The Washington times., 1906-01-02

day that he made himself very familiar
with officers daring that good time or
his. Had he created a disturbance those
same officers would have taken pains
10 get him out of the theater and start
him for his barracks to avoid contact
with civil authority.
In more than one lonely Philippine
sta tion, where men Tan always the risk
of going mad, officers have made COM
panions of veteran non-commissiOned
officers in spite of the regulations and
discipline II IS their pride and the
pride of on-cOmmissiOned officers that
there has been no attempt made by the
common soldier to take advantage OF
such relationship when the troops came
again into touch with civilization.
An incident OF unWTitten naval history
shows that the custom IN this service
where the line of demarcatiOn IS even
more strictly drawn. IS Tor officers al
ways TO protect their sailors one
Christmas day an American fleet found
itself at Chinese port in company with
German. French and Chinese warships.
Three veteran petty officers from one
ship were permitted to lead a sFOlic-
one was the maSteT-at-dTms, y mTnE-
legs of the ship He arrayed himself
ia finery borrowed from officers, bur
iesquing an admiral. and hung a big
sword. a sash and two beer bottles tied
together to represent binoculars about
his person His comrades were rigged
out in equally grotesque fashion. They
went on board a small boat from one
side Of the ship, rOwed around 70 the
other side and sent Up a formal han,
announcing themselves as
Admiral Dayy Jones, of the North
Pole feet; flagship, Flying Dutchman-
Received With Honors.
Thereupon they were received over the
side with all the hOnOrs prescribed for
| foreign admirals. marine guard turned
ont, ship manned, ruffies OF drums. cap
| tain at the gang way. and all the rest C
/ it. On invitation they solemnly visited
the captains cabin, where they were
| presented To all the ships officers and 8
health was solemnly drunk TO their fleet.
with their crew grinning over the side
after them, this happy trio visited every
/ American ship and then the foreign
ones in turn. Everywhere the stern ana
diguified naval officers carried out the
| fun, and everywhere the crews wero
vastly entertained.
! Perhaps there would have been no
| trouble but for the extreme hospitality
/ OF Admiral Ma. OF the Chinese navy,
| who figured. il viii be remembered. ia
all the news concerning Russian ships
taking refuge in Chinese ports during the
! recent war Admiral Ma. desiring 10
show that he was game and good fell
I low. able to appreciate Western joke
I ordered champagne in honor OF his dis
/ tingushed guests. They were not Well
| trained IN champagn
Couldn't See Joke.
With a cargo Of champagne under
| the matches. the three figures % fun
went ashore TO pay formal call on
1 Consul General Buck. But he couldn't
see the joke He made a formal com
| plaint TO the American admiral il
1 was then necessary 20 make search
/ ing investigation. But. although every
ran Supposed TO have had shore leave
/ that day was sent ashore il order That
The outraged consul general coulu iden-
fifv the cuIpTifs. he could not md the
| three among them Probably this was
! because the three masqueTadefs We're
moi sent on shore tor IdenilncaUOn-
And. strangely enough, altnousn tnes
were known 10 all the sailors IN W
| fleet none OF the oiHccLs toii0 wv
| discover their identity
! Commissioned officers Of army ana
| navy. with few exceptions. stahq os
. | their men. That undoubtedly eEpiaiius
| vhv the men have usually STOOD %
| tbsir Officers through thick ana IhiAs
.grod and bad taking what came Win
/. ! Tatience and grit Commissioned ON
| rrrs will tell you that the american
| Tommy is a great man. As TOT tommy
himself, why, TO quote from the poem
/ again.
| eve aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor We
aren't no blackguards, too
But single men in baTrlckss most 4S-
markable like you;
An III sometimes our conduck lsn al
YOUR fancy paints -
| WHY single men in baTrlcks don sfoN
into plaster saints