The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-07-18
Willy WOMAN WON
She Made Up Her Mind to Get
That News, and She Got 1t.
A FINE FIX FOR A PRESIDENT.

Anne hoydlII tHe "o'"S' "
Interviews, Tricked John Quincy
Adams and Badgered Him Into CIV
ing Up the Information She Wanted
In clearing the ground for some I'M
provements In Potomac park in WASH
tngton the contractor some time ago
removed n stone that for nearly cen.
fury was quaint landmark In the ma
tionaI capital. 1t is called the Anne
Royal stone" and lay on the bank
of the river just opposite the White
House, about twenty feet back troW
the waters edge. at the top of grass
covered knoll.
1t was Oh 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
ingIOn.
And. according TO that story, 1t 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 good
strong will of her own and IN active
mind of her own. and when thrS" two
started TO work in concert in deadly
earnest results were bound to follow.
Whether the good Iady'S sense OF hu'
NOR was rramped or extensive the
reader must determine for himself.
Anne Royal was in a sort the mother
of modern journalism She was the
originator of the "intprview.' 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 cOntine herself to 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
SonnI note" She wrote and printed
things about public men as they were
In their daily lives-au 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 a Ger.
tain bill, the signing or veto Of which
by the president was matter Of in.
tense public interest. In those DAYS
the interview of the president by
newspaper man was nnheard Of, and
no one had the temprty to ask Mr.
Adams what he would do in the matter
But there was one exception among
the timorOns 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 a
discouraging distance. Day after day
she wayIaid the president. only to be
foiled by his attendants. But she did
not grow discouraged. She learned
that every morning. Immediately after
rising, the president walked to thu
bank OF the Potomac, some half mile
In the rear Of the White House. and
there. after taking off his clothes.
into the stream for II 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 had
Iett upon stone on the bank, a spec
lacled female with look of great de
1t was Anne Royal, and
beside her were pen and bottle OF
INK and In her hand was sheet of
paper.
Woman, depart" sputtered the
as be swan up into the shall |
lows where be could touch the bottom
4 tiptOe.
You know who am, Mr.. Presi-
lent" said the woman, land you know
what ! want. I'm going to sit here
Until you tell me what yon intend do.
hg with that Cherokee Indian bill"
"GO away. woman" shouted the
PRESIDENT. This is scandaIons.
ITS srandaIOuS," Anne is reportpd
. have said. that the people of a free
'ountry have to resort to such extreme
MEASURES to find out what their sery
lnts are going to do. You give me the
Information that am entitled to; then
II give you your clothes. Otherwise
u stay here and you'll stay there!"
There was only one outcome to such
struggle. The shivpring president
old Anne what he expected to do and
WY he would do it. Then. and nor
IhtlI then. did Anne. armed with conf
us notes. rise from the stone thar She
ad made famous and hasten to her
title printing office. where she Inst
u time IN getting that first and most
presidential interview tnto
FinL. - UutilS COmDuDiun