The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-22
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

A desire to see the President is mani
tested by all of the hundreds of sight
seers and others who daily visit the
White House 1t exists among the chill
dren as we'll as adults. But the Presi-
dent is a very busy man. and II he were
personally to receive all callers he would
have little or no time to devote to the
affairs of his office. One day recently two
children. a boy of five and a girl of six
were waiting with their parents in the
room which leads to the Presidents pri-
vate office. Outside the door to the Presi-
dents room there is a wooden screen door
with about eighteen inches of space at
the bottom To it is attached a spring, so
that 1t is always closed even when the
main door is open. as 1t happened to be
for a time when the two youngsters
stood before it. At first they tried to
turn the Stats and peer through and see
the President but in this they were un-
successful. Finally the boy. with child
ish genius. discovered the aperture at the
bottom, and quickly took advantage of
the opportunity it afforded
Come. Rose: get down here just like
me and you can see him." he whispered
20 the girl.
Rose accepted the suggestion and both,
down on their hands and knees,
peeped beneath the door into the room be-
yond. A moment later the screen door
was pushed half open. and a pleasant
voice said:
Come in. children"
For an instant they were amazed, but
soon scampered to their feet and ac-
cepted the invitation. The President, from
his desk at the opposite side of the room.
had seen the two little round faces look
ing at him from beneath the door, and
leaving his chair and a Senator sitting
beside him. had gone to admit the little
ones. Socn they emerged, each with
fragrant pink carnation, and announced
to their astonished parents that they had
been in to see the President.
The date for the ceremonies of laying
the cornerstone of the Carnegie Library
has been fixed for April "a Invitations
have been sent to the members of the
Library Committee and the Board of
Trustees. The intention is to make the
ceremonies as informal and unostenta-
tious as possible, reserving all the speech
making for the day when the building
will be opened to the public ii list of
things which will be put in the corner
stone is being prepared Among the ar
ticles to be deposited are several medals.
notably the inaugural and the Capital
Centennial medals. and coins OF this
years date. Congressional documents and
newspaper clippings regarding the history
and growth of the institution will also be
included.
This season of the year is a profitable
one for the dusky 'yarb' man. He makes
his rounds through the departments, with
his basket on his arm, and coins money.
This is the time when people are in the
habit of taking spring medicine because
they think they need it. The .yarb' man
has dug and delved, and searched the
just budding forests for his wares, and
he comes especially prepared with sassa-
fras root. His basket is Overlooking with
bundles of the little red slips The ven
der declares hat there is no better spring
medicine kno than sassafras. He has
other medicines to offer such as caamus,
and mullen, and a dozen more or less
well-knOwn products of the fields. The
''vuodoo doctor has gone. but the man
with the basket on his arm and YARDS
to sell has taken his place.
The Waterman who guards the western
entrance to the Treasury is seriously
thinking of having a placard printed
bearing the words: This is a magnolia
tree" Just outside the western door is a
magnolia in fun bloom, which presents
one of the most attractive sights in the
CITY Those who visit the Treasury have
a habit of asking what the beautiful bios
SONS sre, as a majority of them are not
accustomed to the magnolia. The door
keeper is noted as being one of the most
courteous men in the department. but
even his patience has a limit and the
tree may yet bear a printed sign.
The excursions of the public school
teachers and their classes TO the Zoo be-
gan last week, and will be continued until
vacation time These trips mingle pleas
ure with practical instruction in natural
history, and are very popular. Within a
day or two after a visit each scholar Is re-
quired to write compositions upon what he
or she saw. Some of these are very anus
ing, and the ideas of the children are
unique. One teacher has in her possession
a eulogy on the elephant, written by an
scholar after a visit to the
Zoo. The composition states that the ele-
plant grows in hot countries where CO.
coanuts are" 1t is further related that
THE elephant is to ride on" and the state
ment that the elephant is IA large and
useful animal is repeated four times.
The composition closes with the following:
Once a tailor stuck a needle in an ele-
phant. and years after the elephant soaked
his house with water for him