Jacob A. Riis (1849–1914). Theodore Roosevelt, the Citizen. 1904.
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| lay there. No one had thought of sending them up. |
| Mr. Roosevelt sent runners down at once to find out if there was any summons for him, and made ready for an immediate start before he changed his clothing. He was wet through. The dusk became darkness, and the hours wore far into the evening. He walked up and down alone in front of the cottage, thinking it all over. It could not be. He had arranged to be advised at once of the least change, and no word had come. Up to that morning all the bulletins were hopeful. There must be some awful mistake. Black night sat upon the mountain and no message yet. He went in to snatch such sleep as he could get. Too soon he might need it. |
| In the midnight hour came the summons. Mr. McNaughton himself brought the message: “Come at once.” In ten minutes Mr. Roosevelt threw his grip into the buckboard that was hurriedly driven up, and gave the word to go. |
| How that wild race with death was run and lost—for before it was half finished President McKinley had breathed his last, and there was |