Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-06


at intervals, but apparently was far
from being seriously i'll. On the Sun.
day previous to his departure for his
home he had dictated articles for the
Kansas City Star and other publica.
tions from Il n. m. until 2 p. m. He
ate we'll and slept like q child
So marked had been his improve.
ment under the regimen provided al
the hospital that Mrs. Roosevelt. who
at the beginning remained with her
husband continuously. was importuned
by him to rest. She went 10 Oyster
Bay. returning two or three times a
week to visit him and bring him table
delica cies of which he was especially
fond.
Quentin was killed In combat July
Il, 1918. at Chamery, France For
some weeks previous to confirmation
of his death there were reports that he
had possibly been taken prisoner by
the Germans and might turn up alive
This suspense added to the distress of
the Roosevelt household. When the
sad news finally was officially confirm
ed General Pershing cabled Colonel
Roosevelt that II he desired. the body
of Quentin would be removed to Amer.
ica. France. meanwhile, had paid the
fullest honors to the dead aviator and
the Roosevelt family declined to ac-
cept the War Departments offer.
An letter to General Peyton c.
March. chief-of-staff, Colonel Roose.
Welt wrote
Mrs. Roosevelt and wish to enter
a most respectful but most emphatic
protest against the proposed course
so far as our son Quentin is concerned
We have always believed that:
Where the tree falls.
There let II lie
We know that many good persons
feel entirely different, but to us it is
painful and narrowing long after
death to move the poor body from
which the soul has fled We greatly
prefer that Quentin shall continue 70
lie on the spot where he fell in battle
and where the foemen buried him.
After the war is over Mrs. Roose-
velt and l intend to visit the grave
and then to have q small stone put
up by us. but not disturbing what has
already been erected to his memory by
his friends and American comrades in
arms
Colonel Roosevelt had been looking
forward 10 his journey overseas with
mingled feelings of sadness and pride
NO plans had been made for his de-
parture. il was said, but II was
thought that IL his condition improved
he and Mrs. Roosevelt might start
some time if May or June.
Colonel Roosevelt was also oon.
cerned over the wound received in
action by his son, Captain Archibald
Roosevelt, which caused paralysis in
his arm, for which he is now being
treated
Two separate blood tests had been
made at the hospital. one by Doctor
Richards and the other by Doctor
Hartwell. both Of which confirmed tho
diagnosis Of the other. These tests,
it was said. indicated that the Colonel
was entirely free from any organic
disease and that his only trouble was
the inflammatory rheumatism. This
ailment was only pronounced in, his
left leg. but at times it affected one
Of his hands and arms.
Although there were no indications
of setback after the Colonel', return
to Oyster Bay, fears for his wcll.being
and convalescence at Sycamore Hill
had been expressed by his friends
One object of his going to the hospital
was that he might have at hand more
OF the conveniences of the sick room
than were accessible in his own home
Sagamore Hill. standing on an emf
! nencc and always n delightful place
in summer swept az it was by brcezes
from Long Island Sound. these friends
OF the Roosevelts said was not so
comfortable in winter. Two furnaces
in the cellar kept going continuously
in zero weather and CRATE fires in
every room hardly Suiiiced to heat the
long halls In the former President :;
home Despite this the Colonel in
sisted he and the other members of
his family were hardy and accustomed
to the rigors Of winter living in coun.
try homes.
Ill Last February
Colonel Roosevelt's last illness may
he said to date from last February.
On February II was announced that
he had been removed from his home
in Oyster Bay to the Roosevelt Hop.
pital In this city, following an opera.
tion on one Of his ears. Soon after
his arrival at the hospital he under
went two more operations for the I've.
moval Of diseased tissue in his in.
! fected ear and It was admitted al the
time that he was seriously i'll. He
remained at the hospital until
March 3.
During May and June the Colonel
made n number OF addresses. speaking
at Springfield, Mass. and In New York.
In June he made tour OF the West,
during which he suffered a slight at
tack OF erysipelas in one of his legs,
but refused TO give up his engage
mCnts.
Early in November the Colonel was
taken TO Roosevelt Hospital. While in
the hospital reports became current
that the Colonel was more seriously
i'll than his physicians would admit.
When Colonel Roosevelt returned to
his home in Oyster Bay on Christmas
Day he remarked, as he stepped to
, the porch. that he was feeling bully