Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08
To him that hath shall be given.
And that's why these books ar

Than ZoGbaum or could invent
! That's Bob Evans" paraphrasing
the language of popular song. AS
many will recall. these lines com.
p;ise one of several verses written by
kipling in connection with q gift OF
books to Rear Admiral Robley H.
Evans. They sum up the career OF
the officer who Is about TO round out
his naval career by conducting the
great American fleet OF battleships
around the southern end of the Amer.
| lean continent to the Pacific Coast.
and for whom is proposed the crca-
ton or the grade OF viceadmiral
Evans began Giving stories" when
he was u small boy in the home OF
his parents in Virginia. in which
state he was lorn in lS4C. While III
the public school one day after Il
smart rain-stoim he was trying to
sail Il toy boa, III the pond in the
schoolyard. One of the larger boys"
to use his own words, smashed my
boat with stone. Immediately
smashed him with another and he
was carried home on Il board. | was
soon at home with my books and be-
longings. and thus ended my public
school career" He was Fighting
Bob" from the beginning
Before he was thirteen years of age
the idea of securing an appointment
TO the Naval Academy Mt Annapolis
had been proposed A friend, the Re
preventative in Congress OF the Terri
tory of Utah. was 10 make the III;
pointnent so IL was necessary for, the
boy to establish a legal residence III
that part of the United States Moth.
ing loatl he set forth properly armed
for the overland journey 10y stage
According TO the stories told about
him he winged" his man in an attack
upon the stage.
The next year. 1850 he was an
pointed to the Naval Academy. When
the Civil War broke out he was saw
cal 10 the Union side by decisive ac,
ton on his Part. His mother, think
ing he ought TO come home TO fight
for the South with his brother, wrote
aud sent his resignation TO Washlne
ton He decided to remain with the,
North aud BY prompt action secured
his reinstatement within twenty.four
hours.
After three years at Annapolis h.
was launched forth into actual ser
vice nj the age of sixteen The nrst1
time he found himself with men uh-
der him one of them attempted TO
show him that he was neither al /
enough nor large enough to make any
one work. 81 landed on top of him
from the deck above" quietly remark.
ed Evans. in telling of the incident,
with henyy brass trumpet and ne
was convinced of his mistake in less
than half minute. tied him IN
securely bandaged his head, and
locked him UP in the coal bunker"
His Willingness and quicknoss To
take command of situation are II.
lnstrated in the incidents connected
with his part in the assault on Fort
Fisher in the Civil War and the say,
ing of his legs. although in an i'm
perfect condition. for future use Tho
saving of his legs. of course. was the
saving of his career. In the course
|of the attack both of his leg wers
struck by bullets and he was left ~
Ing within gunshot of the enemy.
After number OF painful expert
ences Evans was finally landed In the
hospital at Norfolk. Here ii WAS pro.
posed to amputate both his legs. Get.
ting wind OF this intention he deter.
mined to prevent It. This Is how no
800 h4-C-otOa iiit lOllONllIK InOrU.
ing the assistant surgeon, who was n
personal friend of mine. came In. anu
after q few words of greeting began
to tell me how Seriously was wound.
cd and how dangerous wounds about
the knee We're. / saw at once that he
hated to tell me what he was going.
10 do 10 me, so to relieve the stun.
ton ! told him that had overheard
he conversation the night before
that had thought very seriously OF
the matter, and that I prefe: red ia
die with my legs on: that was only
eighteen years old. and the thought
of living my life without my legs was
more than I cared to face; that DIS
me legs belonged to me thought
had n right TO say what was to be.
come of them, and that asked til.
doctors TO do what they could for me
with my legs on, and il died it was
no matter He heard me very quiet.
ly, and though with sympathy, but
when / finished he said You know
| Evans. orders have to be oteyedn
trimming that he had misunderstood
me, went over matters again and
wound up by asking that they put ME
out Oh the lawn on cot rather than
cut me to pieces; that would find
some one to take me to a hospital
further North. Again came the reply
about obeying orders. Reaching over,
pulled the gun from under my pill,
low. told him that there were six
'oads in it. and that If he or any one
Else entered my door with anything
mat looked like case of instrn.
meits meant to begin shooting, ana
that he might rest perfectly sure that
would Kill six before they cut my
legs of. This brought matters to n
crisis at once. and in few minutes
the surgeon in charge came In, very