Of course but a limited number of papers with this extraneous sheet were
printed and those distributed only at the dinner. One, however, was sent
to the Eastern magazine which had dispatched our muckraking hero to the
Golden Gate. They replied instantly and heatedly by wire to go on with
his work, that in spite of the outrageous slander of the opposition,
they absolutely trusted him.

This was only one of an endless succession of dinners which dot the
social year with their originality.

During the course of the Exposition, the governing officials presented
so many engraved placques to California citizens and to visiting
notabilities that after a while, the Californians began to josh the
system. A certain San Franciscan is famous for much generous and
unobtrusive philanthropy. Also his self-evolved translation of the
duties of friendship is the last word on that subject. He was visited
unexpectedly at his office one day by a group of friends. With much
ceremony, they presented him with a placque - an amusing plaster
burlesque of the real article. He had the Californian sense of humor and
he thoroughly enjoyed the situation. Admitting that the joke was on him,
he celebrated according to time-honored rites. After his friends had
left, he found on his desk a small uninscribed package which had
apparently been left by accident. He opened it. Inside was a beautiful
leather box showing his initials in gold. And within the box was a small
bronze placque exquisitely engraved by a master-artist . . . bearing a
message of appreciation exquisitely phrased . . . the names of all his
friends. I know of no incident more typical of the taste and the humor
with which the Native Son performs every social function. That sense of
humor does not lessen but it lightens the gallantry and chivalry which
is the earmark of Westerners. It makes for that natural perfection of