Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-07-04

Afterwards with "squilgees"-a nat
piece Of wood with a rubber edge ana
q stick handle.
A boat is usually called away ABOUT
this time. In 1t the captains and om-
cerE stewards go ashore for the mar
keting. The boats are cleaned. also
the outside Of the ship. Think OF IL
all good housekeepers! II our houses
could be cleaned inside, and outside
before breakfast!
But Jack is getting hungry. The
early coffee was only stimulant ana
the hard work gives him good Ape
tite.
At seven or eight bells-7:o0 or
eight o'clock, according to the routine
the men are piped to breakfast. a
pipe from the boatswain's mate rev
minutes before means Spread the
mess gear" Appetite makes the best
sauce" and the menu Is substantial
one, satisfying to a hungry sailor
corn-beef hash or beef stew, conee'
bread and butter. There is an apun'
dant supply and three-quarters o. an
hour Is allowed for breakfast; SO there
is no haste.
The officers Of the deck then reports
to the captain: Eight o'clock, sir,
and the chronometers are wound.
make It So" says the autocrat ana
eight bells becomes an accomplished
fact. N
After breakfast they turn to again
with renewed energy, let us hope, ana
90 to work cleaning brass, gun-brignt
work-in fact, all the bright work
about the guns and decks. Jack must
Shine her up" every morning and the
result is seen in the fine appearance OF
our ships.
AT nine O'Clock the sick call Is sound
ed by the buglers and the men VINO
are not we'll or wish to be so consld'
cred descend to see the doctor In the
sick bay" Strong medicine is some
times given, but bread pills have been
known to form a frequent mild treat
ment and to work a cure, showing the
Influence OF mind over matter"
BY $3.50 the decks are cleared and
everything made ship-shape for quar-
tiers. The men assemble In the al
visions to which they are assigned IN
battle and then officers see that they
are clean, uniformly dressed and tidy.
. will mention here that bathing ana
keeping clean generally are greatly
facilitated now by modern improve
nents. Formerly the men washed In
buckets; now they have shower baths
md other conveniences, so that the
bremen coming up begrimed from MS
work can avail himself Of all these I'M
proved means to make himself clean
ind comfortable.
Following this routine are various
.xercises-great guns, secondary pat-
cry, small arms, sword or bayonet
Urn and away boats for distant sery-
ce. fire drill, collision drill or ADAM
lon ship. a5f
one would suppose that the ship was
" this time "as clean as whistle"
tut 1t appears not, for after drill until
Inner time Jack is occupied In paint
ng, scraping, securing, knotting, sphc-
ne and doing necessary work to keep
he ship in neat and efficient condition.
The work is done at last and ten
minutes before IL o'clock the wei"
,ome pipe is heard. AT 10 the men
are merrily piped to dinner.
BY the way, wouldn't it be a happy
ldea to have ourselves piped to our
meals? Instead Of the butler or, maid
saying: Dinner is served, madam,
Or the English gong sounding, why
not a cheerful piping from whistler
think 1t would be enlivening and tend
10 good humor and appetite.
The meal pennant files while the
men are at meals. Therefore when
pne sees this pennant fying--a long,
narrow red fag--it means that visit
10 the ship is inopportune. One Is per
iona non grata on board at that time.
The officers are careful not to call on
the men for any purpose. If possible,
during meals and to have all boats
hack to the ship by the meal hour,
After 1880 the afternoon drill period
begins. The men have instruction In
signals, aiming and sighting guns ana
handling boats, under sail and oars.
wednesday afternoon is mending
day. Men can bring out their bags and
mend and mark their clothes. The
sailors thimble for light work is the
t,me-honored finger hat" as the Ger
mans say-the common thimble used
by shore people; but for sewing can
vas he uses three-cornered needle
and the palm" The latter is leath-
ar or rawhide strap fitting around the
hand and having on the inner side
rouehened metallic disk to bear
against the needle. Sewing machines,
with hand attachments, are used and
some Of the men are paid BY the others
~ make their suits. The dude sailor
i,tea hia clothes tailormade quite as
well AZ his land lubber brother, al
though the paymaster issues ready
msSe clothing to those who desire It
The work about the decks Il easy in
she Afternoon. The men loaf on the
So'eastle or on the. superstructure Of
..,tt..hlnu, and keen clear Of the