The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-01

of trouble in determining this and other
matters, and the commodore finally got
out of patience. one day he exclaimed:
What a COMPOUNDED lot of humbugS
these astronomers and scientists are, any
way. [ hope they will soon get away.
Before the expedition was over with
there was still more trouble. An enter
priSing piano company in New York pre-
scented the expedition with d handsome
piano as an advertisement for it's wares.
This instrument was of but little use,
however, and the funds allowed by con-
gresS being inadcQuate, the professor III
charge of the expedition took it ashore
at one of the ports of The Canary islands
made by the Pensacola ard sold it. Com
modore Dewey was greatly incensed over
this slightly irregular proceeding and re-
fused absolutely to approve vouchers for
quite a considerable amount of personal
expenses incurred by the professor in as
sembling the expedition The astronomer
never got his money for the commodore
was, inexorable
DEWEY AND TRACY
Commodore Dewey got very angry one
morning in an interview with Gen.
Tracy, the secretary. He maintained his
self-pGssession until he had assembled the,
big granite stairway, and then as he en-
tered the bureau rooms he exploded.
While walking the floor of the chief
clerks Office he said about these words: .-
''This is the meanest service I ever had.
l don't want to give it up in Il passion,
but / would be very willing to elevate my
coat and let the secretary kick me out.
But / shall never go to sea again-never!
| have had my day ON the water, and will
not be sent again. I am wholly independ-
ent of the secretary and Of the service it
self. Ny private income is larger than
nH ihaIr nr1a
me as they choose, but l shall never
again go to sea-
I suspected that there had been clash
between these two higil-tempered men, in
which possibly Gen. Tracy had threatened
to send the commodore to sea; but
| asked no questions. and can emily here
record the latter's voluntary expressions.
Suppose Commodore Dewey. had made
good two years ago his passionate deca-
ration of eight Years back? What imper-
ishal3le fame would he thus have forbid
den to himself, what. glory to the flag
he has so long and so we'll folIawed!
My service with Commodore Dewey was
propitiated very considerably by some
good advice given NE. about the time he
came to the bureau, by the late Rear .Ad-
mira Meade / had served with Admiral
Meade and he took u kindly interest in
my success. The Old admiral spoke to me
one morning with the shrewd CLINT Of
the eye characteristic Of him. about as
follows:
Young man, you must be cautious,
very cautious in your dealings with Com.
modOre Dewey. He is a very smart man,
but he is mighty uncertain in his temper.
You must watch him as you would watch
dynamite.
There were times in the succeeding two
years when the words of the good Old
admiral took on Il new and vivid meaning,
for the new chief showed, that he. could
emulate the brave flights of the stormy
petrol in his moments of ifritated ANNA
ton. At such times he a very good
man to keep away from
L.ENfENCY TO \ FRIEND
Not long after Commodore Dewey took
charge of the bureau an old navy pay
clerk blew in from some where, looking
for 4 billet. The commodore had known
him years before a sea, and gave him
Iittle temporary job to enable him to
look around and see what he could do.
Like many old navy folks, when they get
ashore, this clerk had been dissipatng
apparently on quite all extended scale.
He had not been on duty long in the bu-
reau before | noticed marked evidences
Of this. and as / was responsible for the
conduct and efficiency Of tiae clerical
force. it became my duty to report him
to the commodore. | told the commodore
that [ was exceedingly sorry to call his
attention to his old shpmates conduct,
but as he had been continuously since he
had come into the bureau bordering upon
delirium tremens lie was all but useless
for the performance of duty. and 1 saw
nothing for it but to report him. The
c0F''r0 edore said:
why, can it he possible@can it be pos
sible that this man has so abused my
confidence? I am sorry I am sorry. I
don't know what we are going to do
about It, I don't want to throw him out,
for he has been an efficient man in secv-
ice. But poor old John Is sick. Whether
he IS drunk or sober, ne has his bad
liver and he probably drinks TO get re-
lief from his sufferings | know what
it is to be afflicted in this way. and we
must not be harsh with poor old John.