Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-17
MANY NE|CHBORS CALL
Oyster Bay Folks Bid the
President Farewell.
HE WILL LEAVE TUESDAY
Shakes Hands of Two Thousand
Visitors.
HAS BIG PUNCH BOWL READY
Saengerbund Chorus From Hicks
vile Sings National Anthem and
MI. Roosevelt Speaks.
HAS BIG PUNCH BOWL READY
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
OYSTER BAY, n. Y. September IL
President Roosevelt SHOOK the hands OF
probably 1000 of his neighbors-men.
women and children-today at his big
parting reception to the folks of Oyster
Bay. 1t was his public goodbye to his
townsmen. After the President depart
ure next Tuesday he will probably not
reappear in Oyster Bay. save for mo-
ment on election day, until he drops back
into private life next March,
1t is not to be supposed that hand
shaking Is at a discount. even here in
Oyster Bay. where the President is a
familiar sight. Though the old residents
all have a nodding acquaintance with
the President, he seldom has had the
leisure to stop long at Moore's corner and
chat, and generally he has been seen
only on horseback going at good gait.
1t is six years since most of them had
chance to meet the President. In 1902
In his first summer as President, he gave
another such reception as that of TODAY
The souvenir punch glasses carried away
at that time by the 1000 guests are still
prominent mantelpiece ornaments in Oys-
ter Bay homes
Like "Old Home Week."
hC NAoSC touds WOIt more OI the air
of midsummer than it has since Labor
day. Although the public announcement
of the reception was made only last even
ing, the town was suspiciously full OF
friends and relatives and former residents.
Word of the coming function was passed
| around quietly among the churches OF
Oyster Bay a few days ago, and those
who were well acquainted In the village
were informed by their friends that they
might have time to come on for the big
event Consequently the town today looks
as If 1t were in the midst of ''old home
week"
The announcement Of the reception was
| timed by the President so as to avoid a
| rush of eXcursionists such as were sure
to descend on Sycamore Hill If enthusiast
| tic admirers had time to make the pill
grimage from New York and other parts.
| The reception of six years ago taught
the President this caution. At that time
the incoming trains looked like excursion
| trains, and the village still tells of the
crowds of city folks who trod on the toes
of the neighborhood and made 1t almost
impossible for the Oyster Bay people to
get near the President.
Nevertheless, there was all the crowd
| today that even the broad lawn or saga
more Hill could hold. The local hotels
were full There was a hack famine. The
coming trains were all bought up for the
day Hundreds wore the dust OF the
Cove road on their shoes when they lined
up to grip the Presidents hand.
Many of the stores in Oyster Bay closed
at noon. The village was a deserted
place of locked doors and closed blinds
Even democrats climbed up the hill.
Thoroughly Local Reception.
The reception was thoroughly local and
countryfied in character. The Saenger-
bund chorus of forty voices from Hicks
vile lined up on the presidential veranda
and sang The Star Spangled Banner
and other patriotic airs. The President
stood his piazza steps. with Mrs
Roosevelt beside him, and shook the
hands one by one all the way down the
line. The Presidepts big punch bowl
which has been tradition for the last
six years. again made its appearance on
table on the lawn.
And shaking hands was not all. The
inhabitants of oyster Bay would have
been keen,y disappointed if not favored
with a farewell speech by the President
on this his last public appearance during
the presidency in his home town, anu
he obliged.
The President left nearly clean slate
for the afternoon. He entertained two
private guests at luncheon-Mark Sullivan
and Norman Hapgood.