GRADUATION DAY---AT LAST
Graduation Week!
Now came the time when the Naval Academy was given over to the
annual display of what could be accomplished in the training of
midshipmen.
There were drills and parades galore, with sham battles in which
the sharp crack of rifle fire was punctured by the louder, steadier
booms of field artillery. There were gun-pointing contests aboard
the monitors and other practice craft.
There were exhibitions of expert boat-handling, and less picturesque
performances at the machine shops and in the engine and dynamo
rooms. There were other drills and exhibitions---enough of them
to weary the reader, as they doubtless did weary the venerable
members of a Board of Visitors appointed by the President.
On Wednesday night came the class german. Now our young first
classmen were in for another thrill---the pleasure of wearing
officers' uniforms for the first time.
On graduation the midshipman is an officer of the Navy, though
a very humble one. The graduated midshipman's uniform is a more
imposing affair than the uniform of a midshipman who is still
merely a member of the brigade at the Naval Academy.
On this Wednesday evening the new uniforms were of white, the
summer and tropical uniform of the Navy. These were donned by
first classmen only in honor of the class german, which the members
of the three lower classes do not attend.
All the young Women attending were also attired wholly in white,
save for simple jewelry or coquettish ribbons.
Dave Darrin, of course, escorted Belle Meade with all the pride
in the world. Most of the other midshipmen "dragged" young women
on this great evening.
Dan Dalzell did not. He attended merely for the purpose of looking
on, save when he danced with Belle Meade.
On the following evening, after another tiresome day spent in
boring the Board of Visitors, came the evening promenade, a solemnly
joyous and very dressy affair.
Then came that memorable graduation morning, when so many dozens
of young midshipmen, since famous in the Navy, received their
diplomas.
Early the young men turned out.
"It seems queer to be turning out without arms, doesn't it?" grumbled
Dan Dalzell.
But it is the rule for the graduating class to turn out without
arms on this one very grand morning. The band formed on the right
of line. Next to them marched to place the graduating class,
minus arms. Then the balance of the brigade under arms.
When the word was given a drum or two sounded the step, and off
the brigade marched, slowly and solemnly. A cornet signal, followed
by a drum roll, and then the Naval Academy Band crashed into the
joyous march, consecrated to this occasion, "Ain't I glad I'm
out of the wilderness!"
"Amen! Indeed I'm glad," Dave Darrin murmured devoutly under
his breath. "There has been many a time in the last four years
when I didn't expect to graduate. But now it's over. Nothing
can stop Dan or myself!"
Crowds surrounded the entrance to the handsome, classic chapel,
though the more favored crowds had already passed inside and filled
the seats that are set apart for spectators.
Inside filed the midshipmen, going to their seats in front. The
chaplain, in the hush that followed the seating, rose, came forward
and in a voice husky with emotion urged:
"Friends, let us pray for the honor, success, glory and steadfast
manhood through life of the young men who are about to go forth
with their diplomas."
Every head was bowed while the chaplain's petition ascended.
When the prayer was over the superintendent, in full dress uniform,
stepped to the front of the rostrum and made a brief address.
Sailors are seldom long-winded talkers. The superintendent's
address, on this very formal occasion, lasted barely four minutes.
But what he said was full of earnest manhood and honest patriotism.
Then the superintendent dropped to his chair. There were not
so very many dry eyes when the choir beautifully intoned:
"God be with you till we meet again!"
But now another figure appeared on the rostrum. Though few of
the young men had ever seen this new-comer, they knew him by instinct.
At a signal from an officer standing at the side of the chapel,
the members of the brigade broke forth into thunderous hurrahs.
For this man, now about to address them, was their direct chief.
"Gentlemen and friends," announced the superintendent, "I take
the greatest pleasure that may come to any of us in introducing
our chief---the Secretary of the Navy."
And now other officers appeared on the rostrum, bearing diplomas
and arranging them in order.
The name of the man to graduate first in his class was called.
He went forward and received his diploma from the Secretary,
who said:
"Mr. Ennerly, it is, indeed, a high honor to take first place
in such a class as yours!"
