The Washington herald., 1909-02-14

About the only visible sign that the
are breaking up housekeeP-
ing is to be found IN the temporary
grand stands now being erected on both
sides OF Pennsylvania avenue IN front q
the White House. says the Washington
correspondent TO the New York Post
From his Office windows Mr. Roosevelt
can see the carpenters at work and hear
the sounds OF their hammers and saws
Another nan. perhaps. might ind these
physical preparations 10 welcome the
coming guest VeaTing on his nerves But
not Mr. Roosevelt His thoughts ara all
OF Africa and the Wild beasts
While the reviewing stands are going
I'd outside the White House the packers
are lust as busy inside All the RooSe-
velt fmpedimenta are being put in pack
ing cases TO be sent 20 Oyster Bay
The rooms used BY the President are be
ing stripped Of boxing gloves. books sin
gle-sticks. stuffed animals and birds.
gymnastic apparatus. original drawings
of newspaper cartoons. and presents OF
one sort OF another from monarchs and
rulers and celebrated perSOnages- The
whole makes an amazing assortment
The President has added 20 his list OF
persouaI possession since he came into
the White House despite his practice OF
refusing gifts from persons he did not
know personally. His books. pictures,
rifles. shotguus, whips, spurs. and sad
dies are nearly ready for shipment
The Presidents Personal Library.
The books that are being taken from
the shelves in the study, just across the
han from the wide stairway. wiz not
Be replaced with copies for the use Of
Mr.. Taft. The Presidents library, the
one he has kept for immediate reference
and reading. has been largely a nature
library. There were essays and histories
and poetry and some fiction on the
shelves. OF course. but most Of the books
Of this kind were kept elsewhere in the
White House. for Mr.. Roosevelt seemed
n faeI that from Burroughs and ThoTeau
and Wilson and Audubon and Frank
Forester he could get something OF the
out5oor life ne craVed while restrained
within the four walls OF q room And so
the nature books were his close COM
panioHs.
The cartoons, and there must be TWEEN
tv-fve or thirty OF them, that have had
places OF prominence on the tops Of the
( low booksneives, may have places equally
I conspicuous in the big room which the
/ President has made his own and which
opens directly from the main hall II the
/ Oyster Bay home. These cartoons are
priced by Mr Roosevelt above many Of
! his more costly belongings They are
among the few presents he has con-
sented to receive
The cartoons are original drawings and
some OF them were sent 10 the President
at his request after he had seen the re-
productions IN the newspapers or maga-
zines. and had been struck by their ar
I tistic worth or By their humor- It Is
perhaps needless 10 say that all OF then
are Roosevelt cartoons, and that al o
them show evidences Of having beer
drawn in a spirit Of admiration Of th'
Presidents endeavor for the 'upiift-
Costly Gifts Refused.
The President has refused 70 receiv'
gifts Of great value since he has CONS
into high Office The meaning is that h
/ has declined gifts Of high intrinsic value
Thugs have been given that money cal
not buy, at least from him. Many au
thors have sent their books with thei
autographs inscribed. These almost in
variably have been taken, and in neaTl,
every case there has been a return gif
Of a copy Of one OF the Roosevelt books
generally The Wilderness Hunter" 70
by this work Mr.. Roosevelt sets nuel
store.
When James Madison succeeded ThOm
as Jefferson as President on March
fsoe. the National Inteliisencer, fei
days before inauguration day, con