Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-11-02

egated the job to Jouett "Jim," he
said, II count on You TO fetch me that
bird, whatever happens" So il came
about that the Mctacomet lay in wait
for the artful dodger on Campeachy
banks, There was reason to believe
that she would come that way before
long. Meanwhile the commander OF
the warship set to work to transform
his craft in such a manner that her
own builder would not have recog-
| nized her.
The first thing he did was to paint
broad streak all around her hull
Then he hoistcd spars aloft and ar
ranged them so as to look like double
topsail yards, such as merchant men
carried in those days. by such de-
vices the vessel was made to resemble
a Mexican trader. She was anchored
near the shoals, as ii trying to catch
fish. So she was, but it was very
big one she was after. The guns were
covered with tarpaulins for further
disguise, and 1t was ordered that no
uniforms should be worn on deck
The commander put ON his oldest suit
of clothes In short nobody would
have surmised that warship armed
to the teeth was concealed beneath
such an innocent exterior.
When the smoke of the steamer was
seen at the expected point on the hor-
lion Jouett was confident that the
game was in sight. He even went so
far as to interview the steward in re-
lation to u bill of fare, saying that he
meant to entertain the captain of that
blockade runner at dinner the same
evening. The latter craft slowly rose
to the horizon When she came with
in a couple of nautical miles the Met
acomct hoisted the Mexican flag. The
stranger responded by running up
French colors. She had no suspicion
Of the true character of the foe that
was lying in wait. With the utmost
confidence she steamed past, and her
astonishment must have been great
when the Metacomet fired a gun
across her bows. In moment the
ship of war was revealed IN her true
character, her decks crowded with
men, and her armament unveiled. Her
commanders invitation to dinner for
that evening was not refused by the
captain of the blockade runner.
The Queens Army.
Eyes, gentlemen, it's the king $
army and the kings navy, but it's the
national debt" This infiammatory
outburst of Cofbctt's represents feel
ing which has, we fear, done an in
calcula bic deal of harm to our war.
like services. The notion that the
fighting forces of the country are the
queens army and the queens navy,
and not the national army and ma
tional navy. has been so much in
sisted upon that the ma ton has not
taken half the pride. interest and de.
light it ought in the men who defend
it, says the Spectator.
In France and even in America in
moments of danger the national
forces are not only dear to every heart,
but matter of intimate personal
concern to every man, woman and
child in the country With us, though
happily the army has ceased to be
actively unpopular, there is far too
much indolent Indifference. The
army and navy are the forces of the
crown and the crown must look after
them.
"Ain't it enough if | pay the bile"
That is the sort of way the ordinary
taxpayer and voter is inclined to re-
gard the matter. He may take pride
in the borough policc-they are ''our
police"-but sort of churlish shy
ness and pride precludes him by talk
ing or expressing interest in what hs
is always having rammed down his
throat as the queens army" and, as
he thinks, with the addition, land
that's a cut far above you, my man."
OF course it is all nonsense, a mere
matter of words, but none the less the
sentiment we have described exists,
and has done, we believe, a great deal
to create that sense of Indifference to
the army and its needs. that surly
lack of interest among the voters,
which all our best officers dcplore.
Look at the smaller provincial news
papers. Not one of them would, we
fear, ever think of talking of the army
except to run it down, to expose it to
scandal or to say that it was expcn-
sivc!y managed. The writers cannot
feel about it as a purely national Or
ganization, in regard to which they
are themselves responsible. II is the
queens army, not the nations.