Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-16
Willy WOMAN WON
She Made Up Her Mind to Get
That News, and She Got 1t.

In clearing the ground for some I'M
provements in Potomac park in Wash
ington the contractor some time ago
removed a stone that for nearly cen
fury was quaint landmark in the ma
tional capital. 1t is called the Anne
Royal stone and lay on the bank
of the river just opposite tie White
House. about twenty feet back from
the waters edge. at the top of grass
covered knoll.
1t was on this stone that Anne Roy
all sat when she had her famous inter
view with President John Quincy Ad
ams-at least. so runs the story that
has been handed down for three gen.
erations by the inhabitants of Wash
ington.
And. according TO that story. it would
appear that the good lady for whom
the stone was named was not only
person OF energy, but was endowed
with considerable grim determination
as well. She evidently had a good
strong will of her own and an active
mind of her own, and when these two
started to work in concert in deadly
earnest results were bound to follow.
Whether the good lady's sense Of hu-
NOR was cramped or extensive the
reader must determine for himself.
Anne Royal was in n sort the mother
Of modern journalism. She was the
originator of the Interview She first.
in the little sheet that she published
in Washington in the second and third
decades OF the last century, departed
from the dry forms that had always
characterized newspapers.
She did not confine herself TO a mere
summary Of current happenings. even
spiced with careful essays on abstract
subjects. after the manner of Steele
or Addison. She struck firmly the per
sonal note" She wrote and printed
things about public men as they were
in their daily lives-an innovation the
startling effect of which we cannot re-
| alize today. Her paper was called the
Washington Paul Pry and afterward
the Huntress.
During the administration of John
| Quincy Adams congress passed q Ger,
tain bill, the signing or veto of which
by the president was a matter of in.
tense public interest In those days
! the interview of the president by a
newspaper man was unheard of. and
no one had the temerity to ask Mr.
Adams what 'le would do in the matter
! But there was one exception among
/ the timorous journalists OF that day
1t was Anne Royal. She dared to ap
ply at the White House for confer
ence with the president. the avowed
object Of which was to learn from him
his intentions concerning the bill.
Poor Anne. however, was kept at g
discouraging distance. Day after day
| she waylaid the president, only to be
foiled by his attendants. But she die
not grow discouraged. She learned
that every morning. Immediately aftel
rising. the president walked TO thu
bank of the Potomac. some half mile
in the rear of the White House, anC
there. after taking of his clothes
plunged into the stream for a swim
One morning when the president
after swimming far out into the stream
turned to make his way back toward
the shore he was astonished to see
sitting upon his clothing. which he haC
left upon a stone on the bank. q spec
tacIed female with look of great de
termination. 1t was Anne Royal. anC
beside her were a pen and bottle o
ink, and in her hand was sheet O
paper.
Woman, depart sputtered tn
president as he swan up into the shall
lows where he could touch the bottom
a-tiptoe.
You know who I am. Mr.. Presi
dent" said the woman. and you know
what l want. I'm going to sit her
until you tell me what you intend do
ing with that Cherokee Indian bill"
Go away, woman shouted tn
president. This is scandalous"'
Its scandaIous." Anne is reporte,
to have said that the people of a fire.
country have to resort to such extrem
measures to find out what their serv
ants arc going to do. You give me tn
informa ton that am entitled to: the
I'll give you your clothes. Otherwis
I'll stay herc-and you'll stay there"
There was only one outcome TO sue
a struggle. The shivering presiden
told Anne what he expected to do an
why he would do it. Then. and DC
until then. did Anne, armed with cop
GUS notes. rise from the stone that sh
had made famous and hasten to he
/
no time in getting that first and mos
famous presidential interview int
print.-Youth's Companion.
They Didn't Like Razora.