The Grit-advocate., 1906-05-11
! JOINING THE NAVY.
LOYAL NIMNESoTA BOY TRAINS
FOR UNCLE SANS SERVICE.
feaves His Girl at Rivals Mercy
But She Remains Faithful
and Freezes the Inter-
loper Out.

II roper Vut.
r
The boy was satisfied with life In
the small country town, until he saw
the picture of man.of- war. In every
American boys heart there is some
thing about the picture of one OF our
floating hghting machines that starts
within him all the torrents of latent
patriotism and love OF q good fight,
and this boy was no exception to the
rule, relates the Minneapolis Tribune
But to want to enlist was but the
mere beginning OF the boys actual
enlistment. There were obstacles to
overcome. His father was a business
man and had made other plans for
his son. The village jokesmith told a
few jolly ones about people getting
seasick to the bunch Of time brokers
behind the harness shop. and the cur.
ly-haired wonder with the bright eye
on the main chance. who pushed dry
goods across the counter for the in.
spection Of the town bellies, made a
mental calculation that with the boy
out Of the way a certain girl would
nave three more open nights q week
which he might help to fill. As for
the girl she seemed to take things
very quietly-in fact 80 quietly that Q
shrewd observer might suspect her OF
harboring some inside information
which gave her mind this unseemly
pace.
The curly-haired dry goods juggler
was q little more disconcerting.
Three nights q week was big open.
Ing to leave and four years long
while to be gone, but still he resolved
to trust to an original scheme which
had flashed across his mind when the
question of leaving the girl had first
presented itself He went to talk it
over with the girl. There were some
more calculations, a half interest in
certain prosperous little hardware
store was discussed, a little house,
too. just across from where the girl
lived. was mentioned, and the girl
thought it was awful for anyone to
marry at lS anyhow.
Then there must have been a prom.
ise-psrhaps a sealed promise, some.
thing, anyway. The boy left the
house with a happy look and the curly
haired dry goods artist, whose net
weekly income had about as much
show OF rising above eight dollars a
week as New York insurance direc-
tor has Of reaching for more" was
etfectually erased from his thoughts.
Three days later the boy went to
Minneapolis. He passed a good ex.
animation and was sent away to 'Fris-
co the same night with four other
boys, with the same ambition and
destination.
The boy was sent shortly after to
the training ship Pensacola, where the
young boys are taught all sorts of
things necessary to make them EN-
Client seamen. For instance, he wrote
that he was taught to sew canvas,
splice rope, make knots, etc.
The boy kept his eyes open and soon
saw that he would be able to pass the
examination for seaman, which would
give him more pay and open the way
to promotion. His division officer en-
couraged him in this effort, as well as
some others of the bright boys and it
won't be long before he obtains his
new rate. About the time of his ex-
will be commissioned. This ship is q
fine example of the new armoured
cruiser of $4,000 tons displacement.
The boy has hopes for place
aboard this latest product OF the
Union Iron works, where also was
built the famous Oregon. especially as
che will be in the Asiatic feet. II the
clouds OF war gather above China and
break into storm, the boy will be
there to take part in it and acQuit
himself as Minnesota boys always do.
In the meanwhile, the curly-haired
beginning of Marshall Field finish
had been as astute as the fox. Not
for month did he drop around to
make his consolation call. not he. For
that he was too smart-better by far
to let the "out-ofs sight out of mind"
theory prove itself and allow the
pangs OF the boys departure to
ameliorate in The fair ones heart.
Then one night he lost himself in one
OF those broad-shouldered effects that
make J. Jeffrie5 look like bad case
of ingrowing development, changed
the ends OF his cuffs, and dropped
around jus. casually as it were.
When he sat down in the parlor he
noticed several pictures of the Yuba
Buena Island Training station on the
piano and the belt around the girl.
waist bore in gold letters u. S. S.
Pensacola"
When she turned to show him soma
picture postals from Frisco he also
observed her collar was fastened By
pin shaped u. S. N" and above
the mantel piece, which place he hau
thus far failed to see, was the framed
photo Of young sailor around whici
somebody had draped the American
flag.
The curly-haired one saw he had
made a false start and realizing sadly
that 1t and made "23" took the first
opening for quiet exit.
As he mournfully Travelled up the
lane he gave one farewell glance back
ward. The blind was up a little in
one of the windows and through the
opening he thought he saw the girl
.fxt lsb