Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-08-01

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port of any relative. A part of it is
needed for outfit and spending money,
and the rest is kept on the books for
you until your discharge at the age of
FL. Fall out !'' And the lad left the
line with look of disappointment, and
went to the gangway.
"How old are you?' the officer in
quired, stopping in front Of strapping
fellow nearly six feet high.
Nineteen, last December
"You are too old to ship. and too tall.
Our limit of age is from Is to Is, and
our maximum height is five feet three
inches Fall out !"
The next boy addressed was terror
stricken lad, who was looking about as
though trying to find way of escape.
"What brought you here ?''
"Father made me come," the boy re-
piled whimpering.
Don't you come of your own accord ?"
'No, sir; I'd rather be thrashed
than come. Father swore he'd put
me"
"That will do. Give my compliments
to your father and tell him that this
ship is not peniteutiary, but school
"a school for good boys-boys that can
be trusted. Do you understand ?''
"Yes. SIT"
"Well, fall out, then," and the lad
hurried away.
At the end of the line stood boy of
fine physique, but round-shouldered and
slouchy in dress, evidently from the
country. From the moment of arriving
on board he had gazed about with be-
wildered air. Everything was SO new
and strange-the spotless deck, the pol
ished guns, the bright canopy rails over
the hatchways, the pinnacles, the wheel,
the huge capstan. the dense crowd of
boys forward of the mainmast, the Off
GERS in glittering uniform abaft it-so
many things the uses of which he could
not comprehend that when the executive
officer spoke to this ungainly lad, and
asked him where he came from he star
ed at him in stupid way and replied
in a mechanical way that he came from
Maine.
"Well, wake up! Stand up straight.
Take your hands out of your pockets.
There, now, what have you been doing ?"
"Farmin'."
"Did you ever see a ship before ?"
mo, sir, l never seed ship afore,
'cept skeow that"
"Never mind about the skow. Did
any boy ever give you good licking ?"
The boy opened his eyes with aston
ishment, and said with significant
tone, 81 reckon not
The officer smiled and put one final
question: 'Do you really want to be a
sailor? ?"
"Yes, sir"
"Well, I'll give you chance. Mes
senger, take this boy down to the cap
tain's office"
"What do you come here for?" the
officer next inquired of pompous-look-
ing little fellow who seemed to want an
opportunity to speak.
ITO learn to be sailor and get to be
an officer" the boy replied promptly.
1--WE can do the first for you; we can
not do the second. You have a wrong
idea. This ship is to train boys to be-
come sailors. The naval academy at
Annapolis is the place where boys are
trained as officers"
"But, sir, can't a sailor become an of
6cer 2"
"No, not commissioned officer. You
can rise to be petty officer, sort of a
foreman among sailors, and there are a
few chances to became warrant officers
that is, a boatswain, or gunner, OF
sailmaker, or carpenter. These are of.
fcers, but not commissioned officers"
The boy whose sole ambition was tc
wear sword and strut in epaulets fell
out of the line, and walked with de-
jected look to the gaugway.
"What are you working your jaws
for ?" inquired the officer sternly, stop
ping in front of stunted little fellow
a street gamin from the neighborins
city.
"Chewin', sir" was the timid reply.
"How dare you bring tobacco on boart
this ship, where not boy is allowed t.
use it? Go to the spit-kid yonder, ant
empty your mouth, and then l will tall
to you."
| Almost the last boy to be questione'
was the one who has been before allud
ed to.-the lad who came with hi
mother.
"What have you been doing?"
"Going to school, sir"
"What books have you been readin
lately?"
ga variety. sir; among them the ste
ries of Cooper and Marryatt."
81 thought so. | am afraid that you
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