Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-17
BY Frederic j. Haskin

Washington, ID. c., March l4.-Laddie
Boy is a name which will figure promi-
nently in White House annals durins
the Harding administration We nave
therefore. seized an early opportuh-
ity to call at the Executive Mansion to
interview this important young mem
Der of the Harding household.
After following clues from the exc
cutivc offices to the White House base
ment and down the portrait llned cor
ridors in search of the elusive lauui,
Boy we finally located the oi oiiic.a'
keeper of the presidents pets wilson
Jackson. -.
jackson smiled broadly at our mis-,
sion and led the way to an inner nan
away from the crowds Of tourists 90
ing the White House basement, ~
opened "a door and called, heah'
Laddie Boy and black and tan a're-
dale gulloped out and fell upon us
After enthusiastic greetings ana an
exchange of compliments the party
calmed down somewhat Laddle Soy
shook hands after insistent demands
from Jackson, who has already taught
him to come, lie down, ana shake
hands on command. The White House
airedale is only a year and a half old
count of his youth and frequent inter-
ruptions as White House maids and
clerks passed and hailed him, his valet
did most of the talking.
'Ycssuh," said Jackson, this is the
first animal turned ovah to me since
Mistah Hardin came. He's hne dog
Tho man that gave him to Mistah
Hardin. back in Ohio, is goin' to sen
his pedigree.
u been tor there's an alligator
comm. I'm glad the dog got heah
first.
z Ia. oh 90
of that alligator. III have to keep him
in the fountain. understan Mietah
Hardin"s roin' TO have a bull dog too
but 1t hasn't come yet
"Ycssuh, l like dogs.-Heah, Laddie
Boy--come back heah. Everybody that
works round heah stopst talk TO
that dog. and he is just so friendly
he wanders off with them.
Me? I been heah since President
Roosevelts time. Hcssuh, | had enough
experiences to MI geography. / was
a Kid workin' at the Census Bureau ana
when they wanted messenger at tho
White House in rush season l was
sent up. An then Mr.. and Mrs, Roose-
vel. said they liked me, so they had
me put on the regular roll OF White
House employees.
a Colored Diplomat
My title. I'm Special Messenger tc
INV lNA istiiN an AHF I'm sTRilA'NAAii''
| go shoppin to get things in a hurry
An | take messages. It's a diplomatic
kin OF a Job.
But mostly the dogsll keep me
busy now. | take Iaddie Boy up tc
President Hardin's Office every day
and he stays with the president a
while, and then / go call the dog out
An alredale is mostly one-man dog
and while he's friendly with every.
body. Mistah Hardin is his mastah.'
Jackson IL more OF an expert IL
handling dogs and horses than some ol
tho more unusual pets that have beer
given the freedom OF the White House
grounds. jackson says he never was
on intimate terms with Pauline. this
COW OF Taft's regime. Nor did he have
much to do with Mr.. Wilson's flock OF
sheep which grazcd 80 picturesquely or
the White House lawns.
But In Rooscvelt's administration
Jackson was a busy man. Not onl,
did the Executive Mansion posses,
guinea pigs, pony, trick mice. q
kangaroo rat, and n collection OF dogs
but Jackson was expected to help look
out for the Roosevelt children as well
He played with them. and sometimes
accompanied them when they rode
and he had some OF the care OF tho Ice.
landic pony. Algonquin.
jackson tells tho story, which YOU
may remember. how when Archie
tseoAtN'lt WtN SICK IN tsl with tN'
measles. he missed his pony so muci
that the servants decided to TAX,
Algonquin as a surprise up to hi
room.
THAT pony WASH, much bigger thar
big dog" says Jackson. We go
him In the elevator and elevated hin
upstairs, and took him into Mistal
Archic's bed room. Tho pony 'ro'tc,
right ovah To him and they had
fine time together. Mistah Archie Ger
tainly did love that Algonquin pony.
HooseN~It's Pets
The Roosevelt children kept jackson
on the jump but he enjoyed IL. Th
pets were very much part OF tn
household and were accounted OF con
siderable Importance. They were
constant topic OF family conversation
When one died Il must be buried witt
formal pomp In n reserved corner o
the White House grounds. and a disap
pearancc was n cause for commotior
In one instance. n small black AM
tan dog was lost. II hosstcd no uobl
pedigree, but quentin loved II dc