The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-07-17
GLOON RHGNS
At OYSTER BAY
ROOSEVELT DIsAPPOINTS THE
TOWN BY SPENDING ALL OF HIS
TIME AT HOME.

OYSTER BAY, N. Y, July 3!-When
President Roosevelt decided to spend a
quiet vacation this year he evidently
did not stop to consider what effect his
action would have upon his hero-wor-
shipping neighbors. At first they paid
little attention to the avowal, thinking
that it was merely a scheme to keep
unwelcome visitors away. They did
not imagine that it would go so far
as to curtail the only pleasure that
makes life worth living in this little
out-of-the-way hamlet-the meeting
with the President of the United States
and being able to mingle with him on
terms of familiarity. That was boon
which took the sting out of having to
exist in Oyster Bay all the rest of the
| year.
1t was the one aosis in the desert of
life to see him gallop grandly into
town, to witness his friendly, denti-
culated smile; to hear him utter his
sonorous sentences on the glorious
Fourth, with one hand resting on the
misunderstanding cannon that points i,s
wicked mouth straight at Pop Weeks
Octagon Hotel, and the other straight
forth to the infinite blue to cater to
the wants of scores of admiring pill
grims to the shrine of greatness.
All this was compensations, indeed,
but to have the pleasant dream rudely
shattered has come with a disintegrat-
ed shock. When the President or any
member of his family did not ride like
a whirlwind through the dusty streets
the villagers bore their disappointment
bravely. When few visitors arrived,
and those merely cabinet members,
fortunate individuals, armed with in
vitations to lunch at Sycamore Hill,
there was a universal sigh and a wag-
ging of heads, but no actual outbreak
of resentment, except a few growls
from the dozen or so patient hackmen
who CLEAN much of their livelihood
from curious visitors
All this could have been born, but
when Theodore Roosevelt, President Of
the United States and the pride Of Oys-
ter Bay, openly asserted that he would
take no part whatever in the villagers
celebration of the Fourth dismay was
universal. Preparations had been made
for an old-time celebration. The can
non had been FURNISHED until it shone,
the stores had put in a big supply of
fireworks the owners of the few hotels
and boarding houses had fixed up every
available spare room, a base ball game
had been arranged and the whole town
wore an air of expectation
The corporation fathers even bought
a new oil sprinkler and oiled the dusty
streets of the voltage in hopes of at
tracing automobilists.
Then came the announcement that
the President would remain quietly at
home and not go near the voltage. 1t
was hard to believe the news at first,
and Secretary Loeb was appealed to-
He confirmed their worst fears, how
ever, and despair seized upon the vitals
of the community. All hope of a cele-
bration has been abandoned, and unless
Mr.. Roosevelt changes his mind this
will be the quietest Fourth of July that
Oyster Bay has experienced since it be-
came the summer capital
Excepting to go to church on Sun
day, the President has not made his
appearance in the village since his
arrival. He exercises as strenuously
as Of yore about his home, but he has
almost given up horseback riding. He
has been swimming several times and
he chops wood and plays lawn tennis
with his wonted vigor, but he is resting
quietly for all that He will probably
not leave Sycamore Hill until Septem-
Der, when he starts on his western trip,
Those who have seen him declare that
he is the very picture of health and
that he is getting as brown as the pro-
verbal berry.