The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-01
WASHINGTON IMITATORS
OF ROOSEVELT FAMILY

Letter in New Orleans Times-Democrat.
If imitation is the sincerest flattery the
family at the White House is stocked up
with soft sawder'' enough to last gen.
Grafton Rooseveltian mannersms are the
rage. Even a manifest defect is apotheo-
sized The world pretentous is a mob of
monkeys When Miss Alice last winter
ried a foolish little bamboo stick with
ferule on the end of il half the girls in
town who aspired to be considered smart
carried foolish little bamboo sticks with
ferules on the end of them. When Mrs.
Roosevelt began to affect white toilettes
for the evening to the almost absolute
exclusion of the gayer hues, pink and
blue and green and yellow went into pop
ular eclipse. and black costumes to which
the First lady personally particularly
objected were cast into outer darkness.
a cabinet lady even discarding a brand
new s7co black lace gown, her piece de
resistance for the season, in Difference to
the Rooseveltian prejudice. The Alice
Roosevelt young woman is the one who
is working overtime these days. She is
a distinct type, and thoroughly. ubiquit
ous "A correct representation, the
vaudeville artist says, or Alice Roosevelt
is bestowed upon us every ~, DAY. she ne
her neck and she gazes at you with
certain hoydenish glance from under half
closed lids. When she grasps your hand
she makes sort OF upward lunge of her
whole body giving your arm a hosptable
yank She speaks deep down in her
throat in an exuberant staccato, and
there isn't a thing she talks about that
isn't unualifiedly bully" If the fair
daughter of the President doesn't copy
right her stunts she'll soon be a drug in
the market. She is faithfully reproduced
even BY the members of. the executive
household. one prominent young metron
of that exclusive circle, facially not UNI
like the young lady of the White House.
having consciously or uneonsclousiy SO ac-
acteristics that the situation Is gro
tesque- The pose is patent TO the most
unobservant. Miss Roosevelt can see her
self as others see her when she regards
the enthusiastic antics of this pretty
little admirer. But the refined speciality
that has caught on with the greatest
gusto OF all is the Presidents perennial
'de-hghted'' with long hyphen be-
tween the first syllable and the other
two. The ecstatic monosyllable, accom-
panied by a lavish dental display. Is the
only truly polite salutation in Washing
ton nowadays if one is male person.
You squirt cut the solitaire utterance with
catapuitish force. projecting your whole
body forward and grasping your victims
paw With confidential zest. But some time
the President. who Is only human after all.
gives his overworked "de-lighted day on.
Il am devilish glad TO see you. old chap.
he exclaimed the other day. exuitantly.
slapping or the back ancient friend who
had just bobbed up. But when the "old
chap'f stood in line to be received al
formal function that same afternoon the
hearttome ''devilish glad had given place
tc hiyn to the rest, and he felt chilled.
InveQerate theater-goers are the presiden-
tial ftmily. The royal box is usually the
most Enthusiastic at the show, and when
the qlilps and cranks and topical songs
turn Don himself there Is no hustler laugh
~ - - -,A@s~s fhr.' s;.~ 1htss s.--~.sfts>