art; but by the broad range of future
years, when that group of islands, under the impulse of the year just
passed, shall have become the gems and glories of those tropical seas; a
land of plenty and of increasing possibilities; a people redeemed from
savage indolence and habits, devoted to the arts of peace, in touch with
the commerce and trade of all nations, enjoying the blessings of
freedom, of civil and religious liberty, of education and of homes, and
whose children and children's children shall for ages hence bless the
American Republic because it emancipated and redeemed their fatherland
and set them in the pathway of the world's best civilization.
[Long-continued applause and cheers.]

WILLIAM B. MELISH

THE LADIES

[Speech of William B. Melish at a banquet given in honor of the Grand
Encampment of Knights Templars of the United States, by the Templars
of Pennsylvania, at Pittsburg, Pa., 1898. Colonel Melish, of
Cincinnati, Ohio, was assigned the toast, "Our ladies."]

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN:--Once in three years it falls to
the lot of a few, a happy few, of us budding blossoms of the official
corps of the Grand Encampment to be discovered by a triennial committee,
and distinguished by having our names printed on the banquet lists, and
told that we are to sit among the elect at the big centre table, and to
respond to certain toasts. With all the vanity of man we gladly accept,
and care little what the toast may be. So, when the Pittsburg Committee
asked me to select my topic, I rashly said "any old thing," and they
told me I was to talk about the ladies. Then I regretted that I had said
"any old thing." [Laughter.] In vain I told them I knew but little of
the subject, delightful though it be, and that what I did know I dare
not tell in this presence. The Chairman unearthed some ancient Templar
landmark of the Crusaders Hopkins and Gobin, about "a Knight's duty is
to obey," hence as the poet says:--

"When a woman's in the case,
You know all other things give place."

Last Sunday when the Grand Master, and all the Grand officers, save
possibly the Grand Prelate, made their _triennial_ appearance in church,
I picked up a book in the pew I was in, and was impressed with the
opening chapters of a story called "The Book of Genesis." It is the
first mention made of one who was entitled to be called the "first
lady in the land." I read that the Creator "saw everything that he had
made an