The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-10
0 REMNANT SAN!
Cue 50th Of Sebrnary.
OR

eh the rest have thirty-one.
Earring February alone,
nrlv twenty -eights his line.
csve I'm leap year, thens the time
vete, February has twenty-ninc.'
lArd sometimes thirty)
--,o last line Is not part OF the old
e-rie as ] learned Il when LAD, put
nave since discovered that II may ne
.-'c enough for all that. and have actual
counted S67 DAYS during one reap
while the rest Of humanity-out-
E ~ our small circle-were Cchtenteu
80, me ono extra day only allowed by
,Ne calendar. ,., -. an
.I.r in q Japanese port, awaiting me
.ferocnt OF an international tplsouel
pa os 81 was well on toward the end
ri nc thrcc-ycar'S cruise, adN3n'@St was
t-ter 81 cur stay 20 have inc hoilr
.l.h bound" ptrnant made ashore. ana
.h D. n new set Of ColCrs, AL 10 be
down when the long-loC ked.for ORDERS
r-.red EVcry one contributed 10 u
f.r1 and the skilful japanese WorkIuch
tf rh,r very best. Loug before the cX-
..l orders were received Tie task was
t-..nef and the articles delivered TO
tha crrW with much ceremony anu I.@ns
.,-. drawn hreaths OF profound respect
b. tle quaint little silk merCfa ant, ana
f.s assistants. We were delighted WIN
.r.m. Both the flag and the Jack were
~ urt sual size, bu- the honorable pen
rait'-our homeward tcunder-was
marvel. fully 1866 feet Tonga foot Tor
..~, dav Of the year (at least, we
thought 500 bat II should have been
even longer. and Q pennant san, thus
sighted. aid not fail 10 remind US IN que
time of our oversight, 49,,
II was probaly two months after TINS
event that 1 was ashore one DAY NI.
frg a friend Of minh, euro dealer, WIN
whom, ! had been bargaining for q rare
ia sword Of the TOkugaWa period ana
leNiua completed my purchase. fauntr,-
"a down towards the bund where. hnd-
inc
!nr our litfie mess Doatnan W3ilHS,,
directed him Oh pull me off 10 the SNIP.
te we nearcd the vessel n ringing cneer
s,ar1ed ue and on looking up 10 lcIn
the cause 81 q is unusual departure rom
10 strict dccorum Of the man-oi-Wai'
observed that our usual modest pthndhI
WIS being hauled down. while lis place
was taken by what seemed 20 be an I'M
meuse ball or bundle, around which was
a turn or two Of the signal halllaIcs.
AS the ball reached the mas thedd, me
halliards were shaken from the deck.
breaking the ban, and disclosing as lolu
otter fold was released. our enormous
Somewsrd bound pennant. Gracefully II
noated far astern, now dipping 10 louCn
the blue waters Of the bay, ana no"
rising buoyed by the small ballo2h Oh
The end. and STRENGTHENING out WIN the
breeze till IL was almost over our heads.
A. the same moment the bcauliul ne"
fac was run up 10 the PEAK. anu lle
old one slowly lowered, as IL Iciuclall'
10 Weld to the silken glory Nhlch Ir-
rIace5 H. The band on the Russian flag
sin burst forth with Hail Columbia"
followed by Home. Sweet Home. anu !
knew the orders had come al lasi' anu
that we were indeed hOmeWnrd bouuu.
me toatman knew 10 also. for as g
great pcnnont swept asten inc tN
almost touched him, wfcIeupon ne no"e5
rtarly 10 the bottom Of the bCal' ara
with q long-drawn. arulbie lIsplId il.lli
DE- s4id. go pennant san, 80 fcne' saEo0
rar-' fc.od-bycl. The little chap was
sincerely sorry. for we had steacIy err
rloyel him for Months ana he gave US
most faithful. patient auencGnce AT an
Iolrs. seemingly never SLEEPY or urea:
dav ~ night "Sayoo nara, Nisfida san.
said leaving him at the gang"ay.
