[Illustration: American Boy's Life of Theodore Roosevelt
STRATEMEYER]
[Handwritten inscription: To Elmer, A Merry Christmas from Papa & Mamma.
1904]
AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE
OF
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
EDWARD STRATEMEYER'S BOOKS
Old Glory Series
_Six Volumes. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.25._
UNDER DEWEY AT MANILA.
A YOUNG VOLUNTEER IN CUBA.
FIGHTING IN CUBAN WATERS.
UNDER OTIS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
THE CAMPAIGN OF THE JUNGLE.
UNDER MacARTHUR IN LUZON.
Stratemeyer Popular Series
_Ten Volumes. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.00._
THE LAST CRUISE OF THE SPITFIRE.
REUBEN STONE'S DISCOVERY.
TRUE TO HIMSELF.
RICHARD DARE'S VENTURE.
OLIVER BRIGHT'S SEARCH.
TO ALASKA FOR GOLD.
THE YOUNG AUCTIONEER.
BOUND TO BE AN ELECTRICIAN.
SHORTHAND TOM, THE REPORTER.
FIGHTING FOR HIS OWN.
War and Adventure Stories
_Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.25._
ON TO PEKIN.
BETWEEN BOER AND BRITON.
American Boys' Biographical Series
_Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.25._
AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE OF WILLIAM McKINLEY.
AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Colonial Series
_Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.25._
WITH WASHINGTON IN THE WEST.
MARCHING ON NIAGARA.
AT THE FALL OF MONTREAL.
ON THE TRAIL OF PONTIAC.
Pan-American Series
_Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.25._
LOST ON THE ORINOCO.
THE YOUNG VOLCANO EXPLORERS.
YOUNG EXPLORERS OF THE ISTHMUS.
YOUNG EXPLORERS OF THE AMAZON.
Great American Industries Series
_Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume $1.00, net._
TWO YOUNG LUMBERMEN.
JOE, THE SURVEYOR. _Price, $1.00_.
LARRY, THE WANDERER. _Price, $1.00_.
[Illustration: COLONEL ROOSEVELT AT SAN JUAN HILL]
AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE
OF
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
BY
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
AUTHOR OF "AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE OF WILLIAM McKINLEY,"
"WITH WASHINGTON IN THE WEST," "OLD GLORY
SERIES," "PAN-AMERICAN SERIES," "SHIP
AND SHORE SERIES," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS AND WITH
FRONTISPIECE BY CHARLES COPELAND_
[Illustration]
BOSTON
LEE AND SHEPARD
1904
PUBLISHED, AUGUST, 1904.
_Copyright, 1904, by Lee And Shepard._
_All Rights Reserved._
AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Norwood Press
J.S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
PREFACE
The life of Theodore Roosevelt is one well worth studying by any
American boy who wishes to make something of himself and mount high on
the ladder of success.
The twenty-sixth President of our country is a fine type of the true
American of to-day, full of vim and vigor, quick to comprehend, and
equally quick to act, not afraid to defend his opinions against all
comers when satisfied that he is in the right, independent, and yet not
lacking in fine social qualities, physically and morally courageous, and
with a faith in himself and his God that is bound to make for good so
long as he clings to it.
Theodore Roosevelt comes from countless generations of fighting stock,
both in this country and abroad. And yet as a youth the future hero of
San Juan Hill was a delicate lad, and many fears were entertained that
he might not live to manhood. But life in the open air, with judicious
athletic exercise, accomplished wonders, and he became strong and hardy
to an astonishing degree.
The boyhood days of the future President were spent in New York City and
at the family's country home, Oyster Bay, Long Island. From there he
went to Harvard College, from which he graduated with high honors. Still
somewhat delicate in health, he travelled in Europe, studied for a short
time at Dresden, and took to climbing the Alps and other noted
mountains.
His mind had gravitated toward literature, and he was writing a naval
history of the War of 1812 when something prompted him to take up
politics, and almost before he knew it he was elected a New York State
assemblyman. He served in this capacity for three terms, and many are
the stories told of how he fought against corruption first, last, and
all the time.
The death of his first wife and of his beloved mother were at this time
a great blow to him, and leaving his one little daughter with relatives,
he struck out for the great West, where, in the Bad Lands, so called, he
located as ranchman and hunter, filling in his spare hours by studying
and by writing on various outdoor subjects, works which have become
decidedly popular, and which show well his gifts as an author and as an
observer of nature.
While still in great part a successful ranchman, he ran for mayor of New
York and was defeated. He now devoted himself with increased energy to
his literary labors until, soon after, he was appointed by President
Harrison a member of the Civil Service Commission. He served on this
commission with marked ability for six years, when he resigned to become
police commissioner of New York City.
Theodore Roosevelt's work as a police commissioner will not be readily
forgotten. The whole tone of the service was at once raised, and for the
first time in many years the metropolis had "dry" Sundays, when every
saloon in the city was tightly closed. This strict compliance with the
law made him some enemies, but to these he paid no heed, for he was
doing only his duty.
When William McKinley was nominated for the Presidency the first time,
Theodore Roosevelt was one of his most enthusiastic supporters. Upon the
election of McKinley, John D. Long was appointed Secretary of the Navy
and Theodore Roosevelt became the First Assistant Secretary. Ever since
writing his naval history the newly appointed assistant had made a close
study of naval matters, and now he applied himself with vigor to the
duties of his office; and it was primarily through his efforts that when
the war with Spain came, our war-ships and our coast defences were in
much better condition than they had been at any time previous in our
history.
