St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-05-31
When George Dewey stood Up.

How John Taylor Veteran, Made
fCOmmotiOn Down in Boston"
Tell you how made Admire-al Dewey
stand up? Who put you to ask me that,
I'd like to know?
Well, I'm willin; it's something never
get tired of talkin' over. 1t was when
Dewey came back from Mainly; he had
to stay over there nigh on to year and
half, YOU know, to keep things straight.
But one day when went down to the
village after my paper the news was in
it that Dewey was comm to Boston. /
tell you sailed up North hill pretty live
ly when read that.
"Marthy," says l, George Dewey is
comm to Boston, and I'm goin' down
to see himl'
1.-THE Old and New TESTAMENT" says
Marthy. "When?"
"He's goin' to be there the 14th of Oct
ober, that's Saturday." says I. 81 can
travel on the night trains and not be
gone more than four and twenty hours"
go you SHALL" says Marthy, land
I'll go right to work to get you ready.
You must have new Grand Army suit
to wear, the very first thing"
But when the time came, and | was all
fixed up to 60 down to the station,
Marthy, she kind of held ON to me lit
tie.
John" she says, II always feel proud
Of you when see you dressed up in your
Grand Army uniform; but there's one
thing ] want to give you a little caution
about, and want you should remember
it while you're down there to Boston,"
What is it, Marthy ?" says I.
John you was brave soldier, know
that; you haye been good husband to
me this many year, and you have rep.
resented the town up to Montpelier; but,
John, you will be So years old next week,
and in some things you are nothin' but
a boy, yes, big, ay-headed boy"
"Why-why. Marthy," says I, kind of
stutterin', what do you mean"
II mean jest what say John. What
did you do the day the news came that
Dewey had swept everything before him
out there toManilly You know l went
down to the village with you, and was
spendin' the afternoon with Mis- Pettin-
gill. All of a sudden we heard the great
est noise, and I looked out of the win
dow, and there I see you comm up the
street shoutin' like all-possessed, flags
stuck all over you, and half a dozen in
each hand. Young Sammy Warner was
with you, playin' The Star. spangled
Banner on his cornet. and half the vii.
lage folerin' after. foot her up Sam
my, foot her up lively heard you say,
and you deacon in the church,"
"Marthy," says I, solemnly, ''if there
was ever time to blow UP the trumpet
in the new MOON as the scripter COM
mands, that was the time"
II know that, John" says she, "but
you do 90 to extremes; and you've got
voice such as no man ever had in this
world before. II the Lord should see fit
to call on you at the resurrection, there
wouldn't be no need of Gabriel to blow
his trumpet. Now, that's what want
to caution you about. They say the
Boston people are very quiet and proper,
and don't want you to get excited and
go shoutin' through the streets down
there"
Well, I promised Marthy that would
be careful, but, land when things got to
goin' well, you'll see how it turned
out.
Our train was delayed little at Bel
lows Falls, and it was nigh on to the
middle OF the forenoon when l got to
Boston. thought l knew my way
about, and set out for the old state.
house. But hadn't been to Boston for
more than 80 years, and there had been
good many changes; and there was
such oceans of people streamin' through
the streets that Igot bewildered, and
when | turned into a street that
thought would lead me right up to the
state-house come up slap before big
building that said EBAY State molasses
corporation" on it.
Which way to turn didn't know, but
that very minute business-lookin' man
came up to me, and he says
Excuse me, but isn't this John Tay-
lor ~
That's my name, "says |. and il looks
go for anything you are the son of my
old comrade Ezra Butter6eld that used
to stand beside me in the Vermont bri-
gade."
Well the upshot of it was that Myron
Butterfeld made me go with him to a
room that he had hired on Columbus
avenue, on purpose to see Dewey in the
parade. was little bit upset at first,
for there was about dozen people in the
room, some of them dressed up very
fine, and one of 'em had queer kind of
rinktum, pair of spectacles on a stick,
that she looked at me with.
But says to myself, John, there amt
better woman here than Marthy Tay-
lor, and don't you be scairt;;" and so
when Myron introduced me went right
up to everyone of them and shook hands
and said, "How do you do, ma'am? /
hope see you well, and they all smiled
and seemed pleased to see me.
''Only one more, Mr.. Taylor" says
Myron, "here's my little Alice"
turned and saw the bandsomest,
sweetest little girl that ever mortal eyes
beheld. Golden curls fallin' around
her smilin' face, light as fairy on her
feet, aud came right up to me and held
out her hand, not one bit afraid. l lost
my heart to her right on the spot.
Jest then there began to be some stir
outside, and we all went to the windows.
They was open wide clear to the floor,
the day was so warm and bright, and
we could see the sidewalks packed solid
with people everywhere. Boston never
paid such a tribute to any man in all it's
history as it paid to George Dewey that
day.
The police was workin' hard to keep the
street clear, and somewhere in the dis
tance / could hear the sound of martial
4