The record-union., 1898-08-05
.sCHLEY" Is "sLY."
The Commodore's Family Has Long
Used That Pronunciation.

There has been a good deal Of specu-
lation, not only in naval circles, put
among the public at large, as to the
origin of Commodore Winfield Scott
Schley's name. By some it has been
asserted that he is of German descent,
and by others that he is a relative of
the doughty old hero of the Mexican
war. A little while before Schley be-
came Commodore he gave Tribune"
reporter a talk which will throw light
on the matter.
AT the time was a pulling, mewling
baby, without a name or much more
hair on my head than / have now," said
the gallant officer, playfully brushing
back the locks which so skillfully con-
ceal his bald pate, my parents were,
suppose at their wits end to cudgel
mp some name appropriate for the mar
vel Of human excellence they undoubt-
edly thought me to be. The matter did
not bother me so much as it does now,
for l wisely refrained from giving an
opinion on the subject, or at least any
that the newspapers would care to pub
lish. AT that time, which marks an
era in one life anyway, General Scott
was in the zenith of his glory and ro-
tundity. A very great man was Scott
at that time-physically and popularity.
He was a great friend of my parents,
and frequently called at our house. AS
said, my parents were cudgeling their
brains to find some name good enough
to tack on such a morsel Of humanity
as myself, and while in the midst Of
their councils one day, the huge shad-
ow of Scott darkened the doorway and
cast its robust shade on me. That set
tied it. The circumstance was regarded
as an auspicious omen, and forthwith
it was decided that was to pass
through life as Winfield Scott Schley.
Now, for PHYS sake don't give my
last name with German accent. It's
pronounced Sly, plain, commonplace,
everyday Sly. That's the way it has
been pronounced in my family as long
as I can remember or ever heard of.
I'm not much on pedigree searching
too many of my acQuaintances have
stumbled across horse thieves and pi-
rates to make me desirous for that kind
Of recreation-but Schley is an old
Maryland family, though why they
have stuck on all those sloppy Dutch
consonants 1 can't tell, but it's Sly i
was born and it's Sly I'll be till my hair
ceases to come out, then you can call
me Dinnis, if you like So long as /
have the proud distinction of drawing a
comb over my head with a purpose I
shall most distinctly and positively OBJ
ject to be called Ptschley or any other
foreign twisting of the name"
How do you like the name of the IA
nous fghter?"
Like it?" said the gallant sea dog.
Why, l can't say that I ever gave 1t
much consideration. I can only say
that soon after l became a full-1edged
naval officer the old General gave a
dinner at the Brevoort House, in Fifth
avenue, New York, at which he invited
all the young men he could find who
had been named after him. 1t was a
great sight. There they were, several
score strong, and there is no telling
how many more might have been there
had they known of it. Anyway, they
nave turned out fairly well, at least one
OF them having become a General in the
United States Army. Well, the old
General wound up the dinner in one of
his most pompous speeches-such as no
one can appreciate unless he has seen
and heard him. He said that he felt
highly gratified at having his name left
to posterity in such promising young
hands, and of course we youngsters be-
lieved all he said. At any rate. / can't
change the name, and I don't believe
that I'd want to if could. New York
Tribune.