Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-26

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Vritt-n for The Evening Star.
You may have Observed said the mid
dle-aged man of the party, that the young
women of this country are mighty patriotic
and that they haven't got any great amount
of respect for the circumlocution methods
"f modern diplomacy. They want fight and
a heap of it, and they don't hesitate to let
the men folks in their families know, al
breakfast. dinner and supper. that they are
just spelling for battle 3Ed tie deep-mouth-
IL baying of the dogs of war. Just at this
stage of The game they want to get at the
throat Of Spain SO bad that it's about as
much as they can do to keep away from the
recruiting offices and the gangways of the
rec Giving ships. This Is all right and as it
should be. It's the proper sort of spirit for
american girls. My three daughte get SO
varmed M sometimes in laying down the
Law on this big international question that
the country is now wrestling with, and they
attempt so eloquently to induce their young
raen to singly and individually cast the
gauntlet in the teeth of Spain. that L can't
help hut overhear them occasionally. and
m boGnd to own up that their talk of this
kind Is mighty sweet and refreshing music
in my ears, for / think whole lot of the
starspangled banner myself, and have done
bit Of campaigning for it. at that.
But. all the same. the most patriotic of
the young women would probably begin to
edSe a little bit and to ponder a good deal
more if Il declaration OF war should be made
today or tomorrow. Women, you know, are
fond of dreaming of the picture features of
war-the panoply of it, and the fanfaron-
made Of tTumpets and the muttering of
drums. But when it comes to the point of
seeing their men fOlks-their husbands,
swesthearts. fathers and brot hers-togging
out i'm hastily-made government straight
uniforms and marching off to some indef-
init, DIES -ination with sort o. set and drawn
pixies on them-well. at this stage of the
game. the girls, young and old. are pretty
likely To- look each other in the eye in
lonesome. forsaken kind O. way, and to
come TO the sudden conclusion that, some
how or another the picture doesn't appear
quite So bright and cheerful as they had
fsrcied Il would. and that their sunshine
las been obscured by good many gray and
dun-hued tints. 1 saw all this kind Of thing,
You see. when the boys all over this lan1
were trapseins off to our big war. The girls
then We're pretty fiery, north and south,
just they are now in the common nation
al cause. and wheii hostilities actually broke
out they did lot try to hold their men in.
But they closed down in the matter of in
discriminate talk about the rights. and
wrongs of things and they took it out in 4
good deal Of quiet weeping in dark corners.
The patriotism Of American women is
a great thing. l don't like to think where
this country'd be Today if our women had
rot always been patriotic to the cores of
their hearts But Their, again. there's a
whole lot i'll this matter of war besides the
fGttering of flags. the flashing of search
lights. and the martial music of the bands
And just at this point the empty left
sleeve Of the niddle-aged mans coat SEEM
81 to speak quite as srggestively as his
words
i 4
The Chivalry of United States senator
cost me so the other day." said lady who
recently disposed of her household effects
in Washington preparatory to her removal
abroad Il sent my piano down to the
auction room together with the rest of my
goods. II was rather fine piano. 1t was
d rainy day when the auctioneer began to
sell off my stuff, and only two people pres
mt appeared to want a piano-and the
piano was the first thing put up These
TWO people we're a lady who manages
dancing academy here and Senator Till
man Of South Carolina. The auctionear
started the piano off at a pretty fair figure
ami the lady promptly tackled $50 to his
opening bid. i was present at the auction
sale. and knew Senator TillInan by sight.
Whom the lady made her bid 1 could see
THAT has lips Were framed to make higher
bid Then he seemed to do a bit of sudden
thinking. and held his peace. There being
i" further bids. the piano was sold to the
lady. The senator knew the auctioneer and
L overheard his remark: I'd have gone at
least 81 better on that instrument had my
opponent in the bidding been man SO.
q the men say. | WAS out $50. but didn't
mind 1t much when / reflected how L
happened to accrue the loss"
When I was serving. few years ago,
one of Uncle Sans bluejackets in the
UuiteG States governments line of fighting
packets. said en- ex-man-o'-war's man
now living in Washington, zone of our
ships company was humorous duck of q
tnird-class bo'sun's mate named Murphy
Murphy. who was not born anywhere near
The Lake of Como, was commonplace only
in tnc single respect that he certainly was
mighty fond of his grog. Our ship was one
OF the big cruisers and we We're on the
Mediterranean station. One day We coalcd
snip at Genoa and started for the short
haul 70 Villefrarche. Murphy had been
ashore a good deal at Genoa and he had
punished the Chianti wine more than lit
Tie while on these liberties The sea be-
ing dead calm on the afternoon We pulled
out of Genoa harbor. Murphy, with a lot
81 the other blueJackets, was ordered over
the side To swab coal dust off the plates
from a bo suns chair. Murphy's side
'L"dulhs Stctlon was on the starboard side
81 thc bow He rugged his chair down
'i"Se 10 the sea and went at his bucket
thd-Swab job like man pretty nigh dead
Tor sleep-for he had just got back to tho
snip from liberty in time to catch her be-
iore she sailed. Murphy's side-cleanine no.
sllion away up forward ON the outboard
tI inc snip kept him practically out Of
view 81 any OF the men forward who were
an busy SLOWING away and brea king our
gear anyhow. when knock-off was yyis.e,I
IN the lac afternoon, and the men started
|" wash Tor messgcar, Murphy didn't SHOW
UP on dtck. and come OF US began 10 uo,,-
GSi Il there was anything wrong with him
We hopPed up to the togalIant fo'c'sIe
ana looked over the stdrboard side There
Wa Murphy's bo'sun's chair hanging an
il=ht and taUt. and his bucket dashed 10
II. "Ht there was no Murphy Murphy had
sPiairntty gone To sleep while at work and
had iJli,n into the sea. We gave the
Farm Z" the officer of the deck the en-
eiHes were reversed and for a couple of
HpNIs IN" snip patr0led its wake in a vain
attempt 10 ind Murphy III mid Aieditcrra-
Heah and pick him up. Then the skipper
gave up the search and resumed his course
tor NilIrfranchc. Up fOr'ard. after the
iaSfl"h OF men-O'-war' : men We all chew
td the blanket about what a first-rate ALL
around chap Murphy had been in the flesh
!.t next morning at all hands one of the
apprentice boys shinIed up to the for'ard
h&htlnS top TO do Soms cleaning He had
no sooner gotten over the gunI of tina
hShting top than he let out a yen that