Evening Star Newspaper, April 16, 1898, Page 18

Pitt THE WARRIOR MAID OF SAN CARLOS, ————— WRITTEN FOR THE EVESING STAR BY ROBERT BARR. (Copyright, 1896, the 8. 8. McClure Co.) (The facts in this narrative are given by James Jeffrey Roche in his book ‘“The Story of the Fil- ibusters;"" the fiction belongs to myself and the Nicaraguins. Whici of the three is the biggest Itar the realer must Judge for himeelf.—R. B.) The young naval officer came into this world with two cyes and two arms; he left {t with but one of each, but the re- maining eye was ever quick to see, and the remaining arm.ever strong to seize. Even his blind eye became useful on one his- torical occasion. But the loss of eye or arm was as nothing to the continual loss of his heart, which often led him far afield in the finding of it; vanquished when he met the women; invincible when he met the men; in truth, a most human hero, and so we all love Jack, the we, in this in- stance, as the old joke has it, embracing the women. In the year 1780 Britain ordered Col. Poison to invade Nicaragua. The task im- posed on the gallant colonel was not an onerous one, for the Nicaraguans never cared to secure for themselves the military reputation of Sparta. In fact, some years after this, a single American, Walker, with a few Californian rifles under his com- mand, conquered the whole nation and made himself president of it ,and perhaps would have becn dictator of Nicaragua to- day if his own country had not laid him by the heels. It is no violation of history to state that the entire British fleet was not engaged in subduing Nicaragua, and that Col. Polson felt himself amply pro- vided for the necessities of the crisis by sailing into the harbor of San Juan del Norte with one small ship. There were numerous foriifications at the mouth of the river, and in about an hour after landing the colenel was in possession of them all. The flight of time, brfef as it was, could not be compared in celerity with the flight of the Nicaraguans, who betook themselves to the backwoods with an impetuosity sel- dom seen outside of a race course. There was no loss of life so far as the British were concerned, and the only casualties resulting to the Nicaraguans were colds caught through the overheating of them- selves in their feverish desire to explore immediately the interior of their beloved country. “He who bolts and ns away will live to belt another da: was the motto of the Nicaraguans. So far, so good, or so bad, as the case may be. The victorious colonel now got together a flotilla of some half a score of boats, or more, and the flotilla was placed under the command of the young naval offi@ the hero of this story. The expedition pro- ceeded cautiou: up the river San Juan, which runs for eighty miles, or there- abouts, ake Nicaragua to the salt water. : sort of marine vegetation on either and no opposition to speak of, even from the current of the river itself, for Lake Nicaragua is but 120 f>et above the sea level, » feet sives little rapidity tc a river $0 miles ong. As the flotilla approached the entrance to the lake, caution increased, for it was not known how strong Fort San Carlos might prove. This fort, perhaps the only one in the country strongly built, stood at once on the shores of the lake and the bank of the stream. There was one chance in a thousand that the speedy retreat of the Nicaraguans had been merely a device the British into the center of the where the little expedition of 200 sailors and marines might be annihilated. In these circumstances Col. Polson thought it well. before coming in sight of the fort, to draw up his boats along the northern bank of the San Juan river, sending out scouts to bring in necessary information regarding the stronghold. The young naval officer all through his life was noted for his energetic and reckless courage, so it was not to be wondered at that the ag2 of twenty-two found him impatient with the delay, loth to lie inactive in his boat until the scouts returned, so he re- solved upon an action that would have justly brought a court-martial upon his head had a knowledge of it come to his superior officer. He plunged alone into the tropical thicket. armed only with two pis- tols and a cutlass, determined to force his way through the rank vegetation along the bank of the river and reconnoiter Fort San Carles for himself. If he had given any thought to the matter, which it is more than likely he did not, he must have known that he ran every risk of capture and death, for the native of Cenral America, then as now, has rarely shown any hesita— tion about shooting prisoners of war. Our young friend therefore had slight chance for his life if cut off from his comrades, and in the circumstances even a civilized nation would have been perfectly within its right in executing him as a spy. After leaving the lake the river San Juan bends south and then north again. The scouts had taken the direct route to th fort across the land, but the young officer’ theory was that if the Nicaraguans meant to fight they would place an ambush in the dense jungle along the river, and from this place of concealment harass the flotil- la before it got within gunshot of the fort. This ambuscade could easily fall back upon the fort if directly attacked and defeated. This, the young man argued, was what he himself would have done had he been in command of the Nicaraguan forces, so it naturally occurred to him to discover whether the same idea had su; ited itself to the commandant at San Carlos. Expecting every moment to come upon this ambuscade, the boy proceeded, pistol in hand, with the utmost care, crouching under the luxuriant