The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-10-16
Grave of Theodore Roosevelt a Shrine
for the Nation

A modest grave on the ridge of a
hin in the local cemetary of a small
Long Island town has become a place
Of pilgrimage for all the world, writes
Earl B. Thomas, in the Oregonian.
Upon its unpretentious length are
heaped each day fresh flowers, daisies
from the adjoining fields, roses and
formal flowers from the florists; set
pieces from associations all over
America. There is no headstone to
mark the spot, not even the conven-
tional railing that surrounds the other
plots in the ancient burying ground ,
lone locust tree, it's strong limbs
thrusting its sparse foliage against the
hot downpour of the summer sun,
stands as natures single sentinel upon
the plot itself, sheltering alike the
simple mound and the armed guard
who watches over it.
More than $4,000 persons have jour
neyed to oyster Bay to visit the grave
of Theodore Roosevelt since the body
of the former president was lowered
into the resting place in Young's Mem.
orial cemetemy last January. There was
no path to the grave then; the brown
Itwinter stubble covered the ridge and
ran down to the entrance of the
grounds just as in the foregoing fall
and summer the grass formed a green
carpet to soften the tread Of the occa-
sional mourner. Since January, how
ever, the constant stream of pilgrims
to the cemetery has worn a broad,
smooth road from the entrance gates
to the plot, the thousands of foot
prints Of the ceaseless chain of WISH
tors has trampled the stubble into
a grasless clap patch, and instructive
ly one steps into the trail and follows
it's length to the mortal grave of 1.-THE
Great American" who so recently en-
tered upon his final trail
Like many other such burial places
in New England and Long Island, the
cemetery has a sedate rather than a
mournful aspect; it's sunken stones,
lined with age and scanned with the
ravages of generations storms, are
softened by the presence of trees and
climbing vines and blossoming bush
es. "A burst Of deep red roses from
a towering bush greets the visitor as
he moves beside the boundary hedge
OF Norway spruce and steps beneath
an overhanging tree around bend
and thus up gentle slope TO the
goal Of his travel
East and west. north and south,
all the states Of the Union
and the countries Of the two hemis-
pheres are represented in the address,
es signed by visitors in the register
by the graves guardians
Alexandria, Egypt reads one in
scription; Bombay India" two others |
Of different date; New Zealand" an
other Havre and Paris, in France;
London, England, the South American |
republics capitals, are written down |
BY travellers from those points.
Invariably they come to stand and |
ponder over the simplicity of the grave
Ind thoughts inspired by memories of
If Theodore Roosevelt. to register, sur
'ey with appreciation the pleasant en-
'ironment Of the locality, and to MUIR !,
nur some sentiment OF their deep-felt
egard to the guardian on watch
Orioles and song sparrows inhabh
he locust wods nearby and perch atop
he locust on the plot, chirping and
and scolding. or fly into the
aafy recesses Of the wild cherry trees
hat are scattered through the ceme- 4
Fry A flash OF color tells ten passage