Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough

8/7/2019 Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough

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http://bit.ly/dSbrpWhttp://on.fb.me/hNhMBuhttp://bit.ly/gz1kBC


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David McCul lough

M O R N I N G SO NH O R S E B A C KThe Story of an Extraordinary Fam ily;

a Van ish ed W ay o f Life, and the Unique ChildWh o Bec am e T h eo do re Ro o seve l t

S I M O N & S C H U S T E RNe w Y or k L ondon T or on to S y d n e y


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AS I M O N & S C H U S T E R

R o c k e fe l l e r C e n te r1230 A venue of the A mericasN e w York, N e w York 10020

C o p y r ig h t 1 98 1, 2 00 1 b y D a v i d M c C u l l o u g hA ll rights reserved,

including the right of reproductionin whole or in part in any form.

S I M O N & S C H U S T E R and colop hon are registered trademarksof Simon & Schuster Inc.

D e s i g n e d b y E d i t h F o w l e r & B r o o ke K o r e nM a n u fa c tu r e d i n the U n i te d States o f A m e r i c a

5 7 9 10 8 6 4Lib rary of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

M c C u l lo u g h, D a v i d G .M o r n in g s on horseback: the story of an extraordinary family,a vanished way of l ife , and the u nique chi ld who became T h e o d o r e Roosevelt /

D a v i d M c C u l lo u g hOriginal ly p u b l i sh e d : c l 9 8 1 . W i th n e w i n tr od .

Includes bibl iographical references (p. ) an d index.1. R o o se v el t, T h e o d o r e , 1 8 5 8 -1 9 1 9 C h i l d h o o d

and youth. 2. Presidents U nited States Biography. I . T it le .E 7 5 7 . M 4 5 2001973.91T092dc21

[B ] 2001027005I S B N 0-7432-1738-1


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C H A P T E R O N EGreatheart 's Circle

1In the year 1869, when the population of New York C i ty had reachednearly a m illion, the occupants of 28 E ast 20th Street, a five-story brow n-stone, numbered six, exclusive of the servants.

T h e head of the household was T heo dor e R oosevelt (no m iddle nameor initial), wh o was thirty-seven years o f age, an impo rter and philanth ropist, and the son of old Cornel ius V an Schaack R oosevelt, one of the richest m en in the c ity . M rs . T heo dor e R oosevel t M artha Bu l lochR oosevelt, or M ittie, as she was called was thirty-three, a southernerand a beauty. T h e childre n, two girls and two boys, all conc eived by thesame father and mother, and born in the same front bedroom, over theparlor, ranged in age from fourteen to seven. T h e oldest, A n n a , wasknow n as Bam ie (from bambina, and pronoun ced to rhyme with Sammy).Next cam e ten-year-old T heo dor e, Jr., who was ca lled T eedie (pronounced to rhyme with T . D . ) . E lliott, aged nine, was E l l i e or Nell , andth e youngest, C orinne, was called C onie .

O f the servants little is known, except fo r D o r a Watkins, an Irishnursemaid who had been employed since before the Civ i l War. A notherIrish girl named Mary A n n w as also much in evidence, beloved by thechildren and well regarded by the parentsit was she they picked to go


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22 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Kw i t h t h e f a m i l y o n th e G r a n d T o u r t h a t M a y b u t i n f a m i ly p a p er s d a t i n gf r o m t h e t i m e , n o b o d y b o t h e r e d t o g i v e M a r y A n n a l as t n a m e .C o n c e r n i n g t h e o t h e r s , t h e v a r i o u s c o o k s , v a l e t s, c o a c h m e n , a n d h o u s e m a i d s w h o se e m t o h a v e c o m e a n d g o n e w i t h re g u l ar i ty , t h e r e c o r d is n oh e l p . B u t t o j u d g e b y th e s i z e o f t h e h o u s e a n d t h e a c c e p t e d s ta n d a r d s f o rf a m i l i e s o f c o m p a r a b l e m e a n s a n d s t a ti o n , t h e r e w e r e p r o b a b l y n e v e r le sst h a n f o u r o r fiv e " b e l o w s ta i r s" at a n y g i v e n t i m e , a n d t h e d e g r e e t o w h i c ht h e y fig ured i n t h e o v e r a l l a t m o s p h e r e w a s c o n s i d e r a b l e .

T h e h o u s e s t o o d i n t h e b l o c k b e t w e e n B r o a d w a y a n d F o u r t h A v e n u e ,o n t h e s o u t h s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t , a n d i t l o o k e d l i k e a n y o t h e r N e w Y o r kb r o w n s t o n e , a n a r r o w - f r o n t e d , s o b e r b u i l d i n g w h o l l y d e v o i d o f t h o s ea r c h i t e c t u r a l n i c e t i e s ( m a r b l e s i l l s , f a n l i g h t s ) t h a t e n l i v e n e d t h e r e d - b r i c kh o u s e s o f a n e a r l i e r e r a d o w n t o w n . T h e s ta n d a r d h i g h st o o p w i t h c a s t- i r o nr a i l i n g s a p p r o a c h e d a t a l l f r o n t d o o r a t t h e s e c o n d - f l o o r l e v e l , t h e g r o u n dfloor b e i n g t h e s t a n d a r d E n g l i s h b a s e m e n t , w i t h i ts s e r v a n t s' e n t r a n c e . Af o r m a l p a r l o r ( c u t- g la s s c h a n d e l i e r , r o u n d - a r c h e d m a r b l e fire pla ce , p i a n o )o p e n e d o n t o a l o n g , n a r r o w h a l l , as d i d a p a r l o r o r " l i b r a r y , " t h i s a w i n -d o w l e ss r o o m r e m e m b e r e d f o r i ts s ta le a i r a n d l o o k o f " g l o o m yr e s p e c t a b i l i t y . " T h e d i n i n g r o o m w a s a t t h e r ea r, a g a i n a c c o r d i n g t o t h es t a n d a r d f lo or p l a n . U p s t a i r s w e r e t h e m a s t e r b e d r o o m a n d n u r s e r y , t h e nt h r e e m o r e b e d r o o m s o n t h e f lo or a b o v e , w i t h t h e s e r v a n t s ' q u a r t e r s o nt h e t op f l oor .

O n l y o n e t h i n g a b o u t t h e h o u s e w a s t h o u g h t t o b e o u t o f t h e o r d i n a r y ,a d e e p p o r c h , o r p i a z z a , a t t h e r e a r o n t h e t h i r d - f l o o r l e v e l . E n c l o s e d w i t ha n i n e - f o o t w o o d e n r a i l i n g , i t h a d b e e n a b e d r o o m b e f o r e t h e R o o s e v e l t st o r e o u t t h e b a c k w a l l a n d c o n v e r t e d i t t o a n o p e n - a i r p l a y r o o m . I t o v e r l o o k e d n o t o n l y t h e i r o w n a n d n e i g h b o r i n g y a r d s , b u t t h e g a r d e n o f t h eG o e l e t m a n s i o n o n 1 9 t h S t r e e t, o n e o f t h e l a r g e s t p r i v a t e g a r d e n s i n t h ec i t y , w i t h i n w h i c h ro a m e d n u m b e r s o f e x ot ic b i r d s w i t h t h e i r w i n g sc l i p p e d . D a i l y , i n t h e i r " p i a z z a c l o t h e s , " t h e c h i l d r e n w e r e p u t o u t t o p l a yo r , i n B a m i e s c a s e , i n e a r l y c h i l d h o o d , t o l i e o n a s o f a .

T h e h o u s e h a d b e e n a w e d d i n g p r e s e n t f r o m C o r n e l i u s V a n S c h a a c kR o o s e v e l t C V S t o t h e f a m i l y w h o s e o w n r e d - b r i c k m a n s i o n o n U n i o nS q u a r e , si x b l o c k s s o u t h , w a s t h e fig ura tiv e c e n t e r o f t h e R o o s e v e l t t r i b a lc i r c l e . T h e f a t h e r o f f i v e s o n s , C V S h a d p r e s e n t e d t h e m a l l w i t h h o u s e s ast h e y m a r r i e d a n d t h e o n e g i v e n T h e o d o r e , y o u n g e s t o f h i s five, a d j o i n e dt h a t o f R o b e r t B . R o o s e v e l t , t h e f o u r t h s o n , w h o w a s a l a w y e r .

W i t h t h e i r f u l l b e a r d s a n d e y e g l a s s e s , t h e s e t w o n e i g h b o r i n g b r o t h e r s


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Greatheart 's Circle I 2 3b o r e a c e r t a i n p h y s i c a l r e s e m b l a n c e . T h e d i f fe r e n c e i n a g e w a s o n l y t w oy e a r s . B e y o n d a p p e a r a n c e s , h o w e v e r , t h e y w e r e n o t t h e l e a st a l i k e . R o b e r tw a s t h e c o n s p i c u o u s , u n c o n v e n t i o n a l R o o s e v e l t , t h e o n e f o r w h o m t h ef a m i l y h a d o f t e n t o d o s o m e e x p l a i n i n g . R o b e r t w r o t e b o o k s ; R o b e r t w a sb u r s t i n g w i t h i d e a s . H e w a s a g i f t e d r a c o n t e u r , a s p o r t s m a n , y a c h t s m a n ,N e w Y o r k ' s p i o n e e r c o n s e r v a ti o n i st ( f ish w e r e h i s p e t c o n c e r n ) , a n e n t h u s i a s t i c c o o k , a n a u t h o r i t y o n f a m i l y o r i g i n s . H e w a s l o u d a n d w i t t y a n dc h e r i s h e d t h e l i m e l i g h t , s e e k i n g i t i n e x p l i c a b l y i n t h e t u m u l t o f T a m m a n yp o l i t i c s . U n t i l t h e C i v i l W a r , t h e R o o s e v e l ts h a d a l l b e e n D e m o c r a t s . A sl a te as 1 8 6 3 , T h e o d o r e h a d s t i l l b e e n a n a v o w e d W a r D e m o c r a t o n ew h o s u p p o r t e d t h e w a r a n d t h u s t h e R e p u b l i c a n A d m i n i s t r a t i o n b u tw h e n h e a n d t h e r e s t o f C V S s l i n e a t la st t u r n e d R e p u b l i c a n , R o b e r ta l o n e r e m a i n e d i n t h e D e m o c r a t i c f o l d a n d w a s n e v e r t o b e a n y t h i n g b u tp r o u d o f t h e f a ct . ( " O u r p a r t y i s t h e p a r t y o f t h e p e o p l e ! " )

R o b e r t s m i d d l e n a m e w a s h i s m o t h e r s m a i d e n n a m e , B a r n h i l l , b u t i na n t i c i p a t i o n o f w h a t h is p o l i t i c a l f o e s m i g h t m a k e o f t h i s ( " m a n u r e p i l e " o rv a r i a t i o n s t o t h a t e f f ec t ) , h e h a d c h a n g e d i t t o B a r n w e l l a n d i t w a s a sU n c l e B a r n w e l l t h a t h e w a s s o m e t i m e s k n o w n t o t h e s m a l l n i e c e s a n dn e p h e w s i n t h e h o u s e b e s i d e h i s .

