The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-21
Eighty-Nine Dogs Shipped Back to the Send
erS, and Bushels of Embroidered Hat
Bands Sold for Rags and Waste Paper.
Little Stories Showing that 1t Is Unsafe
to Judge Men by Their Looks.
Judge Reagans Youthful Sprightliness and
Interesting Career-The Luck of Mr.. Wiki
ins-0ther Washington Items.
He Is Modest and Charitable, and Declines
All Gifts Except Canes.

All GIFTS Except Canes.
Special to the Indianapolis Journai.
WASHINGTON, March 2O-"Do you know"
said friend of the President to me, the other
day, that Grover Cleveland s the strangest
man in America in regard to receiving presents9
Ever since have known him, and it has been
long time, dating back to the time when he was
young man, unknown even in Buffalo. where
he lived, he seemed to have dread of having to
accept gift. Even when his clients paid him
his fee he sometimes remarked that he was
afraid he had not earned it. That is one Of the
reasons, think, he is working so hard now. be-
cause he is afraid some one will say he is not
earning his salary. He believes in the Bible
teaching that Tt is more blessed to give than to
receive Have you noticed how often he has
declined giftsl
Il could tell you numerous little instances
whore he has practced what the Bible teaches.
Cleveland is such modest man in regard to his
own doings that he hates any one TO tell about
his deeds of charity, yet he is charitable. You
have no idea of the number of letters ne gets
from beggars-yes, l call them by that name
because they are no better than those we
meet on the street, except that they use pen and
paper rather than sit on the curbstone with
tears and an outstretched hand. Mr.. Cleveland
often, when he is tired of his days work. goes
into Colonel Lamont's room and picks up pile
of assorted letters. He reads them for recrea-
tion. The letters are usually peculiar ones,
selected either for future use or for the Presi.
dents perusal. He often comes across
begging letter, and / have known him to sit
down, after reading touching appeal, and dash
fox vordc af thxyo md c1; hau MI.
note between the leaves of the paper, fold it.
and direct the envelope Is he often fooledl
Yes expect he is imposed upon much by
beeears as he is by politicians, and you know
that is often.
Talking about his refusing gifts, remem-
ber at Albany. just after his election, what
time he had. He refused everything. Why. he
actually had to employ a man especially to work
in repackng the gifts sent him from all over the
country. You will hardly believe it. but from
November to March he had eighty-nine dogs
sent him. Cleveland is fond of dogs, but he
made it rule never to see one of the gifts Az
soon as they arrived they were sent to the stable
of the executive mansion, and the professional
packer reshipped them. One day Mr.. Cleveland
happened to be in the yard when an express
wagon arrived with dog It was a splendid
Newfoundland, l can tell you When Cleveland
saw him he looked longngly at the shaggy,
black creature, as if to say: How would like
to keep you, but he passed on, and the dog was
sent back whence he came. During that time
he received no less than six eagles,
splendid birds, but they were all sent
back. Mr.. Cleveland always sent everything
back that could be returned, but there was one
thing he could not return-they were embroid-
cred hat-bands. Why, do not exagerate in the
least when say he received as many as bushel
basket full in day. have often seen, at even.
bushel basket full of these things in the IL
brary of the executive mansion at Albany.
What did he do with them2 He never saw
them; they were carried out by the servants and
sold for waste paper or rags often used
to think how many hours had
been wasted by fair hands In
marking the ''G. c." on these hat bands. I was
mistaken when said he returned everything.
He did keep gft-canes Mr. Cleveland has
the finest set of canes of any man in the world.
He had cabinet made for them. There are
ninety-six in ALL and such beauties. He re.
ceiyes large number voted to him from fairs
all over the country. He has over twenty five
gold dheaded ones, number of them very hand
some
Cleveland has no pets at the White House,
and his well known trait of returning all pres
snts has stopped to a certain extent, his being
bothered by receiving any. If, however, one
does stray into the White House it generally
goes back the way it came before he sees it. His
orders are TO this effect.