Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02

sionally need spanking, so this chief petty
officer went to the officer of the deck and
tod quietly Of the occurrence saying that
while he didn't care to have the boy pun
ished, he'd have to insist upon the APP
prentice's picking UP the mess stool and
replacing it at the mess table. The ap-
prentice boy was summoned by the officer
of the deck, lectured and told to pick up
the chief petty officers mess stool and re-
place where it belonged. The boy would
not do It, and said he wouldn't. This was
simply rlutiny, but the boys age was con-
sidered. He was double-ironed and put in
the brig. Ten days later he was given a
chance to put the mess stool back at the
mess table. but he wouldn't do it. The
stool was permitted to remain just where
the boy had thrown it, even during Sunday
inspections and one muster The lad was
general court-martialed for rank diSobedi-
ence of orders and was sentenced to thirty
days confinement in the solitary brig on
bread and water. After doing twenty-sev-
en- days of this hard stunt the lad wilted.
Dapled at the mast and was released. He
picked up the mess stool.
Fate of Mutineers
Even when uniformed men of this gen
Grafton mutiny, or buck, in body they
very rarely make their point stick. The
reason why seven bells is never struck in
the British navy is because, at seven bells
one evening over a hundred years ago.
there were mutinies-long prearranged-
aboard lot of British ships of war
Throughout, the world. Seven bells has
never been struck on the evening watch
on British man-of-war since that occa-
sion, in order that the absence of the half
hour tolling at that particular period of
the day may be perpetual reminder of
obedience to British naval tars-forS the
necks of slew of the mutineers were
stretched when this thing was all over and
the mCtinies suppressed. But this was a
long time ago. Mutiny doesn't go now
The old Hartford, Farraguts flagship. had
80
aboard of her after the war as ever jumped
to the piping of mess-gear. This ships
company then Included scores of buckers.
A few years before the Hartford went out
of commission the buckers got together
and decided that they didn't like the quail
ity of the neckerchiefs and tobacco being
served out to them by the ships paymaster.
So they declined to accept the tobacco and
neckerchiefs. 1t was big ships company,
and the buckers numbered pit. They
thought they'd surely overawe all hands
with such goOdly number. The PIT of them
did all the way from two weeks to two
months in double irons for their little job
of attempted skipper-bulldozing, and that
was the last mutiny in our navy. But the
individual bucker remains, and he probably
| always shall remain as long as there is a
ravy.
A Picturesque Bucker.
The most picturesque bucker the regular
| army of the United States ever had was
a wild Irish drum major who arrived at
his finish at Fort Leavenworth, Kan,
good long while ago. The man was good
drum major, but the commanding officer
of the post had to break him time and
again to the ranks for all-around tumultu-
| business. 1t wore on the irish drum ma or
nightly, this thing of being frequently
relegated to the privates' barracks for bad
conduct, and his nerves. no doubt, got on
edge. Anyhow, the last time he was broke
to the rank of private. he went into line
at dress parade one afternoon with the
determination that he'd get square with the
comman ding officer for breaking him, If ne
| lad to hang for it. Sc. as the command
was passing in review before the command
ing officer. the ex-drum major dropped
quietly out of ranks, made for a loose
brick walk, picked up half brick, and
let the commanding officer have 1t right in
the chest. The commandin,. officer went
down as If he had been hit by bullet
The soldiers broke ranks and made for the
ex' Ill um major. He stool them off, pelt-
ing them with bricks. for ten minutes, and
he used them up good deal. Then they
overpowered him. and he got twelve years
at the Fort Leavenworth military prison.
Inc army and navy, IN brief are bad
places for the man of an analytical turn
of mind. He is liable to meat up with
some things that were not devised for
analysis, but for performance There is
Justice the very best quality Of 1t, in the
TWO United States services no better in
any service in the world. But the bucker
who sets about to undo the man with the
gilt ornaments his cap and blouse has
got an tnconceivabe amount of bitter ex-
perience in store for him. 1t is the easiest
matter in the world for man to behave
| himself in our land and sea services The
trouble is. that 1t is still easier to misbe-
have. But the cost of misbChavio~ is SO
heavy that the young man of judgment
stands By willing 60 10 anything to keep
his gaze averted from the cool stare Of
the judge advocate of a court-martial