The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-12

came aboard. William T. Sampson, then
| q utenant-Commander, was Oficer-of-
| theDeck, and paced the bridge, trumpet
i'll hand, looking like a very handsome but
rather effeminate Norseman with his
blonde beard, pink cheeks and command
| ing figure.
John Crittenden Watson, successor to
Admiral Dewey in command of our Ash
attic Squadron, was Master of Ceremonies.
As Aid to the Admiral he looked particu-
| larry after the comfort OF the Admiral s
guests, not, however, forgetting the young
ladies, who, without exception, voted him
the very love of man with his soft lisp
and ladylike air.
Mr.. Dewey, as Executive Officer of the
| ship, fitted about the deck from head to
pinnacle, sharp-eyed, alert, quick to dis
cover defects or to praise excellence.
| MIR. Dewey was at that time in the
prime Of life; sharp, penetrating eyes,
coal-black sweeping mustache, erect head,
shoulders well thrown back, and a self
assertiye air that seemed to spring from
belief in latent power.
At the proper time the Right Reverend
Bishop Stevens, of Philadelphia, was in
trOduced by our Chaplain, Rev. Charles
K. Hale.
The Bishop delivered very interesting
sermon, taking for his text Mark iv: 50,
80:
"And He was in the hinder part of the
ship, asleep on pillow; and they awake
Him, and say unto Him: Master, carest
Thou not that we perish?
And He arose and rebuked the wind
and said unto the Sea: PEACE, Be
STILL! And the wind ceased, and there
was a great calm"
The ships company was evidently
greatly interested in the discourse. adapt
ed, as If was, to their calling. The ven
cradle Bishop pointed out with a master
mind the serenity of Christ amid the rag
ing elements, the terror of the seamen,
and the quiet dignity and majesty of the
Son of man, who thus stilled the turbulent
wind and wave.
At the conclusion of the sermon, Mr.
Bronson and wife advanced to the cap
stan with their precious charge Mr..
Dewey accompanied the parents in the
capacity of Godfather.
With fatherly tenderness Bishop Stew
ems took the little fellow in his arms
Using the beautiful formula of the Epis-
copal service, the Bishop baptized the lit
tie one, christening him Thomas VAIN
right Bronson, and offered up a feryent
prayer that the child thus dedicated to
God would grow up an earnest champion
Of the cause of Christ and valiant de-
fender of flag and country.
The scene at this time was well worthy
OF masters brush. The well-ordered
stately ship, with her bristling cannon:
the deep-blue, dimpled sea; the sunny sky;
the brilliant uniforms of the officers; the
gay attire Of society bellies; the neat
white dress of the ships company, all
combined to form a bouquet of color that
impressed itself upon the mind of the
most apathetic observer.
\ short time previous to this event
Commodore Steadman had delivered Mas
tiers commissions to EEsigns Weaver,
White, Schouler, Flagg, Dickens, Cald-
well, SchmitZ, Armentraut, and Menzies
These young officers, then mere boys, have
since grown to be elderly, grave men,
with great responsibilities The youngsters
sported their new uniforms for the first
time on this OCCASION and they hung about
the pretty girls with a very evident de-
sire to admire and be admired~
Mr.. Dewey was standing by the cap
stan looking with an amused smile at the
antics of the juniors when our California
girl sailed up to him. With an arch
glance and a graceful sweep of her fan
in tue direction of the young men she said
demurely:
They toll not, neither do they spin. and
yet | say unto you Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one OF these"
The quaintness Of the quotation seemed
to strike Mr.. Dewey very forcibly, and he
laughingly nodded his head in acquies-
cence, but a moment thereafter he said
soberly:
All, Mrs. -, you should come aboard
on field day, when we're holystonine
decks, or at sea, in a sou'wester; you
would then find no lack of telling and
spinning"