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gans about this time which was more fun and frolicsome than sordid although I can't say that I was really carried away by it. The day that Jack Walker was in town, I had dinner with him and Ballard at the Ford Hotel. The boys ate there a great deal and were on a first name basis with all the waitresses as was Jack Walker. During dinner, I think we probably had at least two-thirds of the waitresses in the dining room at our table chatting and kidding. Finally, after a potent daiquiri, Ballard proposed that some time after January 1st, they throw a party for the waitresses, who had been very attentive to their wants in the dining room over these many months. When he first proposed this, he was kidding largely, but before he got through, his joke had suddenly become a distinct probability with Jack approving it and agreeing to attend. As a matter of fact, it rather intrigued me. I pictured it as being hilarious without being off base. In fact, when I got home that night, I told Willie about the proposal and she had no objection to my attending if and when it came off. But the boys didn't wait until January. They held the party just six days later on December 19th. Although Jack Walker had planned to attend, he couldn't for business reasons. The result was that there were four men present: Ballard, Jim Hyde, Ab Butler of our Chicago Office, and I. I don't recall how many girls were there but I'd say eight or ten including the cashier. The party was held at the apartment of Iva Webster, an Amazonian waitress. It seems to me that her place was on East Seventh Street not far from the Public Library. My diary gives a very succinct account of the party including the following:

Passed out: June. Passing out when Ab, Jim and I left: Ballard. Number of drinks consumed: 3. Kind of time: Fair--for me, the lower the taste, all other things being equal, the poorer the time , and the taste here was at a pretty low level naturally except for a little Hungarian girl who was rather wistful and attractive. The others could swear and tell [[underlined]] dirty [[/underlined]] stories with great facility.

I think the girls had a good time. We did a little drinking and a little dancing and I got a kick out off the little Hungarian waitress, who was remarkably poised considering her situation. Iva Webster took of her shoes and stockings, put on a grass skirt, and did a hula somewhere along in the proceedings. I think all this occurred in the kitchen where there was the most open space for dancing and drink-making could be carried on conveniently. The three drinks referred to above were the number that I imbibed but apparently poor old Ralph went off the deep end again and was practically glassy-eyed before we left. I note that George Bennett did not attend although I'd bet a lot that he wanted to but deferred to his wife. Willie okayed my attendance without a murmur.