Evening star., 1948-09-30

| her memoirs, that mother and l
listened in from her sitting room
the windows of which opened on the
piazza, as if we we're Oriental ladies,
behind screen"
Mrs Roosevelt did not want her
husband to be a vice presidential
candidate, believing he was entitled
10 first place en- the ticket Theo-
Gore Roosevelt became President Oh
the assassination of President Will
liam Mckinley.
Theodore Roosevelt was hunting
on Bear Mountain when Mckinley
died. He afterWard was absorbed
in state matters and it was Mrs.
Roosevelt who first appeared at the
White House and manager the
moving-in.
When the mourning period for
President Mckinley had passed, she
inaugurated the White House social
regime Fundamentally and brilliant
seasons resulted In 1902 he
launched the Prince Alice now
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, with a
colorful debut that was typical of
the White House functions OF the
time.
ColorfuI Affairs Still Recalled.
Those colorful scenes are still re-
membered by numerous Washing
tonians as bearing the impress OF
her personality. characterized as "al
grace, finesse and diplomacy
Her children were largely her
whole life outside of the obligations
incumbent upon her as the wife OF
the President. 1t was then written
that she was never in a hurry, and
never too busy to stop and hear
their little stories of pleasure or
childish trouble.
The children were taught obedl-
ence by her and gave her an un-
bounded affection. Alice, the Presi-
dents daughter by his first wife,
was older and lived much as COM
panion with her stepmother. These
two were familiar figures in the
Washington shops.
Something doing every second was
the rule when the family occupied
the White House. Living up to his
advocacv of the strenuous life the
President boxed, took jiu-jitsu les
sons, played tennis, galloped along
the bride paths of the Capital. The
Younger children collected menag-
cries, walked the stairWays and up
per halls of the Executive Mansion
on tall stills and explored the place
from cellar to garret.
Miss Alice" was epitomized by
Ike" Hoover, late chief usher OF
the White House, thusly:
1T can reasonably be asserted
that no one within the recollection
of the oldest inhabitant was enter
tanned so much as she. For at least
two years before her marriage, there
was never an evening when there
was not some party being given in
her honor"
Yet the household ran smoothly
because Edith Carow Roosevelt man
aged to oversee every housekeeping
detail
Il do not think any two people
ever got more enjoyment out OF
the White House than mother and
l." wrote Theodore Roosevelt in
May, 1904. I'VE love the house it
self, without and within, for its
associations, for its simplicity. We
love the garden and we like Wash
ington. We almost always take our
breakfast on the south portico,
mother looking very pretty and
dainty in her summer dresses.
Then we stroll about the garden
for Is or 20 minutes. looking at the
flowers and the fountain and ad-
miring the trees" This presidential
couple also walked bareheaded
through the grounds in biting
SHOWS.
The Theodore Roosevelts were re-
sponsible for much of the simple
beauty of the White House. 1t was
during their occupancy that the
McKim, Mead and White altera-
tions restored the fine proportions
planned b ythe original architect
Hoban.
Mrs. Roosevelt also did a bit of
fine reshaping in the architecture
of official society. Each week "cabi-
net wives" assembled in the White
House library. learned new knitting
stitches. discussed matters of mo-
ment to them. Ali down through
officialdom her social standards per-
colated.
Il have warmed both hands be-