The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-04
REAL DEWEY ROMANCE
HERO OF MANILA AND AN ILLINOIS
SCHOOLGIRL ADMIRER.
The Admiral Says "She VIII he the
Death of Me Yet"-An Exchange
Of Photographs.
Decatur Qll.) Special to ST. Louis Post-Dis-

patch
In this city lives the heroine of the pref
test Dewey romance" developed since the
Spanish-American war. Love stories OF
Dewey have been numerous and interesting
since the great sailor fired at Manila the
shots that echoed round the world. We
have been told of his schoolboy romance.
of the loves of his young manhood. OF his
courtship and his marriage. We have read
about the first woman he loved" There
were nineteen or twenty of her. 1T seems.
But the public has had for the first time to
hear OF Miss Marie Powers. schoolgirl. aged
sixteen. of whom Admiral Dewey has said,
She will be the death of me yet. /
will be cutting my throat some of these
mornings"
1t is a pleasant tale. full of interest. hu-
man nature and absorbing possibilities, this
story of Admiral Dewey and the American
girl. 1t centers round a Photographs very
pretty photograph of an exceedingly charm
ing girl. Hero is the how it happened" as
told simply and unaffectedly by Miss Pow
ers herself:
1T was just this way. At school all the
girls had been decorated with souvenirs of
the war, and many of them were wearing
uniform buttons given to them by volun-
VI lit DCNdNQi VI thO mn
Illinois Regiment. Nearly every morning
one or more of my schoolgirl friends would
display a fresh souvenir. and / had none to
wear. 1 seemed to count for nothing, while
| at the same time I was anxious to be known
as a patriotic girl. / could wear a small
flag and all that. but / had no button.
80 one afternoon when / came home
suggested to papa that 1 would write tC
/ Admiral nouyau md raCtract him 70 send M
a button from his uniform. My idea was
to write him a note and send him m,
picture. but little thought then that
would hear from him so promptly and hav,
all of my requests granted. Indeed. l die
not expect more than an autograph letter
1 not only sent him the note and my pic
ture. but also a copy of my 'Hoopla" two
step music, which / composed when 1 wa
twelve years old.
Don't you think the admiral was rea
nice in remembering me so generously
He not only sent me the note OF acknowl
edgment at once. together with the big but
ton from his own uniform. but a few day
ago 1 received a cabinet photograph all tn
way from Manila, and below it was tn
name Of Americas greatest hero. Thesa
gifts from the admiral / prize mos
Eli WOIe imam WCIQS CdH tApIcSe
and while my schoolmates may glory owe
their souvenirs of the war i do not env,
them, for feel that my gifts from the ad
miral from the cabin of the Olympia, sen
my by his own hand, are treasures far NOR
to be priced than any in the possession o.
any other loyal American girl.
which 1 paste everything 1 see in the maya
zines and newspapers about Admira
Dewey? 1t is getting to be a big affair
liar books before the finish, but / dom
mind that. 1t is a pleasure TO me. and Il
VIII give me great delight to be among tbs
Dewey welcome on his return to the United
States"
That photograph. attractive enough In It.
self. stands on Admiral Dewey's dressing
case In his cabin on the Olympia. Pipes
maps. charts, diagrams and matter-of-fac
combs and brushes hedge 1t round. Blu
it is never removed. Morning, noon ana
night the girlish face smiles sunnily to al
corners, the fair divinity Of the big battle
ship. The officers like to look at 1T; SO Dc
| the sailors on the rare occasions when they
get a chance. AS for Admiral Dewey, HI
cannot turn his fascinated gaze away.
He confessed as much not long ago II
words that were characteristic, 10 Mr.. r
w. Harden, WREN the latter, who was spe
cial United States commissioner to the Phil
ippines, was calling on him one day. Mr.
Harden subsequently wrote q paragraph
about Dewey and the American girl. blu
without giving her name. Thu Post-Dis
patch found her. however.
she will be the death of me yet sait
the great fighter to Mr.. Harden. with en-
gaging candor. Il have this picture of he
on my dresser, and In the morning when
shave. instead of looking in the glass / lool
at the picture. / have already cut mysel
three times. and will be cutting my throa
some of these mornings"
So here il one of the possibilities. Their.
are others, which the thoughtful reader cal
ponder over for himself. In any event II II
very pleasant for the little school girl II
| Decatur tO know that while she iS Sfudyinf
her lessons far away on the other side o
the world stands before her pictured fac,
thinks of her and of the country for which
he fought so well.
1t has not turned her pretty head to know
that a hero thinks her beautiful. and see
in her something that speaks of the gra
cious womanhood of his own land. But sh,
would be more than human If ii did no
please her, and she admitted as much witt
q laugh and a blush. She also showed him
otter much persuasion, the souvenirs tina
marked the Decatur end Of the little TO
nance; The most important of these is I
large brass button, cut from the admiral
uniform, and suspended by a gold chail
from the neck Of his little Western friend
here here o ans 8 a ane q Rlessa phot note from Sel tn,
which Is written his autograph. All thesu
were the result of a photograph, which sh,
had sent to him with a letter asking 70
the button.
Miss Powers is a daughter of Mr.. and Mrs
George Powers, and a granddaughter o
Samuel Powers, a noted breeder of horses
She is an excellent pianist, a composer o
music and a good student. She Will ID
graduated from the Decatur High School Il
June-and that Dewey button will be a con
spicuous feature CT her graduation gown
She has five brothers and sisters, all O
whom are excellent musicians. Her sister
Miss Jeanette Powers, plays the violin ex
ceedingly well, and her brother Samuel i
one of the best mandolin players In Illinois
The photograph Of Admiral Dewey orna
note she refused to permit to be copied. j
is very brief, merely acknowledging the re
ceipt Of her photograph and thanking he
for her music and his expressions of appre