New-York tribune., 1905-11-19

doctor and nidshipman met there to fight
to finish. They stripped to underclothes and
cut ioose until dusk Such mastery generalship
was displayed that at this point both looked
strong and willing. Finally the MILDLY got the
weather gauge and chugged the Pills a blow
tnat would have Knocked the gzzard out OF an
ostrich. pills keeled over.
The MILDLY now made the sad discovery that.
IN the heat OF the fight John Chinarnan. whom
they hsd brought along as lniment holder, had
decamped with clothes and money. Howling at
the blank walls of the club did no good. and
they were alone IN their unadorned glory. FL
nally an idea struck the doctor and he went to
the high gate and enticed passing Chinaman
In The minute the Chink got inside they
pounced on him and took his pa5arnas Then
one went down to the boat landing dressed as
g Chinaman and sent of TO the ship for sons
more clothea
The old practice ships were what sailors called
'nadhouses" It was drill all day and Work
and watch aIl night. Even to-day on the pree-
tice cruises the middies packed in between
decks like sardines in e. can. Here they play
all sorts OF pranks. A favoFits is to cut down
a fellows hammock while he lies peacefully
dreaming of home and mother. The drop Of five
feet is one of the best incentives to tight that
has yet been invented. Somebody yells: 'The
and irascible boy will grab his hammock
stretcher and whack his tormentor over the
head. This prank is only among members of
the same class "Piebes'' are allowed neither
to have hammock stretchers nor to play pranks
A few years ago, on OF these cruises, a
clever "youngster' conceived clever idea He
smeared nolasses over slice of bread and
stuck It the under side of the gun deck Then
he ordered 'plebe'' to haul himself up by two
nearby hammock hooks and lick off the bread.
The 'plebe,- Of course. declined pointblank this
Eweet invitation and was promptly challenged
to fight They fought down IN the hold and
the "plebe" won But the youngsters
troubles had only begun. The first class heard
of it and made his hair turn blue for devising
such mode Of hazing.
FIGHT IN A CEMETERY.
But all these fights like games of ping
pong to one fought about ten years ago.
"plebe" from Missouri and a 'yeungster'' from
Indiana made marks each other for forty
one rounds They fought IN the oemetery-a
fitting place. In the first round the Heosier
lost two teeth The next round the "piebe"
drew a split a few rounds later the Hoo
siers toilet was completed by the addition OF
a broken nose and two black eyes. Both men
were strong and plucky as tomcats
It no tapping with limp bladders at the
sirdls of the earth distance. In the forty-frst
round the Hoosier threw up the sponge Both
had to go to the hospital where the doctor, Of
course, knew they had been fighting. The loser
afterward was dismissed; the winner now has
command of a torpedo boat destroyer.
A bitter fight, remarkable On account Of the
after histories OF the opponents. took place In
1906 This was between a "youngster" named
Wood and "plebe'' named Noa- 1t, too, arose
from hazing It was fought in the gymnasium
one Saturday morning Just after seananship
drill Wood was thiekset, very strong and con-
sidered a wonder as fighter Nea was long
and Ianky and dark horse in the ring. All ex-
nected Wood to make mincemeat of him. In
the first few rounds Wood leored him time and
AGAIN hut Noa didn't seem to have the least
idea that he was being hurt 1t seemed only TO
mako him more angry In the tenth round Noa
rushed in waving his long arms around ike
windmill. suddenly-no one knew just how-he
landed on Wood with q thump that sounded as
e. q rpoulA have sickened an elephant. and the
fight was over.
A wear later they were the best Of friends
Now cernes a singular coincidence. When Wood
was graduated he was sent to the Philippines
inst at the breaking out Of the insurrection and
took command of small gunboat few
Months later he was killed by insurgents while
cruising ND the Orani River just north Of Ma
Mia A precisely similar fate befeH Noa TWO
1,sars later on the west coast of Sanar.
FUNNY FIGHT.
ons ~ the funniest fights ever held IN the
academy arose over q shoe. Smith one morn