, 1889-09-05
4 LITTLE BUTTERCUP.
SHE IS cUEEN AMONG TIE JACK
TARS AT TIE NAVY YARD.

Miss Della Robinson, tho Yankee G:,lnRoai
Woman. Who Has All .he Virtues and
None of the Foib!os of Gilbert and Sui.
Iirans Little Euttcrcup.
| When Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan first
! introduced their nautical comic opera OF
"PInaiore" to an american public one OF
the most taking characters that aided
toward the success Of the distinctiveIy
| English production was that Of Little
/ Buttercup.
Little Huttercup WAS represented to be
! what, among the hardened tars of the
| queens navy, is commonly known rs
/ bumbOat woman, whose mode Of obtain
! iEE livelihood is by going aboard the
different war vessels and supplying the
crews with tobacco or knicknacks of
/ general use from Il stock carried in
BASKET or receptacle upon each arm.
! The idea OF lone woman venturing
among an army of sailors and blasphe-
nous followers cfthcsea a to sci! her litsIe
wares and run the risk Of meeting with
no polite treatment as the bumboat
woman was pictured, seemed quite a
novelty for Americans who saw the opera
| of "Pinafore." Thus, it may come as
somewhat of Il surprise and an interest
| ing point Of Information to be made
kn0wn that OF late The navy of DroGrcs-
sivc Uncle Sam has not only become
identified with vcritabIe burnboat
woman, but with a Little Buttercup
whose avocation is that Of the identical
BGttercup of AIossrs. Gilbert and SuIli-
vans characterization.
HER PATRONS RESPECT HER.
The modern bumboat woman who il
now gaining local fame and any number
CT ready patronizers to her stock in trade
can be seen at present almost any dav
upon her rounds among the ships of the
Unite! States navy anchored in the navy
yard in Brooklyn. She usually appears
about midday with basket Oh each arm
filled with palatablc pies and cakes and
a good supply Of bottled beer and tenn
perance drinks, which she readily dis
poses Of among the crew CT the war
ships, and TO all is simply known as
Little Buttercup."
It is said Little Buttercup's" profit
easily amounts 10 five and six dollars
day alone frcm the sales CT her good
things among the jolly tars of the war
ship Boston, who number over 800, ire
sPective of the officers.
From Commander Francis II. Ramsey
down to the most ordinary seaman,
Little Buttercup," instead of being the
butt Of the ships crew and target of
their unfceling jokes. IS might be sup
posed, is recognized and looked upon as
one OF tho most worthy of her sex.
the income derived from her ocauDa-
ton goes TO support her aged mother and
father, who reside IN a small house in
what Is called Irishtown, q quarter
mainly inhabited by natives of the En-
erald Isle and lying just on the outside
of the navy yard.
Little BUttercups" real name is Della
Robinson, and her father, who lost one
Of his legs in the late war, had a small
pension granted to him that will barely
go TO Gccura him comfortable s:,l,sist.
eTcg. When Della first went 70 the navy
yard to sell her wares some of the more
hardened members OF one OF the crews
attempted to take liberties with her.
They hautered her upon her good looks.
attempted to purloin pie or bottle OF
beer when her back w;s turned, and one
Jack Tar in particular even venturcd tc
approach Little Buttercup for the pur-
pose of cllucking her under the chin and
planting kiss upon her pretty check.
This lltteg efIrontery was more than
Della cared to put up with, and dropping
her stock in trade sho planted 4 singing
blow between the eyes of the fooihardy
saileF that sent him raeliag over the deck
a3 II struck by = Il2rlirspiI-e in the
hands or one Of his own shipmates. o.
SHE GIVES THEM CREDIT.
From this ont Little Buttercup" has
never had occasion to expect affront, i'll
treatment Of disrespect st the hands Of
any of Uncle Sans tars, whether high
or low, ana her coming Is as eagerly
looked for in the navy yard IS the 6trake
of the bell announcing all hands 70 din
ner. If any of the Bolton, crew have
not the money IT hand Little Butter
cup" is not the one TO refuse them the
pleasure of enjoying her pies, cakes or
beer on trust. The bumboat woman re-
lies upon their honesty ard knows that
when the paymaster makes his custom
ary visit her accounts will not be over
looked. In fact, there are no hills paid
by the sailors at the navy yard before
those Of poor Little Buttcrcup."
'Tittle RutterCuP," while disposing of
1900, sailors
IN dress
nonplace
business