The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-10
The Admiral's Surrender.

The announcement of Admiral
Dewey's engagement has been receiv-
ed with universal interest and approx
al. In spite of all the honors heaped
upon him since his return, it was felt
that his good fortune was still incom-
plete without the browning reward of
all-the love of a worthy and de-
voted m Everybody will repoice
at the gallant admiral's happiness, and
see in his surrender to the fair Wash
ington widow a fresh evidence of his
good sense Inc good taste. Unmar-
ried heroes have no chance to escape
from the ladies when they come home
after the performance of great ex-
ploits, and it is no surprise that the
victor of Manila bay is to haul down
the flag of single blessedness.
Romances of this sort have been
pleasingly frequent since the boys"
have come sailing home from Cuba and
the Philippines. Cupid has proved a
better shot than the Spaniards or the
soldiers of Aguinaldo, and has trans
fixed the hearts of numerous prominent
soldiers and sailors who escaped un-
scathed the shells of battleships and
Mauser bullets.
Among those who have fallen before
a battery Of bright eyes is General
Il T0uerlck upISlOu OIL hdISdS. he was
married, it is true, before he had won
fame in the Philippines, but it was
just before he went there and when
it was already evident to keen woman
ly vision that he was a hero in en-
bryo.
Mrs. Funston, who was an East Oak
land, California, girl, Miss Eda Blank
art, is quoted as saying that his court
ship was like one of his charges around
NTor;1o H~A Ioxr rL~ ~o44 Ls~
next day he proposed, the next day
they were married, and two weeks
later they were sailing for the Philip
pines. They got back a few days ago,
and then, for the first time, Mrs. Fun
ston's father saw her husband. she
calls the general 'Fritzie,' and remem-
bers once or twice a day that he is a
sure enough hero"
Mrs. Funston is described as slender,
graceful and vivacious. She says that
she asked her husband to ''be care
full" in action, and scolded him for
doing the desperate things that won
him so much enown
Probably the courtships of all mill
tary and naval heroes reflect some of
their professional characteristics, and
are conducted on lines of strategy cor
responding ito their methods in war.
Funston's, it seems, was characterized
ny ~ gill oooLiIS AhlpCtoOSHls tildb
was the feature of his campaigning
in the Philippines.
Whether Admiral Dewey resorted to
his favorits itacticS of surprising the
enemy, as he did the Spanish at Ma
Mia, we have no mean of saying.
BUT we are inclined to think that he
failed, if he did attempt it, for he was
dealing with a charming widow, and
every widow, as is well known. is =
whole strategy board in herself. and
cannot possibly be surprised by the
most skillful Of male campaigners-if
she doesn't want to be. After all, the
best and sweetest compensation of the
unmarried hero is the romance that is
sure to follow the smoke of battle
h low that is added to his laurels,
the tender poem of home that comes
after the stern epic of war. But at
the same time it will be well for re-
turning heroes to loo sharp in such
emergencies, and, in the language of
Mrs. Funston, "be careful."-Balti-
more Sur