Roosevelt has been called “a youthful and infinitely resourceful father who entered into your games with zest, and invented variations of his own that you yourself would never have dreamed of; a father, moreover, who did not make pets of his children but treated them as rational and responsible beings, his equals, having feelings that deserved the same consideration he might show any adult, great or obscure. The father was a busy man even at Sagamore. There were always tiresome people calling on him—senators and cabinet members and such—but four in the afternoon was generally their deadline and, if they didn’t know it, the President enlightened them. One afternoon the President was in the library discussing Cuban reciprocity with a visiting statesman when a group of bareheaded boys, in clothes and sneakers appeared at the doorway. “Cousin Theodore,” said their lanky spokesman, respectfully, “it’s after four.” “By Jove,” the President exclaimed, “so it is! Why didn’t you call me sooner? One of you boys get my rifle.” A little figure detached itself from the group and ran upstairs. The President turned to his visitor. “I must ask you to excuse me. We’ll finish this talk some other time. I promised the boys I’d go shooting with them at four o’clock, and I never keep boys waiting. It’s a hard trial for a boy to wait.” Hermann Hagedorn
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