Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-19


Didn't they know that it is impossible
for a man, who has Just been shot, t.
shake hands with genuine cordiality2"
OF the shooting itself. Col. II osevel
had little TO say Not once did he men
tion the name of John Schrank his as
sailant. He talked in an unemotiona
! discussing the case of a man with whom
| he was not acquainted. He said he bore
no bitterness or rancer.
| I'm dispassionate way Col Roosevelt
| spoke of his present condition and spec
| ulated upon the chance that he would
have blood poisoning or some other Sc
| rious complication.
The physicians thought he was
setting well, he said. but they had
told him that there still remained the
chance of etback.
Isn't it curious thing" he said
that little spot"-he placed his thumb
near the top of his forefinger TO in
dictate how small spot he meant
can become affected and set the
Nhele thing back?'
Then, he said, there was a possihil-
ity, the physicians had told him. that
pieurisy or pneumonia might develop.
DR.. Alexander Lambert, he said. had
spoken of returning to New York. to-
day, but his associates asked him to
remain, because they felt that all dan
ger was not past. The Colonel said
he felt no pain at present. He placed
his right ferefinger carefully on his
breast to indicate the position of the
wound and said that While he still
had an occasional twinge to remind
him of ii. he was at ease AS he talk
ed he moved his arms freely. although
he was careful not to move his body.
He punctuated his remarks with ges-
lures, but they were not the same
vigorous gestures which he is wont
to make. He waved his hand or
thrust forward a finger with a quick
dart, instead of bringing down
clinched fist upon an open palm with
a thump.
The Colonel still had trouble with
his broken rib, he saftl. His only APP
parent worry was lest the rib should
not knit quickly enough to permit him
to make a few speeches in the clos
ms days of the. campaign. If he took
a deep breath, he explained, the edges
parted and the beginning which ma
ture had made at her task of knit
ting them together would be all for
naught.
IF l can get that rib so that the
edges hold.' he said, and it doesn't
pain me to take a deep breath, | hope
to make some speeches, week after
next"
=. As his thoughts turned to the cam
paIgR Col. RooseVelt's manner chang
ed. Although he had been cautioned
not TO forget that he was far from q
well man and to guard against excite
, ment, his face flushed and his features
/ became more vigorous. They'll have
| 10 be short speeches." at first, | sup
pose he said, but i Il make some
good ones
The colonel paused for a moment. He
set his jaw hard and eienehed his fist
| for the only time during the interview.
Il ask no quarter" he said.
| 1t is amusing TO see the prediea-
ment of Gov. Marshall" he added
! with a laugh. THE Governor has been
| making his campaign on the assertion
| that | was not at San Juan Hill. This
! may stagger him, but in a week he
| will discover that ] was no shot at all
| and that any way it was bird shot and
| that it was another man instead of me
and finally that | was in Oshkosh that
night"
| Col. Roosevelt expected, he said, Il
bring the campaign to a close just as
though ne had not been shot. He hoped
| to be able to put in. a week of cam
| paigning and say a few things al
though he might be unable to travel as
he had been doing, making sometimes
a dozen speeches in a day. His physi-
clans told him that probably he could
| leave for oyster Bay. Monday or
Tuesday, and the Colonel at once made
up his mind that he would go on the
earliest train. Monday, which suited
his purposes.
Despite his confidence that he will be
back in the fight, week after next, the
colonel has not yet received assurance
that he will be able to make a single
speech. A week of absolute rest at Sag
amore Hill comes first and it will de-
pend upon his progress then what comes
next.
Col. Roosevelt spoke of the visit Of
Gov. Hiram johnson, his running mate,
who spent short time with him, this
afternoon. He said there was little he
ioQiu HdJ dpObl hHt NblNcISdllDD ana
that they had mot talked much pol
tics"
I'VE discussed the social and indus
trial planks of the platform" he said
'and talked over the political situation
but for the most part we talked over
other things not politics"
The effect of Col. Roosevelts exertion
was beginning to show itself. At the
outset of the talk. he bore himself in 4
way which gave no indication of his con-
dition, except that he sat quietly in his
chair instead of moving about in his
customary energetic way But finally he
spoke in lower tones, in which there was
trace of WEAKNESS He had plucked a
little green sprig from plant, which
some one had sent him. and as he talked
he held it by the leaves and used the
steam as a pointer, thrusting it quickly
at one after another of his interviewers
to emphasize a point. AT last he drop
ped the sprig and let his hands fall to
his knees. 1t was his signal that the in
terview was over.
Good bye he said
While Col RooseVelt's phVsicians