1888] Theodore Roosevelt 



lecturers, though his somewhat esoteric doctrines 

 met with scant response even from the Bates School 

 of Philosophy. As a matter of fact, his visit was 

 chiefly remembered because of his cold reception of 

 Indiana hospitality. In accordance with the pre- Western 

 vailing Southern custom, his hostess had spread a ^°^P'^^^^^y 

 groaning table — roast turkey, scalloped oysters, 

 chicken pie, and boiled ham, flanked by all manner 

 of toothsome jellies, pickles, and preserves, to be 

 followed by ice cream and melting layer cakes. To 



the horrified dismay of Mrs. H and her clever 



daughters, Alcott curtly declined it all, explain- 

 ing that he ate next to nothing and but little of 

 that. 



Theodore Roosevelt came at my invitation in the Roosevelt 

 spring of 1888 to speak on Civil Service Reform, '^J^^ 

 which he did with efi^ectiveness and energy. I first 

 met him on this occasion; he was then United 

 States Civil Service Commissioner, and rising to 

 prominence. After the lecture we started together 

 for Indianapolis. A tornado having blocked the 

 trains, we were obliged to spend the night in the 

 little station of Limedale — then Greencastle Junc- 

 tion. During this long wait he told me something 

 of his political ambitions, which already ran high, 

 although he was only thirty years old. With the 

 opinions of George William Curtis and other "Mug- 

 wumps" of that day he had entire sympathy, but 

 he would not join them formally. Said he : 



I can understand how a man can work outside the party 

 or inside the party; but he cannot do both. I shall always 

 work inside the Republican party, and shall never undertake 

 any movement without a substantial group to back me up. 



c 305 :] 



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