BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-06
Roosevelt As A HunlolBt
Why He Gave the Vixen Its Name
-HowHe Trifled with the Thirs
Of High Navy Officers-Unfortu
nate Mr.. Blank.


President Roosevelt possesses character
istic sense OF humor. 1t is vigorous, and
sometimes almost grotesque.
When he was Assistant Secretary OF tue
Navy during the preparation for the Span |
isn war the Government was buying a mum
Der of yachts to be converted into torpedo.
boats, dispatch boats, scouts, etc. Consider.
able intimacy existed between the family OF
President Roosevelt and that of one OF the
officers of the navy in the Department.
The wife Of this officer got fancy she
would like to have one of these beautiful
lite boats bear her name. There is pre-
iudice in the navy against giving womsn's
name TO a war.vessel Of any type. 1t is
believed to be unlucky. But the officer,
who found it easier to face official prejudice
than to resist the opportunities of his better
half, made the request of Mr.. Roosevelt.
| The Assistant Secretary of the Navy hest.
tated.
TT won's do," he said. 81 would like to
gratify your wife, but a woman's name
WON'T do"
Then thought occurred to him, and he
raIented. :" 1 will fix 1t, y he said. " Tell
your wife it will be all right"
The next day the boat was named:
1.-The Vixen"
IL am going to put you in command Of
her," said Mr. Roosevelt when he announced
the name.
The sun was over the fo'yard and every
DID officer was llckeling his lips. The squad.
ron had been out tor two days at target
! practice, and on that day the chiet officers
If the several SHIPS had been invited on
board the flagship, where they were to be
entertained by Theodore Roosevelt, Assist
ant Secretary Of the Navy. The guess ani
Mr.. Roosevelt talked about the tests of gun
uery and specuiated upon how sucn snt
such a shot would have counted had th'
Target been Spanish ship. All save Mr.
r ,osevelt had begun to weary Of this topic
Tney found ir dry, and conversation hs'
uegun TO lag by the time luncheon was an
U Lounced Men who had been long on sal
water were conscious of something lacking
iu the ENTERTAINMENT. For some time ther
= aad been clearing of thrOats and signifi
}. can't exchange of glances. Mr.. Roosevelt
: eyes, following LDOse of his guest, caugh
: tie augle Of the sun to the I0'yard.
J "Wlli you step into the cabin and hav
l. some teaf ne SAID, with an expression whic
& received buG one Interpretation by those wh
: lett Tho said spray IN their throats. Tn
. move ment toward the cabin was spontan
10 eous. There, IN the center OF great taOlt
i' rested punch howl 0f magnificent proper
tion, filled nearly to the brm with hqul
: /, shade deeper than amOer of the richest hue
d In It's center hoated an island Of ice; spray
OF mint were scattered at its base and ex
tended their slender leaves over its briu
: on the surface Of the cold and temptin
: fluid. A generous laddle was dipped int
= Its mysterious depths and glasses were mar
. hailed around.
. The old Commodore, with the color Of th
sun upon his face and the dryness of th
= desert in his throat, turned eagerly towar
:, this oasis. He stirred the ladle lovingly
the bowl, while others gathered about hin
. He held his glass, filled to the brlm, betwee
= his eye and the sunlight that came with
y burning glow through the cabin window
70 and the c!atter and cllnk of glasses sounde
through the cabin as each officer filed
u tue occasion. With an air of contentmer
and anticipated joy he brought the glass
. his lips. Tuen, as all lifted their glasses
follow his example, look of horror passe
~ over his lace, his hand irembled, and th
y glass almost fell to the table.
Is BE d--if it amt tea !" be gasped.
= SHORTLY after Mr.. Roosevelt entered th
. " hlte House a politician called upon hiI
with reference to appointments. After th
. preliminary expressions of high esteem
e uuOoanded admiration, and eternal yalty
= { e poaGclan began TO dlsclose his business
: 'Iwant to speak to you about Mr.. BlsnA
: .hv ao!ds a snail otfiue down IN my district
Ihs p9,c.au d'dD'L finish his sentence.
~ LAT ~ eAslailned Roosevelt, interrupt
my nlm lis hat IuieInaL scoundrei Still
= III Lnat place had some knowledge Q
:, . him when l was Civil.Service Commits
: slonsr.n
The politician acknowledged that MI
Blank was still there and then turned tn
= subject.
J. G. L.
Ii