With the outbreak of the war, Theodore Roosevelt resigned. "My duty here
is done," he said. "My place is in the field." And without loss of time
he and his intimate friend, Dr. Leonard Wood, began the organization of
that body of troops which was officially designated as the First United
States Volunteer Cavalry, but which speedily became known everywhere as
the Rough Riders,--a body as unique as the world has ever seen, being
made up of men from all over the Union, but principally from four
Territories, and including hunters, cowboys, soldiers of fortune,
foot-ball and base-ball champions, college graduates, ex-policemen, with
American, Irish, Dutch, German, Mexican, and Indian blood in their
veins,--truly a remarkable collection, but every man and officer strong
and hardy, full of courage, a good horseman, and a fine shot.
From the very start, the Rough Riders were anxious to get into the
fight, and the opportunity was not long in coming. From Florida the
command was transported to Daiquiri, on the southern coast of Cuba, and
then began the advance upon the city of Santiago, which brought on the
engagement at La Guasima, followed by the thrilling battle of San Juan
Hill, in which the Rough Riders distinguished themselves in a manner
that will never be forgotten. In the very thickest of this fight was
Colonel Roosevelt, urging his men forward to victory, regardless of the
shot and shell falling upon all sides. A hero truly, and such heroes are
not forgotten.
Upon the close of the war Theodore Roosevelt thought to retire to
private life, but this was not to be. Arriving at New York, he was
hailed with delight by thousands, and at the next election was made
governor of the Empire State. As governor he made friends in both of the
leading political parties by his straightforwardness and his sterling
honesty. Men might differ with him politically, but they could never
accuse him of doing that which he himself did not firmly believe was
right.
His term as governor had not yet expired when President McKinley was
nominated for a second term. Again the people at large clamored for
Roosevelt, and against his earnest protestations he was forced to accept
the nomination for the Vice-Presidency. He was elected, and at the
proper time took his seat as presiding officer of the Senate.
It was at this time a blow fell upon our nation from which we have
scarcely yet recovered. President McKinley was struck down by the
cowardly hand of an assassin. The Vice-President was at this time off on
one of his favorite outings, but with all possible speed he came back
and was sworn in as President. It was a great responsibility, and many
feared that great changes in our government might result. But the fears
proved groundless. Young as he was,--and he is the youngest of all of
our Presidents,--he took upon himself the duty of carrying out the
intentions of his predecessor, and proving to the world once again that,
even though a President die, "the government at Washington still lives."
There is another side to the character of our President which must not
be overlooked. He is of strong religious convictions and a member of the
Dutch Reformed Church. It is seldom that he is given to preaching, but
when he does his words have a sincerity that proves much for the
foundation of his character. He stands for what is honest and upright in
political and private life, and although, being but human, he may make
mistakes, he remains a Chief Magistrate well deserving the highest
honors our nation can bestow.
EDWARD STRATEMEYER.
MAY 2, 1904.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE
Birthplace and Ancestry of Theodore Roosevelt--His Father's
Philanthropy--City and Country Home--Days at School--Religious
Training. 1
CHAPTER II
Nicknamed Teddy--Goes to Harvard College--Member of Many
Clubs--Death of Mr. Roosevelt--Anecdotes of College Life 11
CHAPTER III
Marries Miss Alice Lee--Travels in Europe--Bold Mountain
Climbing--Elected to the Assembly--Personal Encounter with
the Enemy 20
CHAPTER IV
Theodore Roosevelt and Governor Cleveland--Good Work as an
Assemblyman--Some Measures pushed through--Birth of Alice
Roosevelt--Death of Mr. Roosevelt's Mother 30
CHAPTER V
Theodore Roosevelt as a Ranchman and Hunter in the Bad
Lands--Bringing down his First Buffalo--Rattlesnakes
and a Wild Goose 39
CHAPTER VI
Grouse and Other Small Game--The Scotchman and the Skunk--Caught
in a Hailstorm on the Prairie--Bringing down Black-tail Deer 49
CHAPTER VII
Runs for Mayor of New York City--Marriage to Edith Kermit
Carew--Hunting in the Bighorn Mountains--A Wild Chase after
Three Elk 63
CHAPTER VIII
Bringing down a Grizzly Bear--Back to New York--Appointed
a Civil Service Commissioner--The Work of the Commission 74
CHAPTER IX
A Trip to the Shoshone Mountains--Caught in a Driving
Snowstorm--Back to Work--Resignation as Civil Service
Commissioner 85
CHAPTER X
Appointed Police Commissioner of New York City--Corruptness
of the Department--Strenuous Endeavors to make Matters Better--A
"Dry" Sunday--Enforcing the Tenement House Law and Other Measures 94
CHAPTER XI
Appointed First Assistant Secretary of the Navy--The Condition
of Affairs in Cuba--Preparing for War--Theodore Roosevelt's
Resolve 104
CHAPTER XII
Destruction of the _Maine_--Dewey's Victory--Theodore
Roosevelt becomes a Soldier--Organizing the Rough
Riders--Various Men in the Command 112
CHAPTER XIII
In Camp at Tampa--To Port Tampa in Coal Cars--Theodore
Roosevelt's Quick Move to obtain a Transport--The Wait in
the Harbor--Off for Cuba at Last 122
