The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-02-23

The Rough Rider colonel returned to ride into
office governor of New York "That was the
first campaign in which we had the indescribable
excitement of our father running for Office .
IT was a purely personal and emotional interest
centered on my father He was Right, and Van
Wyck, the Democratic candidate was Wrong,
and that was all there was to that"
The governorship of New York is commonly
regarded as stepping-stone to the Presidency
But some of the politicians tried to sidetrack
Theodore Roosevelt by sending him, albeit I'M
willingly back to Washington as vice president.
That meant more excitement for Princess Alice"
and the other young Roosevets.
II remember how that night (of the inaugural
balD perched on the arm of chair until some
suggested that ought not to- as Mrs Nc
Kinley was seated in it, a fact of which was
totally unaware. When was amused and stimu-
lated by an occasion, was never very conscious
of those whom did not know who made up the
occasion. At fathers own Inauguration in 1904,
stood in the front of the box and gesticulated
exuberant greetings to the friends l recognized
in the crowd until father rather firmly told me
to sit down, had not had the slightest idea
that | was making a show of myself l sat
down. feeling reproved and resentful. He had
been greeting friends whom he recognized in the
crowd-so why should not do likewise?'
Her fathers accession to the Presidency was
no surprise to Alice. II was as supersttious as
any savage, and ruthless. had made
magics from the time my father was nominated
to the vice presidency; made them as busily
and believingly as any primitive man, so when
the came, though had proper sense of
horror at the crime (the assassination of McIIin-
ley) the civilized side, on the savage it
brought sense Of fulfllment."
But she took it so much as matter Of course
that she wasn't especially impressed by going to
live in the White House whose interior 'at that
time was both ugly and inconvenent." She made
her debut in the White House. but the mustard
colored carpet then the East room floor. took
some of the edge off her JOY
By this time the little pig-tailed Alice had
grown up into Princess Alice" Then came the
coronation of King Edward in England and talk
of her going to England for the event. But her
family asked her not to go because there was so
much absurd discussion" as to social precedence
and what rank she wonld take.
A trip to the Orient with congressional party
headed by William Howard Taft, then secretary
of war. promised to be less spectacular a
theme for gossip but it got an amazing amount
of newspaper space for those days. 1t
series of delights for Princess Alice" She was
presented to the emperor and empress of Japan
and to the old empress dowager of China. Every
where presents were showered upon her-"Alice's
loot" her family called it when she brought it
home
The trip had one important result for Alice.
One of the members of the party was young
Nick I-ongworth of Ohio. They were together a
great deal and the amiable secretary of war was
much puzzled as to their status. "a plant of his
from time to time was, Alice, | think ought
to know if you are engaged to Nick to which
my reply was More or less Mr.. Secretary, more
or less and that ended that I had not
been back long before Nick and decided that
we were engaged l felt shy and self
conscious about telling the family"
Then princess Alice" became White House
bride and the whole country took personal In
terest In every detail of her costume. But she
remembers that her going away dress was hide
GUS end unbecoming" The wedding presents
were about what any bride might get, only more
SO the kaiser sent bracelet with his miniatures
apparently having forgotten that he had sent a
bracelet with his miniature when Alice christened
his yacht; and the king Of Italy sent a mosaic
table so large that she has never found room 10