The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-29
NEW STGKIES DE DEWEY
How he stopped an Admfrai,s Black
guardism-He is an Expert Swords

Dl0SA
guardism-He is an Expert Swords
man
While Admiral Dewey has always
been we'll Liked by those in a I'd out Of
the service who knew him we'll, he has
always possessed a sort of reticence,
that has prevented him from being
very popular, as the term is generally
understood. He is cool, rather t~aciturn
especially when in company where he
is not we'll acquainted. And then he
is fastidious to a degree. While he may
swear to the extent Of a "big big D."
he never uses the form of objurgation
which involves the sacred name. And
as for obscenity, he detests it with a
lOathing that cannot be expressed in
words. He was always so. Many years
g while he was a watch officer, he
happened to be serving under an admi-
ral who was distinguished in his pro-
fession for his bulldog courage and his
rough language: He was of a class
that is known as "a jacky officer
meaning one whose SAVIOR
more of h forecastle than the quar-
ter-deck. One day 'the old man." as
the chief is known in sailor p%arlance,
became upset about something, and
turned loose upon everything in sight
in his characteristic way. Well, Dew
ey was in sight, and after standing it
a few minutes, he walked UP to the
raging commander Of the fleet, and sa-
luting, said.
Admiral -, I will not allow you
or any man living to address me in the
language o are using"
The captain Of the flagship and near
ly al of the officers were present and
heard the conversation. The old add
miral turned red. and then purple. He
did not utter a word for some minutes.
Meanwhile Dewey had left the group
and returned to what ever it was he
had in hand.
Tell Dewey I wish to speak to him."
said the admiral to an ensign.
Dewey is ong to catch it now"
whispered THE officers Who heard the
order.
In a moment up came Lieut.. Dewey.
you sent for me, said he, saluting.
Eyes, 7 did sir" the other answered.
II want to- say to o that I was not
addressing in my remarks a few
minutes Ago.. That is all SIR" And the
old terror of the seas resumed his prom
enade.
And so the incident ended. But it
was noticed that Admiral - treat
ed the quiet lieutenant with unusal re-
spect n courtesy all the rest of the
cruise.
It has been charged against Dewey
lldl he was d IdWlllS SWELL. LII So Lar
as that may mean n who has the
best that money can buy among his
personal belongings the expression is
true. He is the most carefully tailored
officer in the United States navy. It
is really an object lesson in the art of
dressing we'll to observe Dewey's
daily method ashore.
While Admiral Dewey always main
tains a weu-fflled sidehoard and some
times takes a drink when he wants one,
he is not a tippler. If he could have
his way, when III command of a ship
he would never have an officer who ha-
bitually drank sent to serve under
him.. Anything but a drunkard!" said
he paSsionately once, he and some other
talking Of a captain who had been put
on pledge. You can tell what
harm a drunken man will do. I would
much rather be compelled to be ship
mate with q lunatic. Him I could re-
strain, but not the drunkard. II I had
my way no officer in either army or
la who had been court-martialed
and dismissed from service for trunk
enness should ever be restored to &C
tive list unless his reformation was alb
solutely sure.
Dewey is perhaps the best small
swordsman among the senior officers
of the navy, indeed the best In the ser
vice excepting possibly Lieut. Com
mander Lucien Young, whose skill with
the three-cornered dueling sword is a
matter OF note all through the service.
Standing about s feet 9 LIZ or 10, 1.-THE,
and with cat-like quickness, the Amer
can admiral would be a dangerous an
tagonist with the glittering blade in his
hand Il he meant business. He has a
weapon par excellence Of the knight
and the gentleman for a Thousand
years." he once said. talking to the
arme blanche to a comrade. with it,
Kings bestowed the accolade. It Is the
knigIhtiliest and noblest Of weapons.
with it's record OF shivalry, the white
arm comes down through the ages, the
last legacy Of the dead days OF TO-
NANCE and beauty to the twentieth
century"