CHAPTER XIV
Life on the Transport--The Landing at Daiquiri--The March to
Siboney--The Trail through the Jungle--The Skirmish at La Guasima 132
CHAPTER XV
Along the Jungle Trail--Fording the River--Opening of the Battle
of San Juan Hill--Bravery of the Rough Riders--Personal
Experiences of Theodore Roosevelt during the Battle 142
CHAPTER XVI
Results of the Fight--Life in the Trenches--The Spanish Fleet
in Santiago Harbor--Another Great Naval Victory--The Rough
Riders and the Spanish Guerillas 154
CHAPTER XVII
Devotion of the Rough Riders to Theodore Roosevelt--His
Kindness to his Men--Last of the Fighting--The Truce and
Treaty of Peace 163
CHAPTER XVIII
Last Days in Cuba--The Departure for Home--Arrival at
Montauk--Caring for the Sick and Wounded--Presentation to
Theodore Roosevelt by his Men--Mustering out of the Rough
Riders 171
CHAPTER XIX
Nominated for Governor of New York--A Rough Rider Way of
Campaigning--Elected Governor--Important Work at Albany--The
Homestead at Oyster Bay--Chopping down a Tree for Exercise 183
CHAPTER XX
Great Reception to Admiral Dewey--Governor Roosevelt's
Increased Popularity--Last Annual Message as Governor--Visit
to Chicago--Remarkable Speech on the Strenuous Life 193
CHAPTER XXI
The Convention at Philadelphia--Theodore Roosevelt seconds the
Nomination of William McKinley--Becomes Candidate for the
Vice-Presidency--Remarkable Tours through Many States 203
CHAPTER XXII
Elected Vice-President of the United States--Presides
over the Senate--Tax upon Theodore Roosevelt's Strength--Starts
on Another Grand Hunting Tour 214
CHAPTER XXIII
The Roosevelt Family in the Adirondacks--The Pan-American
Exposition at Buffalo--Shooting of President McKinley--The
Vice-President's Visit--Death of the President 223
CHAPTER XXIV
Theodore Roosevelt's Tramp up Mount Marcy--A Message of
Importance--Wild Midnight Ride through the Mountains--On
the Special Trains from North Creek to Buffalo 233
CHAPTER XXV
Takes the Oath as President--The New Chief Magistrate at
the Funeral of President McKinley--At the White House--How
the First Real Working Day was Spent 241
CHAPTER XXVI
Continuing the Work begun by President McKinley--The
Panama Canal Agitation--Visit of Prince Henry of Prussia--The
President at the Charleston Exposition 251
CHAPTER XXVII
Destruction at St. Pierre--American Aid--The Great Coal
Strike--President Roosevelt ends the Difficulty--Tour through
New England--The Trolley Accident in the Berkshires--A Providential
Escape from Death 260
CHAPTER XXVIII
New Offices at the White House--Sends a Wireless Message to King
Edward of England--End of the Trouble in Venezuela--The Canadian
Boundary Dispute--Beginning of a Trip to the West--In Yellowstone
Park 269
CHAPTER XXIX
Dedication of the Fair Buildings at St. Louis--Continuation
of the Trip to San Francisco--Up in the Far Northwest--Back
in Washington--The Post-office Scandals--The New Republic
of Panama--A Canal at Last--Proclamation regarding the War
between Japan and Russia--Opening of the Great Fair 277
CHAPTER XXX
Personal Characteristics of Theodore Roosevelt--The
President's Family--Life at the White House--Our Country
and its Future 289
APPENDIX
A. Brief Extracts from Famous Addresses delivered
by Theodore Roosevelt 297
B. List of Theodore Roosevelt's Writings 300
C. Chronology of the Life of Theodore Roosevelt
from 1858 to 1904 302
ILLUSTRATIONS
COLONEL ROOSEVELT AT SAN JUAN HILL _Frontispiece_
FACING PAGE
THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S BIRTHPLACE 2
HOUSE IN WHICH THEODORE ROOSEVELT ROOMED WHILE AT HARVARD 14
THEODORE ROOSEVELT AT GRADUATION, 1880 20
MISS ALICE LEE ROOSEVELT 36
EDITH KERMIT ROOSEVELT 66
THEODORE ROOSEVELT AS A ROUGH RIDER 118
COLONEL ROOSEVELT AT MONTAUK POINT 176
THE ROOSEVELT HOMESTEAD AT OYSTER BAY 192
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 202
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY AND VICE-PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 216
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AT HIS DESK 252
THE WHITE HOUSE, SHOWING NEW OFFICES 270
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND CABINET, 1903 276
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SPEAKING AT THE UNVEILING OF THE
STATUE OF GENERAL SHERMAN 284
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND HIS FAMILY 292
AMERICAN BOYS' LIFE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT
CHAPTER I
BIRTHPLACE AND ANCESTRY OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT--HIS FATHER'S
PHILANTHROPY--CITY AND COUNTRY HOME--DAYS AT SCHOOL--RELIGIOUS TRAINING
"Our country calls not for the life of ease, but for the life of
strenuous endeavor. The twentieth century looms before us big with the
fate of many nations. If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen,
slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests
where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they
hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by and will
win for themselves the domination of the world. Let us therefore boldly
face the life of strife, resolute to do our duty well and manfully;
resolute to uphold righteousness by deed and by word; resolute to be
both honest and brave, to serve high ideals, yet to use practical
methods. Above all, let us not shrink from strife, moral or physical,
within or without the nation, provided that we are certain that the
strife is justified; for it is only through strife, through hard and
dangerous endeavor, that we shall ultimately win the goal of true
national greatness."