R o b e r t s w i f e , E l i z a b e t h E l l i s R o o s e v e l t , w a s c a l l e d A u n t L i z z i e E l l i st o d i s t i n g u i s h h e r f r o m s t i l l a n o t h e r A u n t L i z z i e i n t h e f a m i l y , a n d s h e t o ow a s c o n s i d e r e d " u n o r t h o d o x . " A t t h e b a c k o f h e r t h i r d flo or t h e floorc o r r e s p o n d i n g t o t h e p i a z z a n e x t d o o r s h e m a i n t a i n e d a m a r v e l o u s a n do d o r o u s m e n a g e r i e o f g u i n e a p i g s , c h i c k e n s , p i g e o n s , a p a r r o t , a m o n k e y ," e v e r y t h i n g u n d e r t h e s u n t h a t o u g h t n o t b e k e p t i n a h o u s e . " T h e m o n k e y , h e r f a v o r i te , w a s a v i o l e n t l i t t l e c r e a t u r e t h a t b i t . S h e d r e s s e d i t l i k ea f a s h i o n a b l e c h i l d , c o m p l e t e w i t h r u f f l e d s h i r t s a n d g o l d s tu d s. O n c eA u n t L i z z i e E l l i s a r o u s e d t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d w i t h t h e p u r c h a s e o f a c o wt h a t h a d t o b e l e d f r o m E a s t 2 0 t h S t r ee t i n t o h e r b a c k y a r d b y th e o n l ya v a i l a b l e r o u t e , t h r o u g h t h e h o u s e , a n e v e n t t h a t , f o r e x c i t e m e n t , w a s s u r p a s s e d o n l y b y t h e r e m o v a l o f t h e c o w , o n c e A u n t L i z z i e E l l i s w a s t h r e a t e n e d w i t h l e g a l a c t i o n . O n t h e r e t u r n t r i p t h r o u g h t h e h o u s e t h e a n i m a lb e c a m e s o t e r r i f i e d i t h a d t o b e d r a g g e d b o d i l y , i t s l e g s t i e d , i t s e y e sblindfolded.

T o t h e c h i l d r e n n e x t d o o r s u c h o c c a s i o n s n a t u r a l l y f ig ure d v e r y l a r g e ,a s d i d U n c l e B a r n w e l l w i t h h i s t a l k o f fishing a n d h u n t i n g , h i s y a c h t , a n dh i s f lashy p o l i t i c a l f r ie n d s . S o i t i s s o m e w h a t p u z z l i n g t h a t s o l i t t l e w a s t ob e s a i d o f h i m i n l a t e r y e a rs . H i s i m m e d i a t e p r o x i m i t y w o u l d b e p a s s e d


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24 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Ko v e r r a t h e r q u i c k l y , h i s i n f l u e n c e b a r e l y t o u c h e d o n . H e i s t h e R o o s e v e l te v e r y b o d y c h o s e t o f o rg e t a b o u t . P o l i t i c s u n d o u b t e d l y h a d m u c h t o d ow i t h t h i s , b u t m o r e i m p o r t a n t , it w o u l d a p p e a r , w a s h i s p r i v a t e l i f e . F o ri n a d d i t i o n t o a l l e l s e , b r o t h e r R o b w a s a b i t la x i n h i s m o r a l s . H e w a sw h a t p o l i t e s o c i e t y r e f e r r e d t o as a B o h e m i a n , t h e k i n d o f m a n w h o k e p tc o m p a n y w i t h " a c t r e s s e s a n d s u c h . " A n a d m i r i n g l at er -d a y k i n s m a nw o u l d d e s c r i b e h i m as a n E l i z a b e t h a n i n t h e V i c t o r i a n e r a a n d a s t o r y h a sc o m e d o w n t h e g e n e r a t io n s o f t h e l a d i e s ' g l o ve s R o b e r t p u r c h a s e d i nb u l k at A . T . S t e w a r t s d e p a r t m e n t s t o r e , t h e s e i n a v i o l e n t s h a d e o f g r e e n .T h e g l o v e s h a d b e e n o n s a le , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e s t o ry , a n d h e d i s t r i b u t e dt h e m l i b e r a l l y a m o n g h i s " la d y f r i e n d s ," w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t f o r y e a r st h o s e w h o k n e w h i m w e l l k n e w a l s o t o w a t c h f o r t h e g l o v es w h i l e s t r o l l i n gF i f t h A v e n u e o r d r i v i n g i n th e p a r k .

O r d i n a r i l y , s u c h st o ri e s m i g h t p r o m p t s o m e q u e s t i o n as t o w h e t h e rR o b e r t o n l y s e e m e d s c a n d a l o u s s o v e r y s t r a i t l a c e d w a s t h e f a m i l y , soq u i c k w a s " t h e b e s t s o c i e t y " t o l e a p o n t h e l e a st d e v i a t i o n f r o m t h e p r e s c r i b e d c o d e a n d c a l l i t , i f n o t i m m o r a l , t h e n i n d e c e n t . B u t i n t r u t h R o b e r tw a s s o m e t h i n g m o r e t h a n a m e r e r a k e o r c h a r m i n g b o u l e v a r d i e r . H e w a sa m a n l i v i n g a r e m a r k a b l e d o u b l e l i f e , k e e p i n g a n o th e r w o m a n a n d u l t i m a t e l y a n e n t i r e s e c o n d f a m i l y i n a h o u s e o n l y a b l o c k o r s o d i s t a n t o n t h es a m e s t r e e t , a n a r r a n g e m e n t t h a t w o u l d c o m e t o l i g h t o n l y l o n g a f te r w a r da s a r e s u l t o f g e n e a l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h s p o n s o r e d b y s o m e o f h i s d e s c e n d a n t s .H e r n a m e w a s M i n n i e O ' S h e a , o r M r s . R o b e r t F . F o r t e s c u e , as h e h a dd e c i d e d s h e s h o u l d b e c a l l e d , a n d i n 1 8 6 9 s h e w a s a l r e a d y p r e g n a n t w i t ht h e i r f i r s t c h i l d .

H o w m u c h o f t h is T h e o d o r e k n e w , h o w s t r en u o u s l y h e d i s a p p r o v e d ,i f a t a l l , i s i m p o s s i b l e t o sa y. B u t t h e c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n t h e t w o c o u l dh a r d l y h a v e b e e n m o r e s t r i k i n g .

T h e o d o r e w a s i n v a r i a b l y u p r i g h t , c o n s e r v a t i v e , t h e v e r y m o d e l o f s el f-c o n t r o l . H e c a r e d n o t h i n g fo r p u b l i c a c c l a i m , " n e v e r p u t h i m s e l f f o r w a r d , "as f ri en d s w o u l d r e m e m b e r . T h e o d o r e w a s t h e m o d e l d u t y - b o u n d h u s b a n da n d fa th e r , a j u n i o r p a r t n e r a t R o o s e v e l t a n d S o n . H e w a s a f a i th f u l c o m m u n i c a n t at t h e M a d i s o n S q u a r e P r es b y t e r ia n C h u r c h , w h o o f te n a t t e n d e dt w o s e r v i c e s o n t h e s a m e S u n d a y . H e b e l o n g e d to t h e U n i o n L e a g u e C l u ba n d t h e C e n t u r y A s s o c i a t i o n . H e s e r v e d o n c h a r i t a b le b o a r d s, r a i s edm o n e y f o r m u s e u m s . N o t i n s e v e n g e n e r at i o n s o n t h e i s l a n d o f M a n h a t t a nh a d t h e R o o s e v e lt s p r o d u c e d s o s t u r d y o r s o w i n s o m e an e x a m p l e o fu p p e r - c l a s s p r o b i t y , o r so f in e a f ig u re o f a m a n p h y s i c a l l y i m p o s i n g , a t h -


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Greatheart's Circle I 2 5l e t i c , w i t h c h i n a - b l u e e y e s , c h e s t n u t h a i r a n d b e a r d , a n d a g o o d , s q u a r eD u t c h j a w . I n h i s f o r m a l p h o t o g r a p h s , t h e e y e g la s se s r e m o v e d , h e i s s o m e o n e w h o w i l l d o w h a t h e h a s t o , d i r e c t , s u r e o f h i m s e l f . O n l y t h e e y e s r a i s eq u e s t i o n s , w i t h t h e i r u n m i s t a k a b l e h i n t o f s e v e ri ty , w h i c h s e e m s o d d i n am a n r e m e m b e r e d m a i n l y f o r t h e " s u n s h i n e o f h i s a f f ec t i o n ."

C l o t h e s c o n c e r n e d h i m . T h e c h o i c e o f a s u i t, t h e r i g h t h a t f o r t h eo c c a s i o n , w e r e i s su e s o f c o n s e q u e n c e . H i s s u it s w e r e o f t h e b e s t q u a l i t ya n d b e a u t i f u l l y t a i l o r e d . A p p e a r a n c e s m a t t e r e d . I n d e e d , i t m a y b e s a i dt h a t a p p e a r a n c e s fig ure d q u i t e as m u c h i n t h e l i fe a t 2 8 E a s t 2 0 t h S t r e e ta s e v e r y w h e r e e l s e w i t h i n t h e c i r c u m s c r i b e d w o r l d o f N e w Y o r k ' s " g o o do l d f a m i l i e s . " " D i d I t e l l y o u t h a t h e t o o k t h e o t h e r e n d o f t h e t a b l e a t t h ed i n n e r I g av e t o C a p t a i n C o o k a n d b e h a v e d a d m i r a b l y ? " T h e o d o r e w r i te so f b r o t h e r R o b t o M i t t i e . " H e w a s d r e s s e d p e r f e c t ly , e x c e p t f o r a c o l o r e dc r a v a t w i t h h i s d r e s s s u i t . "

T o g e t h e r a t d i n n e r s a n d b a l ls , h e a n d t h e e x q u i s i t e M i t t i e m a d e a p i c t u r e p e o p l e d i d n o t f o r g et . I t w a s i n t h e R o o s e v e l t t r a d i t i o n t o b e s o l i c i t o u s t o w o m e n . W h i l e t h e i r m o t h e r w a s a l i v e , t h e five b r o t h e r s s t o p p e dr e g u l a r l y e v e r y m o r n i n g e n r o u t e t o w o r k t o p a y h e r t h e i r r es p e c t s . B u tT h e o d o r e s e e m s t o h a v e g e n u i n e l y p r e f e r r e d t h e c o m p a n y o f w o m e n h e h a d a n e y e f o r f e m i n i n e b e au t y, h i s c h i l d r e n a l l r e m e m b e r e d a n d t h ea t t e n t i o n h e s h o w e r e d o n M i t t i e w a s e x c e p t i o n a l e v e n f o r t h a t d a y a n dt h o s e c i r c l e s . A n e m p l o y e e a t o n e o f h i s c h a r i t i e s r e m a r k e d t h a t h e h a dn e v e r u n d e r s t o o d t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e w o r d " g e n t le m a n " u n t i l t h e e v e n i n gh e w a t c h e d T h e o d o r e R o o s e v e l t e s c o rt h i s w i f e a b o u t t h e p r e m i s e s .

