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THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S
LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
EDITED BY
JOSEPH BUCKLIN BISHOP

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
NEW YORK
1919

CONTENTS
PAQB
introduction		3
in the spanish war		13
youthful bible commentators		17
fine names for guinea pigs		18
A cougar and lttnx hunt		20
dogs that climb trees		23
the pig named maude	,		24
advice and news		25
archie and quentin		29
incidents of home-coming		30
uncle remus and white house pets		34
the dog "gem"		35
presidential nurse for guinea pigs		36
thanksgiving in the white house		37
A white house christmas		38
tom quartz and jack		41
A far western trip		44
tame wild creatures		44
[v]

CONTENTS
run
western customs and scenery		4-1
treasures for the children		46
more treasures		-17
A homesick president		4<5
josiah's passionate day		49
loves and sports of the children		50
A president at play		S3
To ted on a hunting trip		56
end of summer at oyster bay		58
" valuables! " kind of rabbits		59
A preaching letter		60
proper place for sports		61
concerning getting "smashed"		66
the art of uncle remus		67
A ride and a pillow fight		68
study and play		70
quentin's first fall		71
homesick for sagamore hill		73
joy over a football victory		74
vice-mother of the children		75
quentin's sixth birthday		76
A president's poob protection		77
[vi]

CONTENTS
PAflE
ted's sprained ankle		80
the supreme christmas jot		81
A day with a juggler		82
merits of military and civil life		83
root and taft		89
senator hanna's death		91
irritating remark by quentin		92
japanese wrestling		93
love for the white house		93
peter rabbit's funeral		90
charms of valley fohge		101
washington's companions at valley forge .   .   .	103
on the eve of nomination for president    .   .   .	103
bill the lizard		103
on the eve of election		106
big jim white		109
winter life in the white house		110
playmate of the children		112
A japanese boy's letter		113
on counting days and wrestling		115
spring in washington		113
A hunting tbip		119
[vii]

CONTENTS
FAOE
abehnetht the wolf hunter		121
pbaibie girls		124
bears, bobcats and skip		125
home again with skip		126
skip m the white house		128
officers of togo's fleet		129
A president as cook		130
quentin's quaint sayings		134
advice regarding newspaper annoyances. .   .   .	136
incidents of a southern trip		141
poets and princes		144
novels and games		145
christmas present to His old nurse		148
dickens and thackeray		149
A tribute to archie		151
pillow fights with the boys		153
sorrows of skip		155
"AN interesting circus experience"		156
A big and lonely white house		157
A new puppy and a new horse		157
A quentin anecdote		159
A visit to washington's birthplace		161
[ viii ]

CONTENTS
FACIE
more about dickens		164
No place like sagamore hill		165
attic delights		166
presidential rescue of a kitten		167
sports of quentin and archie		169
skip and archie		169
A turkey hunt at pine knot		170
pets on shipboard		172
names of the guns		173
reflections on the way		174
events since columbus's discovery		176
pride in america		177
what the president saw at panama		179
on the way to porto Rico		185
what he saw in porto Rico		186
sickness of archie		192
at the jamestown exposition		194
general kuhoki		196
temporary absence of skip		197
death of skip		198
quentin's snake adventure		199
trials of a travelling president		201
[ix]

CONTENTS
PAQH
changes of three centuries		202
peculiarities of mississippi steamboats .....	206
the lone cat of the camp		208
shooting the bear		216
quentin's "exquisite jest"		217
tom pinch		218
"martin chuzzlewit"		219
good reading for pacifists		221
quentin as a ball-player		222
four sheepish small boys		225
john burroughs and the flying squirrels .   .   .	226
beauty of white house grounds		227
quentin and a beehive		228
quentin and turner		230
quentin and the pig		231
A presidential fall		232
more about quentin		233
tribute to kehmit		233
longing for home		237
the last hunt		239
qoentin grown-up		240
[x]

PAWNEE  INDIAN  DOG  PICTURE
Off Santiago, 1898.
darling ethel:
We are near shore now and everything is in a bustle, for we may have to disembark to-night, and I do not know when I shall have another chance to write to my three blessed children, whose little notes please me so. This is only a line to tell you all how much father loves you. The Pawnee Indian drew you the picture of the little

dog, which runs everywhere round the ship, and
now and then howls a little when the band plays.
[15]

LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
boots on, to get in and make fortifications. Now and then they play it over each other. Ethel is playing tennis quite a good deal.
I think Yagenka is going to come out all right, and Bleistein, too. I have no hope for Wyoming or Renown. Fortunately, Rusty is serving us well.
White House, June 12th, 1804. blessed quenty-qtjee:
The little birds in the nest in the vines on the garden fence are nearly grown up. Their mother still feeds them.