tropical foliage, tun- neling his way, as one might say, along the dark alleys of vegetation, roofed in by the broad leaves overhead. Through cross alleys he caught glipmses now and then of the broad river, of which he was desir- ous to keep within touch. Stealthily cross- ing ong of these riverward alleys the young fellow came upon his ambuscade, and was struck motionless with amazement at the form it took. Silhouetted against the shin- ing water beyond was a young girl. She knelt at the very verge of the low crumb- ing cliff above the water, her left hand, outspread, was on the ground, her right rested against the rough trunk of a palm tree, and counterbalanced the weight of her body, which leaned far forward over the brink. Her face was turned sideways toward him, and her lustrous eyes peered ‘ntently down the river at the British flo- Ulla stranded along the river's bank. So intent was her gaze, so confident was she that she was alone, that the leopard-like’ approach of her enemy gave her no hint of attack. Her perfect profile being toward bim, he saw her cherry-red lips move silently as !f she were counting the boats end impressing thelr number upon her memory. A woman in appearance, she was at this date but sixteen years old, and the breathless young man who stood like a statue regarding her thought he had never seen a vision of such entrancing beauty, and, as I have before intimated, he was a judge of feminine loveliness. Pulling him- self together, and drawing a deep but silent breath, he went forward with soft tread, and the next instant there was a grip of steel on the wrist of the young girl that rested on the earth. With a cry of dismay she sprang to her feet and confronted her ssailant, nearly toppling over the brink as she did so, but he grasped her firmly and step or two up the arcade. As left wrist there was in the air the flash of a stiletto, and the naval of- ficer’s distinguished career would have end- ed on that spot had he not been a little quicker than his fair opponent. His disen- Saged hand gripped the descending wrist and held her powerless. ee she hissed in Spanish. eo and the girl, with the quick movement of a humming bird, dived into the foliage, and would have disappeared had he not, with equal celerity, intercapted her, again imprisoning her wrist. “You liar! she cried, her magnificent eyes ablaze with an- ger. “Faithless minion of a faithless race, you promised to let me go.” “And I kept my promise,” said the young man, still with a smile. “I said I would releace your hand, and I did so, but as for yourself, that is a different matter. You see, signorino, to speak plainly, you are a spy. I have caught you almost with- in our lines, counting our boats, and per- haps our men. There is war between our countries, and I arrest you as a spy.’ ‘A brave country, yours,” she cried, “to war upon women.” “Well,” said the young man with a laugh, “what are we to do? The men won't stay and fight us.” She gave him a dark, indignant glance at this, which but heightened her swarthy beauty. “And what are you?” she said, “but a spy?" “Not yet,” ke replied. “If you had found me peering at the fort, then perhaps I should be compelled to plead guilty. But as it is, you are the only spy here at pres- ent, signorino. Do you know what the fate of a spy is?” The girl stood there for a few moments, her face downcast, the Mving gyves still THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, APRIL “There is no such secrecy about our forces: we do not care who knows the number in our “No? Then how many are there, donna?” “Three hundred and forty,” answered the girl. “Mon, or young ladies like yoursélf, donna? Be careful how you answer, for if the letter, I warn you that nothing will keep the British out of Fort San Carlos. ‘We shall be with you, even if we have to go as prisoners. In saying this I feel that I am speaking for our entir2 company.” The girl tossed her head scornfully. “There are 340 men,” she said, “as you shall find to your cost if you dare attack the fort.” “In that case,” replied Nelson, “you are nearly two to on2, and I yenture to think that we have not come up the river for nothing.’ “What braggarts you English are!" “Is it bragging to welcome a stirring fight? Are you well provided with ean- non?” “You will learn that for yourself when you come w'thin sight of the fort. Have you any more qu2stions to ask, signor sailor?” “Yes, one. The number in the fort which you give corresponds with what I have al- ready heard. I have heard also that you were well supplied with cannon, but I have be2n told that you have no cannon balls in Fort San Carlos. “That is not true; we have plenty.” “Incredible as it may seem, I was told that the cannon balls were made of clay. When I said vou had none, I meant that you had none of fren.” ae is also quite true,” answered the rl. “Do you mean to say that you are going to shoot baked clay at us? It will be like heaving bricks,” and the young man threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, you may laugh,” cried the girl, “but I doubt if you will be so merry wh2n you come to attack the fort. The clay cannon balls were made under the superintendence of my father, and they are filled with iron links of chain, spikes and other scraps of iron.” “By Jove!” cried young Nelson, “that’s an original idea. I wonder how it will work?” You will have every opportunity of find- ing out, if you are foolish enough to at- tack the fort.” “You advise us, then, to retreat?" THE YOUNG MAN GAZED AT HER WITH INTENSE ADMIRATION. encircling her wrists. When she looked up it was with a smile so radiant that the young man gasped for breath, and