The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-05-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.

President Roosevelt, accompanied by
Mrs. Roosevelt and couple Of servants,
has gone to the pretty Virginia cottage of
Mrs. Roosevelt, remote from everywhere,
to live the simple life for few days.
"Piue Knot" which is the nadie Of their
place, consists of few acres Of ground
and six room cottage in most isolated
and out of the way spot in the Virginia
woods. 1t is used entirely as a retreat
by the President and Mrs. Roosevelt, and
White House secretaries and clerks are
excluded from it. The President will
receive such papers as are necessary for
him to see once day but he will spend
nearly all of his time riding and walking
through the woods. At this place he
rises in the morning at daylight, some.
times helps to get his own breakfast and
before the sun is well up he is of on a
hunting or walking expedition. Mrs.
Roosevelt also makes the most Of the
time to gain rest and recuperation after
the strenuous social season which this
year has been protracted well into the
Summer. There is wide porch which
surrounds the house and is shaded by a
huge oak. When the weather permits
the meals are served here and as much of
the life as is possible is carried on out of
doors. Mrs. Roosevelt is an enthusiastic
horsewoman and shares the Presidents
delight in the woods
There was ridiculous article in a
Washington paper this week which said
among other silly things that the Presi-
dent was not much Of horseman and
that Mrs. Roosevelt was the. better rider
of the two. While Mrs. Roosevelt rides
very well for woman there are but few
| who ride as well as the President. Your
correspondent saw him for the first time
last week jump first four rail fence,
then stone wall, and afterwards hur-
die over five feet in height. His horse at
first refused to take this hurdle, stopping
suddenly as he reached it, but the Pres
ideut turned him around, rode some dis
lance from it, charged again, persuading
the horse with the spurs, when he cleared
it completely. The President remarked
to, his companions, Its pretty good
horse that will take two hundred pound
man over that hurdle"
~
General Kuroki with his brilliant en-.
tourage of Japanese officers has left the
city. He and his staff made good i'm
preston here. 1t is pnzzling to know
what to make of these Ofientals so recent
ly attained to world power. 1t. is inpos-
sib,e to regard them without commingled
emotions of contempt and awe. Their
mysterious eyes, sphinx like noses and
lirreproachable manners; their rnnt like
figures and their dignity have fasciua-
tion not unmixed with repulsion. They
lappear to be determined 10 live up to
their role of great nation in all outward
things at least. General Kuroki after a
stay of three days at the biggest and most
Expensive hotel in the city, gave the
clerk four hundred dollars to be distrib-
uted in tips to walters, hell boys and
chambermaids. The inscrutability of
these little people was aptly illustrated by
the refusal of General Kuroki to speak
English here though he is said to have a
good working knowledge of the language
and did speak it with Secretary Taft.
When he was presented to the President
the conversation started off in English
but soon switched to-, German, In which
both he and the President were nearly as
much at home as in their own languages.
The President has done much to promote
the good feeling with many distinguished
foreigners who have come to this country
by being able to speak their language.
He is accomplished in German, French
and Dutch and can carry on a converse.
ton in any of the three, and as some
people know occasionally expresses him.
self in very plain English.
il ~
1t is not improbable that a scandal will
be added to the interest of the jamestown
Exposition. which seems to be falling
lower in public favor with each day that
its gates are opened. According to pre-.
vailing rumor now the Exposition is in
reality graft exposition and it would
not be surprising if some of the prom.
inent men who have loaned their names
to the Board of Governors or other official
racks should be called upon to explain a
few things about it. For instance it is
said that party of men, most of them of
Hebrew persuasion, are really behind the
Jamestown Fair and it is their object to
use the improvements made at Govern
ment and public expense. as well as the
advertising, to establish manufacturing
center there when the Exposition has