Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23
BUYS BEST SELLERS.
Roosevelt Patronizes Novel
Shop in Chicago.
NOT ON HIS OWN ACCOUNT
Says He's Too Busy to Read, and
Made Purchases for
Other Parties.


McClurg's book shop got the shock of
their lives yesterday afternoon when at
q few minutes afer 3 o'clock Col.
Roosevelt. accompanied by his wife and
his daughter. Mrs. Longworth, all
automobile. burst into the shop ana
walked directly to the counter where the
latest fiction was being sold exclaimed
In loud voice:
Give me some Of your latest novels
lots OF EN-. What have you got here?
Anything worth readinge All. that title
looks interesting, anyway. I'll take a
copy of that
And as he spoke he picked up a copy
OF Basil Kings The Street Called
Straight"
That's a society novel: you won,
like that. father" exclaimed Mrs.
Longworth, who was close beside the
colonel Both women and one Of the
men in 1t behave like perfect fools. y
But 7. r. insisted on buying a copy OF
IT, and when he left the shop carrying
all the other Roosevelt book purchases
wrapped up in one large parcel he car
ried copy Of 1t in his hand with the
title outward. so that all who ran and
rubbered sufficiently might read.
List Includes "Freckles."
Mrs. Roosevelt's list included
"Freckles" and THE Girl of the Lin
berlost" both by Miss Gene Porter
Stratton. while Mrs. Longworth as her
personal choices picked out Rupert
Hughes Excuse Me- and the Baron
row"
Meanwhile the crowd in the shop had
grown to such dimensions that several
of the sales tables came near topping
over. To one OF the clerks with whom
he chatted for several moments Col.
Roosevelt said: "Oh. understand. these
Mrs. Roosevelt and my family. ex-
pect to be much too busy to read novels
for a long time"
Meanwhile In the Congress Hotel two
little incidents took place within five
to demonstrate that the crash which
attends the downfall OF a popular idol
is by no means confined to the idol itself.
Even while the crowd swarmed and
squeezed about Roosevelt In the book
shop 1t never seemed to occur to any
body to give him cheer
Placards Torn Down.
The long drive through Lincoln Park
which the Roosevelts took Immediately
after their shopping expedition prevent
ed the colonel from witnessing either OF
the rather pathetic incidents in the halls
Of the Congress. Until yesterday after
noon the marble walls OF Peacock alley
had been plastered by the placards OF
large letters. ''rwenty-six solid for
Roosevelt" At a few minutes past 3
o'clock two members of the California
delegation came out from their head
quarters and began to tear the placards
down. Not only did they tear them
from the walls. but they tore each one
into narrow strips.
Meanwhile in that portion of the Pom
peiian room in which no man is allowed
to sit without a lady escort and all
days before the divans
had been wrenched away. the ladies sat
for hours easing their tired tootsies at
their leisure. a tremendous fiutter and
fuss and sensation was going on. The
crowd Of women and men grew thicker
about three minutes time. the whole
place became impossible. The huge. good
natured. six-foot-three detective who has
never once lost his temper or killed a
to push his way through the mingled
mass OF Insecurity and lingerie.
Roosevelt's Double again"
What is 1t now?" he cried as he sud
denly stumbled over Rudolph. the maltre
d'hotel. who doomed up like a stalwart
piece Of German ware towering above q
hundred soubrettish peninsulas with all
their necks stretching far out to see.
"Oh, It's only that - fool from Mas
sachusetts n:s.King Roosevelt faces
again." replied the cop quite casually as
he pointed with his club at a table where.
escorted by several females. Delegates
John NJ. Keys of Concord. Mass, T. R. s
now famous double, sat-
II warned him last night that II he
made another face like Roosevelt I'd lock
him up cried the detective as he
crossed to the table and seized the man
that looks like Roosevelt by the Shout
ders.
see here" he said. .'that face OF
yours has gone far enough. Didn't / warn
you last night to stop it?''
well, good heavens. man. I can't
furious with rage I've simply been sit
ting here smiling at these ladies. Is it a
crime to smile, ia like to know? Even a
cat can look at a king.
Detective Makes Threats.
.'Well, you're no cat" cried the de-
tective. angrily. Every time you grin
that grin of yours makes near a riot in
this hotel. Look here now. If / hear or
see you make another face before you
get out Of town I'll have you pinched. The
best thing for you to do is to so home
and fatten up until you can look like Mr.
Taft"
And yet, ladies'" exclaimed Delegate
Keys dejectedly, when the detective had
passed on. they would have us believe
that this Is the Land OF the free and the
home of the brave. From now on l sup
man to say delighted with the accent on
Ia n