Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-08-24
GETTING EVEN WITH EHHS ma.
.BESTY.
ANEcDorE OF COMMODORE MORGAN.

uiouSHt 10 lnlllu an anecuote or COmm0-
dore Morgan, while off Naples, recei-
wing visit from the King after which
sailor informed him that sene of them
ERE kings had fallen down the hatch
way"
Whether the following is true or not !;
| dare say that it is true as the forego-
ing. However, it is good enough to be
true. The Commodore's vessel had
been in the harbor of Naples but few
days when court ball was given, to
which the Commodore alone was invi-
ted. Morgan waited on our "charge d.
affairs" and through him addressed a
note to the lord chamberlain, or some
such fnnctionary of the kings house
hold, (I'm not versed in royal terms,
stating that sit had been the custom
elsewhere to invite the other officers of
a national vessel, and he hoped that his
majesty would grant invitations to the
other officers" etc.
His majesty, through the lord cham
berlain, replied that ait was not the Gus
tom in Naples to invite any but the COM
handing officer of vessel of war;" etc.
Our "charge'' thought that the Com
modore read this naughty reply with ad-
mirable calmness, and that after the
first flush of indignation he thought nc
more about it.
The officers knew that the Commo-
dore had tried to get their invitations for
them, and now seeing our nations rep
resentative come over the vessels side,
naturally enough concluded that the Wis
it bore some reference to the object Of
their desires. They watched eagerly
for some indication of success or failure,
and soon read the latter on Mrs
face. AS for the Commodore, he turn
ed to them and calmly said, stho invita-
tons, gentlemen.
The Commodore's temper did not ap-
pear at all ruffied, which caused some
remark on the quarter deck and The
middies, up to all sorts of mischief
themselves, going upon the adage of "set
a thief to catch a thief" thought they
could detect something of that style in
the countenance Of their SUPERIOR
That night they held meeting, ''for the
purpose Of investigating what meaning
should or ought to be attached to sun
dry and various twInklings noticeable in
the visual organs of Commodore Nor
gan, y. S. N"
After various pros and cons, Midship-
man ----- gave the very satisfactory
calculation of the mystery, "that the
starboard and larboard rollings Of old
Morgan's eyes, like empty casks in the
Bay of Biscay, evidently means that
something aoas IN the aOind, and that in
his Midshipman IS opinion, this
assembly ought to square its CROCHET
yards and look out for squalls
! The ball came off, but Morgan staid
away.
Three days after this bail was the
birthday of the Neapolitan King. Ac-
cording to custom the various vessels in
the harbor were decked in their gayest
colors, while the men-of-war fired sa-
lutes at sunrise, noon and sunset, with
one single exception, however, and the
exception was the Commodore's vessel.
AS the story goes, there had been for
long time custom for the King to ride
out on the hill at sunset, as token of
his appreciation Of this respect paid
him by the foreign flags.
This Hill, as every one knows, SOM
pletely overlooks the splendid bay
According TO custom, went there with a
large attendance, and his pride was
gratified as he gazed upon the various
vessels now firing the sunset salute.
On looking more closely, he noticed
one large vessel which, by its silence,
appeared TO care very little whether it
was the Kings birthday or the day Of
his funeral. He could just see, over
her lofty bulwarks, the stacked bayo-
nets of the marines, tinged with the last
rays of the setting sun. and the forms of
the two sentinels as they slowly passed
each other on the deck. Only this told
him she was national vessel. Her
ports were closed; and beside the SEN
tlnels not single soul was visible
The monarch's eye ran from the deck to
the masthead; kiss of the wind Just
then flung out the lazy flag, and showed
TO his astounded gaze the stars and
stripes.
In a much worse humor than when he
started from his palace, the King retur-
ned, and sent for Mr.. -. Mr..
- was as much confounded as the
King. He sprang into boat, and or
dered to be pulled to the frigate. AS
ne was about to step on board, the SEN
tinel warned him off.
"Can't you see who am /? ] am Mr..
-, the Charge d'Adairs at Ma
PIES"
Cant help it. If you were the
President of the United States, you
shouldn't step on board this vessel this
day. Such are my orders.'
1t was talking to no purpose-the ma
rine was inhexible, and Mr. was
obliged to return in no very enviable
state of mind.
The next morning early he came a
board, and in answer to his question,
the Commodore only desired that he
should be brought before the King
The King received him in court,
SCATTERING his brows like wintry storm;
Nursing his wrath to keep it warm"