The Saint Paul globe., 1898-07-03

ing that they wish American naval Of
ficers hadn't fallen into the strange
habit Of considering their country
women as brilliant angels right down
from heaven; that they have to be on
their mettle every instant to keep from
falling from the standard.
One woman who passed the ordeal
successfully was the late Kate Field.
Miss Field, up to within few weeks
of her death in Honolulu, used to take
luncheon with the wardroom officers
Of the gunboat Bennington quite often,
and the officers fell into the habit of
looking forward to her visits The
Bennington's captain would lunch with
the WardroOm officers when Miss Field
was at the table with them, and there
was
ANY AMOUNT OF FUN
on these occasions. The spectacle of
the slight little woman seated at table
with fifteen alert and listening men
of the sea, and evoking uproars of
laughter and occasional waves of
strong feeling for two or three hours
at stretch was always interesting.
She had perfect command Of herself,
never strove after effects either of hu-
NOR or emotion, and knew her world
to coal-mine depth beneath the sur
face. The naval officers were very
proud of her. Another woman who
American naval officers have often en-
tertained aboard ship is Sarah Bern
hardt. They had a right to expect
cleverness from such type of woman
as the divine Sarah, and their expecta-
tion was always realized. At one ward
room dinner aboard an American man.
of-war, Nine. Bernnardt announced at
the outset that she would speak moth
ing but English. Her efforts to con-
vey her meaning in English speech put
most of the officers on the verge of
spasms before a quarter Of an hour
of the time at dinner had elapsed. When
the actress saw that they all had their
handkerchiefs politely stuffed into their
mouths, she relented and resumed her
own language, wherein she sparkled.
Most American naval officers know
French, and speak it no more atrocious-
ly than their countrymen ashore. Nine.
Bernhardt had her revenge in trying
to make out the French of the officers,
and every minute or so she would en-
Guire of the baby kangaroo in her lap
if the alleged French of the officers
was not the funniest thing imaginable
on this earth.
SMALL GEAR.
Neither officers nor men Of a man-of-
war expect to have much left in the
way Of small gear after visit from
feminine friends. The girls never ask
for these things, Of course but they
never fail to go ashore with enough to
stock bumboat. Anything that an
American girl sees aboard an American
man-of-war and likes she gets. If she
could pack six-inch rifles the officers
aft would probably give her few. The
CT
Every American warship in commits
sion carries about fifty times the num-
Der Of cap ribbons ever likely to be re-
quired for the use of changing crews.
These extra cap ribbons are for the
girls. They are not officially made
for the girls, but it is an understood
thing that the girls are to get them
They cost the officer or bluejacket who
draws them from the paymaster's
stores Is cents each, but if they cost
the officer or bluejacket SIS each, the
girls would get them all the same.
Petty officers in our navy are always
shy on rating badges for their watch
arms after their ship has been invaded
by the girls. The girl innocentIy re-
marks that the anchor, or pair Of guns,
or exploding shell, or silver wheel. on
the petty officers arm, is pretty. She
doesn't have to say anything else. The
petty officer makes for his ditty box
for his scissors and cuts the rating
badge off his uniform before the girls
eyes for her. Then he has to draw on
the paymaster for another rating
badge. The chief petty officers, who
wear brass-buttoned uniforms, often
go buttonless for a day or so after a
ship-visiting day. They lop the but
tons off their blouses for the girls, and
then have to stand by for more but
tons at the paymaster's Office The
bluejackets will give the girls anything
they happen to possess. or don't happen
to possess for that matter. There was
an equipment yeoman on board ship
that visited the San Diego flower fiesta
few years ago who fitted out the
girls he escorted around his ship
WITH PECULIAR SOUVENIRS.
IN his storeroom he had couple of
hundred old-fashioned wrist irons that
had done lot of duty In squelching
the factiousness Of brigged sailors. A