Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-22
FORGOTTEN STORY Of DEWEY
The Curiousiy Slim Chance which Got
Him Admitted 10 the Naval Acsd-
cmy In the First Place.

They say George Dewey was Yankee.
Tie was born at Montpelier. VT. 1887, his
father being physician. says the Bos-
ton Transcript. One branch was Eng
fish stock. tracing their lineage back to
Alfred the Great. The combination Of
the strength Of the old Green Mountain
state Of Vermont and the English stock
of Alfred the Great. made a good back
ground for his naval victories. His grim
courage never wavered nor did his mod
esty.
Admiral Dewey was nearly SIXTY years
Of age before he had passed muster
gone through the different grades Of ap-
premiership before the American public
recognized his ability. Tho French world
all Of the war-stricken countries. ana
some Americans. will be recognising All
other hero who has fought unrecognized
until nearly the age Of sixty. DR.. Barthe
de Sanfort, inventor Of ambrine; someone
has called his unexpected discovery ia
plus importante trouvaille."
HOW HE GOT HIS APPOINTMENT.
A curious coincidence surrounds the
entering Of George Dewey as . cadet at
tho naval academy. from which he grail
uated with great honor in 1858. His APP
pointment was that OF alternate to an
other Montpelier. VT. boy. son Of Yer
mont physician, also named George. They
had played together and fought many
sham battles side by side in the little. old,
red schoolhouse. George the l. received
the naval appointment. but for family
reasons decided to enter the ministry. and
the vacancy was taken by the alternate
George Dewey, who was ready for any
fight on land or sea, as he many times
proved In the little Montpelier school.
house. Did It not prove 90 when he be-
came captain. commodore and rear ad-
rniral and finally admiral. and the great
est honors Of the navy and country were
showered upon him: adulauons, one
might say. which a modest hero. In his
heart. shrinks from. No one remembers
better than the writer the great demon.
stration in Boston, October IA. 1899. when
Admiral Dewey was the hero Of the hour
Congratulations we're autographed from
the old playmate, George, Of the Mont
pelier days: Bully for you, George. Have
you ceased swearing as you did in the
old boyhood DAYS? could not have
fought that battle Of Manila. but I am
sending You a sermon. I preached on II
last Sunday in my Syracuse church" The
reply came:
George. I may have fought like q bull
dog. and may still swear at times. but
could not have preached that sermon.
GEORGE DEWEY
SUFFERED IN SILENCE.
few years later Admiral Dewey mar
ried a widow. and for some reason known
only to himself. decided the home giver
him by the nation to his bride. The su
perficial. tickle public did not forgive tn,
faux pas, and for years Admiral Dewe!
suffered in silence tho result Of tn,
act. The old Montpelier playmate
was still loyal and wrote tt
Washington extending his sympathy
and belief in him as tho hero o.
Manila and the true sea dog that he knew
him to be. having followed closely through
many years Admiral Dewey's successes
Tho reply to this letter came back in
few brief words poignant with meaning
and showed what the modest hero wa
suffering beneath the surface. unknown
to the carping world outside: "Dea
George. am under a cloud. but 1t viii
l!ft ip time. let us hope. Approximately
George Dewey It was lifted and tn
clouds have rolled away. The Who'll
nation honors him to-day. the flags wer
hung at half-mast and his body wa
buried at Arlington, the nations restin
pace. Budda says: THE greatest pray
err is patience. Patience is genius" Johl
Maseheld writes In one of his sc,
poems:
And then he bit his lips. clinching hi
mind.
And staggered out to muster. beatin
back
The coward. frozen self of him tina
whined.
Come what cards might. he meant I
play the pack