These words, taken from President Roosevelt's remarkable speech on "The
Strenuous Life," show well the character of the man, his lofty ideals,
his sterling courage, his absolute honesty, and unwavering patriotism.
He is a typical American in the best sense of the word, and his life is
worthy of careful study. From it American boys of to-day, and in
generations to come, may gain lessons that will do them much good.
Theodore Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth President of our country, was born
in New York City, October 27, 1858. The place of his birth was the old
family mansion at 28 East Twentieth Street, in a neighborhood which, at
that time, was the abode of wealth and culture. The building is one
of a row, of a type to be seen in hundreds of other places, of brick and
stone, four stories and a basement high, the upper floor being an attic.
A heavy railing runs from in front of the basement up the broad front
steps to the doorway. Inside, the rooms are large and comfortably
arranged, and there was, in those days, quite a nice garden in the rear.
[Illustration: THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S BIRTHPLACE. 28 E. 20TH STREET, NEW
YORK CITY.]
It can truthfully be said that Theodore Roosevelt comes from a race of
soldiers and statesmen, and that Dutch, Scotch, French, and Irish blood
flows in his veins. This being so, it is no wonder that, when the
Spanish-American War broke out, he closed his desk as Assistant
Secretary of the Navy, saying, "My duty here is done; my place is in the
field," and went forth to win glory on the battle-field of San Juan
Hill.
Five generations of Roosevelts lived in or near New York previous to the
birth of Theodore Roosevelt, the father of the President, in 1831.
Nearly all were well-to-do, and many served the city and the state as
aldermen and members of the legislature. During the Revolution they
followed under Washington's banner, and their purses were wide open to
further the cause of independence.
Theodore Roosevelt the elder was a merchant and banker; a man broad in
his views and filled with the spirit of genuine philanthropy. He founded
one of the hospitals of the city and was at one time chairman of the
State Board of Charities. A story is told of him which is probably true.
One day Charles Loring Brace came to him for financial assistance in
establishing homes for the little waifs of the city.
"I will see what I can do," said Mr. Roosevelt. "But you know that just
at present I am busy with other charitable works."
"I know that," said Mr. Brace. "But what I ask for is very much needed.
The waifs and poor, homeless newsboys have no shelter."
The next day, when returning from the establishment in which he was a
partner, Mr. Roosevelt came upon a newsboy sitting on a doorstep, crying
bitterly.
"What is the matter, my little man?" he asked.
"I lost me money; it dropped down into de sewer hole!" sobbed the ragged
urchin. "Every cent of it is gone."
Mr. Roosevelt questioned the lad and found out that the boy had no home
and that his only relative was a longshoreman who was hardly ever sober.
He gave the lad some money to replace the amount lost, and the next day
sent word to Mr. Brace that he would do all he possibly could toward
establishing the waifs' shelters that were so much needed. The Newsboys'
Lodging House of New York City is one of the results of Mr. Roosevelt's
practical charities. He also did much to give criminals a helping hand
when they came from prison, stating that that was the one time in their
lives when they most needed help, for fear they might slip back into
their previous bad habits.
In 1853 Theodore Roosevelt the elder married Miss Martha Bullock, of
Roswell, Cobb County, Georgia. Miss Bullock was the daughter of Major
James S. Bullock and a direct descendant of Archibald Bullock, the first
governor of Georgia. It will thus be seen that the future President had
both Northern and Southern blood in his make-up, and it may be added
here that during the terrible Civil War his relatives were to be found
both in the Union and the Confederate ranks. Mrs. Roosevelt was a strong
Southern sympathizer, and when a certain gathering, during the Civil
War, was in progress at the Roosevelt city home, she insisted upon
displaying a Confederate flag at one of the windows.
"I am afraid it will make trouble," said Mr. Roosevelt; and he was
right. Soon a mob began to gather in the street, clamoring that the flag
be taken down.
"I shall not take it down," said Mrs. Roosevelt, bravely. "The room is
mine, and the flag is mine. I love it, and nobody shall touch it.
Explain to the crowd that I am a Southern woman and that I love my
country."
There being no help for it, Mr. Roosevelt went to the front door and
explained matters as best he could. A few in the crowd grumbled, but
when Mrs. Roosevelt came to the window and looked down on the gathering,
one after another the men went away, and she and her flag remained
unmolested.
Theodore Roosevelt, the future President, was one of a family of four.
He had a brother Elliott and two sisters. His brother was several years
younger than himself, but much more robust, and would probably have
lived many years and have distinguished himself, had he not met death in
a railroad accident while still a young man.
In the years when Theodore Roosevelt was a boy, New York City was not
what it is to-day. The neighborhood in which he lived was, as I have
already mentioned, a fashionable one, and the same may be said of many
other spots near to Union Square, where tall business blocks were yet
unknown. The boys and girls loved to play in the little park and on the
avenue, and here it was that the rather delicate schoolboy grew to know
Edith Carew, who lived in Fourteenth Street and who was his school
companion. Little did they dream in those days, as they played together,
that one day he would be President and she his loving wife, the mistress
of the White House.
