He Did What?

Did you know that Chester A. Arthur spent more than three hours a day grooming his sideburns and mustache? Or that Rutherford B. Hayes gambled away fortunes on hop-frog races? Perhaps you'd be surprised to learn that Jimmy Carter was an avid prank-caller. The reason you didn't know about these...

By Jesse Hughey

September 11, 2008

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Did you know that Chester A. Arthur spent more than three hours a day grooming his sideburns and mustache? Or that Rutherford B. Hayes gambled away fortunes on hop-frog races? Perhaps you'd be surprised to learn that Jimmy Carter was an avid prank-caller. The reason you didn't know about these presidential pastimes is because I just made them up. Author Paul F. Boller Jr. has collected humorous--and true--anecdotes about the private lives of U.S. presidents in his book, Presidential Diversions: From George Washington to George W. Bush. He'll discuss them in "Campaign Characters," as part of the Chautauqua Lecture Series, 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Dallas Central Library, 1515 Young St. Admission is $7 for the public and $2 for Dallas Heritage Village members or Friends of the Library. Call 214-413-3674 or visit DallasHeritageVillage.org for information.
Tue., Sept. 16, 7 p.m., 2008

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