Amusing Scenes at a Davitt Reception

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1895, Page 4

Amusing Scenes at a Davitt Reception

\ A very large crowd awaited tbe arrival of Mr. Michael Davitt at Spencer-street rail way station, Melbourne, on the 18th nltimo, and accorded him an enthusiastic welcomeMr. Davitt left Adelaide on the Friday, but broke the journey at Ballarat on Satnrday morning, and came on by the afternoon train. Accompanied by the Heoeption Committee, and followed by a orowd of fellow countrymen and friends, the visitor was driven via Collins and Swanston-streets to the Hibernian Hall. Thither many had preceded him, and while his health was being toasted by the committee in the lower hall the doors of the main hall were thrown open. ') hen (says the Age) ensued a scene that appeared to have been designed for the especial benefit of the ladies who had been admitted to the ealleries at an earlier hour. Chairs on tho Boor had been placed along the walls, and .on reaching the door every man seemed to be filled with the impulse to seize a chair and carry it off to the very best position ha conld possibly obtain In the excitempnt of the moment many failed to observo that the floor had recently beon waxed, and that it boded jnst as much evil for the nnwaiy man if a banana skin on the side walk augurs ill for a stout and short-sighted gentleman As a consequence there were more falls than in aconntry steeplpchasa. The man who essayed to rnn across the hall for a chair fonnd his legs evinomg a most uncomfortable disposition to leave him, or Went off at a rate that suggested a winter -morning's skating on the Serpentine To the ladies all this proved very interesting, but when it comes to sitting on his hat in the middle of the floor, with his feet in the air and a ohair on his chest, the average individual is disposed to draw the line at " playing to the gallery." There were many euoh misadventures, bat those who thus temporarily oame to grief coon forgot their annoyance in the enthusiasm aronsed by the appearance on the platform of Mr. Davitt. Numerous addresses of weloome were delivered during the afternoon, bnt late in the day one or two speakers indulged in offensive personal references to the Mayor of Melbourne relative to his refusal to grant tbe free use of the Town Hall for the reception.