Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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8 THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR H Crip to Jamestown THatbaiUel HMtcbell, ’I0 IIE last whistle had blown, and we were off upon a trip which promised to please all. As we passed out of sight of the friends and rela- tives who were waving their handker- chiefs to us, a gloomy sensation threatened us because of having to leave them be- hind, but the next moment we were all talking and joking about what we expected was before us. Our boat was a large one of about 22,000-ton weight. It was as homelike as a boat could be. Our staterooms opened out upon the upper deck, and were very neat and comfortable. The social hall was in the middle of the boat, with the dining- hall directly beneath it. The officers were quite so- ciable. especially the captain. Ilis quarters were directly over the steering room. Our trip from Boston to Norfolk was very pleasant to all except- ing those who were seasick and tired. The fog blew in while we were off Highland Light, and completely enveloped us till we emerged from it into the Chesapeake bay. At about eight o'clock we were landed at the wharf in Norfolk. After checking our baggage, we came on deck to sec the boat unloaded. There were about forty negroes on the wharf waiting for work. As we stood there, a man on the deck tossed a penny to one of the negroes. It seemed as though a football game was just starting a scrimmage; every negro made a rush for the penny. More pennies were thrown to them to sec them fight for money. This was kept up till the portholes were opened, and then they commenced their work as though nothing had happened. They all sang as they worked, and very few sang the same song. We watched them work for a while, and then decided to look over as much of Norfolk as we could before our boat left for Point Comfort. As our time was limited, we were unable to see any of the residential section. We saw a number of churches and noted buildings. We took the boat for Point Comfort at a wharf just beyond the one at which we landed. As we passed out of the harbor, we counted twenty-six American warships on the inside, and four English, with two French and one Argentina battleships, outside. There were about ten torpedo boat de- stroyers lying farther back to escort the battle- ships from the entrance of the bay to their places. Beyond the fleet was a boat built like the Monitor in every way. This boat interested many in our party. It was hard for them to realize that a small boat like that could do so much destruction. After a sail of about fifty minutes, we landed at Point Comfort. The wharf was completely cov- ered with negroes, all asking to carry our grips. As our baggage was checked, we proceeded to walk to our hotel. We found it very warm walk- ing. but cool inside the hotel. After a change in attire, we walked around the fort and other points of interest. The entire point was under military jurisdiction, with guards posted along the coast atid main roads. A guard told me that there were many plain-clothes detectives in the vicinity guard- ing government property. The houses are very much alike, being all made of brick. We noticed in numbering a double house they numbered them 10-N or 10-S, meaning north and south. The second day in Point Comfort we went through the fort. The entrance was a large stone portal, with a bridge, which crosses the moat, lead- ing to it. Inside the fort we saw on our left a large building, the soldiers’ quarters. In front of us was a large parade ground, which also served for a baseball diamond. On our right were the officers' homes. By crossing the parade ground, we saw the ammunition stores and some large cannon. Just beyond were the ramparts, which extended one mile to the left and about 500 yards to the right. The open bay is just beyond. We passed along the walks in front of the officers’ quarters. Everything was in perfect order, the gardens all in bloom, and the trees as green as they arc in our state in June. After lunch we took the steamboat for the Ex- position. On entering the enclosure, we were quite surprised at the condition of the grounds, and greatly surprised to find only twelve buildings com- pleted. The buildings were not all even occupied, but a few were nearly full and ready for opening. The government building was the first completed building we visited. As we entered, we saw a large model of the landing of John Smith. John Smith was in a boat with his sailors, the Indians were standing around holding out gold and silver and fruit to the sailors. The figures were made of some composition painted. They wore the clothes of Smith’s time; the Indians were clothed as Indians in those days. There were other models repre- senting the different types, from the Dutch, Span- ish. or English planter to the statesman of 18S0. The Virginian building was quite artistically ar- ranged with exhibitions of the different products and manufactures. There was also a display of the arms of the United States, from the flint-lock musket of 1775 to the repeating rifle of the twen-

