The Washington times., 1917-01-18
DEWEY'S HORSES
MISS KIND MASTER
Sleek Bays Chafe in Stalls Lis
tening VainIy for Fami-
liar Voice.
WERE FAvoRITEs OF HERO
coachman Sadly Recalls Demo-
cratic Chats With Admiral
on Daily Drives.

Standing quietly in a stable in the
. rear of a K street residence, their
feet deep in clean, sweet smelling
straw, are two horses. Every once in
a while their heads turn toward a
door of the stable, and then as the
Footsteps of some passerby are heard
= TO go on past the door the animals
resume the steady munching of their
oats.
For more than a week the two bay
horses have been standing thus, and
for eight days they have been dis
appointed by hearing the footsteps
pass on their way down the little al
ley in the rear OF Admiral Dewey's =
street house.
They can't understand 1t. For the
long years that Frank and Bob have
: been owned by the famous old sea
fighter, few days have gone by but
what they were taken out of the
stable, harnessed to a carriage, and
driven out through Rock Creek Park
or around the Speedway, while Ad-
miral Dewey rode behind and con-
Versed with the coachman.
Last Drive Wednesday.
And Wednesday, a week ago, they
were harnessed for the last time. Per
haps, they realized when the servants
carefully helped Admiral Dewey to
his seat for that last drive, that their
master was becoming weaker. At any
rate, they trotted slowly and evenly
around the Speedway, and brought
the carriage safely back after a short
drive.
And then the following day they were
about to be harnessed by the coachman
W-har1 q nh L.
voice from the other end Of the wire
said that the admiral would not go ont
for the accustomed drive He was weak
and had just had a severe fainting spell.
Since then the short exercising in the
morning in the only thing that breaks
the routine Of teSir existence. Silently
and hopefully they await the steps that
will tell them the coachman is to har-
ness them for the spin through the park,
or better still, that the admiral himself
is coming out to the stable to rub their
soft muzzles and talk with them.
Horses Miss Master.
Frank is especially hopeful. The
ceachman said that the old admiral was
very fond Of the big bay horse, and in
the long years that Frank carried him
through the streets and out into the
cool woods oftRock Creek Park he has
grown to know and love his master. He
seemed to- take pride in the position as
favorite.
But Frank will be disappointed, and
so will Bob: Whether IN the breaking
up Of the routine OF household follow
ing the death of its head. the two old
horses will be disposed of is not known.
But never again will they proudly
stamp their feet and champ their bits
as they wait for the morning drive to
begin.
Admiral Dewey never became quite
reconciled to automobiles, and he
used to lavish his affections on the
two animals who made him grow to
love the fast trot through the WOODS
of the parks in Washington or else |
around the river side speedway.
And while the horses stand waiting |
for the summons to the carriage, |
coachman curries them and rubs their |
sleek hair till they fairly shine. He |
is sad, and tells in a voice that trem-
bles Abit, how he used to drive his
master every morning.
Chatted With Coachman.
He would talk to me all the time
we were out" he said. when we
we're driving around the speedway in
the evening, he would show me the
crows coming over from the Virginia
side. See those crows? he would say
to me, We'll, those crows will go up
in the woods around Soldiers Home
to roost tonight, and tomorrow morn
ing early, they'll fly back over to
the Virginia side to feed And then
when we were, driving through Rock
Creek Park and he would see the
men cutting trees or something, hef
would point them out to me and tell
me why they were doing it.
And he loved these horses. He liked
Frank more than Bob, but he loved
them both"
And in the meanwhile. the two bay
horses, all prepared for the drive that
will never come, stand in the stalls,
looking toward the door, and wonder