"S9yeo nara" he replied sadly. 80 me-
dct5 g,2arimas' Clay you always DC
11ye.' lad so long been in expectation Of
these orders that we had quite ahucipd,-
81 them in our preparau3}ns; an, anu about no
I'll. decks An hands, up anchor LOT
home" swiftly the great mass 0t ron
was raised from IT'S muddy pea, lnT an
CHOIR was "catted and hshed, and slowly
and gracefully the beautiful ship steamed
ont of the harbor. her long penna,In.tt
c.ught UP 10y the breeze ana SldHVIHe
etrairht out astern. as If taking a last
ioak mon the place where II had been
I.rn As J. too. gaze1 upon the recedlnS
shores. I recalled Moores beautiful INES
"As slow our ship her foamy track
Against the wind was cleaNing, ~
Her trembling pcnnaut sun looked DdCh
To that dear isle twas leaving"
Again the band Of the Russian flagship
played Home. Sweet Home, Whlie from
her mast head foated the stars ana
stripes Her crew and those of the other
forciKn war vessels. manned the rsg'hs.
and gave us parting cheer 10 All OF
which orr men replied WIN WIZ d ntsIt5 ~
good VIII. Soon We had passed out OF
SIGHT and as the evening shadows telL
ana night settled down, we found our
selves out on the broad cNpanse or the
I.rs.. fol "a
us. our beautiful colors ana wonderful
pelnant carefully slowed away, not 70
b. hoisted alaiu TN We had sighted the
far-awav shores of America.
r. Mas on this homeOard bound trip
that We had the unusual experience or
thirty DAYS in February. ana tIe TACT tlaJ
d., last was such a mem lIaule one I4I
ue AN was entirely due 20 our unfortunate
omission of that extra foot In the length
cf the remnant. 70 was only 500 feet !
long, when IL should have been 90; so
Tie men claimed all the luck had gone
Olf ~ il. II was OF japanese ofSih'
and there must be no ahhreviation of the |
respect due TO anything japanese. II was |
grave overs ght and we reaiiled IL |
merchant knew nothing Of IT, for ne |
would never have failed I'm Difference 20 |
th, go. pennant san We alone were 70 |
blame. Rarely, indeed, does IL happen |
that q homeward bound pennant mas |
such a chance FOR increased length. ana !
On think that We had overlooked IT.! our !
punishment was well-meritcd
Hardly had We lost sight OF the coast |
when the breeze freshened 10 moderate |
g.I. almost following right after us.
Tt- fires We're allowed % die out and.
as fl- gines stopped, the propcilor was
Hr... rle1 and away we flew. under sail
a'0r- before the favOring breeze. drag
slE if behind us. whore u chopped ana
c.lrri the sea in noisy protest az beiAe
f..s discarded. and making anything but
soothing lullaby for the unfortun9trs
nN. occupied the after state rooms HON
v- rallied as we reelcd OF the knots be
t. us ana the homes we had lelt
rr- years before. often. my relief IS
b. f.1k the trumpet. would glance abort
a' fr- swelling sails. or astern. at the seas
which were chasing u.s. and tumbllng
0'er zach other in their cagerness 10
r-t aboard would softly sing
nst sheet. and a flowing sea,
49,. wind that follows fast ,anf frec)'
Az his is something like at this rare,
show them an old-style, clipper !
i.f rlssagc. PAIN What do We want with |
t.r a,yhoNf' de was not very long |
from the academy. and So was
OF "a salt)
- llly neared the lS0th meridian. |
would soon be across the imaginary |
tlt. as we approached the con
NJ the eastern hemisphere. the
. began 10 blow with increasing force |
N f.i now become quite "a heavy |
orI we kept on. for We were anX-
~ avoid the necessity OF "hcaviug |
ana our captain-a thorough sailor
~ heut unon making quick passage
p up some days. We had had no Observa-
-'H. Dot our reckoning placed as very
81 'r fhe big meridian" BY our calcu-
a.I's we should cross II on the 29th dt
.t .etp year,, and We were all anxious
~.