Ennerly, flushed and proud, returned to his seat amid applause
from his comrades.
And so there was a pleasant word for each midshipman as he went
forward.
When the Secretary picked up the seventeenth diploma he called:
"David Darrin!"
Who was the most popular man in the brigade of midshipmen? The
midshipmen themselves now endeavored to answer the question by
the tremendous explosions of applause with which they embarrassed
Dave as he went forward.
"Mr. Darrin," smiled the Secretary, "there are no words of mine
that can surpass the testimonial which you have just received
from your comrades. But I will add that we expect tremendous
things from you, sir, within the next few years. You have many
fine deeds and achievements to your credit here, sir. Within
the week you led in a truly gallant rescue human life down the
bay. Mr. Darrin, in handing you your well-earned diploma, I take
upon myself the liberty of congratulating your parents on their
son!"
As Dave returned to his seat with his precious sheepskin the elder
Darrin, who was in the audience, took advantage of the renewed
noises of applause to clear his throat huskily several times.
Dave's mother honestly used her handkerchief to dry the tears of
pride that were in her eyes.
Another especial burst of applause started when Daniel Dalzell,
twenty-first in his class, was called upon to go forward.
"I didn't believe Danny Grin would ever get through," one first
classman confided behind his hand to another. "I expected that
the upper classmen would kill Danny Grin before he ever got over
being a fourth classman."
But here was Dan coming back amid more applause, his graduation
number high enough to make it practically certain that he would
be a rear admiral one of these days when he had passed the middle
stage of life in the service.
One by one the other diplomas were given out, each accompanied
by some kindly message from the Secretary of the Navy, which,
if remembered and observed, would be of great value to the graduate
at some time in the future.
The graduating exercises did not last long. To devote too much
time to them would be to increase the tension.
Later in the day the graduated midshipmen again appeared. They
were wearing their new coats now, several inches longer in the
tail, and denoting them as real officers in the Navy. A non-graduate
midshipman must salute one of these graduates whenever they meet.
In their room, to be occupied but one night more, Dave and Dan
finished dressing in their new uniforms at the same moment.
"Shake, Danny boy!" cried Dave Darrin, holding out his hand.
"How does it seem, at last, to know that you're really an officer
in the Navy?"
"Great!" gulped Dalzell. "And I don't mind admitting that, during
the last four years, I've had my doubts many a time that this great
day would ever come for we. But get your cap's and let's hustle
outside."
"Why this unseemly rush, Danny?"
"I want to round up a lot of under classmen and make them tire
their arms out saluting me."
"Your own arm will ache, too, then, Danny. You are obliged, as
of course you know, to return every salute."
"Hang it, yes! There's a pebble in every pickle dish, isn't there?"
"You're going to the graduation ball tonight, of course?"
"Oh, surely," nodded Dalzell. "After working as I've worked for
four years for the privilege, I'd be a fool to miss it. But I'll
sneak away early, after I've done a friend's duty by you and Belle.
No girls for me until I'm a captain in the Navy!"
The ball room was a scene of glory that night. Bright eyes shone
unwontedly, and many a heart fluttered. For Belle Meade was not
the only girl there who was betrothed to a midshipman. Any graduate
who chose might marry as soon as he pleased, but nearly all the
men of the class preferred to wait until they had put in their
two years at sea and had won their commissions as ensigns.
"This must be a night of unalloyed pleasure to you," murmured
Belle, as she and her young officer sweetheart sat out one dance.
"You can look back over a grand four years of life here."
"I don't know that I'd have the nerve to go through it all again,"
Darrin answered her honestly.
"You don't have to," Belle laughed happily. "You put in your
later boyhood here, and now your whole life of manhood is open
before you."
"I'll make the best use of that manhood that is possible for me,"
Dave replied solemnly.
"You must have formed some wonderful friendships here."
"I have."
"And, I suppose," hesitated Belle, "a few unavoidable enmities."
"I don't know about that," Dave replied promptly and with energy.
"I can't think of a fellow here that I wouldn't be ready and
glad to shake hands with. I hope---I trust---that all of the
fellows in the brigade feel the same way about me."