theodore roosevelt-第40节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


on　as　to　how　the　unmixables　would　mix。　He　is　reported　to　have　said　to　one　Western　cowboy　of　whom　he　was　fond：　〃Now；　Jimmy；　don't　bring　your　gun　along　to…night。　The　British　Ambassador　is　going　to　dine　too；　and　it　wouldn't　do　for　you　to　pepper　the　floor　round　his　feet　with　bullets；　in　order　to　see　a　tenderfoot　dance。〃

But　those　dinners　were　mainly　memorable　occasions；　and　the　guests　who　attended　them　heard　some　of　the　best　talk　in　America　at　that　time；　and　came　away　with　increased　wonder　for　the　variety　of　knowledge　and　interest；　and　for　the　unceasing　charm　and　courtesy　of　their　host；　the　President。　Contrary　to　the　opinion　of　persons　who　heard　him　only　as　a　political　speaker　shouting　in　the　open　air　from　the　back　platform　of　his　train　or　in　a　public　square；　Roosevelt　was　not　only　a　speaker；　he　was　also　a　most　courteous　listener。　I　watched　him　at　little　dinners　listen　not　only　patiently；　but　with　an　astonishing　simulation　of　interest；　to　very　dull　persons　who　usurped　the　conversation　and　imagined　that　they　were　winning　his　admiration。　Mr。　John　Morley；　who　was　a　guest　at　the　White　House　at　election　time　in　1904；　said：　〃The　two　things　in　America　which　seem　to　me　most　extraordinary　are　Niagara　Falls　and　President　Roosevelt。〃

Jacob　Riis；　the　most　devoted　personal　follower　of　Roosevelt；　gives　this　as　the　finest　compliment　he　ever　heard　of　him。　A　lady　said　that　she　had　always　been　looking　for　some　living　embodiment　of　the　high　ideals　she　had　as　to　what　a　hero　ought　to　be。　〃I　always　wanted　to　make　Roosevelt　out　that；〃　she　declared；　〃but　somehow　every　time　he　did　something　that　seemed　really　great　it　turned　out；　upon　looking　at　it　closely；　that　it　was　ONLY　JUST　THE　RIGHT　THING　TO　DO。〃　*

*　Riis；　268…69。


But　at　home　Roosevelt　had　affection；　not　compliments；　whether　these　were　unintentional　and　sincere；　like　that　of　the　lady　just　quoted；　or　were　thinly　disguised　flattery。　And　affection　was　what　he　most　craved　from　his　family　and　nearest　friends；　and　what　he　gave　to　them　without　stint。　As　I　have　said；　he　allowed　nothing　to　interrupt　the　hours　set　apart　for　his　wife　and　children　while　he　was　at　the　White　House；　and　at　Oyster　Bay　there　was　always　time　for　them。　A　typical　story　is　told　of　the　boys　coming　in　upon　him　during　a　conference　with　some　important　visitor；　and　saying　reproachfully；　〃It's　long　after　four　o'clock；　and　you　promised　to　go　with　us　at　four。〃　〃So　I　did；〃　said　Roosevelt。　And　he　quickly　finished　his　business　with　the　visitor　and　went。　When　the　children　were　young；　he　usually　saw　them　at　supper　and　into　bed；　and　he　talked　of　the　famous　pillow　fights　they　had　with　him。　House　guests　at　the　White　House　some　times　unexpectedly　caught　sight　of　him　crawling　in　the　entry　near　the　children's　rooms；　with　two　or　three　children　riding　on　his　back。　Roosevelt's　days　were　seldom　less　than　fifteen　hours　long；　and　we　can　guess　how　he　regarded　the　laboring　men　of　today　who　clamor　for　eight　and　six；　and　even　fewer　hours；　as　the　normal　period　for　a　day's　work。　He　got　up　at　half…past　seven　and　always　finished　breakfast　by　nine；　when　what　many　might　call　the　real　work　of　his　day　began。

The　unimaginative　laborer　probably　supposes　that　most　of　the　duties　which　fall　to　an　industrious　President　are　not　strictly　work　at　all；　but　if　any　one　had　to　meet　for　an　hour　and　a　half　every　forenoon　such　Congressmen　and　Senators　as　chose　to　call　on　him；　he　would　understand　that　that　was　a　job　involving　real　work；　hard　work。　They　came　every　day　with　a　grievance；　or　an　appeal；　or　a　suggestion；　or　a　favor　to　ask；　and　he　had　to　treat　each　one；　not　only　politely；　but　more　or　less　deferently。　Early　in　his　Administration　I　heard　it　said　that　he　offended　some　Congressmen　by　denying　their　requests　in　so　loud　a　voice　that　others　in　the　room　could　hear　him；　and　this　seemed　to　some　a　humiliation。　President　McKinley；　on　the　other　hand；　they　said；　lowered　his　voice；　and　spoke　so　softly　and　sweetly　that　even　his　refusal　did　not　jar　on　his　visitor；　and　was　not　heard　at　all　by　the　bystanders。　If　this　happened；　I　suspect　it　was　because　Roosevelt　spoke　rather　explosively　and　had　a　habit　of　emphasis；　and　not　because　he　wished　in　any　way　to　send　his　petitioner's　rebuff　through　the　room。

