Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-12-06
OFFICER A DIPLOMAT

carrying Admiral Kirkland's BIT of hunt
ing, dropped her anchor in the harbor Of
the most important seaport town IN one OF
che main provinces Of Turkey in Asia.
The idea Of anchoring there was not alone
to kill time, but also to give the engineers
chance to do some oyerhauling required
by the machinery.
after the ship had been swinging to
her mudhook for an hour or 50, gayly
caparisoned shore boat came off from the
beach, bearing messenger from the vail,
or Turkish governor Of the province
He was in full Turkish uniform, this mes
senger, and be jabbered at the gangway
for some time before the officer OF the
deck thought of sending for Lieut.. Ward,
the champion linguist OF the American
navy, who was then attached to the San
Francisco
Ward had often exhibited his skill as
lingrist and had won renown for his knowl-
edge of the obscure languages. What
Ward couldn't do with any old language,
living or dead and buried, from ancient
@arthaginian down to the coon French Of
Louisiana. wasn't worth doing.
80 the officer Of the deck sent for Ward
to see ii he could pick any talk out of this
violently gesticulating person in the baggy,
gilt-embroidered trousers at the gangway.
1t was something easy for Ward, talking
Arabic was, and in no time he had the
wallis messenger reduced to smiles with has
Turkish jokes.
"The messengers message was the sim
plest thing in life. He simply bore the re-
spects Of the vail, who would be pleased
to visit the San Francisco himself on the
following day, with the gracious admiral's
invitation, ETC., etc.
"All this was carried aft to Admiral
Kirkland, Of course, and also, of course, the
bluff old gentleman replied that he'd be
delighted to receive his valiship on board
the San Francisco on the following after
noon
"Well, the vail, gorgeous as the eastern
star in his clothes and jeweled decorations,
came off to the San Francisco, attended
by his suite, on the following afternoon.
The vail was good-looking Turk, with a
shrewd eye in his head, and he was the
quintessence and tintype Of courtesy and
grace.
'He spoke only in Turkish, and of course
Lieut.. Ward had to be summoned to IN
terpret his talk to the admiral. AT the
gangway the vail expressed his apprecla-
ton of the nobility Of Admiral kirkland,
as exhibited by the admiraPs gracious invi-
tation, and got off lot of other taffy like
that, which Lieut.. Ward faithfully trans
lated. Then the vail was conducted aft to
the admirals cabin, where, with the as
sistance of Dragoman Ward, the bluff old
sea dog and the Turkish governor settled
down for talk
'Now, / ought to say that Admiral Kirk
land didn't have bit of use in the world
for Turk, and he was also pretty sore at
this time over the Armenian massacres.
He would have liked to have permission
from this government to waltz into the
harbor of Constantinople and to blow that
town fiat to the ground, and, what's more,
he often said so right out loud, SOS he could
be heard So that he didn't feel particu-
larry honored over this visit of the vail
man, big gun as the latter was.
"The vail, Admiral Kirkland and Lieut..
Ward sat down at one of the admiral 4
tables for a talk
"'Ward,' said Admiral Kirkland to his
interpreter, you can tell that beady-eyed
individual across the table-he looks as il
he had murder in his heart, like all the
rest of his tribe--that if had my way about
it I'd keel-haul every blithering mothers
son Of Turk that wears hair; you tell him
that, Ward and the Admiral gazed as
graciously as you like at the pleased-looking
vail
"'The august admiral translated Ward
to the bowling vail, desires me to tender
to your excellency the assurances of his
most devoted and solicitous considera-
ton
"Hereupon the vail bowed his thanks and
smiled.
"'Did you tell the curmudgeon that,
Wardg inquired the bluff old admiral
Red Bill Kirkland, as the sailors affec-
tionately called him. All, right Now
you can just tell him that if these mas
sacres continue, I'll be swuzzled if ! won't
some day forget my orders, or, at any
rate, get away from cable communica-
ton, to find some pretext to hammer
a few Turkish towns. Tell him that, Ward
tell the blacl-browed runt that, lieuten-
ant, if you'll be so kind, and the admiral,
with his face wreathed in gracious, mel
low smiles. bowed respectfully in the di-
rection Of the vail
1.-THE gracious admiral, translated
Lieut.. Ward, desires me to convey to your
excelleney the hope that yotir present
station is one Of amending happiness for
you and your--er--family, and to express
the earnest hope that your shadow may
never, no. never, grow less
.'Whichsthe vail received with murmured
expressions of gratitude.
'Oh, it was a pretty good talk, that talk
of the admiral's and the wallis. Ward said
afterward that it was torture for him, be
wanted SO fercely to yell, to roll on the
deck and shout
With countenance that was the very
picture of amiablity, the fine old admiral
said the most terrible things right TO the
Wallis face, and pretending that he ex-
pected Ward TO translate them Just that
way. Now, Admiral kirkland wasn't ex-
actly what you could call practically
sprofane man, but he did permit himself
to drift into few harmless swear words as
he pleasantly conversed with the vail
''Tne conversation went on in this way
for about hall an hour, and then the vail
rose, and, with many expressions Of APP
probation and gratitude for the good time
that had been given to him, he departed
from the ship.
"On the following day Lieut.. Ward went
1