The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-22
WIVES OF THE SAILOR BOYS
They Have No Abiding Place and They Never Know
Where Home Is to Be>Next.

ing people. and the consequent return
of hospitality by the officers on board
the man-of-war
Il shall forget how lovely y
ship looked at some of our receptions
in Honolulu. You know the lowers
grow so thickly down there that you
can hardly walk without stepping on
them, and when II was known that
there was to be q reception on board
our ship our friends sent US flowers by
the bushel. We twined these around
the ratings. covered every available
inch on deck n with the lags and
lights in dress parade 1t looked more
like fairyland than a stern and sturdy
battleship. We gave eight receptions
thai winter-all on deck. of course, for
1t was summer there-not to speak of
the dinners and informal affairs for
the officers families. which were posi-
bly, more fun than all the rest.
'Of course. all these entertainments
were given at the private expense of
the officers, for there is no government
provision for returning hospitality
which Is extended to its representa-
tives at foreign ports. 1t seems q little
strange in view Of the fact that their
pay should be less than hat which
army officers receive. Army 'oficers
are quartered in their own country,
with no responsibility of keeping up
appearances before d foreign people.
Their families are usually Quartered
with them, so there is not the expense
for a separate establishment which
comes out of a naval officers pocket.
"All the same" she went on. II
would rather be in the navy than In
the army. When I was in the West
last summer i met an old friend whom
1 had not seen since she married an
army officer ten years ago. We COM
pared notes on the advantages of u
different modes Of living, and she did
not hesitate to say that mine vas the
happiest-not, as some say in jest, be-
cause l could get rid of my husbands
society when ! was tired of 1t, but be-
cause my life had led me into pleasant
places, while she a been practically
buried for a decade. There she was in
the middle of the plains, away out be-
tween the civilization of East and
West, without the advantages of eth
err. She looked as IL h had been
buried. Her clothes were all GU OF
style, and she was so quiet and be-
hind the times that / hardly knew her
yet she used to be a society belle
whom many a girl of her set regarded
with envy"
But ships are often sent to unpleas-
ant and unhealthy ports" objected a
young woman in a military belt.
ITO be sure they are" was the navy
woman's reply, but In that case you
don't have to go there. and since you
have no home ties you have the choice
of the world to live in, or you can pur-
sue any life of study that you choose.
course, when you have children
IL Is different. especially when they be-
gin to grow old enough to go to school.
When my daughter was little 1 took
her around with me. and she enjoyed
it as much as / did. Now she must
go to school,, so, of cours that means
that we must stay more in one place.
There is no denying the fact that navy
officers children do get a rather hap
hazard education, though the opportu-
nifty TO travel is an even TO
the very young, which should not be
overlooked. Som women put their
children in boarding schools and then
follow their husbands ships alone.
Others simply give up their whole
lives to their children. only seeing their
husbands when they return to the
home port. hav done a good deal
of both" ~
..Of course, in the case of the Maine.
everybody, both in public and In pri-
yate life, mourned that terrible catas-
trophe. There was a mop que on
board the Vermont nat Week pu'' oa
course. it was put of. That was the
third hon which had been postponed
because the ship was in mourning. The
first time IL was an officers wife VINO
had died. the second time 1T was a SIS
fer both cases being so sudden that
aides went to the landing ana were
there informed hat there would De
no hop This, of course. Is rather as.
c~ouragine to social enterprise, put IL
only needs one successful entertain
ment to arouse our enthusiasm 10 its
normal pitch again, ana make us re-
ioice hat we are his sisters ana hls
cousins and his aunts.' not to mention
the wives and daughters, who nave tne
best time, when we are enjoying our
selves. OF any women in the world.
"Of course, II IL not pleasant 10 con-
Template the idea of war. with the pos
sibility of death attending those we
love. but we are contemplating tive
are hoping for the best. and praying
that whatever happens our W snal,
he spared to us. But navy onicers
wives are as brave as those OF soldiers,
and not one of them will ever be founo
TO shjrk her duty nor to wish her u
band to desert his countrys cause IN .
moment of danger. And Uncle sam
may depend upon it that ms naVai ON
GERS with their wives. will stand py
him to the very last."-Chicago Times
Herald