Blackie and Danny Go To See The President (cont.)
Screen 5 of 5The remainder of the day was uneventful, except for the accident we had with the hat box. While we were at the Memorial grounds we did not carry Blackie and Danny around in the box because of the great crowds of people. Instead, we held the pets in our arms or carried them in our pants' pockets. We did let them sleep in the box several times while it was on the grass under a tree. We did not realize until later, therefore, how wet and weak the bottom of the box was.
When we were transferring from the old bus to the train at the Hodgenville station on our way back, "Nelle" told us to carry Blackie and Danny in the hat box so they would not get away from us. This we did but not without mishap.
Just before we reached the steps to our train car, the wet bottom suddenly gave way and everything in the box fell in a heap on the ground--scared guinea pigs, wet paper and waste, and bits of food. "Nelle" was quicker than we were, and she caught Danny immediately, but Blackie got away and ran under the parked train--at least under the edge of it--and sat there for a moment, wild-eyed and frightened. I started to chase him under the train but "Nelle" said no. Instead, she put Danny on the ground and held him gently while she called to Blackie. Surprisingly, he came back slowly to be with Danny, and we caught him.
We just threw away what was left of the hat box and its contents in a trash can and boarded the train--all of us very tired.
The return trip on the train was better; we had less heat and fewer cinders. Fortunately, "Nelle" had saved the large brown grocery sack used earlier in the day to hold the sandwiches. So we made a second "guinea pig coach" out of that sack and kept Blackie and Danny in it all the way home. They didn't mind. They were too tired and sleepy.
It was far past my usual bedtime when we finally arrived at home that night; and Gooch and I fell asleep quickly, without even discussing the trip with our pets. Oh, how soundly I slept!
The next morning when I asked Blackie what he thought about President Wilson and Abe Lincoln's log cabin, he just stared at me and then went back to eating. Danny never even looked up. I think he had forgotten the President completely.
But I certainly had not forgotten about Mr. Woodrow Wilson. Nor have I forgotten even to this day--some 62 years later--how he smiled as he waved to me.
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