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THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 7 Iberbert at tbe flMay H iDonolooue. .U3y? ii . S. ribaulsbg, os Y husband? Oh, he's in the other room. You know he works in the market, and he has to get up at four o'clock every morning, so when he comes home he’s pretty tired. As soon as he gets through his supper he takes the paper and sits down ir his easy chair and begins to read. But the first thing I know, I begin to hear him snore, and that means lie's fast asleep. When I get ready to go to bed, I have to wake him up and tell him it’s time for bed. Lots of times when lie gets through his supper, I say to him: ‘Herbert, you’re tired: why don't you go to bed?' But he always says: ‘I want to read, 1 ain’t sleepy to-night But in five minutes his eyes begin to droop, and after that it isn’t long be- fore lie’s fast asleep. “When we were first married we used to go to the theatre a lot; but he used to make such a sight of himself that we had to give it up. Why, one night we went to sec this new opera-----------let’s see, what do they call it? ’Tisn’f ‘Fantana’------ well, I can’t think what the name of it is; but, any- way, we saw it three times. There was this time, and then the Masons gave it once (you know Herbert’s a Mason), and then Mr. Good, lie’s Herbert’s boss in the market, invited us. Well, this time we was chewing gum when we started ; but. of course, when the play started we stopped. I threw mine under the seat: but Her- bert saved his so’s he could chew it later. I was real interested in the play, so at first I didn’t pay no attention to Herbert; but pretty soon 1 looked over his way. and he was sound asleep. I sec the lady back of me was watching, and I knew she thought he was drunk. He wasn’t, though, he was just tired. So I leaned over to him and tapped him on the shoulder, and says to him: 'Herbert, wake up!’ Well, he woke up with a start, and all of a sudden he held up his hand and said right out loud: ‘Maria, I can’t open my hand!’ Everybody heard him, and they all turned ’round to look at him, and what do you s’pose he’d done? He’d gone to sleep with that gum ir. his hand, and it had stuck to him just like mucilage. Of course everybody began to laugh, and I was mortified ’most to death. “I had a worse experience with him than that, just the same. That was one time we went to Keith’s, and it was a real good show, too. They always have good shows there, and the moving pictures arc ’most always interesting. We used to go there quite often, that’s how 1 happen to know so much about it. This time I wouldn’t let Herbert get any gum; but he determined to buy something, so I let him get me a pound of choco- lates. Before I said I’d go, I made him promise me that he wouldn't go to sleep; but then, I might have known that was too much to expect of him. We got along all right for quite a time, and then the trouble began. I didn’t want to be passing the candy over to Herbert all the time, so I told him to take three or four pieces at a time, and then he wouldn’t have to come so often. We’d seen about three acts, when I began to notice that Her- bert wasn’t saying much, so when a fellow began to sing that I didn’t like, I looked over Herbert’s way. Would you believe it, for all he’d promised, there he was fast asleep! Well. I was mad! I leaned over and tapped him. and it wasn’t no gen- tle tap. either, and I says: ‘Herbert, you wake up!’ And what do you suppose that man done? Oh, yes, he woke up all right. Well, he come to so sudden that he was kind o’ dazed; but the first thing he did was to put his hand up, just like a little boy in school, and then he srys in that loud voice folks use when they’ve just waked up: ‘Maria, look at my hand!’ He said it so loud that about a quarter of the audience heard him. and they looked. So did I. One look was all I wanted. He'd fallen asleep with the chocolates in his hand, and his hand bein’ warm, they all melted, and the chocolate had run up his sleeve, all over his arm. and all over the front of his best coat. My. but he was a sight! We had to go home right then, and all the way up the aisle people turned ’round to look at us and laugh. I got enough of the theatre that night to last me some time: but then you can’t exactly blame Her- bert, he has to get up so early, and he’s got to get his sleep sometime. “I like to go to the theatre, but after that scene, I told him I’d never go with him again. Of course I didn’t mean I never would: but it's awful aggravating to go to the theatre with a man, and then have him go to sleep. It don’t look nice. “Those two times were pretty bad; but they aren’t anywhere near as bad as the last time we went. Yes, we went again. This time, though, fContinued on page 11.]

