Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-07-11
Mr., RUBBIT'S BOOTS
A Joke That Cost a Naval Ofacel
His Commission.

A Joke That Cost a Naval Officer
His Commission.
II was back in the piping times Of
peace, and was hardly more than a
"a when found myself on board her
ms,esty's good ship Orontes, outward
hound. The Orontes was troop ship,
and was engaged in what is called the
Indian relief service. On this occasion
,be was bearing out to the great Asiatic
mssession q number Of detachments
tom various regiments, and quite q
lsrge party Of officers, some going back
n ioin their corps after happy and
Al too short furlough in England;
others, like myself, going out to join
their respective regiments, the former
MISE Of all the pleasures and excite
uets Of Indian garrison life; the lat
choking forward ardently to that
sane thing. So it is throughout life;
d. anticipation is the best part Of the
rood thing. It must have been this
h,t prompted the late lamented Solo
mon to make that highly sensible re-
mark Of his anent vanity.
Mai. Williston Ball, Of the Bengal
artillery, was the life and soul OF the
psrty, and his mare-an Australian
awsler"-was the most intelligent ami
NAL ! had ever encountered. He took
The mare wherever he went; she was q
FOOD sailor in rough weather, and In
calm would frisk about the deck in felt
boots and play with the men more like
| kitten than horse.
Another parsonage, the very antith-
ssis of Maj. Ball, was young gentle
man who had just been presented with
commission as cornet in hussar
regiment. He was the scion OF the
senior partner in the firm Of Rubbit &
Shine, the eminent blacking manufac-
urers, and possessed all the character
istics Of his plebeian origin; he was ar
ngant, self-assertive and inquisitive
10 degree, and, although snubbed
right and left, was as unabashed as
ever.
On the evening after we had left
Malta, the first lieutenant invited
hall dozen of US to discuss bowl of
specially interesting punch In his
cabin. Eusebius Rubbit was OF the
party, and, regret to say, took much
rOre than was good for him; SO much,
indeed, that he suddenly disappeared
under the table. Then some one pro-
posed having some fun with "Seeby,"
a5 Tie lrst officer called him. So we
srloycd his boots-he always per-
sisted in wearing undress uniform and
riding boots, although the rest of us
we're in mutt" aboard ship-and,
putting about pound Of carpenters
glue in each, we tied them to the peak
AalIards, and, hosting away, left
taen flying at the mizzen gaff end.
We then painted his nose green-good
snips paint, hard as enamel-and put
bin to bed
About one bell, or hRlf-past four,
Text morning, being unable to sleep
and feeling somewhat cobwebby, l
vent on deck just as the first CLEAN OF
dawn came out Of the east. On our
ilarboard bow, and coming westward
evidently going to Malta-was
large three-decker proceeding under
anvas; it was the Duke of wellington,
'aen flagship of the Mediterranean,
auadron. 1t was the first time had
seen 50 large ship under sail, and It,
was destined to be the last, for the era
y iron warships was fast approaching.
andit was most magnificent sight to
zee her heeling over towards US
gracefully, as if bowling, her immense
gread OF swelling, spotless canvas at
We same time showing the whole
,sngth of her cream-white spar deck.
was lost in admiration at the beauti-
al Spectacle for many minutes as She
ane abeam Of us, when noticed she
20 up a string OF signal flags, hauled
@em down and ran up another string.
~ third officer, a merry young fellow
aaned Lockhart, had taken over the!
watch at four o'clock, when it was.
WI dark, and had since then been
Ssy superintending the swabbing OF
ae decks; but he managed to spell out
We signals to mean: ''What signal
anzen" He then, for the first time
ass his eyes aloft, and beheld with
,aazement "Seeby" Rubbit's boots
sAngling from the peak. He looked
wei lnquiringly to the quartermaster
@,ae wheel; that worthy grinned and
Some Of the young gentlemen have
zen havin' of some fun with Mr.. Rub
y last night-leastways this mornin',
'lq thems his boots at the peak, SIR"
lockhart laughed, and, turning to
eothats what you fellers were up to
y, night, was itP heard the racket;'
~ now the dear old admiral wants TO-
, ,aOw all about 1t, tool So he shall,
'vua old man, SO he shalt"
~ then proceeded to spell out tho
NJ, .se' = but significant reply: "Rubbit
NV Shines best" He intended It
s se'ely as a joke, and thought surely
~, ADMIRAL would understand and
Az ~ " as such. The boots were hauled
Pn Sa and tenderly passed over to Mr:
,s s.Oi's man, the signal flags slowed
MY and the incident forgotten long
Wore tho aa...u -. . <,sa4 AZ