I n a l l T h e o d o r e w a s a s e e m i n g l y u n c o m p l i c a t e d p e r s o n . H e h a d n op a r t i c u l a r g i ft s . H e w a s n o t m u s i c a l a s M i t t i e w a s . H e s h a r e d l i t t l e o f h e rl o v e o f a r t. H e w a s n o t c r e a t i v e ; h e d i d n o t w r i t e o r c h a r m a f t e r -d i n n e ra u d i e n c e s as R o b e r t c o u l d . H e d a b b l e d i n n o t h i n g . H e w a s p e r f e c t l yi n t e l l i g e n t , t o b e s u r e ; h e e n j o y e d b o o k s , e n j o y e d t h e t a l k o f l a w y e r s , e d i t o r s , a n d o t h e r s w h o t r a d e d i n w o r d s a n d a b s t ra c t i d e a s , b u t h e w a s u n i n -t e l l e c t u a l . I n m a t t e r s o f t a s t e h e h a b i t u a l l y d e f e r r e d t o h i s w i f e , r e f u s i n ge v e n t o b u y a b o t t l e o f w i n e u n l e s s sh e h a d p a s s e d o n i t . I f h e r e g a r d e dh i m s e l f a s a n a u t h o r i t y o n a n y t h i n g , i t w a s h o r s e s .

B u t g r e a t e s t o f a l l w a s h i s i n t e r e s t i n a n d f e e l i n g f o r c h i l d r e n . H er e s p o n d e d i m m e d i a t e l y t o t h e m , a n d th e y t o h i m . " M y p e r s o n a l i m p r e s s i o n , " a n e p h e w w o u l d r e c a l l , ". . . is t h a t h e w a s a l a r g e , b r o a d , b r i g h t ,c h e e r f u l m a n w i t h a n i n t e n s e s y m p a t h y w i t h e v e r y t h i n g y o u b r o u g h t t oh i m . H e l o v e d c h i l d r e n e s p ec i a ll y ."


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26 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C KF r o m childh ood he ha d been called T he e and as the youngest son, the

Benjamin of the family, he ha d been doted on . H e was M am as darl ingand did nothing but shine in her eyes until her dying day. In turn, headored her and would credit any good qualities he had to her and her"settled notions." She had been an event in the R oosevelt lin e, the firstnon-D utch entry on the family tree. She was Margaret Barnhill ofPhiladelphia. H er background was English-Irish-Quaker. She was gentlebut dom inating and the first of the R oosevelts to espouse the spirit ofnoblesse oblige. G reat wealth im posed obligations, she p reached; theopportunities bestowed by private fortunes must be put to "some goodpur pose/ ' B am ie, as the oldest of her fathers children, could remem bergoing as a very small child to call on her at the house on U nion Square.T h e r e was a cavernous front hall w ith a floor of polished black-and-whitemarble and great mahogany doors with silver knobs and hinges thatope ned to the d ining room . "In the d ining room , where a bright soft-coalfire was always bu rn ing in the fireplace, between two south windows, weinvariably found m y grandmother sitting in her corn er with her work basket on a table near her, and some books, always apparently delighted tosee us, and w ith a most lovely smile."

T h r o u g h T h e o d o r e s you th, dinn er conversation in that same room , athis fathers end of the table, had been in D u tch . Short, homely, pink -faced, invariably punctual, C V S R oosevelt regarded his br ood with ratherquizzical large, round eyes that were made to look even larger by hissmall, square gold-framed spectacles. H e was the essence of o ld-fashioned New York. "E con om y is m y doctrine at all tim es," he had onceinformed Margaret Barnhill in the m idst of their cou rtship, "at all eventstill I become, if it is to be so, a man of fortune" A n d though Roosevelt andSon ha d bee n foun ded by his own father and grandfather, it was he, C V S ,wh o ha d beco m e the family's initial m an of fortune, the first R ooseveltmillionaire. It was he who switched the family business from hardware toimporting plate glass. A n d still m ore fortuitously, in the P anic of 1837,wh en T heo do re was a ch ild of six, he bought up bu ilding lots, "hither andyon," on the island of Manhattan, all at a good p rice.

T heo dor es formal education had been l im ited and erratic, as hisspelling gave evidence. T her e had been a private tutor through boyhoodand never a lack of books at han d, but college was ru led out because C V Sthought it wo uld ruin him . (Weir R oosevelt, the oldest brother, had goneto C o l u m b i a C ollege, bu t to study law, wh ich apparently made it tolera-


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Greatheart 's Circle I 2 7b l e i n t h e f a th e r s e y es ; R o b e r t , i n h i s t u r n , h a d b e c o m e a l a w y e r w i t h o u tg o i n g t o c o l l e g e , a s w a s s t i l l p o s s i b l e t h e n . )

I n 1 8 5 1 , h o w e v e r , a t a g e n i n e t e e n , T h e o d o r e w a s s e n t o f f o n a G r a n dT o u r , s o m e t h i n g h i s b r o t h e r s h a d b e e n d e n i e d a n d t h a t R o b e r t f o r o n eg r e a t l y e n v i e d . I t w a s t h e y e a r o f t h e L o n d o n E x h i b i t i o n a n d t h e o p e n i n go f t h e C r y s t a l P a l a c e , a n e v e n t o f o b v i o u s i m p o r t a n c e t o a f a m i l y i n t h eg la s s b u s i n e s s . H e s a w t h e E x h i b i t i o n , t r a v e l e d t h e C o n t i n e n t , e v e n w e n to n t o R u s s i a , w h i c h w a s u n h e a r d o f. H e i m p r o v e d h i s F r e n c h , a c q u i r e d al i t t l e G e r m a n a n d I t a l ia n , a n d s e n t h o m e d u t i f u l , d e s c r i p t i v e l e t t e r s t h a tw e r e h i s m o t h e r s j o y a n d t o R o b e r t a l a rg e a n n o y a n c e .

" I ' m a f r a id , T h e o d o r e , y o u h a v e m i s t a k e n t h e o b j e c t o f t r a v e l i n g , "R o b e r t l e c t u r e d . " I t i s n o t t o s e e s c e n e r y , y o u c a n se e f in er a t h o m e . I t i sn o t t o se e p l a c e s w h e r e g r e a t p e o p l e l i v e d a n d d i e d , t h a t i s a s t u p i d i t y . B u ti t i s t o s e e m e n . T o e n l a r g e y o u r m i n d , w h i c h w i l l n e v e r b e e n l a r g e d b yl o o k i n g a t a l a r g e h i l l , b u t b y c o n v e r s i n g w i t h , a n d s e e i n g t h e b e n t o f t h em i n d s o f o t h e r p e o p l e . "

A m o n t h l a t e r , a f t e r s t i l l m o r e f r o m T h e o d o r e o n t h e c h u r c h e s a n dm o n u m e n t s h e w a s s e e i n g , R o b e r t c o u l d b a r e l y c o n t a i n h i m s e l f .

I h a v e i t i n m i n d t o g o t o a l l t h e b i g s t o r e s i n B r o a d w a y a n d w r i t ey o u a n a c c o u n t . S o l o o k o u t a s s u r e a s y o u d e s c r i b e t o m e a n ym o r e b i g b u i l d i n g s , y o u m a y k n o w w h a t t o e x pe c t . N o w a n s w e rs e r i o u s l y , h a v e y o u b e e n a n y w h e r e b u t t o m o n u m e n t s , e t c .? H a v ey o u b e e n t o a m a s k e d b a l l , a t h e a t e r , a n o p e r a , o r e v e n i n t o aF r e n c h s t o r e w h e r e l i t t l e g i r l s t e n d t h e c o u n t e r s ? H a v e y o u s e e na D u t c h m a n , a F r e n c h m a n , a n I r i s h m a n ; b e s id e s t h e p o r t e rs w h oc a r r i e d y o u r t r u n k s ? I f s o , w h a t d i d y o u s ay t o t h e m a n d w h a t d i dt h e y s ay t o y o u ? H a v e y o u s e e n a n y t h i n g o d d o r o r i g i n a l ? W h e r eh a v e y o u b e e n , w h e r e a r e y o u g o i n g ?B u t s ix m o n t h s l at e r, R o b e r t f e lt o b l i g e d t o r e s c i n d .F i r s t l y , A d v i c e . D o n ' t w r i t e a n y m o r e e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e l o w e rw a l k s o f l i f e , o r m o r a l i z e u p o n i ts w i c k e d n e s s . . . . M o t h e r g e t si n t o a p i g e o n fit a n d t h i n k s h e r " d a r l i n g i n n o c e n t " i s g o i n g s t ra i g h tt o d e s t ru c t i o n . A n d t h e o l d g e n t l e m a n r u m i n a t e s o n t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e 1 , 0 0 0 a n d l o o k s b l a n k w h e n i t i s s u g g e s t e d t oh i m t h a t h e i s s u p p o r t i n g T h e o d o r e s " F r e n c h te a ch e r . " T h e o l d


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28 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Klady takes it hard and no m atter what you do perhaps you h ad b etter not write abou t it. Y ou had better keep to towers and castles.R ussia the overw helming splendors o f St. P etersburg, the squalor ofM oscow affected T heo do re profoundly. "I scarce know terms strong

enough to express m y feelings. . . . E ver yth ing is in the extremes."C onceivably it had taken Ro b e r t s adm onitions to bring him to see theh u m a n element; still, the kind of sensitivity that began to emerge in hisletters and in his journal was very m uch his own. H e toured a M oscowfoundling hospital where every year some six thousand infants werereceived. O n th e edge of the city early one Sunday he watched a thousandprisoners start the long m arc h to S iberia. A dignified, elderly figure heidentifies in the journal only as D r. H aase had come to bid the prisonersfarewell. N oth ing or no one that T heo do re encoun tered in his travelsseems to have im pressed him as this m an did .

