The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-04
4 SENTIMENTAL PARTING.
What Happened When the McCuIIOch
Left Dewey's Squadron.
Mania Letter in New York Sun.

i
| Twelve o'clock was the appointed time for
sailing, but there were two friends of Cap
tain Hooper who had had no chance to bid
him goodbye, and he waited nearly two
hours, so that they might have opportunity
for last brief visit. One of them had come
out from Baltimore in the ship, and it gave
him hard wrench to see her go away. It
was little before o'clock when the final
preparations were made The little ship
was very trim and pretty. In a fresh coat
of paint, as clean and fine as care and
work could get her, she was ready to make
the final bow to her big, bluff comrades Of
the sharp fight and long vigil All hands
were in their newest, cleanest white and
their happiest smiles, and they leaped for
ward with a will at the command Stand
by the port anchor" On the other ships
the lookouts had been watching the Nc
Culloch for two hours, and every ten min
utes or so responding to the question of the
officer of the deck, mot under way yet,
sir. But at last the answer changed
THE McCulloch is under way, sir" was
the hail of the lookouts, and STAND by to
lay up" shouted the deck officers. The
Whitehead sailormen on the ships-big,
clean, hearty fellows, whom it warns your
heart to see-tumbled along their decks to
their places abreast of the rigging and stood
in groups eagerly watching the handsome
little cutter as slowly and gracefully she
began her admiraPs sweep. Throughout the
squadron it was "All hands to cheer Ship
and all hands were ready. AS the NIcCulIoch
left her anchorage and got way on the
long, homeward-bound pennant streamed
lar out astern, the gilded ball at its tin
dancing up and down in the shifting air
currents She swung slowly to port and
passed outside the monitor Monterey Her
1orecastle deck was white with the spick
ana span uniforms of her crew. Her officers
were together on the bridge and on the high
poop deck, and over her taffrail floated the
biggest and brightest star-spangled banner
that ever graced her flag locker AS she
R pas ECU the Monterey, we who weRe watch
!hs from the baltimore saw the wild Wav-
ing OF hats on the monitor and then the
Ifahtlc gesticulation on the cutter. Then
there foated across the bav the roar Of
cheers. You will never hear men cheer nm
III you hear our Sailormen when the battle
naSS are broken out for action but they
sent up a roaring gOd-Speed this afternoon
to their fellows homeward bound that some
now clutched the heart and brought a lump
INTO the throat and made one remember.
what that fine American wrote for his En-
glsh friends:
The bravest are the tenderest, the loving
are the daring"
On past the Monterey and her cheering
g stcaIs, ana down by the Monadnock slowly
steamed the McCulloch. There again the
men shouted out their feelings with full
t15Foated emphasis, and the sound of it drift
ca across to the Baltimore in a confused
roar. Then the handsome pickanninv of
ADMIRAL Dewey's triumphant squadron
swung ana came by the Baltimore. The
Dand on the cruiser had taken station on
the poop deck. AS the cutter stood down
toward the cruiser, her flags standing
straight out in the freshening breeze with
II. ri rnr~
SAarp cutWater, she was very proud and
noar me- II Inc afternoon was fine and
ana gilstened in the bright sunshine. Be
hInd the ships, across the low green fringe
along the shore, the tall blue hills stood
out sharp and distinct in the background
Lay aloft! shouted the officer of the
deck on the Baltimore, and up the rigging
sWarmed the agile sailormen. The cutter S
IN hneI' as she Grew nearer, TO pass under the
big ships stern, the Baltimore's officer
shouted, Now altogether" and the cruis-
ers men sent the cutters crew a cheer
that will be echoing in their hearts long
after they have reached their homes and
greeted their old friends in Gods country
Inc answering roar from the McCulloch' s
decks and rigging had hardly died away
When the BaltimOreS band began. and the
ogag they played Vas; Should aud ac-
the two crews listened to the music The
cutter swept swiftly under the cruiser S
stern, and the band swung into THE Girl
I Left Behind Me-" Somehow the wild ex-
uberance of the men who had been yelling
the membranes out of their threats but a
moment before was all gone. Perhaps they
We're seeing the pictures of the home land
5000 miles away The homeward-b bound
pennant flew far out behind the cutter. but
the gilded float at its tip, caught in the
draught behind the ship, darted forward as
If hurrying to reach the goal. and carried
the end of the pennant ahead in a broad
graceful loop. The officers of the cruiser
and the cutter gravely saluted, and then the
Baltimore's band broke into lively quick
step.
Were sorry to part" the music had
said, land we hope you'll not forget We're
and we wish you fast, safe, and pleasant
voyage"
Around the Baltimore and on to the flag
ship went the McCulloch. The Olympias
men flocked on the Superstructure, crowd
ed the turret tops, and swarmed alOft One
big fellow lay out on the end of the main
gam and frantically waved his hat as he
cheered. The 1agships band had gone
ashore, so there was no music there for the
homeward bound, but the cheers seemed
bay to where the Raleigh was standing
guard off Manila steamed the happy cutter,
and there again the farewell shouts were re-
peated. Then. with her flag and pennant
proudly standing out in the breeze. the Nc
Culloch turned her bow toward the Boca
Grande and the long hOmeward journey
was begun.
Happy ship, fortunate men, who have en-
dured life and bTaved death for the honor
and the glory of the flag you love and serve
land when freedoms soil shall indeed be
beneath your feet, as freedoms banner now
streams DER you! May you all be there at
the last to know and enjoy to the full
THE PATENT OFFICE.