Evening star., 1925-07-12
Presidents Shed Permanent Luster On Vacation Qua

~1 ~ ~
| the piazza. and see the lights of the
tall Fall River boats as they steam
steadily by. Now and then we spend
day on II, the two of us together, in
the light rowing skiff, or perhaps with
one of the boys to pull an extra pair
of oars: we land for lunch at noon
under the wind-beaten oaks on the
edge of a low bluff, or among the wild
plum bushes on a spit of white sand
while the sails of the coasting schoon-
ers CLEAN in the sunlight and the
tolling of the bell-buoy comes land
ward across the waters"
X X
A MOTHER good, first hand account
of the Rooseveltian type of vaca-
ton is furnished by Capt. Archibald
Butt in his letters. Capt. Butt, VINO
was military aide to President Roose-
welt, was a guest of the latter at Sag
amore Hill in July, 1908.
THE greatest surprise TO me-"
writes Capt. Butt, has been the ut
most simplicity Of the life at Saga
more Hill. L am constantly asking
myself If this can be the home of the
President Of the United States, and
how it is possible for him to enforce
such simplicity in his environment.
1t might be the home of a well-to-do
farmer with literary tastes, or the
house of some college professor.
1 u can keep up with the President
! in al his outdoor sports. but l con.
fess to being tired out and wanting
| to sleep when l come in. especially
/ after eating the large. old-fashioned
meals which are most temptingly
served in this house. | would have
no trouble in keeping pace with the
/ President, but when he is busy ! do
some stunts with Ted, then possibly
walk late in the afternoon with Miss
I Ethel, and ride with Kermit.
1T rained all morning. but that did
not prevent us from going in swim
ming and playing tennis. Every one
/ joined in the water fight, and sides
were chosen TO see who could clear the
/ float.
There were a number of people to
lunch. several magazine editors, and
an artist, sculptor, and DR.. Lyman
Abbott. BY the way, the dinner
bell is a COW bell. just the kind YOU
hear on cows on the COW lot, but
sounds just as sweet as any other if
one is hungry.
After dinner we smoked
and chatted on hundred different
subjects and made plans for the fol-
lowing day. Mrs. Roosevelt finally
took her knitting inside. Miss Ethel
evidently found us dull, and went for
a walk with her dog, Ace. and the
boys went TO the Mayfiower for the
night. The President, Winthrop and
I / sat and talked on every subject
which three men knowing something
of the affairs of the day Il have only
a smattering, perhaps) can talk.
/ But for me 1 should like the roof
of this simple home be removed for
"a hours and that the $4,000, 900 pairs
of eyes could be focused on Sycamore
Hill. What a revelation would be
its simplicity, its naturalness, its
moral poise and. above all, its united
love and happiness, I keep forgetting
that this is an historic visit 1 am
making, that my host is the President
of the United States and that 1 ought
TO chain in mind the things that are
happening about me-
4 NEXT TO Theodore Roosevelt. per-
haps. our most famous outdoor
President" of more recent times was
Grover Cleveland. Mr.. Cleveland was
especially fond of hunting and fishing,
and for the purpose of indulging in
these pastimes maintained an estab-
lishment at Buzzards Bay, Mass.
called Gray Gables. During his two
separate terms in the White House
he made frequent trips there TO en-
joy his favorite outdoor sports.
In July, 1895, one of Mr.. Cleveland's
daughters was born at a Summer
/ White House" which his family oc-
cupied that year at Marion, Mass,
and was named after the town.
But of more immediate interest to
| Washingtonians are the houses in the
northwest section of this city which
Mr.. Cleveland occupied at various
times while serving the Nation as
President. Mr.. Cleveland was one of
hn tie 4
while in the White House. His we'd
ding ceremony was performed during
his first administration, and the Pres
ident took his bride to the large
stone residence which still stands at
Thirty sixth and Macomb streets, and
whose grounds at that time extended
down to what is now English Village.
The land was part of the famous
Green estate, and the original man
sion, which adjoined the property pur-
chased by President Cleveland, had
been used on one occasion by George
Washington and Gen. L'Enfant, the
planner of the Capital City.
The house obtained by the Presi-
dent was. and still is, officially known
as Oak View. although the name Red
Top. given it by the newspaper men
of Mr.. Cleveland's time, because of
one of its physical characteristics.
proved catchy" and was widely used
When he was defeated after run.
ming for reelection for the first time,
President Cleveland sold the land to
Senator Newlands, from whom it
passed into the hands of the Flem-
ing family of this city. who still re-
tain possession of the historic house
At the start of his second admins
tration Mr.. Cleveland again secured
a residence in the same locality, this
time on Woodley lane, not far from
Connecticut avenue, whose large
white colonial pillars are familiar
landmark of the neishborhood.
Though this house has less sentiment
attached to il, as far as Cleveland
personally was concerned. it is an
older dwelling and has a more i'm.
portant history. According to an ac-
count which appeared in a local
paper during the first year of Mr..
Cleveland's second term. it had been
previously used by several Presidents
during their vacations:
The estate was owned originally by
John Platter and Philip Barton Key,
| brothers-in-law, who finished building
it about 1900. Previously, shortly
before the site of the Capitol was
chosen, President Washington stood
on the front steps of the mansion
and remarked that the future Capitol
ought to be built upon that identical
spot or upon the site that was after
wards adopted on Capitol Hill.
During Phillip Barton Keys resi-
, dence there, Francis Scott Key,
author of The Star Spangled Ban
| Y1olipb of his Youth he