Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-05-26
A Bird Serenade
Movenseats of the President To-day.
improvements at Annapolis.
A Washington Firn.

washington f1EA.
Especial Dispatch to The .Sdr.l
ANNAPOLIS, ND, May &c, 1ses.-At the time
my last dispatch closed yesterday the middies
were about 10 enter upon their artillery and
mortar practice before the President. The ex.
hibition in both was very fine. The heavy gun
and broadside firing was rather too stunning
10 attract the spectators 10 close vicinity, but
the mortar practice on the water front OF the
green was Just the thing, especially for the
lady visitors. The scene was brilliant and
piqoant-the beautiful bay before US fiecked
with white sails-the big -mouthed black NOR.
tar pointing skyward, served by alert middies.
anxious to do their best under the eye of the
President, and the Ladies-black. coated, silk.
Matted, distinguished visitors, mou nting by po.
lite in vitation upon the mortar carriage to take
a knowing squint at the range, and in doing so
getting into all sorts Of funny positions with
their rear anatomy high in the air, after the
manner OF the long-legged violincello per-
former in Jullien's immortal orchestra, when
STOPPING over his instrument to bring out har.
monlc notes below the bridge-the respectful
retreat OF the black.coats from the mortar
when II is to be fred-the daring achieve.
ment Of Secretary Bore IN pulling the string to
make shot-the ditto ditto by Mr.. George II.
Stuart-the mounting shells easily traced
through their course and exploding always
Just where they should to the great glory of the
middies. and Of the distinguished gentlemen
who pull the string-the fiurrIed manner In
which the Baltimore excursion steamer puts
on hlack.smoke and bolts away out of possible
danger-the groups of pretty women in light
tinted summer costume Let Off in bright prom.
nence against the green sward-the gallant
middies bringing chairs from their own quarters
for the aforesaid pretty ladies in summer cos
tume-the manly manner in which the middies
who bring chairs stroke their downy upper
lips and monopolize conversation with the
pretty ladies who occupy them, to the disgust
OF the middies who weren't smart enough to
bring chairs-all this makes a very pleasant
and animated picture, as the inevitable photo.
grapher thinks, for he has focused 1t already
from many points of view. Meantime Presi.
dent and Admiral Porter occupying ample
basket bottomed chairs on the rear porch OF
the Admirals quarters, look on tranquilly,
smoke some, and perhaps compare notes over
their changed positions from ten years ago,
when one was carting cord wood a nd the other
lieutenant at the Kittery Navy Yard, finding
1t hard work To make both ends meet On his
small pay.
After the mortar practice, the President,
Secretary Borie, Mrs. Grant, and other LADIES'
and the members Of the Board of Visitors, and
Messrs. Balch and Trott, Of Philadelphia, dlned
with Admiral Porter. The entertainment was
superb and costly one, and some OF the
guests expressed no little surprise that the
Admiral found 1t possible to provide SO luxu-
nous spread at q distance from any large
city.
At night there was an exhibition at the
Academy Gymnasium by the midshipmen
consisting Of exercises on the horizontal bars
and rings, bayonet exercise, boxing, club.
swinging, and parallel. bars, the double trapeze
&c. The fencing exercises on the programme
were omitted, for some reason, greatly to the
regret Of the assemblage. The performances
were remarkably good, and some of them could
not be surpassed by professional gymnasts.
Particularly good were the trapezs perform
ances by L. q. Brney, Of Pennsylvania, (son OF
General Birney) and Kossuth Niles, OF Hi.
nois. The bayonet exercise, by q. S. Rich.
men, Of Iowa, and ID. L. Wilson, was very
brilliant. The boxing was spirited, and bur.
lesque specimen Of the manly art in which the
contestants got each others heads in chancery,
and went through all the motions of the
ring in approved style. but with Dan
Rice embellishments, seemed to tickle Presi.
dent Grant amazingly. The affair concluded
with hop. The occasion, and the desire of
eng president Grant and party brought to.
gether all the beauty and fashion OF the neigh.
borhood; and the spacious circular gymnasium
formerly fort and resembling the old Castle
Garden building, at New York, presented a
very brilliant appearance The middies, who
for most nights Of the year are obliged to seek
their iron Gets at Q O'Clock, were now at liberty
to sit up all night and go home with the girls
in the morning, with pleasant taccompaniments
Of dancing, promenading or talking sentiment
by the gallery windows looking out upon the
mooa.lit harbor.
The blue ceiling Of the room was spanrled
with stars, and appropriate inscriptions ap.
peared at various points on the walls, among
them the following :--"Fidelity to our Coun.
try, Right or Wrong" sBravery on the Seas
'Gallantry Among the Fair.'' "Your Pleas.
ure our Aim; Your Smiles our Reward
sour Chief Ambition our Country's Good,
&c, DC.
President Grant and party entered the room
about nine O'Clock, and were received with
loud cheers. The President escorted Mrs.
Porter, who was accompanied by her youngest
daughter, Elena. who was dressed In a fancv
costume, with skirt OF blue plush, ornamsnted
with silver foul anchor and other naval
ernblems. Admiral Porter took in Mrs. Grant
and Secretary Borie and the Board of Visitors
followed. The Presidents party remained
until after the dancing commenced, and with.
drew about half past ten, with the exception
Of Mrs. Porter, who renamed some time after.
wards with her young friends, to promote their
enjoyment. She has greatly endeared herself
to the Midshipmen b y her kind considerate
treatment o them, acting throughout true
mothers part to these bo ys separated from
home influences, and her infia aence for good
over them has been great indeed. They pro.
pose 70 show their regard for her By . BAH in
her honor on the ith Of June, that shall far
eclipse all other aKalrs Of the sort ever known
here. Great things are TO be done in the way
OF decoration, supper. &c. The grounds and
many Of the houses OF the city are to be illu.
minated. The Washington Marine Band,
headed by Scala, II TO reinforce ths-Ane Acad-
emy Band; additional buildings are 70 bs erect.
ed, and all possible things to make the affair
60 on with eclat are 70 be achieved.
Annapolis did not get 20 bed until q pretty
late hour last night, and 10 rather slow in get.
ting mp this morning. But the birds were MP
in season. Perhaps there never was such a
refuge for birds as leafy Annapolis, ana at
three O'Clock this morning we were awakened
by such q concert Of songsters Of the grove a
wps never heard before outside Of an aviary. :
To-day the President will witness the exer.
cises Of the midshipmen in seamanship, varied
by boat race This 10 not the regular annual
prize boat race Of the classes, but 10 an i'm.