The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-28
"ExIss ME HOBsON.v
Dying Request of ''The Commodore"
Navy Yard Parrot.
From the New York Herald.

Navy Yard Parrot.
From the New York Herald.
Perched above a piano in the Off
GERS Club in the New York Navy Yard
is all that remains of The Commodore,
a notable parrot. and to naval officers
the best known pet in the United
States service.
To the regret of officers from Brook
Ign to Iloilo The Commodore went aloft
a few days ago at an unknown age,
and yesterday his stuffed body was ex-
hibited in an artistic glass case.
Because of his advanced age he ap-
pears in decollete uniform. But, some
thing like Poe's raven
There he sits, a mute musician,
Him they call The Commodore,
Bird or angel, who can answer?
Spiked his guns for evermore.
Ten years ago this parrot flew into
the club though an open window.
The officers were at mess, and the
visitor, calmly housing his yards,
perched at the head of the table. and
began addressing them familiarity as
Bill" and odd Tarpaulin." Appar-
emily his early education had been neg
lCINCh III NAlG Sui NUT Va oOiAAG man
of-war.
But the officers took a liking to the
stranger and he was put on the ration
list. Later he was always introduced
to distinguished visitors when they
presented their cards. In this way he
had met Admiral Dewey. Rear Admiral
Coghlan, Schley, Sampson and Hobson-
lie could repeat quotations from each
and he was highly accomplished in the
f,,rr Of
Two of his pet performances were to
recite. What did Dewey do to 'em p
and 'Therell be a hot time!" which
latter he always gave when the visitor
asked for the national anthem.
In naval matters his knowledge, be-
cause of his confidential position, was
dark and peculiar. In fact, when he
opened all his batteries. the visitor lis
tened in amazement.
Commander Arthur b. Speyers who
was formerly stationed at the yard, be-
came great friend of the commo-
dore's. Commander Speyers had a
chronic cold which the parrot used to
initiate to perfection in gutturals.
The steward at the club had a child
who was teething. On nights when all
the officers used to gather on the club
porch the most unearthly childlike
cries would be heard. 1t was only aft
ed that the officers found the parrot
had been playing joke on them with
infantile shrieks.
Recently The Commodore caught a
cold while greeting Rear Admiral
Bowles from the porch of the club.
Acute asthma developed. He gaspeo
and sneezed painfully for three days.
The surgeons saw that his case was
hopeless. His age told against him. All
the officers gathered when the bulletin
went out, in the dog watch, that The
Commodore was sinking. AS the end
approached they gave him some whis-
ky to make him feel more spiritual.
On a sofa he lay to on his beam
ends. with his yards reefed. His mind
seemed to go back to the incidents OF
his long life. He had not lived accord
ing to the Salvation Army code. Mess
man Edward Ryan, his valet, bent
over him to catch his last words. The
dying birds mind wandered.
Don't have no awkward squad fire
over me. How goes the fight? Two
sunk. Rah! Tell Coghlan to give 1t to
EN-" Then his maintop wobbled.
kiss me, Hobson," said The Com
modore, winking his binnacles.
Steward Bohne, who is good man,
bent over.
'Whither?" asked Bohne, graspine
him by the boom.
"Quien sabe?'' said The Commodore,
as he lost his log.