History Buff's Guide to the Presidents
developed an affection for books while in college and read from a broad spectrum of biographies, novels, history, and philosophy thereafter. 18
Lincoln once remarked, “My best friend is the man who’ll git me a book I ain’t read.”
    3 . PETS
    In the 1800s, most Americans had little spare time or extra food, so pets were relatively scarce. Chester Arthur and Millard Fillmore had none. Andrew Johnson fed house mice out of pity. Most of the first pets were working animals. Washington had his hunting hounds, including Sweet Lips, Drunkard, and Tipsy. Eccentric John Quincy Adams had silkworms. Confrontational Andrew Jackson raised fighting cocks. William Henry Harrison and William Howard Taft owned cows.
    Horses, on the other hand, were the White House motorcade. John Tyler, U. S. Grant, and Abraham Lincoln were particularly kind to their steeds. Tragedy befell Lincoln’s in 1862 when a fire broke out in their pens. Guards had to restrain him as he rushed to save the dying creatures. Among the fatally burned was a pony that had belonged to his late son William. Upon hearing of its fate, Lincoln wept. 19
    With the arrival of the internal combustion engine, a new breed took over. “If you want a friend in Washington,” said Harry Truman, “get yourself a dog.” Truman’s friends were Feller the mutt and Mike the Irish Setter. Ike liked Heidi the Weimaraner. Lyndon Johnson had his beagles. The Obamas acquired a Portuguese Water Dog soon after entering the White House. FDR and Hoover shared a love of canines, owning more than a dozen between them. Vice President Richard Nixon saved his career in 1952 with his sentimental Checkers speech on nationwide television. Dismissing accusations of financial impropriety, Nixon listed his assets, including a cocker spaniel recently given to the family. “I just want to say this right now,” insisted the misty-eyed veep, “that regardless of what they say about it, we’re gonna keep it.” Dick wasn’t clear if he meant the dog or his job. 20

    Of German descent himself, Herbert Hoover was partial to German Shepherds.

    William Howard Taft’s pet cow Pauline strikes a pose on the White House lawn. In the background stands the Old Executive Office Building.
    Then there are the virtual zoos. The Kennedys had a glut of animals great and small, from parakeets and hamsters to cats, rabbits, and a pack of dogs. The equestrian Jackie needed her prize mount Sardar. Caroline and John John owned ponies named Leprechaun, Macaroni, and Tex.
    Before them was the strangely dynamic Coolidge family. Calvin preferred the company of animals, while his wife, Grace, simply enjoyed company, including a bobcat, a goose, an antelope, a stray cat, a donkey, and dogs aplenty. Among their favorite was Rebecca the Raccoon, who liked to ride on the shoulders of her masters while they strolled around the Executive Mansion.
    No family accumulated more than the flying circus of the Theodore Roosevelts. Cats, rats, ponies, pigs, guinea pigs, a badger, a one-legged rooster, a slew of terriers and hounds, and a macaw. Avid travelers, the Roosevelts and their six kids seemingly adopted every animal that Teddy didn’t shoot.
Situated within sight of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis is the Presidential Pet Museum. Among the holdings is a cowbell once worn by Pauline, a bovine member of the Taft family who grazed on the White House lawn.
    4 . CARDS
    Nearly every president in the nineteenth century played—except James Polk, whose wife, Sarah, forbade the pastime in the White House. The games were much like the general population of the Northeast, mostly of English origin and accompanied by French and German variations. The popular game early on was whist, a four-player contest involving tricks and trumps. After the Civil War, euchre became the national diversion and was a favorite of James Garfield, with pinochle and cribbage not far behind.
    Over time, whist evolved into the female-dominated bridge, while males
Read Online Free Pdf

Similar Books

In the Waning Light

Loreth Anne White

SeaChange

Cindy Spencer Pape

Bring Forth Your Dead

J. M. Gregson