The Washington herald., 1911-04-30

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practice, she little realized that she was
to become an issue in the United States
navy. Neither did she realize. until later.
the handicap of performing for pay the
duties which usually fall to less gifted
persons. She went to Annapolis with
the family OF Lieut.. Commander Tar
rant, U. g. N, to earn a livelihood to be
found in the most respectable occupa-
ton of performing such duties as lay
mainly in associating with the naval Of
ficer's wife in the care OF the two Tar
rant children.
The customary limitations Of the posi-
ton in life which she had chosen for
: herself simply refused to stay In place.
Her early culture and training, her In
telligence and beauty, pushed to the sur
face of her nature with an iron strength,
bringing misery and then despair. To
the credit Of the gallantry OF broad, gem
erous, and real American men may be
accorded the final crushing down Of the
barriers she herself had erected. It Is
here divulged for the first time that the
young men, the ladies, ari even the on
GERS. who go to make up the little naval
world at Annapolis, had walked square.
ly up to the question Of status" in Miss
Beers case. and had set it firmly aside
long before the incident Of Wednes-
day afternoon hop in March. when the
commandant of the Academy took hasty
note of a statement that nursemaid
had been dancing with the midshipmen,
and blundered into q reprimand of Mid
shipman Burtis on the broad ground
that it was not good form to escort me-
malls in the households of naval officers
to Academy functions.
Had Been Entertained by Many.
1t may be news to many that Mary
Beers had won her own true status as
an individual long before the superintend-
ent of the Academy attempted to assign
it according to his whim.
To be sure, she looked after children
and wheeled them about the Academy
grounds. but that fact appears not to
have interfered with her having been
escorted to the theater in Annapolis some
time previous by Lieut.. Albert
Church, of the Academy oflcial staff;
Of her having been introduced freely by
Mrs. Tarrant. her employer, and Of her
having attended a hop several evenings,
previous to the afternoon affair in COM
pany with Mrs Yancey Williams, the
wife of a naval officer, and Midshipman
Joseph Dreisenstok. In fact, the per-
sonality of Miss Beers had climbed far
beyond her humble sphere and there
we're plenty of men and women at the
Naval Academy unsnobbish enough to
recognize the fact.
There are romantic features galore in
the story. In fact the romance may be
said to be still running, for 1t Is whispered
about Annapolis that Mary Beers may
yet be one of the guests at the Academy
during June Week." the great social oc-
casion of the year, and that Midshipman
w. H. Burtis, of Plainfield, n. J., is the
sender of the invitation. Annapolis awaits
the definite word as to such an event with
something of a thrill, for 1t is recognized
that through the filing Of an apology by
Supt- Bowyer, the New Haven young lady
is recognized with the best Of the hop
attendants and fit for the obeisance of all,
including the officers who doubted the
propriety of inviting a ''nursemaid' to
ball. Miss Beers is Enthusiastically pop
ular at Annapolis. Many a midshipman
asked for an introduction to her and
would be glad even yet to see her again
come wheeling the Tarrant children into
grounds.
Jimmy. Legs" Was to Blame.
To one Of the Jimmy Legses Of the
Academy is accorded the responsibility
Of having melted the official wrathful
reprimand of young Burtis. A Jimmy
Legs is a watchman. Every civilian
employe who guards an entrance, who
PAGES a walk and who sees that the rules
of the grounds and the buildings are
obeyed, is a Jimmy Legs. They go along
with those items of Academy parlance
which include 'Youngsters'' as second
year men, Red Mikes as those who
are seldom seen with girls, and ''Fussers"
who seize every opportunity to meet the
fair sex. It was one Of the oldest Jimmy
Legses of the institution who penetrated
to the Office of Commandant Coontz the
morning after the Wednesday hop.
What is it, watchman?' ,
Il have to report, sir, that one Of the
nursemaids is attending the hops and
dancing with the midshipmen.''
"A nursemaid!'' came from the aston
ished officer when was it?"
Yesterday, sir. with Midshipman Bur-
It's"
The Rule. About Nurses.
1t must be interpolated here that nurse
maids as a class have now and then
figured as the SUBJECT OF OruerS auectlnS
the ground regulations of the Academy.
They are permitted to roam the grounds
with their little charges. and they are
constantly there throughout the summer
days. There are strict rules that they
must not occupy the benches near the
band stand, in order that those places
may be vacant for the use Of officers
and their families and guests when the
concerts occur. There are, perhaps,
other rules governing nursemaids with
which every Jimmy Legs is familiar and
which he is continually out to enforce.
1t is said the particular Legs who took It
upon himself to take up the case Of Miss
Beers is a trusted employe. In the Ian
guage Of a certain officer Of the navy
who is acquainted with him ''he Is rec
ognized as knowing what is what
VERY well. sir. that is all.'' said the
commandant, and Mr.. Legs took his de-
parture.
The Midshfpman Reprimanded.
The watchman's report went to the
superintendent, and Midshipman Burtis
shortly was ordered into the presence Of
rank. The interview is said to have