National Republican., 1881-11-28
UNCLE SANS NURSERY,
:" Goose Bnttons" and Pretty GIrIs-Dancc
and Dinner mt the Naval Academy.

Special Correspondence ofTHE REPUBLICAN.
ANNAPOLIS, Mp, Nov. 25.-The evening
before Thanksgiving Day at Annapolis was the
occasion the first Of the series Of hops given by
Hunts musings, the future admirals Of any
navy" The bright auspices under which was con-
ceived this first Of the yearly hops were somewhat
dampened by the falling dew Of the evening, and
consequently but few Of your countless washing
ton beauties were in attendance The ballroom
was draped here and there with Gags, and on the
ceiling were q few notices In French, such as
LA yTcroRIRE,
Ct FdnoW s0W toijours cdmpdgions;" but take 1t all
together, there was an air of sadness and desola-
tion pervading the atmosphere during the evening,
which / can account for only by the fact that
ar-Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rod
gers is no longer here 20 lend enchantmont
and tone TO this fairy scene. The festivities
opened carly in the evening with the reception Of
the guests by Mrs. Francis NJ Ramsey, the wife Of
the superintendent, and Cadet Lieutenant Com
mander Nixon, of the graduating class Amer this
ceremony had progressed sufficiently far the band
discoursed with wondrous melody the gems Of
Verdi, Mozart, and Others which / have for
gotten, until eleven o'clock, when 1t struck
ing-whlch, taken with the odor of fried
oysters, family waited from the adjacent corridor
meant SINNER ZACH valiant cavalier snrana with
chair 10 the rescue of his fair one then dsap-
peoredIs9me TO return bearing the trophy OF i his
hunt, IT he was fortunatc--frst at the table-hiS
return meant n radiant smile from her, and
OYSTERS FOR TWO
and sandwiches; If late n sad and melancholic
shake of his head. At midnightwe heard the long
lost strains of Home, Sweet Home" and black
shades of grim disappointment cloudcd the face of
every cadet and of many fair and rosy one; ana
so, amid the dTizzling rain, with the tender pres,
sure Of many daintily fashioned hands, the hrst
OF the annual series Of hops ended.
THE BELLE OF THE BALL
that was TO bel was not there. She was in your
city and sent n sorrowful message that the rain
women" who were there was Miss Beach, OF New
York city, Miss Pickrell, Of Virginia; Miss Lauth-
S, gIS 0i ANNAPOLIS g very pretty young grl, gr,da ~
greatly interested); Miss johnson, Miss McKeevor,
Miss Bryan, and the Misses DeKraflt, all Of Wash.
ton (all OF whom braved the dreadful weather TO
come over; Mrs. Julien 6. Ogden, wife of Passed
Assistant Engineer Ogden; Miss Gibbs daughter
OF Medical I lnspector BENJAMIN r. Gibbs (who also
as cruel to civilians as she was pretty, for she
ruthlessly scratched" all except the middies
from her dancing card. As | must end the list
somewhere, OIL account Of time, might as well
stop here
THANKSGIVING DAY
was to have been given, over to ball play, boat
racing, nnd other sports-a regular play. day-but
the rain spoiled the programme and the "mids
had 20 have their fun indoors. But the dinner. All
weather. IL took pince at the appointed time,
and If you think 1t did not receive Justice why, you
have never witnessed mldshipmen for the twenty
minutes after the officer An charge gives
Turkey Frutll Plum DuTlll and lee
Cream and Jellyllll ] think there were
were the only ingredients of this dinner land
they told me these In the way have tried TO ex-
press) that every cadet asked about IL could re-
member These youngsters don't get many such
dinners In the year from the commissary, but they
seem to like them They don't have much chance
to get the dyspepsia, rs Surgeon General Wales
says, until after they get their meals from I'll Q
ships galley from thirty five dollar and n half
a-month wardrOom cook, The programme in
tended for Thursday Is postponed until to morrow.
FOUR PRDNDRE Congo.
might write you very much more Of the daily
study, drill, and life of these future admiras Of
our microscopic navy of their iiirtations, loves,
watchmen and marines, mixed IN with not a few
cases of extra drill, or watch on the Santee, but
won't. The fact is 1t Is getting dark, and my 0c-
tOber gas bill Is still unreceipted.
DOLPHIN STRIKER.