St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-03-16
WHITE HOUSE PETS
ANIMALS SENT TO PRESIDENT eY
ADMIRING FRIENDS.
Ultimately Find Their Way to the
Geological Park and Become Part
of Great National Collection
-Jackrabbit Chase.

II all the animals and birds which
have been sent by admiring friends as
gifts to the president and members of
his family had been allowed to remain
at the White House that historic old
structure might easily be turned into
q menagerie and the grounds sur
rounding 1t into geological park.
All the presidents, back to Washing.
ton himself, have had gifts showered
upon them, and 1t was not unusual for
these gifts to assume the shape of a
wild or domestic animal But it was
not until the present occupants came !
TO the White house that the custom |
OF making presents of this character
hegan to assume extensive proper |
ions. This is due, probably, to the |
presidents known love of everything
pertaining to natural history, and to
the further fact that he Is a great
hunter. His bent in this direction is
handed down to his children.
The gifts to the White House in re-
cent years include almost every Amer
lean small animal capable Of being do
mesticated. With few exceptions they
have been sent to the geological park,
there to become part of the great
national collection.
Gifts of animals from friends in for
eign countries are not at all infre-
quent Only recently the president
received from King Menelik of Abys-
sinia an Arabian zebra and two os-
triches. These can now be seen at
the geological park, where they have
attracted wide attention.
The variety of American animals
ranges from white rats and mice to a
cinnamon cub bear. A small lion has
also been received. The arrival Of
the opossum, raccoon, or even cat or
dog, fails OF create more than passing
interest among the younger members
of the presidential family
Probably the most commented upon
animal at the White House is the
house cat, Slippers. She is different
from ordinary cats in that she has six
toes. Slippers is now permanent
fixture in the presidents household.
A parrot of the Mexican double yell
low head variety Is a pet Of which all
the Roosevelt children are fond. 1t is
an exceptionally intelligent bird, and
pronounces distinctly the names OF
the different members of the family.
1t has been at the White House for
several years, and was especially fond
of Mrs Longworth, when she was
girl there. Its voice, shouting Alice,
alice" Alice" could frequently be
heard ringing through the Railways.
The story of how two Kansas jack
rabbits found their way to the White
House is interesting. They had beer
brought here from the west by E. S
Schmid. One day, while being fed
they escaped from their cage.
A wild scramble was made to cap
ture them by the attendants, but thell
training on the plains of the Sunfiowe
state stood them well, and they lef
their pursuers practically at the post
Reaching street, at Twelfth, the!
separated, one going east and TN
other west, both through busy ant
crowded thoroughfares.
Newsboys and messenger boy
ioined in the exciting chase after tn
rabbits. and for time business Il
that vicinity was practically at
s+andstill. Both animals were larg
sneeimens. and as they spread GU
their long limbs many thought the
were young deer.
One of the rabbits was captured
a distance Of more than two miles
THE other took refuge in the Whlt
House grounds, where it remained 10
several DAYS, affording an opportunit
for several hunting expeditions on tn
mart of the Roosevelt boys.
AZ a means of capturing this rabo
~ mate was taken to the Whit
Horsa grounds and turned loose, and
: said both are still there, Mr.. Schml
having decided, on request OF repr
sentatives of the president not
modest them further.
Recent additions to the family
nets at the White House are two a
40 cats. These were left to Pres
3 sont roosevelt by the will OF Ne
vnrlr woman. who also made him
s,,tor Of her estate. The proper
was turned over by the president
the woman's relatives, and, as thu
ala not care for the Angora CATS tht
$50 GIVEN a place in the househo
~ the first family of the land.
Tho Roosevelt children also have
.ots several guinea pigs, but it Is the
sogs and ponies that give them Z
most pleasure. One Of the dogs SKI
was presented to Archibald while
m m hunting bear and other big gar
~ the Dakotas. The other dogs
po,la a big st. Bernard, and Sail
Boy, a retriever