The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-12-31
CLEyELAND's GIFTS.
A Barn Full of Bric-a-Brac that Puts
Junk Shop to Blush.

A Barn Full of Bric-a-Brac that Puts a
Junk Shop to Blush
ALBANY Special 10 Times-Stsr.l
The qUeerest place in the State is Gov.
ernor Cleveland's barn or store room. Y our
CORR spondent was permitted to visit these
quarters to-day, and stranger collection of
old Junk it would be impossible to find any
where. The barn is substantial structure,
built just back OF the Executive Mausi on,
and during the administration OF more
wealthy Governors it was used for the car
rjages and horses of these WORTHLESS. Gov
ernor Cleveland, however, doesn't keep a
team, and since his election to the Presi-
dsncy the vacant barn has been used TO store
the vast store of miscellaneous presents that
come pouring in from every usrter of the
Union.
Formerly these packages were delivered at
the Executive Chamber on the hill, but as
they kept constantly increasing in number
auo variety, il was found impossible TO re-
ceiye them there, and so kind of union
depot Vas opened in the barn. 1t keeps one
man busy receiving, arranging and shipping
back the packages addressed TO the Presi-
dent-elect. In spite OF the fact that the
greatest care is exercised in finding out who
packages remain unidentified. The Cover
por's orders are that oil presents shall be re-
turned to the sender at once. But as about
half the gifts come anonymously. il is not SO
easy to carry out the instructions.
A clerk was busily marking and sending
sway packages when your correspou dent
called to make a tour of the place, The col
lection of bsId eagles, bicycles, chairs, 6s3ks,
brushes and other bric-s-brac would have
put q junk-shop to blush. Yet there was one
marked difference between the stock in the
Governors barn and the junk-shop-here
every article was bran new. The eagle
flapped his wings doIefully IN his wooden
cage with an air that told plainly it was the
first time he had ever been made q show of,
and two owls stared in q wonderful know
ing way at the expressman who was taking
the things away. Not a speck of dust
dimmed the brightness OF the glittering
bicycle that was promptly going back to
Boston, and the red plush Of comfortable
asrG chair showed its newness through the
thin covering spread over ii.
The only thing that bore traces of wear
was barrel covered with country mud, and
with q number OF openings cut in the slaves,
through which the red and mellow golden
of great New York apples showed. A sec
ond expressmen was unloading half barrel
of cider that had Just arrived, when the
clerk caught him and told him to wait A
careful examination showed it had come
| from Binghamton, n. Y, and without tax
| ing 1t from the wagon, a receipt and bill OF
lsding were made out and the stuff shipped
| back. So il went all day. AS fast as enc
| thing was returned another came in to take
| its place, and the clerk considered himself
| lucky If two articles did not come in place
| of every one sent bsck.
1t is easy to understand how simple conn
| try folks take pleasure in sending little
| tokens of affection to the man they honor
| and respect, and in whose good fortune
| they have bad q part. But why these tokens
SO often take the form OF animals is ques
/ ton that sadly perplexes the poor clerk.
| One man in Brooklyn sends dog, another
| in Maine sends twoowls, third forwards an
| eagle, fourth believes that nothing lesc
| than Maltese Cat will make the President
happy, while fifth hopes 10 win favor by
the presentation of fawn.
| IF this sort of thing continues the barn at
| tscbed to the Executive Mansion will soon
| contain a menagerie which will make 0ul
| BsInum hang his head In shame. The
| PIfsident-elect takes ali good nataredly and
as huge joke. Said he today Laughing
| over the matter: somebody out West,
| don't remember his name just now, sent ma
an eagle the other day. What sm to d.
| with eagle? 1 presume they will bt
sepding me an elephant next" then, mus
ingly, at would be Just az useful as ar
eagle, though"