The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-22
new AMMUNITION,
BY MILTON w. ToWNE.


United States wooden men-of-war was
lying at anchor in the harbor of Cher
Dourg. 1t was gala day. for Napo- |
leon ILL.,. then emperor of France. and |
the Empress Eugene We're in Cher |
Dourg and had accepted an invitation |
from the admiral to visit his flagship. |
But before doing SO the imperial cou-
pie inspected French man-of-war.
Now. 1t so happened that mess cook
on board the French ship. the Esper-
ance, was wholly unmindful of the
important ceremony that was about to
take place. Indeed, his captain had
not considered it necessary to inform
him. 1t would have been better had
| he done so. His failure resulted In a
| bitter feeling between the crews of the
Esperance and the flagship of the
American admiral
| Not knowing that the emperor and
empress were about to come aboard
the Esperance, Francois. a little bit o.
sawed of Frepchman, with a tiny
| goatee and mustacke to match, was
cleaning knives, forks and spoons Oh
| the gun deck
But, suddenly looking up, he saw
| Lieutenant Du Bots coming from the
other end of the vessel Francois
| knew by the bells that struck at the
time that the lieutenant was going off
duty and would CO. as was his CUSTOM
10 his cabin for a change of uniform
10 reach his cabin he would be obliged
to pass the point where the cook sat
securing. Francois, not caring to in
cur an officers displeasure for per-
forming his mental duty ON deck, hur-
riedly threw the table articles into q
mess pot. stepped to the muzzle of a
ten inch gun, took out the hampton
the wooden plug kept in the mouths of
cannon when not in use-thrust in the
mess kit and put the hampton back In
its place. When the lieutenant came
by Francois was standing respectfully
at attention.
Francois" said the officer, bring
some biscuits and glass Of wine to
my cabin"
"Yes, Monsieur lie Lieutenant"
well, hurry. l have but little time
before the ceremony takes place"
At the word ceremony Francois took
did Dot wish to leave the mess kit in
the gun for fear the latter would be
required for saluting purposes and the
kit would be lost But the lieutenant
| glared at him, and he dare not delay.
He went below, carried the biscuit to
Lieutenant Du Bots cabin and was
about to hurry back on deck when
another officer, seeing him so by his
open door, directed him to bring him
q glass of wine And so it was that
the little cook was kept hurrying to dc
the bidding of one person after an
other till something happened.
The officer of the deck, seeing 8
crowd gathering at the dock, raised his
glasses and. after n moments inspec
ton cried out The emperor is com
ing" In few minutes a barge lef
the dock. and poor Francois, still run
ming about below, heard the gum
above begin TO boom in salute.
Now, it happened that several petit,
officers, including Pat Donagan, OF
board the American admirafs flag
ship, had secured permission to brini
aboard their sweethearts-at least thei
vice sweetheartS-and the party wer
enioying themselves. when student
the air filed with flying knives. fork
and spoons. In another moment the
heard the boom OF a gun. a for
stuck in a girls cheek, a knife Gu
off mans nose. and Pat DonaGan II
ceived an injury which cost him an ey'
All knew that the Esperance in salu
ing the emperor and empress had a.
cidentally fired q volley OF tablewaI
at the American flagship. Pat Don;
gan. who was gunner, mad wit
pain and the indignity Of beln
wounded with a butter knife, swore
would have revenge.
Il was late in the afternoon Whe
the emperors barge was seen a
preaching the flagship Donagan W;
in the saludug squad. The surge(
had ordered him to remain in his bun
with his eye bandaged. but Pat had e
caped and took position at his gu
which pointed toward the Esperanc
Pat trained it on the galley OF tn
ship and waited He purposely forg
something, the hampton, which he Ie
in the muZzle of his gun.
Presently the emperor's barge W
seen heading toward the fiagsh
Guns began to boom from the side
bands played; the yards were mann
When it came Pat Donegans turn
fire his gun the report was few Il
ments late He was taking 81
aim. Presently he fred, and tampl
went flying into the waters OF
harbor.
The imperial visit was short 0.
the hour being late. The imper
couple departed amid a similar &C
monv that had attended their arrlF
They had been gone but few mimi
when through the smoke that ~
over the water Il group OF ofhc
standing on the quarterdeck disc
cred a boat coming from the Isl
ance.
~, rNa r77r1 dock below stood a II