Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-12-26
OFFICER A DIPLOMAT

d
paymaster, my ship, the San Francisco
flagship of the Mediterranean squadron,
carrying Admiral kirkland's bit of bunt
ing, dropped her anchor in the harbor OF
the most important seaport town in one of
the main provinces OF Turkey in Asia.
The idea of anchoring there was not alone
to kill time, but also to give the engineers
q chance to do some overhauling required
by the machinery.
"After the ship had been swinging to
her mudhook for an hour or so, a gayly
caparisoned shore boat came off from the
beach, bearing messenger from the vail,
or Turkish governor OF the prov ince.
He was in full Turkish uniform, this mes
senger, and he 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, VINO was then attached to the San
francisco.
Ward had often exhibited his skill as
lingui,t 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
Carthaginan down to the coon French Of
Louisiana, wasn't worth doing.
80 the officer of the deck sent for Ward
to see if he could pick any talk out of this
violentyge calculating person in the baggy,
gilt-embroidercd trousers at the gangway
1t was something easy for Ward. talking
Arabic was. and in no time he had the
walls messenger reduced to smiles with his
Turkish jokes.
"The messengers message was the sim
plest thing in life He simply bore the re-
spect> of the vail. who would be pleased
VI La, Z la
following day, with the gracious admiral
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 he
delighted to receive his valisnp 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 a 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 appreca-
ton of the nobility of Admiral Kirkland,
as exhibited by the admiral's gracious inv-
taton, and got off lot of other taiiy like
that. which Lieut.. Ward faithfully trans
lated. Then the vail was conducted aft to
the admiral'S cabin. where, with the as
sstance 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 massacre>.
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 more,
he often said so right out loud. SOS he could
be heard. So that he didn't feel particu-
lary honored over this visit of the vail
man. big gun as the latter was
THE vail, Admiral Kirkland and Lieut..
Ward lat down at one of the admiral 3,
tables for a talk.
"'Ward.' said Admiral Kirkland to his
Interpreter, you can tell that heady-eyed
individual across the table-he looks as ii
he had murder in his heart ike all the
rest Of his tribe-that if | had my way about
it I'd kcel-hau every blithering mother's
son Of Turk that wears hair You tell him
that. Ward and the Admiral gazed a.
graciously a, you like at the pleas looking
vail.
"'Tue angus, ADMIRAL translated Ward
TO the bowling vail, desires me to tender
to your eXceucncy the assurances OF his
most devoted aud solicitouS considera-
ton
"Hereupon the vail bowed hi, thanks ana