Jacob A. Riis (1849–1914). Theodore Roosevelt, the Citizen. 1904.
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| “It will always be a source of pride and pleasure to me to have served under President Cleveland.” Mr. Cleveland shook hands, mute with emotion. |
| I learned afterward that among all the countless messages of sympathy and cheer that came to him in those hard days, the one of them all he prized highest and that touched him most deeply was from Grover Cleveland. |
| The Six Years’ War was nearly over when the summons came to him to take the helm in the Police Department in New York City, the then storm-center in the fight for civic regeneration. He and his colleague, Mr. Procter, had their first and only falling out over his choice to go into the new fight. They quarreled over it until Roosevelt put his arm over the other’s shoulder and said: “Old friend! I have made up my mind that it is right for me to go.” |
| Mr. Procter shook him off almost roughly, and got up from the table. “All right,” he said, “go! You always would have your way, and I suppose you are right, blank it and blank blank it!” and the grizzled old veteran went out and wept like a child. |