Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-02

hewsmon omong them wos covering |
for the Associated Press. Today he
reeolIs the simple CEREMONY and
tells how the town is commence
rOtins what happened 81 years
ogo.)
used in the ceremony, and a |
farm tool catalogue.
In one corner of the room is |
the old secretary desk on which
the President. as student, had |
written q prize-winning Essay |
on the causes Of the American |
Revolution.
Legendary Character
In the years since, Calvin
Coolidge has become q some
what legendary character. Pop
ular opinion links him to econ
omy. sly wit. shrewdness and
above all, honesty.
Many stories have been writ
ten and told about this man.
sallow, ginger haired. slender in
build and Of medium height.
with pallid. cold blue eyes.
Once, when artist Charles
Hopkinson was painting the
Presidents portrait, he was
disturbed by what he thought
was a lick of animation.
Trying for a reaction. he
asked: What was the FIRST
thought that crossed your
mind when YOU were told Mr..
Harding was dead and the
presidency was yours?"
without changing his ex-
preston in the slightest. the
President answered: II thought
I could swing it I"
But his eyes could SPARKLE
brightly on occasion, as on the
night he became President and
Unanswered this 24-year-old
newspapertnar mo paying Tor
q soft drink for Mr.. Dale.
We had all gone to the Viz
lage store to Querch our thirst.
AS we put the empty bottles
down on the counter, the man
who in q few minutes would be
President carefully reached into
his pocket, brought out a purse.
dug deep in the change COM
partment. His eyes twinkling.
he laid a single nickel beside
the bottles.
Mr.. Dale and I were both
surprised. but ! recovered FIRST
and managed to get my dime
down to cover the other two
drinks.
In the intervening years,
many facts Of Mr.. Coolidge's
decision to have his father
administer the oath have come
to light. AS q reporter, ] think
it may have been because he
liked to do the unusual, liked
to surprise people, and did it
with the proverbial tongue In
cheek.
! believe now that the Vice
President was at least partially
prepared for the ceremony
] that Harding's death did not
take him as much by surprise
as many thought at the time.
| Former President Herbert
Hoover is an authority for this
belief.
Letter From Hoover
He wrote me: 50. ] was with
the Harding party in San Fran
cisco. I had called Mr.. Hughes
(Charles Evans Hughes) who
was then Secretary Of State
land who subsequently became
Chief Justice) on the telephone
after one Of the Presidents
sinking spells to warn him that
he would possibly need to COM
municate the dangerous situa-
ton to Mr.. Coolidge. / believe
he did so. The President Hard
ing) had a rally. but two days
later he sank again. ! was pres
ent when he died. have
reason, from Mr.. Hughes, to
believe he was the first to
arouse the Vice President. >"
Practically every adult in
town has his own favorite Cool
idge anecdote-and they have
no hesitancy in telling them.
They tell Of the letter the
President wrote his father say
ing: Your dog is growing well.
She has bitten the ice man, the
milk man and the groceryman.
It is good to have some way to
get even with them for the high
prices they charge :"
Same Face on Photo
When Mr.. Coolidge was can
didate for President in his own
name he spent a summer vaca-
ton here in Plymouth and
worked in the bayfield,, and. Of
course, received many political
visitors. A Congressman asked
for new Coolidge photograph
telling the President he had
one but that it was made when
you were Lieutenant Governor
Of Massachusetts"
Mr.. Coolidge is quoted as re-
plying: II don't know what you
want another for. I'm using the