Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-30

ment Madame" replied the guard somewhat
sententiOusly. Besides, which, he didn't
care a rap what Europe thought about his
grave AS he told his cousin, he wanted to
rest quietly here near his family. On clear
day this spot is always visible through Held
glasses from Sycamore Hill"
1t is said that Colonel Roosevelt selected
this site for his grave the year that he left
the White House. 1t is place he often
visited in his walks about Oyster Bay, so that
he was we'll aware of it's rare charms. In
the first place, it is still wild and primitive,
much as the Indians must have known 1t
years ago Tall, slim locust trees throw a
generous shade over the little colony of
graves on the hill, and just few feet away,
enclosed by a wooden fence, is tract of
dense green wilderness, stretching for many
miles. According to the guard, this land is
worth thousands of dollars, but the wealthy
residents of Oyster Bay who own it will not
sell it because they wish to maintain the ex-
elusive atmosphere the colony. Far below
may be seen the blue waters of Oyster Bay,
dotted with white sail boats. The visitor
who feels that the colonel's grave is not suf-
ficently impressive should sit down on this
hillside on a sunny efternoon, let the wind
sweep through his hair, and listen to the
busy tWittering Of tn. many birds in the
nearby wilderness. Then, it will be perfectly
clear why the colonel, who loved the open
spaces, wanted to be buried here.
1t is fortunate that the grave is so near
the home of the Roosevelts, because the only
time the family can pay visits to it with any
degree OF privacy is late at night or early in
the morning. The rest of the time a constant
stream of visitors is coming up and going
down the hlll-peOple from all walks OF life
and from all parts of the country Most of
them register in book provided for that pur-
pose on a shelf attached to the guards house.
and this book contains the names of some o.
our most prominent citizens as well as those
OF Europe. There are also many addresses
on the Bowery and the East Side. Some Sun
days the book shows registration of four
or five hundred names.
'"The newspapers have said that there were
thousands" explained the guard, but that
isn't so. You can't depend on these newspa-
per guys, so I've quit telling them anything. .
Exactly" agreed the reporter, thankful
that he had not disclosed his identity.
1.-The rest of the graves up here" the guard
continued conversatiOnally, belong to old
Oyster Bay families. Some of them are near
ly hundred years old. Those two over there
he pointed to two small headstones to the
left of the colonel's grave-"are the graves of
slaves belonging to enc family.
"Oyster Bay is very DID," he went on. eve
have a house here that was the headquarters
of George Washington when he was station
ed in this region. But it was the colonel and
not the general who put Oyster Bay on the
map"
The guards loquaciousness was here in
terrupted by the arrival of another group OF
visitors who wanted to know eff this was the
colonel's grave" Two Of the women were
from California, third was from Montana,
and couple of men were from ChAle.
The other day, according to the guard, a
little boy from Washington, accompanied by
his mother visited the grave. He placed a
bunch of flowers at the foot of it, and stood
soberly looking at them for some time.
Colonel Roosevelt gave me rose once" he
proudly told the guard later. ut was when
he was serving his second term in the White
House. I met him in the park one morning
and he had a red rose in his hand, and he
smiled and gave it to me-"
On the same day arrived an octogenarian
from Philadelphia, who had walked from his
home to Oyster Bay to pay tribute to the ex
president. This man has been in the habit
of spending his vacations in hikes across long
stretches o. country, go this year he decided
to make his destination the colOneps grave
He was naturalist, and great admirer CT
Roosevelt's books on animals. II am glad he
is buried here he said, ct is a charming
piece of Wilderness