New-York tribune., 1907-05-28
PRESIDENT IN A STORM.
Il TROUGH RIDING" TRIP.
Drenched and Mud Bespattered ON
ViSit to Mount Vernon.

| Washington May ga badly mud bespat-
| tered party, at the head of which was President
Roosevelt, got off car Of the Washington, Alex
| andria < Mount Vernon Electric Railway here
| shortly before o'clock this afternoon. They
| had been on a visit to Mount Vernon. part OF
| the trip being by horseback, and had been
| caught in a heavy shower. AS the result Of the
storm the roads were in fearful condition and as
| the riders proceeded they splashed from
! head 10 foot with mud. The other members OF
| the party besides the President were Mrs.
Roosevelt, Miss Ethel Roosevelt, Postmaster
| General Meyer and Captain Fitzhugh Lee. one
! Of the Presidents military aids. The clothing
of the entire party was drenched. The trip in
many respects Rough Riding" one.
| The President has explored on horseback much
of the country about Washington lying north Of
| the Potomac River. He has also made occa-
| sional trips the river west of Washing
| ton in the neighborhood of Chain Bridge the
Aqueduct Bridge and various other places. He
was anxious. however, to make the longer trip
| to Mount Vernon and planned to-day's excursion
| several days ago
The day broke cloudy and heavy but by 10
o'clock the began to shine dIrnly through
| the clouds and the prospects seemed good for
| fair weather. The party accordingly started at
| II O'Clock. The distance from Washington to
| Mount Vernon is sixteen miles. The trip to
Alexandria made by trolley in half an hour.
| AT the city's outskirts the Presidents orderly,
| McDermott, was waiting for the party with five
| good saddle horses. 1t took only few min
utes for them to mount and get Off
| They had cantered along the road only few
| miles. however. when severe storm overlook
| them. They did not have time to find shelter
| before all of them got drenched almost TO the
| skin. Finally they an unoccupied farm
house by the roadside and sought shelter under
| -tO at gor hole
| ering in tho outbuildings was found for the
| horses There was a remarkably heavy down.
pour OF rain accompanied by vivid flashes Of
| lightning and peals of thunder
| Rain was still falling lightly when the party
| resumed the trip 10 Mount Vernon. which was
reached about o'clock. almost an hour behind
| schedule time. Here Colonel Dodge, the super
| intendent of the grounds gave them a cordial
| welcome showed them over the grounds. about
| two thousand acres in all. through tho mansion
and the various buildings. and pointed out to
| them the Fairfax estate in the distance There
| We're number OF visitors at Mount Vernon and
| the President shook hands with them. Luncheon
was served in the old house used as a kitchen on
state occasions in Colonial times but now occu-
| pied n dining room. Colonel Dodge was one
| OF tho party at luncheon.
| Tho travellers were ready to return 20 Wash
ington at $50 o'clock. but again rain set in and
| delayed tnein Htteen minutes Then the sun
shone again and the party set OF for Wash
| ingtou.
| The ride up to Alexandria was slippery and
| muddy" said one of the party tonight. but
| there were no mishaps and we had the bright
| sunlight with us al the way up TO Washington"
| At Alexandria number OF persons were as
| sembled and the President bowed his acknowl-
| edgements There the party boarded the special
car for the remaining seven miles.
President Roosevelt the first to alight
| from the car when it reached Washington He
and Mrs. Roosevelt and Miss Ethel at once went
| 10 the White House, where the President re-
sumed his work at the executive offices. He
showed every evidence OF having thoroughly
entoyed his outing