Mr. Roosevelt was a firm believer in public institutions, and he did not
hesitate to send his children to the public schools, especially his
boys, that they might come in direct personal contact with the great
outside world. So to a near-by institution of learning Theodore and
Elliott trudged day after day, with their school-books under their arms,
just as thousands of other schoolboys are doing to-day. But in those
days there were few experiments being tried in the schools, and manual
training and the like were unknown. The boys were well grounded in
reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as spelling, history, and
geography, and there was great excitement when a "spelling-bee" was in
progress, to see who could spell the rest of the class or the gathering
down.
It is said upon good authority that Theodore Roosevelt was a model
scholar from the start. He loved to read Cooper's "Leatherstocking
Tales," and works of travel, and preferred books above anything else.
But when he found that constant studying was ruining his constitution,
he determined to build himself up physically as well as mentally.
In the summer time the family often went to the old Roosevelt "out of
town" mansion on Long Island. This was called "Tranquillity," a fine
large place near Oyster Bay, set in a grove of beautiful trees. The
journey to "Tranquillity" was in those days a tedious one, but the
Roosevelt children did not mind it, and once at the old place they were
certain of a good time so long as their vacation lasted. Here it was
that Theodore Roosevelt learned to ride on horseback and how to handle a
gun. And here, too, the boys would go boating, fishing, and bathing, to
their hearts' content.
Mr. Theodore Roosevelt the elder was a member of the Dutch Reformed
Church, and the religious teaching of his children was not neglected. At
an early age the future President became a member of that denomination
and has remained a member ever since. The church was on the East Side,
and had high-backed pews, and here were delivered sermons that were as
long as they were full of strength and wisdom. That these sermons had
their full effect upon the future President is shown by his addresses
delivered before the Young Men's Christian Association of New York City
and a church community of the West, years later. In addressing the
Young Men's Christian Association Mr. Roosevelt, who was then governor
of the State, said:--
"The vice of envy is not only dangerous, but also a mean vice, for it is
always a confession of inferiority. It may provoke conduct which will be
fruitful of wrong to others; and it must cause misery to the man who
feels it. It will not be any the less fruitful of wrong and misery if,
as is often the case with evil motives, it adopts some high-sounding
alias. The truth is, gentlemen, that each one of us has in him certain
passions and instincts which, if they gain the upper hand in his soul,
would mean that the wild beast had come uppermost in him. Envy, malice,
and hatred are such passions, and they are just as bad if directed
against a class or group of men as if directed against an individual."
Golden words, well worth remembering. A person who believes in them with
all his heart cannot go far wrong in his actions, no matter what his
station in life.
CHAPTER II
NICKNAMED TEDDY--GOES TO HARVARD COLLEGE--MEMBER OF MANY CLUBS--DEATH OF
MR. ROOSEVELT--ANECDOTES OF COLLEGE LIFE
The instincts of the hunter must have been born in Theodore Roosevelt.
His first gun was given to him when he was ten years of age, and for the
time being his books and his studies were forgotten, and he devoted his
whole time and attention to shooting at a target set up in the garden of
the country home and in going out with the older folks after such small
game as were to be found in that vicinity.
The horses on the place were his pets, and he knew the peculiarities of
each as well as did the man who cared for them. Riding and driving came
to him as naturally as breathing, and the fact that a steed was
mettlesome did not daunt him.
"My father often drove four-in-hand," he has said. "I liked very much to
go with him, and I liked to drive, too."
Theodore Roosevelt's schoolboy days were not far out of the ordinary. He
studied hard, and if he failed in a lesson he did his best to make it up
the next time. It is well said that there is no royal road to learning,
and even a future President must study just as hard as his classmates if
he wants to keep up with them. Sometimes he was absent from school on
account of sickness, and then it was a sharp struggle to keep from
dropping behind.
"In those days nobody expected Teddy Roosevelt to amount to a great
deal," some one has said. "He was thin, pale, and delicate, and suffered
with his eyes. But he pulled through, and when he took to athletics, it
was wonderful how he got stronger."
By his intimate companions, and indeed by nearly everybody who knew him,
he was called Teddy, and this nickname clung to him when he went forth
into the great world to become a governor and a president. How the
nickname came first into use is not known.
Since those schoolboy days Mr. Roosevelt has been asked this
question:--
"What did you expect to be, or dream of being, when you were a boy?"
"I do not recollect that I dreamed at all or planned at all," was the
answer. "I simply obeyed the injunction, 'Whatever thy hand findeth to
do, do that with all thy might,' and so I took up what came along as it
came."
In 1876, while the great Centennial Exhibition was being held at
Philadelphia in commemoration of one hundred years of national liberty,
Theodore Roosevelt took up his residence at Cambridge, Massachusetts,
and became a student at Harvard College. During the previous year his
health had been poor indeed, but now he had taken hold of himself in
earnest.
"I determined to be strong and well, and did everything to make myself
so," he has said. "By the time I entered Harvard I was able to take part
in whatever sports I liked."
As perhaps some of my readers know, Harvard College (now termed a
University) is the oldest and largest institution of learning in the
United States. It was founded in 1636, and among its graduates numbered
John Quincy Adams, sixth President of our country. The college proper is
located in Cambridge, but some of the attached schools are in Boston.