H e was dressed in the old stylewith silk stockings an d slippers, hisbreast deck ed with honor. . . . H e is one o f the finest-look ing oldgentlem en I ever saw a nd his actions carry out his appearance. H ewent around among the prisoners asking them if they were welland co nte nt. . . wh en they were depa rting he d istributed am ongthose wh om he thought d eserving. It was m ore the universal feelin g of kindness which prompted every movement than any particular action wh ich I can adduce w hich ev inced his character.T h e prisoners m ust be fairly treated, the old m an insisted, for at

Judgment D ay their word w ould count as mu ch as that of anyone. T hou gha few of the sick had been put in wagons, the rest had started off on footwith the prospect o f six months of continual walk ing before them .

T o the great relief of his father, T heo do re came h om e w ith no newrevolutionary ideas or wo rldly airs. N or, apparently, was it with the leastmisgiving that he entered directly into the family firm, downtown at 94Maiden La n e . T h e R ussian journal wo uld be taken up an d reread fromtime to time and one "treasure" among the few he had brought back, asmall square o f malachite supporting a small gilt R ussian peasant p ullinga gilt sledge, was to occupy a prominent position in the 20th Street parlor. Only after they were grown wou ld the childre n becom e aware that itwas anything other than a priceless work o f art.


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Greatheart's Circle I 2 9T h e i m p r e s s i o n i s t h a t t h e f a m i l y b u s i n e s s m o r e o r l e ss r a n it s e lf . C V S

h a d a n n o u n c e d h i s r e t i r e m e n t s o o n af te r T h e o d o r e j o i n e d t h e firm, a n da n o t h e r b r o t h e r , J a m e s A l f r e d R o o s e v e l t , w a s m a d e s e n i o r p a r t n e r . J a m e sA l f r e d , as n o b o d y d i s p u t e d , h a d t h e b e s t h e a d f o r b u s i n e s s . H e w a ss h r e w d a n d t o u g h , a n d h e h a d m a r r i e d a n E m l e n f r o m P h i l a d e l p h i a , am o v e w h i c h , i n t h e w o r d s o f o n e d e s c e n d a n t , " d i d t h e f a m i ly 's f o r t u n e n oh a r m / ' J a m e s , t o o , l i k e h i s f at h er , w a s m a d e a d i r e c t o r o f t h e C h e m i c a lB a n k , a n d th e C h e m i c a l B a n k , w i t h r e a l e s t a t e , w a s o f g r e a t e s t i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e R o o s e v e l t s a n d t h e i r s t a n d i n g i n t h e f in an cia l c o m m u n i t y .C V S h a d b e e n a f o u n d i n g fa t h er o f t h e C h e m i c a l B a n k , t h e o n l y b a n k i nN e w Y o r k t h a t h a d n e v e r f a i l e d t o m e e t i t s o b l i g a t i o n s i n g o l d , e v e n d u r i n g t h e C i v i l W a r .

T h e f a m i ly 's r e al -e s ta t e h o l d i n g s w e r e l u m p e d u n d e r w h a t w a s c a l l e dt h e B r o a d w a y I m p r o v e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n , o f w h i c h J a m e s A l f r e d w a s a l s oh e a d a n d c h i e f s p o k e s m a n .

S o i t w a s J a m e s A l f r e d , u l t im a t e l y , w h o h a d t h e final s a y o n a l l q u e s t i o n s p e r t a i n i n g t o m o n e y , a s u b j e c t a b o u t w h i c h a l l R o o s e v e l t s c a r e dd e e p l y b u t w h i c h t h e y p r e f e r r e d a ls o t o k e e p a l t o g e t h e r p r i v a t e . W h e n , i n1 8 6 8 , a p u b l i c a t i o n c a l l e d Gal laxy p r e s e n t e d t h e n a m e s o f N e w Y o r k ' s t e nb o n a f i d e m i l l i o n a i r e s , w i t h C V S l is t e d a m o n g t h e m , W e i r R o o s e v e l tr e s p o n d e d a n g r i l y i n a l e t t e r to The New York T i m e s t h a t n o m a n s p r i v a c yw a s sa fe a n y l o n g e r . " I as k y o u w h e t h e r i t i s t h e p r e s e n t o p i n i o n o f t h er e s p e c t a b l e n e w s p a p e r s t h a t a r i c h m a n h a s n o r i g h t s , o r , i n o t h e r w o r d s ,w h e t h e r t h e m e r e a c c u m u l a t i o n o f p r o p e r t y b y a p r i v a t e c i t i z e n is o f i t s e l fa s u f f i c i e n t o f f e n s e a g a i n s t s o c i e t y t o c a l l f o r a p u b l i c e x p o s u r e a n d ju s t i f yt h e i n t e r f e r e n c e o f t h e p r e s s ? "

O n e o f T h e o d o r e s r a r e o b s e r v a t i o n s o n t h e a t m o s p h e r e a t R o o s e v e l ta n d S o n is c o n t a i n e d i n a lo v e l e t t e r t o M i t t i e w r i t t e n h a s t i l y a t h i s d e s k i n1 8 5 3 , s h o r t l y b e f o r e t h e y w e r e m a r r i e d . S o w o n d e r f u l w a s t h e m e r et h o u g h t o f h e r , h e s a i d , i t c o u l d e v e n b r i g h t e n a d a y at 9 4 M a i d e n L a n e ," w h e r e s u c h a t h i n g as s e n t i m e n t w o u l d b e l a u g h e d at as a h u m b u g w o r t h y o f M r . B a r n u m s c o l l e c t i o n . , , T h e b o o k k e e p e r , h e c h e e r f u l l y i n f o r m e dh e r , h a d w a r n e d h i m n e v e r t o m a r r y a s o u t h e r n g i r l .

A s a b u s i n e s s m a n T h e o d o r e ap p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n m i s c a s t . H e h a d n oa p p a r e n t a v e r s i o n t o t r a d e , o r a n y p h i l o s o p h i c a l c o n f l i c t w i t h m o n e y m a k -i n g as s u c h . ( F o r a t i m e h e e v e n t h o u g h t s e r i o u s l y o f l e a v i n g t h e f a m i l y


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30 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Kfirm in order to make more in some other line, though what that might behe ha d no idea.) R ather he appears to have foun d little o r no satisfactionin the work . H is letters rarely touch on it. T h e one picture we get o f himhaving any fun on the job, evincing any of his usual enthusiasm, is anaccount of a winter day in W ashington wh en he scaled the snow-coveredroof of the new Treasury Building to measure for skylights. H e felt lik e amountaineer, sometimes sliding thirty or forty feet down the roof. A ll heneeded was his alpenstock, he said. Otherwise, the impression is of yearsat a desk going through the motions, performing dutifully as the properVictorian breadw inner, a pru den t, attractive figure, quite in the R ooseveltmold, but u nin spired , unaggressive, an d, probab ly, not very good at whath e did.

T h e pow er rested in the older broth ers hands. T heo do re was free todo E ur op e at wil l , while James Alfred stayed on and ran things, andT h e o d o r e seems to have gone off to E u r o p e o r to the country or to hiseager philanthropyat every chance.

A s time went on, his crusades among the needy, his hospital andmuseum projects, became his true vocation. It was thus that he becameone of the p rom inent m en o f the city, as truly good a good citizen as N ewYork had ever known. "Whatever he had to do, he did all out," remembered Charles Lor ing Bra ce, the pion eer social worker. T o some, heseemed strangely driven. John H ay, another friend , spoke of his "maniacal benevolence," and in letters to his wife T he od ore himse lf infers occasionally that "with so m uc h to do" he has no c hoice. "I feel that as m uc has I enjoy loafing, there is som ething high er for w hich to live."

T ogether with Brace and a friend nam ed H ow ard P otter, he hadhelped establish the C hildren's A id Society, to do som ething for the city shomeless children"street rats" as the police chose to call themwhosenumbers by 1869 probably exceeded twenty thousand. L argely throughT h e o d o r e s initiative a permanent Newsboys' L od ging H ouse h ad b eenestablished on West 18th Street, wh ere nightly several hu nd re d strayboys, most of them newsboys, were given a clean b ed in a warm room forfive cents, a fraction o f what was charged by the lowest kind of commercial flophouse. It was Bra ces contentionthe theme by w hich heappealed for funds and enlisted the efforts of me n like T heod ore thatdecent society had no greater threat than the existence of a "class ofvagabond, ignorant, ungov erned children." T he time w ould come, Bracewarned, when these ch ildre n w ou ld have the vote, "the same rights as


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Greatheart 's C ircle I 3 1o u r s e l v e s " a v e r y d i ff e r e n t j u s t if i c a t i o n f o r C h r i s t i a n m e r c y f r o m t h a te s p o u s e d b y T h e o d o r e s o l d g e n t le m a n i n M o s c o w , b u t o n e t h a t c a r r i e dB r a c e a n d h i s p r o j e c t s f ar .

T h e m i s s i o n o f t h e C h i l d r e n ' s A i d S o c i e t y w a s t o b r i n g " m o r a l d i s i n f e c t a n t s " t o t h e f e s t e r i n g " c r i m e n e s t s " o f N e w Y o r k . A k i n d h e a r t e d a g e n to r " v i s i t o r " w a s f irs t d i s p a t c h e d t o t h e " i n f e c t e d q u a r t e r , " s o m e o n e w h oc o u l d n a t u r a l l y b e f r i e n d t h e h o m e l e s s w a i f s, t h i s b e i n g w o r k t h a tT h e o d o r e , fo r o n e , d i d e x t r e m e l y w e l l . T h e n a n i n f o r m a l r e li g i o u s m e e t i n g , o r m i s s i o n c l as s , w a s e s t a b l i s h e d ; t h e n a r e a d i n g r o o m , t h e n a n i n d u s t r i a l s c h o o l o r w o r k s h o p . P r e s e n t ly c a m e t h e L o d g i n g H o u s e . B u t t h el o n g - r a n g e o b j e c t i v e w a s t o r e t u r n as m a n y o f t h e c h i l d r e n as p o s s i b l e t ot h e i r o w n f a m i l i e s , i f s u c h e x i s t e d , o r , m o r e o f t e n , t o s h i p t h e m o f f t of a r m s i n t h e M i d d l e W e s t o r b e y o n d , t o g e t t h e m o u t o f t h e c i t y e n t i r e l y .B y 1 8 6 9 s o m e 4 , 5 0 0 c h i l d r e n h a d b e e n t h u s d i s p a t c h e d t o O h i o , I l l i n o i s ,a n d p o i n t s b e y o n d . I n t i m e m o r e t h a n 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 w o u l d b e s e n t .

