The San Francisco call., 1908-08-16

cital set to music relating the glories
of some particular officer.
To have a "tid-re-f' composed in his
honor was a particular tribute to a
commander, and Captain Bainbridge
felt it to be one of the finest compli-
ments ever paid him, when a dozen
brawny sailors, headed by Bulge,
roared at the top of Stheir lungs a
rhyrned account of his early successes.
After thanking the men and applauding
their efforts, Captain Bainbridge and
his officers returned to their own quar-
ters. 1t was now the turn of the
watch officers to contribute to the
evenings entertainment. In this Lazy
Maitland" was easily the star of the.
performance and appeared on the hand
bill which was passed around as Miss
Lucy Maitland, prima donna of the
Grand Opera House of Tripoli." The
midshipmen could scarcely sit through
the performance in their excitement to
begin their own part, and at last the
older officers were assembled in the
midshipmen's quarters, seated on the
rude benches around the wall Through
the good offices of Salvatore Desio two
dozen candles had been smuggled in
at the bottom of the water jars These.
in bottles, made a glorious illumina-
tion.
BY fastening most of their blankets
together the midshipmen had con-
structed a curtain. which concealed a
rude stage. On this the midshipmen
acted play of Lazy Maitland's" com
position, in which the peculiarities of
their captors were taken off in a man
ner and language quite unintellible to
the Tripolitans, but which convulsed
with laughter the Americans watching
1T. Dicky FaIconer and Roger Thorne.
in skirts constructed out of the sheets
from their beds. represented two fas-
clnating young girl slaves in attend
ance upon Totten, who was arrayed
as sultana, in a costume made from
couple of red blankets and a long
muslin veil secured, like the candles.
through Salvatore Desio. Behind this
veil Totten shyly hid his face when
Grey, kneeling before the robust sui
tana, declared his love. It was all
very merry and full or the effervescing
spirits of the midshipmen, whom moth
ing could daunt, and their gayety was
encouraged by the older officers The
affair wound up with an impromptu
ball, in which all the officers took part.
Captain cambridge, with Dicky Fall
coner, still in skirts, as his partner.
waltzed through a quadrille
The midshipmen who personated
young ladies were much sought after
and Totten, with his long draperies
and muslin veil, acted the naughty
sultana to perfection At O'clock the
older officers left. but the midshipmen
kept up their frolic until the door was
opened and the Tripolitan sentry ap-
peared and sternly commanded silence.
For answer Totten, the sultana, seized
the Tripolitan around the waist and
whirled him off into a waltz. The
Tripolitan was furious at this assault
upon his dignity, but the midshipmen,
completely carried away by their high
spirits, passed him on, struggling like
a tiger, from one to- the other, until
finally Grey whirled him to the do0r
and put him out, raving and cursing
with rage. Then, as If by magic
every midshipman tore off his stage
clothes, rushed to his bed, and every
light was put out. At the end of a
quarter of an hour the Tripolitau re-
turned with the officer of the guard.
But he had much difficulty in rousing
the midshipmen, all of whom professed
to be deep in slumber. 1t was in vain
that the Tripolitan sentry protested
that only 10 minutes before a riotous
scene was in progress.
The Tripolitan officer, unaccustomed
to the American Quickness of move
ment, only shook his head incredu-
lously and went away without further
parley. AS soon as the door was
again smut the 1U mldShipmen with
one accord rose and began to waltz
noiselessly together in the faint moon
light that stole through the barred
windows. Outside the shuttle of their
feet could be distinctly heard, but the
sentry, wiser this time, did not dis
turb them.
Next morning Sidi Mohammed
waited upon Captain Bainbridge and
smilingly told him of the adventure
of the night before, which he under
stood perfectly well to be merely
midshipmen's prank, but asked that
they should not indulge in too many
pranks of that kind.
After this Christmas celebration the
days passed on quietly and the usual
routine was resumed.