Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-01
ny Frederic y. IIaskin


ages. A Sunday supplement publishes
a story stating that the President hag
Leen known 10 pitch a nasty borse-
shoe" AZ modern America nese has Il.
and forthwith comes defuge OF gilt
horseshoe, silver horsesboes. brand
new horseshoes and good old rusten-
erusted horseboes. Again, a sugges-
tion liz made that the President pre-
fers of all things in tobacco the un-
aristocratic and cheaply plebinn sta-
gle. The mails of the next week bring
in stacks of boxes Of the anernic cigar.
There are Ohio stogies, West Virginia
stogfes. Kentucky stogics, Pennsyi-
vania stories.
Similarly, a picture of the President
playing golf brings him golf sticks
and caps, he ia reported ne spending
many OF his precious spare hours on
the Mayf1ower-~he gets many speci-
mems OF yachting headrear; he IL
snapped taking an early morning
walk he gets canes Of all kinds from
all over the country and also black
thorn walking sticks from Ireland and
de luxe shark-spine canes from Pana-
ma.
One of the most unusual of these re-
sponses to stories of Mr.. Harding'r
preferences was the sending Of gold
and silver cornets 10 the White House
because, when ne was boy back home,
he played the eornef in the village
band. The funny part Of the story,
however. is that his admirers are not
content TO stop at cornets, but send
in trombones and other musical in
struments as well.
There seems also 10 be an unusual
desire to provide the presidential head
with suitable adornment. Whether
this is caused by anxiety to keep Mr..
Harding's dignified silver locks from
the yeliowing influence of sunburn or
because his extensive front porch
campaigns last year led the general
public 10 believe he didn't travel be-
cause he hadn't n hat to wear, varied
Is the assortment Of gift hats. There
are silk hats, opera hats, cowboy SOM
breros. heaters" Gas our British cousin
cells the American straw caps Of all
varieties and Panarnas so beautifully
woven that water can be carried in
them. Last. but far from least both
in size and quantity, are the good old
straw piles for plain "fishin," the kind
that used To retail at FIVE and ten cents,
Many Of these hats. sad to relate. do
not in the least Mt Mr.. Harding, and
it would take a hydra-hsaded Presi-
dent to pretend to wear even reason
able percentage Of them.
Many of the hundreds Of boxes that
come to the Executive once offer a
fair census OF the agricultural re-
sources Of the country. The first cot
ton bah from the South was sent the
President on July sth. The first bear
| ingg from the American fg trees in
Arizona and California came about the
same time. The Far West and the
South compete in early offerings OF
oranges. lemons, grapefruit, and
olives. The Northwest sends its ap-
pie prodigies New England lays sts
prize pumpkins before the President
and the Middle West proudly submits
mammoth melons and gigantic ears
Of corn.
Gifts Of Fish And Gsme.
From the seas, lakes and rivers.
salmon, nlackereI, and cod, oysters.
Holsters, and CLANS. trout, bass and
muscalonge all come to the White
House to Be granted the rare privilege
of being eater by the President Of the
United Stats
Bcar-steak and yenison appear in
season, and turkeys, wild and domes-
tic, are sent. One lady offered prize
turkey, valued at several hundreds or
dollars. to be used for Mr.. Harding >
Tha nksgiving dinner. The bird was a
magnificenet specimen and had un-
usually beautiful plumage. Mr.. Hard
"a
eat such a marvellous bird.
Another beautiful bird President was
a superb eagle, large of size, excep-
tional in strength. fierce OF temper
This bird was sent from Alaska IL
now adorns the Washington Zoo.
Mr.. Harding has been notified that
a playful lot OF alligators are about to
be shipped TO the White House and he
has received several other animals, in
cIuding "Oh, Boyi" a highly pedigreed
English bulldog, a beautiful animal OF
white and brindie colorings. On, Boy.
and a quaint statuette of doggie are
said to vie with each other in rousing
the fires OF jealousy in he shaggy
heart of doormat Laddie Boy (also
pedigreed animaD.
1addie Boy, as everyone kQows, IS
an adorable homely Airedale pup. He
seems continually on the point Of
bursting with pride in his master, the
President, and has also evinced great
pleasure in sharing with Mr.. Harding
the comfort provided by the famous
editorial" chair presented TO him by
over 600 American journalists.
One of the most beautiful and valu-
able of Mr.. Harding's gifts is quaint
Oriental prayer-rug. 100 years old
The complex designs are traced out
in soft rose and dull blue colorings,
giving a wonderful effect. 1t is au-
thoritatively stated that this rug was
actually used as a prayer-rug and
dutifully spread on radiating desert
sands at sunset when tired. dust
covered Mohsmmedans reverently
knelt on its silken folds and turned
their faces in the direction of Mecca.
Patriotic Relics.
Unusual gifts which Mr.. Harding
has received include a paper-knife
made from William. the Conquerer
Oak" in Windsor Park; carved Cali
fornia bear Gin native redwood), the
artistic effort OF James Marshall, dis
coverer of gold in California;; ink
stands and pen-holders from battle
ships of the War of 1SIs-the Law
renee. Niagara and the Royal Savage.
A large percentage of the tokens are
of patriotic nature. either OF his