The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-24

there was quiet and absolutely no disorder
The vast crowds had entered into the spirit
of the reception OF the President of the
United States. and people comported them
selves with dignity and consideration Tor
others.
1t was 1870 o'clock when the auditorium
of the hall began to groan under the weight
of the ceaseless stream of people that
FASTENED to their seats there TO wait In
patience what to many was the event OF
a lifetime. In the forefront of the crowds
were bent veterans Of the civil war, not
a few lettering feebly to their seats but
all smiling and enthusiastic in the pleas
ure of assisting in the reception OF the
man who leads in peace and who led the
firing line I'm time of war. They were joy
full, these old soldiers. and prepared to
hurrah as heartily for the young COM
.mander as they ever shouted for the gen
erals OF the old days. They sat in their
seats and talked about him among them
selves, discussed what kind of man he
Is, compared him to heroes they had long
sworn by. and predicted with imperative
argument that he would be a great Presi-
dent They forgaYe his youth In the glory
OF his deeds and sagey recalled the time
when they had discerned him as CO.
iossal hgure just topping the horizon
HIS COMRADES IN ARMS.
Among them and behind them were the
young soldiers, the comrades in arms OF
the President, many OF them dressed in
their uniforms of khaki or gold-corded
army blue. BY him they had sworn. for
liant soldier and the cavalier. Few of them
had ever heard him speak. not many had
seen him, and all awaited him with a re-
pressed enthusiasm that struggled for ut
terance. The old men looked at the young
men, and their glance was cordial and free
from the suggestion of jealousy; the Presi-
dent was the bond between. Behind these
still, and up in the galleries, were the
privates of the Presidents army of good
American citizens.
have come to know that his almost peda-
gogic words OF advice are backed by
civic life of irreproachable standard. These
plain citizens. while giving Theodore
Roosevelt the full need OF his glory as
brilliant soldier. took most pride in his
leadership of nation at peace; in his
blOodless victories for justice at home and
| freedom abroad. They admired the SOL
der and follow the man: Making up these
| three general classes OF people who COM
| posed the audience were men and women
| from the city and country. Dozens of
| towns In central Indiana sent citizens to
| pay respect to the President. Ten Tomlin-
/ son Halls would not have held the people
| that would have liked to enter.
On the floor OF the auditorium were men,
| a solid mass of appraised heads In the
| galleries were women, fiuttering handker-
| chiefs, and filling the air with the electrici-
| ~ of their enthusiasm. The tout ensemble
/ was an effective massing of black and
white, with occasional nower-like touches
/ of color. Nine-tenths of the women in the
/ galleries had apparently been inspired to
4 wear WnlIe SnlrtWdlSlS. SEATED CLOSE To-
| gether as they were, they Formed band
| of white twenty feet broad that around
Tomlinson Hall with the ends of the band
| touching the roof at the stage. The floor
/ beneath was dark with the somber gar
| ments Of the men, which threw into more
pronounced relief the light clothes of the
| women.
The flags and decorations furnished the
| artistic touch that relieved the danger Of
severity. High over the front of the stage,
just beneath the roof. gigantic Ameri-
banner Of welcome. At each side, flow
| ing to the stage. were great banners of
| the old red. white and blue. Around the
sides of the gallery Enclosures festoons OF
| flags were placed. At the south end of the
| hall, over the heads of the people, was
hung a portrait of President Roosevelt that
| was so inconceivably bad as to be almost
unacceptable. The decorations were sim
pie and arranged with some approach to
| artistic effect These In the moments of
! the strained waiting the people admired
| and discussed, the entrance now and then
| OF a parsonage in military or civic life
causing them to turn their attention and
to cheer.
HOBSON'S APPEARANCE.
1t was just 11:49 o'clock when Captain
Richmond Pearson Hobson, the man who
was kissed from sea to sea and back again
on the strength of having sunk collier
in the neck of Santiago harbor. quietly
climbed the steps leading to the back of
|
w. C. Liller, late adjutant general of the
Spanish-American War Veterans. to a seat
in the front of the stage. For a few min
utes the audience was slow to catch the
| fact of Hobson's arrival. Finally some one
exclaimed to his neighbor in the joy of a
| great discovery, why, there's Hobson."
| The women in the galleries heard the ex-
camation and leaned forward in excited
huttering. Their faces became wreathed
| in smiles, and one woman leaned TO another
close to the stage and whispered audibly,
"oh. just isn't he a dear Feminine
hue, bent soft glances on the naval con-
| structor whose claim to fame singularly
enough is based on an act of destruction.
Hobson at first was quite unconscious OF
the batteries OF admiration directed al
him and continued his conversation with
friend. Then the men Of the audience be-
gan to take some interest in him and there
were calls of "Hobson, Hobsoni Hobsonv'
from all over the hall. The popping cries
coalesced into roar OF demand for his
appearance, and the captain rose slowly.
II really thank you, he said with his
eyes wandering to every part OF the hall
flor the honor you have paid me in calling
for me- L think, however, that / am in
much the same position as the late George
ID. Prentice was on one occasion when he
was called upon for a speech Just before the
eagle scars said Prentice, then bats had
better seek their holesr / myself think
that when the COMMUNICATIVE chief Of the
for the lieutenants and captains to go below
matches"
wELL-KNOWN MEN.
The captains modest response called
forth louder cheers than before. The stage
was slowly filling UP all the while with
well-known men of Indianapolis and the
State. Benjamin Starr of Richmond. com
mander of the G. A. r., Department OF
Indiana was seated next TO Judge McMas.
ter, of the Superior Court. Judge Vinsor
Carter. Judge feathers and Judge Aller
were seated near by. State Treasurer
Levy. Daniel Storms. General Foster
Judge Stubs. General Carnahan and other:
had come in and had found places. Later
| still, when the reception committee thai
met the President arrived, and the stage
was filled TO the limit of it's capacity, II
held the most distinguished group of In
diana citizens and visitors that IL ever
held In all probability i'm its history. There
were men there leaders in every walk OF
life, captains of industry, United State,
senators, distinguished generals. renowned
men of affairs. When the President walked
rapidly to the front of the stage he passed
through lane formed by the parting Of
men who have helped to make Indiana
leading commonwealth OF the Nation.
| At l2:2l the carriage of the president
stopped at the Deaware-street entrance o.
/, Tomlnson Hail. He was assisted in alight
ing by Col. John T. Barnett, by Colone
Cortell. by the Governor and the mayor
In an instant cordons OF police and secret
service men were massed around the wall
to the door and made impossible an un
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