Theodore Roosevelt was rich enough to have lived in elegant style while
at Harvard, but he preferred unostentatious quarters, and took two rooms
in the home of Benj. H. Richardson, at what was then No. 16 and is now
No. 88 Winthrop Street. The residence is a neat and comfortable one,
standing on the southwest corner of Winthrop and Holyoke streets.
The young student had two rooms on the second floor,--one of good size,
used for a study, and a small bedroom. In the whole four years he was at
the college he occupied these rooms, and he spent a great deal of time
in fixing them up to suit his own peculiar taste. On the walls were all
sorts of pictures and photographs, along with foils and boxing-gloves,
and the horns of wild animals. On a shelf rested some birds which he had
himself stuffed, and books were everywhere.
[Illustration: HOUSE IN WHICH THEODORE ROOSEVELT ROOMED WHILE AT
HARVARD.]
"It was a regular den, and typical of Roosevelt to the last degree," a
student of those times has said. "He had his gun there and his
fishing rod, and often spoke of using them. He was noted for trying to
get at the bottom of things, and I remember him well on one occasion
when I found him with a stuffed bird in one hand and a natural history
in the other, trying to decide if the description in the volume covered
the specimen before him." When Roosevelt graduated from college, he was
one of a very few that took honors, and the subject of his essay was
natural history. How his love of natural history continued will be shown
later when we see him as a ranchman and hunter of the West.
Theodore Roosevelt had decided to make the most of himself, and while at
Harvard scarcely a moment was wasted. If he was not studying, he was in
the gymnasium or on the field, doing what he could to make himself
strong. He was a firm believer in the saying that a sound body makes a
sound mind, and he speedily became a good boxer, wrestler, jumper, and
runner. He wrestled a great deal, and of this sport says:--
"I enjoyed it immensely and never injured myself. I think I was a good
deal of a wrestler, and though I never won a championship, yet more
than once I won my trial heats and got into the final rounds."
At running he was equally good. "I remember once we had a stiff run out
into the country," said a fellow-student. "Roosevelt was behind at the
start, but when all of the others got played out he forged ahead, and in
the end he beat us by several minutes. But he never bragged about it.
You see, it wasn't his style."
With all his other sports, and his studying, the young collegian did not
give up his love for driving. He had a good horse and a fancy cart,--one
of the elevated sort with large wheels,--and in this turnout he was seen
many a day, driving wherever it pleased him to go. Sometimes he would
get on the road with other students, and then there was bound to be more
or less racing.
With a strong love for natural history it was not surprising that he
joined the Natural History Club of the college, and of this he was one
of the most active members. He also joined the Athletic Association, of
which he was a steward, and the Art Club, the Rifle Corps, the O.K.
Society, and the Finance Club. In his senior year he became a member of
the Porcellian Club, the Hasty Pudding, and the Alpha Delta Phi Club,
and also one of the editors of a college paper called the _Advocate_. On
Sundays he taught a class of boys, first in a mission school, and then
in a Congregational Sunday school. It was a life full of planning, full
of study, and full of work, and it suited Theodore Roosevelt to the last
degree.
As he grew older his love of natural history was supplemented by a love
for the history of nations, and particularly by a love of the history of
his own country. The war of 1812 interested him intensely, and before he
graduated he laid plans for writing a history of this war, which should
go into all the details of the memorable naval conflicts.
It was while in his third year at Harvard that Theodore Roosevelt
suffered the first heavy affliction of his life. On February 9, 1878,
his father died. It was a cruel blow to the family, and one from which
the faithful wife scarcely recovered. The son at Harvard felt his loss
greatly, and it was some time before he felt able to resume his studies.
The elder Roosevelt's work as a philanthropist was well known, and many
gathered at his bier to do him honor, while the public journals were
filled with eulogies of the man. The poor mourned bitterly that he was
gone, and even the newsboys were filled with regret over his taking
away. In speaking of his parent, President Roosevelt once said: "I can
remember seeing him going down Broadway, staid and respectable business
man that he was, with a poor sick kitten in his coat pocket, which he
had picked up in the street." Such a man could not but have a heart
overflowing with goodness.
While at college Theodore Roosevelt often showed that self-reliance for
which he has since become famous. To every study that he took up he
applied himself closely, and if he was not at the head of the class, he
was by no means near the foot. When he was sure of a thing, no amount of
argument could convince him that he was wrong, and he did not hesitate
at times to enter into a discussion even with some of the professors
over him.
Although a close student, and also a good all-round athlete, Theodore
Roosevelt did not forget his social opportunities. Boston was but a
short distance from his rooms in Cambridge, and thither he often went to
visit the people he had met or to whom he had letters of introduction.
He was always welcome, for his manner was a winning one, and he usually
had something to tell that was of interest--something of what he had
seen or done, of the next foot-ball or base-ball game, of the coming
boat races, of his driving or exploring, or of how he had added a new
stuffed bird to his collection, or a new lizard, and of how a far-away
friend had sent him a big turtle as a souvenir of an ocean trip in the
South Seas. There is a story that this big turtle got loose one night
and alarmed the entire household by crawling through the hallway,
looking for a pond or mud-hole in which to wallow. At first the turtle
was mistaken for a burglar, but he soon revealed himself by his angry
snapping, and it was hard work making him a prisoner once more.
