The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-06-02
By Morris DeHaven Tracy
United Press Staff Correspondent
Copyright 1927, by the United Press


United Press Staff Correspondent
Copyright 1927, by the United Press
CHAPTER III
Self-reliance, one of the character
istics of Charles A. Lindbergh, which
enabled him to fly alone from New
York to Paris, and become an inter-
national hero, was developed in him
early in life.
When he was month old his
mother took him back to the Lind
bergh home at Little Falls, Mimi,
from Detroit, Mich, where he was
born Feb. 4, 1902.
There the Lindbergh family lived
on farm on the west bank of Little
beauty. The house was a comfort
able one-story, white structure with
spacious basement located on slop-
ing ground, surrounded with trees
and woods and the river near by.
Only Son
Charlie was his fathers only son,
and they became close companions.
AS soon as Charlie was old enough
his father began taking him on ex-
cursions into the nearby woods. The
boy learned to notice the trees and
flowers and particularly the animal
life of the vicinity.
By the time he was five years old
the amazing sense of direction which
reinforced only by compass, en-
abled him to fly a course across the
Atlantic as straight as that of a
homing pigeon was developed.
He and his father were on one of
their excursions into the woods q
mile or more away from the Lind
bergh horae. The father wished to
go farther to look over some land,
but fearing the boy would tire, left
him on the trail.
Boy Was Gone
"You stay here for few minutes"
the older Lindbergh told him. I'm
going on a bit and will come back
pretty soon and get you here"
But when the father returned the
boy was gone. The elder Lindgergh
searched through the woods, but
could find no trace of his son.
frightened and picturing all sort;
of rlisfortunes Detailing the boy,
Lindbergh hurried home, intending
to enlist the aid of neighbors and
begin a wide search. But 5-year-old
Charlie greeted him at the gate.
"How did you get here?" the father
asked.
when we were walking you told
me that the sun always goes down
in the west and we were walking
straight at the SUM-" Charles eX-
planned II got tired of waiting, so
l just walked straight away from the
sun and I came right home here"
Elected to Congress
That same year Lindbergh was
elected to Congress and the family
moved to Washington in 1907, where
for a decade a part of each year
was spent. The Lindberghs lived
near the White House and young
Charlie came in, contact with that
famous gang of Washington young
sters headed by Quentin Roosevelt,
whose father was then President.
He played much on the White
House grounds and is said to have
had a part in some of the happen
ings which made the White House
a lively place in those days.
When Quentin Roosevelt rode his
once familiar pony into the White
House and browbeat an attendant
into giving it ride on an elevator
an incident which the President
never tired of ecalling-Charlie
Lindbergh is said to have been one
of the gang that was egging Quentin
on.
At His Store
f. c. Henry, a Washington drug
gist, recalls that Charlie Lindberg
was one of the many small boys of
the neighborhood who, with Quentin
Roosevelt, bought their sundaes at
his drug store. Quentin developed at
one time a habit of charging the sun
daes to the White House account,
something which again amused the
President, but of which he is said
to have disapproved as bad habit
for boy of few years.
Charlie Lindbergh is also credited
jim Washington with having had a
part, along with Quentin Roosevelt,
and a number of others, in cutting
the light wires and plunging the
White House into darkness on one
famous occasion.
To Thrill Crowds
During most of the time Lind.
bergh lived in Washington airplanes
were still considerable of a novelty.
The Wrights were carrying on their
experiments, as was Curtis, but
planes were used chiefly to thrill
crowds, and flying was a highly haz-
ardous occupation. But even then
Lindbergh was interested in flying
machines" as was Quentin Roosevelt
who was destined to die in the war,
shot down in a battle with German
plane.
During these wears the bows mar