42 The Mountaineer 



game protection, to go with me to see the President for 

 this purpose. 



I shall not forget that visit. It was, as I recall, the 

 second day of March, two days before the end of the 

 Roosevelt administration and the beginning of the Taft 

 administration. I was waiting in the Cabinet room 

 when the President came in. He had that wearied and 

 tired expression that comes from long continued exer- 

 tion, when there is more work crowding upon you than 

 you can possibly do. This was the first and only time 

 that I ever saw him when he showed the effect of the 

 almost unbelievable amount of work that he did in 

 those closing strenuous days. 



Without waiting for any formal greeting, as soon as 

 he entered he called to me across the room, "Tell me 

 what you want, Mr. Humphrey, and I will give it to 

 you. Do not take time to give me the details, simply 

 tell me what you wish me to do." I said, "Mr. Presi- 

 dent, I want you to set aside as a national monument, 

 750,000 acres in the heart of the Olympic mountains, 

 the main purpose of this is to preserve the elk in the 

 Olympics." He replied, "I will do it. Prepare your 

 order and I will sign it." That was the whole of the 

 transaction. I shook hands with him, wished him suc- 

 cess in Africa and told him good-by. As I was going 

 out, he said to me, "I will tell you all about my hunt 

 when I return." That is the last time that I saw him. 



Later I sent him at Oyster Bay a photograph show- 

 ing a portion of the "monument," which had been sent 

 to me by Mr. Curtis. He wrote me saying he was 

 greatly pleased to get the picture and closed by saying 

 that he would certainly tell me all about his African 

 trip when he returned home. 



