The Republican journal., 1898-11-10
Vacation NOtes-fiOmeWard Bound.
Such is the patriots boast where'er we roam,
His first best country ever is at home.


to us, with the last resting place of John
Howard Payne in sight and his immortal
hymn fresh in memory-even then we left
Washington with regret.
Our stay had been so pleasant, would
we soon see the beautiful city again was
the question we asked ourselves as we
were hurried past the public buildings on
our way to the Steamer. Arrived at the
wharf, darkness shut out the familiar land
marks and changed the current of our
thoughts.
The dog belonging to the vessel had
managed to get left behind, evidently with
malice aforethought, and like ourselves
had been spending a week in Washington
and must be our travelling companion,
agreeable or otherwise
On the steamer were 'Fighting Bob
Evans of the Iowa, Capt. Rogers of the
monitor Terror, and Miss Nancy Letter of
Chicago, sister of the wheat king and
sponsor of the battleship Illinois, on their
way to the launching.
Early next morning we arrived at Fort
ress Monroe, modernly known as Old Point
Comfort. 1t did not take long to impress
Fort Monroe and the two prominent hotels,
and we soon took electrics to Hampton,
noted for its work for Negro and Indian
youth. Beginning in 1868 with two
teachers and fifteen students, in the old
barracks left by the Civil War the Hamp-
ton School has grown until there are now
over ffty-tive buildings where students
help to earn their board and clothes and
receive instruction in the Academic,
Agricultural, Normal and Industrial
departments as they wish,
The school is known to Northern PEG
pie through the efforts of Booker T.
Washington, a graduate of Hampton, who
founded the Tuskegee School in Alabama.
Very little time was spent in Hampton
and we moved on, still by electrics, to
Newport News where we Joined the vess ell
and got our family -now increased by two
Vashingtonians, gentleman and his
!
fortably disposed and We're glad to spend
the remainder of the day in quiet recupera-
ton.
Next day from the deck of a neighbour
ing vessel, We witnessed the launching of
the battleship Illinois. It was gala day
for Newport News, and forty thousand
people applauded the feat. Conspicuous
among the ships in the harbor was the
Presidents private boat, the Dolphin
The launching was successful, the ship,
covered with red paint having the APP
pearance of a big fire as she slid into the
water. She is about half completed,
will be nearly thirteen thousand tons
displacement when ammunition and stores
are on board, and will be placed In com
mission next year.
simultaneously with the coming of the
Illinois upon the scene of action, Admiral
Howelfs flagship, the San Francisco, left
Newport News for Norfolk to 90 out of
commission and be modernized, after
being in service eight years.
The presence of the warships while we
We're weather bound at Hampton Roads.
recalled the fact of the battle between the
Merrimac and Monitor, and the sinking
of the Cumberland, in those waters IN
1862.
But our errand was a peaceful one, and
we passed out by the Virginia capes as
we had passed in-on Sunday-and our
genial Captain remarked, 81 will have Won
in Boston on Thursday The wind was
ahead and his assertion did not make us
over confident, but during the night the
wind changed, and then followed a few
days OF such sailing as would inspire the
most spiritless.
For the heart of the great ocean
Sends thrilling pulse thro me;
Would st thou-earn the secret of the sea
Gully those who brave its dangers
Comprehend its mystery"
With every stitch of canvas spread and
drawing, ''a wet sheet and flowing sea, -
clear sky above and pleasant company
around us, we bowled along, and woke on
Wednesday morning to find ourselves in
the smooth water of Vineyard Sound.
At the breakfast table the Captain inauir
ed if we knew how many persons were on
board? No one had thought of it but we
numbered thirteen. The good man had
kept the knowledge to himself until the
worst of the trip was over, although no one
was supersttious.
We were Off Nantucket shoals at night
and then proceeded, rather leisurely,
along the Massachusetts coast and around
the bare and Bonded arm of Cape Cod,
and at noon of Thursday were met by an
asthmatic little tug, aud the Captains
prophesy was fulfilled.
We anchored in Boston at six O'Clock
and the pleasant trip was over; and this
little journal, written many times under
difficulties amid the ups and downs, in
chronicling much that is pleasant to
remember must bear testimony to the
rounding out of very pleasant summer
vacation.
Waltham. A. L. MCkEEN