The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-21
MODEST DOG HERO
DODGES A MEDAL
Colonel Haywood's Mascot
Disappears When Told
Of Coming Glories.
BUT OTHERS WERE THERE
Women's League for Animals
Raises Fund at Novel
Ceremonies.

Its no use, Col. Bill, I can't face It"
barked Didonc-Didonc being the canine
mascot who saw Col. William Hay
ing in France and then accompanied
the doughty warriors home to spend
the rest of his days with hts adored
commanding officer. I'm an old war
dog. I am'-this Ia still Didonc barking
-"and could 60 back to the front and
face the Germans II they go on the war
path again, but am too shy to face
company of lovely ladies' You just tell
Mrs. James speyer and Elsie Ferguson
and Billie Burke and the rest of them
plea SO to pin that medal on your breast.
for / am too bashful to let them hang II
around my neck"
This conversation between Col. Bill
and his noble coon dog took place
week ago, when the Colonel informed
Didono that the New York Wonhen's
League for Animals was going to have
4 Memorial Tag Day, with the double
purpose of honoring the four footed he
roes of the war and OF raising money
for the Free Hospital for Animals at
400 Lafayette street and OF supporting
the leagues watering stations for horses.
Dicone approved of the hospital, saying
| that he wished there could have been
pigeons that were wounded in France
but when the Colonel informed him that
! medals were TO be presented to him and
to E1ique, Gen. Organs Belgian police
| dog the mascot Of the Twenty seventh
Division. Didonc fiunked right there.
However, Col. Hayward sat down and
gave Didonc a serious talking to, and he
| really thought he had convinced the dog
that for the sake of charity he ought to
overcome his excessive modesty. He had
! not. Yesterday morning Didonc was
| missing from his accustomed bed: In
deed the blankets were not disturbed.
showing that he had fed the evening be-
| fore. So Col. Hayward came sadly all
1 by himself to the memorial tag day ex-
| ercises at the hospital in the afternoon.
explaining to Mrs. Speyer that Didonc
probably got all fiustered thinking 1t
over till he got to the point where he de-
cided he simply could rot play his part
properly In a society event such as the
presentation was bound to be.
| Flique came, accompanied not by Gen.
| Organ but by an aide de camp. and
made himself very chatty and social with
| Elsie Ferguson and Billie Burke and
Minnie Madden Fiske and the rest of
the notables, He was introduced to
Cesar. the huge ST. Bernard who is rails
ing money for the Free Hospital. and the
two CANNES sat and thumped their tails.
Caesar telling FliQue how brave he
| (Flique) was to risk his life again and
again In the heavy barrage nre bringing
in wounded soldiers. while Flique said
modestly that what he did Vas nothing
| compared to Caesars services In raising
money at Hero Land and the other
allied fairs.
Barring the fact that Cesar lay down
right in the centre aisle. where every
body had to step over him. the two dogs
behaved admirably. except that Fliqus
gave Miss Ferguson's face an unex-
pected bath with his tongue when she
was tying the NJ. ID. S.-medal for dis
tinguished service-around his neck.
The exercises were held in the base
ment. where disabled horses are received
for treatment. and the audience sal
around In the stalls and listened 10 the
| songs and speeches. The Star Span
gied Banner" came first, sung by every
body, and then Mrs. Speyer told little
about the work of the Free Hospital fol-
Animals. which during 1918 treated
$3.50 horses. dogs and cats in the hospi
tai part and ga in the dispensary oil
out patients department She told o.
the great need for watering stations fol
horses during the summer months and
how the eighteen maintained by th'
Women's League for Animals are sur
rounded each OF them. by thirsty horses
all day long, whose drivers not only giv'
them to drink but pour water over then
TO enable them 10 bear the heat
Miss Blanche Bates made a stirrin!
appeal for the horses. telling her hear
ers that they ought to help the haplesl
animals In this country as way o
showing their gratitude to the horses
and dogs who helped to win the war.
Miss Grace G. Drayton. the Campbell
kid lady. drew a picture of a cat anC
one of the original Campbell kids, anC
the pictures were auctioned of by For
est March for SIS apiece.
Mrs. Speyer said the committee coult
not tell yesterday how much money hat
been made by memorial tag day but sh
hoped 1t was a soodly sum.