Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1892-02-17
Cores oondence of TIE REPUBLICAN,

navy friend of mine called attention to
dozen old fellows who were playing
whist near by, and asked if knew who
they We're did not know, and he
proceeded to enlighten me. "Old adj
mirals on the retired list" said he; "old
heroes, too, a good many of them. Do
you see the old man who appears to be
rather stiff in his joints-the one with
the long white whiskers and n black
ened forehead? That is Admiral Wor-
den, the hero of the Monitor.
"Just at this time, when all the young
men of the navy are eager for war with
Chill, because of the opportunities they
will get for winning distinction and pro-
motion, the old admiral is an unusually
interesting figure. There is link be-
tween the past and the present. There
is the man who commanded the worlds
first ironclad turreted vessel in its first
engagement That weak, shaky old gen.
tleman was commander of Ericsson's
Monitor when she steamed into Hampton
Roads and attacked the terrible Merri-
mac, which had been destroying every
thing before her. You remember the
story-how the Monitor excited the de-
rision of the enemy, how they dubbed
her The Yankee cheeseboX, how the lit
tie craft bore the awful cannonading of
her adversary without apparent injury,
how the brave men on the Confederate
ram suddenly awoke 10 realization of
the fact that at last they had a foe
worthy their prowess, and how the
Mar,i,,,o,. Enol1xy .p,nypllal IN
run away to Norfolk; you doubt
less remember also, how the com
mander of the Monitor was injured
by the concusSion of Il shot which struck
the turret with terrific force near where
he was peering through the sight hole.
the flying particles Of iron binding his
eyes and blackening his forehead; how
he was found by Lieutenant Wise after
the engagement lying on his back, tenn
porarily blind. and how his first ques-
ton was, Have saved tho Minnesota?
Yes, and whipped tho Merimac,' was
the reply. Then | don't care what be
comes of me, said WOrden You re.
member how the fate of the republic
appeared to hang in the balance during
this engagement; how the intrepid cap
tain of the Monitor was made popular
hero, and how the Yankee cheesebox
instituted revolution in naval con-
struction and naval warfare"
yes" said |, II remember it all.
Who could forget this naval epic2'
"Well," continued my friend, II want
to tell You a little story about this man
who sits before us quietly playing whist,
with his face still bearing the marks of
that memorable couilict-a story of a
hero that is tender and pathetic. Worden
served calamity throughout tho war,
was made an admiral, and five years
ago was retired on the highest pay Of
his grade, as if still on sea duty, by a
special act of congress. He had been
fifty-five years in the service, and was
entitled to this distinction and reward If
ever any man was. But what do you
suppose this old hero is doing nowI
What is his aim in life? All, lieuten-
ant, said he to me the other day, go to
Chill if you get chance, and distin-
guish yourself in the service of your
country if opportunity offers. AS for
me'-and here the veterans eye kindled
with thought of conflict, and he gave n
sigh as if realizing that his fighting days
were over-I am simply "reminiscences.
! am living simply to live. My only
aim in life is to cultivate longevity. AS
long as live my pay as a retired officer
keeps my good wife from want, and we
are able to do little something for
others. My health is not good, but
hope 10 live as long as my wife does for
her sake. When she goes hope to go
with her. 1t is my desire to outlive her
but day, She is stronger than l am,
but that | may if possible remain
as long rs she remains, you ought
to see how take care Of myself My
sole occupation, say, is tho cultivation
of longevity. study hygiene, dietetics,
every law or rule of health. For two
years have not been to dinner. | do
not go out nights. Ny entire time and
energies are devoted to taking caro- of
myself-not for myself, understand, but
for tho 81 500 year which the govern
ment allows me during my lifetime. My
good wife needs this as long as she lives,
and that is what am living for
"This was the old hero's story" con-
tinued the lieutenant, "and sweet,
pretty story it is too. Do you not think
so?"
"Ycs; but who are the other old men
at the whist tables2"
81 do not know them all. The two
partners at the first table are Admirals
Selfridge and Jenkins. Selfridgo is
older than Gladstone, having entered
the service in 1918. His first voyage as
MILDLY was made in the old sloop-of.
war Natshez, which captured half a
dozen pirate schooners in the West In
dies. He and his present whist partner
were midshipmen chums together on the
Natchez sixty-fve years ago That
is going back good ways in the
history Of the navy, isn't it? While
young man Admiral jenkins com.
manded part of q boat squadron which
crulsed for pirates in the shallow waters
off tho coast of Cuba. He was known as
lighting jenkins in his day and was
in the old frigate Congress at the capture
of the Buenos Ayrean squadron in l94i
he gave and took some hard knocks dur
ing the Mexican war and commanded 6
ship under Farragut in the rebellion
Those two men have seen between then
1872 years of service in the navy.
years for Selfridge and GO years fol
Jenkins
MANY other retired rear admirals are