his heart beat faster than ever it had done in warfare. “But you will not give me up?” she mur- mured softly. » “Then indeed would I be a faithless minion,”” cried the young man fervently, “not, indeed, to my country, but to your fascinating sex, which I never adored so Much as now. “You mean that you would be faithless to your country, but not to me?” “Well,” said the young man with some natural hesitation, “I shouldn't care to have to choose between my allegiance to one or the other. England can survive without warring upon women, as you have said, so I hope that if we talk the matter amicably over, we may find that my duty need not clash with my inclination.” “I am afraid that is impossible,” she an- swered quickly. “I hate your country.” “But not the individual members of it, I hope.” * know nothing of its individual mem- bers, nor do I wish to, as you shi see, if you will but let go my wrists. ‘Ah, signorino,” exclaimed the young man, “you are using an argument now that will make me hold you forever. “In that case,” said the girl, “I shall change my argument, and give, instead, a promise. If you release me I shall not en. deavor to escape; I may even be so bold as to expect your escort tothe fort, where, if I understand you aright, you were but just now going. “I accept your promise, and shall be de- lighted if you will accept my escort. Mean- while, in the interest of our better ac- quaintance, can I persuade you to sit down and allow me to cast myself at your feet?” The girl, with a clear, mellow laugh, sat down, and the young man reclined tn the Position he had indicated, ‘ing up at her with intense admiration in eyes. “If this be war,” he said to himself, “long may I remain a soldier.” Infatuated, as he certainly was, his natu- ral alertness could not but notice that her glance wandered to the stiletto, the per- pendicular shining blade of which looked like the crest of a glittering, dangerous serpent, whose body was hidden in the leaves. She had seated herself as close to the weapon as possible, and now, on one pretext or another, edged nearer and near- er to it. At last the ae man laughed aloud, and sweeping his foot round, knock- ed down the weapon, then indolently stretching out his arm, he took it. “Bignorino,” he said, examining its keen edge, ‘will you give me this dagger as a memento of our meeting?” “Tt is unlucky,” she murmured, “to make presents of stilettoes.”” “I think,” said the young man, glancing up at her with a smile on his lips, “it will be more lucky for me ff I place it here in my belt than if I allow it to reach the pos- session of another.’ ‘Do you intend to steal it, signor?” ‘Oh, no. If you refuse to let me have it I will give it back to you when our inter- view ends; but I should be glad to possess it if you allow me to keep it.” ‘It is unlucky, as I have said, to make a present of it; but I will exchange. If you will give me one of your loaded pistols, you may have the stiletto.” “A fair exchange,” he laughed, but he made no motion to fulfill his part to the barter. “May I have the happiness of knowing your name, signorino?” he asked. “I am called Donna Rafaela Mora,” an- swered the girl simply. “I am daughter of the commandant of Fort San Carlos. I am no Nicaraguan, but a Spaniard. And, senor, what is your name?” “Horatio Nelson, a humble captain in his majesty’s naval forces, to be heard from later, I hope, unless Donna Rafaela cuts short my thread of life with her stiletto. “And does a captain in his majesty’s forces condescend to play the part of spy?” asked the girl, proudly. “He is delighted to do so when !t brings him the acquaintance of another spy so charming as Donna Rafaela. My spying, and I imagin2 yours also, is but amateur- ish, and will probably be of little value to our respective forces. Our r3al spies are now gathered round your fort, and will bring to us all the information we need. Thus I can recline at your feet, Donna Ra- faela, with an easy well awar> thet my failure as a spy will in no way re- tard our expedition.” “How many men do you command, senor captain?” asked the girl with ill-concealed I most certainly d ‘And why, donna, if you hat2 our caun- try, are you sv anxious that we shall not be cut to pieces by your scrap iron?” The girl shruggad her pretty shoulders. “It dcesn’t matter in the least to me what you do,” she said, rising to her feet. “Am I your prisoner, Signor Nelson?" “No,” cried the young man, also spring- ing up, “I am yours, a have been ever since you look2d at m Again the girl shrugged her shoulders. She seemed to be in no humor for light compliments and betrayed an eagerness to gone. “TI have your permission, than, to depart. Do you intend to keep your word?” “If you will keep ycurs, donna. “I gave you no promise, except that I would not run away, and I have not don so. I now ask your permisssion to depart You said that I might accompany you to the fort.” “Oh, if you have the courage, yes,” re- plied the girl, carelessly. ‘They walked on together through the dense alleys of vegetation, and finally came to an opening which show2d them a sandy plain, and across it the strong white stone walls of the fort, facing the wide river, and behind it the blue background of Lake Nicaragua. Not a human form was visible either on the walls or on the plain. Fort San Carlos, in spite of the fact that it bristled with cannon, se2med like an abandoned castle. The two stood silent for a moment at the margin of the jungle, the young officer run- ning his eye rapidly over the landscape, al- ways bringing back his gaze to the seem- ingly desert2d stronghold. Your 340 men Keep themselves well hidden,” he said at 'Yes,"" replied the girl, nonchalantly. “They fear that if they show themselves you may hasitate to attack a fortress that is impregnable.” “Well, you may disabuse their minds of error when you return. “Are you going to keep my stiletto?” asked the girl, suddenly changing the sub- Ject. “Yes, with your permission.” “Then k3ep your word, and give me your pistol in return.” “Did I actually promise it?” “You promised, signor.”” “Then, in that case, the pistol is yours.” “Please hand ft to me. Her eagerness to obtain the weapon was but partially hidden, and the young man laughed as he weighted the firearm in his hand, holding {t by the muzzle. 