THE PRESIDENCY: Skunked

President Coolidge: "I don't like this pie. Get me one with crust on."

Waiter William Brown: "Y-yes suh, yes suh."

Waiter Brown looked puzzled as he went back to the kitchen of the dining car. As everyone knows, including Calvin Coolidge, pumpkin pie never has a top crust. Waiter Brown conferred with the chef. Soon he returned with another piece of pumpkin pie. Mrs. Coolidge was smiling.

Waiter Brown: "Here is one with jest a little more brown on top. The pies with crust on 'em were ate by the Secret Service men."

President Coolidge eyed his new pie and nodded. Waiter Brown withdrew. President Coolidge picked up a fork and said to Mrs. Coolidge: "Pretty good answer."

It was the first time a Republican President had ever made a visit of any duration in Virginia. Crowds cheered the Coolidge progress through Staunton and Waynesboro to the Swannanoa Country Club, overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. Thanksgiving gifts poured up the mountain—a monster fruit cake, a dozen quail, a juicy Virginia ham, six boxes of apples, a monster turkey.

The White House dogs had been taken along for a romp in the country—Tiny Tim, the ruddy chow; Bessie, the yellow collie; Diana, the white collie, King Cole, the black Belgian police dog. President Coolidge sat down in the club living room to see and hear Movietones of himself making his Thanksgiving proclamation, and of Kings George of England and Alfonso of Spain. The moving, talking figures on the screen excited the dogs, infuriated them. They barked and barked and BARKED. President Coolidge helped chase them from the room. The show began over again.

After services in the Baptist Church at Charlottesville—conducted by a Presbyterian, with a sermon by a Methodist * —the President shook hands with Governors Angus W. McLean of North Carolina and Harry Flood Byrd of Virginia, who escorted him to the mansion of President Edwin A. Alderman of the University of Virginia for a buffet lunch. Mrs. Woodrow Wilson was there. President Coolidge twitted Governor Byrd about a cartoon in the Richmond Times-Dispatch which showed a Southern.Colonel peering through a knothole in the fence of a football field. A sign on the fence said: "Football, Thanksgiving Day—University of Virginia (Rep.) vs. University of North Carolina (Rep.)—President Coolidge (Rep.) will attend." The Colonel's companion was asking: "See any Democrats, Colonel?"

North Carolina won the game, 24—20.

President Coolidge watched only the first quarter, when Virginia led 7—6.

The President had two shotguns with him and braved a chilly drizzle to fire at some clay pigeons on the club grounds. He broke 19 out of 25. Next day he tried it again, but missed the first few. He asked Col. Starling if there was anything wrong with the trap. No, said Col. Starling, but let the President watch out for the strong crossing wind.