How A Rear Admiral Was Sold

A good joke on this matter, which eventüated three days ago, bas only just Leaked out. Ou tho lst inst., Ruar Admiral Smith was seated iu tho Admiral's cha'r at tho Lyceum, in the Navy Yard. ■ His brow was uncloudcd, if we may oxoopt the look of sevcrity which au Adiniral might as well takc off his broad stripo iis surreDder. Captain Braine was on hand with tho gleam of satisfaction on his face which bcspeaks tlio man r.otltented with himself and the world around him. A sniall boy presonted himself at half-past two in the afternoou at the Navy Yard gate at the foot of York street, Brooklyn, ond with an air of conscious impórtanos astoundcd the marine on scntry by asking to sec the Admiral. Tho sentry took a docp breath, elevated his eycbrows until they disappoarod under his shako, and then smiled. " Yer want the Admiral, doyer ? "Won't nobody elso do yor, young teller ? " The gmall boy sncered a sneer at the naval warrior and waftod a yellow-covcred envelope under the marine's nose. The marine quailod, and with an obsequious bow pointcd the way to the den of the Admiral. Tho small .boy with the tread of an Emperor's son, entercd the awt'ul presentie, and laid the yellow-covered missive befóte the mighty bcing in the Admiral's chair. Tho yellow cover was torn hurriedly off, and, with a pardonable exelamation of joy, the Admiral read as follows : Ifovenibor 1, 1871. By telegraph from B. To Admiral M. Bmith : The Grand Duke is iu the lower liarbor. Will be up about &30. Fe.nx. " Now, by St. Nicholas," exclaimod the Admiral, " boy, thou hast brought me gi-eat news. Uive me thy book that I may sign it, and here is a quarter for thy'self." The boy, overwhelined with tho condesccnsion and generosity, loft the presence covered with blushes. Tlie Admiral suinmoned his orderlies and man servante, and called for his largo oocked hat, and ealled for his Bpiked-tail uoat, nd called For his knot-hung BWord, and raved and stamped witli delight and iurpalionco until all things befltting tlie grandeur of liseluv.ited sp'.irre TPcr! hung about his aerson, and then stepped forth a personiication of a sea gol militant, or glorious uid proud as When Admiral Tromp I u powdi r a nl ]ionip, With bia l.riMiiii awept the chops of the linnncl. The Tallapoosa lay at the wliarf enpiged in the p: O -aio opera ion of coaling. "Now, hoiat niy standard at tho fore," !i j criud, " and swiltly stem the tidc." " Ayo, ayo, sir ! " was the response, and the Quarterinastei said to his partner, "Bill, run up the gridiron." It was run up. Tho Admiral and the Commandant stepped on board, when ho lemeoibered that uo admiral was an admiral without his barjre. The bnrgj was brought mil fastened by a towrope to tho ,U-vn of the TallapooM while that vessel, swinging out, headed down the Bast rivcr, with the Admiral gathering up the LOrners of his mouth until thoy seen;ed bo bear a near approach to the smile ot Buavity which ghould mantlo his cheek whoo the Imperial Muscovita boy, Alexis Alexandrovitch, would pronounce, with a Piirisiau accent, the classic name of Smith. " Ha ! ha '. " he murmurad, " the Tallapoosa shall le tirst alongside, and Smith will be the flrst syllable which shall roach his ears. 1j.-x huí seo. I shall mormur, " Votre-Altosso Imperiale, j'ai l'honneur de-" ' Bumboat Rooket on the port bow, haring tho coal frigato Joskoin tow," exclaimed somebody, intorrupting tho Admiral's musing. " Mort de ma mio ! " roarnd tho lat ter, " what moann this ? Tho Booket toiling un with a coal bargo and not having tho slightest look of agitation about her smokestaok, and, by St. Nioholas, once more, thorc is a look of gravity upon the brow of Commodore Carbon, whom I mark treading tho Josko's quartordeck, which is strango. Can thero be any doubt? Oh! no, no. The telegram gpeaka with certainty. What do you think, Captain B aineP" The Commandant shook his head and faintly mut tered : " A sell, Admiral ; that tngboat could ncver wear so unooncernod a look if the imperial visitor was in the lowcr bay." A mournful silonco followed, broken only by the beating of tho paddies. As the swift craft dartod through tho Narrows the lookout doscried the reenption neet, wrapptd in tranquility and riding at anchor in (jravesend Bay, with nary a Russian in sight. I will draw a vail over the scono that ensued in that af ter cabin. Tho sorrows, the rage and the fury of tho groat are not for the gaze of the vulgar ; but it i-) Bufficient to say that an admiral went back in a tugboat with his cocked hat squetzod to a pancake, and piously wishing from his inmost heart that a Russian Princo and a telegraphic operator were in But mistakos will happen. The steamer liussiu had been telegraphed ; it was road Kussian and translated Grand Duke - a triumph ol' ingonuity - at sea.. Aconstant wutch is keptfrom the mast head of the various vessils, and one of tii. ui, tho Tallapoosa, is anchored in the main ohannel, which makea it vory im probable that the anivaloithe Eussians will bo announced in New York beforo it is known on board. The weather is overoaat and oloudy, with a north-eastorly broczo.