CHAPTER III
MARRIES MISS ALICE LEE--TRAVELS IN EUROPE--BOLD
MOUNTAIN-CLIMBING--STUDYING LAW IN NEW YORK--ELECTED TO THE
ASSEMBLY--PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY
It was a proud and happy day for Theodore Roosevelt when, in the summer
of 1880, he was graduated from Harvard. He took scholarly as well as
social honors, and came forth a Phi Beta Kappa man. His fellow-students
wished him well, and his family greeted him most affectionately.
Yet with it all there was just a bit of melancholy in this breaking away
from a place that had been as a second home to him for four long years.
The students were scattering to the four points of the compass, and he
might never see some of them again. But others were there whom he was to
meet later, and who were destined to march under him up the bullet-swept
slopes of San Juan in far-away Cuba. But at that time there was no
thought of war and carnage, only good-fellowship, with addresses and
orations, music, flying flags, and huge bonfires and fireworks at night.
Happy college days were they, never to be forgotten.
[Illustration: THEODORE ROOSEVELT AT GRADUATION, 1880.]
While a student at Harvard, Theodore Roosevelt had become intimately
acquainted with Miss Alice Lee, of Boston, a beautiful girl who was a
member of an aristocratic family of that city. The young college student
was a frequent visitor at the home of the Lees, and on September 23,
1880, the two were married.
It had been decided that Theodore Roosevelt should travel in Europe
after graduating. His father had left the family well provided for, so
there was no rush to get into something whereby a living might be
earned. Yet Theodore Roosevelt had long since determined not to be an
idler. He would travel and improve his mind, and then settle down to
that for which he seemed best fitted.
To Europe then he went, accompanied by his bride, to study a little and
to visit the art galleries and museums, the palaces of kings and queens,
and the many great cities of that continent. He travelled through
Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, and the British Isles, taking note
of everything he saw and comparing it with what he had seen in his own
country. When in lower Europe, the spirit of adventure seized him, and
he climbed those lofty mountains of the Alps, the Jungfrau and the
Matterhorn, and for those deeds of daring was made a member of the
Alpine Club of London. It may be mentioned here that climbing the
mountains mentioned is a very difficult feat, and that more than one
traveller has lost his life in such attempts. The peaks are covered with
snow and ice; the path from one cliff to the next is narrow and
uncertain, and a fall into some dark and fearful hollow usually means
death. But the danger only urged Theodore Roosevelt on, and added zest
to the undertaking.
He was intensely interested in all he saw, both in Europe proper and in
the British Isles, but wrote that he was glad to get back home again,
among his own people. To him there was no country like America, the land
of _Golden Opportunity_, as one of our most noted writers has called it.
In Europe there was more or less a lack of personal liberty; here a man
could try to make what he pleased of himself, be it cobbler or
President.
The young college graduate had an uncle in New York, named Robert B.
Roosevelt, who was a well-known lawyer. On his return to this country
Theodore Roosevelt entered his uncle's office, and likewise took up the
study of law at Columbia University, attending the lectures given by
Professor Dwight. Here again his search after what he termed "bottom
facts" came to light, and he is well remembered as a member of the law
class because of the way he frequently asked questions and called for
explanations--accepting nothing as a fact until it was perfectly clear
in his own mind. The interruptions did not always suit the professor or
the other students, yet they were often the means of clearing up a point
that was hazy to many others who had not the courage to thrust forth
their inquiries as did Theodore Roosevelt.
"He wants to know it all," said one student, in disgust.
"Well, never mind; I wish I knew it all," answered another. "I guess he
knows what he is doing." And in this he was right; Theodore Roosevelt
knew exactly what he was trying to accomplish.
The young man was now twenty-three years of age, broad-shouldered, and
in much better health than ever before. He had not abandoned his
athletic training, and would often run out to the old home at Oyster Bay
for a tramp into the woods or on a hunting tour.
While still studying law, Theodore Roosevelt entered politics by taking
an active part in a Republican primary. He lived in the twenty-third
assembly district of the state. The district included a great number of
rich and influential citizens, and on that account was called the
"Diamond Back District."
"Let us put up young Roosevelt for Assembly," said one of the
politicians. "He's a clever fellow."
"That may be," said another. "But I don't know that we can manage him.
He seems a fellow who wants his own way."
"Yes, he'll want his own way, but I reckon that way will be the right
way," put in a third speaker.
No sooner had Theodore Roosevelt's name been mentioned as a possible
candidate than there was a storm of opposition from some politicians who
had in the past ruled the district with a rod of iron. It was a
Republican district, so that the contest for the place was entirely in
the primary.
"If he is nominated and elected, our power will be gone," they told
themselves; and set to work without delay to throw the nomination into
the hands of somebody else.
Theodore Roosevelt suspected what was going on, but he said nothing to
those who opposed him. With his friends he was very frank, and told them
that if he was nominated he would do his best to win the election and
serve them honestly in the legislature.
His open-heartedness won him many friends, and when the primary was
held, those who had opposed him were chagrined to see him win the
nomination with votes to spare. Some at once predicted that he would not
be elected.
"Those who opposed him at the primary will not vote for him," they
said. "They would rather help the Democrats."
But this prediction proved false. At the election Theodore Roosevelt was
elected with a good majority. It was his first battle in the political
arena and if he felt proud over it, who can blame him?
The State Capitol of New York is, as my young readers must know, at
Albany, on the Upper Hudson, and hither the young assemblyman journeyed.
