The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-08
TIE HoNuRABLES IN TOWN.
rurY,RE SPRY; BUT MY! THE
ESCORT OF ANCIENTS rs SLEEPY.


ESCORT OF ANCIENTS rs SLEEPY.
r,a, 70 west Point Enlivened by an Address
IN Commander, Gen. Miles''-Also
IVA Wow Of tho Stun That Makes
Our Real Army--That Was Revelation
The Honorable Artillery Company OF
london, as we'll set up body OF young
man as are often seen on our streets, came
down from Boston yesterday and visited
West Point They were greeted on the
shores of Manhattan Island by New York e
own rotund solemn and glittering Old
Guard, and were by that organization en-
tertained at dinner last night. Other militia
companies with more or less history at
tacbed to them participated in the well
come.
The London soldiers were accompanied
on their travels by q very weary, not over
happy lot Of gentlemen attired in all the
different uniforms that the militia-uniform-
;np peniuses of the Commonwealth OF
Massachusetts, have ever devised These
we're the members Of the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery Company Of Boston.
They were not so young as the Londoners,
and they were terribly tired. Some Of
them were 30 tired that when they marched
I'D Fifth avenue yesterday afternoon they
stepped on their own feet and then frowned
at the same most flercely. One bewhiskered
Bostonian showed his military indifference
to hardships at Sherry's last night by &C.
complishing the difficult feat Of going to
sleep with his head In his soup plate. When
reused he cleared his throat with hoarse
military rasp and a swallow Of sherry
and his whiskers with the edge Of the table
cloth and said brusquely:
4We have had hard, hard day. Awful
hard day-nfact. hardes' day-ever-saw!
And the Brtishers didn't seem to mind
the troubles Of the day at all They looked
90 far from tired at the end OF their sight
seeing that none of them felt the need
for any sort Of stimulation stronger than
olaret lemonade and horses neoks. They
marched with a swing and a spring. kept
good lines and their eyes were always to
the front.
The Ancients and Honorables and their
sprv guests passed around the city at day
break coming down the Sound from Fall
River on the Puritan. At the Fall River
Line pier the Sirius was waiting to take
them up to West Point The scenes going
up the river, particularly the battlefield Of
Stony Point, interested the visitors greatly.
But I should think said one Of them
with great animation, that It would have
been a beastly unpleasant place for
handwriting
1T was explained somnolent Boston
slumber against stanchion: why, the
British troops
The Honorable Artilleryman turned
around and seemed mildly surprised to
observe that his host had returned to
slumber,
There was an oflcial guide aboard, with
a megaphone, who took particular
pleasure In pointing out interesting spots
such. for instance. a. 'the spot, gentle
men. where the British spy. Andre, the
associate Of the traitor Arnold, was hanged.
He was not seen on tho return trip and
there was rlmor that he had been thrown
overheard.
Those arc the Catsldlls, said IN Amer
lean to one Of the Honorables. who at once
became interested
.Ah, yes; yes, indeedl Oh. dear yesl
That is where Hendrick Hudson went to
Sleep" said he. with great cheerfulness.
'Oh, yes, yes, yesl'
tradition" said his informant, RIP Van
Wrinkle who went to sleep"
why, of course, Of counsel How awfully
stupidi Rip Van Wrinkle, Of counsel re-
joined the Britisher, with happy contritton.
why, Of course, ha. ha., ha! 1t was Hem
q =. Il III hty,t aphn
now wasn't it? Why, of Counsel
He was so mighty nice about 1t that the
American didn't have the heart to undeceive
him. But an Ancient who had overheard
the conversation murmured, az II in q
reverie:
And still Sarah can't understand why
should take to drink on this trip"
A domestic touch on the decks Of the
Sirius was furnished by Lady Denbigh.
the wife Of the commander Of the Honor
ables, accompanied by Mrs. Courtney Bay
lor, the daughter Of Col. Hedges, the COM
mander of the .-Ancients. Lady Denbigh
was dressed with the plain severity char
acteristic of the Englishwoman when she
Is not dressed up. She busted herself on
the trip up the river and down again with
knitting a woollen stocking
At West Point the Honorables took it
for granted that they we're to march into
the Academy grounds under arms. The
A1lCletlIS, WHO ndu lihe stVUP
half mile hill which climbs up the face OF the
Palisades to the reservation, wouldn't hear
Of it.
Col. Denbigh was firm. The Ancients
were not only firm but solid, and the An
clients took to the mongrel and assorted lot
OF conveyances which await visitors at the
landing. The visitors walked.
At the top of the hill near the edge OF the
barracks, the Aneients dismounted and got
In some sort of line. Tho cadet corps were
drawn up in front of the barracks. AS the
motley array, in gray and red and black and
white and blue and gold pulled by. never
boys face cracked smile, never an eyeash
quivered, not an elbow. moved toward
nudge It was all for the world like Buff
falo Bits Congress Of Rough Riders OF the
World grown portly and bleary. But it
might have been collection OF tent poles
for all the cadets showed.
Then came the British. First Col. Dem
bigh, spruce, clear eyed, stiff and straight
tive worthy of the Captain-General and
Edward VII Then the Royal Horse Ar
tillery, with their dark blue coats laced
with yellow, and rakishly set busbys, carry
ing sabres, and the infantry corps, in the
rcd coats Of the British grenaders and
tremendous black bearskin shakos.
They marched at clip Of 1913 steps to
the minute, eight steps faster than our
own quick step. Their lines were still as
boards. One could almost imagine stifren-
Ing of the rigid West Point line as the Eng
lShmen passed. here was stuff to make
soldiers of-on both sides Of the curbstone.
Thp ,-iSitnrc ,uare cd n the parade