin," and once they even gave "Faust,"--without music, it is true,
but a splendid reproduction nevertheless, with the biggest and tallest
Topp brother as Mephisto, all in red satin and, every one said, just
perfectly terrible.

So every one who knew anything at all about what was demanded of people
moving in the best circles, pronounced the opera house the finest
institution in the town and demanded that the Old Boys be taken to it
upon their arrival and welcomed and fed. And all the other people said
it was a sinful and worldly place, and declared they would have no Old
Boys' banquet at all if it were to be served in that theatrical
abomination.

The Presbyterian Sunday-school room was the next place in size, and, to
smooth matters over, Lawyer Ed offered it for the dinner.

Then the Anglican and the Catholic and the Methodist ladies met and
said it was just like the Presbyterians to want to have the banquet in
their church, to make it appear to the Old Boys that they were doing it
all. And Mrs. Capt