The morning times., 1897-03-03
What the Presidents
Did for Diversion


History records the deeds Of the various
Presidents in their official capacity, but
omits to say what they did with their hours
of recreation. Unofficial archives exist,
however, in which the favorite pursuits or
the great men are duly set forth Some OF
them are of nature to shatter the idols
of youthful days. Some are surprising and
some ale natural
Washington, like many OF his country
men who have no other fad or science, liked
to ride after good horse, the faster the
better, though he did not patronize the
race track He had a stock farm OF some
1000 acres at Mount Vernon, on which
he raised thoroughbreds- Hayes was the
only other President in the live stock busi-
ness lie kept chickens. He played 10
billiards, drove no fast horses, and drank
no wine; but in the White II House inclosure
and at his summer home he had his hen
coops and took great comfort thereabouts-
He liked to shop, especially enjoying
the selection Of table waters, and this
pastime and his hens were his only reerea-
ton
Mr.. Cleveland is not the only one to take
his holiday with rod and gun John Adams
was an inveteTate fisherman from the time
he left college. Buchanan used TO slip Off
to the woods now and then with game
bag, and spent his summers in this way.
Mr.. Cleveland combined the two pursuits
in a sagacious manner He has gone after
ducks 100 times in the last four years, and
4 900 ducks have died as a result OF his
skill. No matter If he does go down TO his
tory as the duck hunting President, he has
had the fun.
The agricultural Presidents have been
twO-Madison and Tyler. Madison's hobby
was roses; TyIer's was peaches Madison
went through Princeton in two years, after
which praise worthy achievement his health
forbade his indulging IN violent exercise.
and he took TO gardening Some OF mis- roses
are stfl in existence, the Madison Meadow,
a fragrant climber, being one TyIer's
peaches were famous ands was his planta-
ton, which he ruled with a broad, baroniaT
| sway. The farmers had a better time n
Tyler's administration than other orrice-
| seekers
| John Quincy Adams, though not par
ticularly frivolous in his administration,
was SO fond OF dancing tnat he escaped
| whenever possible from state affairs to
the graceful pleasure % the minuet His
greatest tribuIation, while minister 10 the
1 NGLIGElIEtlS, W dS lHaA LC was lGO HOOE
to return social functions. and hence too
| poor 70 20. Jackson's 5 exercise was OF q
! different nature. He delighted in wrestling
and boxing, and amused himself with
running, even after he had run success
| fully for the highest office in the land
| There We're people who thought him crazy
on account of this enthusiasm, but the
tough old soldiers head was probably
4
| Van Buren, did not care about hunting, or
fishing, or horses, or chickens, or dane
ing, or boxing gloves, but he used TO enjoy
| a long drive now and then, aud the George
| town road was his favOrite-
| Two or three OF the Presidents have
been epicures. Harrison, the grandfather,
was noted for the dinners that he gave
/ His log cabin on the banks OF the Wabash
had something in it besides hog aud
! hoTuiny, and his dinners were heard OF
| as far off as the Pacific coast, which was
| very nearly the end OF the world in those
| days President Arthur was connoisseur
on wines, and prided himself on the ex-
| quisite propriety of his banquets The
| dishes, table linen, and wine glasses were
personally selected by him, and his eIe-
| gance much impressed the European
4 lldfG4tIS EtLtIldlutl.
Monroe was bookworrn He never
| took any vacation, but wrote continuously
| He spent his salary in publishing these
i emanations OF his brain, and when he re-
| tired from the Presidency he was famous
but broke" He is the only literary
fellow" who has been President Lincoln
was not literary, but he loved poetry, and
about the only recreation he took during
ing OF scraps of verse at odd moments.
Lincoln is sometimes called humorist, and
so he was essentially; but the President
whose pasttime was diStinctively humorous
was Zachary Taylor, who loved dearly
to play practical jokes. lie would walk
around the White House grounds, pre-
sunably medltating on state affairs, and
then would cry out, I've got it, I've got
iti'' in a jublant manner. The thing
he had got was a good Joke on the
Commodore OF the Navy,or the Vice Presi-
dent, or some one OF the Cabinet people.
He enjoyed cards, but his Jokes were IN
popular at the card table.
Grant used 10 play billiards. He had to
clear out corner Of the conservatory in
which to play, but he had 4 very good table,
which is still in possession of one OF the
toys, and many Were the houIS spent over
the greencloth driving She ivory balls a bout.
Pierce was a philanth opist on large
scale, as all New Hampshire knows Bis
only son was killed in q IailIoad accident
shortly before Inauguration day, and Pierce
devoted most of his time and great deal
ofmoney to endowin g worthy institutions.
The present inustriOus Harrison does not
s'Sre his grandfather's iondness for epi
curean dinners He loves to commune witt
nature, or did, until a short time ago. Per
haps he loves it even better now that ht
! has some one to assist him in his com
nunion, but it is safe to say that the small
daughter in the ex-PI esident's family will
preclude this interesting occupation for
time.
Nobody knows just what President Nc
Kinley's particular sort of odd time viii
be. He has hitherto found his dearest Joy
in riding atout the country with Mrs Nc
Kinley, and he ais o likes TO IiGe horseback
VIII Have a Very Good Thing.
One of the daughters Of the late Gen
Logan, Mrs. Mary Logan Tucker, is sool
TO come into a snug fortune She and he
son. George Lemon Tucker. inherit two
fifths of the estate OF the late Georg
Z I I,t,f -