St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-27
A Sea Yarn,

Old sailors will remember Captain Perciyal,
known in our navy before the war as 'sMad
Jack" Captain Percival was consummate
sailor, and as infexibie as the laws of the
Modes and Persians. Although noted for
his ecceatricity he was admired for his abil-
ity and determination
When Mad Jack commanded a sloop-of-
war on the Honolulu station just before our
civil war, a number of midshipmen and petty
officers incurred his dispieasure by some
riotous conduct ashore. Calling the delin-
quents before him, the captain administered
severe rebuke. and swore mighty cath
that not one of them should put foot on shore
again during the cruise. The lads were rather
inclined to laugh in their sleeves at getting off
SO cheaply, for the cruise was nearly I'D, and
they were daily expecting "orders for home
But the business became serious when. soon
after, news arrived Of a diplomatic row, or
case OF oppression, somewheres 1--WE won't be
too particular in the detaiis), and the vessel
received orders to sail in that direction and
prolong her cruise for several months The
- sailed for her destination, touching at
several fine ports, and affording frequent
opportunities to the senior officers and crew
to indulge themselves ashore; but the mid
shipmen, with daily heightened visases, were
confined to the ship. Finally the dropped
anchor in a port famed for its lively society,
its lovely women, the beauty of it's natural
position, its walks, its drives, and the bril-
hancy of its places of amusement-n fact,
the paradise of a naval officer. Here it was
announced they were to remain some three
months. All hands were rejoiced-except
the midshipmen, who, as the days and weeks
passed away and no permission reached
them to go ashore, suffered all the horrors of
Tanta!us. The ship had been some two
months in port when their sufferines reached
the eliminating point, and they held a meet
ing to discuss their condition. They argued
that when their punishment was pronounced
this proiongation OF the voyage was not an
ticipated, and as they had already been suffl-
GENTLY punished by confinement on board
when in port for a long period, surely Mad
Jack would, on proper representation of the
facts, relax his iron discipline in their behalf
and annul the sentence against them. So it
was resolved that they should proceed in
body to the captain and ask permission to go
ashore. A spokesman was chosen, and they
advanced, caps in hand, melancholy pro-
cession, to the captains cabin, and before
that potentate they feelingly represented thu
hardship of their case, announced their deeI
contrition for past ohenses, and wound up by
request to be allowed to so ashore.
$50, so! young gentlemen want to 81
ashore, do your
'tWhy yes, sir; we thought"
"Humph! Yes Well, expected an ap
plication of this sort; but I'm afraid you'll
misbehave yourselves
''Oh, no, indeed, sir; We'll be very circum-
spect.''
"And you won't get drunk?"
ooh, no, sir! we won't drink Drop.
Sand you won't go to any dance-heuses,<
low theatres, or any thing OF that sort9''
Certainly not, sir; Well seek the very best
society we can find"
Eyes, yes humph! 1t might improve YOUR
health, too, you are looking rather thin; but
I trust I shall hear no bad report of your
conduct
'You will not, indeed, sir"
"And you will be ON board the ship again at
an early hour?"
"Oh, yes, sir! we will be very punctual to
any hour that you may fix"
"Humph! Yes! Well, young gentlemen,
you CAN I Col!
There is TO be a convention held in London,
on June %, to which delegates will be sent
from every Young Mems Christian Associa-
tian in the world. This will be the largest
and most important gathering of this grand
organization that has as yet been held.
Miss Ruth MeEnery Stuart, whose stories
in Harper's publications have always received
a welcome from the public, is showing her
versatility in a new field-that of parlor
readings. Miss Stuart reads extracts from
her own story, "The Golden Wedding" and
from other of her WORKS. She is very popu-
lar among the four hundred of New York,
the Philadelphians who have grandfathers,
and the elite of Boston. Her engaging per-
sonality the charm Of her voice, and her
thorough knowledge of the negro and other
dialects, makes her an attractive addition to
the increasing army Of parlor readegs