W h e n B r a c e first a s k e d T h e o d o r e i f h e m i g h t s p e n d e v e r y o t h e rS u n d a y e v e n i n g at th e L o d g i n g H o u s e , t a l k i n g w i t h t h e b o y s , T h e o d o r ed e c l i n e d , s a y i n g h i s " t r o u b l e s o m e c o n s c i e n c e " w o u l d n o t p e r m i t it . H ew o u l d b e t h e r e e ve ry S u n d a y .

H e " t h r e w h i m s e l f " i n t o t h e w o r k , B r a c e r e m e m b e r e d : " H e k n e wt h e m b y n a m e , h e k n e w t h e i r h i s t o r ie s . . . t h e y w o u l d g a t h e r r o u n d h i m ,a n d h e w o u l d q u e s t i o n e a c h o n e a s t o w h a t h e w a s d o i n g , a n d g i v e h i ma d v i c e a n d s y m p a t h y a n d d i r e c t i o n . Y o u f el t t h e m o m e n t M r . R o o s e v e l tw a s i n t h e r o o m t h a t h e w a s a h e l p t o t h o s e p o o r f e l l o w s . "

A s g e n e r o u s w i t h h i s m o n e y as h i s t i m e , h e g a v e r e g u l a r l y t o th i s a n do t h e r c a u s e s , a n d r a i s e d s t i l l m o r e a m o n g h i s w e l l - t o - d o f r ie n d s , so m e o fw h o m e v e n t u a l l y l e a r n e d t o t a k e o u t t h e i r c h e c k b o o k s t h e m o m e n t h ec a m e i n t o t h e i r o f fi ce s. O n e m a n , o n h e a r i n g t h a t T h e o d o r e w a s g o i n ga b r o a d , e s t i m a t e d i t w o u l d s av e h i m a t l e as t a t h o u s a n d d o l l a r s .

I m p o r t a n t l y , T h e o d o r e s i n f l u e n c e w a s f e l t j u s t a t t h a t s t a g e i n t h ec i ty ' s g r o w t h w h e n i t c o u l d h a v e th e g r e a t e s t e f f e c t, a p o i n t h e n e v e r l o s ts ig h t of. H e b e l i e v e d i n N e w Y o r k , h e s a i d , n o t s o m u c h f o r w h a t i t w a s a sf o r w h a t i t m i g h t b e c o m e , t h e e x a m p l e i t c o u l d s et . N o c i t y o f f e r e d m o r eo p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h o s e w i s h i n g t o d o s o m e t h i n g f o r t h e g o o d o f m a n k i n d ;h i s j o y , h e s a i d , w a s b e i n g c o n n e c t e d w i t h n e w w o r k , w o r t h y i n s t i t u t io n si n t h e i r i n fa n c y , t h e i n f l u e n c e o f w h i c h w o u l d b e f e lt t h r o u g h o u t t h ec o u n t r y . T h e y e a r f o l l o w i n g t h e w a r h e h e l p e d s t a r t t h e N e w Y o r kO r t h o p e d i c D i s p e n s a r y a n d H o s p i t a l , f o r t h e t r e a t m e n t o f c h i l d r e n


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32 / M O R N I N G S ON H O R S E B A C Kdeformed by spinal disease. W ith Joseph Choate, Pierpont Morgan,H o w a r d Potter, and others he had founded the Metropoli tan M useum ofA rt and the Am er i can M u s e u m of Natural H istory. It was in the front parlo r at 28 East 20th Street that the original charter for the M u s e u m ofNatural H istory was approved the evening of A p r i l 8, 1869.

N o one seems ever to have spoken ill of him. A man who knew himin business for more than twenty years said he never heard him utter anangry word, never saw him out of sorts. W h e n A l b e r t S. Bickmore, thebrilliant young naturalist, first came to the city with his idea for a naturalhistory museum, it was to Theodore that he went, because he had beentold that Theodore Roosevelt was "just the man" to make such a projecta success. Thir ty years later Bickmore could still quote Theodoresresponse: "Professor, New York wants a museum of natural history and itshall have one, and if you will stay here and cooperate with us, you shallbe its first head."

Most memorable was what Brace called his "rich power of enjoymentof everything human." Pious as he was, as solemn sounding as his religiousspeculations might become, he adored parties and would dance all night.L i k e the new President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, he had apassion for fine horses and to see him astride one of his own in C e n tr a lPark was, as one friend remarked, to see the model of C hristian manhood.

H e would make the most of any situation, of every moment, oftenreplenishing his energies with occupations or chance conversations thatothers would have found irksome or boring. "I amused myself by drawingthe little there was in him out," he would say of someone he met on a train.

Best were the pleasures of a morning walk or his books or a good cigaror what he called the quiet luxury of home life. He loved flowers, yellowroses especially, and the Palisades along the H u d s o n River. Separatedfrom home and the beloved "home faces," he could slip rapidly into abjecthomesickness and sound, on paper at least, most uncharacteristicallyplaintive. He felt bereft of real friends, he wrote to Mittie one such sum-m er evening. "The city is deserted by all my acquaintances and I scarcemeet anyone now in the Park that I know."

I wonder in so large a city, living here all my life, how it comesthat I have so few intimate friends; it seems strange, especiallywhen I know that you consider me so very sociable. But I have nomore time to moralize. Those who I love love me and I would not


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Greatheart 's Circle I 3 3g i v e u p t h e i r a ff e c t io n fo r t h e l u k e w a r m a r t i c l e c a l l e d b y t h a tn a m e b y t h o u s a n d s .T o h i s o w n c h i l d r e n h e w a s at o n c e t h e u l t i m a t e v o i c e o f a u t h o r i t y a n d ,

w h e n t i m e a l l o w e d , t h e i r m o s t e x u b e r a n t c o m p a n i o n . H e n e v e r f i r e d t h e i ri m a g i n a t i o n s o r m a d e t h e m l a u g h as t h e i r m o t h e r c o u l d , b u t h e w a s u n f a i l i n g l y i n t e r e st e d i n t h e m , s y m p a t h e t i c , c o n f i d i n g , e n t e r i n g i n t o t h e i r l i v e s i nw a y s f e w f a th e r s e v e r d o . I t w a s as t h o u g h h e w a s i n le a g u e w i t h t h e m . A sE l l i e o n c e t o l d h i m , h e w a s o n e o f t h o s e r a r e g r o w n m e n w h o se e m n e v e rt o f o r g e t t h a t t h e y w e r e o n c e c h i l d r e n t h e m s e lv e s " j u s t m y i d e a l , " E l l i es a i d , " m a d e t o g o v e r n a n d d o i n g i t s o l i g h t l y a n d a f f e c t i o n a t e l y . " S w e e t e s to f a l l w a s h i s u n d i v i d e d a t t e n t i o n , t h e " s u n s h i n e o f h i s a f f e c t i o n . "

D a y b e g a n w i t h t h e t h r e e y o u n g e s t p o i s e d a t t h e f o o t o f t h e l o n g s t a i rw a y w a i t i n g f o r h i s d e s c e n t a n d t h e i r m o r n i n g p r a y e r s t o g e t h e r , t h i s r i t u a lb e i n g h e l d o n t h e l i b r a r y s o fa , t w o o f t h e m s e a t e d t o o n e s i d e o f h i m , t h et h i r d w e d g e d i n t o w h a t t h e y re g a r d e d a s t h e p r i m e p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n h i ma n d t h e a r m o f t h e s o fa . E v e n i n g s , i n t h e l i b r a r y , t h e y w o u l d w a i t f o r t h es o u n d o f h i s k e y a t t h e d o o r , t h e n r u s h t o g r e e t h i m a n d t r o o p af te r h i m u pt h e s ta ir s t o h i s r o o m t o w a t c h h i m d r e s s f o r d i n n e r . ( H e al w a y s d r e s s e d f o rd i n n e r a n d w i t h w h a t s e e m e d t o t h e m t h e m o s t a m a z i n g s p e e d . )

H e t a u g h t t h e m t o r i d e a n d t o c l i m b t r e e s . C o n i e r e m e m b e r e d " t h ec a r e f u l w a y i n w h i c h h e w o u l d s h o w u s d e a d l i m b s a n d w a r n us a b o u tw a t c h i n g o u t f or t h e m , a n d th e n , h a v i n g t a u g h t u s a n d h a v i n g w a r n e d u s ,h e g a v e u s f u l l l i b e r t y t o t r y o u r w i n g s . . . " A s t h e y g r e w o l d e r h e t r i e d t oi n c l u d e t h e m i n h i s o w n o u t s i d e a c t i v i t i e s , t a k i n g a l o n g o n e o r m o r e , f o re x a m p l e , o n h i s S u n d a y - n i g h t v i si ts t o th e N e w s b o y s ' L o d g i n g H o u s e .T h o s e e v e n i n g s w h e n h e b r o u g h t s o m e f r i e n d o f s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t to t h eh o u s e J o h n H a y , M a t t h e w A r n o l d , A l b e r t B i c k m o r e h e sa w t h a t t h ec h i l d r e n s at a n d l i s t e n e d t o w h a t w a s b e i n g s a i d .

H i s o w n p r e a c h m e n t s w e r e fu n d a m e n t a l a n d h e a rt fe l t, a n d i t w o u l db e h a r d t o o v e r e m p h a s i z e t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e y c h a r g e d t h e a t m o s p h e r e . C u l t i v a t e a h o p e f u l d i s p o s i t i o n , h e t o l d t h e m . A c c e p t t h e l o v e o fo t h e r s a n d y o u w i l l b e l o v e d .

