The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-09-21
The GOLD LEAF.
THURSDAY, SEPT. Il, 1905.
The Act OF a Gentleman.
Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Observer
An Associated Press dispatch from
burlington. Iowa, reads:
Kermit Roosevelt was the hero
Of the hour on a Burlington train
which passed through here early to-
dav. An old couple boarded the
train at Omaha, and, not having re-
served q berth, were unable to secure
any but an upper. Young Roosevelt
hearing OF the annoyance to which
they were put. teudered to them I'M
mediateIy his lower berth and took
the upper one himself. -.
1t is 10 the first sentence III this
dispatch that we would call atten-
ton. 1t is very well that Kermit
Roosevelt should be "the hero OF the
hour" for this gentlemanly courtesy
TO an old couple, but we submit that
one hour is long enough. 1T Is to be
hoped that Mr. Roosevelt S children
have as good breeding as other
American children. and when one OF
them on any occasion Shows TINS
there is no reason to be making ado
over it, or over him.
A twelve-ycar-o boy Of President
Lincoln q few hours after the sudden
and tragic death of his father la
mented: yesterday ! was the son
of President; today am no more
than anv other American boy. That
sentiment was applauded through
ont the country and this bOy-we
forget his name: by the way, he must
have told the truth about being no
more than any other American boy,
for he has not been heard OF since
this bow was the ''hero OF the hour.
The truth is, that, though the son OF
a President he never was any more
than anv other American boy. Hap
pilv for this country, Kermit RoOse-
welt. for instance, as deserving us he
NAV be on his own account, is entl-
tied to no special respect or mark OF
distinction, is not privileged to fore
90 acts of courtesy or of kindness to
old people because he is the son OF a
President.
On the day Of President Roosevelt s
inauguration, while he was standing
OH the reviewing stand in front of the
White House watching with absorbed
interest the troops marching by, two
of his children entered the stand-il
little boy and IA little girl. The
stand was crowded: there were no
seats for the little folks Two dis
tinguished Senators arose and gave
them their seats. which the children
readily accepted, sitting down for the
rest of the parade, several hours,
while the two Senators stood beside
them. We can only presume that
nett her Mr.. nor Mrs. Roosevelt saw
this. else the children would not have
been allowed to sit while their elders
the fact of their being Senators is
unimpOrtant-stoo The incident
was SO grotesqur that it was only
considered us Il Joke on the Senators.
The children did not know any bet
ter Why they did not know any
better can scarcely be charged alto
gether to Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt,
when two distinguished Senators OF
the United States, members of the
Presidents especial escort, chose to
treat them as ii they were a prince
and princess entitled to obeisance
from all their fathers and their own
prospective subjects" high and low
And so it is with Kermit. He did Il
graceful and a gentlemanly act. He
should have been thanked for it by
the "old couple and praised for ii
by those in the ear, Just as any Other
American boy who does the same
thing or similar things every day
should be.
We do not know how this young
man will take the heralding OF this
simple and quite natural act Man,
young men would not en- Joy an Asso
ciated Press report of the fact tina
they are gentlemen.