The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-09-12
PRESIDENTIAL PLAY.
Sports and Amusements Of the
Nations Rulers.
Famons Game Preserve Near the
National Capitol

tnat he goes on his more important
shooting or fishing expeditions. He
usually does his cunning on the
shores of the Potomac river and Ches- |
apeake Bay. He likes duck shooting. |
His trips sometimes last week, and |
during part of ta,t time he may be
inaccessible by mail or telegraph.
His hunting gsound is substantially
the same that Benjamin Harrison used,
and constitutes what may be termed
the great presidential game preserve.
It lies south of Washington and takes
in the Potomac river and Chesapeake
bay to the sea. The game includes
wild ducks (among which are canvas
backs), quail, pheasants and snipe, and
occasionally wild turkeys. If presi-
dent is true fisherman and will fish
with only the rod and reel, he
may go upon the outskirts of the
presidential preserve and find streams
where trout are tolerably numerous.
From the beginning of the govern
ment presidents have used these
grounds for their exploits with rod and
gun. General Washington, living at
Mount Vernon, knew every inch of
the land for miles up and down the
river. In his younger days he was
thorough sportsman, but after he be-
came president there is no record of
his shooting or fishing.
President Harrison was good shot.
he could undergo unusual fatigue and
hardship, and even shot ducks from
sink box, which, as every sportsman
knows, is a very uncomfortable thing
to do. He never rode horseback, and
for field sports he had no taste what
ever.
When President Cleveland goes to
the seashore he does not indulge in
swimming, although some of his pre-
decessors have been very tolerable
swimmers. John Quincy Adams, next
to Benjamin Franklin, was the great
est of swimmers among public men.
In winter, when he was President, he
used to take long, solitary walks up
Pennsylvania avenue and around by
the Capitol every morning before day
light, returning to the White House
just as the day was dawning. In sum-
mer his walk was in the opposite di-
rection. Going up above George
town, he would there undress and
plunge into the Potomac for swim
President Arthur was about the last
president who took complete vaca-
ton. One summer he and General
Phil Sheridan went out to the Yellow
stone region. They camped out,
hunted and fished, and were often @
hundred miles from civilization. This
was his only prolonged vacation. He
was, however very fond of taking
short fishing trips. He handled hi:
rod well and loved angling for bass
and trout. Among fishing president'
he ranks first. When he was on on,
of his official trips in the South, {
fishing club at Louisville presented
him with beautiful rod with German
silver reel, on which were engraved
liza Walton's famous words about hi
love for all good fishermen as gentle
kindly race OF men. 1t is doubtful
whether he ever received gift tha
pleased him more than this. His pre-
decessor, Garfield, could shoot toler
ably, but never fished. General Gar
field was a boy in his love for othe
sports For some years the old Ma
tional Baseball Club boosted of hin
as one of its honorary members. H
was a constant attendant at the games
and knew the players personally, ant
he used to play himself sometime
when he was on the farm at Mentor
He was billiard player also, ant
when he came into the White Hons
the billiard room in the basement
which had fallen into neglect and ha,
not been used for several administra
tions, was renovated and a new tabl
was put in. Here he used to pla
nearly every afternoon. He was q
excellent horseman.
All the earlier presidents wer
horseback riders. Horseback ridin
afforded an easier way of travelin
than stage coach, for the roads wer
almost universally bad, and the coach
es were built without much regard
the passengers comfort. Washingto
was undoubtedly the best rider anon
the presidents, and he enjoyed the eS