" I a l w a y s b e l i e v e i n s h o w i n g a f f e c t io n b y d o i n g w h a t w i l l p l e a s e t h e o n ew e l o v e , n o t b y t a l k i n g . " ( T o s h o w t h e i r l o v e f o r h i m , t h e y c o u l d i m p r o v et h e i r h a n d w r i t i n g o r le a r n t o s w i m o r m e m o r i z e a p a s s a g e f r o m t h e B i b l e . )

" I h a v e o f t e n t h o u g h t t h a t u n s el fi sh n e s s c o m b i n e d i n o n e w o r d m o r eo f t h e t e a c h i n g s o f t h e B i b l e t h a n a n y o t h e r i n t h e l a n g u a g e . "


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34 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C KH e h a t e d i d l e n e s s . E v e r y h o u r m u s t b e a c c o u n t e d f o r a n d o n e m u s t

a ls o e n jo y e v e r y t h i n g o n e d i d . G e t a c t i o n , h e s a i d . S e i z e t h e m o m e n t ." M a n w a s n e v e r i n t e n d e d t o b e c o m e a n o y s te r."

D e c e i t o r c o w a r d i c e w a s n o t to b e t o l e r a te d . C o u r a g e h e r e w a r d e do p e n l y a n d s o m e t i m e s w i t h d r a m a t i c e ff ec t . A t a r e n t e d c o u n t r y h o u s e i nN e w J e r s e y o n e s u m m e r , h e s u r p r i s e d t h e t h r e e y o u n g e st c h i l d r e n w i t h an e w p o n y . W h e n h e a s k e d w h o w o u l d j u m p o n , C o n i e , t h e n f ou r, w a s t h eo n l y o n e n o t to h a n g b a c k , a n d so h e d e c l a r e d th e p o n y w a s h e r s , t o t h eh u m i l i a t i o n o f h e r o l d e r b r o t h e r s . " I t h i n k I d i d i t , " s h e w o u l d w r i t e l o n ga f t e r w a r d , " to se e t h e l i g h t i n F a t h e r s e y e s ."

T h a t a g r e a t , b e a r d e d fig ure o f a m a n w a s a ls o o n e s o r e a d i l y t o u c h e db y t h e s u f f e r i n g s o f o t h e r s , s o t e n d e r - h e a r t e d w i t h c h i l d r e n , s o s e n s it i v et o t h e p u l l s o f c o n s c i e n c e , s e e m e d s t ra n g e l y i n c o n g r u o u s t o s o m e w h ok n e w h i m . B u t t o t h o s e c l o s e s t t o h i m t h i s a n d r o g y n o u s q u a l i t y w a s t h ee s s e n c e o f h i s p e r s o n a li t y . H o w a r d P o t t e r , t h e f r i e n d w h o p r o b a b l y k n e wh i m b e s t , s aw h i m as a " s in g u l a r c o m p o u n d o f f e m i n i n e a n d m a s c u l i n eq u a l i t i e s , l o v a b l e a s a w o m a n , a n d a s s t r o n g a s a m a n . "

T o T e e d i e , t h e l i t t l e n a m e s a k e , h e w a s a t o n c e th e m o s t m a g n i f i c e n tc r e a t u r e o n e a r t h a n d q u i t e f r i g h t e n i n g , b u t t h e n T e e d i e w a s f u l l o f f e a r so f a l l l a n d s , as h e w o u l d a c k n o w l e d g e i n t i m e . A n n a B u l l o c h G r a c i e , t h ee l d e r T h e o d o r e s p i o u s a n d a d o r i n g s i st e r- i n- la w , c a l l e d h i m G r e a t h e a r t .I t h a d c o m e to h e r o n a S u n d a y m o r n i n g as s h e w a t c h e d h i m g o o f f t oc h u r c h w i t h h i s c h i l d r e n t h e w a r r i o r P u r i t a n , G r e a t h e a rt , f r o m Th ePilgrim's Progress, s t o u t G r e a t h e a r t , g u i d e a n d p r o t e c t o r o f w a y f a r i n gi n n o c e n t s , f e ar le s s l e a d e r i n li fe 's p u r p o s e f u l j o u r n e y . "Come now, and fol-low me , and no h u r t shall h a ppe n to you f rom the lions. . . . "

" T h e r e n e v e r w a s a n y o n e s o w o n d e r f u l as m y f at h er ," B a m i e r e m e m b e r e d . A n d t h e f ac t t h a t h e s w e p t i n a n d o u t o f t h e h o u s e , i n a n d o u t o ft h e i r l i v e s , t h e f a c t t h a t h e w a s n o t a l w a y s a r o u n d a s t h e i r m o t h e r w a s ,m a d e h i m s e e m a l l t h e m o r e s p e c i a l a n d " w o n d e r f u l . "

2O f t h e f o u r c h i l d r e n i t w a s B a m i e w h o m o s t c l o s e ly r e s e m b l e d h i m ;B a m i e , w h o , t o us e h e r o w n w o r d s , n e v e r le t h e r s e l f b e y o u n g , a n d w h o ,as w o u l d b e s a i d , p r o b a b l y h a d t h e b e s t m i n d i n th e f a m i l y .

B a m i e w a s t h e m a i n s t a y , t h e n a n d f o r as l o n g a s s h e l i v e d . F o r a g i r lb o r n i n t o N e w Y o r k s o c i e t y s h e w a s a ls o s e v e r e l y h a n d i c a p p e d . S h e w a s


18/23

Greatheart 's Circle I 3 5n o t i n t h e l e a s t p r e t t y , f o r o n e t h i n g . H e r d a r k - b l u e e y e s w e r e d e e p - s e t ,t h e l i d s h e a v y , w h i c h m a d e h e r l o o k t i r e d a n d y e a rs o l d e r t h a n s h e w a s . I nr e p o s e s h e c o u l d l o o k p a i n f u l l y s a d .

M o r e s e r i o u s l y , s h e w a s a ls o s o m e w h a t p h y s i c a l l y d e f o r m e d . T h es t a n d a r d f a m i l y e x p l a n a t i o n f o r t h i s h a s b e e n t h a t a s a n i n f a n t s h e h a db e e n d r o p p e d b y a c a re le s s n u r se . H o w e v e r , n o m e n t i o n o f s u c h a n i n c i -d e n t i s t o b e f o u n d i n f a m i l y r e c o r d s d a t i n g f r o m t h e t i m e i t s u p p o s e d l yo c c u r r e d , o r a f te r w a r d . T h e o n e s p e c i f i c e a r l y r e f e r e n c e t o th e p r o b l e m i si n a l e t te r w r i t t e n b y G r a n d m a m m a B u l l o c h , a n o b s e r v a n t m e m b e r o f t h eh o u s e h o l d i n t h a t e a r l i e r d ay . W r i t i n g o f t h e i n f a n t B a m i e , s h e s a i d , " I a mq u i t e u n e a sy a b o u t h e r b a c k . T h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g w r o n g t h e r e . S h e c a n n o ts t a n d m o r e t h a n a s e c o n d o n h e r fe e t, t h e n h e r c o u n t e n a n c e e x p re s se sp a i n , a n d s h e c r u m b l e s d o w n . "

T h e p r o b l e m , i n fa c t, w a s P o t t s d i s ea s e , th e f o r m o f t u b e r c u l o s i sw h i c h s o f t e n s a n d d e s t r o y s t h e b o n e s a n d w h i c h , w h e n l o c a l i z e d i n t h es p i n e , c a u s e s h u n c h b a c k . K n o w n t o h a v e b e e n a c h i l d c r i p p l e r s i n c e t h et i m e o f t h e P h a r a o h s , i t w a s first i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y b y aB r i t i s h p h y s i c i a n , P e r c i v a l l P o t t . S t i l l , b y t h e l a t e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , i tr e m a i n e d a m y s t e r y a n d w a s t h o u g h t t o b e i n c u r a b l e .

I n B a m i e s c a s e t h e e f fe c t w a s s e v e r e c u r v a t u r e o f t h e s p i n e a n di n t e n s e s u f f e r i n g . A t a g e t h r e e , a t t h e t i m e o f T e e d i e s b i r t h , s h e w a s fitt e d w i t h h e r " t e r r i b l e i n s t r u m e n t , " a h e a v y s t e e l -a n d - l e a t h e r a p p a r a tu st h a t l e f t h e r i m m o b i l e a n d r u b b e d a h i d e o u s s o r e o n h e r b a c k . T h e d o c t o r c a m e r e g u l a r l y e a c h m o r n i n g t o w a s h a n d d r e s s t h e s o r e a n d t o s t ra ph e r i n a g a i n , a n d t h r o u g h t h e r e st o f t h e d a y sh e h a d t o b e p i c k e d u p a n dc a r r i e d f r o m r o o m t o r o o m o r o u t t o h e r s o fa o n t h e p i a z z a . S h e c o u l d l i ef a c e d o w n o n l y . I n t h e e v e n i n g i t w a s h e r f a th e r w h o r e m o v e d t h e a p p a r a tu s a n d at b e d t i m e G r a n d m a m m a B u l l o c h w o u l d r u b h e r l e g s u n t i l s h ef e l l a s l e e p .

H e r f a th e r s d e v o t i o n b e c a m e t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g i n h e r l i f e . As u m m e r w h e n s h e h a d t o b e l e f t b e h i n d a t 2 0 t h S t r e e t w h i l e h e r m o t h e r ,g r a n d m o t h e r , th e n e w b a b y, a n d D o r a W a t k i n s w e n t o f f t o t h e c o u n t r yw a s a s u m m e r o f u n t o l d h a p p i n e s s b e c a u s e h e w a s t h e r e w i t h h e r s o m u c ho f t h e t i m e , b e c a u s e a t t h e e n d o f h i s b u s i n e s s d a y h e w o u l d c o m e d i r e c t l yt o h e r o n t h e p i a z z a , b r i n g i n g h e r i c e c r e a m o r fr e sh p e a c h e s o r s o m es m a l l g i f t , b e c a u s e h e w o u l d s i t w i t h h e r w h i l e s h e h a d h e r su p p e r , t h e nc a r r y h e r t o b e d " w i t h h i s v e r y s t r o n g a r m s . "

S h e w a s a l s o r e l e a s e d f r o m t h e " t e r r i b le i n s t r u m e n t " t h a t s a m e s u m -


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36 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Kmer, the sum m er of 1859, w hen she was four. H e had found another doctor for her, C har les F ayette Taylor, an orthopedic surgeon who in someprofessional quarters was thought to be a quack. P otts disease wasTaylor s specialty. H e treated it with what he called the "movement cu re,"a form of physical therapy based on Swedish techniques that he hadlearned in E u r o p e . Bamie was among his first patients and he not onlytransformed her daily regim en, g iving her v irtually a new life, bu t interjected into the family circle his conviction that physical well-being andm ental outlook are directly correlated.

