Omaha daily bee., 1910-06-19
People, without Regard to SOcio'
Station. Join in Greeting "a v
FAvoRs EVENLY DISTRIBUTED
Occasion is a Holiday for the
American Metropolis.
WATER FRONT ATTRACTS CROWD
Great Army of visitors Anxious to
See the Distinguished American
Back from His Lengthy
Trip Abroad.
BY EDWARD MARSHALL.


"A vaster crowd than ever before flowed
in New York bay at that time in the morn
ing in the history of those eternal waters
roared at him; a multitude of whistles
screamed at him; guns thundered at him;
the sun shone for him. Roosevelts recep-
ton was In many ways the most amazing
tribute which has ever greeted an American
returning from far shores. Grants greet
ing was much less dramatic; when the
''plumed knight" Blaine sailed in, although
a party's hope hung on him, the oay bore
fewer frantic folk; only Dewey's welcome
when, returning from his victories in war
fare, he was greeted by the army and the
navy, as we'll as the excited people, can
be compared to 1t. And until the home
conner had quite finished with it, the sun
shine was superb.
An English correspondent stood next to
me on the Androscoggin and cooked an
eye aloft. I'm England" he remarked,
we'd call this kings weather. My word
the weather even!'
Kings weather? Well, why not" said
an enthusiastic gentleman at my other ell
bow. At least a half dozen bystanders
looked at him and grinned.
AS the sun rose craft large and small,
all laden deeply with enthusiasts having
crowded down both rivers, swarmed about
the kaiserin Auguste Victoria, the great
steamship which had brought the favored
traveller home. When after he had left the
liner and breakfasted on a revenue cutter,
he left that vessel and went on board the
Androscoggin, the upper bay was crowded.
AS the Androscoggin steamed slowly up
the Hudson, police boats had all they could
manage in keeping admiring countrymen,
gasoline and steam propelled boats, from
in front of the steamer.
Line of smiling Faces.
On the Androscoggin was a most amazing
crowd. including eminent friends. men with
pulls They greeted Roosevelt in a line of
smiling faces and extended hands. he greet
ing them with broader smilee than any
other man alive has ever shown and with
the practiced handclasps of an expert. But
his Joy was genuine. Some of them, per-
haps pretended deeper than really stirred
them No one could doubt it. II am glad,'
he kept repeating. '"I am so delighted"
And he was, too. His face showed It,
A plumper c0untenance 1t was than he
had worn when he departed something like
a year and quarter ago. and the prophets
of disaster who predicted that his reckless
plunge into the fever-laden jungle would
wear even him away. were proved false
prophets by the abounding vigor OF his
body. He looks younger than he did when
the Spanish war came to close.
An enthusiastic negro steward was among
the first to get real word with him. Within
half an hour he had been welcomed by such
varying men as over-lords in politics (there
were many over-lords in politics on board
the Androscoggin), ascetic and delightfully."-
enthusiastic DIR. LYMAN Abbott of the
outlook. Captain Cosby of his old Rough
Rider regiment and Jacob A. Riis, the
sociologist.
Captain Cosby plainly was his favorite
and the handsome young man quite as
plainly felt to the bottom of his soul the
honor shown. During the whole river jour.
ney the straight, slim young volunteer. in
new khaki and old campaign hat (two bull
let holes in it,, remained close by the
coloneIs side.
Crowds on the Steamers.
Most Of the people in the country seemed
to have gathered on the throng of steamer!
which kept police boats busy as they tried
to run in close. while the great water
parade steamed up and down the river; bu
that there were really many who were no
afloat was plain from the shore throngi
! which glasses showed and whose cheer:
came in breeze-borne whispers to the ears
of the returning favorite and the others II
the filing fleet
For the benefit Of those on the boats and
distant shores, the colonel spent much o.
his time as the parade progressed percheC
on the high roof OF the Androscoggln'i
pilot house, where he was an interesting
figure, straight strong and sturdy, his face
the face of one whose frank contentmen
with the world and what 1t offers him Il
quite complete. sincere and unabashed; hi
form, that of a man in prime health, un
wearied by the strain Of travel and har,
work; and this, despite the fact that n
has broken on the ending journey stlll an
other record. besides that of a sportsman
SURPRISING in the volume of his llterar,
p. labor any travelling writer known OF yore
e besides preparing and delivering studied ad
= dresses, and some not quite so studied. be
- fore number of audiences scarcely know
= TO one man, hitherto in the whole histor
a of public speaking.
q 1t was plainly to the embarrassment
g and really the distress of the expression