SURPRISE PARTY. An Extemporaneous Raid on the Residence of Benjamin Burley. Last evening the residence of Benjamin Burley, on Fifth avenue, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, was raided by a host of his friends. They thought it the proper thing, when Mrs. Burley was passing the sixty-third mile-stone in her life's journey, to celebrate the event by a surprise party. It was eminently successful, and Mr. Burley himself was caught with his "workin' clothes" on and not ready for company at all. There were about thirty-five couples present who packed themselves all over the house and sat right down to have a good time. When we looked in on them the young folks were "twirling the platter*" amid shouts of laughter, intensified to a higher pitch as every now and then the platter would fly in pieces when it was moved too vigorously. At about 9 o'clock Benjamin Burley and his wife Susan were seated and all the friends gathered round as in tones of friendship and esteem many tokens of love and affection were presented to them on behalf of the donors by Mr. Shillito and received by Richard Wood. Among the presents was a very large and handsome Bible, very finely bound and printed in good, large letters, the present of their daughter Alice. As the formal addresses were completed those present stepped forward and congratulated the grey haired couple who received them and who have pulled together for so many years through life's cares and sorrows; its joys and bright places. May their days be long in the land among friends who honor and esteem them is the wish of all who were present last night. Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Friday, November 19, 1880 * See page 20 - http://books.google.com/books?id=ICIVAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA4&ots=5hI7YW3xI_&dq=%22twirling%20the%20platter%22%20game&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q=%22twirling%20the%20platter%22%20game&f=false