The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-23
AT EMPORIA.
How Colonel Roosevelt Spent a Quiet
Sunday.

Emporia, Kan. Sept. 23--ColohA
Roosevelt rested Sunday. William Al
len White. in his newspaper had asked
the people of Emporia to let the colonel
have a full day of rest ana they did
not run after him or bother him in any
way.
At 9 O'Clock in the morning White
drove his old family horse. Tom, and
surrey to the depot. where Roosevelt
had spent the night in his private car,
and the two logged back through the
quiet streets to Whites home Red
Rocks" and stayed until churchgoing
time at IL o'clock.
The first thing the colonel wanted, he
said. was bath, as he hadn't had n
real bath for two weeks. Later he sat
dc wn and visited with the Whites, al
though they tried to prevail on him to
go to his room and rest. But he said
tna- just getting away from the crowds
was the rest needed. He played with
the " bite children and got acquainted
WITH their fox TERROR, Teddy. and about
thu middle of the forenoon, F. G. New
mar took him for an automobile ride.
They visited the Country club and saw
the places of interest
Roosevelt is member of the Re
formed Church of the United States,
more widely known as the Dutch Re
formed church" There is a church of
that denomination in this town and
when its pastor, the Rev. T. F. Stauffer,
learned that Roosevelt was to spend the
day here he asked White to invite him
to the morning services. Roosevelt said
he would be glad to go and he asked
that it be kept quiet so there would
not he q crowd.
1t is a small church with a member
ship of only y and they had a hard
time keeping the secret, especially
when the big Methodist congregation
a nd 10 Ix-fo i'm oh, %y-xv-
ing to get Roosevelt to attend its SER
vices. and 50 the heart of the dear
old pastor was all afiutter as he stood
on the doorstep of his church in the
forenoon. He stroked his beard, which
was white as snow, and glanced up
and down the street.
Il am so afraid it will get out and
crowd will COME he said. IF a
crowd comes it will look as if we had
broken faith with him"
But no crowd came When Roose-
Welt and Mr.. White, having walked
from the White home, came up tie
church steps, there were only los per
sons there The pew in which ROose-
welt was to sit was decorated with an
American flag, and sofa pillow,
with life size picture of the colonel
on it, lay upon the organ top where
all could see 1t.
1t was an old fashioned church, ard
the congregation sang the old fashion
ed hymns in the old fashioned way,
slowly and with great fervor. First
it sang Holy. Holy, Holy" and then
Nearer, My God, to Thee and "Aty
Faith Looks Up to Thee, Thou Lamb
of Calvary
The colonel sang the HYMNS and re-
| cited the apostles creed, and then the
pastor read the ninety-first Psalm and
! took as his text those two verses from
Matthew:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy Goo
4 Wit n ri nd on ~
soul, and with all thy mind.
And thou shalt love thy neightor
as myself
1t was good old fashioned sermon.
| Roosevelt told the pastor afterwards
as he shook hands with him warmly
that he was "dee-lighted'' with it.
Mr.. Roosevelt put a dollar in the COL
| lection basket and joined in the singing Of
| the Lord and after the oenedictinr the
| congregation surrounded him and lie
shook hands with each one of them, men.
! women and children.
| Many of those in the congregation were
/ surprised at the plain appearance of
| Roosevelt. They fancied that America s
greatest citizen, who had been received by
| the kings of the earth. would come 70
! church in a frock coat and a silk ha-. But
| Roosevelt wore his soft black felt hat and
the same business suit of gray that he
wears on weekdays. 1t needed pressing
and the left coat pocket sagged from mis-
habit of thrusting his hand in there often
while he is speaking.
Following the service, Mr.. Roosevelt
and Mr.. White spent a half hour at :he
Gazette office where Mr. Roosevelt die
tated a letter to Mrs. Roosevelt, and then
they went to the White home TO a fried
chicken, mashed potatoes, sweet potato
and apple pie dinner And the way the
colonel ate delighted the soul of Mrs.
White, who had prepared a real home
dinner for her distinguished guest.
After dinner. and after Mr.. Roosevelt
had gone in the kitchen and thanked the
girls there for their part in the excellent
dinner, "Old Tom was called into requi-
sition again and the colonel and Mr.
White went to. the Whitley hotel where
Mr.. Roosevelt dictated a speech After q
drive back to the White home and ar
hour two spent in visiting Mr.. ano
Mrs. White. the colonel went to the Ga
zette office and to the Santa Fe station
behind cold Tom
Only one criticism of the day was heard
and that was that BILL as they all cal
William Allen White in Emporia pei
sisted in driving the colonel around be
hind his old family horse. They said ne
ought to have upheld the enterprise anC
dignity of the town by taking him in q
motor car. To this Mr.. White replied.
| He told himself that he was de
lighted with my horse and sur Fey. il
fitted into the scheme of a day of COM
plete rest
The newspaper correspondents travelling
with Colonel Roosevelt were treateti TO s
watermelon feast by residents of En-
poria.