You see the mother bird with a worm in her beak, and the little birds with their beaks wide open!
I was out walking the other day and passed the [98]

ZOO PICTURE LETTER
Zoo; there I fed with grass some of the two-year-old elk; the bucks had their horns "in the velvet." I fed them through the bars.

White House, June 12th, 1904.
blessed archie-kins:
Give my love to Mademoiselle; I hope you and Quenty are very good with her—and don't play in the library!
I loved your letter, and think you were very good to write.
All kinds of live things are sent me from time [99]

LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
to time.    The other day  an eagle came;  this morning an owl.

(I have drawn him holding a rat in one claw.)
We sent both to the Zoo.
The other day while walking with Mr. Pinchot and Mr. Garfield we climbed into the Blagden deer park and almost walked over such a pretty wee fawn, all spotted; it ran off like a little race horse.

It made great jumps and held its white tail straight in the air.
[100]

B'RER RABBIT AND B'RER TERRAPIN
White House, June 21,1904.
dear qttentyquee:
The other day when out riding what should I see in the road ahead of me but a real B'rer Terrapin and B'rer Rabbit. They were sitting sol-

emnly beside one another and looked just as if they had come out of a book; but as my horse walked along B'rer Rabbit went lippity lippity lippity off into the bushes and B'rer Terrapin drew in his head and legs till I passed.
CHARMS  OF VALLEY FORGE
White House, June 21, 1904.
dearest ethel:
I think you are a little trump and I love your
letter, and the way you take care of the children
and keep down the expenses and cook bread and
are just your own blessed busy  cunning  self.
[101]

LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
way in which he did in first-rate way his full share of all the work.
To-morrow the National Convention meets, and barring a cataclysm I shall be nominated. There is a great deal of sullen grumbling, but it has taken more the form of resentment against what they think is my dictation as to details than against me personally. They don't dare to oppose me for the nomination and I suppose it is hardly likely the attempt will be made to stampede the Convention for any one. How the election will turn out no man can tell. Of course I hope to be elected, but I realize to the full how very lucky I have been, not only to be President but to have been able to accomplish so much while President, and whatever may be the outcome, I am not only content but very sincerely thankful for all the good fortune I have had. From Panama down I have been able to accomplish certain things which will be of lasting importance in our history. Incidentally, I don't think that any family has ever enjoyed the White House more than we have. I was thinking about [104]

wmr£ house.
WASHINGTON

 

a.

 

x^^d.

*0*

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. <?

LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
arms for about half a block. Then I saw a very nice colored woman and little colored girl looking out of the window of a small house with on the door a dressmaker's advertisement, and I turned and walked up the steps and asked if they did not want the kitten. They said they did, and the little girl welcomed it lovingly; so I felt I had gotten it a home and continued toward church.
Has the lordly Ted turned up yet ? Is his loving sister able, unassisted, to reduce the size of his head, or does she need any assistance from her male parent ?
Your affectionate father,

[168]

LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
hours through the woods, without food or water, and had slept a couple of hours in a crooked tree, like a wild turkey.
He has a mild, gentle face, blue eyes, and full beard; he is a religious fanatic, and is as hardy

as a bear or elk, literally caring nothing for fatigue and exposure, which we couldn't stand at all. He doesn't seem to consider the 24 hours' trip he has just made, any more than I should a half hour's walk before breakfast. He quotes the preacher Talmage continually.
This is a black belt.    The people are almost all negroes, curious creatures, some of them with In-[210]

WILDCAT PECULIARITIES
dian blood, like those in "Voodoo Tales." Yesterday we met two little negresses riding one mule, bare-legged, with a rope bridle.

_	Tenesas Bayou, Oct. 10, 1907.
blessed archie:
I just loved your letter. I was so glad to hear from you. I was afraid you would have trouble with your Latin. What a funny little fellow Op-dyke must be; I am glad you like him. How do you get on at football?
We have found no bear. I shot a deer; I sent a picture of it to Kermit.
[211]

LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN
A small boy here caught several wildcats. When one was in the trap he would push a box towards it, and it would itself get into it, to hide; and so he would capture it alive. But one, instead of getting into the box, combed the hair of the small boy!

We have a great many hounds in camp; at night they gaze solemnly into the fire.

[212]

DR. LAMBERT FISHING
Dr. Lambert has caught a good many bass, which we have enjoyed at the camp table.

_.	Bear Bayou, Oct. 16, 1907.
darling archie:
We have had no luck with the bear; but we have killed as many deer as we needed for meat, and the hounds caught a wildcat. Our camp is as comfortable as possible, and we have great camp fires at night.
One of the bear-hunting planters with me told [213]

The Bear Plays Dead

The Bear Sits Up