The Bienville Democrat., 1922-05-04

try, however. II lei'o'N"
Dominican republic by an eh'"! eA'
traor,inary and minister p'enIp"'e'''''
any Of long and tried experience
William w. Russell.
Now, this Introduction is written De-
c,usp one wants to tell some stories
obout this servant Of Uncle Sam, WIN"
is grave diplomat, but with a llglt
in his eve that neither gravity nor
Mace can eXtinyuiSh. He was not al
WAYS a grave one burdened with the
affairs of state. once upon time ne
WAS "Pete" Russell, midShlpnlan at
the United States Naval academy
William was changed into "Pete the
minute he reported at Annapolis IN
the wears long gone by, but truth COM
nels the statement that neither the
official archives nor the cadets rec
Ords disclose the reason for turning
William into Pete Suffice it to kho"
that the middies would have it that
way and that way it went.
William w. Russell's memory IS
cherished at the Naval academy. HIS
name is held in remembrance SO
strongly that no midshipman named
Russell who has entered the academy
in the nearly forty years that nave
ELAPSED since our Dominican envoy
left there, has escaped the nickname
of pete"
Not long ago | had dinner with a
graduate of Annapolis who had known
William W. Russell in his "Pete" days
at the academy. Russell had a way
with him and the middies and the au-
thorities were not long in finding it
out. Pete had difficulty in restraining
himself on occasion, as witness:
Too Much Sermon and Solo for Pete.
One Sunday at Annapolis the chap
lain preached long and droningly. The
listening middies were tired out with
the heat of the day and the burden OF
the sermon, which lasted an hour The
sermon over, a sOlOiSt in the choir, un-
deferred and undismayed by the length
of the chaplain's discourse, started In
to sing "Sun Of My Soul" He went
through the first line untrippingly and
then struck into the second. 1T is not
night" he sang. T'len he repeated, ut
is not night" and repeated it again
after the manner of sOlOistS who don't
know when the listeners have had
enough, and, having a hold, are loath
to let go.
Under the strain Of the thing Pete
stood up, whistled melodlously but
very loudly the tune accompanying
the third and fourth lines Of the first
stanza of "Sun of My Soul" and then
before the bewildered and shocked Of
fcers could put in an interference, he
calmly commanded the sOloist to get
a move on him.
They grabbed Pete out from the
middle pew seat and marched him
down the aisle under guard When
the corps was dismissed and was
marching back to barracks Pete was
going in the opposite direction headed
for the prison chip Santee, with his
books and his blanket swung over his
shoulder.
AS he passed the marching middies
and the officers in command he was
heard loudly soliloquizing,s with heat
well down in counterfeit abjectness
"Poor Pete, poor Pete, breakers
right under poor Pete's bow"
His Boxing Skeleton.
Once upon a time Pete set to work
during his idle hours and constructed
a skeleton more fearfully and wonder
fully made than any man. Pete knew
the peculiarities Of a certain inspect
ing officer whose habit it was on en-
tering a midshipman's room to see Il
all was we'll and orderly, to pull thu
door back with a sudden jerk and Il
look behind it for traces Of sweepings
Pete finished his skeleton and by th'
exercise of nothing less than devilisl
ingenuity he succeeded In so adjust
ing it that when the door was given
sharp, quick jerk, the thing woul'
drive its fist straight into the eye
the man who did the jerking. He wen
to recitation the morning that tn
skeleton had been put up, and left hi
roommate, who didn't know that tn
skeleton behind the door was in exist
ence, to suffer any consequence tina
might come.
The inspecting officer came and CAV
the door a jerk and was prompt
poked in the eye by the bony hand G
Pete's skeleton.
The officer instantly marched Pete
roommate to the Santee, where h
was locked up. In three hours til
roommate heard some shuffling steI
outside his prison door. Looking OF
, he saw Pete with his books and h
, blanket coming to share his duranc
"What's the matter, Pete"
asked.
! Nothing" said Pete, "only forg'
{ to take that internal skeleton down
f The roommate was released.