The Portland daily press., 1898-05-12

and horrible to me.
Every one was happy on the fine morn
Ing, going to war. Sailors hate block
ade: they dread inaction. They want to
mix up with the batteries, but the blessed
old United States army is not ready yet,
SO they must wait. But they took it out
OF the soldiers and I dearly wished for
some OF them to be along and take their
own part, for it's no funeral Of mine If
the tents, the grub, the mules, and the
guns are not there for ready men to use.
Tomorrow may bring great things,
unused an officer alongside of me. "What
do you think--a Lieutenant at forty
years OF age-what do you think" sighed
this narrowed soul. ga hero at forty. five
years. did not enter the service to be
hero at forty-five years. I told the Secre-
tary while ago that when l died all
wanted on my tom mbstone was Lieutenant
b., U. S. Navy, bunkoed. -
VICTIM OF UNCLE SAM.
Do not imagine that this deep senti-
ment interferes with my old friend. He
likes to think aloud about his trouble,
and it's good fashion, much affected by
all the seagoing men. A fat little prentice
BOY became confidential with me after in
producing me to many ships mysteries.
and said: 1--WE are starving about this
snip We have nothing to eat.''
With surprise turned on him. 1t was
startling statement. To think of Uncle
sam starving these brave s'bullles'' of
his. But kept back my laugh, for the
tat little rascal was positively greasy, and
his trousers strained about his legs.
can see the Captain UP on the
bridge. I see Mr. Rodgers, a sharn-vis.
aged gentleman. who goes speeding about
the ship hunting up trouble fol any man
who looks comfortable, and the eng ineer
officers, who come up out of the coal and
grease for a breath of fresh air. The
marine sergeant in charge of the after
deck sweats badly as he strides about. but
is toned up to tho last gasp. ihe young
officers in the steerage show me strange
Burmah goddess, in marble, kept under
lock and key, except when they make
their big medicine, and they told me the
story, but my lips are ice.
There are other stories which come
from the junior officers mess, and the
ending Of all these stories is that nsyal
cadets manage their little troubles with
acumeh. Onc here on this ship is much
dreaded by his companions in the storage,
because he has most miraculous appetite.
Now the mess is shrewdly run on eight
dollars a month per man. SO that the post
may find good beer fund. All works
perfectly, except for the destroying appe-
tite of the aforesaid young man. But
there is % combination against him. 1t
comes about that he sleeps out of tune
with the mess hours, as all sailors mus t,
because of their watch" So when B.,
as we will call him. is found asleep at
meal hours, and he is always carefully
scented out before dinner, the "hush"
word goes about. and the meal is served
in deep silence, for fear of awakening B.
after which the caterer waves his hand
gleefully and whispers: ''We are three
days ahead on the mess fund. Boys, keep
still-sh-h-h-! !"
NOTHING WORRIES THEM.
All these young men will go ashore on
the next beach and they will order cham
pagne, we'll knowing that next day there
will be nothing to eat. 1t does not annoy
them; nothing ever worries young gentle
men in the steerage They can always
borrow a shirt or pair of socks, quite
enough. 1t is now some days since the
| New York steamed after ship which
was hull down in the east, getting an
Admiral's salute for it's pains from
foreigner, while we all stood around and
watched wistfully. To be sure the Detroit
took in a Spanish merchantmen last
night loaded with donbloons and Spanish
senoritas, as the Junior officers hope
and affirm. The pitch boils
merrily at MONDAY in the decking
and the sweating "jackie'' dejectedly
washes his shirt in the shade of the for
ward terrace and wishes something would
come along that he could shoot at.
Sometimes things do happen, but they
are little things. The black cat fell over
beard one morning, or the fox terrier who
lnhab1ts up forward chased him over board,
we do not know which. An alarm was
promptly given. 1t would never do to
have black cat lose her life in such
way, for black cats in particular are
portentous things even when alive, but
dead ones are. something awful. Who
knows what might happen after that? So
boat was lowered and the big battleship
Iowa temporarily abandoned the block
ade Of Havana and steamed in a circle
hunting one lost cat. The cat came long
side, paving the water frantically. and
was rescued by Jackie" who went down
the sea ladder and grabbed her just in
| time
READY FOR THE WORD.
4 With the night it comes cool, and the
officers and men sit smoking in the
shadow Of the superstruoture, gazing at
the lights of Havana. We might be a
yachting party off Newport, only we are
not. The guns are all shotted and the
watch on deck lies about them, all ready
ON the instant There are two little tubs