Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-19
A NAVAL FROST.
Ensian's Wife Finds System OF Caste
Among Officers Wives.

! When the North Atlantic fleet : was
ordered into EuropeOn waters recent
ly the wives of a number OF the navy
officers prepared to follow their hus-
bands abroad 1t came to be generals
tly understood that certain steamer.
sa ling at about the right time. would
II be the best one to have the honor Oh
carrying these ladies', hence II trans
pircd that 80 or more Of them Sc
cured passage on the one boat, AZ
though some of them were unac-
uuaintcd with the others
Among the strangers was the bride
of q young ensign. New York girl. OF
Exceptional good looks. Think what
that means in New York. She is tall,
slim, willowy, graceful. handsome,
stylish, chic and she has genius for
dress which enables her to make
dollar go as far as another woman
lao. 1t was her first trip abroad and
she anticipated IL GLORIOUS time. She
was, however, uDacquaintcd WIN tne
WAYS and methods of navy HE.
Neither had she read any Of Captain
Kings novels descriptive OF army he.
She had attended many balls over at
the Brooklyn Navy Yard, both before
| and after she became affianccd to the
ensign, but her experience with the
wives Of navy officers was TO begin on
this voyage, and. Of course, her hus-
band was not with her to aid her.
Several Of her friends were kecnly
anxious to have her trip pleasant
one and interested themselves to bring
about that result. One of these
friends had connection with the
steamship company which enabled
him to secure the promise that in case
the best suite on the boat, consisting
Of sitting room, bedroom and bath,
should not be sold for the voyage the
bride of the young ensign should have
it at the same price she had paid for
her single passage. Another friend
was intimately acquainted with the
captain of the steamer and bespoke
seat at his table for the New York
girl.
"Oh. what an enchanting time
shall have" she exclaimed, in thank
ing her friends. There are to be at
least 80 Of the officers wives ON the
boat and l am the latest acquisition
1t will be SO charming to make their
acquaintance, for Of course this is the
set l am to live in hereafter. and
wherever I go in the world from now
on / shall be sure to meet some OF
them. 1t is almost like being born
into new world. and quite the love-
liest | ever have known" Her joy
was complete when she learned, OH
starting, that the star suite had not
been sold. and that. as agreed, it was
assigned to her for the vOyage-which
seemed reasonable thing, as she was
the bride.
She had, with her usual good taste,
chosen for her outward equipment a
heavy steamer coat, light gray i'll
color and cut on the very latest lines,
a little soft gray hat of the unstiffened
variety that drew down over her ears
bewitchingly and cerise veil. 1t was
altogether a modest yet up-to- date
| outfit. vastly becoming.
But, oh, the officers wives. The
frozen mitt, the marble heart, the
arctic chill. Mrs. Peary. who has
been in bleak lands may know some
thing about it. It is not always con-
| fined to the women of the navy, eth
or, as Commander Peary possibly can
testify. Our flag may wave at the
North pole. but it also waves over
| less cheerful region when its folds
| llutter above the hearts of some Of tho
| women of the navy. When the group
on that steamer learned that the wife
of a mere ensign was among the party
they determined to drag her at the tail
of the processiOn-for were they not
the wives of lieutenants and captains?
n 1,a;r al.
beginner the full force of the system
Of caste under which perhaps many of
them had writhed on former occa-
sions. When they learned, further
more. that she had the suite" it was
more than they could bear, and the
arctic storm swept over her. An en-
signs wife in the best suite on the
boat and seated at the captains table.
Was there a fitting punishment for
such effrontcry? They would set
themselves to manufacture one.
The astonished bride. after a few
hours experience among these sisters
of the service with whom her joyful
lot on earth is hencefortll to be cast,
was about to consider throwing her.
self to the fishes when the. captain
thoughtfullp presented her to Mrs.
Schroeder, wife of Admiral Schroeder.
who was not among those Of the arctic
attitude. 1t is written that only those
who have suffered may wear the ulti-
mate white garments. Perhaps Mrs
SCHROEDER is familiar with feminine
tactics. At any rate, her unassailable
position permits her to be gracious
where she will and she chose to make
life endurable for the ensign's wife
Generously she took the youthful suf-
ferer under her protection. and when
either Mrs. Schroeder or the captain
was present hostilities were at least
yelled. BY the time the steamer
| reached the other side the ensign's
young wife had learned two kinds OF
| lessons and Mrs. Schroeder had made
friend who may possibly be valuable
some day. for the girl is sister Of
the president of one of the best
known manufacturing corporations of
New York-New York Press.
13.YEAR.OlD PREACHER.