The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
THE MUTINY OF THE LEES.
The Story Of the New Years High links
In the Nebraska's Gun Rack.

was assigned to tho marine guard. A clean
compartment, and an orderly compartment as a
rule. but on this Now Years night there was
mad revcl thcrc. yet breathe 1t low. for rs yet
tho Department has received no report.
Tho arms rack was on tho inboard sidc,
and sixty blue steel Lee rifles stood accurately
in line, dressed from aft, tho first sorgeant's
rifle being guide. Over each rifle hung the pipe
clayed belt with shining plate, aud hanging at a
slight angle woro the murderous knife hayonets,
their bright blades shut firmly in the black
scabbards.
Just before midnight there was uncasincss
among the rifles; sono stood on tho toe Of their
butt, some on their heels, and a nervous strain
pervaded all the arms rack. The double eight
bells had struck and the new year hardly ush.
cred in whom No. SO. Private Moriarity's rifle.
stepped from it's rack. faced about, and said:
"Bhoys. tia a murtherln' shame TO DO cooped
UP here on New Years night. Who's wild me
for some fun =
The vote was unanimous among the privates'
| rifles, and there was such a rafting In the arms
rack that 1t woke up the first sorgeant's rifle.
who. quickly stepping down, sternly faced the
mutineors and cried Id q sharp tone:
Attention.
There WIS q trembling in the brcech blocks of
some Of the master spirits, and little Tommy
Browns rifle was so nervous that its bolt stop
gave way. and the breech block came gathering
to the dock. But No. 81 said:
"Tenshun DO dommedl Come on bhoysl" and
in less time than It takes to pull q trigger the
poor first sergeant's rifle was lying on the deck.
both upper and lower bands broken. It's sight
mashed over to one side, its barrel cover split in
two pieces, and. worst insult of all, its cleaning
cord run through the magazine and the ends
tied around the back in a double bow knot. 1t
took Tho heart from the other non.coms' rifles;
| tboir Ar;pv min cprip1a sitpplr wtltad md Mt n
trail they doubled time down to the hreroom
and hid In a coal bunker.
The mutinecrs were in high spirits. Each
spring In tho rifles. even down to the little ono
on the rear sight, seemed to have double its
strength, and to flowers roight" from No. Sc
the Lee straight pull brigade started of.
Hold on. you fellows! Amt you agoin' to
wabblcd half out of their scabbards.
The Lecs turned back. and in a moment the
rattle and a click firmly ciasped the nocks Of
the rifles. And now they were off. with n mock
Ing t fr,h next ln tne eo snin.rf rast' they Hs WIS Visited tied the ,s six:
inches, and with a gentle prod wished them a
Piled. which made the Lees burst into a roar of
%oh. dear," said the after six,ineh. tits no
joking matter; my compton has fallen out. my
throat is out in the cold. and that fool gunners
mate has this port screwed down 80 tight about
The Lees were sympathetic. They knew that
was in store for the poor six.inch. Then they
trooped on the upper deck to visit their friends.
their canvas sleeping bags, and it was so cold
and the deck SO sleety that, shiverinR. the rifles
rushed below to get warm again around the
Here the brigade split into groups and started
on tours of investigation. A party of a dozen
clambercd up into the forward turrct to call on
the 13.inch guns; Now this couple in the for
ward ,turret had only been married recently.
"John! John! Wake up" she said SThere's
some one in our chamber. I'm sure!"
stumbled into the dark turret. demanded
call and and Wish Wish Mr.. Thirteen fiif Inch and
his lady sd m. the P. compliments NJ liz Siatsrb of ii ,h he s SEASON n;
night. and Mr.. Thirteen Inch. with n grunt of
rage. ran ba, X on his slide and swung out his
breech block in an ugly endeavor to crush the
Lees. But he was handicapped. for. you know.
the turret guns are all blind, as their sights are
for the Lees to get out of reach. and No. 81.
HUH! NJ wont do a ting to youso insides
And they lodged below. making personal re-
marks about blind bats. elephants. and other
Down below a party had got into trouble. In
their explorations they had prled open the door
No. SO had mistaken a can of linsecd for best
gun oil, and lay on the deck. twisting, with pain
No. 80. had overturned a bucket OF red lead. and
he and several others were streaked and marked
stincts OF tho bayonets had lod them to stores of
Putt pomadc, and they were smeared with the
Little Tommy browns rifle. No. SO, had been
having a high old Time; He had Sonr to the
SSp p9 pr rssK' o anq, W ,he alcohol 1eS Sia chest :, ni' a G"f0h hSd
brought his plumber down to compartment l05.
where the noise of the jewellers soon brought S
SO. now grown brave and strong, who organized
the attack on tho Colt automatic guns in the
the Lees and the Colts. for the automatic gun
calls itself the superior Of a small arm, though
the day for the Lees. but 1t was a crowd that
looked the worse for wear when it returned
All, What a disgraceful sight it was in COM
%partment 105! To the, unsteady time Of the
we'll as any other marinel a sort Of military
dance was executed, now by twos, now by
fours; then an attempt to form square, which
party of them were trying to rest themselves by
forming a stack, but the stacking swivel is hard
to handle at best. and the result was disastrous,
as all three fell with a bang on the deck.
The bayonets were clamorons for attention.
through the thrusts and parties of tho bayonct
exercise Sew h ,Sn t;m were nsrS fIye ihe ana Hlov sxS sna tSon
wow Murthcr in IHiSin! Wow! woww'
exclaimed the corporate OF the guard. as he stood,
lantern in hand. beside the mans hammock;
oh, corpril. me heads burstin'. and the bay
nits is all stick n into me-
Turn out. Private Moriarity, and go to the
mast ="
From the Log Of U. S. S. Nebraska.
Jan. 2. ls98.-Private Moriarity. Offence.
drunk aboard ship Jan. l.. Sentence, five days
Imprisonment on bread and water.
ICE AT WHITE PASS.
n. rnwa.. sha Tail HaalInp nnnRannua VVnrL
for Travellers.
OTTAWA, Jan, IA letter from Inspector