A special dog's life

Dear Editor,

Generally, animals communicate with humans using body language.

“Millie’s Book,” published in 1990 by the William Morrow Co., is an exception to that fact. It is said to be unique and to have been dictated to Barbara  Bush by her Springer Spaniel Millie (Mildred Kerr Bush).

The Bush family named their children and animals after people. Mildred Kerr was a friend of Barbara Bush. Feb. 13, 1987, Millie, a very special Springer Spaniel, came to live with Vice President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara.

They were living in the vice president’s quarters on 77 acres of land known as the U.S. Naval Observatory.

Immediately, Millie made herself right at home. She replaced C. Fred Bush, a dog who had died Jan. 20, 1987. During a hunting trip in South Texas, Barbara fell in love with Millie’s mother and sister.

The Bush family had always owned male dogs, but made an exception to that in Millie’s case.

Millie had strong hunting instincts and entertained herself by catching squirrels, possums and a little red fox.

One day the National Arborist Association came to install a plaque honoring a giant oak tree that had been on that property since the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Millie crawled into a knothole at the base of the old tree.

By the time George H.W. Bush and Barbara moved into the White House, Millie had killed four squirrels, three rats, and, to Barbara’s great sorrow, a pigeon.

By inauguration day in 1989, Millie was visiting Tag, that wonderful Springer Spaniel in Kentucky, who had been chosen to be the father of her pups.

In March 1989, a puppy watch was organized with a birthing center located in a special box equipped with shredded newspapers. A newspaper in washington reported daily on Millie’s condition. Millie gave birth to six puppies, one male and five females.

A puppy shower was given by Barbara’s friends, Esther and Dick Moore. When the pups were born, Barbara remained at Millie’s side. The nursery was located in the little beauty parlor on the second floor of the white House.

Millie loved to sleep on various beds and often was found asleep on Lincoln’s bed. She would have preferred to have birthed her babies in Barbara and George H.W.’s bed.

Now in 2019, Millie is in Dog Heaven with Barbara and George.

Bar (Barbara) enjoying her wonderful companion is a foregone conclusion.

A dog’s life isn’t so bad after all.

Helen Ruth Arnold,

Trenton, Neb.