Jacob A. Riis (1849–1914). Theodore Roosevelt, the Citizen. 1904.
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| he—came nearer to provoking irreverence in me, by making me laugh in church, than anything that has happened since I was a boy. I had come out on a Sunday, and finding the President’s carriage at the church, went in to join in the worship while waiting for him. “Susie” lay in the vestibule, and at sight of me manifested his approval by pounding the floor with his club tail until the sound of it reverberated through the building like rolling thunder. The door opened, and a pale young man came out to locate the source of the disturbance. Discovering it in “Susie’s” tail, he grabbed him by the hind legs and dragged him around so that the blows might fall on the soft door-mat. But “Susie,” pleased with the extra attention paid him, hammered harder than ever, and in his delight stretched himself so far that his tail still struck the hollow floor. I was convulsed with laughter, but never a smile crossed the countenance of the proper young man. He studied “Susie” thoughtfully, made a mental diagram of his case, then took a fresh hold and dragged him around, this time to a safe harbor, where he might wag as he would without breaking the Sabbath peace. I am |