The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-15
boston Post.

Island Falls, Maine.--"Old" Bill Sewell,
deputy sheriff, postmaster and town
philosopher, Is the man that Theodore
Roosevelt loves best of all men-loves and
admires for the stern stuff that is in him,
for his fearless, rugged, honest nature.
He is Rooseyelts type of what man near
TO natures heart ought to be-
1t Is not every man who is presidents
ideal OF sturdy manhood, but "Bill" Sew
al bears his distinction with an easy, free
born grace.
Twas Bill Sewall who took young Theo-
dore Roosevelt, the stripping, then under
Doctors constant care, and taught him
the way that plain, hardy, self-reliant
men hight their way against adverse Cir
cumstances into the lap Of prosperity.
When the president was 20 years of age
and student at Harvard, he sought the
woods OF Maine In search of health and
recreation. He came to Island Falls, then
one OF the smallest of Aroostook county's
scattered towns, and became boarder at
Sewalls home. 1t was in this way that
friendship sprang into existence lasting
through many years, while one man pur-
sued his even way and the other rose to
that OF the highest place in the nation.
More than feet tall, keen Of eye, quick,
strong and always alert, he is a pictur-
esque figure among host of picturesques.
Possessing many traits of mind alike,
each honest and brave. q link of friendship
was forged that can never be broken.
When Roosevelt went west to assume the
character OF a ranchman, after the death
OF his wife and mother Sewall and his
cousin. Wilmer Dow, went with him. They
stayed with him until the end Of that part
OF the presidents career, when the coun-
try demanded that he cease to bury him
self far from the centers Of political &C
tivity. Sewal thus tells Of his first meet
1ng with Roosevelt, the boy:
Il was out on the porch cleaning my old
shotgun the day that Theodore drove up
He was the first one of the party to speak
TO me. Are you Bill Sewall?" he called,
aud l admitted that I was. Then his two
cousins, J. West Roosevelt and w. E.
Roosevelt. and their tutor jumped out of
the wagon. They were with me three
months, those boys.
Theodore then was quick little chap
with pair of big glasses on. He was
queer looking and seemed all eyes. Back
woodsmen has natural disrespect and
suspicsion Of fellers with glasses on, but
tell you 1t warn't long before found out
that glasses and foolishness didn't always
go hand In hand.
Before his tutor went away he called
me aside. Look out for Theodore he
said; he a1n't strong, but he's all grit. He
would die OF WEAKNESS and say with his
last gasp: I'm having a real good time"'
"
that was lookin' out for him special He
wouldn't ha' stood for that.
we were quick to get acquainted, that
gritty young chap and I, and after hang
Ing about town for a few days, set out for
the deep woods. One of the first, trips we
made was to Mount Katahdin, that great
peak that watches the old Twin lakes
Theodore as a mountain climber was
success, and / amt surprised that he
scaled the Matterhorn In after years.
When we were crossing the stream at
Westacook Theodore lost one Of his shoes.
He didn't go after 1t but just pulled off
the other one and made it a pair that was
lost. 1t looked to me as though the climb
was off for that day, but the boy put on a
pair Of old skin thick moccasins and
climbed Katahdin almost in his stocking
feet. The brambles stuck into him, the
rocks pretty nigh cut him, but he wasn't
the kind to complain.
THAT was the most remarkable climb in
the known history of old Katahdin.''
Wilmer Dow, SewalIs cousin, was the
crack shot of the county. A camp in the
woods, a gun, some bacon and coffee and
he was king. On all the shooting expedi-
lions Dow accompanied young Roosevelt.
He told him where the deer lay in the
swamp, where the best position was on
the ridge, taught him how to- call a moose
and distinguish the difference between the
track Of a moose and caribou. Explained
that made the city youth an expert in the
use Of the rife.
When Theodore Roosevelt left here at
the end Of his first season in the woods 1t
was with promise to return the follow
ing year. That fall brought him back, and
with him his cousin, West and the family
physician, DR.. Thompson of New York.
Provisions were soon placed in wagon,
and the two Roosevelt boys, Sewall and
Dow struck off for the headwaters of the
Aroostook, shooting game for use as they
went along, and camping each night in the
forests, sleeping on natures bed rolled in
q blanket.
At Westbrook they entered Unicaucus
lake, and Sewall loves to tell how, when
Theodore, he always calls him (saying
that " Teddy amt big enough name for
that man., brought down a duck, he
stripped and swan out after it.
1.-THE water was low that September
day." says Sewall, "and mighty cold. l
wanted to get that duck myself but Theo-
dore said no. There was more mud than
water for him to strike through the stuff
was almost as thick as porridge, but he
kept at 1t-he is mighty persist ent-and