She was fitted with a radically different kind o f back brace, a custom -made "spinal assistant" that was light in weight and designed so that shecould be up and moving about, which, Taylor stressed, was the wholepoint. H e wanted her m oving about, both for her back and for what i twould do to her spirits. Improvement was slow but unmistakable, and itwas seeing this, seeing what Taylor had done for his own child, that ledT heodo re to establish the O rthop edic D ispensary and H ospital withTaylor at its hea d.

A full cure was never to come, however. Through most o f childhoo dshe was r equ ired to lie dow n part of every day, and , by R oosevelt standards, her phy sical activity was lim ited. T h e rest of her life she w ore apiece of ram s wool on h er back beneath her clothes in order to s it com fortably in a chair. She was not, by the time she attained her full growth,exactly a hunchback , but she did have an o dd h un ched stance. T h e smallfigure she presen ted to the world, or that she confron ted in the hall mirror, was plainly "curious," thick throu gh the shoulders.

"Poor little thing ," he r father wrote w he n she was seven. "I neverthink of B am ie without pain. It seems such a drear y life that is in storefo r her."

H e wanted her with him whenever possible. A t some point during th ewar, on one of his periodic trips to Washingtonthe exact date is notknownhe took her along and she sat on Abraham Lincoln's lap. Shewould rem em ber nothing of the event, only that she had been with herfather.

In a fam ily notable for its intense attachments, theirs was perha ps themost intense of all. She was emph atical ly "P apas pet ." H e kept her pho tograph in a leather case and carried it with h im w herever h e traveled.H is letters to "M y own Darl ing Bamie" were overflowing w ith tenderness,with concern for her every move, with advice, warnings, and not a little


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Greatheart's Circle I 3 7b a r i n g o f h i s o w n s o u l . " T r y t o c u l t i v a t e a q u i e t s o b e r s t y le , " h e w o u l dw r i t e , " a n d b o t t l e u p y o u r s p i r i t s a l i t t l e u n t i l I h a v e p o s s e s s io n o f y o u .T h e n y o u m a y l e t t h e m o u t a g a i n a s m u c h a s y o u p l e a s e . "

T h e o n e a n d o n l y t i m e h e e v e r p h y s i c a l l y p u n i s h e d T e e d i e p o s s i b lyt h e o n l y t i m e h e e v e r p h y s i c a l l y p u n i s h e d a n y o f h i s c h i l d r e n w a s w h e n ,a t a g e fo u r , T e e d i e b i t B a m i e o n t h e a r m .

B r i g h t , c o n s c i e n t i o u s , sh e p i c k e d t h i n g s u p q u i c k l y ( F r e n c h , t h ep i a n o ) a n d h e r e n e r g y w a s v e r y n e a r l y t h e m a t c h o f T h e o d o r e s. " D e a rb u sy B a m i e , " G r a n d m a m m a B u l l o c h c a l l e d h e r . B u t i t w a s h e r o d d ,a l m o s t q u a i n t m a t u r i t y t h a t s et h e r of f. S h e w a s " c o m p e t e n t b e y o n d h e ry e a rs ," e v e n w h e n v e r y s m a l l . S h e h a d n o in t e r e s t i n g a m e s o r t o y s . S h ew i s h e d o n l y t o b e " u s e f u l , " t o l o o k a f te r h e r o w n n e e d s , t o l o o k a f t er t h ey o u n g e r t h r e e , to w h o m s h e n e v e r s e e m e d l i k e a n y t h i n g b u t a n o t h e rg r o w n u p . T e e d i e , b y w a y o f i n t r o d u c t i o n t o h i s d i a r y o f t h e E u r o p e a nt o u r, w a s t o e x p l a i n , " W h e n I p u t ' W e 3 ' I m e a n E l l i e , C o n i e , a n d I .W h e n I p u t ' b i g p e o p l e ' I m e a n P a p a , M a m a , a n d B a m i e . " T h a t s h e w a sp l a i n a n d d e f o r m e d s e e m s n e v e r t o h a v e f ig ure d i n t h e i r p i c t u r e o f h e r .N o t o n c e i n a l l t h a t M i t t i e w r o t e a b o u t h e r c h i l d r e n i s t h e r e e v e n a t r a c eo f p i t y o r w o r r y o v e r B a m i e . B a m i e w a s s t re n g t h . B a m i e w a s g o o d s e n s e ,t h e o n e t o l e a n o n , t o t u r n t o f o r h e l p . S h e w a s , as T e e d i e w o u l d t e l l h e rf o n d l y , " a k i n d o f l i t t le f e m i n i n e A t l a s w i t h a s m a l l w o r l d o n h e r s h o u l d e r s . "

O f t h e y o u n g e s t t h r e e , E l l i e w a s t h e b e s t - l o o k i n g a n d t h e m o s t c o n v i v i a l , a n d i n m a n y w a y s t h e m o s t e n d e a r i n g . A s a b a b y h e h a d b e e n" d e c i d e d l y p r e t ty . " A t t w o h e c o u l d s p e a k m o r e c l e a r l y t h a n h i s o l d e rb r o t h e r a n d i n n o t i m e b e c a m e l a r g er , b e t t e r c o o r d i n a t e d , t h e n a t u r a l a t h l e t e o f t h e t w o . L i t t l e b r o t h e r w a s b i g b r o t h e r . H e w a s a ls o d i s t i n g u i s h e db y a s w e e t , e v e n t e m p e r a n d w h a t s e e m e d a n i n o r d i n a t e f u n d o f k i n d n e s sf o r s o m e o n e s o y o u n g . O n c e , a t a b o u t t h e a g e o f s e v e n , h e h a d g o n e o f ff o r a w a l k w e a r i n g a n e w o v e r c o a t a n d r e t u r n e d w i t h o u t it . H e h a d g i v e ni t a w a y , h e e x p l a i n e d , t o a r a g g e d c h i l d w h o h a d n o n e a n d l o o k e d c o l d .

U n l i k e B a m i e , w h o s e h a i r w a s d a r k b r o w n , h e , T e e d i e , a n d C o n i ew e r e a l l f a i r - h a i r e d a n d C o n i e w a s k n o w n f o r h e r " a r d e n t " b l u e e y e s.

T e e d i e , i n B a m i e s e x p r e s s i o n , w a s t h e " g r e a t l i t t l e h o m e - b o y " o f t h ef a m i l y . H e w a s e x tr e m e l y f r a i l a n d u n d e r s i z e d f o r t e n , a n e r v o u s , t i m i d ,o f t e n s o l i t a r y c h i l d w i t h b a d c o l o r a n d w h a t h i s m o t h e r d e s c r i b e d as a" q u i e t p a t r i c i a n a i r . . . h i s l a r g e b l u e e y e s n o t l o o k i n g a t a n y t h i n g p r e s e n t . " H i s j o y w a s i n s t o r i e s o f h i g h a d v e n t u r e , i n b i r d s a n d a n i m a l s , a l m o s t


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38 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Ka n y t h i n g t o d o w i t h n a t u r e . " M y m o u t h o p e n e d w i d e w i t h a s t o n i s h [ m e n t ]w h e n I h e a r d h o w m a n y f lo w ers w e r e s e n t i n t o y o u , " h e h a d w r i t t e n t oh i s m o t h e r t h e s p r i n g b e f o r e , i n A p r i l 1 8 6 8 , w h e n s h e w a s i n S a v a n n a h . " Ic o u l d r e v e l i n t h e b u g g i e o n e s . I j u m p e d w i t h d e l i g h t w h e n I f o u n d y o uh e a r d t h e m o c k i n g b i r d , g e t s o m e o f i t s f e a th e r s i f y o u c a n . " H e k e p t p e tm i c e i n a b u r e a u d r a w e r , a n d , i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h a c o u s i n , W e s tR o o s e v e l t , h a d f o u n d e d h i s o w n " R o o s e v e l t M u s e u m o f N a t u r a l H i s t o r y "i n t h e b a c k h a l l o n t h e f o u r t h floor, a c o l l e c t i o n a l r e ad y c o m p r i s i n g s o m es e v e r a l h u n d r e d s p e c i m e n s .

T e e d i e w a s a n a s t h m a t i c . H i s a t ta c k s h a d s t a r t e d a t a b o u t t h e a g e o ft h r e e a n d m o r e e v e n t h a n B a m i e s a f f l i c t i o n t h e y h a d h a d a p r o f o u n de f f e c t o n t h e l i f e o f t h e f a m i l y s u m m e r p l a n s , s u d d e n c a n c e l la t io n s o fd i n n e r e n g a g e m e n t s , c h a n g e s i n p l a n s o f a l l k i n d s b e i n g d e t e r m i n e d t i m ea n d a g a i n b y t h e s t a t u s o f h i s h e a l t h . D u r i n g t h e f i r s t f e w d a y s a t a n ys u m m e r h o u s e o r h o t e l , h i s m o t h e r w o u l d k e e p h e r ba gs p a c k e d , k n o w i n g f r o m e x p e r i e n c e t h a t s o m e u n k n o w n s o m e t h i n g m i g h t t r i g g e r a na t t ac k a n d o f f s h e w o u l d h a v e t o g o w i t h h i m , b a c k t o t h e c i t y o r t o t r y s t i l la n o t h e r , d i f f e r e n t l o c a l e .

C o n i e , t o o , h a d " t h e a s t h m a , " b u t v e r y i n f r e q u e n t l y a n d n e v e r s o s e r i o u s l y . T e e d i e , m o r e o v e r , w a s b e s e t b y c h r o n i c s t o m a c h t r o u b l e , b yh e a d a c h e s , b y c o l d s , f e v er s , a n d a r e c u r r i n g n i g h t m a r e t h a t a w e r e w o l fw a s c o m i n g a t h i m f r o m t h e b o t t o m o f h i s b e d . E a r l i e r i n t h e y e a r , i nJ a n u a r y 1 8 6 9 , h e h a d f a l l e n i n t o s u c h a l o w s t a t e t h a t M i t t i e h a d t a k e n h i mo f f t o P h i l a d e l p h i a f o r a s t a y w i t h h e r h a l f s is te r, S u s a n , w h o s e h u s b a n d ,H i l b o r n e W e s t , w a s a p h y s i c i a n . T e e d i e , as M i t t i e s a i d , k e p t e v e r y o n e " o nt h e s tr e t c h . " R a r e l y c o u l d h e s l e e p w i t h o u t b e i n g p r o p p e d u p i n b e d o r i na b i g c h a i r , so d i f f i c u l t w a s i t f o r h i m t o b r e a t h e . F o r a t i m e , h i s f a th e r h a dt h o u g h t p o s s i b l y t h e t r o u b l e h a d s o m e t h i n g t o d o w i t h t h e f u r n a c e a t E a s t2 0 t h S t r e e t .

