Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-03-07
LEARNING TO Be SAILORS.
Training Young Recruits for Uncle
Sans Navy.
Every Boy put Through Rigid Exam
lnation to Show What he is Made off,
p Queer Penalties Inflicted for In
fringement Of the
Rules.
Nstr York World.

ed in sailor suits of dark blue, with jaunt
little ast-croWned caps to match, gsthere
about q veteran gunner aboard the Unite
States steamer Minnesota, and fstene,
With admiration 10 tales of battles on tn
seas. The old man was costumed in a.
respects as they were. save for device IL
white cotton on the sleeve OF his jacket
which might have represented an eagle,
dragon or q butterfly. He reclined easil.
against the rotund belly of big twelve
pound howilzer, which struck its ugly noS'
through q squsre-cut portfolio in the yes
sells side, and his unkempt gray beard
wagged with every word he rolled from hii
ready tongue. His audience were newly
recruited naval apprentices who will shortly
Do removed to the United States training
ship New Hampshire at Newport.
Cast your eyes on the gun yonder on
our port side" the old fellow was saying,
as he nodded across en- open hatch to the
butt of huge engine Of war. That, and
many o the otkers hereabouts, too, for that
matter, did some good loud talkin during
fights with the Johnnie rebs. There's d
hole gouged out OF 'er iron side big enough
for any one Of you young 'uns to put your
fist in, aud the second eight is knocked all
askew. That were done in lively little
engagement eff Port Royal by rebel shell
which burst when it struck, and moved
downs crew OF
THE BRAyEsT MEN EVER sMELT POWDER.
They're awkward things to have droppln
about you-those same shells, and, as old
Fsriagut used 10 say, there's no dodgln the
pieces when they burst -
An hands below aud up with the avn
iDgs," interrupted q boatswain' S mate, IN q
hoarse voice OF command, as he projected
his head aud shoulders through an adjacent
batch. Look alive there. lads TO the re
Cruirs) and give us hand.
Instantly there was scamper for the
hatchways, in which the amateurs mingled
with the ships crew, aud very lew mo-
ments later the sailors returned Juggling o
couple of huge rolls OF canvas. They were
laid out on the deck, and trio OF blue
Jackets jumped lightly into the rigging
passed the sheets through swivels, and DROP
ped the ends down again to the deck.
Their companions seized hold OF them az
if their lives depended on it, and with
Yah, hesye" chorus pulled the heavy tar
paulns into place. Thea the lower edges
were fastened taut to the vessels side' and
the men found themselves beneath water
proof roof.
How do you ike being Q sailorY' the
writer asked Of one manly little fellow
"A jolly time Of it yoU mast have together
10 this great old ship
We did not exactly come out for finn,
said the lad malt seriously, and they dom
allow much skylsrking on board, anyway,
out its great fun to help the sailors as
we're Goiug juat now, and can lie q
sailors knot already as we'll as any old
salt"
Don't you ev5r use the bowling alley
down stairs? questioned the reporter inno'
Gently.
That amt bowling alley. You mean
he shot.rack down below on the gun deck.
A young fellow named Cutter made the
same mistake the first day he came here
and the crew haven't got over it yet, |
thought the old guDner's mate would
A DIED LAUGHING AT HIN.
What do we have TO do 10 be enlisted
Well came hsre about week ago with
my father We saw the captain and he
asked me if could read and write and
went through all sorts of questions to see
if Id ever been a very bad boy. Then he
sent me in to the surgeon. The surgeon
wanted to know if I'd ever been sick and
told him | was sick nov.-of being lub-
oer-.snd that l had had the whooping-
cough and mersles when | was baby.
He asked whether / smoked or drank, or
bad fits, and told him / used cigarettes
once 10 while. After that he held up a
printed card 10 sec if L could read it across
the room and did without any trouble. |
was told to strip off my clothes, and the
surgeon felt my limbs, Just as a jocky goes
over horse, tapped my chest and looked
at my.teeth. thought he wanted to tell
how old was, but he raid it was only to
see if they were sound, because four bad
teeth won't be taken in one boy, When !
hsd been thoroughly examined they took
nv weight and height and the measure
nent Of my chest, aud said | was all right.
[ thought / was ready at last to sign my
articles, but they next made me go over
the top a. the sailors call it, which is to
climb up the lower rigging on one side Of
the mast aud come down on the other side
LIS q high climb, but if boy don't have
the nerve to 90 over they won't take him
[ got over ali right, and then they took me
down below to the berth deck and picked
out my sailor clothes Beside clothes they
gave each Of ns O hammock, mattress. two
blanke and q few other little things, such
as brushes, soap and combs. Each OF uS
has iack.knifs and lsnysrn, too. The
lanyard is this
CORD THAT GOES AROUD THE NECK,
and its fastened to the knife, so that if We
drop it when we're up in the rigging il
won't fall on anybody.
Eight bells" unused the lad, as the
solemn notes of deed.tonsd gong were
waited upon an odor Of boiling coffee from
below. Another hour and we'll have sup
per" ,.
You have supper OF nine bells, Dc
youf" ventured the reporter, trying to sp
oear familiar With tue sailor disisot.
Wed have to wait for it good while
Il we did" laughed the young sailor. "foI
see" he explained bell begins back q
one stroke after Il has struek eight, ana
strikes every half hour. Eight bells is ,
o'clock, and we have supper at two bells.
The boy shortly took himself Of 10 relAt
the funny mistake to bis companions, TO
thereafter the stared at he reporter viii
an air Of mingled scern and merrimen
which Gually drove him from the ship.
The real schooling Of the sailor boy doe
not begin until they are transferred to tn
training ship at Newport. While sboar,
the Minnesota they sFe lired OFT Of thei
hsmmocks every morning BY shrin not
from the boatswain's whistle followed b
the sins song cry: "All hsnds-up a
hammocks." The cry is taken up an
passed along from hammock to hsmmoc
BY the waking boys until all have tumble
y. III. .ho-o - a reoak oonrroipr 4