't is too heavy for a slim girl like you to handle,” he said at last. “It can hardly be called a lady's toy.” “You intend, then, to break your word,” said the girl, with quick intuition, guessing She Stendied the Clumsy Implement. with unerring instinct his vulnerable point. “Oh, no,” he cried, “but I to serd the pistol half way home for you,” and with that, holding it still by the barrel, he flung it far out on the sandy plain, where it fell, raising a little cloud of dust. The girl was about to speed to the fort, when, for the third time, the young man = mars Ephron She looked at him with “Pardon me, oe nae ~ plement, restingAher‘elbow on her knee. The young man¢ateed there motionless, bareheaded, his>rraysin his hand. There was a flash and aloud report, and the bul- let cut the foliagezobehind him, a little nearer than he hadeapected. He bowed low to nes and ishe; pees ~ angry gesture, flung the weapon from her. “Donna Rafaela,” he shouted, “thank you for firing ti no one to the w; fortress is may I have the? pi you how to shoot?” {fhegirl made no answer, but, turning, ag fast as she could toward the fort... |, The young man, walked toward’ the fort. picked up his despised weapon, thrust it in his belt and returned to the camp. The scouts were returning and reported that as far they could learn, the 340 Nicara- had, in a body, abandoned Fort San Cazlos. “It is some trick,” sald the colonel. “We ™muat approach this fortress cautiously, as = the three, hundred and forty were there.” = < The flotilla neered the fort in a long line. Each boat was filled with men, and in each prow was leveled a small cannon, a man with a lighted match beside it, ready to fire the moment word was given. Nelson himself stood up in his boat and watched the silent fort. Suddenly the silence was broken by a crash of thunder, and Nelson's ‘beat and the one nearest to it were wreck- ed, many of the men being killed and him- self severely wounded. “Back, back! ‘cried the commander. “Row out of range for your lives!” The second cannon spoke, and the whole-line of boats were thrown into inextricable cun- fusion. Cannon after cannon rang out, and of the two hundred men who sailed up the river San Juan only ten reached the ship alive. The conmandant of the fort lay ill in his bed, unable to move, but his brave daugh- ter fired the cannon that destroyed the flo- tila. Here Nelson lost his eye, and thus on a celebrated ovcasion was unable to see the signals. Thus victory ultimately rose out of disaster. The King of Spain decorated Donna Ra- faela Mora, made her a colonel and gave her a pension for life. So recently as 1857 her grandson, Gen. Martinez, was appoint- ed President of Nicaragua, solely because he was a descendant of the girl who de- feated Horatio Nelso: ——_—. UNIVERSITY NOTES Howard University. The subject this evening at the meeting of the C. E. Society is “Lessons From Great Missionaries,” with Miss Paylis Perry as leader. An address will be made by Rev. A. P. Miller of Lincoln Memorial Church. The Alpha Phi Society held memorial services in honor of Mr, J. E. Buckner and Calvin Alexander delivered the eulogy. The Christian Endeavor meeting last Saturday night was led by W. R. Payne, the subject being “(Conquering the Fear of Death.” Thursday of last week at 1 o'clock Mr. J. W. Foster, ex-Secretary of State, lec- tured before the students and faculty of Howard University on “The Authenticity of the New Testament. On the same day the public school teach- ers of Prince George's county, Md., held the annual Teachers’ Association meeting, and listened to addresses by Dr. Rankin and Prof. George Cook, both of the facuity of the university. The Alpha Phi Seciety recently elected officers as follows: President, Mr. I. T. Gil- ‘lam; vi » Mr. W. O. Bundy; sec- retary, L., Smith; chaplain, Mr. Green; t-arms, Mr. Db. O. W. Holmes; treasurer, Mr. W. T. Nelson; edi- tor, Mr. H. A. Brown. The recently elected officers of the tennis club are: Presidént, Mr. D. O. W. Holmes vice president, ‘Mr.* W. T. Nelson; secre- tary, Mr. W. L. Smit reasurer, Mr. G. 8. Murray; custodian, Mr. Charles A. Butler. Columbia ‘University. “Resolved, That the Supreme Court of the United States should be increased to fifteen members/’ will be the question de- pated this evening before the Law School Debating Society; by’ Messrs. Philip Tindall ,and_ W. Vorhees,’ affirmative, and Messrs. Kirk and F. P. Evans, negative. This was to have been the question two weéks ago, but the event “Was postponed until this evening. Next week the question will be, “Resolved, That the President of the Unit- ed States should be deprived of the power of veto,” and the speakers, Messrs. A. Mc- Millan and C. O. Guynes, affirmative, and W. M,. Holland and F. Benjamin, negative. Professor Abbe will tonight ‘deliver a leeture to the Biblicai Club of the college, on.