Poetry · Chapter
E. W. Houser explained
A brief, playful toast is directed at E.
What happens
A brief, playful toast is directed at E. W. Houser, President of Barnes-Crosby Co. in Chicago, inviting him to stand and bow before offering a health in fresh water.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the speaker confronts the painful realization that his child’s lov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingCharacters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The speaker who calls upon E. W. Houser to stand and bow, offering a toast.
Key passages
“It’s your turn, E. W. —Now, sir, I’ll ask you to stand up and bow, sir. You tell me you are Some fresh, water tar, So—Your health in fresh water: Here’s Houser.”
The narrator calls on E. W. Houser to stand and acknowledge the group, then proposes a toast to his health with fresh water.
A ceremonial or humorous moment of recognition and toast.
