The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-04
BRIDES AS VISITORS TO wARsHiPs.
Why Newly Married Couples Like to
Wander About ON War Vessels.

w 6nOef ABOUT On ~ Nessetss
There was a leaden sky overhead and
a gray mist all about the big battleship
Indiana, on whose yellow upper works
an occasional raindrop spattered.
Wrapped in his overcoat. the officer OF
the deck tramped up and down. stop
ping every few minutes to look over
the dreary stretch of soggy soil and the
yellow navy yard buildings beyond. 1t
was Tuesday of last week.
The officer of the deck was a young
lieutenant. He was in a grumpy mood,
for deck duty on a day like Tuesday
Is far from pleasant. A sailorman APP
cave.
Are you on the liberty list? ?" he
asked, n when the bluejacket answer
ed affirmatively he looked disappoint-
ed. GO ahead" he said sourly, and
the sailor hurried down the gangway
and made tracks in the mud up the
yard. All of which impressed an on
locker with the idea that the young
lieutenant was a s~our-spirited n un-
pleasant person. But he wasn't. He
vas simply wet and cold. His real nat
ure rose to the surface a few minutes
later when a party Of three emerged
from the superstructure. They were a
yOuDS IldD, youuS NOildus III a BTtl-
tice boy. A smile wrinkled the lieuten-
ants mouth and sparkled in his eye
as he saw them. The young man was a
very ordinary young a in a very ex-
traordinary fran of mind. His glance
never strayed from his feminine COM
panion. She was comely and rosy
checked and clad in a gray something
that harmonized with the mist. n one
of her little hands rested c~onfidingly I'm
the right hand of her companion. In
his remarkable state of mind the ordin-
airy young man walked plump into the
officer of the deck.
"Oh. / beg your pardon!" he said.
II thought you were the gate"
john" said the little woman as the
color spread from her cheeks to her
forehead and chin. The ordinary
young man became a triie embarrass-
ed himself and stammered:
Il mean / thought thought we
were ~going-going, you know, to the
gate of the ship"
There it is. over there" said the
lieutenant. pointing to the gangway.
The young man and young woman
walked off hand in hand.
IF I nae told them 1t was astern
they'd have walked overheard" said
the lieutenant.
The prentice boy stood on the deck
and grinned.
"What are you laughing att" asked
the officer. turning on him sharply.
That's a pair" answered The boy.
How do you know, you young rss-
cal?'
Kin tell be the cut o. their jib, sir"
Get in on the deck" commanded the
lieutenant. and the grinning boy a n
ished.
Funny" said the lieutenant. as he
turned to the IN reporter. Think of
anybody coming down here on a day
like this. IL we didn't have to be here.
you and 1, We would be in a nice warm
room. with a pipe and a nus of hot
punch. I imagine. But that was a
honeymoon pair. Great Scott. Here's
another of them"
Truly enough. another couple was
approaching the ship. and. be the cut
o. their jib." as the prentice boy said.
they were newly wed. They walked
up the gangway and were turned over
TO a boy who was ordered to show the
ship to them.
The humble of brides that come to
visit the ship is amazing: that's wha;
IL is-amazing," said the officer OF the
deck You can see a dozen honeymoon
couples In the yard any fine day. And