The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-09-03
The PRESIDENT
MEETS ATHLETES
Mr.. Roosevelt Shakes Hands
With Olympic ViCtOrS.
PRAISES YANKEE Drawn

Team Which Won the Worlds Cham.
pionship In London Was Given a
Hearty Reception at Sycamore Hill
Flanagan and Sheppard Presented
the President With Their Medals,
Mrs. Roosevelt and Kermit Assisted
In Receiving.
Oyster Bay. y. Y. Sept. with a.
gun from the local yacht club booming
rousins welcome the Ameri 'an Oiym
pic team victors In the recent cve nj
in London steamed into the waters oil
oyster Bay for their visit 10 President
Roosevelt
When they left their boat and reach
ed the top of Sagamore Hili whcrcen
is perched the summer home of the
nations head. M Roosevelt was onl
his broad vorauda where he had been
scanning them eagerly for scycra
minutes as they approached. tive
abreast. whistling a Hot Tine in tleI
OLD Town Tonight" At that moment
it would have been a dimcult question
to answer which OF the two principals
in the pleasant little drama about toI
open the president or the host oil
world-bcating athletes. anticir ated the
meeting with the livolicst interest.
The Offering OF the first OF the prcsi
| Dental courtsaies extended 90 the attn
le;es tcl c. tile lot of tne presidents
| yacht Sylph. Their steamer. She Saga.
more. hal no sooner dropped anchor
| than she q despatched two launches. the
| Dart and the CLEAN. 70 assist In trans.
ferring thc visitors TO the private pier
of w Emlcn Roosevelt. cousin OF the
| president.
James T. sullivan. the American
| commissioner. was the first 20 BE- r.
ceivcd by tAo president They then
entered ;he reception room. with it,
large pair OF antlcrs from which hang
the sword. the revolver. the field
glasses and TIE rough rider hat with
which. rs lieutenant colonel first and
then as colonel of rough riders. Mr.
| Roosevelt went through tho war with
| Spain. With the president were Mrs
| Roosevelt and thcir son. Kermit. Com
missioner sullivan acted as master of
ceremonies presenting each one OF his
| brawny charges ia turn. The presi
dent sIarDcd each one by the hand
and TO each he spoke a few words OF
minglcd greeting and commondation.
John j Hayes. the Marathon hero
had the distinction of being the first
to be presented
Pam proud OF you" said the pres
ident TO him as he gave him vigorous
handshake, your feat was marvellous
You won a great race and / am glad
of it,"
Before Hayes had realized how
warm was the presidents greeting
the president had swung him around
and turned him over to Mrs. Roose
welt. and she and Kermit then engaged
| him in conversation. Melvin Shep
pard next came up. The winner oi
Observation-Disclosures race heamec
all over when the president assured
him that it was bully" victory which
he and the boys had won in London.
Tewanina. the Indian. who came r.
ninth in the Marathon race. pleasel
tae president Immensely.
Il am glad. indeed" he said 10 lin
that a real original American en-,
! peted for America and represented IT,,
country abroad. It was fine show
] lhE A4dN you AtAAt.
So it was with each and every one
Of the team that had made the trip
and when the last man had beer
grasped by the hand and his hear
cheered by the presidents words and
he had passed into the dining room
and partaken OF refreshments. Mr.
Roosevelt followed in, and then had t.
listen 10 some cheers for himself
Some one proposed three cheers FOR
"the greatest president the United
States has ever had. Theodore Roose
welt" and everybody responded. Ker
NIT Roosevelt confirmed a statemen
that never before had the house or
Sycamore Hill resounded with such
volume OF sound.
John J. Flanagan. the weight-throw
er, and Melvin Sheppard. the runner
| presented the president with then
medals Mr.. Roosevelt protested tia
he could not accept but it was ex
| planned TO him that both Flanagan and
Sheppard had others exactly like those
| which they were offering him. an
thereupOn ne consented to keep then
as souvenirs OF the Olympiad OF 1905
| After the refreshments and the
speech of the president. all hands went
ont on the veranda and. grouped about
Mr.. Roosevelt. they had their picture
taken.