T h e a t t a c k s w e r e a d r e a d f u l e x p e r i e n c e f o r e v e r y o n e . T h e y h a p p e n e dn e a r l y a l w a y s a t n i g h t a n d t h e r e w a s l i t t l e a n y b o d y c o u l d d o . T h e o d o r ew o u l d g a t h e r t h e c h i l d u p i n h i s ar m s a n d w a l k t h e flo or w i t h h i m f o rh o u r s . S o m e n i g h t s , i n d e s p e r a t i o n , h e w o u l d b u n d l e h i m u p ag a in s t t h ec o l d , s e r v a n t s w o u l d b e r o u s e d t o f e t c h t h e c a r r i a g e t o t h e d o o r , a n df a t h e r a n d c h i l d w o u l d d r i v e o f f i n t h e d a r k i n th e h o p e t h a t t h e s u d d e nc h a n g e o f a i r m i g h t b r i n g r e l i e f w h i c h s o m e t i m e s i t d i d .

L i k e o t h e r p a r e n t s o f t h e i r s o c i a l p o s i t i o n , t h e R o o s e v e l t s d i d n o t w i s ht o s ee t h e i r c h i l d r e n " c o a r s e n e d " b y p u b l i c s c h o o l s . B u t m a i n l y i t w a s


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Greatheart's Circle I 3 9f r o m w o r r y o v e r t h e i r h e a l t h t h a t a l l f o u r w e r e k e p t f r o m s c h o o l o f a n yk i n d , p u b l i c o r p r iv a t e . T h e y w e r e t u t o r e d w i t h i n t h e h o m e w a l ls a n df r o m w i t h i n t h e h o m e r an k s b y t h e i r o w n A u n t A n n a , w h o , u n t i l h e r m a r r i ag e t o J a m e s K . G r a c i e i n 1 8 6 6 , w a s , l i k e G r a n d m a m m a B u l l o c h , a v i t a lp a r t o f t h e h o u s e h o l d . A t o n e p o i n t T e e d i e a n d E l l i e w e r e s e n t d o w n t h es t r e e t t o p r i v a t e c l a s s es o n l y a s to n e s t h r o w f r o m t h e h o u s e , t h e s e c o n d u c t e d b y T h e o d o r e s o w n b o y h o o d t u to r , b u t e v e n so c a u t i o u s a d e p a r t u r e h a d p r o v e d u n s a ti s fa c to r y . T h e b o y s w e r e w i t h d r a w n a ft er o n l y am o n t h o r t w o a n d n o t m a d e t o g o a g a i n .

S i n c e s c h o o l p l a y e d n o p a r t i n t h e i r l i v e s , t h e y w e r e c u t o f f f r o m t h e i rc o n t e m p o r a r i e s . T h e o n l y a c c e s s ib l e t h e o n l y p e r m i s s i b le p l a y m a t e sw e r e t h o s e w i t h i n t h e f a m i l y c i r c l e , n a m e l y c o u s i n s a n d t h e a p p r o v e d o f fs p r i n g o f a f e w o l d f a m i l y f r ie n d s o f c o m p a r a b l e s ta t io n a n d a n t e c e d e n t s .B a m i e s e e m s t o h a v e h a d n o c h i l d h o o d f r ie n d s , w h i l e t h e y o u n g e s t t h r e eh a d b u t o n e w h o h a d fig ur ed s i g n i f i c a n t l y t h u s f a r l i t t l e E d i t h C a r o w ,w h o w a s C o n i e s a ge a n d th e d a u g h t e r o f C h a r l e s C a r o w , a l i f e l o n g f r i e n do f T h e o d o r e s .

B u t t h e n n e i t h e r d i d a n y o f t h e m s u f fe r f r o m a la c k o f a f f e c t io n o rs t i m u l a t i o n . I f a n y t h i n g , t h e r e w a s a s u r p l u s o f b o t h . A u n t A n n a , w h o h a dn o c h i l d r e n , w a s as d e v o t e d as t h o u g h t h e y w e r e h e r o w n . G r a n d m a m m ai n h e r l a c e c a p w a s fa m o u s f o r h e r " m e l t s , " o v e r w h e l m i n g o u t b u r s t s o fm a t e r n a l , s o u t h e r n a f f e c t io n ; a n d n u r s e D o r a W a t k i n s w a s c o n s i d e r e d s oo v e r l y i n d u l g e n t to t h e c h i l d r e n as t o b e a p o s s i b l e h i n d r a n c e t o t h e i rh e a l t h a n d / o r m o r a l c h a r a c t e r . Y e a r s a f te r h e r d e a t h , t h e m e r e m e n t i o no f G r a n d m a m m a s n a m e w a s e n o u g h t o m a k e th e y o u n g e s t t h r e e b u r s ti n t o t e a r s .

T h e c h a r m i n g , e r u d i te D r . H i l b o r n e W e s t , t h e P h i l a d e l p h i a u n c l e ,s p e n t p a rt o f e a c h s u m m e r w i t h t h e m , r e a d a n d a c t e d S h a k e s p e a r e w i t ha l l f o u r c h i l d r e n u n d e r t h e t r e es , a n d a l l e g e d l y n o o n e h a d m o r e t o d ow i t h t h e i r " e a r l y s t i r r i n g o f i n t e l l e c t u a l d e s i r e s . " " T h e v e r y f ac t t h a t h e w a sn o t a c h i e v i n g a t h o u s a n d w o r t h w h i l e t h i n g s , as w a s m y fa th e r ," w r o t eC o n i e y e a r s a f t e r w a r d , " t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t h e w a s n o t b u s i e d w i t h t h e p r a c t i c a l c a r e a n d t h o u g h t f o r u s , as w e r e m y m o t h e r a n d a u n t , b r o u g h t a b o u tb e t w e e n u s t h a t d e l i g h t f u l r e l a t i o n s h i p w h e n t h e o l d e r p e r s o n l ea d sr a t h e r t h a n d r i v e s t h e y o u n g e r i n t o p a t h s o f l i t e r a t u r e a n d le a r n i n g . "

I t w a s , p l a i n l y , a f a m i l y o f p a r ad o x e s: p r i v i l e g e d a n d c u s h i o n e db e y o n d m o s t p e o p l e s i m a g i n i n g , y e t l i t t l e l i k e t h e s t e r e o t y p e o f t h e v a p i d ,i n s u l a r r i c h ; u n e d u c a t e d i n an y u s u a l, f o r m a l f a sh i o n b u t a ls o u n i n h i b i t e d


23/23

40 / M O R N I N G S O N H O R S E B A C Kb y e d u c a t i o n a r d e n t r e a d e r s, i n s a t i a b l e a s k er s o f q u e s t i o n s ; c h r o n i c a l l yt r o u b l e d , c u r s e d i t w o u l d o f t e n s e e m , b y o n e i l ln e s s o r m y s t e r i o u s d i s o r d e r a f t e r a n o t h e r , y e t r e f u s i n g t o s u b j e c t o t h e r s t o t h e i r t r o u b l e s o r t o g i v ei n t o d e s p a i r .

O f t h e t a w d r i n e s s a n d d r u d g e r y o f t h e w o r k a d a y w o r l d t h e y k n e wa l m o s t n o t h i n g . T h e y h a d n e v e r e x p e r i e n c e d d r o u g h t o r h u n g e r o r s t e e r a g e o r a n y o f a d o z e n o t h e r o r d e a l s c o m m o n t o so m a n y A m e r i c a n s o f t h ed ay . T h e y w e r e n e v e r w i t h o u t m o n e y o r s e rv a n ts . T h e y s c ar c e ly k n e ww h a t i t w a s t o c l e a n o u t a s ta l l o r p u t t h e i r h a n d s i n d i s h w a t e r . W h e n ac o o k g o t d r u n k o n e e v e n i n g a t t h e U n i o n S q u a r e h o u s e a n d C V S w e n t t os e e w h a t t h e f u s s w a s a b o u t , i t m a r k e d t h e f i r s t t i m e h e h a d s e t f o o t i n h i so w n k i t c h e n .

T h e y k n e w t h e m s e l v e s t o b e a r i s to c r a t s, t h o u g h i t i s u n l i k e l y t h e yu s e d t h a t w o r d : " p e o p l e o f g o o d f a m i l y " w a s p r e f e r r e d . T h e y h a d li t t lep a t i e n c e w i t h b a d m a n n e r s , n o u s e f o r s o c i a l c l i m b e r s , l i t t l e k n a c k f o r t h ek i n d o f e a s y f a m i l i a r i t y t h a t b u s i n e s s m e n a n d p o l i t i c i a n s t r a d e d o n a n dt h a t E u r o p e a n s t h o u g h t so v e r y A m e r i c a n . " B e c a r e f u l a lw a y s i n c h a n c ea c q u a i n t a n c e s " w a s a n o t h e r o f f a th e r T h e o d o r e s a d m o n i t i o n s to t h e c h i l d r e n .

" F a m i l y " a n d " s to c k s " o r " a n t e c e d e n t s " w e r e f a v o r i t e t o p i c s . T h e i ro w n p o s i t i o n r e l a t iv e t o t h a t o f t h e c o m m o n h e r d w a s a n a c c e p t e d f ac t o fl i f e . T h e o d o r e w a s n o m o r e a v e r se t o u s i n g a n e x p r e s s i o n l i k e " o u r c l a s s "t h a n w a s an y o n e e l s e o f c o m p a r a b l e b a c k g r o u n d . B u t i f c o n s c i o u s o f t h e i rp o s i t i o n , t h e y w e r e a l s o c o n s c i o u s o f t h e i r d u ty . T h e y h a d s t a n d a r d s , s t a n d a r d s w h i c h t h e y n e v e r q u e s t i o n e d . T h e y w e r e R o o s e v e l t s , b u t , b e i n gR o o s e v e l t s , t h a t i n i t s e l f c o u l d n e v e r b e t h o u g h t o f as e n o u g h . D u t y a n df a m i l y n a m e d e m a n d e d m o r e .

A n d t h e n , i n a d d i t i o n , t h e r e w a s M i t t i e , i n s o m e r e g a r d s t h e m o s t f as c i n a t i n g o f t h e m a l l , " d a r l i n g l i t t le M i t t i e , " a R o o s e v e l t b y m a r r i a g e o n l y .

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Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough