Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-13
george DEWEY'S ROMANCE
He Was Rejected by Miss Low
cry,
who Afterwards Married tho Duke
D'Arcos The Latter Comiur to
Washington ms Minister From
Spain-somethingo ftho Two Wien.

Sphin-SOuheththR OIL Two NIeu.
A special from Washington to the
Baltimore Sun says:
Every hero, every man who has
played leading part on the worlds
| stage. has, or is supposed to- have, his
| romance. In every autobiography. in
| every work Of history. there are stories
of the heart which equal and often ex-
eel those of the masterpieces of fiction.
| or the army and naval heroes of mod
ern times. which one has not his name
| indissolubly linked with that of
woman? The Duke of Marlborough
had his Sarah. Napoleon his Josephine,
| Nelson his Lady Hamilton, Washing
ton his Martha Curtis. Lincoln, Grant
| Lee and Logan were devoted to their
wives. Why. then. should it be con-
| sidered remarkable that the life of Ad-
miral Dewey should contain q page of
| romance"
| This was the comment of n naval off,
Ger OF many years experience and high
standing when asked for the details of
Admiral Dewey's affair de occur with
the attractive Miss Lowery now Ouch
ess d'Arcos. "It is a point OF honor"
he said. after some pressing. with us
OF the navy to make no inquiries into
matters of this kind. Any disclosures.
therefore. would have to be voluntary
on the part of Admiral Dewey, and you
can easily imagine he is not the kind
OF man to discuss such matters with
any one. 1 doubt if he has ever said
anything on the subject to any one, and
consequently no one knows, at least
from him, just how far the affair pro-
crossed. However, the story was cur
rent In Washington at the time, and 1
VIII give 1t to you as 1t was given to me-
| with some of the subsequent details
| necessary to complete it,
WEALTH AND FAMILY POSITION.
| There came to Washington some
twenty-five years ago a family by the
name of Lowery. Judge Lowery wac
known as one of the wealthiest men
then resident here. He was very proud
| or his position and of his family, and
being wealthy enough to disregard the
| claims OF money for social position, he
sought only congenial companionship,
| winch he found among men Of letters
ana OF deeds. He was ably seconded
by his wife, and they were very prom
inent in Washington society. A man.
sion was erected on x street. at the
| corner of Vermont avenue, in which en-
| tertainments were given. Since then
the mansion has been the home of Cor
nelius Vanderbilt and Wayne McVeagh
While Washington society flocked to
the home OF the Lowerys at the bid
ding of the judge and his wife, there
was another there. who was particu-
larly attractive to the young men. Miss
virginia Lowery was then in the first
blush of her youthful beauty. With
SOFT dark eyes and hair and n COM
pleXion we'll compared to that of n
peach, she was distractng to the old
as we'll as the young. Combined with
her charms of mind and person were
Others more substantial, If not more
highly regarded by her sutors. She
was the heiress to n large fortune
1
Many suitors presented themselves
10 her or to her father, but in vain. BY
| one or the other each was dismissed
| until the rumor became current that
Miss Lowery had fixed her affection on
one man, while another had been
CHOSEN by her father and mother. Cam
tain George Dewey had made his an
| pearancc on the scene. He was much
older than Miss Lowery. He had dis
tingushed himself in the civil war
ana was slowly mounting the ladder of
promotion In the navy. He had every
reason TO look forward to a long and
useful career in his country's service
| ana the prospect of retirement at or
near the top of the list. He had been
happily married in 1867 to Miss Susie
Goodwin, daughter of Governor Icha-
bod Goodwin of New Hampshire. but
she had died after five years of mar
ried life, leaving him son, to whom
he was devotedly attached
| -. was ABOUT I'VE years after his
| wires death that. while on a visit to
| Washington. Dewey met Miss Lowerv
HIS attentions soon became marked
and when in the city 1T became a mat
ter or course to see him at the Lowerv
mansion, He was favored by the
Judge, VINO looked upon him as q man
| or character and of substantial oua1i-
ties, though never dreaming of the no.
sition he was ultimately to fill. His
SUIT. If such 1t might be called, was
favored by the parents. but met with
an obstacle on the part Of the young
g1rl. she had already bestowed her
affections on another The favored
suitor was Juan Brunette, an attacho
| of the Spanish legation.
The chagrin of her father at the dis
| coVery of this attachment can be i'm
agined. If his daughter had searched
the diplomatic corps for a more insult
able person as far as personal attrac-
tons, position and wealth combined
| are. concerned. 1T Is doubtful If shn
would have found any man possessino
less of each than Brunetti. He was
the son of q poor man, with but n
small salary, and while not of unpieas-
ant appearance. was not particuIo rIv
prepossessing. He was, however. de-
iightful in conversation, and with man
ners and disposition calculated IN
charm the heart OF Southern girl
Perhaps she favored him more because
Oh ms .ack or the wealth she possessed
so abundantly. eo
whether Dewey ever brought mat
ters to a climax by proposing never
nave heard directly, but at any rate
ne learned enough to become convinced
mis- suit was hopeless and discon; inled
IL. But Brunette was scarcely less for
tunate. Much as he and Miss Lowerv
e ca lor eacn other he did not wish
70 wed her until in a position 70 support
her properly, and she would NOT M q 49,,