The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-07
FUN ON TIE OREGON. =


How Old Neptune Was Received When
the Battleship ssCrossed the Lima"
Cadet Cyrus h. Miller on the battle ship
Oregon writes letter from Callao in
which he tells how, when the ship crossed
the equator. the old cerem ony OF the
boarding of the ship by Neptune was
observed. Incidentally he mentions the
effect OF the equatorial sun, which made
she deck In his room so hot he could not
stand on it in bare feet, sending the met.
curry mp 100 degrees. driving every body
up under the awnings on the UPPER deck,
while ths fremen tn-the hold sweltered
under 100 degrees OF aeat 1he ice ma
chine, however, furnished cooling drinks
Of which one can drink copiouslv In such
temperature without injury. Or the csre-
monv he says:
ION March 81 We crossed the line
equator. and as We then entered the do
mains OF Neptune no came ON board to
welcome US. especially those who had
never crossed before. One of the old Jack
it made On imposing king. with his
crown and trident and his wife. Ampni-
trits, cut q stunning figure with long
blond hair MADE out OF msnills rope. The
imperial pair were followed by the court
composed of judge and secretary Tin rather
battered dress suits (and numerous po-
licemen. who were distinguished by their
immense size and huge stuffed clubs.
THE costumes were ridiculous In the
extreme. but could never begin to de-
scribe them. All hands were called aft
on the quarter deck to muster. Neptune
was received by the captsip, who turned
the ship over to him. The god OF the SEA
then surveyed tha horizon carefully
through the binoculars "a couple Of tear
bottles lasbed together) and then made
a. Tt A~~lt
merm aids, and tadpclss were prominent.
Hs promised immunity from sharks, sea-
Rulls, water snakes, and NAL de mer. to
say nothing of q thousand terrors OF the
sea that have forgotten. We then ad-
journed to the upper structure, where
court oTened. Neptune took bis place on
the tridae and every officer on the ship was
summoned to appear and prove, II he
could, that ne had crossed the line before.
III ne could not bring two witnesses 70
support his word the Judge was under
the Iainful necessity OF ordering him 60
pay the customary tribute. The tribute
was mum ber Of bottles Of BIER. 30 that
you can see how 'paiuful' IL was for the
roor judge when he stood In the heat and
coDjured up visions Of ice cold bottles.
Tie officers having been dispc sed of, the
crew was then taken up. Proceed ings were
changed o little for the first man that
failed TO toe the mark Is to proofs WAs
seated on stool and two new pers6naee es
now came into view. One had the lather
and the other razor The victim being
ready (slt hough 1t wes much better to
catch him unrrepared) }. the Shaving brush
u good sized paint brush was IlunGed
into terrible mixture OF egaa -four.
moiasses and vinegar, and a heavy GOAT
ing Of the lether applied ell over the vic-
tim. Inc neck, hair, mack. and every other
exposed plaza was remem bered, some
times In q way far from delicate, for the
slap OF tho brush could be heard all over
the deck. The man with the long wooden
razor next got In his worg and shaved
the poor unfortunate in way that oaussd
him to swallow q num ber of tesspoonfuls
OF the lsther. When the torment was car
ried far enough In that line the stool was
given quick jerk and the victim shot
tire chutss from the bridge to the deck be-
low, where q cauvss tank with four feet
of salt water was ripged.
''1ere he was waited for by the bears,
who ducked him numerically, beat him
with their clubs and so abused him that
when ne finally emerged from the lace
Of torture he really did not know where
he was at. So on with about 400 men.
Occasionally the man In tie chair Mould
smile while the lather was being apf lied.
This the barber promptly stopped bv
plunRiD9 the bru sh into the miscreAnt's .
mouth. .'-Milwaukee Seminal.