at
made a tremendous noise but when they blew it the boat had to stop.
(Laughter.) If I talk loud enough to be heard here, my thinking works do
not operate. (Laughter.)

I hardly know how to express my appreciation of this gift, as showing
the sentiment of the society towards me. Of course, I have tried to do
what I could for the society. Sometimes, perhaps, I have gone a little
too far, something like the man who was appointed in charge of a flag
station. He had never done any such service as that, but he understood
the business of a flagman was to stop trains. The first train that came
along was a heavy express train, eight or ten or a dozen coaches, and he
rushed out and flagged the train. The conductor got off, all in a hurry,
and looked around. He did not see anybody but the flagman. He said:
"Where are your passengers?" "Well," he says, "there ain't any
passengers to get on, but I didn't know but somebody would like to get
off." (Laughter.) Sometimes, perhaps, I have overreached myself here.

Twenty-five years is quite a while to look back, and as I look over the
faces of those present I can scarcely see one that was a member of the
society twenty-five years ago when I became secretary. Mr. Long in his
address before you at the banquet last night spoke of the meeting that
he first attended of the horticultural society, held in what is now the
Metropolitan Life, on the ground floor, and he spoke of the surroundings
there. No fruit on exhibition. If a man had two or three apples in his
pocket, he showed them around on the sly as though it was a crime to let
people know there was such a thing and that he had a few at home he
could eat. Quite a remarkable thing!

That was the meeting of the horticultural society in which I was first
elected secretary, and I recall well all the circumstances connected
with it. So many of our members that I thought so much of in those days
are gone. Of those who were present at that meeting, the only person
left that I recall is Mr. Underwood. I had forgotten Mr. Long was there;
I think he reported the meeting; I guess the first of our meetings that
he reported, too.

I am not going to make any more of an address. President Vincent is here
and will address you. I thank you very much indeed. (Applause.)

Mr. Vincent: I am very glad that I got in in time to be a witness to
this delightful and gratifying little ceremony which has just taken
place. I can not imagine anything more satis