The Tupelo journal., 1904-01-22

BY DoxEY.

The principal feature of New Years
day in Washington is the presidents
reception. Along with about 1000
others | attended the reception last
Friday. He first received the Diplo-
matte Corps, then came the Supreme
Court Of the United States, army and
navy officers, senators, representa-
tives and other diglitaries, after which
the ordinary American citizens were
received, and there is always a pro-
cesslon OF perhaps a mile in length
or the latter. In order to 'get in line
you must take your place at the end
or the procession and move along, two
the White House, whel, upon reach
ing the front door, single file is the
order and, after passing that TIRES
hold, h line is kept moving" by q
score of officers, while the Marine
Band plays lively airs. The president
gave The glad hand to the thousands
OF people while standing in the blue
room. surrounded by many army Of
hcers AID other folks of more or less
Importance. Mr.. Roosevelt is not a
handsome man when judged by his
a c alone, but his physique and dis
position are to be admired. One act
OF his which attracted my attention
during the reception showed me a
better side to the presidents life than
had heretofore occurred to me. A
little tot, not yet four years old, i'm
mediately preceded me (along with
her mother). The president stopped
over, gave her a hearty ha1dshake and
spoke a few words to her in the most
affable and kindly manner.
President Roosevelt is the kind of
anywhere, whether in the backwoods
OF the West, in the stately home the
United States provides it's presidents,
or anywhere in the wide range that
lies between these extremes. Healthy
in miad and body, he is gifted with
the CHEEKY nature whose price is above
rubies.
The president is an o%mnivorous
reader. At one turn of conversation he
is reminded of a passage in Homer,
the next he is expatiating on the his
tory of "Tittlebat Titmouse." AS for
Dickens, he knows him so intimately
that he would have been a dangerous
competitor in the contest initiated by
Calverley IN his famous examination
paper ol "Pickwick."
How does the president, a man upon
whose personal labor the sun never
sets, find time for this miscellaneous
reading? Well, all over the world it is
the exceptionally busy MAJ who has
spare moments for desirable ends.
President Roosevelt shares a secret
possessed by Mr.. Gladstone, whom in
his animated and varied conversation,
with its wide range and intimate ac-
quaintance with any topic started, he
strongly resembles.
"All my life," Mr.. Gladstone once
said to me, Il have taken care of my
ten minutes, certain that the hours
and the days would take care of them
selves"
A ministerial colleague who accom-
panied the president on a recent trip
Westward told me of a habit that ex-
plains everything.
I'VE travelled day after day" he said.
'the president addressing at success
i've stations crowds of country folk.
It was a pretty hard days work for
the toughest of Rough Riders. For
myself, though l hadn't to make
speeches, was thankful after the tur-
moil to turn into my berth for a snooze
or a rest. AS soon as. the train moved
off, out came the presidents book and
he read away till, the train pulling
up at another station another speech
was demanded, and delivered under
the abiding sense Of supreme minis
terial responsibility"
This practice the president observes
wherever he is in residence. 81 read
when | can," he says, always a bit
before | go toA bed. Sometimes, at
periods of great pressure, l awake
about 8 in the morning. If l lay there
thinking of things | should be worried
to death, unfit for my work in the
coming day. So switch on the light,
take up my book, read a chapter or
two, fall asleep, n wake up bright
and early"
In his philosophical, CHEEKY way the
president makes the best of what
say, to the Duke of Devonshire-l
would be an intolerable nuisance.
When | was a young man." he
said, Il lived mostly out of doors, and
enjoyed abundant exercise. Now 1
can't get much. But you go and stand
in my place Oh an autumn afternoon
and have your hand shaken by from
300 to 1000 sturdy citizens, and if
when it's over you don't feel as if you
had been telling a tree or two, you
are made of harder grit than l."
Representative Burgess, of Texas, |
is Of an analytical turn of mind. He
has analysed the house membership
from a patronymic point of view, and
this is what he is quoted as saying:
1.-The congressional camp is peculiar
ly equipped this session. 1t has one
Field, n Littlefield, with a hedge,
but no crops; two Moons, but no sky;
some Mudd, but no rain; one Byrd,
but no tree, though some Underwood:
two Hills, but though it takes a Wade,
neither river nor spring; one young
Minor, but no child; one Sheppard, but