Evening star., 1926-08-06

these articles in his hand he walked to
the shed where he carefully deposited
them in their proper resting place.
These nails evidently reminded him
that he had not finished mending the
fence about the home, which job he
started yesterday afternoon, when he
removed one of the fence posts with
the aid of a crowbar and replaced 1t
with a newer post. He also did some
tinkering around at that point in the
fence and once or twice he missed his
aim and came dangerously close to
the fingers of Richard Jervis, chief
of the secret service. who was doing
the holding while the President was
doing the hammering.
This incident, however. does not
imply that President Coolidge handles
tools in a clumsy or amateurtsh fash
ion On the contrary he gives evi-
dence of having a good knowledge of
this sort of thing,
He by no means completed the fence
Job yesterday. The fence is a worn,
wobbly affair, and is in sore need OF
considerable more bracing. Therefore,
the President picked up his small ak
and hammer in the shed and went
to the fence, where he tinkered around
for a quarter of an hour or so. Once
he stopped suddenly in his hammering
and held up his thumb for close in
spection. He also glanced over in the
direction Of Mrs. Coolidge, who at the
moment was busily engaged among
the flowers in the front yard, and then
toward the crowd gazing at him from
the deadline.
May Have Banged Thumb.
1t is not known whether he gave his
thumb a bang with the hammer. AT
any rate, he quickly resumed his
work When he thought he had done
enough for the time being, he put the
ak and hammer back in the shed and
then returned to his rocker and an
other long cigar.
BY this time things were alive down
at the cross road. The spot was
thronged. The tourists were coming
in droves, so to speak. Every move
ment Of the President and his wife
was closely watched and commented
on by those in the crowd Of onlookers.
To watch this crowd standing off look
ing at the two figures about the front
of the Coolidge homestead, one Is
strongly reminded of the crowds at
the Washington Zoo gazing at the ami
mails in the cages.
The President had hardly made him.
Starting Of the secret service, who had
been doing some scout work along
Pinney Hollow Creek, hurried to the
President, and in really enthusiastic
manner reported that he saw fish in
the stream and added that he thought
the time was opportune for a little
snort. The President replied that he
had no rod or lines, but when told
that there were plenty in the secret
service outfit he arose and said he
thought he would try his luck.
Went Dressed as He Was.
The President did not dress for the
occasion. He entered upon the expe-
dition attired just as If he were going
for a stroll. He wore a stiff-brimmed
sailor straw hat and q neatly pressed
double-breasted business suit, a high,
stiff white collar and low tan shoes.
The crowd at the deadline at the
crossroads seemed disappointed when
the President walked off and disap-
peared from the picture. Upon the
faces of some of the onlookers were
expressions that implied that they
thought the President had no right to
take himself from their view. Some
appeared just as If they had been
cheated.
Angus MCSdQIlcy lS hCpI OuSy kAOAu-
ing back visitors. There are always
some newcomers who try to crash the
line and go right up to the front
porch. However, he turns them back
in a polite and diplomatic way.
While Angus holds forth by the
dead line, Herb Moore who says he
is the third or fourth cousin of Calvin
Coolidge sits on the porch OF Miss
Florence Cilley's store nearby, his
long legs curled around checker
board. q
Local Checker Champion.
Herb is the local checker champion.
He is ready enough to tell how Presi-
dent Coolidge was born in a back
room of that store. He is ready also
to boast of the wonderful cream that
the seven cows on the Coolidge farm
produce. .
But he would rather play checkers.
And he does, most of the time.
There is another ubiquitous figure,