The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-13
THE POODLE FROM FLANDERS.
How our Portiy President Lost the
Fruits of His Toll.
Corr. New York Tribune.

Corr New York Tribune.
The lively canine wedding present from
Antwerp which lately arrived at the White
House is not only endowed with remarkable
intelligence, but with unfailing exuberance
of spirits. His tail is continually wagging in
the heartiest manner. Mischief is an abid-
ing guest in his bright, restless eyes. From
morn to night the jocund beast has gone
bounding about upstairs, downstairs, through
the Conservatives, in and out of the Execu-
tive Offices, between the legs of Office seekers,
in the reception room, for very joy of being.
Secretary Lamar calls it ''the incarnation of
tine optimistic spirit" and it has become a
great favorite not only with him but with the
other members of the Cabinet. They say
that Mr.. Bayard has had it down to the State
Department and taught it to walk on its hind
legs and catch cracker or the Kelley CORE
spondence Mr.. Whitney is understood to
have presented it with collar of silver fila
gree. 1t has been no uncommon thing if ru-
NOR be correct, for Mr.. Garland to come into
Cabinet meeting carrying brown paper
parcel, containing mutton chop or leg of
a roast chicken designed for its refreshment.
1t is learned on equally good authority that
Mr.. Villas is having harness made for it in
Milwaukee, that Mr.. Endicott has presented
it with string of musical BELLS. and Mr..
Manning with a wicker kennel.
In these circumstances it might be sup
posed that the u Antwerp dog was favored be-
yond most OF its race. But the truth is, I'M
finds it in disgrace. hear that it has been
banished from the White House with as lit
tie ceremony as if it was French Prince,
and that the coachman has received strict or
ders not to let it return until further no.
tice." Meeting an alleged old Buffalo friend
of Mr.. Cleveland's this morning, / asked him
if the rumor about the disgrace of the dog
was correct. At first he was inclined to put
me off, but gradually growing communica-
tive he told me all he knew of the matter.
The evening before-such is his narrative.
he had called at the White House to pay his
respects, and in the course of conversation
he spoke of the dog, remarking that he had
understood it was very playful, and that be-
ing fond of dogs himself, he would like to
see it. What followed can best be given in
the Buffalo mans own language:
"N0 sooner had mentioned the dog than
Growers brOws began to corrugate, so
knew that something was up. But he didn' t
say anything calculated to hurt the dog s
feelings If you'd like to see Rover he re-
marked, rising as he spoke, please come this
way followed, and to my surprise he took
me out of the White House clear down to the
stables. In one of the stalls secured by a
chain big enough to hold bull was the dog.
Well, was surprised to see the animal there
and must have shown my feelings in my face.
However, didn't let on what thought, but
contented myself with patting Rover and ex-
amining his teeth. He's mighty nice dog,
and | told the President so.
"sJim, said the President-he always calls
me Jim, just as | always call him Grover-I
see that you think it queer that I've banished
Rover to the stables with no more ceremony
than if he were French Prince. I'll tell you
how it happened if you'll keep shady about
the matter, for it isn't the sort of thing that
ought to get into the newspapers | nodded
Jim, l rose at o'clock and worked hard and
without interruption in my office in the
White House until shutdown. | had SO We
toes of 50 pension bills to write, and / gave
the day to the onerous task. just as | got
neat package for transmission to Congress,
Rover came bounding into my office. Tom
Bayard had taught him to fetch and carry,
and before could arrest his movements he
grabbed the package and bounded out into
the hall with it. You say, jim, that you've
is-at all events it was. l chased it up and
down the hall, through the Green Room,
through the dining room, through the con-
servatory, but couldn't catch the flyer. The
dog seemed to imagine that | had organized
a chase for its recreation and it evidently en-
tered into the sport with its whole heart 1t
would allow me almost to catch up with it,
then it would bound away like lightning 1t
so happened that was the sole occupant of
the premises at the time, so that 1 had no.
body to help me. The situation, as you see,
jim, was embarrassing. / had no idea of los
ing my hard days work, and Rover evidently
had no idea of letting me have my vetoes.
What to do | didn't know, but | grew
desperate when he lay down and began to
gnaw one end of the package into mince
meat. coaxed him. | stormed at him.
went down stairs and hunted up bone for
him. / tried to intimidate him by hurting
bound copies of the Congressional Record
and other heavy missiles at him. But it was
no use. Apparently he thought ! was mere
ly having some fun with him, and was anX-
ious to convince me that he could take a
joke himself. Finally managed to run him
upstairs into one of the sleeping rooms and
felt that had him. But | was mistaken.
He retreated under the bed, and arming my
self with an umbrella got down on all
tours and tried to swoop him out. But he
got close up in one corner and | couldn't
reach him. Nice position for a President of
the United States to be placed in, wasn't it !?
Think of me lying on the floor and rafting
around under a bed with an umbrella at a
dog that defed me and was eating up my
state papers! Suddenly | thought of my
gun. went out and got it and was about to
give the beast both barrels, when Col. La
mont appeared on the scene and succeeded,
Patent Office aeport and rescuing my vetoes.
But the documents were so mangled that all
| could do was to pitch them into the waste
basket. Do you wonder. Jim, that | gave
orders to have that playful little animal taken
out of the White House? Do you wonder
that l insist upon having him chained up?"
| send this story as it comes to me from
this Buffalonian. That it may be inaccurate
in some of its details is possible. 1t is known
that Col. Lamont denies that he threw a vol
ume of the Patent Office reports at the dog,
and will not admit that he chased him more
than half a mile. Mr.. Bayard declines to say
whether or not he taught the animal to fetch
and carry; if it can be demonstrated that he
did, his retirement from the Cabinet is not
impossible. The fact that Mr.. Cleveland
has taken out license for the dog some
thing that he would scarcely consent to do if
a serious breach existed between the two,
and the further fact that the playful little
thing was seen wagging his tail on the front
steps of the White House this afternoon,
possibly tend to discredit the whole story