The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-26
DEWEY FEELS LIKE
CHILD WITH A TOY
He Will Probably Move Into the
House Today.
HIS FIRST REAL ESTATE
Several Thousand Dollars Still Remain
in Fund, and This Will Be Used
to Decorate the Admir-
ais Home.
HIS FIRST REAL ESTATE

Washington, October 25.-(Speeial. )-Ad-
miral Dewey will move into his own home
either today or tomorrow. The delay has
been occasioned by the examination into the
title. 1t is the first place of real estate ever
owned by the admiral and he says that he
never expected to own any. He is like a
child with an unexpected toy. He has been
in every day since the purchase was set
tied upon and his friends say that he has
tried every bed in the house. The furniture
was bought with the house and is exceed
ingly handsome, the whole being fitted up
with good taste. The parlor is in white and
gold while the room which is known as
the library is done in red. This room is
partially lighted with stained glass from
the roof and makes one of the most beauti-
full in the house. Back of this room is the
ding room which will easily seat twenty
four guests.
The admiral says that as soon as he gets
"home" as he expresses it, he will be
much better. The committee is working
very hard to have everything arranged by
Friday at the latest. Every bed room in
the house has bath attached to it making
five in all. The admral's bed chamber is
over the front parlor. The house faces the
intersection of M street and Rhode Island
avenue, giving a stretch of asphalt as wide
as the celebrated Pennsylvania avenue. 1t
is within stones throw of st. Matthews
church, the largest edifice of that denomina-
tion in the city The admiral's friends
thought that this would be an objection to
It on account of the rning of the bells and
the constant passing of funerals. But the
admiral says no; that he would stay in bed
until after mass time and that the music
of the bells would keep him informed of
the time In fact he had set his heart on
the Fitch house and allowed no argument
to be used to shape his determination to
secure it if possible.
Inc house is only twelve years old, but
is almost entirely covered with Virginia
creeper vine of that variety. 1t has
the appearance of being much older from
the outside. The admiral is in easy walking
distance from his club, and is very near
st. johns church, whloin tie attends with
great regularity. He is an Episcopalian,
but is very fond of une Presbyterian faith,
and often goes to the New York Avenue
church, as he put it, ITO get his moral back
bone fixed once in a while.
The yestry Of st. John church DIS think
ing of giving to him a pew. he church
is very small and the pews very high
priced. 1t was always known as the Old
Court Church,, because of the fact that all
tne presidents up to 1.-THE time of Lincoln
with the exception of Adams, attended
cnurcln there, he being Unitarian.
The pews are sold at auotion and some of
them bring exorbitant prices. Only one has
been sold Witnin the past four years. The
regular rents are not higher than they are
in other churches, and for this reason many
poor families still keep the pews they
bought when They were wealthy or i'm a
moIe prosperous condition.
Although the committee in charge of the
purchase of the home for Admiral Dewey
paid $4,000 for it, including the furniture,
there are still several thousand dollars left,
which will be expended in buying paintings
and ornaments for tine wall. Mr.. Fitcn
did not sell his pictures with the house. but
agreed that they should remain until the
Admiral had selected what he might want
to put in their places. 1t is expected that
the admiral will have to send some of the
furniture to the auction rooms as so many
donations In the way of furniture and arti-
Giles of value are being made. A number of
things have been offered and some accepted
by the committee. One firm has offered to
fit out the china closet and Is now having
made dinner set of rare design. Over fif-
teen firms have offered pianos but the COM
mittee has accepted one from a firm in Bos-
ton. 1t is a grand and is especially fine in
tone and wood.
The Fitch house is celebrated In Wash
ington for some of the entertainments
which have been given there. OF late
years it has been occupied by Captain and
Mrs. Seyburn, the latter having been Miss
Wesson, of Detroit. Captain Seyburn was
in the regular army, and during the late
war did some fine fighting in Cuba, having
resigned from the staff of General Miles to
go to the front. Mrs Seyburn was one of
tta oh inc host in Va no
ton, and her home became celebrated as a
common meeting ground for the brightest
and cleverest people there were in Wash
ington owing to the charming host and
brilliant hostess.