Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-08-01
Sailor Boys in the Navy.

to the port gaDgWay OF United states
training-ship, then lying at her moorings
in North River off Twenty-third street.
New York city. It was the II o'clock
| boat from the shore-the recruits boat
the launch was well filled with boys
from IA to Is years of age, eager to en-
list in the navy, attended by their par
ents or guardians. On one of the after
thwarts sat pale. sweet-faced woman,
dressed in mourning, with her son at
her side. The boy had evidently had
careful training. He was tall aad quite
robust. His face showed intelligence
and refinement, and his quick eye SEEM
ed to take in every detail of the ship
and its accoutrements.
The massive hull, glistening with
fresh black paint, relieved only by a
broad streak of white; the long rows of
heavy guns; the tall masts seeming to
pierce the sky; the wilderness of ropes
and rigging; the sails loosed and hang
ing in graceful festoons to the yards;
the feet of boats trailing, some astern
and some from long booms projecting
from the sides; the marines on guard
on the forecastle and gangway-nothing
indeed escaped the eager lad. Sudden
ly the mother touched her son with a
gesture of alarm.
''See there. Edward, and there'
A boy in neat duck suit, with the
name of his ship in gilt letters on his
cap ribbon, was dangling from the side
in ''boatswain's chair" cleaning the
brass rim of an air port, and quite in
different to the rushing water few feet
below. Another had just run out on
the boom projecting from the ships side
and dropped = overheard, seemingly !;
but no for he is seen the next moment
in one of the boats, lounging in the
stern sheets. Before any comments
could be made, three piercing. prolonged
whistles were heard, followed by the
loud order, given on the ship, to "furl
sail" was the signal for crowds of boys
to swarm through the port holes, and
over the hammock nettings, and climb
upon the broad ladders that converged
at the tops of the masts. On the shear
poles and lower ratlines they paused,
impatient for the order to 60 aloft, and
when it came, away they went like mon
keys, racing to see which would reach
the top first.
The timid mother looked up at the
long lines of boys far above her in the
footropes of the yards, tugging at the
heavy sails, and then turned to her son.
"Oh Edward, l never, never can con-
sent"
But her sons interested, eager face,
flushed with excitement met her gaze,
and before he could make any reply, the
boat was at the gangway. and those on
board were fastening up the long COM
panion ladder and descending to the
deck on the other side. A bridge was
built across the deck, just abaft the
mainmast. On this the captain was
standing, and also the executive officer,
the next in command. The latter had
'taken the deck" when "all hands" had
been called to furl sail, and still held
the trumpet. Both officers wore their
appropriate uniform. They were look
ing down at the crowd that had just
come on board, and the captain remark
ed as he left the bridge:
"Better look those boys over, Mr.. B.,
and sift out those who are obviously un-
fit before they go down to the office"
The executive officer leaned over the
rail of the bridge, and called to the cor
poral of the guard on duty at the gang
way, who stepped up to the rail of the
bridge and saluted.
"Pick out the boys who come to the
| ship, and form them in line on the port
side Of the quarterback, and have theil
friends 60 below"
The corporal again saluted, and wen
, to his duty. In few moments. lint
of boys, some 25 in number, were toeing
seam and ready for inspection. TIL,
t officer came down from the bridge
glanced quickly at the different faces
and then stepped UP to an unhappy-look
ing youth, whose bloated face and beer,
breath showed signs of recent intoxica
tion.
| "What are you here for 2" he inquir
: ed sharply.
$ 81 want to ship SIR"
"When we're you drunk last ?'
81 never gets drunk, sir, never. TAX
= a glass o beer 'casionally, an | though
:, mebbe it would reform me if"
o "You have come to the wrong place,
Il said the officer sternly. This is not
y reform school, and we want no drunk
Il ards or vicious boys in the service
Fall out of the line! Corporal. tax
}. this boy to the gangway and send hill
: ashore in the first boat"
' 'And what led you to come here ?
g said the officer, turning to a lad who's
: short, stout figure, and clean, good fat