Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-06-20
A BOY AND THE PRESIDENT.
They Had just n Jolly Informal
Chat About Outdoor Sports.


One boy-one Of many-who had the
honor Of meeting the President, COW
acts as if Nh. Roosevelt's eyes were
constantly on him. This lad was no1 a
small boy when he was presented; he
was big enough to play baseball with
skill and energy, and on ordinary coca
sions he was a naughty sophomore.
This boy wanted to see the President,
but his outward calmness was disturb
ed by the intimatiOn from his sisters
that he would have to make three bows
as he approached the President and
say, Your EXcelIency." The courage
that had stood six hours exposure in
a heavy sea on the keel Of an upturned
boat weakened before this prospect. A
benevolent friend corrected the alarm
Ing suggestions Of the sisters by telling
him that he would simply be expected
to say, Mr.. President" to stand until
everybody was seated, and to go when
the President should rise. This seemed
easy still, it was evident that the fear
less athlete was reverently Dractfcing
'NIr. President with his lips as he an
preached the White House. All uneasi-
ness disappeared, however, when the
President, catching sight Of the boy.
stepped forward and called him by his
surname. "Sit DOWN. he said, and
then he began to talk about a subject
dear to the lads heart-the recent races
at Poughkeepsie. Etiquette was for
gotten; the boy held fast to ''AIr. Pres
ident," when he thought of it, in the
delight Of talking with somebody who
really knew" all about the ms and
outs Of intercollegiate races, but some
times he forgot and merely said you"
The boy was panied for a moment to
discover that the President could not
play baseball. To a near-sighted man
who must wear glasses a baseball flying
at large is much worse than a bullet.
The lad admitted this, and said after
ward that IF Thackeray were alive and
played baseball instead Of cricket. he
would have had the same difficulty"
The President showed him a very scien-
tile jiu-jitsu grip. And this was fol-
lowed by an interchange of lore on this
interesting Japanese science of physi-
cal culture, with Illustrations, in which
the boy entirely forgot his fear Of the
court presentation, and talked and
acted with entire respect, but entire
freedom. The boy seemed to think that
American muscle was match for ORR
entail skill, but he was plainly CON
WINGED that the President had both.
Questions Of boxing and riding came
up, and the President spoke as an ex-
pert, and the boy listened and talked as
one who understood but felt his linita-
lions. Young Theodore, who has this
year entered Harvard, was then at
school: but every now and then his
father culled q bit from his sons ex-
per1ence in out-of-door sport, 1t was
plain that, through sympathy, in these
matters he had the same point Of view
as his sons. During all this interview
the President was as enthusiastic on the
various subjects discussed as the bow
and he seemed to enjoy it as much as
his boy visitor did.
The talk drew out of the President
his knowledge of the games that boys
love.
when it comes to boxing or riding"
he said, with conviction, Il think that
my boys and I can hold our own" And
several times the "we'' was repeated in
way which showed that Mr.. Roose-
welt and his sons were to be considered
a happy family Of boys thoroughly in
accord. 1t is not convenient to take
his large boy family" on his Western
and Southern bear-hunts, but the Presi-
dent does the next best thing. Every
summer he goes Unto camp with his
boys a few miles from his summer home
at Oyster Bay.-St. Nicholas.