The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-03

10 the other officers lie chiefly around the
captaiu's table. he invites the officers 70
dine with him in rotation until all have
been entertained The Wardroom always
invites the captain 10 dine with them on
holidays, such as the Fourth Of July and
Christmas.
table in every WardrOOm. Any member
OF the mess has the right to ask a friend
70 dinner al most any time and on stated
occasions the wardrOOms, as a whole, in
vites guests. These dinners are always
something OF a Formally. The officers are
in their. evening dress. as are their guests.
In some OF the larger ships there Is room
Tor from eight 70 ten guests The cost or
their entertainments is assessed on the
WardrOOm staff. When a person is en-
tertained az a guest OF a certain officer
the expenses fall on the officer who eX-
tended the Invitation. The same rles that
obtain in the WardrOOm hold good in the
steerage among the junior officers, and IN
cEu0e way IN the meSSes OF the crew.
The members Of the crew always feel
somewhat in touch socially with the Off
Gers when every day they see the officer
OF the deck taste their SOUP and eat bite
Of their meat before il is served out 10
them 1t makes them feel that the social
distinction between them in the matter
OF lOOu1 Whatever II may be In the matter
OF drink, is not so great after all
Ihen there is a social duty observed by
the wardroom officers as TO the matter Of
calls whenever new captain comes
aboard each officer is expected to pay a
formal call on him. When an admiral ar
rives, or another ship is added to the
squadron, the duty of paying calls is del
egated to a committee. If every officer
were expected to call on every other Of
ncer, the series Of calls would not only be
burdensome but might interfere with dis
clpllne- therefore committee of three IS
appointed in each wardrOom, and this
committee. with its engraved card repre-
senung the officers Of the entire mess.
pays the required social duties If a new
snip has arrived. this committee PAYS a
call on all its officers from admiral down
Inc call Is returned in the same way as
it is rendered
There are certain mythical personages on
every ship that have a distinct standing
in the social intercourse of officers and
men. one OF these is called Charley No
Bile No ship floats without Charley No
bic IN its crew, simply because no ship ex-
lists without galley stoveDiDe. Charley
Noble is that stOveplpe. The relation Of
well cooked food to the domestic life on
shipboard is so close that the condition
OF Charley Noble, who often becomes in
disposed, IS a matter of great concern 10
everyone on board. Charley Noble Is al
ways discussed Sc riously and he also comes
dangerously near to being a serious topic
of conversation for the wardroom mess.
1t is when a new paymaster's clerk or
other minor official comes on board and is
taking his first cruise that there is unus-
ual solitude for Charley Noble. The new
clerk learns that this Noble fellow is ire
mendously popular, but looks in vain to
find him. on the recent cruise of the Gin
cinnati down near Key West a pistol shot
appeared al his Office and said to his clerk:
Did you hear that shot?'
Yes, 1 did" said the clerk rand I was
wondering what It could have been"
"Well Charley Noble has shot himself
com nitted suicide" said the paymaster.
Just hurry up and make up his account,
and see that everything is charged tol
him, so that we may send the papers to
the auditor 1t is customary in such
cases"
The clerk made a grab for his book of
hnUan a n
ble's name He failed to find it. Then he
seized his index, and just then the pay
master had business in another part of
the ship. Twenty minutes later the clerk
hunted up the paymaster and solemnly
informed him that he could not find that
man Mobiles account anywhere and soon
the Cincinnati was in a loud guffaw from
end to end The cook had fired pistol In
Charley Noble TO clean out the SCOT and
insure a better draft.
1t Is this spirit of fun that has given
the name of "Jimmylegs" to the master
alarms of the ship, ana the appellation of
SKY Pilot to the chaplain. The captain
is invariably the "Old Man to everyone
on the ship, and 1t is probable that he
would not resent overhearing himself
called that, provided it were not too LOUD
and the captain could pretend with good
grace that he had become slightly deaf
Although the life Of a naval officer is
usually a busy one there are always
chinks where he can stow away some
recreation of which he is very fond. He
can find some time to read, some time for
pleasant games. If he desires to be alone
he simply draws the curtain to his room
and he is as thoroughly separated from
his fellows as If a wall of great hight
and thickness interviewed. When he is a,
sea, like all sailormen, his thoughts are
largely of home and port. His strict oh
servance of social requirements at such
times is seen in its results, for when
ever else may be said of the average
naval officer, he is by instinct and train
ing always a gentleman. His social re-
qulrements are the outgrowth of that
consideration for others which marks
the gentleman, everywhere, but which il
hardest to observe where men are crowd
ed together as thaN are ON a naual -