Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-05-07
JDK OBEY[D ORDERS.
Unhesitatingly Threw Glass at
Dewey.
THREAT OF PUNISHMENT IBID NOT
PHASE THE VALET A PARTl-
CLEATALE OF T H e d A .
WHEN THE ADMIRAL WAS A
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER.

WHEN THE ADMIRAL WAS A
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER.
W. w Stone who was ships writer on
board the cruiser Colorado when Admiral
Dewey and Com Watson were lieutenant
commanders on that vessel, can tell many
stories about those two celebrities. Ad-
,rniral Goldsborough was in command OF
the Colorado. His valet, John, who at one
time was President Lincon's servant, was
a witty but bungling Irishman. Stones
best story centers around this quaint
character
one morning Admiral Goldsborough sent
down word TO John that he wanted his
glass meaning, Of course, his spy glass.
John, as usual. however, misunderstood,
and came tramping up the bridge with a
goblet in his hand.
John, you're the devils own valet"
growled the admiral, when he saw him
coming.
Faith, sor didn't think I'd come to
that same when l TUX service wild you,
sor."
Throw that blamed goblet overheard
ard go and get me my spyglass, as
tod you, you Internal idiot"
'les sor, said John, calmly tossing the
glass over the side, and in doing so barely
escaped dashing it upon the upturned face
OF our executive officer, Lieut.. Commander
George Dewey. Mr.. Dewey was on a tour
Of inspection circling the frigate in one
OF the cutters. The Colorado had just ar
rived from Trieste The passage down the
Adr.atic sea had been a stormy one, and
the painstaking executive wanted to see
for himself how the old ship looked after
her battle with the waves.
1t was a lovely spring Sunday morning.
We had dropped anchor in the beautiful
bay Of Naples, and l had crept up into the
nj Q n top TO drink in with boyish zest the
delights of our glorious surroundings
eff our Leans lay Jscha and Capri, stand
ing Ike stern Roman sentinels on guard,
a the horns of the bay. Ahead lay the
Campanila; from its center rises old We
suv:us, from whose grim apex I could see
floating upward a hazy wreath, significant
of the unrest beneath. / watched the old
admiral with good deal of interest; had
l been a kodak fiend I should, then and
there, have forfeited my appointment by
taking snap shot at the irate officer as
he glared at the sleek, unconcerned men
ial.
GO below, you laundering Irishman,
before l have you tossed over after the
glass;" The man disappeared with just
the suspicion of a smirk on his innocent
looking face.
Mr.. Dewey would like to have you find
out, sir, who is heaving crockery over the
side of the ship, sir" This came from one
of the crew of the cutter; he had come up
III
Commander John Crittenden Watson, as
the time officer of the deck. The admiral
overheard the message of the angry exec
utive and laughed quietly.
Tell Mr. Dewey that it was the admir-
al, my man. said he, soberly; then turn
ing to Mr.. Watson he remarked: "He
can't very well put the admiral in the
brig, though I may deserve it."
He may look around for a substitute
admiral" answered Mr.. Watson, smiling
20, no. Dewey has too keen a sense of
justice; beside, l remember him saying
once that he had no use Tor substitute.
few minutes after this Mr.. Dewey
himself came over the starboard gangway,
saluting the admiral with rather a
naughty air You see, a 10-pounder may
SPIN merrily past a fellows head aboard
man-o'-war. and serve merely as hook
on which to hang the old time jest about
a miss being as good as a mile" but
when plain matter, fact plebeian tum-
bier shoots past you, contrary to the ar
ticles of war, and in direct vocation of es-
tabished naval etiquette, the circum-
stance that you have escaped mutilation
is only an excrescence alongside of the
glaring fact that your dignity has been
very violently assaulted.
The admiral looked down and took in
the situation. Descending to the quarter
deck he approached Dewey and said, with
friendly air, Il say, Dewey, did you ever
read Handy Andy?'
Yes, SIR rather shortly.
We'll now, L must have his cousin
aboard and the admiral related the glass
incident. The two laughed over the blum
der, Mr.. Dewey having recovered his usual
good nature by this time.
You see, Dewey, l have sort of inter-
est in the fellow; the secretary recon-
mended him to me as a good faithful
serving young man. he had been attached
to Mr. Lincoln as his personal attendant,
and / took the scamp partly on that ac-
count. All. here he comes at last with my
glass. John, did Mr.. Lincoln ever score
you for your awkwardness?
NJ SUI he HlNtf ultt, many the time
he tould me thot it wor a mercy that we
were thegither, because. he said, his mind
were taken off affairs of state by thinking
did he worruk harder telln' me how TO 10
things than if he whit and did them him
self"
No doubJ," said the admiral.
Il want you to remember, John" said
Mr.. Dewey, severely, that it is strictly
against the rules of this ship to throw
anything over the sides. You came very
near striking me in the head with your
glass tossing"
That were pity, sor"
A pity!' exclaimed Dewey. savagely;
by Jim, I'd have come up and had you
strung UP to the yardarm like a dog"
No sor, akin your pardon, hope not"
What's that!" roared the admiral. an
grily.
''Troth, sor, dye mind the mornin' tell
In me that We was to do the thinkin an
| was to obey orders even if 1 bruk own
ers?"
lhe two laughed heartily at this hit
and John went below with flying colors-
San Francisco Examiner.
CASEY WAS CHOKED OFF QUICKLY