The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-05-05

Well, worked for n year on the Con
stitutiQn, going up and down tho rat
lines to the top on tho mast, but no
iurther L never got to be anything
moro than an ordinary seaman.
didn't want to be an able seaInun
didn't want to go higher up the mast
than the top That was as near
heaven as | ever wanted to 70 till my
time came. It's far enough to fall from,
the top, let alone the 'erosstrccs.
Why. sub, If you fall from the cross
trees You get the worst of'it certain.
even if you fall in the water, and if Won
fall on the deck you're gone. suh-rone.
After I'd been on the Constitution
year went on tho Brandyvinc on Tho
inspection cruise. Do remember tho
captains name? You bet do II WAC
Farragut. Ho was fine, portlv. good
looking man, sub, and another man of
the same name was a big captain after
ward. No, | was never logged. but
I've seen lots of others punished. Once
came near being. but il was lust be-
cause tried TO get away when somo
one else was being punished. Which
OF the ports wo visited did like best?
All of EN-, suh-all OF Elm. could
n
when we were in port, and we could al.
ways find ways of having good times
there was always bright eyes to shine
on Jack Tar in them old days, sub
certain"
Ii was while he was at Norfolk and
Portsmouth that Rally says he heard
Gen. Washington make II speech Raby
is not certain what the general was
talking about, but there is no doubt
in the oldest mans mind that tho
father of his country was Indignant
and excited.
Yes, sub" said Baby, ~ saw the
old gineral and heard him talk. lie
was pretty mad, too-oh, my gracious.
yes! shall never forget one thing lac
said-it has stuck to me most n hun.
drcd years now
Go right on, fellow-ctizcns. rs YOU
have been going on. and | assure Won
that we shall have the devil Ia nav In
this republic and no pitch hotr
That's what the gincral said. sub,
certain and heard him say it. and SO
did great many other people, but
suppose they're all dead but me now.
Once when | was in the BROOKLYN
navy yard, sun" continued the old
man, II got shilling for being patri-
otic. IL was before Tie second war
with England and British officer and
an American officer Wcr" talking to-
Gether. and tho EnElislnuaa said there
were plenty of nations that coald whip
the United states. Wen, suh I thought
them two ginerals woulA fight. sub.
did, indeed, and finally the American
M tts1 al.
"'Well sec what IL Yankee sailor will
say to your talk, Sir.
Then he asked me il thought the
United States could be licked. and
said that didn't believe there was anv
nation in the world that could whip the
republic. If they were all rolled into
ono they might, but no single one could
do it, least Of all, England
well, sub, you ought to have seen
that English officer go away mad, and
how good onr officer looked when he
gave me the shilling.
While was in brooklyn navy ward
L got leave one day and went out TO
see INDUSTRIOUS pretty burying ground
Greenwood, they call it now. hear.
n man who came to see me two or three
years ago told me that they bury n lot
OF folks every day there now-thnt the
bodies go to that burying ground lust
like an everlasting stream of water.
Oh, my gracious! what big cities New
York and Brooklyn must be if that's
true.
Il left the navy because | was afraid
there'd be war and | didn't want to
tight. Well, there was n war. but |
didn't see no fighting, only on the sea.
and then | was on land, and good
ways OF I've lost my discharge ma
pcrs and I'm sorry If had EN- maybe
could get a pension, and anyway,
could prove my age by them"
Some forty or fifty years ago Noah
Raby joined the Baptist church at
Elizabeth, n. j., being immersed.
Il believe the Baptist church is ali
right, he said, but | don't think that
Just because I'm II Baptist and have
been immersed that I'm all hunkidorv.
You've got TO have change of heart to
go to Heaven, and that's what got
down in old Virginia a good many
years ago. | was taken sick and had
to lie on my languishing bed. ana one
night was happy in the spirit and
got up and went about the house sing
ing and shouting haueluiah! Yes. sub.
and | wish everybody could be as hap
Ply as was then. I've had nothing to
complain of all my life th,u,,I ,.,..,...