The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-05-07

for duty but few hours previous
"You think so?n
II don
81 hope your opinion may prove correct yet appre
hended the contrary The lad is the fool of his family
once enjoyed the pleasure Of hunt on hisfathers
preserves in the north, and subsequently his gues
for few days, when promised to take charge of any
of his whom he might destine to our 'sseryice }
He had two boys who would have proved ornaments tc
the navy and when he wrote recently that one of his
sons had expressed desire to enter it. HOPED might
be one of those lads Imagine my chagrn, however
when received a letter yesterday introducing to my
notice and that mlksop whom his honored father
aIudes to the fool Of bis family expressing desire
that may make something of him. Ha, ha, ha! as il
fools were the proper material from which to form off
GERS for old Eugland's wooden wallsn
"We, sir, that boy may be the fool Of his family but
I have idea will find him no fool in an action with
the enemy. have watched him closely since he came
board and you that he has spent the time
most wisely"
sIEow?n
'In scmpng acquaintance with the guns their tackle
and other details instead of that of his future mess
macs-who, by the way evidently of your opinion
Gan unfailug evidence of idiocy.n
'And also Of It's reverse But time will tell. Iwond
not be afraid to bet you years pay and all my prize
money, that he turns out to be the smartest midshpman
in the mess before our next cruise is ups
>'Wi you dol it?"
against its equivalent, yes.
'Ill take the bet. If that boy don't show the white
feather every time 90 into action I'll forfeit double
the amount of your stake" And descending the com
pamon ladder Capt Mclean prepared to his
hotel.
$50 we have new mcssmate, Burton; what style of
a fellow is hc?" demanded junior midshpman-who
had been absent all day duty at the doc-vard-ac-
costed shipmate whom he found sole occupant of the
berth on his return.
''The greeny-n
Green, is he? So much the worse for him, and
better for me-
/ res; the mess VIII nave fresh butt TO crack their
stale Jokes on. But hes too-a downright, double
aid 1901! heard Capt. Mclean tell the first utf SO
tins afternoonand he must know, because he's intimately
| acquainted with the family
has ne been introduced to Jenny Ducks, YETI"
NO
NOR the dry nurse!
NO.
Pad lls tootlng?
MOI yet. we've had no time to attend to him"
! linen | m IN time tor all the fun. Let's put him
through IN style, II hes TOOL, Burton am dying for
a chance to begin" And, followed by his chum, the
tJunor hurried from the berth, to commence his seim-
posed task OF deHlIng pledge, or taking thesarch
OUT OF greenhorn.'
The kedou3tabe was at sea, and Harry Wallace
our hero-had gone throughthe whole formula Of in
PRODUCTION to the mIdshpma berth, evincing degree
on %o0d-ature throughout the ordeal IN perfect keep
ing "ith ms implied character Capt Mclean seldom
noticed him; and the waTd-room officers, with ex-
ceptlon IN the person OF Lieut. Somers, occasionally
made attempts to draw INN out III order to be amused
by hf supposed simplicity; while to his mess he
bad econe indispensable rs the object Of nHmbereSs
praclrai Jokes, which he never resented, though they
were The means OF sutJectng him to triing punishment
on |cr& occasions with the men he soon became a
decidId tayoutc nor were they backward in manifesto
tlon 4 their preference while their uniform kindness
led fn frequently to seek their society in which much
OF ha leisure time was spent until MIR Somers deemed
d reprimand necessary, in order to restrain him from
undue familiarity with iswtuored but sincere friends
Notwithstanding the reprimand, our hero continued
to mNgIe with them when practicable, and as natural
result fell under the dspcasue Of the first Lieutenant
who condemned him to sundry yigis alOt punish
mont tor ms otrrcpe1ed offence.
These ygiIs his kind friends turned to excellent
count, sezing upon them as opportunities to afford him
usctu information and instruction in the sailors art in
made suchrapd progress hatt he could spice
knot and bend with the oldest seaman in the ship and
not only knew the uses OF the complication of and
cordagc winch goes to torn the tophampcr OF first
class rgate but could describe the process of housing
toPmaSts crossing yards allow and alot, and various
heavy or light weather.
during the passage to Port Royal, the Reloubtabe
failed to fall in with single hostile cruiser aud Capt
Mclean was Obliged to torego the pleasure of adding
list OF casualties to his report to the admiral But
she was now, as it were, on the cnemys bOrders-Spain
maintaining large fleet III the Caribbean sea, for the
protection OF her West Indian po6scsSons-and being
fairly bcdded had scarce sunk Jamaica in the southwest
when her lookout at the fore reported sail dead to
wlnd"ard, ana on{he opposite tack.
But bret peuod elapsed ere the stranger wore and
bore down Tor the Britain, and closing with her rapidly
soon came within long range when she hauledup on the
starhoOrl tack and displayed Spanish col0rs,
n%'N 'oFt""e zen al last! L}eat TO quarters and
open O1e r'5"|s' A. ,>o''fS Vur oet Will soon De
"cciLt", Il can lNNeSe 'hat leLoN INTO an aeuon,
9"t" " N"P.' Ntice'"' -
ttHo lhlny 4aFoF, ST Naaul sno" our bunting:
leS. '"@' MN looh at tNe french tr-colol; ne will
be more ldh'E TO court an enSagement and ad me IN
securing 'Ha' Issue. mere Is ar. Wallace stationed?
IN inc forward dVislcn ~
iiaVe mm aft, as messenger. desire to haTehEn
under my own eye N the action, hcSideS, 40 not
Geem 1t ADVISABLE TO expose nm to the demslon OF the
torGmoStneh, should ne prove the coward expect to
hnd 1lm.
cry GOOD, SIT. faSs tie word Tor Mr. nldshlpman
Wallace Mr. Moorteid' And turning away, Mr. Som
ers proceeded to make tour OF inspection through the
batteries, meeting our hero in the waist
y o" sent Tor me, sir said the latter, touching his
cap.
eS lou are aetacnco tfom the forward division TO
40 uutS on 'g gentleman see that
81 r c3@ovor s @ "Uo' v.nS rho ,.d
sad ~, - So %"4 we ,"p p:lV ieoiueF'
G w, W s ''sM s."'io' "'e MS superior re-