Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-26
STUDENTS OF NATURE
Oyster Bay Denizens Adopt a
New Fad.
TO FILL AN ACHING VOID
Two Live Teddy Bears Strike the
Town.
PRESIDENT EsPIED THEM FIRST
Called Family and Watched Perform
ance From the Veranda-Rat Ex-
hibit in Store Window.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
OYSTER BAY. N. Y. July 26.-Having
little else to furnish them excitement since
the President has refused to gallop over
the country or horseback. the villagers
have taken to nature study of late There
fore. when two live Teddy bears struck
the town yesterday the whole population
turned out. Some of the hot headed were
for notifying the President at once and
have him come to the village to watch the
clumsy animals climb poles turn somer-
saults and kiss the d,rt-grimed Italians who
had them in charge.
The Italians. however. knew their bust
ness, Tor after a performance near the
post office they made straight for Saga
more Hill. The bears We're just emerging
over the brow of a hill on Cove road when
the President espied them. He had been
wandering about his grounds probably
Eliminating on nature takers. when he heard
growl, and. looking up. saw the two
shaggy animals come numbering down the
road The Italians were in the background
and the President impulsively darted to-
ward the house with the evident intention
OF getting his trusty rife when he caught
sight of the Italians in the rear.
A shade of disappoir tment passed over
his face as he realized that he could not
add their pelts to his already enormous
collection. Mastering his chagrin, the Pres
| ident brought the rest of his family to the
veranda. and from safe distance they
watched the animals perform out on the
road. The exhibition over. the bears and
the Italians continued their journey over
the hills
Big Rat Catches Flies.
Another exhibition of animal intelligence
could lately be witnessed any morning in
the show window of the Oyster Bay Hard
ware Company. next door to the executive
offices A big rat gave exhibitions there in
fiy-catching. The rodent had become an
adept at the sport. and he could catch a
fly six feet distant at one jump. Several at
tempts were made to capture the rat, but
he easily eluded every effort. Every morn
ing a crowd gathered about the window
and watched his antics.
John HILL who keeps a bakery next door
suggested that such an intelligent rat
should he sent Immediately to the Presi-
dent and. as no one could capture him. John
undertook the job Yesterday morning he
prepared large sheet of fly paper and
laid it in the window. When the rat leaped
for big bluebottle fly it landed square,y
on the sticky paper. 1t was funny to watch
the rodent try to free itself, as it's epdeavors
only entangled 1t the more. Finally the
baker grabbed it by the tail and put it in
wooden box. He says he will send it to
Sycamore Hill.
A Cherry-Colored Cat.
The villagers are of the impression that
anything out of the ordinary in animal life
Is of exceeding interest to their illustrious
neighbor. and they never miss an oppor
tunity to keep him informed of what is
going on in this line.
Not long since. farmer came all the
way from Riverhead with a cat, which he
wanted to give the President.
What is there unusual about that"
asked Doc Summers. suspcously.
WAL. you see, it's cherry-colored. re-
piled the farmer
Its black as the ace OF spades SAID
Doc.
WAL haven't you ever seen black cher-
ries?" the farmer grinned, and the drinks
were on Doc.