Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-06-23

lEps. I'VE did not see MIN for two
months again. And had to make uI
some beggarly story to that English
surgeon why did not return bis Wal
ter Scott to him."
That story shows about the time
when Nolan's braggudocio must have
broken down. At first they said be
took a very high tone. considered bis
imprisonment mere farce, affected tc
enjoy the voyage, and all that but
Phillips said that after he came out OF
his stateroom he never was the same
man again. He never read aloud
again unless it was the Bible or Shake.
speare or something else he was sure
Of. He was always shy afterward
when knew him-very seldom spoke
unless he was spoken to. except to q
very few friends. he lighted up occa.
sionally, but generally he had>t the nerv'
Gus, tired look of q heart wounded
man.
Nolan's transfer at sea to the War.
rem was the first Of some twenty such
transfers, which brought him sooner
OF later into half our best vessels, but
which kept him all his life at least
some hundred miles from the country
he had hoped he might never hear OF
again.
It may have been on that second
cruise-it was once when he was up
the. Mediterranean-that Mrs. Graf.
the celebrated southern beauty of those
days, danced with him. They had
been long time In the bay Of Naples.
and the officers were very intimate
In the English feet, and there had been
great festivities. and our men thought
they must give great ball on board
the ship. They wanted to use Nolans
stateroom for something. aud they hat.
ed to do 1t without asking him to the
ball. 30 the captain said they might
ask him II they would be responsible
that he did not talk with the wrong
people, "who would give him inteIli-
sence." For ladies they had the fam.
lily Of the American consul. one or two
travellers VINO had ventured 80 fur and
nice bevy Of English girls and ma.
irons, perhaps Lady Hamilton herself
As the dancing went on. Nolan and
our fellows all got at ease. rs | said
so much 80 that 1t seemed quite natu
raj for him to bow to that splendid
Mrs. Graft and say:
II hope you have not forgotten me,
Miss Rutledge. Shall ! have the hon
sf Of dancing?"
He did 1t so quickly that Shubrick,
who was by him, could not hinder
him. She laughed and said:
II am not Miss Rutledge any longer.
Mr.. Nolan, but will dance all the
same" just nodded to Shubrick as II
to say he must leave Mr.. Nolan to her
and led him OF to the place where the
dance was forming.
Nolan thought he had got his chance.
He had known her at Philadelphia.
and at other places had met her and
this was a godsend. He said boldly
little pale, she said. as she told me
the story years after:
"And what do you hear from home.
Mrs. GraftT"
And that splendid creature looked
through him. JOve! how she must
have looked through him! "H0me!!
Mr.. Nolan!!! ! thought you were the
man who never wanted to hear OF
home again. And she walked direct.
ly up the deck to her husband and left
poor Nolan alone, rs he always was.
he did not dance again.
A happier story than either Of these
I have told Is Of the war. In one OF
the great frigate duels with the Eng
lish. in which the navy was really bap-
hzed. 1t happened that a round shot
from the enemy entered one Of our
ports square and took right down the
officer Of the gun himself and almost
every man Of the guns crew. As the
surgeons people were carrying OF the
bodies there appeared Nolan In his
shirt sleeves. with the rammer In his
hand, and. just rs If he had been the
officer, told them or with authority
who should 90 to the cockpit with the
wounded men. who should stay with
him, perfectly CHEEKY and with that
way which makes men feel sure all Is
right and is going to be right. And he
finished loading the gun with his own
hands, aimed 1t and bade the men fire.
And there he stayed, captain OF that
gun, keeping those fellows In spirits
till the enemy struck. The captain
walked forward BY way Of encourag'
Ing the men. and Nolan touched bis
hat and said:
II am showing them how We do this
In the artillery, sir"
And this Is part Of the story where
all the legends agree-that the commo-
dore said:
"I see you do. and | thank you, sir.
and shall never forget this day. sir.
ana you never Sudii. III.
And after the whole thing was over
and he had the Englishman's sword In
the midst Of the state and ceremony OF
the quarterback he said:
where is Mr.. Nolan7 Ask MIR. No,
Ian to come here"
AID when Nolan came the captain
said:
"Mr. Nolan. we are all very grateful
to you today. You are one Of US today.
You will be named in the dispatches"
And then the old man took OF bis
own sword Of ceremony and gave 1t to
Nolan and made him put It on. The
man told me this who saw It Nolan
cried like baby. and well he might.
He had not worn a sword since that
Internal day at Fort Adams.
The captain did mention him In the
dispatches. 1t was always said he
asked that he might be pardoned. He
wrote a special letter to the secretary
of war. But nothing ever came Of It.
As I said. that was about the time
when they began to ignore the whole
transaction ut Washington.
PART H.
TlOLAN must have been In every
INII sea and vet almost never on