Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-10
Dewey in a Dime Novel.

son nave broken INTO the dime novels
and nickel libraries and other dreadful
literature Of the kind. fortunately
the song writer's have not grasped the
situation yet. The only Dewey song
up 10 this time is entitled, "Didn'i
Dewey g Thing to Them" OF course
there is plenty of war music, but only
one Dewey song so far. There are any
quantity of Maine songs, about sweet
hearts who went down with that gal
liant ship, etc. but by far the greater
number Of songs relate to the flag
There is only one Dewey march. but
there is plenty Of time yet for others
Admiral Dewey would be much inter-
eSted in the accounts of his naval ca
reer. as served up in the dime novel.
In these stories Dewey is only a hero
If the second magnitude. The real hero
is q boy who does positively wonder
full things. one of these Dewey dime
novels is entitled "Dewey's Cabin
Boy; or the Hero of the Fleet-A Story
Of the Great Battle in Manila Bay"
The first page illustration shows
Jack-that's the young hero-handing
cup Of coffee to the admiral. VINO is
way to Il naval station hop. A short
distance away Spanish cruiser is fir
Ing n broadside at him, while in the
middle distance two Spanish ships are
burning like Fourth of July bonfires.
Between the olympia and the Spanish
fleet the bay is covered with foun-
tains, where the shells from Spanish
guns have fallen short. and are kick
ing up the water. Jack tevery young
chap who runs away to sea and be-
comes a dime novel hero is called
Jackl has just sunk Spanish ship or
two from the fighting top of the flag
ship. He had gone there against the
admirars orders, and when the gun
ncrs We're overcome he took charge of
things, and plunked hot shot in the
right place. AS he hands the admiral
his fighting stimulant THE grim war
rior looked at him with amazement in
his handsome face, for the lieutenant
just told him that he was the one who
had destroyed the crew of the Spanish
ship which was going down.
ON the first page are vignettes of
Dewey and Jack Starr, the hero, and a
small picture of Jack tossing a burly
spanish sailor into the air The story
gives The details of the battle of Man
liz with Il freedom and particularly
that 10 newspaper has been able to do.
Pei haps, however. this is the fruit of
the authors Imagination.
Here is a description of the hero
You will notice that he is living up to
his title. He is the son of poor
widow.
Jack starr, the cabin boy. was the
son of Il poor widow up in Vermont
the home of the commodore. He was
but fourteen years old when he first
went to sea with the commodore. n
small slender blue-cyed lad. who loved
the commander as a father, and be-
leVed him to be the greatest captain
who ever sailed a ship. lie grew
stronger. till now he was tanned like
an old salt, and as familiar with a
ship as the oldest tar ahoat."
The sailor talk in the story so savors
Of the salt sea that it actually makes
one thirsty.
"Shiver my hulk, messmates," says
tho old bo's'n. but here's everlasting
friendship for Jack to the last shot in
the locker
Here is another situation and Il bit
of dialogue to show the wonderful
familiarity of the author with the
Spanish language
Jack and the bos'in went ashore
together, and, after roaming about the
city for some time, the latter went into
a saloon for grog, leaving Jack waiting
for him outside. The youth stood
apart gazing at people passing in a
quiet way, when two Spanish sailors
came reclinS by, both being the worse
for liquor.
Recognizing his nationality by his
uniform the Spaniards stopped and
Iee1ed at him. and one said to the
other:
"Caramba, here's an Amcricano,"
"'Diabosl,' Kissed the other yes,
Run into the pirate. mate and he
made rush at Jack, who sprang aside
to let him pass. The sailor nearly fell.
but recovered himself and rushed at
him again, aiming vicious blow at
his face.
Jack lodged him again"
He knew they were Spaniards from
the words. 'caramba' and 'diabosl.'
they had used.
There are other Dewey dime novels
in the bookstalls. many more on the
presses. and a host being penned
OF the Sampson stories one of the
most thrilling is entitled Young Bob
Sampson: or. Afoat With the Fighting
1T tells the weird adven-
lures of an orphan who was moved by
the wrongs of the Cubans to enlist in
the navy. He has just been refused
by the recruiting officer when he meets
a colonel in the army, who was a clerk
in a gunstore the last time Bob met
him. The colonel is on a dangerous
and orders the recruiting Off
GER to accept Bob. There is a pretty
girl in the story named Nettie Brown
ing who worships Bob in perfectly
way. Oh. it's just glorious.
Well. Bob meets .the admiral, and
they discuss the coincidence of name. |
II hasn't come out as yet. but it's sug-
ar-coated pills to cannon balls that
Bob is the admirafs long-lost nephew. |
The last thing before the brutal
continued in our next" comes is an
.xciting episode. in which Bob. having
.akenStIfe admirars glass, sees shell