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TIIK SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 9 tictli century. Around the walls were paintings of noted Virginians. e passed on to the architecture and machin- ery building, where we saw the latest model of a locomotive engine, with its cars. There was a section of the East river tunnel, also a section of the East Poston tunnel. The Waltham Watch Company have on exhibition a watch as large as a barrel. '1 he mineral building is divided into two sections, one containing minerals and the other containing the exhibition of the cattle industry. Gold, silver, and all known minerals are displayed. The differ- ent states are sending on their mineral products. Alaska has a particularly large exhibition. In the second section there are many small stockyards. Gentlemen stand there to explain the different ways of branding and caring for cattle. As we entered the agricultural building, one of the young ladies in our party, seeing what she sup- posed to be imitation apples, said she would like a real apple. As we reached the apple display, the gentlemen in charge asked if we would like some. On learning that they were real, everyone said: “Yes.” They were a little soft, but of good flavor, and it was a unanimous vote of thanks which the gentleman received for his kindness. Corn was displayed from a very pretty booth made of ears of corn, with the stalks woven between in places. This build- ing contained the prettiest display of all {possibly it was because there was something to eat at nearly every booth). At the extreme end of the fair we saw a small building with a large horn or megaphone on the top. Through this a man announced that the building on which he stood did more towards educating the peoples than .all the schools. It was a home of the Filipinos, Japanese, Amazons, and Indians. These buildings constitute about all at present completed. When fully in order, it will be with- out doubt a magnificent exposition. We were somewhat divided in returning; some went by the early boat, and some by the eight o'clock. As for myself, I went with a few on the steamer to Newport News, and took the car to Point Comfort. We had ridden so long that a walk was proposed by one. We walked abut fif- teen minutes, and took the car for home. The conductor told us we had walked through Blood- field, so called because of the murders committed there about thirty years ago. The next day we visited Hampden Institute, a school for boys and girls of the colored race. The boys take the wood-turning and all the branches in manly work, the girls sewing, cooking, and a study of current events. We also visited the Soldiers’ Home. The grounds surrounding it are very beautiful. Just beyond we saw acres of graves. The stones looked beautiful in rows like an orchard whose trees are laid out in straight lines. In the afternoon we were taken on board the English cruiser Good Hope,” and shown all over this boat. We all agreed that it was a very nice boat, but not as good as some of our own. That night we stayed on the steamer “Point Comfort” for Washington. As the water was calm, we had a very enjoyable trip. At 0.45 we passed Mt. Vernon, and arrived in Washington at about eight o’clock. We had breakfast at our hotel, and then started for the Capitol. We were shown some court rooms, and climbed to the dome. As this was called the whispering room, one of our party went around to the other side and whispered. We heard her. but not distinctly. She said it would never do to have our rooms in the school like that. Another interesting place visited was the Mint, where we saw paper money printed. We were told that each bill was printed three times and counted fifty-six times. We next visited the Treasury building. This building contains a reserve fund of about fifteen millions in small coins, about eight millions in gold, and $300,000 in pennies. Hc: c they grind up old bills and sell the ashes for $40 a ton. In the White House we entered the room in which Alice Roosevelt was made Mrs. Longworth. In this room are three chandeliers, which each con- tain (5,300 pieces of glass, and a piano valued at $ -22,500, presented by Steinway Company. We saw the pictures of several of the Presidents’ wives. Some of the party went up in the Washington monument, from the top of which the view is mag- nificent. Most of the marble of the monument was donated by some of the states and higher lodges of this country. At night we visited the Congress Library. As you enter, on the left and right are corridors; in front is the Congressional Library. It is a beautiful sight at night when lighted by electricity. On the left corridor are manuscripts and two relief maps of Washington, one as it is. and the other as it will be; on the right are the reading rooms. The trip to Mt. Vernon pleased all, as a sight of Washington’s home always does. We started for Philadelphia at eight o’clock. We reached there at about ten o’clock, after trav- eling at times as fast as a mile in forty-eight sec- onds. We were taken through the Mint in this city, and also visited Wanamaker’s great depart- ment store. Both interested us greatly. We dined at the Windsor Hotel, and after a walk around the city, took our train for New York, our sightseeing finished, and only the short steamer journey remaining of our delightful vacation tour.