The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-11-28
The Steersman Of the
Thomas Jefferson.
COri,Sinal.]


During the Spanish-American war
there were certain naval vessels that
were manned entirely by volunteers.
One of these, converted cruiser, the
Thomas jefferson, was under COM
mand of Captain Diman, a regular
officer. The names, for reasons which
will be obvious as the story develops,
are fictitious. At the close of the war
the Jefferson was detained at Havana
for awhile, and the captain sent for
his daughter to come down for visit.
Later the captain was ordered to
take his vessel north, where the
crew were to be discharged and she
was to return to the merchant service.
Whether or no the captain violated q
naval regulation in taking his daugh-
ter home with him in his vessel is one
of the reasons for cOncealing his
name The truth is Miss Marian Di-
man had been aboard the cruiser sew
eral times while she lay in Havana
harbor and had held her own reasons
for wishing to return in her. Another
that she was on board till he was
steaming along the South Carolina
coast, and when he found it out be
nearly had fit.
However, there is a special reason
for his being thrown off his equilib-
rum, for the way he discovered his
daughter was on board was this: Co
ing on deck at two bells in the even
ing-a beautiful moonlight night-he
saw something fluttering from snug
corner amidships, either behind fun
mel or smoke pipe or some Of the
various appurtenances to the deck Of
ship. Some say it was not amid
ships at all, but clear aft, behind the
pinnacle. The latter is more likely,
for the captain came up from his cab
in in the stern Of the vessel. Anyway,
he saw something that looked like
a ribbon standing out in the breeze.
He investigated and stumbled on his
daughter sitting snug against a COM
mon jackie.
There Is no record Of what passed be-
tween the two except that the young
lady went Immediately below AS for
the jackie, the captain disdained to
hold him accountable for his daugh-
ter's actions and took no notice of him
any more than if he hadn't been there.
The captain was sorry afterward that
he hadn't, for it occurred to him that
he would like to know. what sort of
looking fellow his daughter had been
sitting up against. He had not remem-
bered that he was commanding volun-
teers, some of whom had in their veins
the best blood in the land.
AS Captain Diman had commanded
a crew, so had Marian from childhood
commanded Captain Diman. AS soon
as the secret of her being on board was
out she was all over the ship, interior
ing with it's discipline, monkeying with
the guns, trying to induce officers and
men to break rules and otherwise max
ing herself a nuiSance-that is. to the
commander, for the rest considered her
very good fun. Her father watched to
see IL she gave any one a preference.
OF all the things he dreaded most was
her marrying in poverty. But he could
see no difference in her treatment of
either officers or men. Indeed, she
made no difference between them, but
the captain was the only man aboard
the ship blind to the fact that his
daughter was carrying on desperate
affair with the jackie with whom be
had caught her sitting in a corner.
One day this same jackie was at
the wheel The captain came up the
companionway from his cabin, looked
at the steersman, but did not remem-
Der to have seen him before; looked at
the compass, then stood watching the
vessel in her course. He noticed that
she always pointed true. Turning to
the helmsman, he said:
"You steer very well, my man."
The Jackie saluted respectfully.
"Have you picked up steering aboard
this ship?" added the captain.
mo, sir; this is the first time I've
had the wheel"
"Where did you learn?
"In the Atlantic and Mediterranean
mostly"
"What kind of vesSelsY'
"Only a yacht"
"Whose"
"My own"
The captain paused. He thought Of
the volunteer service and the different
kinds of men who volunteered. Then
he asked another question in slightly
different tone:
"Whats the size of your yacht?'
"About 1900 TONS"
"H-m," said the captain and walked
forward.
The Jefferson sailed into one of the
navy yards on the New England coast,
the crew were mustered out, and the
vessel put out of commission. On the
evening after this was effected a card
bearing a name Captain Diman had
never heard Of came to him in his
quarters. He received the visitor,
young man dressed in the height Of
fashion. who smiled and said:
"You don't remember me, captain.