“*Weather Lore of Bible Times.” The college sophomores held a class meet- ing Thursday. Arrangements are being made for the regular yearbook of the college. The board of edttors held a meeting Thursday after- noon. The Library Association of Washington city held a meeting Wednesday at the uni- versity. Yesterday the Enosintan Society had for debate the question, “Resolved, That the expansion of Russia threatens the highest interests of civilization,” class I, and “Re- solved, That the Bismarck policy has been fortunate for Europe,” class I, the speak- ers being Mr. Matson and Miss Wright,af- firmative, and Mr. Haws and Miss Norris, negative, class I; and Mr. Gannett and Miss Parkinson, affirmative, and Mr. Main and Miss Smith, negative, class II. Tomorrow afternoon, at 4 o'clock, Justice Brewer will deliver the sixth lecture of the course now in progress, on the topic “The Twentieth Century from Another Stand- point."" Last Sunday Representative Mc- Dowell was the speaker of the afternoon. University Athletics. ‘There was to have been a game at Georgetown University today with Rich- mond College, but the event has been canceled at the request of the latter. An effort w: ee fo arrange anoth>r geme of base ‘ith Pennsylvania by the Georgetown manager, but owing to the field games at Philadelphia on the 30th of this month, the attempt was unsuccessful. The next base bat! game will be on We. nesday, when Harvard will come here. Fleming, the second baseman on the ’Var- sity team, was expected to return this week. Georgetown and the University of Penn- sylvania will hold a duai meet on the 7th of next month at Georgetown. There will be in all twelve events, including two bi- cycle races, putting the shot or throwing the hammer, pole vaulting, broad jumping and long and short distance running. Or- ton, formerly of Pernsylvania, will on that occasion run the first of a series of races with McGirr, formerly cf Georgetown. Howard University recently played a base ball game with Yale Law School, the lat- ter winning by the score of 11 to 7. —_—_———. IN THE CHURCHES It is expected that a large class will be of 8a: do! this city. Dr. Ames, president of thestMool, says: “There is great need for enlap§ing the accommoda- tions of the imstitu! The demand grows with the supply. A number of new places are ready to openj if we could give them workers, Our present homes need addition- al deaconesses. Nearly every day brings to me urgent appgals for workers in the homes, to help pastors and in outside in- stitutions.” 3 ‘The seventieth agnual session of the Bal- timore and Philadelphia conference of the African M. £. Zion Church, with which several of the col churches in this city are connected, will meet in Baltimore May 18 The conference embraces the District of Columbia, hack Sees Delaware and eastern Pennsylvs , and numbers about 150 ministers and delegates. Bishop C, C. Petty of Newbern, N. C., will pi Bishops Clinton of Charlotte, N. Small of York, » are also expect to be present. the questions that will come up for co! leration during the con- ference are resolutions to establish a high school in this vicinity, resolutions to set off another p! elder’: 16, 1898-24 PAGES. during the late civil war. The money, is stated, ts how in bank ‘and will Teporied to the general conference meeting in Baltimore next month. In accordance with the of the last council of that the singing of church music be taught in all Catholic schools, so that a founda- tion might be laid for the people taking part in the publi: services of the church, as is in the Catholic churches on the continent of Europe. Church people in the counties of Mary- land bordering on the District of Columbia are taking much interest in one of the last ects of the recent legislature of Maryland, providing for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the passage of the Maryland act of religious toleration. It is understood that the people of the District and of all the cities and counties of Maryland wit be invited by those having charge to partici- pate in the celebration. The first annual convention of the Balti- more conference of itinerants of the M. E. Church will be held in Washington May 23, 24, 25 and 26. The annual election of officers of the Washington Hebrew Congregation was held a few days ago, and the following chosen: President, I. L. Blout; vice president, Philip Peyser; treasurer, Jacob Eiseman; finan- cial secretary, S. N. Meyer; recording sec- retary, A. Adie messenger, M. Cohen board of directors, J. Sondheim, B. Solo- mon, Myer Cohen and William Wolf. Rev. Father Rosensteq@l, who has been quite il! fer some time past, has again taken charge of his parish at Forest Glen. Prof. H. T. Keating, editor of the A. M. E. Church Review, will speak on “The Conquering Quality” at Metropolitan A. M. E. Church Tuesday evening next. Rev. Dr. Luther T. Townsend, formerly assistant pastor of Metropolitan M. E. Church, now usually known as President McKiniey’s church, has become associate editor of the Baltimore Methodist. Rev. William A. Reardon, who a few days ago was appointed by Cardinal Gib- bens pastor of St. Peter's Church, is a native of Washington, having been born in this city December 26, 1858. In 1875 he went to St. Charles College, Md., where five years later he graduated with high honors. He has occupied various pastor- ates, and in 1894 became chancellor of the archdiocese. In his new field Father Reardon succeeds the late Monsignor Mc- Colgan, who was pastor of St. Peter's for more than half a century. Rev. Dr. Walter H. Brooks, pastor of the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, was one of the orators at the annual convention of the Maryland State Temperance League, held tn Baltimore this week. Dr. Brooks spoke on “The Principles of the Anti-! Mrs. Margaret Dye Ellis of the District