Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-04
Dr.. Percy s. Hiokling Describes a
Delightful One at Leghorn.
TIE ADMIRAL LOVES WASHINGTON
Description Of His Charming Per-
sonaIity and Winning Ways.
PREPARING FOR RECEPTION


and Mrs Hicklng, with Mrs. Hckling's
brother and sister thet son and daughter
Of Gov Stone of Pennsylvania), have just
returned from a very pleasant European
trip. They have a great many pleasant
memories to serve as conversational topics,
but the memories of their day with Dewey
outrank all others at present.
I'VE saw the admiral at Leghorn," said
the doctor I'VE went aboard at a reason
ably early hour and remained there
throughout the day. It was one of the
brightest days of all my experience; not
merely because it found US closely ASSOC
ciated with the greatest of our naval
heroes. but because the principal hero and
his associates Of the Olympia proved them
selves to be such hospitable gentlemen, in
tent on doing anything and everything to
make American visitors feel thoroughly at
home. AS rule. your host. perhaps I'M
consciously makes you feel that he is do
ing the entertaining; the Olympia's officers.
however, made it appear as If they were
really enjoying the visit even more than
we were.
The Real Man.
1--WE took luncheon with the admiral and,
of course. we enjoyed it. He is a most de-
lightful gentleman in all that term implies.
His pictures fail to do him justice because
there is in them a severity of expression
totally foreign to the real man. HIS man.
ner is as kind and gentle as 1t possibly
could be, and that his manner toward us
was in TO sense superficial was shown
many times during the day. He Is looking
forward with a school boys eagerness to
his return to the United States and has
but one dread, and that is of the dining and
winning which will be regarded by many
people essential to a suitable welcome.
His horror of the feasting program is not
q ms RI "a yyba n,nr tic
origin. He stood the climate at Manila adj
mirably. and really had nothing to COM
plain of. so he informed me- until he
reached Naples. There the big officials
came down from Rome and they outdid
themselves in hospitable greeting There
was great reception and much eating and
drinking. Although the admiral was care
full and temperate, he nevertheless has
been more or less under the weather ever
since.
when we saw him he appeared to be in
first-class condition.
Enthusiastfc Over Washington.
He never wearied of talking of the
United States, but if we wanted to arouse
his enthusiasm all we had to do was to
make the city of Washington the topic of
His admiration for the ma
tional capital is simply unbounded. He
spoke of Washington and its beauties with
boyish exultation. and repeatedly said that
whenever he should be fortunate to have a
home it would surely be in his beloved
Washington.
The officers and men of the Olympia are
looking forward with much eagerness
as the admiral to the time when they shall
once more set foot in the United States.
The officers are, of course. fully aware of
the welcome that will be theirs, but /
found some of the men inclined to imagine
that whatever there was of a celebration
would be for the officers.
won't ed
of the cid shellbacks to me. Maybe We'll
be ordered out to march a few miles in the
hot sun, but that's all Wen be likely to
get Without any authority Whatever but
knowing just how the American people do
feel, | assured the old sailorman and his
fellows that they would be cared for in all
the festivities.
A Temperance Loving Cup.
There was one amusing incident in con-
nection with our visit to the Olympia"
continued the doctor. THE admiral has a
very beautiful loving cup, presented him
by the people of a western city. AS work
of art 1t is fine anything possibly
could be. 1t has the customary three ham
dies and capacity to satisfy the combined
thrsts of half dozen men. Upon one
side of the cup. carved in relief, is the fig
ure of a woman-probably Fame-which ex
tends to and above the edge of the cup,
and to such extent as to interfere serious
The admiral showed us the cup and then
said, Suppose we take a drink out of it,
The first unsuspecting man tried 1t, and
found that the projecting figure and one of
Famc'S outStretched arms tried to pene-
trate his forehead or cheek. After several
unsuC cessful attempts the cup was passed
on to another woudbe drinker, with the
same result. Then came the laugh. There
is no question about its being loving cup,
but it is a temperance loving cup. You
might eat iCe-cream soda out of it with
spoon. but drinking out Of 1t is practically
impossible.
Dewey's Charming Good Nature.
admiral Deweys good nature showed
itself very clearly in one instance. Miss
Stone had camera, and of all the things
she deemed desirable as a subject Admiral
Dewey surely the most desirable, but
she did not want to ask him to pose for
her. Several times she started to do lit
tie furtive Photography which would in
clude the admiral, and at last the admiral
saw the camera and realized what she was
trying to do. He instantly jumped to his
feet. and striking an attitude. said:
" Come on and take your picture. VIII
this position be satisfactory? Is the light
right? Will that do? You understand that
l know all about this. This has happened
ten thousand times during the
past eighteen months
so Miss Stone got a very good picture of
the admiral on the deck of the Olympia.
'Iaken altogether, 1t was a denBht1ul
occasion. and Admiral Dewey Is one OF the
most delightful of men,.
Activity Continues.
Labor day in it's holiday aspect was not
observed to any great extent by the en-
ergetic men who are engaged In arranging
the nations reception at the nations capt.
tai to Admiral George Dewey. Chairmen
of committees and subcummittees and the
members thereof were as busy as apoch-
ryphal bees, and the week thus aus
piciously begun gives promise Of being re-
plete with substantial progress toward the
great occasion. ID.
When Vice Chairman Cox opened his mail
this morning, and it was big one, the
first letter he read was as follows, dated at
the executive mansion Richmond. Sep
TENDER 2: -
Mr.. w. v. Cox, acting chairman Admiral
Dewey reception committee:
Dear Sir: IL
Il have the honor to- acknowledge re-
ccipt of your kind invitation to attend the
reception to be rendered Admiral Dewey
by the people Of the District of Columbia
about October 2.
This is fitting and proper tribute to
our great naval hero. and it will give me
great pleasure to be present to express Vir-
ginia's appreciation of his valor, and l
hope to attend with my staff. and, II posi-
BILE, some other suitable military represen-
tatives.
with assurances of sympathy in the OBJ
ject of your meeting, I am,
Very cordially and sincerely yours.