Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-09
coMMoDonE scHLEY,s NAME.
II should Re Pronounced as II SPELL
ell "s1y.-

There has been good deal of specula
ton, not only in naval circles. but.amonl
the pubic at large, as TO the origin oil
commodore Winfield Scott Schley's name
| 10y some IL has been asserted that he Is
or German descent, and by others that hs
Is relative OF the doughty old hero OF
the Mexican war. A little while before
schley became commodore he gave a
Tribune reporter n talk, which will throw
light on the matter.
eat the time when I was a pulIne
meiwing baby, without a name. or much
more hair on my head than I have now. -
SAID the gallant officer playfully brush
! ing back the locks which so skilfully
cohceal MS bald plate, my parents were.
suppose, at their wits end to cudgel
up some name appropriate for the mar.
vel or human excellence they undoubtedly
thought me to be. The matter did not
Dother me so much as Il does now for
wisely refrained from giving an opinion
On me SUBJECT, or at least any that the
newspapers would care TO publish. At
that time, which marks an era I'm one
NE anyway. General Scott was I'm the
zenith OF his glory and rotundity. A very
great man was Scott at that time-physi-
caily and popularity. He was a great
friend or my parents and frequently
called at our house
AS / said, my parents were cudgelling
their brains to find some name good
enough to tack on such a morsel of hui
mainly as myself, and while in the midst
OF their counsels one day. the huge
shadow OF Scott darkened the doorway
and cast its robust shade on me- That
settled 1t. The circumstance was re-
garded as an suspicious omen, and forth
Win IL was decided that 1 was To pass
through life as Winfield Scott Schley.
Now, for pity sake, don't give my
last name with German accent It's |
pronounced Sly, plain. commonplace. |
everyday Sly. That's the way IL has |
Deen pronounced in my family as long !
as l can remember or ever heard Of I'm |
not much on pedigree searching-too /
many OF my acquaintance have stumbled |
across horse thieves and pirates to make |
me desrous for that kind of recreation-I
Dut schley is an old Maryland family,
though why they have stuck on all those |
sloppy Dutch consconants / can't tell.
BUT It's Sly / was born, and it's Sly I'll
De till my hair ceases to come out; then
you can call me Dennis II you like. So
long as / have the proud distinction of
drawing a comb over my head with a
purpose L shall most distinctly and posi-
lively object 10 being called Ptschzley
or any other foreign twisting of the
name"
How do you like the name Of the
famous fighter?"
Like it% said the gallant sea dog.
why, | can't say that / ever gave it
much consideration. l can only say that
soon after ! became a full-hedged naval
officer the old general gave dinner at
he Brevoort House, on Fifth avenue.
New York, at which he invited all the
'oung men he could find who had been
FAMED after him. 1t was a great sight
lhere they were, several score, and
here Is no telling how many more might
lot have been there had they known OF
I. Anyway, they have turned out fairly
well, at least one of them having be-
ome general in the United States
rmy.
well, the old general wound up the
Inner in one of his most pompous
peeches-such as no one can appreciate
nless he has seen and heard him. He
aid that he felt highly gratified at hav-
ne his name left to posterlty in such
romising young hands, and, OF course.
We youngsters believed all he said. At
ny rate, / can't change the name. and {
don't believe that I'd want to If l
ould."