Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-28
Mrs, ShuIer Happy at Re-
neWing Acquaintance With
Warren, " but Surprised
at Publicity
BY HERBERT WAGGONEK
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal
DOWNRIGHT 1929

(COpyrlght, 1881
HUTCHINSON, Kan, June &c.
That odd Sweetheart of Mine, "
brought to worldwide fame by the
happy comment of a president of
the United States who could realize
that childish love and childish idols
make for nature, stability, although
the early dreams remain only
dreams, is having the time of her
life these days.
She is Mrs. A. A. Shuler, of Buck
lin. With her husband, son and
neutrality-suspicious., yes, there is a
granddaughter she had Travelled
more than 100 miles to renew her
childhood acquaintance with War
rem G.. Harding, once the son Of a
neighboring doctor-farmer, but to-
day the president of the United
States. Woman-like she had recog-
nized him the moment she laid eyes
on him. But his memory was more
elusive. The matronly appearing
farmers wife, bronzed with the SUM-
mer sun, but smiling and happy
withal, hardly resembled the splndly-
shanked girl Of the Harding boy
hood days.
There was, however, a CLINT in the
eyes that brought recollection, and
Mrs. Shuler laughed heartily today
as she told how the receiving line
was halted for very noticeable
period during which the boy and
girl sweethearts Of years ago ex-
changed happy "reminiscences, ami
while they talked she recalled that
the line behind waited in the burn.
ing sun.
Puppy Love-" She Says
Ibid you really have a desperate
case with the president when you
were a girl?" Mrs. Shuler was asked
today.
"Well"' and she smiled somewhat
quizzically as she seemed to try to
recall just whether it was or not,
you see it has been a long time
pose that in those days, as now,
groWnups probably thought that we
had a real case. But Judging from
the final outcome, and from what
[ can now recall. of it all, guess it
really was one of those puppy love
affairs which help to enliven life
when one is young and needless of
what goes on about them. But I
was Vel y lou " lllSCI LIAC III NSAONIlb
once more and to recall to him some
of the things of years ago back
home in the western reserve"
1t was in the '70's that Matte
Neal, as she was then, and Warren
Harding supplied talk for the new
Caledonia, Ohio. grownups when
she was accustomed to allow him to
carry her books home from school
and occasionally walk back after
dusk from church. But the romance
was broken when the Hardings
moved to Marion, while the Meals
decided to trek to Missouri. There
was letter or two at first, but, as
Mrs. Shuler rather coyly confessed
today, there were other boys in the
new home, and, after all, Marion
was long distance back east.
Surprised at Publicity
When Mrs. Shuler, read that the
president was coming through Kan
sas on his way to Alaska she toll
her husband that she WOULD like to
renew the childhood acquaintance
AS she explained today she had no
idea that there would be any pub
licity about the matter. She felt
that, having raised family, she
could find nothing more appropriate
than to introduce that self-same
family to the chief executive of the
land.
The president was very GLAD to
meet them" she explained today
land they will never forget him.
But was certainly the most sur
prised woman in all of the land
when the president took occasion to
tel. about our meeting when he de-
livered his prepared speech. sat
very quietly in the crowd in the
grandstand and listened. ana you
can be quite sure that l did not lei
anyone know that was the woman
that he was talking about"