W. C. T. U. also addressed the convention. Her theme was “God’s Call for Workers. ‘The eighteenth anniversary of the Ladies’ Aid Association of the Church of Our Father, Rev. Leslie Moore, pastor, was held a few evenings ago. About 135 per- scns were present. During the evening there was an entertainment followed by “Recollection Talks” by the president, Mrs. R. G. Blasland; Mrs. French, Mrs. Deane and other past officials of the sc- ciety. By invitation of the women of the sceiety, the audience partook of light re- freshments. A committee has been ap- peinted to make a census of all children of Sunday school age who are connected with the families of the Universalist Church. A friend and a parishioner of the Church of the Advent has given two beautiful solid silver chalices and a silver paten, all gold lined, as memorials of deceased relatives. They were first used on Easter day. New hymnals and prayer bocks for congregational use have been donated. Rey. C. C. Cook, who for some months past has been pastor of the People’s Tab- ernacle, this city, has accepted the office of assistant to Rev. Mr. Simpson, past of the Gospel Tabernacle, New York. Mr. Cook will also be superintendent of the work of the Christian Alliance in the Dis- trict of Columbia and Maryland. Rev. Peter Ainslie, who recently con- ducted a series of ravival meetings at the Ninth Street Christian Church, this city, Rev. E. B. Bagby, pastor, will short- ly leave for a two months’ tour in England, Ireland and Scotland and perhaps come of the more prominent capitals of Conti- nental Europe. The trip is intended for the furtherance of Mr. Ainslie’s literary: pursuits. Rev. Dr. L. B. Wilson, presiding elder Washington District M. E. Church, has ap- pointed Rev. Henry Mann pastor of the church of that denomination on Severn circuit, to succeed Rev. H. C. Smith, wino has accepted the pastorate of a church at Hyndman, Pa. The Optimist Club of the Universalist Church met at the church last Tuesday. After the transaction of the regular busi- ness an entertainment and social follow- ed, Mrs. T. P. Cleaves in charge. There were soles and dvets by Miss Nye and Mrs. Keene, a history of the Optimist Club by Mrs. R. G. Blesland, a reading of Kip- ling’s “Recessional,” a quotation exercise and an advertisement contest, in which tne victors were Miss Miriam Morgan and Mr. Arthur Page. Several readings by Mr. H. D. Sinclair were greatly enjoyed, and the lecture talk by Mrs. Mercine Cutter on “How I Saw the Pope,” being a description of an incident of her trip abroad, was greeted with applause. The program of the next gathering of the club will be “An Ev2ning with Eugene Field.’ The spring meeting of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of the District of Co- lumbia and Maryland was held Wednes- day, Thursday and Friday of this week at the Young Men’s Christian Association building, Baltimore. Three sessions were held daily. The subjects discussed were “Salvation, “Sanctification,” “Divine Healing,” “The Lord's Coming,” “The Of- fice and Work of the Holy Spirit” and “World-wide Missions.” Rev. Charles C. Cook, Rev. . Easton and Mr. W. L. Bruen were among the delegates from this city. At the annual meeting of the congrega- tion of the North Presbyterian Church held March 31 Messrs. E. H. Chamberlain, M. Cc. Barrett, William Henry and Thomas Oliver were elected trustees. The treasurer reported that all accounts for the past year had been paid in full, and that there was a considerable balance on hand in the church improvement fund. Cardinal Gibbons will be present at Im- maculate Conception Church, 8th and N streets northwest, tomorrow morning and preach the sermon at 10:30 high mass. There will be a musical service, with an orchest: of thirty players. The mass will be Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass, and at offertory the so- prano solo, by Miss Annie Grant, will have an accompaniment of organ, violin and ‘cello. There will be confirmation and benediction at 4 o'clock p.m., at which time Rossini’s grand “Tantum Ergo” will be sung. In the absence of Rev. Dr. Talmage the pulpit at the First Presbyterian Church will be occupied tomorrow, morning and evening, by the Rev. Francis L. Patten, D. D., president of the College of New Jer- sey, at Princeton. Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins, jr., of Provi- dence, R. L, will address the Brotherhood of St. Andrew at St. Andrew's Church Sunday evening at 7:30 o'clock. Rev. Mr. Tomkins is one of the mose prominent preachers of New England, and is a dis- tinguished figure in the conventions of the Brotherhood. ——._—_ Te Klondike by Balloon. From the Chicago News. alr line all his own. The inventor’s in- spiration springs undoubtedly from An- dree’s flying apparatus. Bourget has gone Andree one better, however, for the former has provided “all the comforts of home” tor his extended and perilous journey. This balloon bound for the Klondike is of giant proportions. It has a steering ap- paratus never before tried, a sail adjustable PASSING THE WORD Activity When the Bo’sun’s Mate Calls to Quarters. HOT PAY “TO BE Picturesque Scenes on Board a Modern Man-o'-War. BURIAL OF THE DEAD Written for The Evening Star. HE FIRST FACT mastered by the man who ships in the navy is that he must regard. the bo'sun’s mate at the gang- way. The bo'sun’s mate at the gangway of a man-o'-war is a Personage of consid- erable magnitude. He is the mouthpiece of the officer of the deck day and night. ‘ He may make his summoning pipe to moan or whimper or screech; but whatever its tune it is the foremost business of the bluejacket or of the marine—of any man forward—to have his