The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-25

inch breech-loadng rifle, buht up on pc
dcstal of steel Orders and wheels and He-
vers The massive breech frowns at the
spectators, and Its brown-coated sides eX-
tend seemingly an interminable number
of feet out through the oval aperture ~
the turret.
isn't she a daisy?" asks Thompson,
Jerking his thumb toward the gun. you're
now looking at tn pepper that we swatted
tn Dagoes with You want TO look closer
an understand that IL was this here gun
that fired a shot that knocked tn stuffen
out of the Marian Teresa, Admiral CerVe-
ra's flagship. What? No, / wasn't in here
at tn time | don't belong to this diyis-
ion. But, say, ! heard 1t bark, and you'd
t'ink tn whole roof was comm in. How DO
we load It, eh? See this ledge at tn foot of
tn turret? That's a little railway an cars
run on II from tn magazine shaft around
there tn fellers yank a shell from tn
litter, place 1t on tn carriage and run her
around here TO tn breech of tn gun. Then
other fellers git tn hydraulic-thats wa
ter d'ye see?-rammer to work, an IN she
goes They put tn charge in then, an
when all Is ready, tn officer in charge-he
stands up there in that f1rin' hood where
you see tn little telescope-sights III gun,
gifts tn range, and there you are. It's
great work
Thompson wiped his forehead after this
burst of descriptive eloquence, and escort
ed his party to the forward berthdeck.
The apartment contained a number of ma
rines and bluejackets, who seemed entire
ly oblvious of the visitors presence.
Some were stretched out upon bits of
canvas or sheets Of newspapers sleeping
clamly, as IL the laughter and talking and
the mulutudinous noises Of man-of5war
community were simply parts of moth
err lullaby. Others were reading or writ
ing, their desks being a cramped knee
or the unsteady lid of a ditty-box. One
ma. was shaving with the aid of a tri-
an, liar piece Of glass resting against
bulkhead, and tan, guant marine, coat
less and with the collar OF his flannel
shirt thrown open, was working away at
a bit Of needle stuff.
Thompson stopped near the port forward
corner Of the deck. About the level Of his
head was new square patch of steel in
the ships side. IT had not yet received
the last coat of paint, and it loomed red
and ugly in the semi-gloom.
"There was a big Jagged hole there a
few days ago" said the bluejacket I'm q
peculiarly sad tone Of voice. "Its where
III shell came throo that exploded on
tn other side of tn deck an killed one
of our apprentices. You read tn story
Ia tn papers / guess. IL saw It all
an" Thompson brushed one hand over
his shirt with a queer gesture Of repug-
nance-"an' / helped picked him up. He
was a good boy, an him an me chummed
1t az a rule. Tn she'll II came throo
tn steel side with a sound like III pop
ping Of a toy balloon; then IL struck a
stanchon where that new one Is now,
an exploded within foot OF the appren-
tice. l thought tn whole side Of tn ship
was blown up. There was "A shock like
thunder an lightning. an 1 felt red
glare about me. TIL smell was enough
to choke a dead dog, an thought my
last end had come. Say! If you'd been
there you'd be couehn' yet. Was / scared!
Huh didn't have time TO think of IT,"
The bluejacket shrugged his shoulders
and spat contemplatlvely through an
open headlight. The spot where the APP
prentice had been killed seemed distaste-
ful 70 him, and he got his party Of Vlattora