The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-04-02
TEDDY AND THE BOYS
The Boys Beat the Old Man at the
Hurdles.

teacher and the president OF the Unit
ed States as one of the pupils a les
son in hurdle jumping which would
have been of interest to almost any
one in the country was given yester-
day in a field beyond Rock Creek.
A jolly group Of hOrSemen, consist
ing of the president, the German IA
~bassador, Capt. F4tzhugh Lee, of the
Seventh Cavalry, military aid TO the
president, the presidents sORs, TheO-
dore and Kermit, and Sergt, Cornelius
McDelmott, of the regular secvic',
the presidents orderly, left the white
house early in the afternoon and gal
loped along the macadam driveway
that twists and turns along Rock
Creek. The party finally came to a
field. where the bars had been erected.
At this stage of the proceedings Baron
Sternburg took command Of the expe-
dition.
Although the president knows a
thing or two about horses, he ac-
knowledges his friend, the German am
bassador, as q master in the field of
! cavalry tactics, and is ever ready to
take lessons that pertains to riding.
The kaiser's representative saw hard
service as a German Hussar in the
Franco-PrusSian war, enlisting as a
! private when only sixteen years old.
He is credited with having given Mr..
Roosevelt many valuable ''pointers'
| when the present chief executive was
organizing his cavalry regiment for
Cuban service. When the two older
Roosevelt boys expressed d desire to
learn all about riding hunters, the
thoughts of the white house occupants
turned with one accOrd to the German
ambassador, who is a prime favorite
with the whole Roosevelt family.
Yesterday the wv sciOns Of the fam
lily had the time of their lives taking
Their lesson. They have already at
tanned considerable efficiency in rid
ing hounds, and their performanc:
on the hurdles was worthy of the sons
Of their father. Two OF the horses
which the party rode were the presi-
dents's own hunters. Roswell and Au-
drey, magnificent animals, both OF
them. Another horse vas that pre-
scented to Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., by
Captain Seth Bullock, of Deadwood, S.
Oak, who rode him at the head OF
the cowboy contingent in the iAaugu-
raj parade. The horse called Gray
Dawn. makes up in ginger and endur-
ance what he lacks in style AMI con
formation.
New cried Baron Sternburg, and
young Theodore went at the hurdle
with a will, his mount clearing it at
a bound. The party pronounced it
"pletty good for a beginning" when
the measure shovel that it was a jump
of four and a half feet. Kermit. not
to be outdone by his brother, also
managel to clear it, to his own evil
lent delight.
III tidy it," said the president,
throwing a leg over Roswell and jam
ming the celebrated SLOUGH hat down
over his ears. Notwithstanding the
presidents weight, Roswell with a SUI
preme effort, managed to top the hur-
die.
Then the German ambassador put
the bar up to FIVE feet and the Ro0se-
Welt boys went at it again. After
one or two balks they finally got over,
while the president and the others
applauded. BY now the president had
his dander thoroughly up, and he in
sisted On trying the fve-foot jump. He
made a brave dash at the hurdle, bu
could not get his mount over. He
tried it again and again, but failed,
much to the delight of the wv young
sters. Finally, he was obliged to &C
knowledge that he was too heavy for
such doings, and gave up.
AS gaily as they went the party re-
turned to the white house, laughing
and joking all the way back.
Kermit Roosevelt left tonight for
Groton, Mass, where he is attending
schOOl.-WashingtOn Post.