The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-05-24


Presidents favorites but has not q.
urcd much with the tennis racquc
lie occasionally goes riding with III
President, however, and, before his =,
cent departure for the Fathcrlaud, fr,
quently rode out into the country wit
the President and the Roosevelt boys
who are learning to jump high fence
on horseback. Their instructor In thi
was the Ambassador, who is light o
weight and an excellent horscman.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., has been oc
cupying the White House tennis cour
in recent days more than his father
The lad has been home from Harvard
on vacation and almost every after
noon for a time invited in some of hi
young friends here in the city for ;
game. Miss Hagner, who is Mrs. Roose
welt s social secretary, has also ha,
possession of the court on occasiona
afternoons and has given some strenu
Gus exhibitions of tennis.
The court is kept in the best of con
dition and is carefully screened from
the public eye. 1t is laid out close
to the White House offices on the
south, so that the players sometimes
go out and come in through the win.
dows of either Secretary Loeb g Office
or of the President g private office
1t is very convenient, for if Secretary
Loeb has matter of pressing i'm
portance, he simply raises the window
and walks out upon the court to the
President. Such things, however, are
of rare occurrence. The President does
not like to be interrupted at his play
unless there is good reason for it.
A tall screen of blue material, pune.
tured with holes to let the wind
through, is erected on the end next
executive avenue, which passes be-
tween the White House grounds and
the State, War and Navy building.
There is another similar screen on the
east end of the court. These screens
also keep the. tennis balls from get
ting beyond immediate reach. On the
south of the court are the private
grounds of the White House and fat
policeman is generally there to pre-
vent intrusions. Visitors to Secretary
Loeb's offices and clerks high up in
the Navy Department are about the
only spectators of these presidential
games. The Navy clerks are especial
ly favored in that regard and know
more about the quality of tennis on
the White House court than any other
persons, except the players themselves.
The fate of this fine tennis court,
which is certain to be featured in
the history of the Republic, will be a
matter of interest when the Roose-
velts leave the White House. No one
of the candidates for the Presidency
in either of the big parties has pen
chant for tennis or other strenuous ex-
ercise and likely enough the court will
be dug up and the place grassed over,
unless the next occupant of the White
House is willing to keep it up for the
pleasure of friends or as a memento of
the strenuosity of his predecessor.
Some of the President IS tennis com
oanions share his other sports. Sec
'etary Garfield, for instance, often goes
IN the long cross country walks with
that begin over in Virginia |
n from some other distant point that
he President and his companions usual |
y reach by horseback or in carriages |
For the Presidents friends have dis
'uaded him from appearing much upon
he streets of Washington, except at
times and in unexpected
faces. 1t has often been said that
he President can go with safety al
lost anywhere that any other citizen
an go, provided his going is not her
lded in advance. But if it was his
ustom when starting on an afternoon
ide to proceed up 18th street, as he
sed to do when he first became Presi-
ent. anyone who meditated harm could
asily watch for him on that thorough
are. Hence in more recent times,
hen the President wants to go horse
ack riding or walking in the country,
Q rides in carriage to some point
lst outside the city and begins his
xercise from there.
Two cabinet officers have been his
orseback companions u great deal
eeretary of State Root and Secretary
War Taft. The latter is man of
reat avoirdupois and one would think
ould not enjoy equestrian exercise. On
he contrary Secretary Taft is a good
orseman and gets lot of pleasure out
riding into the country on good
teed The President Is favorite horse.
ack companion among cabinet officers,
owever, is Secretary Root. 1t was
rinted in some of the newspapers not
ing ago that the President had dis
)ntinued his rides with Secretary
a. -.