Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-04-26

ministrations toward the improving
Of his damaged countenance. Fight
ing, though against the written and
spoken rules of the service, is gen
orally winkcd at in ship holding
FIVE hundred men and boys the on
GERS feeling that It is much better
for two who disagree 10 20 through
o short, sharp. and decisive appeal 70
fsts--at the end of which both may
shake hands-than for one TO dcvel-
Oh bullying spirit and the other en
unneeded sense Of injury. Both are
inimical TO their efficiency But
though Billson had fought this bat
tie with An animus born Of dislike
end jealousy. Dick, on the contrary,
had entered n with Joke on his
lips and a laugh on his face.
There was settled cheerful
light in his gray eyes that had not
been there IN his school days, as
though he felt kindly toward the
email world he was c0nquering. AS
Bronson had testified, his first days
IN the training shin were grievous
ones-marked by cuffs, kicks. and
insults from boys he could pick No
and carry--until he had learned to
defend himself. Then came hard
fought battle with On irish main
topman, and victory which made
the next enemy easier to face For
six months after this. until HIS
transfer 20 the Newport Torpedo
Station, his dog watches we're spent
either In boxing practice In the fore
hold. or in settling disputes Of the
day on the forecastie
He had easily passed the final ey-
animation in the ships school when
he enlisted. but this did not deprive
him of his love Of books or Of his
studlous habits. He became almosr
q daily patron Of the ships library.
and In the only compulsory studies.
seamanship and gunnery, he sd-
/ vanced rapidly, tutored by his
! friend and guardian. Bronson. III
had boxed the compass in one leg
son, had stationed a gun crew 4
two. had learned the parts of tha
ship and the knots and bitches uSed
IN lashing hammocks and houhng
awnings in a week He also learned
things not prescribed by the reru-
lauons, such as the tricks necessary
In the navy TO escape unpleasant
duty. The difference between the
apothecarv's clerk and the execu-
tive officer. and the minimum Of re-
gDeCt which would satisfy the latter,
ne had learned ia one narrowing in
terview But at the end Of month
he applied for examination. and be-
came d second class apprentice with
BOW bag and hammock number.
which transferred him from the af
ser guard to the maintop.
His friction with his mates rs-
acted on his mind, giving him. as he
acquired dominion over them. an
easy confidence In himself. and deci-
sion of speech which brought him
local promotion, he was made boy
captain OF the maintop. And Dicks
rule over the half hundred boys IN
the maintOp was kindly. yet thor
ough. He never reported for pun
ishment a hoy who refused oOedi-
ence TO an order; he repeated the
order to a second boy. and later on
But lie had little trouble Of this
kind; his wonderful quicbnoss with
his fists impressed the whole ship'a
company, and made The majority his
friends. BOYS liked the genial,
composed fellow who would hit them
hard with a smile on his face. hit
them harder through the conse-
auen, fight. and smilingly advise
them on their wean points when he
defeated them. There was one boy,
however, with whom Dick DID not
during his probationary period
come 70 satisfactory conclusions
This was Ellison, an apprentice, then
CAPTAIN OF the forecastle. who, on
Dicks bewildering first day on
board. had chased him aft with
clouts and unkind words He was
the champion boxer among the boys
and Dick had wisely avoided sec
ond meeting until sure OF himself
but before this, had come his trans
fer to the Newport Torpedo Station
> for further instruction In torpedo
work and ritled gun practice. and
> Bilson's transfer to sea-going
cruiser. Six months at Newport
made Dick first class apprentice
and he was sent 10 the Alliance
sloop- In which he made
, cruise and mastered the sea dutie
of q sailor in a square rugged yesse
steering. handling OF sail. sendin:
Yards and masts up and down. anC
the usual boat, fire, and collision
drill. Then a year in the big stee
cruiser Chicago and another In tn
new battleship Maine had finished
him, and he was back 20 the receiy
ing ship Vermont, a passed seaman
apprentice, trained and paid by 10,
government to fight. and to use n
weapons fists. clubs, cutlasses
[, pistols. rifles, machine guns, rapid
fire guns, turret guns, and White
head torpedoes. And here he hat
found old shipmates OF four year
ago, among them Bronson and BIZ
, son, and polished off the latter a
the instigation of the former, vh
loved the boy as he would q son
and whose mind retained a vivi,
painted by Dick OF
scene on n ball ground, where hi
hoy had been kicked about by fv'
others. Bronson often talked or thu
scene at the petty officers mess, an(
h.NT, ia hot :.