User:Onay91/An Exile's Toast

"An Exile's Toast" was a short speech written by Frank Norris in 1900 in Roselle, New Jersey. It was originally read by Ralph Hathorn at the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta's graduate | Pig Dinner on November 20th, 1900 at the University of California. It is now traditionally read during the annual Pig Dinners of every chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. The speech is written in a fake German accent, uses arcane language, and references brothers from the Delta Xi chapter during the 1890s.

Background
An Exile's Toast was inspired by American comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids. The two main characters of this strip, Hans and Fritz, are mischievous and rebellious. Their tomfoolery was reminiscent of the shenanigans Norris and his brothers engaged in at the Delta Xi chapter. The main characters also have dialogue in a thick German accent, which Frank Norris emulated in his speech.

Frank Norris wrote An Exile's Toast to be read at the graduate Pig Dinner tradition, which had been continued by the Delta Xi chapter since its first occurrence on May 18th, 1894. The references in the speech were relevant to those in attendance at the Pig Dinner in 1900. Upon Norris' death in 1902, the celebration was dedicated to him and became a tradition of all chapters of Phi Gamma Delta during the following years. While the speech was traditionally read annually the night before Thanksgiving and the Stanford University versus the University of California, Berkley football game, it is now read during the Pig Dinner ceremony hosted by each chapter in the spring. An Exile's Toast embodies the purpose of Pig Dinner by signifying strong camaraderie among brothers in the fraternity.

While not officially documented, An Exile's Toast is sometimes modified to allude to members of a specific chapter in the present day to make the speech more relevant.

History
The story behind the pig began in 1893 during a day of activities at the University of California. The Phi Gams could not compete against Beta Theta Pi and Delta Kappa Epsilon for the involvement in campus activities, so one Phi Gam named Ralph Hathorn decided to release a pig in the middle of the activities. When the Fijis recaptured the Pig, they decided to make a meal out of it and perform a ceremony to rekindle the brotherhood and allegiance among the members of the Fraternity. Frank Norris wrote An Exile's Toast to solidify forever the meaning of that Pig Dinner.

Original Text
The original text of "An Exile's Toast" was sent to the Delta Xi chapter of Phi Gamma Delta from Roselle, New Jersey by Frank Norris. It was sent in response to the graduate chapter's invitation to attend the Pig Dinner. The speech is written in English, but has the words spelled out to emulate a German accent. There are many references to now deceased members of Phi Gamma Delta, as well as inside jokes between Frank Norris and his chapter in the speech. These allusions are explained in the Speech Footnotes section

To the Committee: Gesundheit! Ach mein lieber vriendts, dot note she gome today, You're dinin' bei der Poodle in der same ol' jolly vay; While me, ach Gott, du Lieber Gott, I've sit me down undt wept Dat your kindt invitationing I cennot yet accept. Der Poodle! Do and I know der blace, say blind mein eyes oop tighdt Undt standt me bei der Plaza on, I findt der haus alle righdt. Der glass-ware I've ge-broken dere, der sboons I hef ge-stole! Der vhiskey Chimmie Vhite hef drunk; from ous der sugar-bowl! Ach dose were days, Der Gibbs he knows, undt Mairsch he knows ut too Undt Hethauern could ree-member yoost a leeddle ting or two Undt dot poy Earnie Hoentersohn, he's leedle put oh my, He nef'r sets his schooner down until he's drunk her dry. Undt ulzoh Wallie Every-bit, who alle-ways knows ut alle; Undt Gibbons - 'Loaf-of-women'; He leads Shermans at Lunt's Halle , Undt den, Ach hoch der Vaterland; dere is der soldier man * Der terror oaf der Sbanniards in der charge of San Joo-an, Der Awful Captun Sailfridge, he's a howlin Martinet, (Vhen speakun to him, touch der cap, he loafs dose Etiquette) Undt Brooksie Balmer he gomes too, dot quiet leedle poy Dey galls him vhen he's vairy goot, der Sewing Circles Joy. Undt Hoomphries he's der sly one, undt he knows der historie Yon efry Fiji chapter in der landt from Sea to Sea. Undt Pilly Schmidt undt Emory, Dey does deir leedle stunts Fallutin mit der "Younger Set" each Saturday at Lunt's.

Hi aile you Grads, you lucky Grads who dis T'anksgiving Day Cen shtop at home joost tink oaf us, der Exiles far away. Dere's Chunky in Geneva, undt dere's Corbett in Paree, Undt Doodle's gone to Noo Orleans, undt in New York, dere's me, Undt Hooston's in St. Louis undt dere's Rethers -- Gott knows Vair Ve sits undt vaits undt vatches undt ve groan undt tear der hair; Ve reckons oudt der difference in der time undt everyone Ve says oudt loud "Dey hef kicked off, der game hef joost begun" Undt we aindt dere to see ut played, undt we aindt dere to yell Undt we aindt dere to see der team joost knock em into Hell. Vail, vhen you all sits down again to eat dot Poodle lunch You alle joost try to vancy dot we're mit you in der bunch. Here's to der Team; Bei Gott - stand oop - dis aindt no usual drink, Stand oop - Hands round - between us alle it is der gommon link Stand oop. It is der Exiles Toast we're mit you alle today We're back once more in der ol' blace, undt back again to stay Stand oop, Stand oop; From East undt West we've gome to be mit you We're dinin at der Poodle joost as once we used to do Dis day we show our colors undt let alle der Eagles scream For We're dinin at der Poodle undt we're drinkin to der Team.

Very Fraternally FRANK NORRIS