The assemblymen poured in from all over the state, and were made up of
all sorts and conditions of men, including bankers, farmers, merchants,
contractors, liquor dealers, and even prize-fighters. Many of these men
were thoroughly honest, but there were others who were there for gain
only, and who cared little for the passing of just laws.
The party to which Theodore Roosevelt belonged was in the minority, so
that the young assemblyman found he would have to struggle hard if he
expected to be heard at all. But the thoughts of such a struggle only
put him on his mettle, and he plunged in with a vigor that astonished
his opponents and caused great delight to his friends.
"He is fearless," said one who had voted for him. "He will make things
warm for those who don't want to act on the square." And he certainly
did make it warm, until a certain class grew to fear and hate him to
such a degree that they plotted to do him bodily harm.
"He has got to learn that he must mind his own business," was the way
one of these corruptionists reasoned.
"But what can we do?" asked another. "He's as sharp on the floor of the
Assembly as a steel trap."
"We'll get Stubby to brush up against him," said a third.
Stubby was a bar-room loafer who had been at one time something of a
pugilist. He was a thoroughly unprincipled fellow, and it was known that
he would do almost anything for money.
"Sure, I'll fix him," said Stubby. "You just leave him to me and see how
I polish him off."
The corruptionists and their tool met at the Delavan House, an
old-fashioned hotel at which politicians in and around the capital were
wont to congregate, and waited for the young assemblyman. Roosevelt was
not long in putting in an appearance and was soon in deep discussion
with some friends.
"Watch him, Stubby," said one of the young assemblyman's enemies. "Don't
let him get away from you to-night."
"I have me eye on him," answered Stubby.
Roosevelt was on the way to the buffet of the hotel when the crowd, with
Stubby in front, pushed against him rudely. The young assemblyman
stepped back and viewed those before him fearlessly.
"Say, what do yer mean, running into me that way?" demanded Stubby,
insolently.
As he spoke he aimed a savage blow at Theodore Roosevelt. But the young
assemblyman had not forgotten how to box, and he dodged with an agility
that was astonishing.
"This fellow needs to be taught a lesson," Theodore Roosevelt told
himself, and then and there he proceeded to administer the lesson in a
manner that Stubby never forgot. He went down flat on his back, and
when he got up, he went down again, with a bleeding nose and one eye all
but closed. Seeing this, several leaped in to his assistance, but it was
an ill-fated move, for Roosevelt turned on them also, and down they
went, too; and then the encounter came to an end, with Theodore
Roosevelt the victor.
"And that wasn't the end of it," said one, who witnessed the affair.
"After it was over young Roosevelt was as smiling as ever. He walked
straight over to some of his enemies who had been watching the mix-up
from a distance and told them very plainly that he knew how the attack
had originated, and he was much obliged to them, for he hadn't enjoyed
himself so much for a year. Phew! but weren't those fellows mad! And
wasn't Stubby mad when he learned that they had set him against one of
the best boxers Harvard ever turned out? But after that you can make
sure they treated Roosevelt with respect and gave him a wide berth."
CHAPTER IV
THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND GOVERNOR CLEVELAND--GOOD WORK AS AN
ASSEMBLYMAN--SOME MEASURES PUSHED THROUGH--BIRTH OF ALICE
ROOSEVELT--DEATH OF MR. ROOSEVELT'S MOTHER
The career of an assemblyman is not generally an interesting one, but
Mr. Roosevelt managed to extract not a little pleasure and also some
profit from it. The experience was just what he needed to fit himself
for the larger positions he was, later on, to occupy.
One happening is of peculiar interest to note. While Theodore Roosevelt
was a member of the Assembly, Grover Cleveland became governor of the
state. Mr. Cleveland was a Democrat, while Mr. Roosevelt was a
Republican, yet the two future Presidents of the United States became
warm friends,--a friendship that has endured to the present day.
It is said that the friendship started in rather a peculiar manner.
There was at the time a measure before the Assembly to reduce the fare
of the elevated roads in New York City from ten cents to five cents.
After a great deal of talking, the bill passed the Assembly and then the
Senate, and went to the governor for his signature. Much to the surprise
of the general public Governor Cleveland vetoed the bill, stating that
when the capitalists had built the elevated roads they had understood
that the fare was to be ten cents, and that it was not right to deprive
them of their profits. At once those who wanted the measure to become a
law decided to pass it over the governor's head. When this attempt was
made, Theodore Roosevelt got up boldly and said he could not again vote
for the bill--that he was satisfied that Governor Cleveland's view of
the matter was correct.
"These people would not have put their money in the elevated railroads
had they not been assured that the fare was to be ten cents," said he.
"We are under obligation to them, and we must keep our promises." And so
the bill fell through. It was not in itself right that the fare should
be ten cents, and it has long since been reduced to five cents, but it
shows that Theodore Roosevelt was bound to do what was right and just,
according to the dictates of his own conscience, and this won for him
many friends, even among those who had opposed him politically.
In a work of this kind, intended mainly for the use of young people, it
is not necessary to do more than glance at the work which Theodore
Roosevelt accomplished while a member of the New York Assembly.
He made a close study of the various political offices of New York
County and discovered that many office-holders were drawing large sums
of money in the shape of fees for which they were doing hardly any work.
This he considered unfair, and by dint of hard labor helped to pass a
law placing such offices on the salary list, making a saving to the
county of probably half a million dollars a year.
