A Sailor's Tale

This is the second manuscript that deals with a US Navy sailor who wrote letters to his niece, Miss Judith. Like him, she lives in a small Western Pa village. This period of time covers 1893 to 1898. Her most exciting times are a yearly trip of 100 miles to stay overnight at her aunt's home and get reacquainted with the extended family. Of course, there are weddings to attend. Next is the annual "County Fair" with the attractions, displays, smells, and sounds from the carnival. At night is the "Fireworks" to see and clap your hands over your ears to. Last is the village "4th of July parade, bands, wagons with people waving, "Founding Fathers" marching, pretending to do battle by shooting their rifles. The ladies hate the acrid smell of burnt powder. Then is the small carnival, sights and sounds to hear.

Between, more often, she can curl up in a quiet place and read his letters. Laughs, cries, snickers, and is in awe of the ventures he had gotten himself into, and where, in her mind, she is traveling with him hundreds and thousands of miles to places she will never get a chance to visit. The ships he has been assigned to have had encounters with Barbary Coast and Caribbean pirate ships. The first volume, 1888 to 1893, gives an account of his first sea battle. As quoted by an admiral, "You have seen more actions at sea than all my Frigates, combined, QMC." And so his "Ventures" continue.