The Washington herald., 1907-12-13

Norfolk. Dec. 12-with the completion
Of another hard days work, Admiral
Evans. connnander-ln-chief, and other
officers of the Pacific fleet see near at
hand the end = his gigantic job OF get
ting the feet ready for sea BY Monday.
Fair weather to-day again favored the
work OF transferring 70 the ships great
quantities Of ammunition. stores. and
coal. and with the battle ship Connect
cut flag ship of Admiral Evans. and the
Minnesota, nag ship Of Admiral Thomas.
second In command. heading the great
double column OF floating forrresses.
barges and naval tugs were busy all
day in passing 70 and fro between the
two lines Of ships and the Norfolk Navy
Yard and wharves.
BY tomorrow night practically all
stores viii have been put aboard, and by
early Saturday il is said that the last
pound Of coal will have found its way
into the bunkers. Thousands OF persons
with friends or relatives aboard the feet
continue to arrive 10 bid them farewell
While most Of the visitors are from the
Eastern States. many are from the far
South and West.
The preparations that have been made
for the spending of Christmas at Trinidad
and for the forwarding Of Christmas
presents have made many an officer and
jacky happy.
Great Crowd Is Happy
With Hampton Roads. where the Merri-
mac and Monitor once fought. swsrming
with war vessels; with the hotels OF Old
Point Comfolt so full OF pretty women
that every time a fat man turns around
/ he steps on some ones train: and with
naval oficers 50 thick hereabouts that one
/ is irresistibly reminded Of convocation
+ OF the Knights Of Pythias. the Old
Dominion seemed 70 have ceme into her
own.
And let IL be thoroughly understood
I that this is a joyful occasion. too. There's
( none OF that farewell TO the old farm
air which the novice in naval matters an
ticipates. There hasn't been happier
day since fathers pig bit the goat
I Maybe the ladies' don't thoroughly ap-
/ preciate the sailing Of the aeet FOR the
other side OF The continent But n they
do they conceal the fact admirably
/ SO far as they are concerned. one is
/ forced 10 conclude that they take il as
part Of the days work for their hus-
bands. and are merely inclined 70 offer up
thanks FOR this opportunity 20 show of
their new clothes
IL Isn't All show Work.
/ It isn't all show work about the hotels
either It is no mean job 10 get 1900
men on sixteen ships Of the line ready 10
sail approximately I4,6O8 miles and finish
strong and lighting for their heads AT the
end. There are a million and one details
10 be attended to.
You can just 20 bet they'll be ready
to start for the Pacific when the Presi-
dent gives the word, said Admiral Evans
when queried on this subject "AH our
ships are here now. and they are all next
thing 20 ready. II there's a man who
/ isn't in his place and prepared for the
trip. he'll be left behind. There's nothing
TO get excited about in this cruise. any
how It's all part Of the game"
I The youngest officer don't even pretend
TO be sorrowful about the cruise. and II
the older men. who face a long separation
! from their wives. are not quite SO chip
per. at least they keep a stiff upper lip
OF all the officers and wives seen about
the hotel there was but one pair who be-
| trayed to the world their grief at parting.
! Obviously they were bride and bride
groom She was a slender. pretty little
thing. and he was one Of the younger
ueutenants They elung to each others
arms wherever they might De and
pathetic tremble Of the little wife's lips
and the manner in which her eyes filed
with tears showed that she had not be
! come accustomed 10 the life Of a navy
bride-which consists OF seeing your hus-
band Just often enough TO remember what
/ he looks like.
But there were others. one lady de-
clared laughingly that she loved her hus-
/ band until he began 10 grow bald
{ I'm glad he's going away" she said
I for he has promised TO use a hair re-
storer every day he's gone. Maybe that
will bring back the vanished glories Of
his hair. 1 think a baLld-headed man Is
the ugliest thing in creation. All naval
/ officers are bald. by the way
1t started every one in the group TO
looking about the lobby Sure enough. or
the twenty-five or thirty officers there
present, standing cap in hand talking TO
their wives. every one who had reached
years OF Dresumable discretion was bald
Some were not as bald as others, but
every one showed the ravases Of the
naval cap
Truth, the Bald Truth.
OF course the proper thing to say is
| that The ladies are bewailing the pros
pective absence Of their lords and mas
ters. 1t would be nice TO write that
the orchestras played 'Sweethearts and
Wives" at dinner. and that every one
cried into his or her soup. It would lend
atmosphere 10 the story. But it doesn't
happen TO be true
The ladies OF the navy marry knowing
that their husbands must be away from
them the greater part OF their lives, and
they grow philcsophic and resigned.
Continued on Page 2, Column 4.