The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1907-03-09
WHITE HOUSE PETS
ANIMALS SENT TO PRESIDENT sY
ADMIRING FRIENDS.
Ultimately Find Their Way to the
Geological Park and Become Part
Of Great National Collection
-Jackrabbit Chase.

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
! menagerie and the grounds sur
rounding it into a geological park.
All the presidents, back to Washing
| ton himself, have had gifts showered
| upon them, and it was not unusual for
these gifts to assume the shape of
wild or domestic animal But it was
not until the present occupants came
ITO the White house that the custom
| of making presents of this character
began to assume extensive proper
| lions. This is due, probably, to the
presidents known love of everything
pertaining to natural history, and to
the further fact that he is 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
H.
there to become a 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
cinnamon cub bear. A small lion has
also been received. The arrival Of
the opossum, raccoon, or even a 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 a permanent
fixture in the presidents household.
A parrot of the Mexican double yell
low head variety is pet of which all
the Roosevelt children are fond. It is
an exceptionally intelligent bird, and
pronounces distinctly the names of
It has been at the White House for
several years, and was especially fond
of Mrs. Longworth, when she was a
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 been
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 their
training on the plains of the Sunf1ower
state stood them WE'LL and they left
their pursuers practically at the post
Reaching G street, at Twelfth, they
separated, one going east and the
other west, both through busy and
crowded thoroughfares.
Newsboys and messenger boys
joined in the exciting chase after the
rabbits, and for a time business I'm
that vicinity was practically at
standstill. Both animals were large
specimens, and as they spread out
their long limbs many thought they
were young deer.
One of the rabbits was captured at
distance of more than two miles.
The other took refuge in the White
House grounds, where it remained for
several days, affording an opportunity
for several hunting expeditions on the
part of the Roosevelt boys.
AS means of capturing this rabbit
its mate was taken to the White
House grounds and turned loose, and IT.
is said both are still there, Mr.. Schn1fd
having decided, on request of repre-
sentatives of the president, not TO
modest them further.
Recent additions to the family of
pets at the White House are two An
CORA cats. These were left to Presf-
dent Roosevelt by the will of New
York woman, who also made him ex.
ecutor of her estate. The property
was turned over by the president to
the woman's relatives, and, as they
did not care for the Angora cats, they
were given place in the household
of the first family of the land.
The Roosevelt children also have as
pets several guinea pigs, but it is their
dogs and ponies that give them the
I. most pleasure One of the dogs, Skip.
was presented to Archibald while he
was hunting bear and other big game
in the Dakotas. The other dogs are
Rolla, big St. Bernard, and Sailor
| Boy, retriever.
Too Much Simplified.
!. Members of the house in Washing
II IL. L. u