The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-05-01

or any other matter The sailor paid for
clothes and Uncle Sam donated him clothes
bag and hammock.
lie began service on the ironclad, Fort
Heineman, IL guns, and was given the num-
ber 81, which he had to place on all articles
belonging to him. He thought 81 was a
lucky number, as he had faith in odd num-
bers. The sergeant was an Irishman and
had copied his name Duncan G. Cooper, to
which Mr. Cooper did not respond at roll
call. When the sergeant discovered the
reason, Mr.. Cooper did extra duty and after
wards answered to any nance Odd num-
bers did not save him.
On board ship time is divided into watch
es of four hours each At the end of the
first half hour the ships bell tolls once, the
next half hour twice aud SO on until eight
bells or four hours, when another watch be-
gins. In asking the time sailors say, "How
many bells is itg'
The rules and regulations, ''recolectlons"
as the Tars called them, were read every
walking, by the captain, was trying ordeal
but the sailors soon learned to keep clean
and be neat. Liberty on shore meant a
great deal, but Jack generally spent his
money too freely and went the next six
months on scanty allowance.
The crew was divided into messes of "a,
each one taking his turn as mess cook for a
Sweek. The mess cook draws the rations
for his mess, takes them to the ships cook
and receives them when cooked.
Order is the insurmountable law; there is
time and a place for everything. The
navy of today wants more American born
sailors. OF the $500 sailors, according to
the last census, nearly one-half were foreign
born.
He was at Port Hudson when the news
of Lees surrender cheered them all, but
Lincoln's death was felt no more deeply in
any part of the country than in the navy.
Old, Engged tars wept when they heard the
sad tidings. One sailor from the South
made some bitter remarks against Lincoln
for which he was promptly court martialed
and sentenced to ten years Imprisonment at
Dry Tortugas, an island off the south of
Florida, where they ali hoped he would dry
up. [Appiause.]
After well rendered recitation of Roder-
ick Lee by Miss Maud Gilbert, Miss Vera
Haskell played violin solo credltably.
telling touching story of separation among
the slaves. "Old Cabin Home" was sung
by the choir, and Commander Frieseke in
troduced Geo. McCaughna, who related in
an informal and amusing way his expert
ences in the U. S. cavalry in which he spent
three years and four months.
He had eaten some of the Identical hard
tack which the old soldiers had eaten, he
was sure, and beans that were certainly
grown before the war. He had made no
elaborate preparations to speak and so he
was like fellow countryman who, when
| fighting with wild cat, didn't want some
one to help him hold him but wanted some
one to "help him let CO."
The U. s. cavalry is located principally
in the west and consists of 5000 men in ten
regiments, the 9th and 10th of which are
colored regiments and reliable soldiers, too.
Attracted by the life of Custer, and failing
to enter West Point on account of not be-
ing of a certain height, he enlisted at De-
troit aud was sent to the government train
ing school at jefferson Barracks, near st.
Louis, where they have very effective
way of making cavalrymen out Of farmers
or any one else. The neighbors at Byron
had never expressed any regrets at his de-
parture. Owing to sweet potato foraging
party at midnight he with 35 others were
consigned to the 18th cavalry, which all re-
cruits tried to avoid. His regiment was
afterwards sent to Ft. Mead where he was
one of six who whitewashed the colonels
ambulance. They were detailed to white
wash the top board of the fence around the
5000 acres of the post.
His fellow comrade Sharpe, of Saginaw,
died while they were in Dakota and 1t was
sad to lose the only one to whom he could
talk about Michigan and home scenes. Mr..
McCaughna came home few days before
the battle of Wounded Knee, brief ac-
count of which was listened to with interest
by all.
After a song by the choir and an amusing
recitation by Miss Mcmillan the meeting
was adjourned. Both of the speakers had
great deal of good humor in their remarks
and the comrades endorsed the thanks ten
dered the speakers by the presiding officer.
j. +. Mabin received on Thursday from
K. Il. White, of South Natick, Mass, a fine
eleven inch cucumber, specimen from the
garden of Mr.. White who is raising garden
produce for the early Boston market. Mr..
Mabin was somewhat surprised when he
opened the package and learned Its contents.