Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-21
TOO MUCH ToAsTING

rms Is the story Of famous officer OF the
American navy who was on certain occa-
sion just ,eetle sorry that he had spoken.
The certain occasion was banquet at
which many men of high degree were pres
ent. They comprised eminent soldiers and
sailors, statesmen. financiers. bon viyants
and magnates in the world of wit. 1t hap
pened In San Francisco.
among the banqueters was a gentleman
who has been going up and down the world
IN nigh capacities for nearly fifty years. He
held, for example. one of the greatest civil
posts-f. indeed, not the very greatest-in
the first-formed insular government of the
Fniiippines. He Is now the passenger agent
OF great railroad system. Much more
cannot be said of him for fear that his;
identity might be revealed. although. fer
the matter of that. no harm would be done
II It were He Is an extremely polished
ana witty southron. and his company IS
cherished at gatherings the country over.
At the banquet referred to the famous
onicer of the navy fell to looking at this
weil-preserved man of wit and many high
employments. They sat opposite each other
at the board.
Sir" said the naval officer, st have been
studying your countenance, and ] am both
baff1ed and cilagrined have always prided
myself upon my memory of faces. have
certainly seen yours. Your name and fame
of course know, but yet cannot remem-
Der that 1 ever met you before. l beg Of
you to enlighten me-"
The well-preserved elderly man smiled
and his eyes twinkled, The other banquet
ers had their ears cooked for his reply.
you need not despair as to your menu
ory," he said, addressing the naval officer
The last time l saw you-when OF course.
you saw me-was two days before your
graduation from the Annapolis Naval Acad-
envy in the year 1863.
An expression of the most utter amaze
ment crossed the features of the famous
naval officer. and he smiled sheepishly after
that and flushed a bit. Then he twtddled
his glass bit nervously and coughed.
"Er-just so-just so." he said, somewhat
hurriedly. Exactly. Humph."
the other ban aS M ths little
coloquy, nor had they failed to observe the
signal embarrassment OF the naval oncer
when his question received that far-back
reply.
"Oho!' a number Of them exclaimed In
chorus "The sea-dog quails! He endeav-
ors to side-step and switch the subject.
There's a story behind that allusion to the
year 1858 which f1ushes his sailorly couh-
tenance! We've got to have 1t!
The elderly man of many high employ
ments was still smiling and looking in
reminiscent sort of way at his napkin.
"Out with it," the banqueters demanded
And so there was nothing for 1t but for
him to come out with it.
Gentlemen he said. ION that morning,
two days before the graduation of the An
napolis class of 1868, was seated on the
porch of the commandments house, engaged
in conversation with the commandant, the
great and gallant Admiral Warden of blum
and beautiful memory.
"a well set-up STRIPPING of MILDLY came
through the gate, walked up the steps,
stood rigidly at attention and saluted the
commandment.
Sir said the MILDLY to the command
ant, L report to you under orders.
,I1o ,duy,t 1aol rad at ho VI
terrific severity, and he gave mighty
'Humph.' that came from the depths OF his
great throat.
"'Yes. 1 sent for you. Mr.. Blank he
growled. In the most terrifying way, to the
rigid MILDLY. Sir. 1t has been reported to
me that last evening you-you. sir, man
wearing the uniform of your country.-you
reeled through the gate to your quarters In
a state Of the most bestial, the most repre-
hensible, the most disgusting, the most in
excusable intoxication. Sir! Sir! sent
for you to inquire how you dared thus to
disgrace the uniform you are wearing-you,
a man only two days away from the hour
when you were to be sent forth into your
country's servicei Answer me that, sir,
and instantly
1.-The MILDLY stood rigid, but spoke quite
collectedly.
Sir he said gravely to the command
ant, 'on yesterday received permission to
visit the British corvette Prince Arthur,
now lying In the roads.
ed the commandment. Then you disgraced
your uniform on board a ship of another
nation?'
Sir went on the MILDLY. with marvellous
GOODNESS, after several of the younger off,
GERS of the Prince Arthur had shown my
self and my companions over the ship we
adjourned to the mess room, and toast
was proposed. Those officers proposed this
toast: ITO the President of the greatest
and most glorious republic of modern
times!" OF course, sir, we, their guests.
could do nothing else but drink that toast
Certainly not. SIR growled the old COM
mandant.
SIN our turn went on this self-con-
tained MILDLY. we proposed the good health
and the long life of the gracious Queen of
Great Britain and Empress of Indiar
VERY proper, sir. grouched the old gen
tleman. but was there any need to get
drunk over these matters?
Then, sir, went on the MILDLY, they
proposed the fair women Of the United
States, of whom, in matchless beauty, they
declared they had never seen the equal.
Could We do else but drink that toast, sir?
Decidedly not, sir quickly responded
the old commandant. Most decidedly not
we most heartily toasted the fair women
Of the British Isles, as 1t seemed only
courteous for US to do
"Devilish lot of toasting going on among
the Junior cubs on board the Prince Arthur
yesterday, 1t seems to me- muttered the
bluff old commandant in his beard.
AFTER that, SIR went on this MILDLY.
who was gradually working up to the fine
point that he had all framed in his mind,
we toasted, in silence. the memory of the
brave men who went down to death, on
both sides, In the conflicts that had oc-
CURED between our respective nations.
".Humph. Not such bad toast, either,
muttered the old commandant. Queer that
you'd get an Englishman to accept such
toast as that.
".And then, SIR went on the MILDLY, rap
idly reaching his point, we Joined in their
toast to their noble and lenient command
er, whereupon. sir, for a final toast, pro-
posed the health and long life and the pre-
eminence in the service of the most accom-
plished and the most generous command
ant ever at the head of the Annapolis acad-
envy since the foundation of the institu-
ton
1.-THE old man looked at the boy out of
the tall Of his eye. gave a Humph! that
meant lot and thought for a moment.
Report back, STR he said in a tone of
assumed burliness to the lad. There will
be no demerit. Do not get drunk at your
toasting hereafter. sir. You may go.
'The MILDLY saluted and went down the
walk, and I saw a certain lurking grin at
the corners of his mouth.
Gentlemen" concluded the elderly man
Of wit and high employments, gazing at
the blushfng naval officer Of fame at the