St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-07-02

by Bella Pratt and was presented to the
Massachusetts by the state whose name
it bears in honor of that name.
Our guide after that conducted us up
hatchways and down steep, narrow
stairs until for the rest of the time that |
was on board the ship l was indeed at
sea, for whether | was in the fore or aft
part OF the vessel | could not tell But
somewhere in this vast structure we saw,
in racks of interlacing wires, torpedoes,
whose use was explained to us. They
are making them now" said our guide,
$50 that il they do not strike the vessel
toward which they are directed they will
instantly sink. This prevents the enemy
from making return sally with the same
missile"
Somewhere in the course OF our wan
derings we saw the hooks from which
the sailors hammocks are suspended at.
night. These hammocks are all occupied
at 8 p. m. In another place were to be
seen long bags, plainly marked with the
owners numbers, in which the ward.
robes Of the sailors are kept. The mid
dies" have lockers. On one deck the
ships tailor was marking out a uniform
OF blue cloth, while sailor was running
a hand sewing machine Another sailor
was sitting in corner industriously
making hooked-in rug Of bright wors
teds. wished knew Tor whom he in
tended it, and since | could not know,
pictured to myself a small parlor, whose
ornaments included bric.a- brac from va
rious foreign lands, and a sweet.faced
young woman standing in the door shad-
ing her eyes from the suns rays that she
might gaze out over the waters and
watch for her sailor lads return. Then
saw her welcome him, safe and WE'LL as
he came up the shel.bordered walk, with
the bright rug, made with thoughts of
h,r, in his hand. And | saw them look
with loving pleasure on the fair little
face in the cradle by the window, and |
pitied him and pitied her that he must
so soon go away and leave this home
again for another long cruise, and hoped
he would return again safely.
After this we saw the boxes ard cup
boards where the food is kept, scrupu-
lousy clean, for the men. Saw the man
who kept hot the huge ranges one for
the officers mess and one for the sea-
mems, on each side of small, warm
room, the air of which was redolent of
stewing beans.
We were allowed brief glance into
some of the officers rooms. In one
place two japanese cooks were prepar-
ing chicken salad and crisp lettuces were
waiting to receive it. 1--WE have Japan
ese cooks" said our guide, because we
must have those OF no hostile nation on
board lest in time of outbreak he should
poisonthe iood."
"We are allowed a certain sum each
month";" said the sailor, ''for board, the
officers the same as the men. But the
officers getso much better pay that they
can afford on their own account to set a
better table. We also increase our sti-
pend by small sum from our own
pockets. We used to put our extra money
into the hands Of one of our wn men who
was expected to go ashore and buy our
provisions for us. But so many times
the man who went ashore returned with
neither money nor provisions that we
have given up that method, and one
commissary provides for all. 1t was pretty
rough on us when we had paid our oney
to have to live on bareback and coffee. :"
In another room were tables and a IL
brary. "We have library too" said
the sailor, not without pride; and he
showed us two cases we'll filled with
good books by standard authors. The
chaplain acts as librarian OF these. Our
seaman then picked up some flags and
explained to us the signalcod 1t looked
very simple to us when he did it, but it
seemed to us as though it would take a
long time to learn it. Here and there
about the ship were hung blue print
charts giving the numbers of the men
and their positions and duties in case of
emergency, such as fire, collision, etc.
every man must be in his place at the
signal said our sailor. IF he fails to
respond, why He seemed to think
the long blank more expressive than
words. and left us to conjure up our own
ideas as to penalty.
There were many other interesting
things to be seen and heard, but we saw
the launch coming toward us and real
lied that we must leave our kind guild,
and the beautiful ship floating city o
men trained each to his own work anc
under the strictest military discipline
1t seemed as though mistake could no
be made.
My friend strove to press into the hant
OF the sailor something silvery and rounc
and hard, But he refused with scorn t,
accept it. So l thanked him with al
the grace | possessed, and, with hi
kind permission, fired parting shot a
him with my kodak and again tool
| MASSAGE on the launch and retnrned 4,