Child defies
bodyguards
to present gift
to Reagans

The'NMchiganDaily- Thursday, June 10, 1982-Page 11
BONN, West Germany (AP)- The little girl with a someone shouted "Mr. President" from the small
bouquet of flowers for President and Mrs. Reagan got crowd at the foot of the steps.
past a policeman, three West German guards and a Reagan looked back. His wife, Nancy, realizing
U.S. Secret Service agent yesterday. She was half- what was happening, threw out her arms toward the
way up the palace steps when she halted, frozen in petrified child wearing a Swiss national costume.
fear. GARSTENS' bodyguard stepped back, and
A German bodyguard had leaped in her path, Christina gingerly approached the American leader.
blocking her from the Reagans only a few steps Mrs. Reagan stepped forward, knelt down and gave
away. the child a gentle hug as she accepted the bunch of
The flowers tightly clenched in her fist, Christina mixed flowers. Reagan put out his hand. Christina
Barbara Bachmann, 7, could see her big moment took it and curtsied.
slipping away. Then it was all over. The little girl who had dared to
THE REAGANS, just arrived from London, were offer a surprise gift to the president of the United
posing for photographers with West German States brought unabashed tears to the eyes of those in
President Karl Carstens and his wife at the entrance the crowd-and of Mrs. Reagan as well.
to Villa Hammerschmidt, the presidential palace. "I wanted to please the president," Christina said
They were just turning to go back inside when later. It was her mother's idea.