Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-15
PRESIDENTS VACATION.
How Roosevelt Is Spending the
Summer at Oyster Bay.
HORSEBACK RIDING A GREAT FAD.

Conditions May Belle Plays Ten
mis- With His Children and Delights
to ROmp with Them-SingIestick
Exercises Also Practiced.
President Roosevelt's vacation this
year will be one of most rigorous train
| ing. He realizes that he is putting on
flesh too fast and will devote the sum-
mer months TO exercising. On his re-
cent western trip he added not less
than twenty-five pounds to his weight,
and it was very noticeable to his neigh
bors upon his return to Oyster Bay,
n. Y, few days ago, says the New
York World.
Ever since his return he has been liv-
ing the same as a boat crew at the
training table. Everything that tends
to add flesh is tabooed. The president
is very fond of sweets, and these have
been cut off. He is hearty eater and.
while not fasting. is eating sparingly,
and all farinaceous foods are omitted
from his meals.
Horseback riding is one of the presi-
dents greatest fads. He finds that 1t
tends to reduce his weight, and as a
result he goes daily for a ride along
the various shady roads near Saga
more hill The president does not like
to jog along the roads. He rides like a
trooper, and when he starts it Is al
ways with the intention OF making a
good, hard run of it before he returns.
The rides usually begin with a slow
trot, which is followed by a gallop, and
when the horse is thoroughly warmed
up he is urged into a hard run.
The president is n good deal of
Joker on his horseback rides. When
he is tearing along the roads on Blei-
stein or Wyoming, his two favorite
horses, he will suddenly pull up and
wait for the remainder of his party to
come up with him. With yell that he
learned while Cow punching" In the
west the president will wave his wide
brimmed sombrero and start on an
other run. This usually results in the
horses of the remainder of the party
attempting to overtake him, much to
the discontinue of the riders.
On the return to Sycamore hill the
presidents mount is usually steaming.
When near his home the president
comes in on a dignified jog trot. Blei-
stein has gait known as fox trot,"
which is one of the easiest known to
riders. The new horse Wyoming is
also we'll gated. Wyoming IS still
little strange to the Long Island roads
and is not being ridden as much as
Bleistein.
Lawn tennis is another of the less
strenuous exercises of the president
by which he expects to reduce his
weight and get himself in good condi-
ton before he is compelled to return
to Washington at the end Of the sum-
mer. He usually plays this with the
children shortly after luncheon.
The keenest rivalry exists among
them as to the best sets played with
their father. Little Miss Ethel is a
favorite partner of the president in
this game. Teddy junior and Archie
have beaten their father at the game.
but seldom. The president does not
like to be beaten. The president places
some very difficult back court strokes.
His "sIicing" in serving completely
fools the children, but they are getting
on to his plays and the games are not
nearly so one sided as during last
summer
The president plays without a coat
or hat and wears low shoes. The chill
dren are expert enough to keep their
father pretty busy, and after few
turns he is dripping perspiration. The
president is willing to play tennis with
almost any one who is expert. Visitors
are asked if they can play, and IL so
games are arranged on the spot.
General Leonard Wood formerly
military governor of Cuba. taught the
president many of the setting up ex-
ercises used in the army. The presi-
dent is a devotee of exercising without
apparatus. He does not like the idea
of pulling weights, wands and dumb
bells. He does not practice the setting
up exercises publicly. They are al
ways done in the privacy of his home
and are never witnessed by any one
save the immediate family.
Teddy Junior and Archie are being
taught singlestick exercises by the
president. who is not an adept in their
use yet, but manages to put in consid-
cradle time and incidentally take off
few pounds n week at the exercise.
The broadsword will come next. This
is the hardest kind of exercise, and it
is possible some of the intimates of the
president III Illc W III NC dohCO W
Oyster Bay and the president will en-
JOY few bouts before he goes away.
Since his arrival at Oyster Bay the
president has been an early riser. He
is always up at 7:30 o'clock in the
morning, and after a tub and little
exercise is ready for breakfast. which
is over before o'clock. After break
fast the president reads the newspa-
pers and talks with his secretary. DC
casionally he devotes an hour to his
mail. Then there is tennis or the in
evitabIe horseback ride. The president
will not miss his ride, no matter what
the weather conditions may be. The
first ride is finished just in time for
luncheon, which is served between l 30
and 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Aft
err luncheon, when the president has
visitors no talks with them until about