Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-01

Mrs. Storer makes public a letter from
the colonel to Dear Mrs. Storer, dated
Sycamore HILL December ). 1856. in
which the colonel profusely thanks Mrs.
Storer for using her influence in obtain
ing the appointment A somewhat sim
liar letter. now known as the Dear
Maria letter. has already been pub
lished.
Unable to Express Gratitude.
This is the 1896 letter:
Oyster Bay, l.. L., y. v.
Sycamore Hill. December .. 1896.
Dear Mrs. Storer-It would be hard to
tell how deeply touched Edith and l We're
at your letter. and l never can say how
much ] appreciate your interest and your
more than kindness, but IL was just like
you. We have read and re-read your let
ter. repeatedly and together, and 1t told
us exactly what we wished to know. l
cannot thank YOU enough OF course. |
putting il, not on my feeling for Bellamy.
but on the benefit deemed 1t would be
for the party and the country. Cabot
had gone to Canton before your letter
came, on Mckinley's invitation and with
out consultation with me; | suppose he
spoke of me. but the foreign policy of the
administration was what he really went
about. | was immensely amused at your
encounter with But there is one
point on which / am a little inclined to
differ from you. l don't wish to go to
Canton unless Mckinley sends for me. L
don't think there is any need of 1t. He
saw me when i went there during the
campaign. and If he thinks l am hot
headed. a harnesses sum. i don't think
he will change his mind now. What you
have said. dear Mrs. Storer, will count
for more than seeing me again, as he al
ready knows me, and does not need to
find out anything by personal investiga-
ton.
Moreover. l don't wish to appear as a
suppliant, for l am not suppllant. feel
| could do good work as assistant secre-
tary. but II We had proper police laws
1 could do better work here, and would
find work to do. II. however. Bellamy
is to be secretary, / confess l would give
great deal to be under him; and, of
course, in view of the conditions here. l
should be glad to take the position with
any good secretary. I am deeply CRATE
full to you, and am so very fond of you
that 1 don't mind being under obligations
to you.
Now. for matters of more Importance.
am very glad you went with Be!lRmy.
because 1t was highly necessary there
should be some one to say what you said.
In view of what Mckinley said, there is
no doubt Bellamy will be given some
work worthy of him. and 1 earnestly
French mission would be almost as
good. OF course, let me know If there
is anything further for me to do. I'll see
you on the I'D. BY the way, will you ask
Bellamy what is the very earliest train
I can take back after the dinner. I find
Edith is much disturbed at the chance
of my not being back for the Cove School
Xmas tree. which / never miss, and to
which Ted this year belongs: and to get
! here 1 must take train from New York
aho,, OK ha ynnrn{nO NJ the oath.
SO / must reach New York earlier than
'' THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Reminded Her of "Toddy."
In her article. Mrs. Storer describes
the Roosevelt she knew when the fami-
lies were at peace. Mrs. Storer relates
that she visited Canton, Ohio, In Novem-
Der. 1896, shortly after Mr.. Mckinley S
election, and urged him to appoint Mr..
Roosevelt assistant secretary of the
navy, as a result Of conversation she
| had had with Mr.. Roosevelt at Oyster
Bay in July. 1896. just after Mr.. NC
Kinley's nomination at the st. Louis con-
vention. This is her description OF what
happened o..
days to see our very dear friends. the
Roosevelts. Theodore Roosevelt seemed
| to us at that time like a younger brother,
and Archie was Mr.. Storer's godson so
that IL was a great pleasure to see them
all Their life was ideal in its simplicity,
and no one could be more amusing than
the host-one never knew what he would
saw next He was certainly very witty
himself, and he caused wit in others. He
used during this period to get on the war
path over SienkiwtcZs novels-'The De-
he was quite stated with slaughter his
face would be radiant and he would
shout aloud with delight. He seemed
as innocent as Teddy in 'Helen's Babies,
who wanted everything to be buggy.
But his primitive passion for killing was
wreaked only upon the lower animals as
IL has recently been glutted In Africa
His vituperation was extremely anus
ing. and he had most extraordinary
vocabulary. and at this period his at
tacks were as harmless as target shoot
ing-there were no mangled corpses after
the fusillade, Never in our lives have
we laughed SO much or so often as when
Theodore Roosevelt OF those days was
| our host or our guest. Lignt-near1 tea
memories linger about the Sycamore Hill
| OF that time and about the little house In
| 10Th street. At this period Ito all or us
who knew him we'll and were fond OF
| him) Theodore Roosevelt seemed never
| to have grown up and as though he never
would be more mature than one Of Hell
! ems babies. He had all the attraction.
| for this reason. Of an amusing and fasci-
mating but rather fractions child. He
was, in consequence. an irresponsible ia
| Their, taking his small boys on uncon-
scionable long tramps through the WOODS.
/ himself clad I'm thick stockings and knick-
1 erbockers: the children barelegged, show
/ ing next day the most pitiful scars from
| briars and welts from poison ivy for
the Rhus toxicodendron grows plentifuliy
at Oyster Bay. He preached stoicism to
the little boys, himself always. however.
/ wearing thick stockings in the woods.
! Our great statesman. Thomas B. Reed.
who had taught him Tin politics) all he
knew. always spoke OF him then as my
boy and his immaturity at that time
was attractive.
Depressed About the Future.
During this visit to Sycamore, on a
| warm July afternoon. Mr.. Roosevelt took
me out in rowboat upon Oyster bay-a
performance that made me rather nerv-
| Gus, for he rowed as he did everything
| else, spasmodically and sometimes alb
sent-mindedly.
He got TO talking about his future
and was very much depressed. He said
| Il have done about all j can on the police
/ board in New York. I can't stay much
| longer there. The gang" wants me out
OF It. and If can't do any more good