Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-05-17

Every Saturday night, in every
United States warship anoat, there
takes place u ceremony so beautiful,
SO exquisite, that 1t seems to have
escaped from the land of chivalry
and wandered into American life.
There, battered and amazed at its
welcome. it has remained ever since
and made the men in the navy bet
ter, truer, noblcr and braver. For
it must l,e confessed that the officers
are first of all splendidly American.
When ship is under way there is
no womun aboard her. She has no
place there. Maybe each man car
rics an image of one in his thoughts
during his watches on deck. OF
these things he docs not speak. But
once each week he comes forth
boldly with his fellows and rever-
emily sends greeting from across the
seas to her. From the China sea,
from stormy Cape Horn, from the
peaceful Mediterranean comes the
message. :,
..Sweethearts and Wives!" That
was ever and always will be the
sailors toast And when it Is given
aboard Uncle Sans ships it is d
tribute to the sweetness, the purity.
the beauty of American womanhood.
There are men who have drunk that
toast every Saturday night for more
than forty years. 1t is never old to
them. The officers would as soon
think of passing unnoticed an i'm
portant disciplinary regulation as
passing Saturday night without this
ceremony. 1t does not matter
whether the ship is on the high seas
or anchored in II foreign port, or
lying at tho dock in the Brooklyn
navy yard, SO long as her men are
aboard they drink the toast 1t is a
custom as old as the navy. 1t will
says the Philadelphia Times.
The servants are we'll trained.
They have the champagne nicely
chilled and open it almost without
orders. After the dinner is finished
the executive officer arises. Very
likely there is gray in his hair. His
face is Redeemed by weather. and
scanned by years, for men who reach
position cannot be young. But his
heart is still young. They have
dined we'll and the content of we'll
filled stomachs shines on their faces.
But when the lieutenant commander
rises they are still He stands
straight, with his hand upraised.
"Gentlemen, are your glasses
charged?" There is not one which
is empty. The officers rise and bow
their heads in answer.
II give you." (the lieutenant COM
mander speaks earnestly. and there
is soft glimmer in his eye)-.I
give you sweethearts and wives.
God bless them"
"Sweethearts and wives-God
bless them!" comes in chorus from
the officers. Then they drink the
wine. And II there runs down the
spinal chords little thrill, and
If their eyes grow moist and their
hands shake bit, it is tribute to
themselves and to tho American
womanhood to whom this toast Is
drunk. With a something in their
breast throbbing like the great en-
gines, and the swish and gurgle of
is conjured before them, like the
azure MIN DuS OI IL uTedLl, uOIHc
with a soft-voiced woman and the
pruttling of a child, or u slender,
girlish figure bending her head to
hide the lovelight in her eyes. On
Saturday night the officer at sea feels
that he is very near home.
And then they sing sometimes, but
this depends upon the men who make
up the mess. because being sailor
does not make man singer.
There Is a song written by J. D.
Jerrold Kelley. when he was lieu
tenant, back in the '70s. This song
is still popular. Now Mr.. Kelley is
n lieutenant commander.
Come gather round and glasses Nil,
A toast we give tonight
Tis one that made our bosoms thrill
Ere this with keen delight
We'll drink to those we love the best
The dear ones OF our lives
HID hip, hurrah! give 1t with zest-
Our dear sweethearts and wives
Oh. pass the grog In forums round;
Put fippers on the glass.
And drink to wlen We re hohew1rd bound,
For mother wife and lass
Then pledge With loving heart and lip
The dear ones of our lives
Hin hip. huTrah' Hurrsh. hip hip
God bless sweethoarts and wiYes
S..~t,. ,.lti