The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-10-04
d. A. PERRY,
Rooms 2 and 3,
cordon's Block. Barre. VT,
JOllying the Yermonters.

In the 6uDl0lned excerpt from its report
of the doings at the Dewey welcome on
Thursday, the New York Sun tells how
"Vermont Boarded the Olympia" and re-
counts the subsequent proceedings
Governor Roosevelt had been gone about
half an hour and the Admiral still had
lot Of bis friends with him, when along
came a boat with message to the effect
thst the lieutenant governor OF Vermont
and the governors staff were on the pier at
Tompkinsville. $780," said the Admiral
"Brumby, send the launch for them" The
party consisted of Lieut-Gov. Henry G.
Major-Gen. William H. Gilmore, Brigadier-
Gen. Edward L. Bates. Oscar W. Peck and
Frank L. Grow and Col. Edward j. Booth,
f. S.Stranahan, George T.Chaffee, Henry S.
Bingham, John G. Brown, Benjamin Hin
man, Curtis s. Emery, Walter w. Brown,
reception committee that is waiting to
tackle the Admiral when New York and
Washington get through with him.
Now, the Admiral was in the finest spir-
its. He had just as warm and hearty a re-
ception in waiting for these Vermonters AZ
he had for every other living soul who had
come aboard the Olympia. But the Ad-
miral isn't the man to lay great store on
set speeches, and he doesn't give two
pence for gold lace. II must be said that
the staff Of the Governor of Vermont was
more than amply equipped with both. They
had gold lace to burn and swords too, and
dignity thick as plaster; and they had the
whole business with them when they came
alongside the Olympia and got out with as
much dignity as is possible to men getting
out OF small boat into big one, and
marched up the gangway. The Admiral
was at the top; his face was wreathed in
smiles. The Northumberland came
first and gravely saluted the Admiral. The
members Of the staff came next and gravely
saluted the Admiral and lined up, their
swords clanking.
1t wasn't the sort OF reception that the
Admiral had been used to- The smile on
his face seemed to dim bit as the Lieuten-
ant-Governor stepped forward and said:
I'm behalf of the people OF Vermont, L
want to welcome you to your native land,
and to tell you how proud OF you the peo-
pie OF your native State are; and when you
At this point the Admiral beamed. eyes,
yes" he said, "Im coming, I'm going there;
I'm going to Vermont. I'm glad to see
you, boys; I'm going there"
And then he turned to a gentleman who
approached him with with two little boys
and little girl.
"well. WE'LL" said the Admiral, "Im
glad to see you children"
The father, who had them in charge, iu-
troduced them. "These are my little sons,''
he said, land this is my little daughter"
This is your little daughter, is it?''
asked the Admiral. "Lift them up, won't
you?" And as the father stopped to lift the
child the Admiral took it in his arms and
kissed it.
"Do you know" said the Admiral cheer
fully, DO you know that's my failing? OF
all things in this world my favorites are the
children. You have no idea he went on,
"how many letters got while l was in the
Philippines from children here"
The Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
and the staff of the Governor of Vermont
looked at each other. Their gold lace
shone in the sunlight. Their swords clanked
still. From the children the Admiral turned
to Mrs. Miller and recalled the time when
he used to live with the Millers. Mrs.
Miller said laughingly that she and her
daughters were your landladies." The
Lieutenant-Governor of Vermont and
the Governors staff stood stolid, Their
stay was a brief one. When they left they
went with as much dignity as they had with
them when they came. AS the boat put
away from the side with them they stood in
perfect line in model form with immobile
faces. The Admiral had bid them good
bye. He was not paying attention to them
after they left the deck. They stood there
gazing back at him. At last Captain Lam
berton touched him on the shoulder and
pointed toward the sea. The Admiral
looked and doffing his hat, he saluted them.
They saluted in return and then sat down.
The set speech was unspoken, and If the
Admiral ever gets it, it will have TO come
by mail.
The reports of the Press runs thus
Governor Il. g. Smith of Vermont, gold
laced and impressive, and tianked and
guarded by staff gorgeous in the yellow
OF its buttons and its braids, came aboard
the Olympia to extend to the Admiral the
greeting OF the people of the State of YER
mont. Governor Smith had memorized
speech that bristled with epigram and was
rounded out with many periods OF patriotic
elOquence, and il was plain from the fu-
nereal expression OF every member of the
staff that the occasion was regarded as
particularly solemn one.
In violation of all precedent in the ETH
quette OF the navy, George Dewey, Admiral
broke in on the speech before the exordium
had more than been begun, picked up
four-y ear old tiaXen- haired girl standing at
his side and planted a rousing kiss square
on her little rosebud mouth
"a failing of mine," he said 70 the aston
ished gentleman in gold lace, but always
did love children" and he kissed the child
again.
1t was the prettiest picture OF kalelde-
scopic day, and the staid and solemn YER
monters were so taken aback that they had
not recovered their equanmity even after
boar ding the tug which carried them from
the lightship, standing stiffly at attention
like a row OF gold embroidered statues,
AS for the people on board the ship, who
witnessed the incident, they simply dubbed
over with joy, and rosy'cheeked III ltron
so lost her presence of mind that she ex-
claimed, "Well, isn't he the dearest darling
of a man in the World!n