The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-28
''Teddy" Not Letting Politics Worry
Him-Wiid Ways of the Troopers
Some Picturesque Remarks.


over the hills of Montauk and widen his
horizon beyond the boundary of yellow
flags, but even in this short time Colonel
Roosevelt has shown symptoms of an atti-
tude which is rather at variance with a few
plans which have been cooked for him. For
the next few months the colonel expects TO
have for his running mate a bucking bron-
cho rather than a political candidate and to
set his pace to a cavalry spur, rusty and
real, rather than to a political prod.
Colonel Roosevelt is typical Rough Rid
er in lingo and looks. He is the concen-
trated essence of local color. Those who
are inspiring his boom would find fresh ma
terial for initiating public interest if they
could behold the colonel among his own
rough and ready troopers. There is the
swarthy coloring of Santiagos sun to his
skin. His cheeks are as brown as Egyptian
parchment and his eye has the wildness of
the Wyoming plains. There is a loose swag-
ger in his gait. reckless dash in his mount.
a strange indifference to fate which seem to
tell that he has imbibed all the picturesque
elements of the cowboy spirit as well as the
fatalistic theory of the grim visaged war
rior. There is the same precision of speech,
the same sharpness of articulation, but
vocabulary different from that of the days
before the war
I'm as strong as bull moose.
ooh, had bully time"
.'And 1 want you to know they're regi-
ment of crackajacks."
II feel like a Texas steer in hay time, and
I've got an appetite as sharp as d bowie
knife"
Say, old boy, 1 was dead sorry you
weren't with US. Oh. but we had bowling
time, and it was bigger fun than a water
melon picnic
That's Woodbury. Kane over there with
the straw hat. He's as tough as a buffalo
These are few expressions dropped Incl
dentally in the conversation of Col. Roose-
welt since his return. He is the impersona-
tion of the Rough Rider spirit Several days
ago he strayed down from detention camp
laid by a cOterie of newspaper men. he had
promised a statement of the experience of
his men in the charge up San Juan Hill.
His mission was to send a telegram TO his
wife and he had intended returning lmme-
dately to the quarantine boundary but the
subject of the fight of July~1 waXed warmer.
He began to picture the charge made by his
men. He called them by name and gave
graphic story of the rush for the block
that it was thought by one of the provost
officers that he was in violation of the quar-
antine regulations. Colonel Roosevelt alb
breviated his account of the battle. jumped
on his horse and dashed back into lines.
The incident was taken by some of the
newspaper for a story. An impetuous
over the telephone He mad almost forgot
that the waiting room was filled. He placed
down the receiver with flush of having
put good thing on the wire. when lank
figure with a blue flannel shirt, caught
about the collar with yellow handkerchief.
slouched from the crowd and touched the
newspaper man on the arm.
Say, pard, eff that thing what you spoke
that gifts in the prints termorrow I'll plug
yer, sho' as fate
The correspondent gave him a curious
look
Mt hac Ix foil
Jes' dry up. and yer write this down an
hav' it printed for what cares-if that thar
got yer spotted and knows you same as l
knows er blaze face horse
The sequel of this incident has not been
recorded. but it serves to show the loyalty
among the Rough Riders for their COM
maEder.
respondent of the Eagle was trying to pick
a path across the hills several nights ago.
1t had been raining hard and the steed had
begged up several times almost to his
launches. At sharp turn in the road near
a bog figure of a tall horseman shot out
of the darkness and put his horse over the
place with magnificent leap.
Yes, this is good steed.' he said. II
helped pick him out. 1t was poor Ham
Fish's horse, by the way. We got him out
something that had some ginger in him and
we iassoed this fellow and brought him
The Rough Rider was swinging along at
a clipping pace.
Ham used to come out to our ranch in
Montana very often when. he was out in
that part of the country. | first knew him
out there There was always a spirit of
adventure about him. He gave me these
true about his having presentiment that
he would be killed He told me that night
that he never expected to come back to this
country alive. | kept his horse for him.
understand that some of the family wants
to buy him. He a good horse. Ham knew
what good steed was
HNn Io11 " he
road turned off. He was Private Zalinsky.
Out West his father is known as the big
gest ranchman IN montana: ms GRANDPA
er was a Russian count and his mother is
a descendant of Zachary Taylor.
Col. Roosevelt" he said. lis fairly wor-
SHIPPED by the boys. It's funny to hear some
of them ta--- about his race for Governor.
All Of them want him to go ahead and run.
Some OF the boys say that II he ,, isn't nom nom
it off the map. They have an idea that it's
like Butte or some of the ranch towns
the colonel runs for Governor some of those
boys will give him a substantial backing.
They are prepared to slorate any one who
votes against him.
This attachment between the colonel and
his men is illustrated in many ways. He
can ride bucking horse as steady any
of them and shoot as straight with pistol.
They are telling huge yarns of how he killed
his Spaniard and some of them have ex-
tended it so far that they give picture of
a hand to hand struggle, in which Colonel
Teddy had to save himself by whipping out
his gun and plugging MS enemy through the
heart. Colonel Roosevelt is now at home
again with all his men. Politicians have
called upon him, but he has mildly refused
to discuss politics.
MY interest is with my men, was his re-
ply '"rhose things which entertained me a
year ago have lost interest. / am now look
ing after my command / shall remain with
my command until it is mustered out"
This is the attitude of the colonel of the
Rough Riders just now. He is firm in the
position that he will not talk politics. Visit
ing delegations may seek him in vain. Now
he poses as Rough Rider and not poll
tcian.