The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
IpnrnlL prKrY,s oHECK.
IL IL for so, but Seems TO Ne Worth .
Good Deal More TO somc Men.

Admiral Dewey's check on q New York bank
for the sum OF SO has occasioned no end Of
perplexity to a perfectly well-meaninR citizen.
The check is regularly drawn and was issued
In the ordinary course OF business. Nobody
doubts that there are ample funds In bank to
meet it. There are no complications OF in
dorsement, Identification or anything OF that
kind. In a word. everything is rs right as
right can be, and yet the holder Of the check
can't make up his mind for the life OF him
to deposit the paper and get the proceeds as
he ordinarily would.
1t befell in this way: The holder OF the check
ia an officer in the navy and n member Of the
University Club. His name is neither here nor
there. He is a member 81 the committee OF
alumni OF Annapolis appointed to raise the
money which Is to pay for carving the crest OF
the Naval Academy on one Of the marble me-
dallions that are to adorn the facade Of the
new University Club building in Fifth avenue.
There is one Of these medallions for each col
lege whose alumni are eligible to membership
In the club. and the cost OF carving is borne by
the alumni OF the respective institutions.
Commander Dash. which is not the nam Of
the officer In question. wrote to Admiral
Dewey at Manila apprisinR him OF the me-
dalion scheme and intimating that the Ad-
miral's assessment was SO and some odd cents.
By return post the committeemen received a
nice letter. Likewise. the Admiral inclosed
his check for $40. sending a little moro than
was asked for. because-well. apparently be-
cause that's the kind Of good fellow Admiral
George Dewey ia.
Commander Dash opened this letter In the
smoking room OF the University Club one even
ing and. as there were several Annapolis men
present. he read 1t aloud. There was the most
respectful silence until the reader came to the
passage. Il inclose my check for $40, which,
&C." when some fellow broke In with
say. IN give You 500 for that check"
Fifty devils! IN give you a hundred"
Two hundredI" Three hundred" -Four
Rattlety- biff- bangl And so on. until. in less
than a liffy. the. bewildered Commander found
himself the centre OF an eager gang OF amiahle
savaGes in evening. dress. every man-jack OF
them bound to own that check. and deuce take
the expense.
1t was exactly at this point that the Comman-
ders perhlexities began: 1t was hard to turn
It would come In handy for a number OF little
frills particularly desired at that time In con-
%ncction with, the medallion. and sundry other
OF the Annapolis alumni most Of whom. being
nothing but heroic defenders OF their country.
are. o. course. chronically hard 'upL. But. on
the other hand. what right had he to part with
the, Admiral's consent? To write to Manila
and get back an answer would take a month OF
Sundays. and he too late. And. finally. how
was no to decide between two of the savages in
swore TO II: that he W. : the rlghtful author OF
In his psrplexity~ Commander Dash put the
S S1sGs back into D his pocket. telling the excited
All OF which happened some days ago. But the
fate OF the Admirals check isn't decided yet.