ears keyed to the music and to dance to it wherever aboard he may be or what- ever he may be doing—else a while later he is likely to find himself engaging in a lopsided conversation with the skipper on the starboard side of the main stick for his dereliction. It makes no difference whether, when the bo’sun’s mate shrills his assembling blast and bawls “All hands to quarters,” the bluejacket is pottering in the depths of the extreme after magazine, or picking swab strands "way forward in the equipment yeoman’s berth deck store room —when the pipe goes, or any other call of the gangway bo’sun’s mate or of the ship's bugler for all hands is sounded, it is up to the bluejacket to scramble for the main deck as if in fear of wraiths, if he knows the policy of keeping well off the shoals and the lee shores of trouble. Ship's calls, whether of the pipe or of the bugle, are as imperative as the mandates of miners’ meetings. No sane man-o’-war’s man dis- regards them, awake, and if he is asleep his trouble is no whit less therefor. There are mary man-of-war drills that are best sprung on crews in the middle of the night, for the purpose of testing their activity, and their ability to shake themselves from the thraldom of sleep in double-quick time. The old man-of-war’s man, therefore, al- Ways sleeps with half an ear open. Collision Qurrters. “Collision quarters,” for example, is a call that is often sounded in the middle of the night on a man-of-war at sea. The inan forward who fails, within the fraction of a minute after that call goes, to seram- ble out of his hammock, loosely lash and stow the hammock out of the way, and appear for roll call at his station—the olfi- cers being always on hand at the stations, for they get the tip in advance—is in for a sight of trouble at the mast the next day. ‘The men probably hurry more to answer collision quarters than to respond to any other cali, for the excellent reason that the chief feature of the coilision quarters drill is the swift ciosing of all compartment doors, and the man who finds himself tight- ly locked, say, between water-tight doors in a berth deck alleyway is completely de- prived of the chance even of straggling to his rightful pest in the drill, and can make no excuse to his accusing officer. Moreover 4 man thus fixed, when collision quarters is sounded at sea, really has no means of Knowing whether the drill is actually a drill on the occasion that catches him or pea it is a bona fide collision. t is the same when that rather startlin; word of the bo'sun's mate at the gangwas, “All hands abandon ship,” is howled out in the middie of the night on the deck of a ship at sea. Quite aside from the desire to keep their names off the derelicts’ re- Port book, the men forward on an Ameri- can man-of-war certainly do answer quic! ly to this call. The very old-timers arc generally prepared for it about a minute = of cod seep deed the call. The en- gines are stopp about a minute before “All hands abandon ship” is Passed. The men who have served in the navy for many years invariably awake out of the sound- est sleep when the engines stop. Thus, a; Ways a minute or so before the bo'sun's mate lets out his rousing word for th drill, you'll see the older fiat-feet poke their heads over the gun'ls of their ham- inocks, listen intently for a second or so, and then reach out and kick the hammocks of the men swinging alongside them, wich the gruff remark, “Stand by for a dum: out 0” that, ye louts: ye'll hear pipe mus: in twenty seconds.” This is the reason why the old-timers are invariably dressed and full of the activity of wakefulness when the bo'sun’s mate’s pipe begins to screech. AN Hands Abandon Ship. It is realistic business enough, this “A'l hands-abandon-ship” drill. It is not merely preparation for deserting the ship, but all hands actually do take to the boats, after Provisioning and watering them with sys- tematic rapidity. Two minutes after the word has been passed, every ship's boat has swung from {ts davits into the water, and a minute later every boat is thorough- ly provisioned and watered. Within four minutes, and often in much quicker time, every man of the ship's company from the commanding officer down is occupying th station in the boat called for by his ship’ number, and then the command, “Sheer off,” is given. The boats ere hauled away a couple of hundred feet from the deserted vessel, and she rides without a human soul aboard her, often, when the drill is e through tn mid-ocean, in a sea that the Jandsman would account tsrrific. Then the word, “Board,” is and within eight minutes at the most all hands are not only on board again, but every boat has been relashed in the davits, all of the Provisions and water and instruments and an gear have been ae age . and the "8 company ts in a way to get to sleep again. It ts only an incident, but, all the same, no man whose ears are greet- ed by that call in the middie of the night has any right to assume that his ship is not really about to be forsaken. Occasionally a crew that shows a bit of rustiness in fire drill is called to fire quarters around about midnight for a couple of weeks running, when the ship is at sea. This causes growling among the old-time=s, who do not appreciate the fact that their proficiency in drills is something that has got to be drummed into the new men as well. Fire drill is mighty import- ant on a man-of-war, anyhow, and the ex- cellence of a crew in this drill is bound to ccunt in a naval ent, when fires ere likely to break out all over a ship in the thick of a fight. The men of the en- ginecr’s gang bear the brunt of the drill, and the hustling they get