Nor　was　the　hour　which　followed　this；　when　he　received　general　callers；　less　wearing。　As　these　persons　came　from　all　parts　of　the　Union；　so　they　were　of　all　sorts　and　temperaments。　Here　was　a　worthy　citizen　from　Colorado　who；　on　the　strength　of　having　once　heard　the　President　make　a　public　speech　in　Denver；　claimed　immediate　friendship　with　him。　Then　might　come　an　old　lady　from　Georgia；　who　remembered　his　mother's　people　there；　or　the　lady　from　Jacksonville；　Florida；　of　whom　I　have　already　spoken。　Once　a　little　boy；　who　was　almost　lost　in　the　crush　of　grown…up　visitors；　managed　to　reach　the　President。　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　the　President　asked；　and　the　boy　told　how　his　father　had　died　leaving　his　mother　with　a　large　family　and　no　money；　and　how　he　was　selling　typewriters　to　help　support　her。　His　mother；　he　said；　would　be　most　grateful　if　the　President　would　accept　a　typewriter　from　her　as　a　gift。　So　the　President　told　the　little　fellow　to　go　and　sit　down　until　the　other　visitors　had　passed；　and　then　he　would　attend　to　him。　No　doubt；　the　boy　left　the　White　House　well　contentedand　richer。

Roosevelt's　official　day　ended　at　half…past　nine　or　ten　in　the　evening；　and　then；　after　the　family　had　gone　to　bed；　he　sat　down　to　read　or　write；　and　it　was　long　after　midnight；　sometimes　one　o'clock；　some　times　much　later；　before　he　turned　in　himself。　He　regarded　the　preservation　of　health　as　a　duty；　and　well　he　might　so　regard　it；　because　in　childhood　he　had　been　a　sickly　boy；　with　apparently　only　a　life　of　invalidism　to　look　forward　to。　But　by　sheer　will；　and　by　going　through　physical　exercises　with　indomitable　perseverance；　he　had　built　up　his　body　until　he　was　strong　enough　to　engage　in　all　sports　and　in　the　hardships　of　Western　life　and　hunting。　After　he　became　President；　he　allowed　nothing　to　interfere　with　his　physical　exercise。　I　have　spoken　of　his　long　hikes　and　of　his　vigorous　games　with　members　of　the　Tennis　Cabinet。　On　many　afternoons　he　would　ride　for　two　hours　or　more　with　Mrs。　Roosevelt　or　some　friend；　and　it　is　a　sad　commentary　on　the　perpetual　publicity　to　which　the　American　people　condemn　their　Presidents；　that　he　sometimes　was　obliged　to　ride　off　into　the　country　with　one　of　his　Cabinet　Ministers　in　order　to　be　able　to　discuss　public　matters　in　private　with　him。　Roosevelt　took　care　to　provide　means　for　exercise　indoors　in　very　stormy　weather。　He　had　a　professional　boxer　and　wrestler　come　to　him；　and　when　jiu…jitsu；　the　Japanese　system　of　physical　training；　was　in　vogue；　he　learned　some　of　its　introductory　mysteries　from　one　of　its　foremost　professors。

It　was　in　a　boxing　bout　at　the　White　House　with　his　teacher　that　he　lost　the　sight　of　an　eye　from　a　blow　which　injured　his　eyeball。　But　he　kept　this　loss　secret　for　many　years。　He　had　a　wide　acquaintance　among　professional　boxers　and　even　prize…fighters。　Jeffries；　who　had　been　a　blacksmith　before　he　entered　the　ring；　hammered　a　penholder　out　of　a　horseshoe　and　gave　it　to　the　President；　a　gift　which　Roosevelt　greatly　prized　and　showed　among　his　trophies　at　Oyster　Bay。　John　L。　Sullivan；　perhaps　the　most　notorious　of　the　champion　prize…fighters　of　America；　held　Roosevelt　in　such　great　esteem　that　when　he　died　his　family　invited　the　ex…President　to　be　one　of　the　pall…bearers。　But　Mr。　Roosevelt　was　then　too　sick　himself　to　be　able　to　travel　to　Boston　and　serve。

At　Oyster　Bay　in　summer；　the　President　found　plenty　of　exercise　on　the　place。　It　contained　some　eighty　acres；　part　of　which　was　woodland；　and　there　were　always　trees　to　be　chopped。　Hay…making；　also；　was　an　equally　severe　test　of　bodily　strength；　and　to　pitch　hay　brought　every　muscle　into　use。　There；　too；　he　had　water　sports；　but　he　always　preferred　rowing　to　sailing；　which　was　too　slow　and　inactive　an　exercise　for　him。　In　old　times；　rowing　used　to　be　the　penalty　to　which　galley…slaves　were　condemned；　but　now　it　is　commended　by　athletes　as　the　best　of　all　forms　of　exercise　for　developing　the　body　and　for　furnishing　stimulating　competition。

No　President　ever　lived　on　better　terms　with　the　newspaper　men　than　Roosevelt　did。　He　treated　them　all　with　perfect　fairness；　according　no　special　favors；　no　〃beats；〃　or　〃scoops　to　any　one。　So　they　regarded　him　as　〃square〃；　and　further　they　knew　that　he　was　a　man　of　his　word；　not　to　be　trifled　with。　〃It　is　generally　supposed；〃　Roosevelt　remarked；　〃that　newspaper　men　have　no　sense　of　honor；　but　that　is　not　true。　If　you　treat　them　fairly；　they　will　treat　you　fairly；　and　they　will　keep　a　secret　if　you　impress　upon　them　that　it　must　be　kept。〃

The　great　paradox　of　Roosevelt's　character　was　the　contrast　between　its　fundamental　simplicity　and　its　apparent　spectacular　quality。　His　acts　seemed　to　be　unusual；　striking；　and　some　uncharitable　critics　thought　that　he　aimed　at　effect；　in　truth；　however；　he　acted　at　the　moment　as　the　impulse　or　propriety　of　the　moment　suggested。　There　was　no　premeditation；　no　swagger。　Dwellers　in　Berlin　noticed　that　after　William　the　Crown　Prince　became　the　Kaiser　William　II；　he　thrust　out　his　chest　and　adopted　a　rather　pompo