The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-07-17
CHE liilo', Tribu',e.
THE TORPEDO MAN,

russian IflSate lAlvadiA.
While in the company Of several Frenc
naval officers, made the acquaintance e
some officers belonging to the Russia
man-of-wer; and the latter had invited mt
the only civilian of the banquet, to tn
banquet given in honor of my friends q
the squadron
Inc Russians are trOng-heat1ed drink
ers, rs everybody knows: but their officer
particularly maintain the national reput:
tlon in this respect; and it is we'll under
stood among French naval folk that al
invitation to visit the cars vessel
meant to indulge in libations that will b
talked OF for long time. It is true, o
course, that these things happen among
respectable, we'll educated men--withou
any noise, and as discreetly as possible
Sentrles are stationed at the door will
orders to prevent any one from entering
and everybody drinks until he can no
drink any more
On the evening referred to things wen
on III the usual style. The banquet hat
been exquisite, and was admirably served
the company had eaten a great deal, drunL
u great deal, and talked great deal more
Very agreebly, too. The French language
passing through Russian lips, takes q
me; and all those officers spoke French
as fuently q, any boulevardier They
were all gootl-natuced and witty. They
were all men Of refinement also. In that
race refinement has Il special mark, a
charm of iristocratc courtesy which never
fails to attract Is it because in Russia the
all-equalizing level of rising democracy
has not yet reached the upper classes as it
has done elsewhere?
The stewards, in black dress-coats and
white cravats, never stopped filing the
glasses with champagne. Champagne is
the favorite wine of the Russians. They
drink 1t. not by sips, as it is polite to do
among us--nOr even rs it is drunk zen cab
lnet particulier when the wine FLOWS in
torrents to use hackneyed phrase--but
as really robust drinkers only can drink
1T; throwing back the head, and emptying
the cup ut one movement. 1t was thus
they drank it on board the Iivadia; and
the stewards were kept busy repienishing
the glasses. There were plenty of liqueurs
La Fine and kumnel, served in port
wine glasses, but all preferred champagne
especially my neiyhbor. The amount of
Moet which that officer absorbed was alb
solutely extraordinary.
He was u very handsome young man
very tall, also, and very strong-with fair
hair and blue eyes, steel-blue eyes, which
lighted up at certain moments with cold
flame. His conversation was uncommonly
attractive. He knew Paris and her bo,,le-
wards by keart-all the places about which
all fashionable people talk, but which
only the initiated ever frequent. He talked
to me about the Coincide Franchise and
the Eden--of Mde. de X. and Mile T. in
absolutely Parisian style, and in Ian
guage that would have done credit to any
one Of our most accomplished clubmen
And in the meantime glasses succeeded
glasses. He could hold his cup by it's thin
crystal stem, extend it to the waiter, and
the golden fluid would instantly disappear
down his throat.
$50 you leave for Paris Tomorrow" he
asked.
II was to leave,"I replied; "but post
pOned my departure in order to be present
at the torpedo-man9uyers OF the squad
ron"
He started-a brighter light shone in his
eyes--then a sudden thought seemed to
throw him into brown study.
"TheN you are really interested in tor
pedoes?" he asked, after few moments.
Eyes," answered. "The torpedo is so
terrible a weapon! It is making the whole
world anxious just at present; everybody
is talking about it,"
"Ah! indeed! Well, see here! Nobody
in the world can talk to you about it as I
He leaned forward upon his elbows, ap-
buried in thought Then. all Of
Il sudden, he asked me:
did you ever hear about the use of tor.
pedoes during the rurcoRussiau WARP"
Certainly
at was l that blew up that Turkish
lnan-Of-war."
He emphasized each word and watched
my face closely, rs if to seize the impress. |
sion he was creating.
.YOu."
ut was horrible thing, was it uot~-;,
horrible thing"
Again he lapsca into silence Il moment, |
then he continues:
ooh; what would not give never to |
have done that: You admire me. I have
heard too much praise about it: have
been too often told that was 4 hero-ye; |
! hero. l got rewards. decorations. Dro
motions. Well, would give all have,
md do not know how much more also |
never to have done that thing. Listen. / |
mn going to tell you how it happened"
And he hegan--evidently not so much
with the idea Of interesting me, as of clr.,..
ng his mind ly making me his coniil.an.
to relate the incident as follows:
ut was Oh the Danube, you will remem
DER. For several days We had remained
noored near the Turkish totilla, few
kilometres only from it, but hidden from
each other By the curves of the river, you
might almost have called it sea, ii is so
wide and deep ut that particular point.
We watched each other pretty closely: we
kept we'll upon our guard But maneuv-
sring is difficult there on account of sand
banks; and a surprise was really not to be
feared at all. Still, We all expected to ie
by the Turks, who were far more.