The Portland daily press., 1882-02-24

lFrOm the United seryics.l
Marriage in the Navy.

Many young officers professional reputa-
ton has been ruined and his prospects killed
BY an unfortunate alliance, or by consta MT APP
plication and wire-pulling to avoid sthe service
that belongs to him by right, for family consid-
erations, and many man, whose ambition has
never been aroused by reason of an early resig-
nation to domestic life, will hear with sluggish
blood the music of the guns, or by reason OF
lack OF fit experience be rendered valueless.
Recently man-of-war was ordered unexpect-
edly to winter in an ice-bound and isolated
port. where mail facilities were of meager
nature. The number of married officers who
suddenly became ill and unfit for duty was as
tonishing. Their ship was turned to ridicule,
and her efficiency must have been impaired by
their departure An officer should by law be
made to remain bachelor until such a time as
will insure his considering properly the signifi-
cant question, "Will this woman do me
honor?' and If his reason tells him yes, then
will he know that she will do honor as repre-
sentative of his countrywomen in foreign and
perhaps rarely visited lands.
One Gubbns, for instance, takes his wife to
Belengarie, and the wives of the residents call
70 give her cordial welcome. The German
women judging from the narrowness of her
views, her lack of knowledge of books and
authors. and extreme frivolity, think she must
be q little wild Indian, and examine her close
ly to see if she isn't red; the French women
shudder at her style of dress, and the wife OF
the English governor pronounces her decidedly
bad form. Then they unite IN tranquil spec
les of wonderment as to whether all American
women are like this one eventually arriving at
the sagacious conclusion that she is trife
superior to the rest as she does not wear feath-
ers and blanket. The mortified officers of
the ship consider themselves powerless. No
man among us all has the moral courage to 60
M 10 Gubbins and say; Your wife, by her IN
brldled tongue and singular actions, has made
herself disagreeably conspicuous. She is doing
us all a great deal of harm socially, and You
ought-to send her home" Gnbbins adores his
wife, and with happy Inconsistencies of the
fact that we are struggling to bring our falter-
ing courage up to a point that will result in
Mrs. Gubbins' Punishment, tells us that she's
most remarkable woman wherein we heartily
agree with him), and refreshes our dropping
spirits with little anecdote of how last night
at the dinner at the French consuls she sat
upon Lady Carraway, who was moving out to
dinner ahead of her. "What if she is the gov
ernor's wife?' my wife said. "In America we
don't have any such nonsense; and, anyhow,
the cat may sit down with the king, if it comes
to that" etc.
What other naval officers than our own have
their wives and babies and nurses chasing
round the world after them? Is it dignifed and
proper? Their presence on station often lights
the finder Of discomfort in vessel, that is to
baYst some day into furious fame aud make
that pandemonium of the sea,-an unhappy
ship. At the ball at the Prefecture, just as I've
found out that the loyeliest woman in the
room, just arrived from the capital, has no part
ner for the cotilon, and am on the point of ask
ing the honor, etc., a note is handed me. I
know its meaning, and, furious at this contin-
ned persecution, VOW a stern refusal. I am
doubly indignant that it should be handed me
Just at this time for the lovely eyes of this wo-
man, over whom had already become drivel-
ing idiot, spy the feminine character of the
writing, and she draws her own conclusions as
to the cause of my agitation and speedy with
arawal from the scene. rush to the buffet
toss off bumper of champagne, and then with
a vast amount of mental swagger fiercely tear
open the note.
"Dear Apemant us-The baby is dreadfully ILL.,
Frank and are in dispa.r. The doctor has told
so many things to do that am almost crazy. Do
like the dear considerable fellow that you are, take
Franks midwatch to night, and he'll be down the
first thing in the morning. Yours. anxiously,
HELEN GRAY"
How my resolutions vanish / leave my fell
low victims to fancy. 1 go, and the recording
angel is kept busy until five minutes past four
next morning dropping tears upon the words
he had just written down.