Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-01-13
cIEvE1AND's GIFTS.
A Barn Full Of Bric-a-Brao That
Puts a Junk Shop to Blush.
ALBANY N. W spec!al Times .star.l

ALBANY tN.Y.) Special Times .star.]
The queerest place in the State is
Gov. Cleveland's barn or store-room.
Your correspondent was permitted to
visit these quarters to-day, and
stranger collection of old junk II
would be impossible to find anywhere.
The barn is q substantial structure,
built just back of the Executive Man
sion, and during the administration
of more wealthy Governors it was
used for carriages and horses of these
worthless. Governor Cleveland, how
ever, doesn't keep team, and since
his election to the Presidency the va
cant barn has been used to store the
vast store of miscellaneous presents
that come pouring in from every
quarter Of the Udion.
Formerly these packages were de-
livered at the Executive chamber on
the hill, but as they kept constantly
increasing in number and variety, it
was found impossible to receive them
there, and so kind of union depot
was opened in the barn. 1t keeps
one man busy receiving, arranging
and shipping back the packages ad-
dressed TO the President-elect. In
spite of the fact that the greatest care
Is exercised in finding out who sends
the stuff and his address, many of
the packages remain unidentified.
The Governors orders are that all
presents shall be returned to the
sender at once. But as about half
the gifts come anonymously, it is not
so easy 10 carry out the instructions.
A clerk was busy marking and
sending away packages when your
correspondent called to make a tour
Of the palace. The collection of bald
eagles, bycicles, chairs, desks, brushes
and other bric-a-brac would have
put a 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 new. The eagle tapped his
wings dolefully in his wooden cage
with an air that told plainly it was
the first time he had ever been made
show of, and two owls stared in
wonderfully knowing way. Not
speck of dust dimmed the brightness
of the glittering byciclc that was
going back 10 Boston, and the red
plush of a comfortable armchair
showed its newness through the thin
covering spread over 1t.
The only thing that bore traces of
wear was barrel covered with
country mud, and with a number of
openings cut in the slaves, through
which the red and mellow golden
of great New York apples showed.
A second expressman was unloading
half barrel of cider that had Just ar
rived, when the clerk caught him
and told him to wait. A careful ex-
animation showed it had come from
Binghamton, N. Y, and without
taking il from the wagon, a receipt
and bill of landing were made out
and the stuff shipped back. So it
went all day. As fast as one thing
was returned another came in to
take its place, and the clerk consid-
cred himself lucky if two articles did
not come in place Of every one sent
back.
1t is easy to understand how sim
pie country folks take pleasure in
sending little tokens of affection to
the man they honor and respect and
in whose good fortune they have had
part. But why these tokens 30
often sadly perplexes the poor clerk.
One man in Brooklyn sends a dog,
another in Maine sends two owls, a
third forwards an eagle. Maltese cat
will make the President happy, while
fifth hopes to win favor by the pre-
sentation of a fawn.
If this sort of thing continues the
barn attached to the Executive Man
sion will soon contain a menagerie
which will make our Barnum hang
his head In shame. The President
elect takes 1t all good. naturedly and
as a huge joke. Said he to-day,
laughing over the matter: "Somc-
body out West, l don't remember his
name just now, sent me an eagle the
other day. What am l to do with an
eagle2 Ipresume they will be send
ing me an elephant next" then mus
ingly, ale would be just as useful as
an eagle, though"
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