through in at- taching hose to pumps and valves all over a ship is worth seeing. It is jump. jump Perpecuelly when a man-of-war going: through a series of drills of this sort, and the men forward, &s well as the watch and division officers aft, figure on patching cut their regular amount of sleep by cat- naps during the hours of the day when their ship is on a practice cruise. Needs a Quick Ear. All of th» time, however, practice cruise or in port, the men forward have got to be on the alert for the bo'sun’s mate's vicious little pipe. There are so many ways in which they can be caught napping. Even in the simple matter of taking in their washed clothes trom the lines they are liable to fall afoul of the master-at-arms. When the washed duds of the men for- ward have been hanging aloft on the lines long enough to dry, the bo'’sun’s ma’ makes his scrape to the officer of the and gets permission to pass the word- ceded by a long last on the pi hands scruo and wash clothes. Means that the scrubbed and clothes are to be taken in, and taken ‘in in @ hurry, too. The men who have clothes on the linc make a scramble for the main deck, if they have any sense, and stand by to grab their wearing gear as the lines are drawn in. Often, however, men who: ears are not cocked “don’t hear” the pass. ing of the word, with the result that their sear remains hanging on the collapsed line. The master-at-arms is always stand- ing by to spot remissness of this kind, and he simply takes possession of the clothes thus unclaimed. In the course of an hour or 80 the man whose duds have thus been seized wakes up to a realization of his loss. He goes with a poor mouth to the “Jimmy Legs,” otherwise the master-at-arms. Poor mouths don't have any effect upon the ship's chief of police, however, and the only way the derelict may gain possession of his seized gear is to report himself at the mast as a slouch with no ears on his head. Some of the bluejackets do this, but not many. To report themselves thus means a loss, usually, of short privileges, and most men forward would rather lose every stitch in their ditty bags than to be held aboard ship when their mates ere given permission to hit the beach. Burying the Dead. Of all the words passed by the bo'sun’ mate, that which has the strangest ef- fect upon a crew is this: “All hands bury the dead.” This word, however, is a set affair, and is, of course, never sprung as a surprise upon the men. When there is a dead man aboard a ship too far at sea and away from a port to permit of shore sepul- ture, the men forward, as well as the offl- cers aft, are always notified in advance of the tim , for all hands are requirea to show up at this ce in their good uniforms. The men forward are pretty quiet and restrained when there is a dead man aboard, and the officers aft talk ne more than ne ary until the body ts over the side If the dead man was an enlisted man, and a good shipmate and popular among the m jacks all have a word or so with each other over their pipes about the good points of the jackie the “sailmaker’s mate is fixin’ up telow for the locker cruis If the dead man happened to have been surly and un- Popular in life, the bluejackets in gen?ral lave a good word for him, anyhow, and relate to each other various little incidents going to show that he wasn’t such a bad lot, afcver all, “only he wanted to be let alone, and be d—d to all hands, and that was nobody’s business but his own.” No dead man is ever spoken of in an ill way aboard an American man-of-war. By general consent, the men forward belay in their little amusements of the deck while the cead man still remains unburied in the acep. Occasionally a young fellow, under such circumstances, will forget himself and execute a jig step or two, until thi sharp but subdued command, “knock off from a group of the old-timers puts the ame in his eyes. The sailmaker’s mate is treated pretty deferentially by all hands «tile he is in charge of the body that he has sewed up in the hammock for the toss* over the side. Saiimaker’s mates are all old-timers, and they get so used to this word that they regard it as merely rou- tine work. When all is in readiness, all of the bo'sun’s mates on the ship assemble at the gangway and sound three or four loud blasts on the graduated pipes in unison, Ten, in chorus, they pass the really mov- ing word, “All hands bury the dead.” This is the call to quarters, and when the men are in line and have answered to their names, the chaplain, or in the absence of a chaplain the commanding officer, reads short burial service, and over the sid goes the dead man. When the men in lin are dismissed from quarters, they are quite themselves again. By general consent, the last of the dead man is heard when his bedy goes off the plank, and the wing dancing and harmonica music are not cur- tatled on the same evening. jack's gone on his long liberty,” some of the men may remark. as they break away from burial qvarters, “and he’s done his last trick in the brig. He’s all right.” When an American naval sailor dies aboard ship tn a foreign port, he is alway: buried ashore in the public cemetery. Th dead man’s shipmates chip in and buy a fine headstone for his grave, and then they have the headstone photographed and send copies of the photograph to the dead man’s relatives. There is hardly an important pert in the world the cemetery of which does not cortain the grave of an American man-o'-war’s man. —_>+— Kate—“He seems extremely devoted. He talks of going to the Klondike for my sake. Beatrice—“Well, that would give you two ckances. He might come back with a for- tune or he might not come back at all.”— Puck. washed