The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-10-03
CROSSING The LINE
When Neptune Owns the Ship
and Holds High Carnival.
PLAYS SOME ROUGH FRANKS.
Az Vessel Nears the Equator the Sea
Kings Reign Begins, and For the
Time Being No Passenger Is Too
High or Mighty to Escape.

As Vessel Nears the Equator the Sea
Kings Reign Begins, and For the
Time Being No Passenger Is Too
High or Mighty to Escape.
1t is to be expected that the people
shut up in the little republic that is
bounded by the iron walls Of an ocean
liner should seek many ways of divert
ing themselves. Perhaps republic Is
not altogether a happy word to use in
Russias ever had SUCH autocratic pow
er over his subjects as the. captain of a
great liner has over the travellers on
his ship. But he uses his power very
sparingly, and if his temporary sub
jects behave decently and obey the
unwritten laws of the sea he let's them
do about as they please.
They exercise their ingenuity In pro-
viding all sorts of entertainments to
relieve the monotony of the passing
days. Shuffleboard and deck golf, ring
toss and bull board and concert usu-
ally suffice for the brief journey across
the Atlantic ocean, but on the more dis
tant voyages to India or Australia or
down the long coast of South America
those mild amusements pail upon the
voyagers, and they plan something
more elaborate. Tournaments of vari-
Gus kinds, races Of every sort, lectures
and plays are the order of the day.
But the most time honored and ex-
trayagant revelries are sure to take
place when the ship crosses the imag-
mary line between the northern and
southern hemispheres. From time i'm
memorial that has been the day dedi-
Gated to jokes and quips and pranks Of
all kinds. The captains serious face re-
lakes; the mates and even the quar-
termasters and sailors are evidently
connecting some huge scheme of fun;
no horseplay' is outlawed; no practical
Jokes are too rough; no exalted person
age Is too dignified to be exempt from
Neptune's trough house."
The most elaborate fun of that sort
that remember witnessing was OF a
trip from New York to San Francisco.
The night before the ship was to cross
the line we saw a spot of light off the
etarboard bow. 1t seemed to draw
nearer and nearer, and pretty soon old
Neptune himself, clad in oilskins and
dripping water from his garments and
his long white beard, climbed the black
side of our ship and, standing upon the
hurricane deck, surrounded by an ad-
ming throng of passengers, an
nounced that the next day at 2 o'clock
In the afternoon we should cross the
line and that he would welcome us to
bis domain with suitable equator cere-
monies" He spoke in thunderous and
somewhat sepulchral tones. Then he
disappeared over the side Of the ship.
The next day at 2 O'clock Neptune
was promptly on hand again. To pre-
pare for his coming the sailors had ar
ranged on the lower deck a great can
vas tub, perhaps twenty feet square,
flied with water to a depth Of about
three feet. The tub was surrounded by
q rail, and Neptune, seated on a gor-
9eous throne, at first commanded that
the passengers should be initiated into
the mysteries Of his domain He had
come aboard this second time with a
great flourish of trumpets, and he was
followed by a long train of fantastic
ally arrayed subjects.
Those subjects ruthlessly seized the
passengers, right and left, ana Nep-
tune commanded that the men should
be shaved. They were seated on the
edge Of the improvised bathtub, and
the barber appeared, welding a lather
brush nearly as big as a broom and a
pasteboard razor also of huge dimen-
eions.
Covering victims face with lib
eral supply of lather, the barber raised
on high his tremendous razor. But Just
as he was about to apply 1t to the face
OF the unresisting passenger, two Of
Neptune's myrmidons, standing In the
great tub of water, suddenly pulled
the victim over backward and I'M
mersed him completely. A moment later
he emerged, spluttering and coughing,
but making desperate effort to APP
pear good natured.
II any passenger was particularly
dignified or dandifed, If he had shown
abilities, Neptune's slaves sought him
out especially The more spotless the
linen, the more stylish the necktie, the
more feckless the white flannel suit,
the surer was the owner to have the
starch literally taken out Of him.
OF course not all Of the $50 passen-
gers could be initiated with these elab-
70 ,p ~,
were enjoying the fun to the utmost,
and who were congratulating them
selves that they had gone scot free,
did not notice some sailors In oilslkins
climbing the masts directly over their
heads. The sailors had big hose I'm
their hands While the last victim
was being submerged and the bolster
Gus fun was at its height the heavens
seemed suddnely to open. and out of
clear tropical sky a tremendous show
er poured down upon the heads of all
the passengers.
Few escaped a thorough sprinkling.
The tables were turned on the hilarious
onlookers, and the chief initiates took
their turn In laughing at the others.
w ueu II was dlt oNehs ndthcr NCptuAo
served bountiful collation., and to
each passenger was given an elaborate
and beautifully engraved certificate as
evidence that he had received his sea
christening and that ne had the right
henceforth to pass freely over the
equator-Rev. DR.. Francis g. Clark in
Youths COmnanion.