Evening star., 1903-08-15

II see that some wag at the Navy De-
partment has played joke on the news
paper men at that department, remarked
a naval officer the other day referring to
the report that pajamas are to be substi-
tuted for night shirts in the regulation uni
form outfit of the American jackie. The
fact of the matter said he, is that sail
ors don't wear night shirts, never have, and
no such article is known to their kit. The
only basis for the report was that man
ufacturer of a cheap suit of pajamas re-
Gently sent a lot of samples to the Navy
Department in the hope that their neat
ness and beauty would so appeal to the
officials that the article might be adopted
as an article of naval uniform for which
the manufacturers in question would get
the contract. 1t is now entireiy optional
with sailor just as it is with an officer
what he wears when in bed, or whether he
wears anything but a blanket covering,
but as l said before the sight of a sailor
in night shirt aboard ship would be so
strange and uncanny that it might provoke
mutiny. And to think of it! Pajamas for
jack tars. Why, it would be more danger
Gus than it was to wear plug hat in the
mining towns during the halcyon days of
the gold Argonauts While they are about
it. why don't they say that the sailors will
be required to wear silver wrist bags when
they go ashore like Harry Lehr at New
port? Well it makes me tired That's all.
* *
beputS NdTue DtIltou hNuSS, wiz ueS
been connected with the District Jail for
so many years, is looked upon by the pr1S-
oners 'hoodoo.'
III the captain ever puts his hand on
you when you go to court" said a colored
prisoner under sentence, Its certain you
are coming back
Lawbredkers who have been going to the
prison at intervals for number of years
a understand RnSS 2QarCia6
and it is a common thing to them get
ting out of his way when they about
TO leave for court. Capt Russ is SYM
pathetic man. and frequently he will pat
d prisoner on the back and say a kind
word to him. 1t is recalled that upon one
occasion when two men under Indictment
for murder were about to start for court
one morning Capt. Russ placed his hand
the shoulder of one of them and his
remark TO him was calculated to give the
miserable man little encouragement.
Please don't put your hand on me-" the
superstitious one of the couple said cause
| want to stay away.
1t turned out that he was acquitted, but
the other man was not so fortunate. and
now when prisoners are about. to leave
the building it is a common thing for them
to say to the deputy warden: Please don't
put your hand on me. captain
x X x
If present plans are approved Uncle Sans
sailor lads will present a new and improved
appearance when they come ashore here
after. The change will result from the
addition to their kit of an ulster jacket de-
signed for special use shore 1t will be
ornamental in design and will be worn over
the regulation blouse of blue. Experts at
the Navy Department are now considering
designs for the jacket.
They were telling stories of quaint negro
characters in the south and retailing Incl
dents of the old days. Then the Alabama
man told one that has been heard before
but as 1t illustrated some of the life in the
south he thought ii worth telling again
On one of the big plantations he said
In knew old colored man whom I talk
ed with often. He was an ignorant old fell
low so far as the of words was con-
cerned. and when he heard anyone getting
off a particularly big word he used to say
that il reminded him of the attempt of his
old master to be jocular with him and of
the jolt he got one day for answering the
master in similar phrases. The master 1t
seems. would adopt piece of alleged wit
tlcism that is sometimes heard in the south
now Meeting the old colored man each
morning he would say: Good morning,
Uncle Josh, how does your corporosity seem
to sagatate this dulcifulous morning.
whereupon Uncle Josh would bow and say:
Jess tolerable. master. dat's all But he
began to wonder Just what the words his
master addressed to him meant and so he
cautiously repeated them to his mistress
asking her for an explanation. Well she
told him, the next time your master asks
you how your 'corporosity seems to saga
tiate, you answer Thank you very much
massa, according to my venerporosity my
corporos4ty seems to sagatiate exactly
The old darky waited until next morning
and when he received his usual greeting he
gave the answer advised by his mistress
What you suppose my massa did when 1