Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-07
By the Associated press.

By the Associated Press.
OYSTER BAY, N. z, january r.
When the delegation Of United States
senators and representatives, arrives
here tomorrow and men of national
and international fame have assem-
bled to pay their final tribute to the
great American whose body will lie in
the Episcopal edifce q few miles from
the Roosevelt home on Sycamore Hill,
these distinguished visitors will find
Oyster Bay people regretting not the
passing Of a world known figure, but
Of merely q neighbor known to all
here and beloved by all here for his
pure democracy as fellow-voter and
a fellow-worshiper.
Mourn Roosevelt, Neighbor.
Oyster Bay today mourned Theo-
dore Roosevelt the neighbor.
"reminiscences Of Roosevelt the boy,
Roosevelt the youth, Roosevelt the
man. Roosevelt the husband and
father IN a family intimately asso-
ciated with two generations of the
life of this quiet Long Island village
were being told with unconscious
simplicity by the veteran citizens of
the town to the strangers who have
been coming to Oyster Bay since yes
terday in the hope Of obtaining cards
of admittance to the funeral services
tomorrow at Christ Church.
Perhaps no more sincere tribute to
Theodore Roosevelt is being paid
anywhere in the nation today than
this one accorded him by Oyster Bay
neighbors, who, recalling incidents OF
that phase of the col0nefs life which
could not be described as strenuous.
are relating in unadorned language
their own story of the former Presi-
dent as they knew and loved him.
Revered as Townsman.
The honors which the rulers Of ma
tions are today bestowing upon Col
Roosevelt in the form of cable mes
sages meant little to the Oyster Bay
residents, In comparison with their
own messages of sympathy sent to Mrs.
Roosevelt, sitting bravely in her
hilltop home surrounded by those OF
the Roosevelt children who have been
able to come to her side at this time.
To these residents the colonel was
never a foremost figure In American
history and international events
even when he was President and his
sons were growing boys. Roosevelt
| was looked upon here rather as a
townsmen than as a noted statesman.
| Such is the impression which one
| finds exists in the course of CONVEX
| sations with the men and women OF
| oyster Bay who throughout their
| lives have known the colonel as one
| of themselves.
Tales without number were recount
| ed in solemn recollection today Of ths
| town life of the former President
There was the old German-Americar
| tradesman. whose store stood as 4
stands today. in the heart OF the vii.
lage, when Teddy" as boy, was &C.
| customed to pass the little structur.
each day. This elderly citizen o,
| icanism as stanch. perhaps. as that o,
the colonel himself. entered the Oyster
Bay Inn yesterday when he learned Of
the death Of the colonel to demand
1 confirmation of news which hat
| shocked the world. Informed tha
what he had heard was true. he col
iAapsed in a chair and gave way to un
restrained emotion.
eff He's Gone, I'm Through"
eff he's gone-if he's really gone
Tn through" the old friend Of Theo
dore Roosevelt said. There is moth
ing more for me to live for, il Tedd,
is never coming by here again. Tedd.
why Teddy used to sick his dog OF
me when he was boy!
| The flood Of "reminiscences whicl
has swept Oyster Bay brought to pub
lie notice circumstance which tn,
townspeople have long been familia'
with, but regarding which the outsid,
world perhaps has never known. It !,