The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-17


that il would read;
They told their tales of right aud wrong,
or braVely unwrought fraud,
They backed their toughest statements
with
The birthstone OF the Lord.
And cracking oaths went TO and fro
Across the fst-banged board.
This revised version of KipHug's verse
might be taken as a description Of the ex-
citing situation at the Metropolitan Cub.
Here are some Of the tales;
One time, when Dewey was a young
lieutenant. he sailed under an eccentri1
captain, The ship put ia at Rio de Janeiro
when the commander was much worried
about the health Of a pet parrot He asked
the ships doctor 20 prescribe, and the lat
ter expressed the opinion that all the bird
needed was chance TO climb into a green
tree on shore, chew bark, and disport it,
self. So the captain summoned his stew
ard and babe him take the parrot ashore
and give 1t some exercise.
The captains steward was an important
person then. This one was conceited Old
darky who aped absurdiy the authorua-
tive ways of his master and the men were
always on the lookout for a chance to 'play
HIM some trick. When he stepped to the
port gangway TO get INTO the liberty boat
with the cage containing the bird enclosed
in an old ammunition bag, The bulies
saw their opportunity. There was a sea
running in the harhor, which made il DIFF
ficult for the boat to keep alongside, and,
just as the steward put out foot to-
ward the gunwale, they purposely 'eased
her off" so that he tumhed into the sea.
He was pulled out in a minute, but parrot
and cage went to the bottom.
The steward was distressed He dreaded
punishment by the captain, who had said
t,ok bf, m res 4
safety of the bird. Having shore-leave
for three days, he spent that time wander
ing about the city and figuring to himself
how he would put in the balance of the
voyage in the ships brig, on bread and
water, double-ironed, and exposed TO ihe
derisiOn of the crew. At length, however
he was struck with brilliant idea. Rio
was fun of parrots, and one parrot IS
much like another-especially green ones
He bought for the equivalent of 70 cents,
a green bird with yellow head whlch
looked to him like the twin brother of
The one drowned. He was also lucky
enough to find cage like the lost one
and in 1t he took his precious purchase
back to the frigate
Now as Dewey tells the story, the cap
tain was delighted to see his pet once
more. and especially to see how much Its
plumage was improved and how much
more sprightly ii had become But his
establishment may be imagined when, be-
ing asked whether II would like cracker
the bird responded with string of Portu-
guese oaths. Being fed II expressed IT'S
satisfaction with lot of swear words In
| Spanish, and this SO amazed the com
mauder that he felt obliged to share his
/ feelings with somebody. Dewey, who had
! been walking the quarter deck, was sum-
| mCned to the cabin, and the parrot was
/ persuaded to "cuss' some more for his
| benefit.
"Nr Dewey" said the captain excltedy
| that is a most remarkable bird. He has
been ashore only three days, ond in tina
| time, upon my sacred honor, he has picked
up thorough working knowledge of the
! Spanish and Portuguese languages"
Dewey = Hero Even Then.
Col Jim" Morgan, now a resident Of
! Washington, was a famous Confederate
! leader, and he was one Of the officers who
after the loss of the cause for which they
| fought so hard, went to Egypt and en-
! listed IN the service of the Khedlve. Said
! he the other day:
ITS odd that people didn't know that
here before We of the old Coufederacy
! knew It hong ago. Don't you remember
/ how the United States steamship Mssls-
! sippi was run down by one of our ships
aud sunk? Well, Dewey was Lieutenant
on board her, and he ana his gun-crew
/
| the vessel was almost under water. In
! fact, the water was up TO the muzzle OF
| the gun when the last shot was fred
| Then, because il was tool late 10 escape In
| any other way, the future victor of Manila
! got out through a portfolio and swan for
| ii.
why Dewey was always a hero" con-
! tinuod the colonel. IN his class az the
Naval Academy he was always at the top
| of everything, except in his studies. He
was a splendid athlete, a boxer and fenc-
| err One thing he hated like holy water
was a bully. Though far from being quar-
| relsome himself, he would hunt fight
with any fellow who attempted 10 impose
upon his interiors in physical strength.
| Any town boy who developed a reputation
as a bully was sure TO fail foul Of George
| Dewey, and TO get licking 100. don't
| think he was ever beaten in a fight.
| It was at Manila, a day or two before
! the famous colloquy between Admiral Won
! Diederichs and the British captain of the
! cruiser Immortalite in which the former
/ asked what attribute the latter would as
| sumo in case trouble arose between the
| Germans and the Americans, Chichester
! replying that information on that point
| could best be obtained from Dewey on
| this occasion Dewey was dining with Chi
| chester. and over the nuts and wine they
| cot swapping stories The host expressed
! his admiration Of the confidence Of victory
! exhibited by the Yankee sailors, and his
! guest replied hat there might be too much
| confidence in ones ability TO win in a
! fight The Englishman did not see how
| that could be, and Dewey proceeded 10