Evening star., 1925-02-08


for a Republican.
Animals have always been a popu-
lar contribution to Presidents Back
in Roosevelt's administration came
two snarling lions. and afterward a
story that the Presidents dog had
been conquered in battle by the
jungle beasts
President Coolidge has received an
eagle, the largest that ever graced
cage. 1t had been shot down in
Alaska and a wing broken.
Not so long ago two bears from
the South arrived at the White
House. They drove up to the main
entrance in great pomp--to be spe-
cine, in Ford car. Confident of q
hearty reception, they bristled at the
slght of the uniformed men and
the sight of the uniformed men and
growled for the President
Imagine their discontinue and hu-
initiation when, instead of being
escorted to the green or blue room,
they were ordered to spend their
visiting period in the Zoo, to be
stupidly stared at and commented
upon by insignificant tourists!
A similar fate befell well bred
aristocratic crocodile. The reptile
evidently had been brought up under
the most exacting circumstances.
for It's sender ordered the President
to keep it the White House pool.
1t would be imposing to ask one
to realize the chagrin of this sen
sitive creature at being relegated to
the abode of wild animals.
X i:
animals come also.
some of them, undoubtedly, to
console the President for the cat
that went wrong. Personally, ! be
lieve she may have been a very re
spectacle cat, tired of the social life
at the White House, and desirous Of
quiet place in which to purr.
There are three animals at the
White House at present, the misjudg-
ed cats successor. an Airedale and
a white collie. But, from the letters
of few Americans, one would think
the White House was the national
headquarters of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
One New York woman recently
wrote that she was sailing for Eu-
rope and would send her pet dog
here for his training and educa ton.
until she returned. Before anything
could be done to discourage the sep
aration, F'ido arrived, blinking from
the window of most comfor ia BILE
ana costly crate J. nat MS guardian
had chosen the wrong seminary for
him was Immediately obvious. For,
although he seemed contented enough
at the pat of A woman's hand, he
became dogged in the presence of n
man.
The woman was located by a secret
service agent, who prepared her for
the dogs Homecoming. and suggested
ladies' finishing school for him.
Most folks, however, unless they
are anxious to get rid of an animal,
ask for an invitation for him before
they send him on.
Elephants appear in goodly num-
bers. but they are of rubber, ivory and
wood They are supposed to bring
good luck to the President. So is a
tiny horseshoe. the size of a finger
| nail, which arrives every year from
a blacksmith in West Virginia These
little non-partisan Iuck-carriers first
made their appearance at the White
House during the administration of
President Mckinley.
Many gifts are sent as luck-bearers
to the President. One. following the
election, was a miniature presidential
chair from an 11-year- The author
of the letter which accompanied II
seems to be a real boy. He wrote:
presidential chair. which I made in
- School. l am SO glad you were
elected, as you were my choice. Most
of the kids at school wore your but
ten, and If they didn't / asked them
the reason why. This chair I'm send
ing you is to wish You luck from the
bottom of my heart. I'm for YOU"
!:
A UNIQUE gift received by the
- President was a chain cut out
| of Texas watermelon seed, which the
sender guaranteed never to rust or
turn brass, and which would keep
us (writer and PresidenD linked
forever"
Among the other contributions are
number of 10 gallon" hats from
the Southwest; documents and old
commissions bearing the name of
Coolidge. usually persons unknown
to the President. and quantity of
ginger ale. Only the other day a
man left two wine cups for the
President-but no explanation.
Some of these presents have a
string attached to them-and it isn't
the string on the package, either.
For example, a man will send a violin
along with a sob story and ask the
President to buy 1.-THE violin, /
| mean. Or, as frequently happens,
laces and embroideries arrive from
all sorts of refugees and ruined peo-
pies in Europe, with the request that
the President sell these products for
them.
Within the last few days con-
signment of cookies was shipped
! from Austria, asking the President
to taste them and then lend their
q Ror n Sat y. la
there.
The President did not taste the
cookies, for when a string like that
| comes with a parcel it is done up
again and sent back.
In fact, there is a regular system
in connection with gifts for the Pres
ident. Years ago one man received
the letters and another the parcels
The method has been improved Both
gift and letter reach the man in
charge, who checks up with the list
| received from the sergeant. The let
ter and doubtful cases then go to the
Presidents personal secretary; the
gifts to the steward before whom the
President appears each evening to
! behold them.
| And be the contents of package a
resounding march dedicated to him
| or the poorest brand of cigars ever
| made, do you think he is pleased to
| receive them?
He is.