The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-14
Dewey at Manila.

Soon after Mai. Gen. Merritt reached
Manila he began to experience trouble
with the Insurgents. Aguinaldo was
not disposed to pay much heed to the
generals orders, and the general COM
plicated matters more or less by en-
deavoring to avoid any clashing of the
American with the insurgent forces.
The situation was becoming somewhat
strained when Gen. Merritt sought 3
conference with Admiral Dewey on
the Olympia. The general and the ad-
miral discussed the situation at great
length, the former giving special atten-
ton to the question Of jurisdiction in
the Philippines. At last General
Merritt put this question TO the adj
miral:
Admiral, how far, in your opinion,
does your jurisdiction extend on the
island ,"
Admiral Dewey took two short turns
on the quarterback before answering.
Then he said:
General, my Jurisdiction extends
from as close to the shore as can move
these flatirons," pointing to the Amer
lean feet, ''to as far into the island as
can throw a shell.n
II there is any one thing which
pleases Admiral Dewey it is neatness
in dress. He has never been known to
set bad example in this respect and is
regarded by his subOrdinates as a fash
ion plate for the American navy. One
of the standing orders following the es-
Enlistment of routine duty in the fleet
when there were no more Spanish ships
20 fight was one requiring all officers TO
wear their white uniforms.
One day a certain paymaster named
Martin, who is afflicted with an alb
normally Oushy growth Of red whisk-
ers aud figure of pronounced rotun-
dity, visited the Olympia with business
connected with his department. A
the paymaster mounted the gangw5y
he was seen By Admiral Dewey, and
ffown gathered on the brow of the auto
crat of the feet. Paymaster Martin
was a sight to provoke a laugh from a
ships figure head. He was arrayed in
a dun-eolored suit Of duck, a loosely
woven undershirt resembling a sweater
showed beneath his jacket and on his
head was one of those enormous cork
helmets with circumference equal 10
that of an umbrella.
Orderly, tell Paymaster Martin l
wish to see him at once" said Admiral
Dewey, and the orderly sought the pay
master with a grin on his face. \ few
moments later and the paymaster, very
much pleased with being accorded the
honor of visiting the quarterback, stood
before the admiral and executed one of
bis very best salutes.
''Paymaster Martini" said the ad-
miral in his ehilliest tones, 81 think
you are drunk.
II beg your pardon, admiral-I as
sure you / am not drunk-I-I am per-
feetly sober,v stammered the psymss-
ter, staggering under the blow his COM
plaisance. had received
''I still think you have been drink
ing" continued the little man in spot
less white, 'for | can't believe you
would come aboard this ship sober wear
ing such an outlandish uniform Go
back to your ship, sir, and don't let me
ever see another violation of orders like
thisn
Among the volunteer officers Of the
army is a captain in a California regi-
ment whose mustaehe rivals the whis-
kers Of Paymaster Martin in its bush
iness. 1t spreads over his features from
his eyes to his lower Jaws and reaches
back to his ears. While ashore one day
the admiral saw this captain at short
range and his keen gray eyes shone
with unusual brillianey as he turned
to a brother officer and quietly re-
marked:
at ISN'T fair to fight the Spaniards
with that officer"
"Why az you say that, Admiral?"
"He's in ambush all the time" was
the reply, and the admirsl's joke had
circulated through out the whole fleet
before night.-Chic ago Times-HeraId.